chapter65 Basement

9o'clock and Grace hasn't been seen. Matthew confirmed that she entered the house. smiling and all, he even kissed her good night. then where could she be? she wasn't in her room this morning and her bed looked it a hip pop dancer danced on it while lying down.

they even checked the security cameras to see if she was kidnapped. again. but nobody entered the house. there are no cameras inside the rooms but the screens showed her going to the kitchen, drinking a cup of milk and leaving. but the direction she was heading wasn't the road to the her room.

"she didn't go back, then where did she go?"

that question drifted in the silence before it finally clicked.

"the basement!!!"

"Mark. stay here"

since it's Sunday, Mark didn't have school. Ivory told him to go to Anna and Ethan's house for a while but the stubborn boy wouldn't go anywhere until his big sister is found.

"the basement hasn't been cleaned in a long while so it's dusty and that's not good for a child's lungs"

"but dust is bad for an asthmatic person and sister has asthma.."

Matthew and Ivory didn't wait for another word. Grace has asthma and she has been in that room all night.

the nine seconds it took to get the basement was one of the longest and heart wrecking nine seconds of all their lives.

seeing Grace spread up on the dirty, dusty floor looking so far gone and surrounded by his late wife's belonging made Matthew's knees buckle.

"G-Grace?" Mathew's voice was barely above a whisper. it was like he is afraid of calling loudly and not getting a response.

"she moved. I saw it" Ivory is afraid too. "let carry her upstairs"

Matthew quickly yet gently picked up his daughter. cradled her in his arms and took her out the room.

"is she okay?" Mark asked when reached Grace's room.

"she is fine" Matthew said firmly. mostly to himself.

"I need to change her clothes, you need to calm down" Ivory said to her in-shock husband. "Mark, my phone is downstairs, call the doctor"

about forty minutes later, Grace dirty cloths has been changed and the doctor had checked on her.

"there is nothing to worry about. Miss Grace fainted from fatigue and a mild shock. luckily, she didn't suffer any asthma attack. she needs lots of water and rest, and she'll be good as new"

"thank you doctor"

"it's no problem Mr Tang. if you don't mind, I have a few other commitments to see through"

"sure, sure. I'll walk you out"

"no need Mr Tang. stay with your daughter, I'll see myself out"

"Matthew! she is starting to wake up"

"Grace? Grace? Grace"

~~~~~

"...ace. ...race. Grace."

"uhrr.. what, what happened?" her head hurts badly. actually, her brain felt itchy. like she should open her skull up and itch the living daylight out of her brain.

"Grace. how are you feeling?"

"Ivory? what are you doing in my room?"

"Grace!! big sister, I was so scared" Mark hugged her tightly.

'scared? why'.. "oh" she remembered what happened. the basement, the picture, the memories. her Mom. 'I fainted in the basement'

she looked at dad to check his reaction. his eyes show worry, sadness, a glint of fear and.. disappointment?

"Dad?.." he walked away. she tried to follow after him but headache became worse. so she tried again.

"you better lie down Grace. don't provoke me." his voice sounded so harsh and raw.

"Dad.. I.."

"don't. lie down. Ivory is going to bring you some food and better eat every morsel of it" her father scowled "let's go Mark, she needs to rest"

just like that, the room was emptied. leaving her to her own thoughts.

"11o'clock?" she muttered to herself. her dad must have searched for her for hours and he found her. fainted, laying helplessly on the dirty floor in his basement.

'what have I done' he Dad may not show it but she knows he is a chronic worrier especially when it come to family.

she wanted to talk to him and calm him down but she knows better than to disobey her father when gets like this.

*knock, knock, knock.

"Grace?" Ivory came in with a trolley of food.

"I brought apple slices, eggs, bacon, yoghurt, oats. the whole army" Ivory cheered. trying to cover up the awkwardness between them.

"my dad told me to eat everything you bring so you brought all this food knowing that I can't finish it all" Grace scowled

"it amazing how much look like your father, you even act like him" that definitely isn't the reply she was expecting. "your dad was actually the one that put all this food. I'm just the delivery girl"

"oh"

"your dad is more scared than angry. everything that happened this morning did a number on him. seeing you laying down on that flour surrounded by Lillian's..."

"don't say here name, don't you dare"

"I know you think that I'm trying to take your mother's place in your dad's life but I'm not." Ivory sighed. "when I meet your father, he was so sad, he would always talk about Lil- your mother with so much passion. he still does. whenever he talks about her, he would have this huge smile on his face and I know, as his new wife, I should be angry or jealous but I can't help but smile too. I know Matthew loves me he told me so and that man never lies. but I know the love he has for your mom is greater and I accept that. I truly do. maybe it's because I'm used to receiving bits and pieces of love from people. I actually find his love for her so poetic and beautiful."

Grace didn't know why she did it but she did. she hugged Ivory. willingly.

"I seriously don't understand that philosophy one bit but, thank you. for telling me"

"you do realize that you. are hugging. me?" Ivory sounded shocked and for good reasons.

the two of them hugging is something that is only allow to happen in Ivory's dreams or when Grace is drugged by jealous lunatics.

"this hug -thing is never happening again. ever again like not in a million years."

"then shut up and let enjoy this one".

sixteen seconds later, she counted. "okay, that's enough".

"oh. okay" Ivory finally pulled out of the hug "I got carry away.

"figured" she scoffed. "don't. tell anyone about hug"

"no can do dearest step daughter. I'm telling every one I know. I'll leave you to eat your food. bye!!"