Grace sighted their family house from a distance and prayed again silently for forgiveness and to see her father once more. The road to her father's house was rough and dusty.

The house sat in the middle of the street opposite the catholic church the few villagers who went to church could go. The walls of the house wasn't painted. The farm her father and mother once tended to with love had overgrown and almost dried from lack of care. Her mother's headstone was covered with vine leaves and stains of green dirt from rain and algae. Grace felt a pang of pain from looking at the headstone. Her mother was dust and had returned to the Creator but why did it still hurt everytime she thought about the wonderful memories her parents had shared in that house with them. What would her mother have said when she went away with Victor? Would she have supported the idea or stick to supporting her husband against her decision? Evanne had turned and finally woke. Grace dropped her down and both of them looked at the house.

All these thoughts ran in Grace's head and she didn't know when her father came out and watched her hesitant to walk into the house. She had thought of turning back when her father called her name as he used to, Gracey!

"Is that you Gracey?" He asked looking at her as she looked back at him, tears in her eyes. She let go of Evanne's hand and ran towards her father, tears flowing at ease from her heart. She had longed for this embrace between her and her father when she couldn't handle the pain she got from Victor.

"Oh my Gracey," he sobbed and hugged her tight. Evanne stood in her position, not willing to move until her mother told her who the old man she was hugging was and when they'd go back to her father and Leah.

"I've missed you Grace," his voiced sounded so soft, it broke Grace

"I've missed you father. I've really missed you."
They stood holding each other for few minutes before they both let go and looked into each other's eyes.

"What took you so long? I thought I'd lost you," Samuel said and moved the hair that was stained to her face with tears.

"I wanted to come papa...so many times I wanted to come and visit you but I don't know why I didn't come and it's unfair to you. I'm so sorry Papa," she smiled at him through the tears. Samuel looked at her eyes and saw she had the same colour of eyes as Ella's. Her hazel eyes were sharp and beautiful. Regaining her composure, she turned to Evanne and beckoned on the little girl to come to her. Evanne walked shyly to her mother's side and stood behind her.

"Papa, this is Evanne," she nudged the girl forward to Samuel, "your granddaughter."

Samuel stared at the lost little girl and opened his arms for her to hug him. She took a look at Grace and she nodded with a smile. Evanne walked to her grandfather and hugged him, then withdrew from his warm embrace.

"It'll take a little getting used to but she'll get to know you. Oh papa," she smiled at the sixty seven year old aged man sitted by her side. The loss of her mother had shown all over him.

"How could he do this to you Grace?" Samuel stormed loudly in anger. Grace had given him the reason for her visit and it pained her to realize that if she wasn't in such a circumstance, she wouldn't have seen her papa in a long while. She closed her eyes and hoped the dreaded thought will go away.

"I'm sorry Papa. I truly am. All these years I didn't come around, not once to see you and now I'm in a mess, it's the first place I run to," she lowered her head in shame and cried. Samuel walked to her and rubbed her back.

"That's how the Heavenly father is Gracey.  He loves you even when you don't feel you need it and his heart is always open to receive a lost lamb. You haven't offended me my little Gracey. Indeed I am pleased that you came to me. This house needs your smile and laughter again," he kept his head on her hair and she bent even more to feel his embrace. Thank you Father she muttered and smiled.
The days to come were filled with anxiety for Grace. Victor knew her father's home and she hoped he would come begging with sincerity for them to come back, that he was ready to have children, that he loved her and was sorry for everything he had done. Evanne had adjusted to her grandfather and was always by his side, touching his hair, keeping her head on his laps and telling him to braid her hair into a piggytail. Grace smiled at the joy a child could bring to her father. She was comfortable that he saw Evanne and treasured her. She was like a soothing balm to his aged soul.

Once inside, Grace tucked Evanne in bed as the little girl slept without a debris in her eyes or heart. She smiled at the one gift Victor was able to give her and she prayed for the ones she lost. She hoped she would have children again to be playmates to Evanne.

