Elizabeth Bass - Wherever Grace Is Needed

Books by Elizabeth Bass

MISS YOU MOST OF ALL
WHEREVER GRACE IS NEEDED

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

WHEREVER GRACE IS NEEDED

E LIZABETH B ASS

KENSINGTON BOOKS
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Table of Contents

P ROLOGUE

M EMORIZING THE S KY

June 1988

I n the living room, she went through the same ritual shed performed everywhere else, joining the tips of the corresponding fingers of her two hands to look through, like a viewfinder, and then slowly walking around the room, examining every little thing. She needed to commit it all to memory. This might be her last chance to see this old house, with its odd-shaped cabinets and closets perfect for hiding, and the fireplace framed by faded multicolored tiles.

She noticed everything through her viewfinder hands, even the single cobwebby strand suspended between a knights horse head and a pointy black bishops hat on the fancy marble chess set. Her oldest brother, Steven, had given the game to their dad this past Christmas, and it hadnt been touched since that day. The old chess set, on the other hand, kept its spot on the spindle-legged table between two armchairs, its shiny wooden blond and black pieces poised for battle.

The wall of shelves behind the armchair contained the stereo she wasnt supposed to touch and the records she could touch so long as she was very very careful. She knew those album covers, of landscapes and brass instruments and swans, as well as she knew the pictures in her old fairy-tale book. Shed hardly ever get to see them now.

She turned slowly, inspecting the room frame by frame until she came to the old globe standing in the corner. She had to stop and find Austin, and then trace her finger all the way over to Oregon. People kept telling her Oregon wasnt really far, but here was proof they were lying. Oregon was practically in the Pacific Ocean. On the globe, several strings of bumpy mountains stood between here and there, like a series of fences.

When she gave the globe a spin, watching the smooth seas and bumpy mountains whirling by caused her stomach to cramp a little. And then she heard jangling keys from upstairs, a sure sign that her father was getting ready to take her back to her moms. A wave of panic gripped her. She wasnt ready! There was so much she hadnt gone over yet. And what about the yard? She had forgotten to say good-bye to Desdemona!

She turned and ran out the front door and around the side of the house. Desdemona, a dachshund, pressed her sausage belly against the chain-link fence until Grace joined her on the other side.

Des! Grace flopped onto the grass and let herself be attacked by frantic snuffles and licks.

After Des had calmed down a little, Grace stretched out on her back on the grass and made a viewfinder of her hands again, this time pointed straight up at the sky overhead. Thin clouds streaked across the blue, not the puffy clouds Grace liked better. She couldnt make pictures of the wispy shapes, except maybe a trail of toilet paper or an earthworm. It disappointed her. This might be her last time to stare up at the sky in Texas. Everybody kept telling her that she would come back, but how did they know? And how could she be sure the sky would look the same all the way over in Oregon?

But what was the point of memorizing a sky that wasnt actually like the sky you wanted to remember?

Grace wouldnt let herself cry. She could cry all the time at her moms house, but here when she cried, her brothers made fun of her. They never cried. She had seen tears in her fathers eyes once, back when she was really little. Hed been reading a book and explained to her that he was crying because what he was reading was moving. The idea had startled her, so shed asked to see this book. It had taken her a second or two to work up the courage to look, only to discover that all the usual lines of squiggles were just sitting there on the page in the normal way, perfectly still. When she assured her dad there was nothing to be afraid of, he had stared at her in confusion for a moment and then burst out laughing.

Of course hed told everyone. Even now when her brothers saw her crying, they always asked her if shed seen something moving.

While she was still looking through her makeshift viewfinder, a shadow fell over her. She feared it was her dad... but it was only Sam. He was seven years older than hertwice her agebut he was the younger of her two half brothers.

What are you doing? From the alarm in his voice, you would have thought she was about to stick her finger into a light plug.

Im trying to memorize everything.

Like whatthe sky? Thats really pointless! He twisted to check if there was something up in the sky hed missed. Theres nothing up there!

Usually theres more.

Sam wouldnt understand. Steven wouldnt either; anyway, he was off at some kind of science camp.

Sam sat down next to Grace, and Desdemona raced around to wedge her body between them, nudging Sams hand with her moist snout until he gave in and scratched her ears. Dad said to tell you hes ready to go.

She felt a sharp stab of jealousy. Why did she have to go? Sam didnt even like it here all that muchhe was always arguing with their father now. It all started when Sam had become, to put it in his own words, political. To Grace, this phase had come on so quickly it seemed as if someone had just flipped a switch in his head. The change dated from the week the Johnson family had moved into the rental house on the corner. The family had two kids, Seeger and Rainbow, and Sam had started hanging out with them.

Now Sam was always predicting that one day he would hit the road and never come back. But Grace had never wanted to hit a road. Ever. Why couldnt Sam go to Oregon?

Its not fair, she blurted out. Its all because of my stupid mother, and stupid Jeff! If she had to go and get married again, why couldnt she have found someone from here?

Sam was silent for a moment, but then apparently he remembered he was supposed to be making an effort to cheer her up. Oregons going to be great. Its... He frowned for a moment, obviously reaching. Its really green there.

Austin is green. How is Oregon green any different?

It just is, because it rains more there. Ive seen pictures. They have a huge mountain, and a volcano.

Okay, maybe Austin didnt have a huge mountain. Certainly not a volcano. But shed never missed having mountainsnot like she was going to miss this house, and Des, and her brothers... even though they mostly ignored her anyway. And Peggy. And her dad...

Tears stood in her eyes. She was determined not to let a single one drop, but the effort of holding them back caused her entire body to quiver. The gate squeaked open and a renewed sense of doom filled her.

Whats going on? her father asked as he approached them. Ive been scouring the house for you.

Sam squinted up at him. She doesnt want to go, Dad. I dont blame her. Whatever happened to free will?

A troubled look flashed across their fathers face. For a split second, Grace wondered if he was going to let her stay, but then in the next instant he drew back his shoulders like he always did when he was irritated with someone. That someone was usually Sam, but today, her last day, it was her. How can you not want to go with your mother?

Because I like it here. This is my home, not Oregon.

Go where he will, a wise man is at home, her father said.

Sam tapped her foot with his sneaker. See? Whenever you feel homesick, just think of Dad quoting at you.