The Innocence of Grace
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Six Weeks Of Grace Pt. 06 free porn video
Don immediately recognized the pill bottle in her hand and felt himself tense up. ‘Where did you get those?’
‘Are they yours?’ She asked ignoring his question.
Don sat back into the couch. ‘Yes, but again, how do you happen to have them?’
Anne shook her head, it was obvious she was upset at finding them. ‘I have the Judge’s approval to search the house.’
Don realized that she was right, the Judge had allowed it. ‘So?’
‘Don, I’d like to think that . . well . . it’s just that . . . I have to know what this is.’
Don could see the conflict in her and for some reason it made him feel good. When this started, he knew she would have jumped on the opportunity to show him as a drug user, now it seemed, she was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. He hoped that was so, because he knew that what he was about to tell her could be a problem. ‘Disulfiram,’ He answered deliberately.
‘Disulfiram?’ She repeated thoughtfully.
Don took a deep breath and let it out. ‘You probably know it as Antabuse.’
‘Antabuse!’ Anne spat out. ‘Why?’
Don leaned forward and put his head in his hands. ‘I don’t know if I’m an alcoholic, all I know is I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose my daughter because of drinking.’ He answered.
‘Do you have a prescription?’ She asked with hesitation.
Don just shook his head and looked back up at her. ‘I would have had to be diagnosed or gone to AA, how would that look?’
Anne just stared at him, now what was she going to do she wondered. She needed time to think. ‘I have to go,’ She said suddenly and stood up, gathering her purse and jacket.
‘Anne?’
‘I have to go, I don’t know Don, I don’t know.’ She said and then let herself out.
Later as she tossed and turned trying to sleep, she tried to decide what she would tell the partners tomorrow. Her weekly report was due and she had no idea how she could withhold this information. He was taking prescription medication that he wasn’t prescribed. That was a fact, but the medication was to keep him from drinking, he was trying so hard, could she be a part of taking his daughter over this. She finally decided she had to be honest, she would have to tell them tomorrow. What she couldn’t understand was why that thought made her feel so sad that she could feel tears tickling at her eyes as she drifted off to sleep.
As Don lay in bed that night, he realized that all of his efforts may have been for nothing. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but now reflecting back, he should have trusted his self-control. As he finally drifted off, he felt the incredible stress welling up in him.
The explosion ripped through the armored personnel carrier directly in front of the Humvee. The sound of gunfire and bullets whizzing by came only a few seconds later. Don quickly grabbed his lieutenant and pulled him into his face, ‘WE’RE IN AN AMBUSH, CALL FOR CHOPPER SUPPORT, NOW!’
Don heard the young platoon leader calling for help as he grabbed another radio and gave instructions for the platoon to return fire. They had to keep the enemy’s head down until their support arrived, he knew it would only take a few minutes but a few minutes was a long time under fire.
The sound of a scream cut through the air and Don jumped from the Humvee and ran towards the burning vehicle over thirty yards ahead of him. He grabbed the rear door handle and opened it to see several stunned and bleeding men. A small fire was building in the front and he knew it would only be a matter of time before it all went up. He grabbed the first one and threw him into a fireman’s carry and ran back to drop him at the Humvee. ‘Medic,’ he yelled out as he returned for another. Suddenly he felt a searing pain go through his side and he was knocked off his feet. Jumping back up, he grabbed a second man and pulled him from the burning vehicle.
Around him he could hear his men returning fire and he hoped in the confusion and chaos he could get the rest out. Running back to the vehicle, he grabbed another and started back but he was spun around as another bullet struck him in the shoulder. The pain was incredible but he staggered back to the Humvee with blood covering him. Somehow he returned and grabbed another but as he pulled him toward the door, Don could see that it was too late, a gaping hole was through his chest. Another man was slowly crawling to the door, so Don grabbed him and threw him over his bloody shoulder and moved back to the protection of the Humvee. He dropped the fourth man at the Humvee and quickly took in the sight of two medics working on the rescued men. He could hear the sound of choppers in the distance and knew help was on the way.
Totally exhausted, Don gathered what strength he had left to return to the burning vehicle. As he moved across the opening another bullet hit him in the leg, taking him off his feet. ‘NO,’ Don yelled out as he looked to the armored personnel carrier. There were still men inside that were alive as an incredible blast shook the ground and fire poured from the open rear door. Don tried desperately to get to his feet as the concussion from the explosion threw him back to the ground. Suddenly the sound of screams pierced through the noise as the remaining men were being burned alive.
