Grace

16

"Alex, Alanna's here!" Grace called, letting his PR girl into the motorhome. "Hey Alanna,"

"Hey, Grace. How are you doing? Looks like you're starting to pop," she smiled.

"I'm alright. Morning sickness is pretty much done, now we're just waiting on the surgery. But baby's growing in there," Grace grinned, rubbing her small bump as Alex came out of the bedroom.

"I'll see you later?"

"I'll walk the dogs," she nodded, kissing him before he headed out the door with Alanna. "Alright boys. Just you and me, what do you think about a walk?"

As soon as the leashes were on, she took both dogs outside and started to walk them around the drivers' lot.

A couple was coming toward her with another set of dogs, making their 2 go crazy.

"Finn. Come on. Enough," she sighed, holding his leash so he wouldn't go anywhere.

"Sorry. She's crazy when she sees other dogs," the woman said, looking Grace in the eye, making both of them stop in their tracks.

"Malorie?"

"Grace," Malorie nodded, looking at her older sister like a deer in headlights.

"What are you-?" Grace started, looking between the 2 people in front of her.

"I got married. I could ask you the same thing,"

"I did too," Grace nodded, not knowing what else to say to her. "Um. I have to get back. Alex is gonna be waiting on me,"

"Alex?"

"Yeah. Bowman," she nodded, feeling extremely awkward during the whole encounter.

Malorie just nodded and turned back around, walking the opposite way as Grace.

She was quiet the rest of the day, especially at work during the cup series practice and qualifying.

"You okay?" Tyler asked, looking at his colleague who had gone silent on him.

"Hmm?" She asked, looking at him as he looked back at her.

"You okay? You went radio silent on me,"

"Yeah. I'm. I'm fine," she nodded, keeping her eyes on the TV as the cars started going around the track.

"You sure? That sounded like a hesitant 'Fine' to me,"

"My sister is here," Grace sighed, messing with her wedding ring as she sat back in her chair.

"You have a sister?" Tyler asked, a little shocked by the sudden revelation that Grace had a sibling.

"Yeah. We haven't talked in years. I haven't even thought about her,"

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking,"

"After dad died, she went off the rails. I tried everything to help her but she just kept coming back, bleeding me dry, and leaving again. So I moved, and she never found me again," she explained, "It was alcohol. The last time I spoke to her, she had gotten a DUI and called me to come bail her out. I hung up on her, and never spoke to her again,"

"Until now," Tyler filled in.

"Yep. I wasn't planning on it," Grace shrugged, "And she looked good. I want to rebuild the relationship we had but I'm just scared she's gonna do it all over again,"

"It doesn't hurt to give her a chance," He shrugged, "And if you don't like it coming from me, talk to Alex about it,"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"He does know about her right?"

"Yeah. I moved in with him after the jail call,"

"Good. I'm sure he'll be willing to help you," Tyler nodded, looking back at the TV as she did the same.

"I just don't know. She looked good and she said she was married, I just want to be sure before I let her around my child. Ya know?"

"Yeah. I completely understand that. Maybe just go out for dinner. Just you 2 or double date or something," Tyler suggested, using everything he could think of.

"Can we change the subject? I really don't want to think about this anymore,"

"I know you well enough to know that until you figure this out in your own head, it's gonna be on your mind all day," he said as he leaned the chair back, stretching out before sitting back up and typing on his computer.

"Probably," she nodded, watching the TV before she turned her attention to her phone and started buying more things for the baby.

After practice and qualifying had ended, she was back at the bus, sitting at the dinette as she waited on Alex.

"Hey,"

"Hey," She tried to crack a smile, "How was practice and qualifying?"

"Fine. Why do you look like you have to tell me something?" He asked, sitting across from her.

"I-"

"Spit it out, Grace. I know you have something to get off your chest,"

"But you just got back. Don't you wanna relax for a little bit before we have some serious conversation,"

"No. I want to know what bugging you,"

"Okay," she sighed, finally looking him in the eye, "Remember Malorie?"

"Your sister Malorie?" He asked, getting a nod in response, "What about her? You haven't spoken in years,"

"She's here,"

"She is?"

"Yep. My sister is here. I ran into her while I was walking the dogs," she sighed, sitting back in her seat.

"Okay. So how do you want to handle this?"

"I don't know Alex. That's why I'm talking to you,"

"It's up to you Grace. You know I'll help you however I can but you need to be the one to make this decision," he said as Grace got up, kissed him quietly, and left the room. He knew she needed a minute to process and a minute to think about how to handle this.

It was the curveball they never expected.