Falling for Grace

Note to my readers: This chapter has a lot less sexual content than usual. It's more story oriented, dealing with a difficult time in Grace and Henry's lives. There is some sex, but the story is important here. I hope you enjoy it anyways. Rabbitman55

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Our flight home was very quiet. Between the late hour and my mind occupied with worry about my father, I wasn't feeling like much of a conversationalist. Grace understood innately what I needed, which was a little space. We held hands a lot of the time, we ate on the plane (we were starving by then and in First Class the food was very good) and we tried to get some sleep, which wasn't really working out. She didn't press me to talk about what I was feeling, and I was grateful for it. I wasn't sure what I was feeling beyond fear.

The good thing about travelling late at night is there aren't as many delays. We were lucky again and made our connecting flight in New York with time to spare. That flight took off only 20 minutes late, so we got to Charleston just a little behind schedule. Customs was light at that hour, I gave them our declaration and, after a cursory search through our luggage, I was given a bill for the duty we owed. Thank goodness I had my checkbook, so I wrote a check and we went outside and caught a taxi to my house.

The light was on in the living room and kitchen, so I figured mom and Evelyn were there. Sure enough, as soon as we walked in my mom called out "Henry, Grace? Is that you?"

"Yes, mom, it's us" I answered and she practically came flying downstairs and hugged me, breaking out in tears. Evelyn was five seconds behind her and again, she was bawling when she got to us. I was being crushed by the two of them, and honestly, it felt almost as great as when Grace would hold me. I was overwhelmed and started crying as well. We all pulled Grace into the group hug and she cried with us. The four of us stood there for two or three minutes, just crying, not saying anything. But I had to ask.

"Mom, how's dad doing?" I asked with more than a little fear in my voice.

"He's stable, thankfully. But he needs surgery, first thing Tuesday morning. He refused to have it done later this morning because he insisted that he see you before being operated on. And I mean insisted." Mom held my face in her hand and said, "Honey, I am so glad you're both home! Thank you for coming back as fast as you could."

"Mom, you're being silly again. Only a horrible child wouldn't have moved heaven and earth to get back." I hugged her again.

Grace asked "Is Mr. Douglas in any pain?" I gave her a slight smile and reached for her hand. She was just so sweet.

"No, they have him on pain killers, so he's resting. And Grace, sweetheart, from now on you call us Rae and Thomas. We're all family. If you could travel with our son as a couple, you can call us by our names. Do you both need anything? Something to drink or eat? Your mother made all this food yesterday so there would be things to eat if anyone was home and hungry. By the way, she said to call her whenever you got here, so please do that. She's worried enough, bless her."

Grace went to call Edina and Ev and I got cold drinks for everyone. She gave me her own hug in the kitchen. "Henry, I'm so glad you're home. Not only does it mean a lot to dad, but mom will be so much better. She's so scared. We all are. It was a very bad heart attack." Ev looked like she was about to cry again. "The ambulance got him to the hospital just in time. His heart stopped in the ambulance just before they got to the emergency room. They brought him back, obviously, but we could have lost him." She cried in my arms and I comforted my older sister instead of the other way around. I helped her get at ease and then Grace joined us and they kissed cheeks and hugged as well. We got some tea for everyone and we talked just briefly about our trip. By then it was about 4 and everyone was exhausted.

Mom said "We all need to get some sleep. We can go to the hospital at 11, two visitors at a time, so we'll alternate. Grace, does your mother want us to pick her up?"

"Yes, she wants to go back with us in the morning."

"OK, Henry, you and Grace pick her up on the way, please. And you need to go back to the airport and pick up my sister in the afternoon. Her flight arrives at 4:45 at the Delta terminal."

"Of course mom. No problem."

"Ok everyone get some sleep. I'm waking us up at 9:30 so we can all shower and try to eat something before we go. Grace, you can sleep with Henry. You two just spent two weeks sharing hotel rooms. I think it's kind of silly to pretend...well, you know what I mean."

"Mom, are you sure you're comfortable with that?" I asked.

"Maybe I'm very tired and not thinking straight. But I'm pretty sure I am ok. Let's go before I change my mind." We all kissed goodnight and Grace and I took a couple of our suitcases, with clean clothes, up to my room.