Don struggled but no matter what he did, he couldn’t get up, his left arm was useless and his right leg collapsed every time he put weight on it. The screaming was becoming intense as the flames consumed the vehicle. He heard them yelling for help over and over but he couldn’t get up.
‘NO! NO! I’M COMING, HOLD ON!’ Don yelled, as he tried once more to regain his feet.
‘DADDY! DADDY’ he heard through the fog.
‘DADDY WAKE UP, DADDY!’ Grace yelled, terrified by the screams coming from her father as he rolled around in bed.
Don jerked upright as Grace’s voice penetrated his nightmare.
‘Daddy, are you all right?’ she asked, calming quickly once she saw he was awake. ‘Did you have a bad dream?’
Don was wide awake now as he saw Grace standing beside his bed in her little nightgown with some kind of tiny unicorns on it. ‘I’m okay sweetie.’ He said trying to sound calm. He opened his arms and Grace jumped into him for a hug. He held her for a second and then gently lowered both of them to the bed.
‘Did you have a bad dream?’ She asked again, pulling back a bit from him.
‘I did honey, but I’m fine now.’ Don said to her as it struck him that this was the first one since he found out about Grace. ‘I’m sorry I woke you.’
Grace snuggled in a little closer to him. ‘Daaaaddddy?’ she said, drawing it out so Don knew a question was coming.
‘Is mommy watching over you too?’ She asked quietly.
Her question made Don pause, he realized the stress of the evening had probably triggered his nightmare, but maybe there was something to her question. ‘I hope she’s watching over both of us.’ He answered her.
‘I think she is, cause I don’t have any more nightmares.’
Don could only hope that was true as he felt her drift off back to sleep. He carried her back to her bed and laid her down, covering her up. Sitting down in the chair beside her bed, he wondered if he would ever get tired of watching her sleep. She was so sweet and innocent, so precious, maybe someday she would understand how she had saved him from the path of self-destruction he was on.
Her question was still on his mind as he sat there. Suddenly, thinking of tonight’s revelation he whispered a quiet prayer. ‘Libby if you are watching over us, help us now.’
As Anne readied her weekly report, she dreaded what she knew she had to say. ‘Everything normal, nothing significant to report.’ She said halfhearted.
Roger picked right up on it. ‘What do you mean significant, sounds like something happened?’ he asked.
Anne looked at the partners and realized they seemed to be like wolves at a sheep dinner
. ‘I spent some time this week, running more checks on his finances, arrests, work record, and so on, but there was absolutely no changes, no negative issues since he got Grace.’
‘But?’ Mark asked.
‘I searched his house as is allowed under the Judge’s agreement and I found a bottle of prescription medication that was not prescribed to him.’ Anne said, her heart wrenching as she let it out.
‘That’s it, he’s on drugs, that violates the agreement and we can take Grace from him.’ Brett exclaimed.
Anne was startled by the reaction, it was if he was overjoyed by the revelation. ‘I’m not sure.’ She added.
‘What do you mean, it’s obvious that he is has violated the deal, let’s pick her up.’ Roger threw in.
Anne was aghast, she couldn’t believe how heartless and cruel that would be to wrench Grace away from her father and they were ecstatic over the idea. Could they really be this unfeeling? ‘Hold on, that may not be the best course.’ She said forcefully.
‘Explain yourself Miss Summers.’ Mark Winters said calmly.
‘First of all the medicine he had was Antabuse, which he is taking to keep him from drinking, it is certainly not a narcotic. Second the Judge may see this as a positive, not a negative, he made it very plain that I was to contact him before I acted, unless the girl was in immediate danger. This hardly qualifies.’
‘But still, he violated the rules, we can take her!’ Brett reiterated.
‘No, we can’t! Not unless you want to rile up the Judge, I think he has a soft spot for him and if we go in and take Grace, I can almost guarantee the Judge will not be happy or supportive!’ Anne argued back at him.
Then looking straight at Brett, Anne’s voice changed and everyone could hear the challenge in her tone. ‘Maybe YOU want to go to that house and TAKE Grace from him!’
Brett slunk down in his seat and looked away, the concept of taking the little girl sounded much better to him than the actual action required to do so.