"Have you sent word to your brother Luke?" Samuel asked Grace over dinner. They'd had mashed rice with roast beef and sprinkles of black beans on the top. Grace cleared the table and avoided the question and worried look on her father's face. She walked to the window and stared out into the evening which rapidly changed into the night as people rushed home with their produce.

"Gracey!" Samuel called again, looking at her back. He could read the expression on her face.

"You know he hates me papa. He was never in support of Victor. I don't know what to say to him. He's as stubborn as mother," she let the words sink as she closed her eyes. She remembered his words the day Victor came to speak for her You'll never be happy with him Grace and when that happens, don't come crawling back. Those were the last words Luke, her elder brother had spoken before she left with Victor.

Samuel walked to the window and stood beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. Grace was  his favourite child. She looked like the splitting image of her mother, with hazel eyes and stubborn mind as her. He had named her Grace, for she came at a time when things had become rough for him and Ella. After they birthed Luke, they had a girl Martha and then there were complications in Ella's womb. The doctor said she couldn't give birth again and they both wept. God had given them a second chance at birthing children and she came.

"Talk to your brother Luke. He adores you. He might not like your hasty decisions at times but he loves and cares about you. The letters you sent to him while you lived with your husband," Grace looked at her father. It was the first time he'd addressed Victor as her husband. Up until that moment, he had been Victor to her father and siblings, "Luke received them. He was furious and left Lake Tions to come visit me. He wanted to come for you. I stopped him. I figured, nobody would drag you out of his house except you left on your own," he closed his eyes and went to sit down.

Grace only watched him and tears gathered in her eyes. Her father had left her to learn to take the first step on her own, see life, know what's good and bad and walk away from toxic relationships. She classified her marriage as toxic. She didn't know what Victor wanted in a marriage. She saw his outward physique; tall, fair, handsome with a pointed nose and brown hair that shone in the sun like honey. His smile could weaken a tough heart and his teeth was perfectly arranged like they were fixed at Heavens gate. His body was built to carry heavy things and his backside attracted her immediately she'd seen him that faithful day passing North Dock. She was drying her father's clothes when he smiled at her and she felt weak in her knees.
She realized he passed once in two week days so she'd sit and wait to watch him pass. She had been in that assignment for four months when Victor walked up to her. He spoke with her and then started bringing flowers when he passed. She was head over heels in love with him and Victor knew this, for he had come a month after to ask for her hand. Everyone was against it except Grace. She stood her ground and two weeks later in 1984, she married Victor and left with him. Now she was back home and determined to move on, find a way to go to Luke before Victor came looking for her.

"What do I say to him papa? I lack words when it comes to Luke. I don't want him to see me as who I am right now, a loser."

"You're my daughter Gracey and he's your brother. You'll know what to say. I think it's time both of you see each other and move past this pain."
Grace walked to her father and knelt down in front of him, then kept her head on his laps and cried herself to dryness in her heart. She needed to be whole again. Her father had been an easy step and she hoped Luke won't reject her. She figured she'll deal with Dorcas, Palmer, Anthony and Eugene later. She had to set things straight and Luke was a stepping stone to her redemption. The remaining days of her countdown to Lake Tions were a dread to her.

She memorized words and apologies for Luke but it didn't feel right. She paced to and fro, changing her mind on seeing Luke and determining to see him. She stepped out to the front and sat down as Evanne played with sticks and drew in the sand with them. She raised her head and smiled at the sight of her mother and Grace waved at her. She walked in and cried so hard at the decision she'd come to conclude with in her heart. She would leave with Evanne tomorrow to Luke's. She prayed for strength to go through with what she planned.

"Where are we going mother," the little girl asked Grace the next morning when she saw their bags packed. Grace smiled.

"We're going to Lake Tions. We're going to see your uncle Luke," she said and smiled.