Grace

17

Grace spent a lot of time thinking as Alex prepared for the race. The way she thought, this relationship could go 2 ways. Grace could let her in and everything could be fine or Malorie would come in, steal her money and that was that. Everything would go right back to the way it was.

She'd made it through the night without much sleep while Alex slept beside her. She may have gotten 20 minutes. By the time Alex woke up in the morning, Grace was out of bed and making breakfast.

"I rolled over and you were gone,"

"Blame your child," she grumbled, flipping the egg on the stove.

"Not letting you sleep?"

"Nope," she sighed, "This whole thing with Malorie is getting me too. I don't know what to do about it. Do I let her in and risk her blowing my life up again or do I just move on and accept that I'll maybe see her at the track here and there?"

"I think that's a question that only you can answer honey. Maybe just go to dinner or something while we're all here? Just talk it out?" Alex suggested with a shrug.

"Maybe," she sighed, "That might be my only option,"

"On the subject of baby. What's it doing?"

"Nothing. Just the anxiety of everything coming up. I was reading online last night about the whole process and what could or couldn't happen after birth and I scared myself into no sleep," She explained as she plated the food for both of them and set it in front of him.

"I think I need to start taking your phone from you at night,"

"That might be the best option," she nodded, turning the stove off before she sat down and started to eat her breakfast with him.

They ate mostly in silence before both getting up and getting ready for the day. Grace picked her scrubs out as well as a pink dress if he won. Alex headed to the driver's meeting soon enough, leaving Grace to walk to the care center and hope she didn't run into Malorie. She still hadn't made a choice on that matter.

Tyler was there with a coffee as soon as she walked in, which she thanked him for before setting her things down and getting everything ready.

"Borrow the golf cart," Tyler chuckled, handing the keys over so she wouldn't have to walk all the way across the winding track to get to pit road.

"Thank you so much," she smiled, taking the keys and heading out to meet Alex by his car. She parked it behind the pit stall and looked around as she walked through. Someone else was driving the 15 this week and of course, it was Gavin Markis. Malorie's last name.

"You okay?" Alex asked as she walked up, looking more confused than ever.

"Gavin Markis? That's Malorie's husband. It's like the universe is mocking me,"

"Or showing you how to handle it," he said as he squeezed her hand, "Maybe it's time to give her a shot,"

All Grace could do was nod. She had to try, not just for her but for Alex and their unborn baby. They had a chance to become a family again.

Pre-race started after a few minutes, making Grace focus on the big picture. Alex was going to be in the car, going over 100, maybe 150 miles an hour. Her focus was on him.

"You're gonna do great," she grinned, hugging him tightly.

"I'll be back in a while,"

"I love you," she nodded, giving him a quick kiss.

"Love you too,"

She nodded and headed behind the wall, watching them roll off pit road before she took the golf cart back to the care center.

As soon as the TV was on, she was in her seat watching them as the race went green.

"Where's Alex starting?" Tyler asked as they watched.

"6th," she said as she watched the TV, "Malorie's husband is 24th,"

"How you feeling about that?" He asked, knowing she'd been struggling with it.

"I don't know yet. I think Alex thinks that I should. I still don't know. I just don't want everything to come up again and if she relapses, I don't know what I'd do,"

"I'm gonna have to agree with Alex. Maybe she didn't plan on seeing you, but if she's gonna try, I would give her a chance," Tyler shrugged, "Just try it,"

"Spin. Turn 5. It's the 15," she said as she snapped her head toward the TV. "That's her husband so I'm probably gonna be seeing her sooner than I planned,"

"I'd say so," he nodded as both of them got up to get whatever they needed ready.

It wasn't long before the AMR truck dropped Gavin off and Grace got him settled in the back, getting vitals and everything.

"You're Malorie's sister right?" He asked, stopping her as she was about to leave the room.

"Yeah," she nodded, turning back around, "We haven't spoken in years,"

"She's been talking about you all night,"

"Yeah?" Grace asked.

"Yeah. Stuff about growing up and how you were a good big sister and bailed her out of jail. All that,"

Grace nodded and offered a small smile before leaving the room, taking Gavin's stuff with her to give to Malorie.

As soon as she came out from the back, Malorie was standing there waiting for anyone to come out.

"Hey," Grace said as she handed everything over.

"You're a nurse too?"

"I am," she nodded, "Listen. I have been so back and forth on this but it's been years so. What do you think about coming to our bus for dinner tonight?"

"Both of us?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "I'll cook and everything. Well, I'll make Alex grill out, but maybe it'll give us a chance to catch up,"

"I'd really like that Grace," Malorie nodded, writing her phone number down on a stray piece of paper, "Just text me where your bus is and we'll be there,"

Grace nodded with a little smile, showing her back to where Gavin was before sitting back in her chair and focusing back on the race her husband was running.