Heart Block by Melissa Brayden Read Free Book Online

asked.
    “Yes. I mean, I used to. I don’t anymore. My mother lived here.”
    “I’m sorry that she died.” Grace set down her purple crayon and gave Emory her full attention. “When I’m feeling sad, I like to color. I’m probably too old for it now, but I don’t care.” Grace extended a green crayon in Emory’s direction and tore out a sheet for her from the book she was working in.
    When Emory didn’t immediately move, Grace re-extended her arm for emphasis. Clearly, she was not taking no for an answer. “You know, I have some bills I need to look through. How about I do that while you color?”
    That seemed to be an acceptable solution to Grace who shrugged once and went back to work. Emory threw a glance over her shoulder looking for a possible rescue from Sarah, who had to be somewhere in the house. She could go and look for her, but what would she say when she found her? Your kid makes me uncomfortable? Instead, she reluctantly sat at the table and spread the mail out in front of her, focusing on the task she came to complete. Out of curiosity, she shot an occasional glance in Grace’s direction. Watching her color was, she had to admit, relaxing. The way she outlined each bunny before lightly shading in the gaping white portions until they were full of vibrant color. Okay, it was a child’s activity, but tempting all the same.
    “Are you sure you don’t want a page?” Grace asked warily thirty minutes later. The kid was undoubtedly aware of being watched.
    “I guess I could take one,” Emory replied nonchalantly. “I have a minute now that some of this is out of the way.”
    Grace regarded her knowingly and nodded before handing over a picture of three small rabbits looking up at a large friendly bird in a tree. She moved the oversized box of crayons to the middle of the table so Emory had easy access to the assortment and went back to her own page, a rabbit curled up for a nap with several other rabbits. They worked in silence for a good forty-five minutes, Grace spending more time watching Emory color than coloring herself. Grace shook her head in awe as the once cartoonish outline turned into an honest to goodness, realistic forest scene. “You’re really good. Like really .”
    “Oh, thanks.” Emory glanced up for the first time since she started. “You know, this is a lot more fun than I thought it would be.” And it was. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt calm, relaxed, and free. “I see why you like this.”
    Grace reached for Emory’s page and held it up in front of her face, still shaking her head in astonishment. “It’s like the rabbits are real. How did you do that?”
    Emory studied the piece of paper Grace held so reverently in the air and smiled at her, noticing how much she resembled Sarah. She didn’t have eyes as light, but her brown replicas were close. “It’s just a shading technique. Instead of only using one color for the rabbit’s fur, I used several to give it texture and layers.”
    “That’s amazing,” Grace breathed. She shifted her focus to Emory. “Can I keep this?”
    “Sure, go ahead.” She was somewhat honored that Grace would want to.
    “Wanna color another?”
    “Hit me.” But it was a foregone conclusion. Emory was already reaching eagerly for a new crayon.

    *

    Sarah closed the last and final journal in the stack and blew out a long, emotional breath, brushing a stray tear from the corner of her eye. She glanced at her watch and shook her head. She’d lost two hours of valuable work time reading the words of Catherine Owen, but she didn’t regret it for a second. She understood the importance of these journals and what they could mean for those she left behind, one woman in particular.
    Sarah bounded down the stairs, hopeful that the silence from Grace was an indication that she’d been on her best behavior, as she’d promised she would be. She hadn’t meant to leave her alone so long and realized that it