Page 31 of Grace's Redemption
He stood up and looked at his men.
Tears streamed down his face.
Papa Scott looked up toward Mase’s room. I knew he couldn’t see me from the outside, but I lowered my head and crawled toward the door. I opened it and the noise traveled up the stairs and down the hall.
The sweatshirt dragged. I forgot the gun in the pocket. I palmed it, stood, and sprinted to the other end of the building. I barreled into Mattie’s bedroom, grabbed the bag by the stairs, and shut the door behind me. I paced back and forth, not believing my own eyes. It couldn’t be.
The look on Mattie’s face, the expression played over and over in head.
I sat on the bed, my hand over my face. The tears had dried up. I wanted to cry, cuss, and scream. I was in shock, too stunned to feel it yet.
Mattie, gone.
I heard footsteps. The room was dark. I scrambled to get under the covers and bury my head in the pillow.
Mattie’s room was far in the back of the building.
The door swung open and banged into the wall.
I jumped up right and held on to the wall for support.
“Gracie.” Derrick approached the bed. “Thank God.” He knelt in front of me.
“You scared the shit out of me, Derrick.” I played it off with a yawn. The pain in his face made my insides turn. I clutched my stomach. “What’s wrong?”
“Come on.” He held out his hand.
I took it.
“Papa Scott needs you.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Why?” I took his hand and he helped me out of the bed.
I shoved my hand in the sweatshirt pocket and palmed the gun.
“What’s wrong, Derrick?” I stopped at the door. “You’re freaking me out.”
“Mattie’s gone.” He whispered. He continued out the door and down the stairs.
Papa sat in the middle of the stairs, waiting for me.
“Baby girl.” He said.
Derrick dropped my hand and walked past Papa Scott.
“Sit with me.”
I sat down on the stair next to him. The confined space was a comfort for some strange reason. The world below continued to buzz and we were protected by the confines of the stairwell.
“He told me.” Papa Scott said.
I looked at him, pressed my back into the wall.
“About the baby, before he …” His voice faded away.
“What?”
