Grace

Three Years Later.

“Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for the cast of King Lear!”

I step forward, holding hands with my fellow actors, and bow my head. The limelight is on me, the bright yellow hues slicing my figure. The audience has noticed the scars throughout the show, no doubt.

I don’t mind. I’m solely focused on celebrating my very first paid work as an actress at Austin’s Paramount Theater. It is a small part, but it is going to pay the bills and then some.

I’m a paid actress.

I do what I love.

What I was born to do. Even if I tried to convince myself for a second that it wasn’t the case. That I couldn’t pull through.

The third time I bow my head, I notice him in the third row, clapping and whistling.

The love of my life. The man who never gave up on me, long after I’d given up on myself. Easton is sitting by his side, with his girlfriend, Lilian. And … is that Karlie? What is she doing here? She’s supposed to be in DC, having snagged a prestigious internship at a local newspaper.

I can’t help it. A grin spreads across my face. I blow them a quick kiss and duck my head, knowing I’m scarlet-red under my makeup.

The clapping subsides, and all the actors return backstage, hugging and congratulating one another. I slip into the dressing room and switch back to my normal clothes—no more hoodies for me. A pair of tight jeans and a short-sleeved shirt do the trick. We’re going for some after-show drinks down the block, but I’m hoping I can have the first round of drinks solely with my boyfriend, Easton, Karlie, and Lilian.

West and I have been spending a lot of time together with Lilian and Easton ever since I moved to Austin after graduation. West was the first one to move, having graduated before me. He and Easton opened a gym together. They’re super successful, and really hitting their stride. Lilian is their executive assistant, and her click with Easton was immediate.

I still can’t believe how well everything worked.

West stayed in Texas, renting an apartment not even fifteen minutes away from Grams’ nursing home. As I was finishing my degree, I would study in Sheridan during the week and spend the weekends with him. I moved in with him at the beginning of this year, exactly one day after I graduated.

I slip out of the dressing room as fast as I can. My friends are waiting for me just outside the backstage, the closest they can get to the actors before security stops them.

“Karlie!” I pounce on my best friend. We hug and twirl each other around, giggling. It takes us a full minute to pull ourselves together, even though Karlie has been gone for less than four months.

“Where’s my thank you? I’m the one who put her ass on the first flight from DC to Austin,” West grumbles behind her back, and I break my millionth hug with Karlie to jump him, too, peppering his face with wet kisses.

“Sorry! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“Gratitude is best delivered through actions.”

I roll my eyes and pat his chest. “You’ll be rewarded later on tonight.”

“That’s more like it.” East gives West a fist-bump.

Lilian and I exchange exasperated looks and laugh. My boyfriend takes my hand, and we all pour out to the beautiful summer night, strolling toward a local bar. I notice West’s steps are particularly slow. Karlie is marching briskly next to Easton and Lilian, a few good feet away from us. We’re lagging way behind.

“What’s up with them?” I laugh nervously. “They’re jogging, and we’re snailing behind.”

“It’s called giving people space.” West’s voice is tight, strained. It is not the same West I’ve known for the past three years. The happy-go-lucky guy I had become accustomed to. The man he used to be before what happened to Aubrey. This guy was back as soon as we got back together—for real this time—and I fell even harder for him.

“We need space?” I asked. “Is this about where we’re going to be this Christmas? Because I already told you, I’m fine with spending Christmas with your family and New Year’s with Grams.”

That’s what we’ve been doing the past couple years. Grams’ cognitive situation has deteriorated over the years, to a point where she doesn’t remember me at all. But she is as comfortable as she can be, and I still make it a point to visit her weekly. It’s not ideal, but that is something I learned to live with—doing my best for someone, even when the situation is less than perfect.

Unfortunately, it makes no difference to Grams where I spend my Christmases, but I still do my best to give her company, to talk to her, to hold her hand.

“It’s not about Christmas.” West shakes his head. “I have something to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve been seeing someone else.”

I stop walking, stare him straight in the eye. I don’t believe it. It’s not that I refuse to believe it, I simply don’t. For all his faults, he is the most loyal man I’ve ever met in my life. Tilting my head to the side, I study him.

“That true?”

“Afraid so.”

“What’s she like?” I humor him. I like that jealousy is not a thing between us anymore. I’d spent the first six months of our relationship hysterical over him running away with Tess or Melanie, when really, the only woman to drive him nuts was me. Our friends have now turned a corner on the street, and are away from earshot.

“She’s great. Very attentive, smart, intelligent …” he continues, watching my face for signs of annoyance. He finds none. “But I broke it off after I got what I wanted from her.”

“Which is?” I cock an eyebrow.

He drops on one knee and produces something from his pocket. A square little box, popping it open in front of me. I’m aware that people around us have stopped dead in their tracks to watch on curiously.

“She is a jeweler, and she helped me make this. I hope you like it.”

I peer into the box. It’s a ring.

Not just any ring.

A flame ring.

A flame ring that’s completely different to the one my mother had left behind. This one is made out of pure white gold and has a twinkling ruby in the center. I finger it, my breath catching in my throat. It’s exquisite. Even more impressive—it is so me.