"I'm fine," Grace said, then looking over Selena's shoulder, she greeted the man. "Hi, Bill."
"Hi, Grace. We came to help."
Grace introduced him to Julian, then the four of them went inside.
Julian stopped Selena as soon as they entered, and pulled her aside. "Can you keep her downstairs for a bit?"
"Why?"
"I have something I need to take care of."
Selena frowned. "Sure, okay."
Julian waited until Selena and Bill sat Grace down on the couch. Then he went to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of trash bags, and headed upstairs to the closet.
As quickly as he could, he started cleaning up the mess so Grace wouldn't have to see it again. But with every piece of paper he touched, his rage grew.
Over and over, he saw the tender look on her face as she had looked through her collection, searching for a book to read. Closing his eyes, he could see her hair falling over his chest as she read to him.
And in that moment, he wanted blood.
"Jeez," Bill said from the doorway. "He do all this?"
"Yes."
"Man, what a psycho."
Julian didn't say anything as he continued to shove papers into the bag. All he could focus on was the scream in his soul that demanded vengeance. It made a mockery of the one that called out for Priapus.
It was one thing to wound him. But to hurt Grace...
The Fates had better have mercy on the man, because Julian wouldn't.
"So, you been dating Grace long?"
"No."
"Didn't think so. Selena hasn't mentioned you, but come to think of it, she hasn't been so worried over Grace being alone since her birthday, either. You must have met her then."
"Yes."
"Yes, no, yes. You're not much on talking, are you?"
"No."
"Well, I can take a hint. See ya later."
Julian paused as his hand brushed the cover to Peter Pan. He picked it up and ground his teeth. Pain assailed him. She'd loved this book most of all.
He clenched it tight in his hand, then added it to the bag, as well.
Grace didn't know how long she sat on the couch unmoving. All she knew was how much she hurt. Rodney had struck deeply in his violation of her.
Selena brought her a cup of hot chocolate.
Grace tried to drink it, but her hands still shook so badly that she was afraid she'd spill it. She set it aside. "I guess I need to go clean up."
"Julian already did that," Bill said from her armchair as he flipped channels on the TV.
Grace frowned. "What? When?"
"He was up there a little while ago, cleaning out the closet."
Gaping at the news, Grace went to find him.
Julian was in her parents' room. She watched him from the doorway as he straightened the last of the mess. He folded her father's pants in a way that would have made Martha Stewart cringe, then placed them in the drawer and slid it shut.
Tenderness flooded her at the sight of a once legendary general cleaning up her house to keep her from having to do it. His kindness touched her all the way to her heart.
He looked up and met her gaze. The warm concern in those deep blue eyes warmed her deeply.
"Thank you," she said.
He shrugged. "Didn't have anything else to do." Though he'd said the words casually, there was a note in his voice that belied his nonchalance.
"I'm still grateful." She walked into the room, looking around at all his hard work. Her throat tight, she placed her hand on the mahogany footboard. "This was my grandmother's bed." she told him. "I can still hear my mother telling me how my grandfather made it for her. He was a carpenter."
His jaw rigid, he stared at her hand. "It's hard, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Letting go of the ones you love."
She knew he spoke from his heart. From the heart of a father who missed his children.
Though he no longer thrashed about at night, she still heard him whisper their names, and she wondered if he knew how often he dreamed of them.
And she wondered how many times a day he must think of them and ache for the loss.
"Yes," she said quietly, "but then, you know that better than I do, don't you?"
He didn't speak.
Grace let her gaze drift around the room. "I guess it's time I move on, but I swear I can still hear them, feel them."
"It's their love you feel. It still warms you."
"You know, I think you're right."
"Hey," Selena said from the doorway, interrupting them. "Bill's calling for a pizza. You feel up to eating?"
"I think so," Grace said.
"What about you?" Selena asked Julian.
Julian cast a knowing smile to Grace. "I'd love some pizza."
Grace actually laughed as she remembered him asking for it the night she'd conjured him.
"Okay," Selena said, "pizza it is."
Julian handed Grace her mother's wedding rings. "I found those on the floor."
Grace started to put them back on the dresser, but she couldn't. Instead, she placed them on her right hand, and for the first time in years, she felt comforted by them.
As they left the room, Julian started to close the door.
"No," Grace said softly. "Leave it open."
"You sure?"
She nodded.
As she entered her bedroom, she realized he'd cleaned it as well. But when she saw the empty shelves where her books had once been, her heart broke again.
This time, when Julian closed the door, she didn't argue.
Hours later, after they had eaten, Grace finally convinced Bill and Selena to leave.
"I'm fine, really," she assured them for the umpteenth time at the door. Reaching out, she placed her hand on Julian's arm, grateful for the strength of his presence. "Besides, I have Julian."
Selena gave her a stern look. "You call if you need anything."
"I will."
Still unable to feel completely at ease, she locked the door and led Julian upstairs to her room.
She lay in bed with Julian at her side.
"I just feel so vulnerable," she whispered.
He stroked her hair. "I know. Just close your eyes and know that I'm here. I'll keep you safe."
He wrapped his arms around her. Grace sighed at the comfort he gave. No one else had ever soothed her the way he did.
They lay for hours before she finally fell into an exhausted sleep.
Grace came awake with a scream lodged in her throat.
"I'm right here, Grace."
She heard Julian's voice beside her and instantly calmed. "Thank God, it's you," she whispered. "I had a bad dream."
He kissed her lightly on the shoulder. "I understand."