In the four days since they had gotten engaged, tabloids and paparazzi photos filled the stands, all of them covered with pictures of Chris and Grace. Someone in their circle had leaked the engagement news and Chris was far less than impressed.
In true Vice President form, he had sought out the person and promptly fired them. Grace hadn't been too upset, she was annoyed the news got out there before she could even tell her parents; she has been avoiding their phone calls since.
"Have you spoken to your mom?" Grace asked, watching her phone ring on the dining room table once again. She was getting tired of it. It had been two days since the news broke but she couldn't face them yet.
Chris looked at her over the top of the newspaper. His eyes flicked to the device and back to her face before he chuckled. Folding the newspaper, he took the device in his hand and turned it off, dropping it back on the table.
"No," he answered, taking her hand in his so she would look at him, "but I'm going to call her when I get to my office," Chris said, standing and shrugging on his suit jacket, "I suggest you do the same,"
Grace smiled at him, kissing his lips as he pulled her out of her seat to stand in front of him. Her stomach still felt heavy with the impending wedding thoughts but she was doing her best to push them away.
"I don't have an office," she answered, a roll of her fiancé's eyes making her smile triumphantly while he pulled away from her.
"Smart ass," Chris grumbled, reaching back to slap her ass before he grabbed his briefcase, "I'll see you tonight,"
And just like was routine these days, she trudged you the front porch after him. Raised her hand to blow him a kiss and waved him off as his driver pulled the car away from the doorstep.
God, her life was lonely.
***
"Mom," Grace called for the fifth time in their two minute phone call, "Mom," she tried again but Shelly's incessant rambling wasn't stopping.
With one hand on her phone, the other was cradling her head that was about to explode in a thundering headache.
"Mom! Oh my god!" She yelled having heard enough of whatever her mother was screaming about, "I know! I know what you're saying,"
Grace knew it was fast and with her parents having not Meg him yet, they weren't exactly trusting that he was who they thought he was.
"No you don't," Shelly argued, and before her daughter could reply, she came back, "I'm so happy for you,"
Grace went to yell when the words sank in. Happy for her? That wasn't what she was expecting.
"I-" Grace cleared her throat, "you haven't even met him,"
Shelly let out a soft laugh on the other end of the phone. She couldn't deny that fact did worry her but her daughters happiness trumped everything.
"I know... but you're happy," Shelly stated. She trusted her daughters judgement and if she had said yes, there was a reason she had gone head first with this man, "and you love him,"
Grace smiled to herself. She did love Chris, more than she could ever fully explain. But despite that, she couldn't help but feel something brewing. Almost like she was being pulled into something too big for her world.
***
Taking a breath as the phone rang in his office, Chris picked it up, ready to hear his mother's distaste for everything that had come out in the news.
"I haven't met this woman and you're already marrying her? Suddenly you're a big shot who can't tell his mother anything?" Matilda Cuomo ranted making her youngest child roll his eyes at his mother.
"No ma, that's not it," Chris sighed, dropping his pen and sitting back in his swivel chair, turning it to look out the window.
Chris sighed, staying silent for a second while his mother waited for his explanation.
"I love her," Chris stated, Matilda rolled her eyes as if she couldn't see that for herself, "and with my job... I was afraid she would leave, I needed to give her more,"
Matilda laughed at his explanation, only fuelling her sons anger towards her and the situation.
"If you think a diamond ring is what Grace needed, you should've taken her shopping," Matilda said through her laugh while her son sighed.
Matilda knew the men in her family were clueless, her husband had been the same, she had hoped for better for her two sons but that wasn't happening.
"She needs you, Christopher. Not a ring on her finger. She needs the man who promised to love her more than anything," Matilda explained.
She had been Grace before. Promises made every which way that never seemed to come true. She didn't want the same for the woman who loved her son with no reservations.
Matilda knew the woman was probably hurting and hiding it from Chris so he wouldn't feel pulled in more than one direction. But if she didn't tell him, it wouldn't get any better.
***
Chris hadn't meant it, but by the time he finished his calls and meetings, it was gone nine in the evening and he hadn't even called Grace to tell her. By the time he left the office, it was eleven.
He had rushed home, hoping to catch her before she inevitably fell asleep again. He hadn't even checked his phone but she had called and texted him numerous times.
Bursting through the door, he rushed to the dining room. It was set for two with a now burned out candle and everything set for their food.
Moving to the kitchen, Chris' heart broke at the sight of what she had been up to all day. Just to make dinner for the two of them.
"She wanted to celebrate your engagement and telling your families about it," Mary, one of the housekeepers, spoke up from behind him.
Chris turned to face her, the look on her face making him shrink slightly. It was clear he had pissed more than one person off.
"She's in the living room," the woman said before she disappeared and left Chris alone again. He was so angry at himself.
Slowly trudging back to the living room, he came to a stop at the sight of her. Grace was curled up, fast asleep on the couch.
Chris sighed, moving towards her. He gently lifted her into his arms pressing a kiss to her forehead when she didn't budge from her position while he moved towards the stairs.
He was careful not to jostle her on the way to the bedroom. He didn't want to wake her, Grace had an awful time trying to go back to sleep after she had been woken.
Carefully setting her on the bed, Chris undressed her and pulled back the covers. Once she was settled, and he was sure she hadn't woken, Chris left the room again.
"Fucking idiot," Chris grumbled, moving towards the stairs and heading down, fishing in his pocket for his cigar and lighter before he made it outside.
Chris wanted to promise his fiancée he would be home more often. He wanted to be home more often. But he would only hurt her more by making a promise he couldn't keep.
