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Chapter Eighty-Nine
Grace is the divine power that inspires virtue in humans and gives us the strength to endure difficult times.
Grace Elizabeth Santos was born on June 29th at 3:17 pm. The first time Jade laid eyes on her, she believed her daughter was absolutely perfect in every sense. She never truly understood what love was until she laid her eyes on her daughter and cradled her tiny, pink body in her arms for the first time. It was the most magical moment she'd ever felt. Grace came out screaming, wide-eyed, and confused by the strange cold world, but the moment she heard the sound of her mother's voice, she froze and just blinked, listening for her.
"I could lay here forever studying her features and adoring every little movement and noise she makes," Jade whispered as she softly hummed to Grace who was sleeping in her arms.&n
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Rendezvous Chapter One
The stench of cigarette smoke lingered in the air as Jade slid further back into the tattered armchair. She checked her phone once again, growing impatient as time seemed to move ever so slowly. It read 12:16 a.m. Jonathan's plane had landed a few minutes ago. Gazing down into the nearly empty glass, she swirled the amber liquid into a whirlpool, trying to imagine him quietly entering into their dark apartment. He'd lay his suitcase beside the doorway and then flick on the lamp resting on the entryway table, scanning over the room. Everything would be intact to the unsuspecting eye, sitting in the exact spot it was before he'd left for Minneapolis. Not wanting to disturb her, he'd quietly tiptoe to his office to catch up on any work he'd missed, assuming that she was soundly sleeping behind their closed bedroom door. Jade smirked to herself at the very thought. What she wouldn't give to see the look on his fa
Rendezvous Chapter Two
Jade blinked and sat up straight, wondering if her eyes, or maybe it was the whiskey, were deceiving her. While she'd been lost in the daydream, a strikingly handsome man had sauntered over, leaning against the bar diagonally from her. She flushed in embarrassment at the mere sight of him, subtly combing any flyaways from her hair. He wasn't the type of man she expected to see in this dump.He had a billionaire tycoon look to him, without the pot-belly or ridiculous tophat.Maybe he was the owner?She sighed. Who was she kidding? There wasn't a chance in the world he'd ever notice her, not with how she looked at the moment. None of that matters, she thought. She was fresh out of a relationship and there were so many other things she needed to focus on.Jade tried her best to ignore his presence and her interest in it. His deep voice barely carried across the room as he casually chatted with anothe
Rendezvous Chapter Three
The couple wandered the streets of Philadelphia, migrating towards a touristy strip of the downtown area. Jade thought her guide seemed to be oddly familiar with the inner-city as they moved about. He'd instantly pointed his toes in the direction they needed to travel, knowing every-which-way to turn. Just when she couldn't imagine having to take another aching step, they reached the warm foyer of a Holiday Inn.Her teeth relentlessly chattered as she greeted the receptionist and paid for a room for the night.Mr. Tie pushed the elevator button causing it to illuminate. In an instant, the hum from the motor echoed from behind the wall, and Jade stared up at him with a bleak smile on her face. Inside she felt disappointed, knowing it was time to thank him and say goodnight. She hesitated, wondering if she should give him her number. Would he even call her? She doubted it. Th
Rendezvous Chapter Four
"You're not what I expected; you know that?" There was a chuckle in his voice."How so?" She questioned, more curious than anything."I think it was the Burberrys that threw me off.""Do you have something against my shoes?" She looked down at her feet, admiring the beige striped sneakers that she had snagged for a great deal at Bloomingdales. "Just because I'm a female who wears designer brands doesn't mean I'm a snob." "They're my favorite color, and they match my outfit," she added.He nodded his head and smiled. "That, they do.""Well, you're not what I expected, either," she yawned. She wasn't a teenager anymore; her age was long past the nights of staying awake this late."Oh, and what were you expecting?" He asked, sitting up to take his jacket off. Jade wanted to ask why he was making himself more comfortable. Perhaps because he realized she wasn't drunk?"I don't know," she replied instead, "At the bar, I thought you we
Rendezvous Chapter Five
Jade gave a shy smile. She couldn't deny the connection she felt as he gazed down at her. She sensed an inviting pull between them. His hand softly cupped her face and pulled her chin closer. He kissed her.Her heart and thoughts raced as the intensity between them grew, him no longer holding back. His mouth and hands wandered, causing a tingle to erupt over her skin; warmth and desire for him were felt in distant places. Jade forced back her subconscious. She was definitely sobering up, coming to terms with the reality of their situation. Her insecurities were now at the forefront of her thoughts. She took in a deep breath, trying to find a way to overcome her fears. It didn't matter how many men told her she was beautiful; she never felt it. Having sex meant that she couldn't hide behind her clothing. He would witness every imperfection. What if he took one look at her body and changed his mind?She closed her eyes, recalling her past relationships. There weren't
Rendezvous Chapter Six
Jade's eyes sprung open to a loud, rapid tapping coming from behind the hotel room's closed door. "Housekeeping," a woman's voice announced.She pushed herself up from the soft, feathered pillow, trying to get her bearings together.Yesterday morning, the drive to Philadelphia, the bar, him, walking to the hotel together, what they did— the recollection flooded her mind at once. Her head was throbbing, and the fog of sleep had yet to lift. The clock on the nightstand beside her read that it was past eleven a.m."Just a minute," Jade pleaded, her voice dry and raspy. She sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. The room was dim, shadowed by an overcast sky. A sheet of rain drummed against the glass pane of the picture window beside her, the plump beads cascading down it like a waterfall. The other half of the bed was now cold and empty, only a slight indentation of his existence remaining on the pillow. She didn't remember him leaving. She barely ha
Rendezvous Chapter Seven
Jade wished she hadn't already paid for another night at the hotel but didn't bother mentioning it. She would be more comfortable hanging amongst her friend, anyway. As it grew dark out, they cracked open a second bottle, and Jade divulged what happened after she got off the phone. She spared no detail; every moment of it was too good not to share."You're shittin' me?" Marissa gasped, covering her mouth. The twang of a Georgian accent had slipped through with the wine. She hadn't lived there since she was a child, but it still emerged when she drank. You'd never know otherwise.Jade laughed, "It's not like Jonathon and I never... had sex ... obviously, but last night was just so much better. I can't even explain it. It wasn't so..""Vanilla," Marissa finished her sentence.
Rendezvous Chapter Eight
"Oh crap," The words barely escaped Jade's lips before she threw herself over the side of the bed and puked up warm, clear liquid onto the hardwood floor. It was all the water Marissa had insisted she drink before she went to bed last night. A sharp jolt shot through her neck from where she'd been sleeping on it wrong, and her head throbbed with pain."It's about time you woke up," Jade heard from the doorway. She looked up to see Marissa standing there in an oversized t-shirt and knee socks; her braids pulled back into a messy beehive.She didn't even seem hungover.Jade only wished she wasn't either. She felt miserable as she heard the scratching from Marissa's socks, shuffling down the hallway floorboards and then reappearing only moments later. She placed a large plastic bowl onto the bedroom floor and scooted it towards Jade with her foot. "Thanks," Jade muttered before hugging the bowl and heaving again. "What time is it?" she groaned and shifted onto
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