Grace said "Henry, I can sleep in one of the guest rooms. I don't want to cause trouble."

"Honey, you heard her. Spend the night with me. We'll worry about future times as they happen. I'd love to hold you tonight. Even more than every night the past two weeks."

We washed up and brushed etc. and we crawled into my bed, weary and drained. From the time we left the hotel to that moment in bed, we'd been on the go for over eighteen hours, and we were feeling it. At least I was. Or so I thought.

I felt Grace touching my cock, a gentle caress and a kiss to my neck. "Honey, I appreciate what you're doing, but I'm pretty beat. Plus I don't want to make a lot of noise and disturb mom and Evelyn. They'll think we're sex maniacs, especially under the circumstances."

"Henry, you just hush yourself and let me make you feel good. You just lie there; you don't have to do anything but relax and enjoy. I'll be quick, but I'll make sure you feel wonderful and able to go right to sleep. So relax and let your Love take care of you." Her lips brushed mine and I let her do what she wanted to do.

Her fingers glided along my cock, slow and gentle. She licked her hand for some lubrication and I moaned as softly as I could. Soon she was bringing up some precum with provided more lubrication and she kept increasing the tightness of her grip as well as speeding up the pace. I turned and kissed her and caressed her right breast. "Honey, are you sure you don't want me to touch you while you do this?"

"Yes baby" she whispered in my ear. "I'm sure. I just want to show you how much I love you and want to ease your stress. Just let yourself float away with me, relax and let me empty those big, beautiful balls. Let me know when you're ready."

She kept stroking me, skillfully, lovingly. My cock was throbbing in her grasp and my legs were trembling. I was shuddering all through my lower body and I whispered "Gracie, I'm going to cum."

She moved quick as a cat and covered my cock with her mouth and I ejaculated hard, hitting the back of her throat. Grace swallowed each shot and I grabbed the sheets with the intensity of my climax. When I was spent, Grace kissed my cock a few times, then she got next to me again and we shared a few sweet, salty kisses.

"Thank you, honey. For everything. For being here for me again, for being a part of the family and for making me a part of yours."

"You don't have to thank me for any of those things, baby. It's as much my pleasure as it is yours. We'd better get some sleep. We have to get up in five hours. You can spoon me if you like."

I definitely liked, so we cuddled like that, my body contouring with hers as I held her close. I kissed her cheek, we both made sounds of contentment, and fell right asleep.

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Mom woke us up at 9:30 sharp and with three bathrooms, we all managed to get cleaned up and semi-awake by 10:30. Evelyn toasted some English muffins and I whipped up eggs for everyone so we had something to eat before going to visit dad. I was very anxious to get there to see him. I hadn't been missing my family that much while we were away because we were so busy and having such a good time (mostly). But now, I wanted to get in my car and drive 100 miles an hour to get to the hospital.

We finished and mom and Ev went ahead and Grace and I went to her house to pick up Edina and so she could see Gus. Alton was in Maryland at law school. When we pulled up Grace almost leaped out of the car and ran up her steps with me a bit behind. She hugged and kissed her mother and brother like it had been years since she had seen them. Then Gus shook my hand warmly like a good friend and Edina gave me one of her almost smothering hugs. It was deeply comforting.

"Henry, I'm so glad you're both back. Your mother needed you. We all did, both of you."

"Thank you, Edina, for taking such good care of my mom, especially. You're a good friend and you're all like family." We talked a little and then got in my car to go to the hospital, except for Gus, who had to be at work in a few hours. We talked about our trip and Edina listened closely and asked plenty of questions. It made me feel more normal, at least until we got to the hospital.

Just seeing the buildings of the complex made me a little jittery, and Grace could sense my discomfort and held my hand as I found a parking spot. She kept holding it as we walked through the maze of halls that led to the cardiac care unit.

Mom and Evelyn were inside dad's room so I asked the nurses desk to let them know we were there and wanted to see him. The nurse on station told us we could go in if we sent two people out. Edina said she'd wait in the waiting area and Grace and I went into dads room hand in hand, like walking the Long Mile.

