A Shower of Arrows

Chapter Six: Gloria

Grace was sitting at her desk looking over a handful of resumes for the positions in the store. There were some complete dud's and Grace felt a wave of sympathy for those people. But Grace wanted people to be as passionate as she was about books and literature. She wanted staff who would see this as a great job and not just a place to work. 

Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it, it was Oliver for the forth time today. He's been calling her non-stop ever since she confronted him about the arrows, that was three weeks ago. What kind of sick person would endanger someone else's life, especially an innocent three year old? Grace didn't really understand why he did it and she has been wracking her brain for a motive but have come up with nothing. Nate keeps asking her to talk to him and keeps telling her it wasn't what she thought but when she asks him to explain it he just says he can't. 

Lacey will always be the girl who lost her father when she was a baby, she can't lose her last surviving parent. She deserves better than being an orphan at 3.

Grace received from a message her mother with a photo of Lace on her swing and she was smiling from ear to ear. Grace heard a knock on the door and went to see who it was. Oliver was standing there. Grace attempted to close the door but he wedged his foot in between. 

"Please Grace, give me five minutes to explain and I will never bother you again. Please" 

Grace hesitated and he used that to push his way into the store. He sat on the window seat and gestured for Grace to sit next to him but she remained standing. 

"Grace, there has been these arrows going across town. Multiple people have been reporting them to police. Like that night you were over for dinner two people complained and I've been receiving them as well." Oliver opened his bag and Grace saw multiple arrows in there. 

"Grace, I've never given you a reason for you to believe I would harm you or Lacey and I swear to you now that I never will." Oliver bowed his head. 

"Please believe me." 

Grace watched him for a minute and listened to how desperate his voice was. She had a feeling in her stomach that he was telling the truth, so she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

"If I said I believe you, who is doing this? Why are they trying to hurt people?"

"I'm trying to figure that out but there isn't much we can go on. No one has seen the shooter and we just need to be more vigilante."

Grace had so many questions. Why was this happening? What was the sender attempting to get out of the messages they sent? 

"I'm sorry for accusing you of trying to hurt us." 

Oliver smiled up at her. "I'm sure I'll find a way to forgive you." He smirked at Grace which made her heart do loops in her chest. 

"Have any book, on the house." 

"I would prefer to have you. Tonight. Dinner 7.00"

Grace stood there, unsure of what to say. So she just nodded. Oliver ducked his head and kissed Grace on the cheek. Then left. 

Grace instantly started to worry that this was a bad idea.  Will this be setting the right example for Lacey?

Before Grace could bring up the courage to call Oliver and cancel, her mother called. 

"Grace, Lacey said she isn't feeling well and has a little bit of a fever. She's asking for you."

"I'll leave now. Did she eat anything strange? Or has she got the sniffles?"

"No Grace, she ate what was in her lunch box and she has got a slight running nose and says her stomach hurts and she is going to the toilet a lot."

"I'm in the car. I'll be there in 2 minutes." The only perk of living in a small town, everything is close together. 

When Grace got to her parents house, Lacey was curled up under a blanket watching Cinderella. Grace pulled her into her lap and she cuddled into her mother. Grace felt her head and did notice she was a burning hot. 

"I'm going to call the doctor and see if he can squeeze us in." 

Grace called the doctor and they had an opening so she said goodbye and went to the doctor. 

"Lacey, what seems to be the problem?"

"She said her stomach hurts and she's had a fever."

The doctor looked at Lacey and asked a few more questions. 

"It seems to be just simple bug. It should subside in the next couple of days. Just keep her fluids up and give her some panadol to help with her fever."

"Thank you doctor." 

Lacey and Grace went into the pharmacy and then back home. Lacey laid on the couch curled up and they watched Disney films together. Grace had just put Lacey down to bed, when she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw Oliver standing there with a bouquet of flowers, dresses in an expensive looking coat with slacks and a button down on. Grace completely forgot. Grace was worried about how she looked,  she was standing in one of Jordan's old t-shirts and shorts, with her hair stuffed up into a bun. Oliver thought she looked beautiful.

"I'm so sorry. I completely forgot. Lacey got sick today and she needed me. We can have a pyjama date if you want, the best bit is we have to be quiet because Lacey is the lightest sleeper in the world." Grace chuckled at her own joke.

"I would love that. I'll run back home and put something comfortable on, bring supplies and come back. Do you want to choose a movie?"

Oliver was back with chocolates, ice-cream and was wearing far more comfortable clothes. 

He joined Grace on the couch and put his arm across the back of the couch. Grace checked on Lacey one last time and sat on the couch. Grace sat as close as she dared to Oliver. Oliver smirked and put his arm around Grace and pulled her closer. Grace couldn't help but smile at the small interaction.

"Grace, I hope you know that I truly would never harm you or Lacey."

"Thank you."

"How's everything at the store going?" 

"Good. I've got to organise some interviews tomorrow for staff and then we should be ready to open. I'm also thinking about having a grand opening party. To spread the word a little."

Oliver and Grace kept talking about anything and everything. He told her about his family and work. He even got her to talk about Jordan which was a hard topic. He held her when she cried about him. Soon after that they fell asleep. 

"Grace! How could you?" 

Grace opened her eyes and saw Gloria standing over her.