Finding Gracie's Rainbow (49 page)

BOOK: Finding Gracie's Rainbow

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“
I'm sure that this is
worse.” Jackson and Gracie had walked away from the others. “Would
it better for you if I wasn't in the court room when you
testify?”

“
You already know
everything.” Gracie was shocked that he would even ask. “I need you
to be in there.” She wasn't smiling as she looked up at
him.

“
I will be there, then.”
Jackson hugged her tightly as the doors finally opened, and the
bailiff stepped out. “I guess it's time. What are you doing?” He
felt Gracie backing up and looked at her worriedly as he noticed
that panic in her eyes. “You can do this.”

“
No, I can't.” Gracie’s
legs had become heavy, and she was finding it hard to
move.

“
You told me. Didn’t you?”
Jackson asked her. “Bea and Susan testified; it's your turn
now.”

She felt her heart beating
faster and faster. “I can’t. . .” Her breathing became very
irregular, and Janet ran over to her daughter as she had been
watching.

Janet sat Gracie down and
threw the snacks out of the paper bag that she had brought for
Chandler. Holding the bag up to her daughter’s mouth, she looked up
at Jackson. “Don’t you recognize the symptoms of
hyperventilating?”

“
I never knew that she was
prone to it.” Jackson had backed up to give them some
space.

“
It has been a while.”
Janet turned her attention back to Gracie and talked to her
soothingly.

Gracie pushed the bag away
from her and looked at Janet. “I’m fine now.” She looked at
everybody watching her and stood. She saw the Camerons and her
father. She saw Paige and Kim standing with Steven and Christian.
She turned to Jackson. “I have to do this. I'm ready to see my
rainbow.”

Janet smiled as she heard
Gracie say that, “That’s my girl.” She studied Jackson. “Dry up the
tears, boy. Gracie is more than alright.”

Janet hugged both of them
and walked over to her family and friends as Jackson walked with
Gracie. “Are you really alright?”

“
What do you think, Doctor
Carter?” Gracie tried to smile. “I'm sorry that I scared
you.”

“
And I’m sorry that I
panicked.” Jackson squeezed her hand before she walked up to her
attorney’s table. He listened and watched during Gracie’s testimony
only half noticing that a storm was happening outside the
courthouse. He watched as the prosecutor provided the physical
evidence that he had obtained from Christian’s investigation. He
was proud of Gracie as she didn't allow the defense attorney the
pleasure of twisting her testimony around to work for
Mark.

He turned as he heard Kim
give a shocked moan as Gracie told about how Mark had used Sammie
to force her into marrying him. “I never knew.” She whispered as
Janet took her hand. “Should I tell Sammie?”

“
Absolutely not,” Janet
whispered to her as Gracie had looked in her sister’s
direction.

Gracie was finally
dismissed from the stand. She could never remember feeling that
tired mentally. She glanced at Kim before she sat down. The
prosecution rested, and the defense attorney didn't have any
witnesses to call on behalf of Mark.

The judge called for the
prosecutor's closing statement which was short and to the point.
The evidence spoke for itself. They all looked over to the defense
attorney, who shrugged his shoulders as he stood and gave a
half-hearted speech. It was three o' clock in the afternoon when
the jury was shown to their room to render their
verdict.

Gracie’s attorney looked at
her and smiled. “Don’t go anywhere; this shouldn't take long at
all.”

Gracie stood and walked to
her family as Kim signaled her out. “Why did you never tell me
about Sammie?”

“
I thought you would be
better off if you didn't know.” Gracie glanced over at her mother
and back at her. “We're even.”

“
How do you figure that?”
Kim was studying her.

“
You never told me that
the reason Mom was so strict with me was because you were expecting
Sammie before you got married.” Gracie smiled at her as the
attorney waved them back to their seats. “That was
quick.”

The jury walked back in and
took their seats as Gracie sat down beside her attorney. They all
stood when the Judge walked in, and Gracie noticed that the jury
was smiling as the judge asked them if they had reached their
verdicts.

“
We have your honor.” The
jury announced that they had found Mark Cameron guilty on all
charges.

Gracie smiled as the judge
adjourned the court, and the bailiffs led Mark out of the courtroom
still in handcuffs. “It’s over.” Gracie whispered to herself before
she walked over to her family.

The storm had abated as
they all walked out of the courtroom, and Janet hugged Gracie
tightly as she saw the brightest rainbow ever. “It is all yours,
Gracie.”

Gracie studied the rainbow
and then turned around to look at all the people that had been
there to support her. “That is pretty, Mom. However, I think that
my rainbow is standing in front of me.” She watched as Jackson
walked over to her. “Family and friends are the pot of gold waiting
for you at the end.”

Jackson smiled as he heard
her while he looked up at the rainbow. “Kim says that the rainbow
is a gift from God.” He kissed her before they were joined by the
rest of her family.

“
I believe it.” She smiled
when she saw her father. “Hey, Pop, fairy tales do
exist.”

Books by Deborah
Price

Life’s Gift

Lost and Found

Rainbow of Roses

The Key to her
Heart

Deception

The Game

Cloaked Ice, Hidden
Riches

Charmed Liaison

Finding Annie’s
Dream

Finding Sammie’s
Fantasy