‘She’s right, I hate to admit it but we have to be careful with this Judge, if we take her it could backfire.’ Roger finally added in, thinking back to his run in with Judge Baker.
Mark Winters had been listening intently. ‘I agree, this is evidence but it is not the nail in the coffin. We will file it away and use it later, but we don’t want to open a can of worms.’
‘But . . but, ‘ Brett stammered out.
‘No, this is done. Miss Summers good job, keep a close watch on him.’
Anne nodded and left, silently breathing a sigh of relief, the thought of taking Grace away almost made her sick.
After she left, Brett Langman’s bravado returned. ‘What the fuck, we had him!’
‘No we didn’t, let’s not jump the gun, we have to build a case not just act like a bull in a china shop.’ Mark answered him. ‘Besides, I thought you had a plan?’
‘I do, but what if it doesn’t work?’
‘Doesn’t work, I thought you had an iron clad deal brewing.’ Roger jumped in.
‘Nothing’s fucking iron clad.’ Brett spat back at him.
‘Look, we have to stay the course, if we go charging in there and the Judge gets suspicious this could all still fall apart, there’s no hurry, let’s stay calm and keep to the plan. Brett, you hold up your end and we will be fine.’ Mark said, making the decision.
‘I’ll hold up my end, don’t worry.’ Brett said as he went out the door.
It was a very worried Don that awaited Anne on Friday afternoon. It had been a rough time for him as his mind was on Grace all day. When he picked her up from school and brought her home, he just sat and cuddled her for the longest time, worried that he might lose her. Finally she grew restless and wanted to play upstairs, so he had to let her go. Deep in thought, he waited on Anne to make her appearance.
Anne saw the worry when she came in and gave him a small smile. ‘Don, I reported the drug to the firm but that’s as far as it went.’ She said to him.
‘Whew,’ Don let out as he felt an immediate relief.
‘But remember, it’s not really our decision when we go back to the court, the judge will take everything including that into consideration.’
‘I know, I was just worried I would lose her today.’
Anne didn’t know what to say so she just waited as he seemed to be thinking of something else. ‘ I . . . I don’t know what I would do if I lost her.’ He said, his voice trailing away at the end. Watching closely, she caught a small tear trail down his cheek just before he turned away.
‘Miss Anne’ Grace yelled as she came running down the stairs. ‘I thought I heard you, are you here for dinner?’
‘I don’t know, who’s cooking?’ She said with a laugh as Grace grabbed her for a big hug.
‘Daddy is, he’s getting better you know!’ Grace answered back in her matter of fact way.
‘Hmmm, sounds risky!’ Anne said teasing Don.
Don had been listening as he was trying to dig himself out of the worry that had consumed him. ‘Not funny you two, how about some burgers on the grill?’
‘Can I play on the swing while you cook?’ Grace asked quickly.
‘Sure, come on, let’s get some dinner.’ Don said as they all headed to the kitchen.
Anne readied everything inside while Grace played on the swing and Don got the grill going. As she finished up her preparations, she wandered over to the window and watched Don carefully. As always, he kept a close eye on Grace and she could hear them bantering back and forth.
‘Monster,’ she thought, that was what everything said. The other words she saw in her reports came back to her as she took in the scene, drunk, brawler, criminal, angry, violent, but that isn’t what she saw outside. She saw a handsome and intelligent man, a father who she had witnessed shed a tear at the thought of losing his daughter. Was he violent, absolutely, she had witnessed it, but she remembered her words in the Judges office and now she knew she had been so wrong. This man would never hurt her or Grace, she knew it. But she also knew that there would be no limit to the violence that he would perpetrate on others defending Grace.
But there was another side, as she remembered the way he held her as she cried over her lost child. The way he had caressed her cheek and brushed the hair from her face, he had a gentleness that confused her. How could a man that big and powerful be that gentle?
Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw him call to Grace and the two of them come to the table for dinner. After they said grace and began eating, the light banter between the three of them continued as both Grace and Anne teased Don on his cooking. Don always laughed along with them and joked right back at them.
‘Daaadddddy?’ Grace asked as they finished up.
Don had to chuckle as he had grown to know when she was going to try to get something from him. ‘Yeeeesssss’ he answered back.
‘Can we go to the park tomorrow?’ She asked quickly.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Daaadddy?’ She asked again with a giggle.
