The following noon, we sat outside on the patio, Grace's legs on my lap as I rub her calves while she held her pink childhood blanket. She got her legs off of me, saying, "I'm going to the bathroom."
"Okay."
Before actually leaving the patio, I stopped her by asking if she wanted anything to drink.
"A Dr Pepper if it's not too much trouble," she answered.
"No trouble at all, babe."
She smiled and winked at me, then sprinted to the bathroom.
I sipped from my coffee mug, putting down my phone to wrap the thick blanket around my shoulders.
"Pretty chilly today," I said to myself.
I saw Grace's black pajama shorts on the couch.
"Grace, are you still in the bathroom?"
"No, here in the kitchen. Don't worry; I washed my hands thoroughly."
"Thank you for that."
"Want a root beer?"
"No, thanks, I have coffee."
"At twelve o'clock?"
"I didn't have much sleep last night," I said.
"Why?"
Positioning against the wall, I responded, "Because I was too mesmerized by your pretty face."
Turning tomato-red, she questioned, "You're not a stalker, are you?"
"Last time I checked."
She opens her Dr Pepper can and I heard her swig the carbonated drink.
"So what do you want to tell me?"
"Oh, now that you mentioned it, a friend of mine and her husband invited us over tonight for a party and some poker."
"Luckily I have some fancy clothes and my makeup case," she added.
"What time is it at?"
"She told me for us to be there around 8:30."
Before she could speak, my phone angrily vibrated in my pocket.
Seeing the name I winced in fear and I had to ignore the call until I went outside.
"Who was that?"
"Some scam," I white-lied, slipping my phone away.
"'Kay then," she muttered, disappearing into the bedroom.
I took my phone out to look at the ignored call and sighed in a hushed tone, "Dani, why'd you have to call me at this hour?"
Grace pushed her fluffy hair behind with a black headband as she swiped mascara over her lashes.
"Well, I'm done getting ready."
"There won't be any loud music, right?"
"Why you ask?"
She pointed to her right ear.
"My autism makes me sensitive to loud sounds."
"No, you don't have to worry about the music."
I grasped her chin and complimented, "You look absolutely gorgeous."
She leaned in to my face, pressing her lips against mine. I stroked her jawline and kissed her more intensely this time.
"Why did I have to have autism?"
"Because it's the way God made you; made you better than anyone else."
YOU ARE READING
Roses in Heaven
General FictionWhat happens when a depressed painter and an autistic beauty cross paths? You get this: David, a soft-spoken, unhappy artist who treats the sweet Grace into a life of pampering and learns about her sensitivity to dark subject matter and how she cope...
