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Sunday

The next day, Nick drove her back to her place.  It was Sunday and he wondered if she could stand another foray to the Carter zoo.  She said that she would be delighted.  They didn't speak about what had happened the night before.  They were both feeling very comfortable with each other and they didn't want to run over it with words.

When they arrived at Grace's, it was Josh who was behind the desk.  He had taken over from Gary and had felt that with the mood Gary was in, he was lucky to escape with his life.

Gary had come on duty late Saturday.  He had enough seniority that he didn't have to do the late Saturday shift, but he liked it.  It was when he saw the most action, could make the most notes on the comings and goings of the tenants.  Before going off duty, Jermaine had gleefully told the tale of Nick's arrival from the airport and how he and Grace had gone off together, obviously in love.  Gary had bristled at the story, but smiled stoically at Jermaine and agreed that yes, wasn't that good news for Our Grace.  He had waited all night for her to come home, had even called her place twice, thinking maybe he had missed her coming in when he was busy.  But when he went off duty Sunday morning, Grace had still not appeared.  Gary hoped she knew what she was letting herself in for.  This guy didn't have a very good track record with the ladies.  Gary wondered if he should say something when he saw her next.

Nick picked her up again at three o'clock.  They had both had naps, though neither admitted it.  The previous night was not mentioned, but there seemed to be an added touch of tenderness to their greeting.  It wasn't the fire and heat of the previous day's reunion, more of a blending of souls.  Nick noticed that the vases of flowers were still on the counter.  He asked Grace if she wanted him to put them back in the big room.  No, she said, she wanted to cull out the dead blooms.  She would put them back herself later.

Aaron was out of town and Grace was sorry to have missed him.  She had enjoyed talking to him.  She worried for him.  Not only did he have to withstand all the same pressures that Nick had done, he had to do it as a solo act and as Nick's younger brother.  But so far, he seemed to be succeeding. Grace loved it that Aaron and Nick performed together every chance they got.

Jane Carter was much more amenable to Grace's presence this time around.  She treated her as an adult.  She even allowed Grace to help out in the kitchen.  There was a much smaller crowd this time, only immediate family, but that was still a houseful. 

"Nick told me what you did for him, with the land and all..." Jane began. 

Grace smiled.  "It's a beautiful spot.  It should be saved.  And Nick will save it.  He won't let anyone spoil it."

They chatted about Aaron.  Jane asked her about her family.  Grace described the backyard barbecues of her youth in Ohio.  Jane told her a story about Nick as a baby.  Grace laughed but was glad Nick wasn't there to hear it.

"Are you in love with my son?" asked Jane abruptly.

Grace looked out the window where she could see Nick shouting and laughing with his younger siblings.  He was acting like a kid.  Grace wondered if he had been allowed to act like a kid when he was a kid.  She turned back to Jane.

"I think I might be.  He's a very special man."

It was Jane's turn to look out the window.  She had never thought of Nick in those terms before, as a man.  He was always Nicky, her baby, her little one.  Tears sprang to her eyes.  She rubbed them away with her fists.

Grace continued to chop vegetables and pretended that she hadn't noticed Jane's reaction.  After a couple of minutes, Jane muttered, almost to herself,  "It's hard to let go.  You just want the best for them."

"You sound like my mom," Grace murmured to the broccoli. 

"Don't hurt my baby," said Jane to the burgers stacked on the platter on front of her.

"Not ever.  Not once," said Grace to the carrots.

Everyone gathered on the patio for dinner.  The burgers were cooked, the plates set out.  Bob Carter took a last round of drink orders before dinner.  Nick accepted a beer and Grace opted for lemonade.

"Don't you ever drink?" asked Leslie.  She was at the age where this was an issue with her and her friends.

"Not really," said Grace.  "I prefer the softer stuff." 

Only Nick noticed the slight twitch that accompanied her answer.  He came back to it later when he was driving her home.

"Tell me why you don't drink alcohol.  Is it because of that night?"

"Yeah, I guess so.  Matt said that if I hadn't been drinking..."