‘Yeeesss!’
‘Can Miss Anne go too?’
‘I don’t know honey, we would have to ask her but I don’t think she will.’ Don answered and looked over at Anne with a smile.
‘Why not?’ Grace asked.
‘Well, I’ll have to make a lunch to take and you know she hates my cooking!’ He answered continuing the game.
‘No she doesn’t, she just says that to tease you!’ Grace said and started laughing.
‘Hey, don’t tell my secrets!’ Anne finally jumped in to the conversation. ‘Just for that, I’ll bring lunch and you two have to eat it!’
‘That worked pretty good, didn’t it.’ Don said leaning over towards Grace.
‘To use your words, not funny!’ Anne threw out quickly with a laugh.
After clean up and dishes, Grace took Anne back outside to play with her on the swings. This time it was Don that watched them through the window. He could see them laughing as Anne pushed her on the swing and it suddenly hit h
im. As much as he would be devastated if he were to lose Grace, what about Anne. What would she do if he got permanent custody, would she drop out of their lives, and what about Grace, she had already lost a mother. What if she lost Anne?
But as he pondered that situation he was trying not to see the other problem, did he want to lose Anne? The answer was no but he knew that there was nothing to be done about it. He didn’t want to admit it but it was becoming more evident every day, he cared for her very deeply. But he would lose her because she was so far out of his league that if it weren’t for the situation they were in, she wouldn’t even talk to him. Oh she was nice enough to him, but when it was over, it would be over and the memory of her face at the restaurant made it so. They would never be a couple.
Shaking his head, he knew that it would be hardest on Grace. She adored Anne and losing her was going to be tough on the little girl, maybe someday he could find someone to be her mother but until then, he knew that he was going to have to deal with her disappointment.
Grace finally tired and he saw Anne take her hand and they walked across the yard. Grace was beaming and Anne had a look of contentment that was easy to see. Yes, as much as he wanted to deny it, there was a train wreck coming in two weeks either way!
‘Daddy, Miss Anne is going to get me ready for bed.’ Grace announced as they came in.
Don was surprised and looked at Anne. ‘If it’s okay?’ She asked shyly.
‘Fine with me, I’ll take my hug and kiss now and then you deal with the little tornado.’
‘Daddy, I’m no tornado!’ Grace answered him with a frown.
‘Okay, come here then.’ Don said and got his hug and kiss before the two of them went upstairs.
As he watched them climb the stairs hand in hand, he couldn’t help himself from muttering. ‘Yep, a real fucking train wreck!’
Don surprised them with morning pancakes that came from a mix but were still a hit, and then it was off to the park where they spent most of the day on the playground. Anne had made a great lunch that they shared on a picnic table before they did a small hike down a trail. Grace was enthralled at being the center of attention for the day and she reveled in that role. She talked constantly and kept up a steady stream of questions for Don and Anne, which they answered while trying to keep up with her.
Anne noticed that Don seemed distant but couldn’t figure out why. Whenever they weren’t entertaining Grace, he seemed to be off in another world. He rarely addressed her directly and it seemed like the subtle joking that had become commonplace was gone. She tried to figure out why and the only reason she could come up with was her getting Grace ready for bed, but that didn’t seem to upset him then, why would it now.
Don was a bit remote, but for another reason. Since they got to the park, something seemed strange. Instincts honed in the desert were coming back to him and he was noticing things that weren’t quite right. They had been in the park most of the day, and though it was a large area with multiple playgrounds, hiking trails, baseball and soccer fields, he kept seeing the same two guys over and over. In a park so large, it wouldn’t seem possible to notice that. In the war, as you went through villages, if you saw the same faces it meant they were tracking you. They were setting you up, trying to learn your destination to set up an ambush.
Don started to watch closer and not surprising, he saw them again. They were some distance but they were definitely watching them. Don suggested they go back to the main part of the park that they had come in to. As they walked, Don kept them in his vision, never staring, just watching them. Sure enough they followed for a ways and then were gone. Don was on edge as they got to the playground. Why would anyone else be following them, his personal keeper was with him?
Don pushed Grace on a merry-go-round and suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up for just an instant.
‘Hey don’t I know you?’ He heard behind him.
Reacting instantly, Don grabbed up Grace and handed her to Anne. ‘Go to the car, now!’ He told her firmly.
Myra
- 04.05.2020
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