I saw my dad and it was shocking. My sister had warned me, about him being connected to wires and tubes and he had an oxygen canula under his nose, but seeing it was something else all together. I squeezed Grace's hand a little too hard, but she didn't say a word. His pallor was unhealthy and he just looked weakened, like a faint copy of my father. Mom and Ev hugged me, then left so Grace and I could visit for a while. I took his hand and said "Hey dad. You'll do anything to get me to come home early."

He smiled weakly and said "Well, Henry, I just missed you that much." I moved to him and hugged him gently, but he could feel the love pouring from me. My eyes filled with tears but I was determined not to cry and get him upset. "Hi Grace, dear. It's great to see you too. Did my son take good care of you in Europe?"

"Hi Thomas" she said as she kissed his cheek and held his other hand. "He was the best. A perfect gentleman all the time. He gets it from you, you know."

"You're a dear. I'm so glad you're both home safe. I was a little worried, even after you went to the nice hotels."

"No need, dad. Everything was fine, no demonstrations or anything, at least that we saw. We had a great time, and thank you so much for taking care of everything."

We talked for a while about our trip, but he was getting tired quickly. He asked Grace to step out for a while and told her to tell my mom not to come in; he wanted to talk to me alone.

When Grace was out of the room he told me to sit by his side, on the bed. I sat with him and he held my hand as he spoke. "Henry, I want to have a man-to-man talk with you. Because you are a man now, not just by age, but because of who you are. Son, I am so proud of you, of who you are becoming. You're everything your mother and I hoped you would grow up to be. Compassionate, honest, smart, caring, loyal...I could go on but you get the point."

"Dad, I'm just me..."

"Shh for a minute, son. My point is, if I don't survive the bypass surgery, you need to know some things."

"Dad, you're going to be fine. You're not going anywhere."

"Yeah, I know. But just in case. The main thing is if I don't make it, you are still to go to NYU for school in January. That is no argument allowed."

I was stunned. It hadn't crossed my mind, but thinking about it..."Dad, if, just if, something goes wrong, there is no way I'd leave mom alone. Evelyn has less than a year to go at South Carolina and she has to finish. I couldn't leave mom by herself. I won't."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Henry. It makes me even prouder of you. But your mother wants you to go as well and it's what I expect of you. To go there and to be the best person you you can be. You're not to stay here. Consider that an order from your father."

I was uncomfortable talking about this, and despite what he was saying, I couldn't imagine leaving mom alone. Even if it cost me my love with Grace, I wouldn't leave. I didn't argue with him, but if it came to that, I'd make up my own mind.

He told me where his most important papers and insurance documents were, in which safe deposit box, in case mom was too upset to deal with it all. We discussed his finances, money for both mine and Evelyn's ongoing education and care, which partners from his firm I could trust (and which one's I shouldn't). All in all, we talked for over half an hour.

"Dad this won't come to anything. You'll be fine. You're strong and otherwise healthy. I'll be talking to you again Wednesday morning. You'll be home and we'll do a late Thanksgiving. We'll have Christmas and in the Spring we'll start playing golf again when I'm home. In the summer, maybe you'll take some extra time off and we'll play every morning. And I'm finally going to beat you" I said with a grin.

"I'd actually love that. Henry, one more thing I forgot. I have a separate account set up for Edina. When she's sixty five, you offer it to her if she wants to retire. There's over three hundred thousand dollars there, for her retirement or if she can't do the job any longer. You don't let her refuse. She's earned it and then some."

"Of course, dad. I'm glad you have her provided for."

"Henry, I'm getting tired. I need a nap. Ask the others to come in, will you. But first, give me a kiss, please?"

I bent over him and kissed his scratchy cheek and I held onto him like he was a life preserver, which he was, in a way. I cried silently, afraid in my heart this would be the last time I would see him alive again. I made sure to dry my eyes before he saw my face again and I gave him a positive smile. "I love you dad. Whatever, whoever I am, it's because of you."

He smiled stronger than he was able to when he first saw mw. Maybe my words strengthened him. I went out and mom and Edina went in. Me, Ev and Grace sat outside until 3:15, when Grace went with me to pick up my Aunt Lorraine. I looked forward to seeing her. It had been almost a year and I missed my iconoclast aunt.