"But you didn't know you were drinking! You thought you were just having punch."

"I know, but Matt said that I really should have known and the bottom line was, if I hadn't been drinking, it wouldn't have happened."

Nick wanted to kill Matt.  He wanted to find him and he wanted to hurt him and he wanted him to die.  He pulled the car over to the side of the road.  He got out of the car and went around to Grace's side.  He opened the door and helped her out.  He was on a public street and he didn't give a crap who saw him.  He leaned her against the car and he whispered to her, "You were the victim, Grace. You did not cause what happened to you.  Bad things happened to you, but it wasn't your fault.  Do you understand that?"

Grace nodded.  She looked up at him and almost said it out loud.  I love you.  The realization of the emotion and the fact that she had almost said it to him made a strange look pass over her face.

Nick took her face in his hands.  "Grace. Sweet, sweet Grace."  And he kissed her, achingly gently.  It was the first time they had kissed since her revelations of the night before.  And it touched her deep in her soul.

"Nick," she whispered.  She could only say his name.  He kissed her again and they melted into each other. 

The honking of a car horn brought them back to the present.  It wasn't a fan, just a passing motorist saluting their passion for each other, or maybe telling them to 'take it elsewhere'. 

Nick dropped her off but said goodbye at the elevator.  It had been a busy and confusing couple of days and they both needed to think about things.  Nick told her that he had his fingers crossed for her visit to the doctor the next day and to call him as soon as she heard.  Nick kissed her goodbye so sweetly that they both thought about changing their minds.  The opening of the elevator doors made up their minds for them.  With a sigh, Nick stepped away and Grace got on the elevator.

Her head was swimming.  Yesterday morning she was so unsure about how she felt about Nick and now, 36 hours later, she was so sure she was in love with him that she had nearly told him so.  She got off the elevator at her floor.  She shook her head.  What was happening to her?  Was it because he had been so kind and accepting of her past?  She walked up the hall and put the key in the lock. Was she doing with Nick what she had done with Matt - been so grateful for understanding that she would hand over her heart?  She closed and locked the door behind her and flipped on the light.  Or had she really, truly found what love was?  Could she finally be that lucky?  She tossed her house keys on the kitchen counter.

Grace recoiled in horror, throwing her hands over her mouth to stifle the scream that was coming.  The two vases of flowers were still on the counter.  Lovely fresh blooms peeked out among the greenery.  And in a neat little pile between the two vases was a pile of dead blooms, carefully culled out.  Grace spun around, first one way, then the other.  Someone had been in here, she knew it.  She backed up against the front door and sank to the floor.  She listened carefully for a long time, trying to hear if anyone was still there.  Eventually, she convinced herself that she was alone.  She went around and turned on all the lights.  She moved around the room searching out other changes, but could see none.

Grace went into her bedroom and checked the closets and under the bed.  She felt foolish, but she was frightened.  She sat on her bed and hugged her pillow and tried to think rationally.  Who had keys to her apartment?  Her mother in Ohio.  She didn't think that was a likely prospect.  Matt.  He had given her back his keys, but that didn't mean he hadn't made another set.  The building superintendent, of course.   Had she ever lost her keys?  No, never.  She left them in Antonio's one night, but they had used Matt's set to get in and Petey had returned her set the next day.

Should she call the police?  And tell them what, that someone broke into her apartment to rearrange flowers!?  And no, officer, the thousands of dollars of computer equipment don’t appear to have been touched.  And the last person known to be in here…oh, that would be Nick Carter.  But I’m sure that won’t leak out.

Grace didn't fall asleep for a long time and she slept fitfully.  But by the time morning came, she had convinced herself that she had been imagining things.  After she and Nick had had the conversation about the flowers, she had gone into the bathroom before they left.  Maybe he had done it for her.  She didn't recall noticing the flowers on the way out.  She would have to think of a way to ask him without it seeming like a stupid question.  Or that she was crazy.

Because Nick was halfway there.  Halfway to seeing how crazy she really was.