Stages of Grace - By Carey Heywood Page 0,56

wake before my alarm, Ryan is still sleeping so I shower. Refreshed, I step out wrapped in a towel, startled to find Ryan standing at the door.

"Bah!"

"Whoa, um, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Just, well, nature calls."

"Of course. Right. I'm sorry." I keep a tight grip on my towel as I brush past Ryan on the way to my bedroom. I notice he takes his time going into the bathroom and shutting the door for someone who has to go. I get dressed and drape my towel over the now empty rod in my closet, hoping it will be dry enough to pack in an hour or so. I pack a small bag of items that I'll need changes of clothes, most of my toiletries, and cell phone charger. This bag and Ryan's duffle will be the last items we pack. I leave my hair down to dry and unplug the stopper from the mattress so it can deflate before walking into the front room.

Ryan is looking out the window into the courtyard, stretching with his arms over his head. It makes his shirt lift up as well so I see the waistband of his briefs and some of his tanned back. As though he can sense me, Ryan turns. I flush and look at my toes, wiggling them for good measure. Locating socks had been my plan when I walked out into the front room. Finding where I packed them, I pull a thick pair to go under my boots and two pairs to go in my duffle. We both turn when there is a knock on the door.

"That'll be Nikita. I hope you like bagels."

I pull open the door, and am surprised to see it's Jon, not Nikita, who stands there.

"Jon."

"Hi, Grace." He stops when he sees Ryan in the room behind me. He looks at me and then at Ryan again before continuing. "I wanted to see you before you left."

"Did you want to come in?"

"If you're busy I can take off."

"No, not at all. Come in. Jon, this is Ryan. He's a friend of my grandmother's."

Ryan tips his head in Jon's direction and then turns to me "Should I go roll up the air mattress?"

Jon's eyes widen. What is he thinking? "Um, sure. That'd be great. Thanks."

Once Ryan leaves the room, Jon asks. "Did he sleep here?"

"Yeah. He’s driving down with me to Florida."

He looks like he is going to say something but turns and seems intent on examining the light switch.

"So how's the new place?"

"I miss you."

What? I stare at him. "But you said—"

Before he can answer, there is a loud boom at the door. I hurry to open it and find Nikita with her arms full.

"Did you kick the door?" I ask, taking the cardboard coffee carrier from her.

"No hands."

"Okay, well, thanks for coming. It is so sweet of you to help and to bring breakfast."

"No worries. I got a bunch of bagels so you all don’t have to stop for lunch if you don’t want to."

"Do I smell coffee?" Ryan walks out from my bedroom, and Nikita's mouth drops open. Jon notices her reaction and walks over to the window.

"Yep. This is Nikita. She brought coffee and bagels."

"Hi, Nikita. I'm Ryan, a friend of Grace's."

Jon stiffens when he hears Ryan say that he is my friend and not my grandmother's.

"Well, why don’t you and Nikita each grab a bagel? I’m just going to talk with Jon. Um, Jon did you want to…" I motion towards our old room.

Jon hesitates but follows me, I turn back to see Ryan watching us before I walk into the room. Jon shuts the door behind him. The room is basically empty, except for the rolled up air mattress and the bedding that had been on it. I walk over to the room's one window and lean on the sill. Jon leans against the door and looks up at the ceiling.

"It feels weird that you're leaving."

"It feels weird for me too."

"Part of me doesn’t want you to go."

Part of you? I close my eyes in an attempt to aid my mind in processing what he has just said.

"I know I told you that you should go, and I still think you should. You have family there. I'll just miss you."

I blink my eyes before a tear can escape. I want to speak but don’t trust my voice. Instead, I curl my fingers into a fist and bring my hand to rest on my mouth while I compose