Chapter 16 - Grace Comes Home
Grace was released from the hospital four days later.
Margaret drove her home.
Noah and Ellie sat in the back seat.
When they reached Mason Street, Grace stopped.
Outside the apartment building stood nearly thirty people.
Neighbors.
Teachers.
Bakery customers.
Someone had repaired the broken front step.
Someone else had installed a new hallway light.
Boxes of groceries sat beside the entrance.
Grace froze.
“What is this?”
Margaret looked guilty.
“I didn’t organize it.”
Olivia Grant stepped forward.
The teenager who had posted the bakery video held a small envelope.
“We did.”
Grace looked overwhelmed.
“I can’t accept all this.”
Olivia nodded.
“My mom said you might say that.”
Grace almost smiled.
“She’s smart.”
“This isn’t charity.”
Olivia handed her the envelope.
“It’s money people donated.”
Grace pushed it back.
“No.”
“It isn’t for you.”
Grace frowned.
Olivia smiled.
“It’s for a community baking program.”
“What?”
“We heard you’re a baker.”
Margaret’s eyes widened.
She had not known this part either.
Olivia continued.
“People donated enough to rent the church kitchen for six months.”
“We thought maybe you could teach kids and parents how to bake.”
Grace stared at her.
Noah’s face lit up.
“You could do that.”
Grace looked at him.
“I haven’t worked in a real kitchen in years.”
Ellie grabbed her hand.
“You make the best bread.”
Margaret laughed softly.
“That happens to be professionally verified.”
Grace shook her head.
“This is crazy.”
Margaret stepped closer.
“Maybe.”
“But you get to choose.”
Nobody was offering to rescue her.
Nobody was telling her what she needed.
They were offering a door.
Grace looked at the envelope.
Then at her children.
Finally she took it.
“One class.”
Olivia grinned.
“Start with one.”
Grace smiled.
“One class.”
Across town, Richard received a phone call from the police.
Daniel Mercer had surrendered.
May you like
He had provided a written confession.
And he had told them exactly where Claire was going.
