The Bucket List

“Garrett where are we going?” Grace asked, her knees bent under her as she sat in the passenger seat of Hunter’s old Mustang, the red paint shining against the moon light.

“Calm down Gray, it’s not like I’m going to take you to some field and rape you! It’s to do with your list” He laughed, as she rolled her eyes, pushing his arm playfully as they continued the drive.

“So you, Piper and Faith are friends then?” Garrett asked carefully as Grace switched positions, leaning now so that her back was against the door, her legs Indian style in front of her as she watched Garrett’s profile.

“Yeah it’s nice to have some non-male’s to hang around with, you know, other than Bailey. It’s just refreshing to meet someone that doesn’t know my past and just like me for me” she said simply, shrugging one shoulder as he turned to her giving a half smile.

“She’s not going to replace me is she?” he asked his tone joking as he turned down the street, making a sharp right.

“Of course not! Well know I think about it I’m not too sure...after all Piper does come out with some cool lines” she taunted, half giggling as he just laughed.

“Well that is my sister” he replied, rubbing the back of his of his neck.

“How come you never told me you had a twin sister?” she questioned curiously wondering why she never heard of Piper when they were 14.

“It just never came up” he answered sheepishly pulling into a car park before reversing into a spot, turning to look at her.

“You ready to get started on your list?” he grinned at her as she nodded excitedly jumping out the car as Garrett chuckled, locking Piper’s car and slipping the key’s into his back pocket.

“Alright well we have at least three hours, four at a push, before Piper and Faith are nearly comatose and are wondering where we are” he said as he grabbed her hand, leading her across the car park and round the corner.

Grace took in her surroundings wondering where she was going and what number on her list she was doing. They turned down a street before turning into a building, too quick for Grace to read the sign.

He gave her a small smile as he headed to the reception, making small talk to the receptionist as he picked up a folder and started jotting down something in it.

Once he finished her beckoned her forward, nodding to the receptionist as he took Grace’s hand in his and led her threw the deserted corridors.

“Gary, what are we doing here?” she asked quietly as he just smiled at her again, before stopping in front of the double door, turning to face her as he looked at the floor.

“Well I come to help out here sometimes, you know, like after school. It might not be fun or anything but I just thought it might help you on your list.” he began, his eyes not looking away from the floor as he bit his lip “Plus it’s dinner time right now, and helping out makes it easier to see my Gam-Gam” he muttered the end bit, his hand messing up his hair as she reached out, taking his calloused hand in hers.

“Well how about we get inside and get this list started then?” she questioned softly, as he smiled down at her raising a hand to open the door.

On the other side was a big canteen, circular tables to seat no more than four was placed around the room, an ivory table cloth with a vase of roses decorating them.

“Come on” Garrett beckoned her to a group of woman stood at the corner of the room, a blue apron adorning there body as they stood chatting.

“Ah Garrett don’t you look dashing?” one of them, asked reaching out to pull him into a tight hug.

“Hey Cad” he said his voice with a hint of embarrassment in his voice as he patted the plump woman’s back as she released him slightly, holding him out at arm’s length.

“More handsome than last time I saw you. Now who’s the girl? Is she your girlfriend?” The woman asked a grin stretching across her face as she waited for Garrett’s answer.

“No Cad, she’s just a friend” he whined as she released him with a roll of her eye.

“Well I hope you’re both ready to get your hands dirty” another woman said tossing the pair of them blue aprons which they hastily tired around their waist as the door’s opened, elderly people heading to the tables either on their own or with assistance from the careers.

“Garrett you can do water, your friend, sorry I didn’t catch your name, you can help out with the carrots” Cad said, pushing her curly red hair behind her ears as she handed Garrett some jugs of water, turning to point Grace towards a silver tray and a pair of tongs.

“It’s Grace” she said softly, before picking up the platter, following Garrett around the tables as she asked the resident if they wanted carrot’s, smiling at them and asking them how their day was, automatically feeling comfortable in her surroundings.

Once she had made her way around the room she headed back to where she collected platter to see Garrett stood there, two steaming plates of food in his hands as he smiled at her nervously.

“You hungry?” he questioned, as she nodded a wide smile on his face as he nodded towards a table where an elderly woman was sat on her own.

“Gam-Gam” Garrett said, as the old woman looked up, her frail hands putting down her fork as she ushered the boy to her, his strong arms wrapping around her delicately.

“Garrett what are you doing here?” She asked her tone even more frail than her body, as they sat down at the table.

“I’m just here to help out, I brought my friend Grace she’s friends with Piper to you know” Garrett said pointing towards her as his Gam-Gam turned to Grace giving her a wide toothy smile as she asked the girl what she was doing contemplating her on how pretty she was.

