I, Gracie - Sharon Sala Page 0,76

I'd picked another place, that man might have died today. You had to be there for him," she said.

Gracie just nodded.

"Life is weird like that. You do things for one reason, and then wind up on a whole other path. I quit questioning it years ago."

But Reba couldn't let it go. "I felt so helpless, watching you. I want to learn how to do that. I'm going to look on YouTube tonight."

Gracie grinned. "The world has surely changed since I was last in it. It appears there is an answer for everything on YouTube."

Reba grinned. "Pretty much," she said, and began unwrapping her sandwich, then so did Gracie. After that, they talked as they ate, and by the time they got back to the Majestic, Reba had decided Gracie Dunham was the coolest woman she'd ever met, while Gracie was beginning to think she might have just made another new friend.

Reba immediately began telling everyone what had happened, while Gracie washed up, put her apron back on, and went to work.

Laura and Michelle left to go to lunch, leaving Donna there with Gracie and Reba.

"Good job," Donna said, as Gracie was putting the finishing touches on an FTD order.

"Thanks," Gracie said.

"And good job saving a life today."

"Just in the right place at the right time," Gracie said.

Long after Donna had walked away, Gracie began thinking, as she kept working, about all the times Mama had choked. She'd never thought about those instances as saving her life. She was just helping Mama catch her breath. And then she thought of the nights she'd gone to bed and prayed for the Lord to take Mama home because of how she was suffering.

So, Lord...all those times I kept praying for Mama to be released from her hell, and then she would choke, and I'd save her? Was that you trying to answer my prayers, or were you just testing me, making sure I was still the faithful daughter?

She struggled the rest of the afternoon, trying to make sense of something that no longer mattered. It was going to take more than leaving Texas for Texas to leave her alone.

John mashed his finger on the job a couple of hours before the end of their day. It bled under the nail for a solid hour before it stopped, and he knew the nail would definitely come off. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and in his line of work, it likely wouldn't be the last. But right now, he was pissed off at himself, and by the time he'd locked up for the night and headed home, also miserable.

He thought about Gracie on the way, wondering how her first day on the job had gone, hoping it had been better than his. By the time he got home, he had a headache of major proportions, and his whole hand was throbbing.

He showered, dressed in a pair of sweats, then doctored his finger again, popped some over the counter pain pills, and laid down on his bed with his hand in a bowl of ice.

He thought about watching TV but decided to call Gracie instead.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Gracie. It's me."

There was a moment of silence. John wondered if he'd lost the connection, and then she spoke.

"What's wrong?"

He frowned. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because your voice sounds stressed," she said.

He sighed. "You heard all that in 'Hi, Gracie. It's me?'"

"You still haven't answered me, which means something is wrong."

"Does mashing the holy hell out of my finger count?" he asked.

Gracie groaned. "Oh no! I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do? Where are you?"

"I'm home feeling sorry for myself, and no, honey, there isn't anything you can do. I guess I just wanted to hear your voice, and to tell you again what a wonderful time I had last night."

"Oh... So did I."

"How was your first day at work?" John asked.

"It was good. Everything went well. I like the people I work with. I like my boss. I love the work, too."

John smiled. "Awesome. I knew you'd do great."

But Gracie wasn't buying his chatty conversation act.

"Are you icing your finger?"

"Yes, as we speak, in a whole bowl of ice."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I shut my hand in a car door once. Well, the wind blew the door shut on my hand, but however it happened, it sure didn't change the pain. I empathize. Did you take painkillers?"

"Yes. It'll kick in here in a bit. I just wanted to touch base with you before I fell