Fallen Grace

7

Grace and Miles would beg for Pedro's Lasagne. After the first time their father bought it for supper because their mother was working late they became obsessed with it.

"It's like rainbows are throwing a party in my mouth",Miles would say everytime he took the first bite.

Grace didn't object to his remarks because she herself felt something to that effect. They spent more than two months eating lasagne every night for supper. Their parents could hardly do anything about it. They demanded it.

It had probably been just over the second month when they were driving home and Grace felt a weird feeling in her stomach. She looked over at Miles who had his head against the backseat window.

"Miles",she spoke to him with a grimace.

"Yes munchie?",he turned to her with the smiling expression that he wore.

"I don't feel too good",Grace took a deep breath.

Miles didn't feel that great either but instead of telling her he just reached over to her side and slid her window down.

"The cool air might help."

Grace nodded and pushed her head out the window a little bit. She embraced the air and prayed it would make her feel anything but the cramps in her tummy.

"You two okay back there?",their father turned his head to the back seat and inquired.

"Grace isn't feeling well",Miles said in haste.

"What's wrong Gracie?",their mother turned around from the the passenger seat and asked her with a concerned tone.

"She's pregnant."

Both his parents gave him a dirty look and then focused their attention on the child they cared about more.

"Humor gets you no where these days, and one of you keep your eyes on the road ",Miles rolled his eyes.

"Roger that",his father said and faced forward.

"Don't worry Gracie, we'll be home soon. Maybe you have motion sickness. Once you're out of the car you should feel fine",Sabrina nodded at her daughter and her brown her followed suit. "Matthew step on the gas please."

Grace focused on the trees. It calmed her down and she didn't think about the nauseating pain she felt. Miles on the other hand took deep breaths and he tried to hide the fact that he felt awful.

As soon as his father backed into their driveway Miles hopped out of the car and ran to the side where Grace was. He opened her door and helped her out.

"I'm okay, I think mom was right. The motion got to me",Grace said after a second. Miles nodded and rubbed her back softly.

"Everything okay?",her parents said as they reached her and Miles after locking the car.

"Yes I think she's good now",Miles sighed as he slipped his hands into his jacket pockets.

"You got us worried there",their mother said shaking her head. "Didn't she, Matthew?"

Her husband wasn't paying attention to her, instead he had pulled out his camera and he was now pointing it toward his two children.

"Smile guys, you've got to make memories."

"You've got to make memories",Grace mocked.

Miles and Grace then groaned in unison, the last thing they wanted to do was take a photograph.

"Make a funny face",Miles whispered to Grace.

"What?"

"Make a funny face so they can't put it up on the walls, it will be too embarrassing",he said softly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"On the count of three, say cheese!",their father smiled. "One, two, three!"

The flashing light filled their vision and
Grace and Miles both scrunched up their faces in attempt to make it the most embarrassing photograph of all time.

"Wow, kids. Real original. I think this is our Christmas card this year",their father laughed.

Grace and Miles looked at each other and then laughed as well. For a second they had forgotten about the intense pain they both felt in their tummy.

"You should have made them say lasagne, not cheese",their mother added.

"Lasagne, no!",Grace exclaimed as she ran toward the front door.

Her mother ran behind her and assisted her in unlocking the door. Grace flew inside and went straight to the bathroom. She was at the sink and throwing up before Miles got there. He didn't go to the bathroom to check on her, instead he lifted the toilet seat and vomited into the toilet.

Sabrina and Matthew, proud parents of their two children stood at the doorway. Watching the entire scene unfold.

"Do you think their drunk?",she asked her husband. "They are thirteen and fourteen, children start to become rebellious at that age."

"I don't think so,Sabrina",he shrugged as he watched Miles throw up even more.

"Do you think it's a bug?"

"A bug called lasagne. Yes I think it's a bug."