We met her by 5 and she hugged me and then, when I introduced her to Grace, she embraced Grace as if she had known her all her life. That gave me a smile. We gathered her bags, then I went to get my car and we piled in for the ride back to the hospital. On the way Aunt Lorraine asked a thousand questions, all of which we tried to answer. My aunt was a funny, somewhat crazy woman who, nevertheless, was a warm and loving person. Having her with us was a godsend.

We got to the CCU and right away I knew something was wrong. No one was in the waiting area. A nurse saw us and she had a worried look on her face, We went around the corner to my fathers room and saw mom, Evelyn and Edina standing together and all were crying hard.

"Oh no" I moaned, a sound from deep in the painful part of my soul. "Oh no!" I screamed. They turned around, saw us and ran out to hug us. Dad died an hour after Grace and I left to go to the airport. Devastation took over all our psyches and after crying some more, we all went numb. After signing some papers ( I did it to spare my mom) we gathered up and headed to the cars to drive home.

As soon as we got to the house, I was crying again, Grace and Edina crying with me, before we even got out of the car. Aunt Lorraine drove my mom's car; neither mom nor Ev were in any shape to drive. Walking up the steps, looking around the hallway, mom's salon to the left, the living room to the right...it all seemed so off. My dad would never be in the rooms again, never warming the house with his presence. We all sat in the living room except Edina and Grace. Edina had her daughter help her get drinks for us all, a pitcher of cold water and ice as well as a couple of bottles of alcohol. We all needed a drink. I then went to dad's desk, which he'd never sit behind again and sat down and cried again. It was just a couple of hours and the house felt so empty.

Grace came to the office to check on me. "Baby, I'm not going to ask if you're ok. It's a silly question under the circumstances. Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need some help? Anything at all?"

"No, thanks, honey. I'm just getting some papers. I have to call the funeral home, he has a prearranged, prepaid funeral..." I broke down yet again and Grace rushed over to hold my head against her chest. She held me tight, her soft breasts comforting me a little, her hands and heart comforting me a lot more. I needed her and her love to get through the next few days so I could do what dad expected me to do, keep the burdens off my mom and step up to be the man of the house.

"Gracie, don't be insulted, but I need some time alone in here. I have some calls to make and I just need some space. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course, baby. Take your time. I'll let your mom and sister know. Try to come out in an hour. My mom is fixing something for everyone to eat. And your mom needs you with her."

Yes she does, I thought. My mom needs me now. No way was I going to NYU in January. I couldn't abandon her.

I called the funeral home and told them I'd be there the next day to finalize arrangements but this way they could collect his remains and start doing the preparations. Just the thought almost made me lose it again. I then called his closest friend at his firm, another partner, Victor Hayes and let him know. He broke down at the news and he promised he'd let everyone at the firm know and that next week, before Thanksgiving, he'd sit down with me, mom and Evelyn to discuss where we stood regarding dad's partnership. I then called some close family friends and there were more tears and words of comfort. People would start coming by the following day. It was going to be a bitch.

I joined everyone in the living room and I told mom and Ev what was going on. Mom held my hand and told me she appreciated what I was doing, but I should include her in any arrangements. The three of us would go to the funeral home in the morning to settle everything together. She was holding herself together pretty well, all things considered.

Evelyn, on the other hand, was a total mess. She just couldn't stop crying. I held one hand and mom held her other, we both hugged her, but she just couldn't stop. We were worried about her, that she might need some sedation to calm down. After a second drink, she did stop crying, but she was still in shock.

Edina put dinner on the dining room table and we all sat down to pick at a dinner none of us was in a mood to eat. It was pretty quiet around the table. Mom finally said "Edina, tomorrow you don't have to come in to work. There's going to be people in and out all afternoon, so you couldn't get anything done anyway. But if you want to come over as a friend, you're more than welcome." Mom reached out and took Edina's hand. In the last few months, they had become personally close. It made me happy to see and I smiled a little despite everything. Grace loved it as well and we held hands on the table.

"Miss Rae (Edina could not call her anything else, not to her dying day), I appreciate that. But you'll need a lot of help around here the next few days, with all the people. Someone has to cook for after Mister Thomas'...funeral." She was hurting like the rest of us. So it was decided I'd pick up her and Grace when we got home from the funeral home and they'd both help out. Grace said she'd get all the laundry done, which included all our dirty clothes from our trip, which were still in suitcases in one of the guest rooms.