ARIZONA COLLEGE (SEVEN YEARS AGO)GRACEIn silence we studied each other on a bed, evaluating, doubting, and considering by turns, because it was so sudden, so unexpected. We were merely strangers turned drink buddies few hours ago. We didn’t even know our names yet. He only jokingly called me Ms. Budweiser because I said I loved beer more, while I laughed hard and loud, calling him Mr. Chardonnay because he said he only drank wine.But I and my friends made him take beer. It was a way to apologize for bumping into him and ruining his white T-shirt. I was going to get another round of drink while he was heading to the rest room as I could remember it. However due to my crazy hurrying, and the excitement of our finals, I had bumped into him and caused him to spill his drink on himself and at the same time holding me from tripping over.He snaked his firm hand around my waist to keep me steady and our eyes locked. At that instant, t

The Present. (Central London)GRACEThe streetlights were up. They generously cast their golden glow on me as I jogged on the neighborhood roads to find release.It's a sacrifice I had to pay as a writer. One way or another, inspirations come at those odd moments when your heart is beating like a drum and you just suddenly stop midway to bend over with your hands placed on your knees, starting to smile at your fresh plot or a thrilling revelation about your character. Or how to end your story.So this particular evening, I was jogging for motivation over a gothic story. Already, my day had been stressful. After tucking Laurie, my six-year-old daughter into bed few minutes ago, making sure she was sound asleep and packing some of her clothes into her travel bag for tomorrow, I just had to hit the road. She even agreed to sleep early, so that tomorrow could come quickly for her to head to Nkechi’s place already, according to her. I giggled mental

GRACEI stood in my room before my bed, dumbfounded by what just happened.I tried taking my mind back to the point where I entered the room and asked the ungrateful and uncouth stranger I foolishly brought to my home, how he was feeling. The gesture I made was as simple as that. I never spoke to him rudely or acted in any way that showed that I wanted to harm him.I was shocked at first. Then disgusted by his rudeness, then confused, thinking maybe he felt like he was in trouble or we could harm him owning the trauma he had gone through before I met him and rescued him. Did he totally forget the events of the previous day? Was it so traumatizing that he didn’t remember a single thing?I didn’t even get a proper look at his face. I and Nkechi were busy trying to save him, doing all the things trained emergency personnel should be doing, that we had completely forgotten to check for his name or identity or anything at all from him.We were

GRACE. The telephone rang the minute I stepped into my house. I had only just returned from dropping Laurel at school.Everything seemed back to normal till I lifted the telephone from its cradle.Jody hadn't noticed me yet. She was sprawled on the love seat sofa in my tiny sitting room, distracted by those South Korean dramas on her mobile that made her cry and laugh at the same time.The caller on the telephone had a modern American accent. He asked if he was speaking with Grace Jones and I'd have concluded the call as spam until he mentioned ‘The Man I Saved Last Week’. “Why should I meet him?” I had asked the caller impatiently, standing with my back resting against the wall behind me.“Are you not curious to know how the person you saved is faring?” he asked, then went ahead without waiting for a reply, “What’s the point of saving him if you wouldn't be interested in his final outcome, if he recovered or not?”I wanted to tell him he sounded

GRACE.My phone's alarm went off reminding me it was time to go pick Laurel up from school. I had lost track of time, sobbing and sinking in gloom since I got back from Dior’s Diner. I was relieved to see that Jody had left, so I had enough space to cry my eyes out without anyone asking me what was wrong. I had no idea if she kept to her promise but I couldn’t care less at that point.I was going to tell my friends, but not now. I still couldn’t believe this was happening after all I had gone through to get my life back on track.  Working like a mull these past seven years, trading sleep and convenience for a life of comfort for my daughter.What do I tell her now? That some stranger who was about slipping into my life after six years was her father? After telling her she had no dad the first time she asked me with watery eyes at age three.Damn you, Connor Shelby, I thought. The time- to- pick- up- Laurie- fro