Chapters (70)
By then, Lexi was transfixed, and so was Monica. She reminded herself that Grace had six other children—my siblings—and figured that meant she had oodles of grandchildren, too. She knew how to handle them.
Grace reached into her large, black leather purse and brought out a small glass jar. The jar held an assortment of brightly colored candies.
“These are gumdrops.” Grace chuckled. “They are really quite good, if Nana says so. Would you like one, darling?”
Lexi nodded, sniffled.
“Ask your mommy if you may please have a gumdrop,” Grace said.
“Mommy, may I please have a gumdrop?” Lexi’s eyes shone. “Please, please, please?”
“You can have one,” Monica said.
“Here you go.” Grace opened the jar and deposited a red gumdrop into Lexi’s palm.
“Thank you,” Lexi said. She stared at the candy as if she’d been given the world’s most treasured delicacy.
“You’re welcome, darling,” Grace said. “Now, please go back to sit with your brother at the table. You’re setting an example for him and want him to see how well-behaved you are.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lexi said.
Barely able to keep her eyes off the candy, Lexi quietly shuffled back across the room, to her family’s table. Monica watched, shaking her head. Grace smiled at Monica.
“What a lovely child,” Grace said. She sighed, clasped one of Monica’s hands in hers. “You have such a wonderful family, dear. I wish I didn’t have to drive back home to Houston today.”
The thought of her mother leaving, so soon after they had finally connected, made Monica’s heart twist.
“Can you stay a little while longer?” Monica asked.
5
Troy had hired a limousine service to pick them up from their home that morning and transport them to the funeral. That afternoon, they loaded up in the same Lincoln limo—Monica, his mother, and their kids—for the return drive back to their house in Dunwoody.
Grace was following them in a late model, white Chevy Malibu that Troy had tagged as a rental car without needing to ask. As the limo pulled out of the church parking lot, Troy glanced through the rear windshield to confirm Grace was tailing them. He noted that Monica was staring at her mother’s car, too, as if she was afraid of letting the woman out of her sight and losing her again.