The Fourth Notebook

46

Emma POV
12/24/14
Grace let us set up the party in her room because she had more room and had already decorated her room.
We hung paper stockings, put up a little tree that James found in the storage room, and put on Elf.
When Buddy the Elf first visited New York and ate the "free candy", Grace actually laughed.
That laugh completely disappeared when Cody walked in the door.

James POV
Christmas Eve
Oh god. Cody actually showed up tonight.
Grace tried to ignore him when he walked in and sat down. She turned to Em and tried making conversation about the movie, but Emma shut down the talking by saying that we had a surprise for Grace that we had to get ready.
We did, in fact, have a surprise, but I still felt bad about leaving them alone.

Cody POV
12/24/14
I went to that holiday party to see Grace.
"Grace?"
No answer.
"Grace, please. I can't stand it. Living like this. I'm only across the hallway from you but it seems like I'm a million miles away. Can you please give me another chance?"
Her eye flickered over me for a second and then away.
"I got rid of everything. And I mean everything."
I didn't tell her how I had jumped on my little blackberry phone until it was shattered into pieces and then threw the pieces off the roof.
I didn't tell her how I poured all my alcohol down the sink and flushed away the tiny plastic baggies which had ruined my life with her.
I just told her how I can't live without her and how I would die if she wasn't in my life.
"Grace, we are meant to be together. You and me, we are one. You're all I have left. And I will not lose you. I promise you, so long as we are together, I will never even touch anything that could ruin us, including my drugs. Okay, Grace Shaw?"
36- Grace's forgiveness

Grace POV
December 24, 2014
I took back Cody. I realized that I felt the same. I can't be without him. He made a promise. And a promise like this can't be broken. When I told him, "Okay Cody," he jumped up.
"Really?" He said.
I nodded.
"Oh thank god!"
He pulled me in tight, nearly crushing my lungs.
It was then that there was a knock on the door. Jace, Mary, Emma, and James stood at the door with the other eight kids. They all joined in to "silent night".
I rested my head on Cody's shoulder and listened to their sweet child voices in the chorus. After they sang their song, they all filed in and gave little Christmas cards to Cody, James, Emma, and I. A few of them gave cards to their friends. I saw little Jace give a card to Mary. Her new leg was wrapped in Christmas lights that twinkled. I passed out some grocery store cookies before they all were sent to bed. We stayed up late watching some of my favorite Christmas movies with anticipation of the next morning.
36- Christmas Eve.