“So Gam-Gam” Garrett started, putting down his fork as he turned to the elderly lady, “Grace just has a few questions she wanted to ask you about love”

He said as the woman turned to look at Grace, curiosity pulling at her features.

“That’s only if you don’t mind” Grace backtracked, feeling nervous that she was going to offend the woman that was so close to Garrett’s heart.

“Of course I don’t mind, call me Flo” she replied a small smile on her lips as she turned to the younger girl giving her full attention.

“Okay, don’t feel like you have to answer any of these questions” she started as Flo nodded, dabbing at her lips with her napkin, before straightening out her plain white blouse, her long grey hair pulled high into a bun on the top of her head. “When was the first you were in love?”

“He was called Robert and was two years older than me” she began, a dazed look taking over her face as she continued with her tale “He was my childhood best friend, he moved into the house next door when he was two year’s old straight from England, the first time I saw him was under the big oak tree in the park around the corner from my house and I instantly took to him. It was like I automatically knew there was something special about him.

Throughout the year’s we got closer, constantly around each other’s house playing games, but we had chemistry from the start and we both knew it. When I was sixteen he asked me out, first waiting to ask my father for his blessing before meeting me after a work, a bouquet of red roses on one hand.

It was beautiful and he was sweet to me and was more than I could ever ask for, we had an instant connection, he could cheer me up before I was even sad.

On our year anniversary he took me out on an extravagant date, saving up all his wages in order to be able to afford it, a nice meal at a restaurant before a midnight stroll in the park.

It was under the oak tree where it happened, our first time. It was magical, pure and sweet something that I always dreamed of and I am so happy that I got to share it with him.

He snuck me back home with a kiss on the lips, with the promises he would meet me tomorrow. The next year of our lives continued pretty much the same way, and on my eighteenth birthday he proposed, my family agreed but his father wasn’t happy with the match. He said Robert was destined for greater things, which I guess was true.

Six months later our engagement was called off, Robert had to move to Texas for his job and we knew the distance wouldn’t work. It was probably one of the saddest days of my life knowing I wasn’t able to be with the love of my life.

Robert wrote to me all the time, telling me how his life was going. He got married to someone called Maria two years after he moved and then a baby girl called Madeline shortly after.

We continued to stay in touch but we soon drifted apart. Five years later I met Andrew, he was the polar opposite to Robert. A dark copper coloured hair instead of ash blonde, blue eyes instead of brown, tall instead of short. He just seemed so perfect and so new to me.

He asked me out and three years later we got married with a simply church wedding in the spring, my family approved of him but I knew they didn’t look at him the same way they looked at Robert.

But I didn’t care Andrew was perfect for me, he provided for our new family and he was always caring. He might not have had all of my heart but he looks after it and loved me no matter what, even though he knew deep down that I didn’t love him.

If Robert didn’t leave me I wouldn’t have had my beautiful daughter and two son’s and my amazing grandson wouldn’t be sat in front of me and just for that I am thankful to Robert for breaking my heart because I don’t think I would be as happy as I am now with him.” Flo finished, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Hey girl, hey!” Piper screeched, running straight into the car door as they pulled up outside the party, her breath smelt of alcohol and she was hanging off the arm of some boy she met early in the night.

Garrett rolled his eyes, climbing out of the car and taking Piper’s arm, pulling her away from the guy and placing her in the back seat strapping her up as Grace looked at the Jared and the rest of the guys.

"You all okay to get home?” Grace asked as they all nodded, Faith passed out on his back as he had his arms hooked under her kneecaps.

Grace give them all smile, slowly getting back into the backseat, Piper moving to lay down onto her lap.

“Where’ve you been, whore?” Piper mumbled, rubbing her face against Grace’s leg as she tried to get comfy.

“Garrett took me out to get something to eat” Grace mumbled knowing that Piper would probably forgot that the conversation had even taken place when she woke up in the morning.

Garrett pulled up to his house, letting Grace move out the car as they both half dragged her into the house, Garrett helping her take Piper upstairs, before stopping rubbing his neck awkwardly waiting for Grace to go past with Piper.

“I’ll be two minutes” Grace whispered, going past him and into Piper’s room, the girl stumbling in front of her as Grace shut the door. Grace sighed; she really didn’t want to be here right now babysitting the intoxicated crazy girl.

Piper continued to stumble, trying and failing to open one of the draws before accidentally putting it too fast and falling flat on her arse.

“Gracie” Piper whined, exaggerating the ‘a’ in her name “My bot-bot hurt’s now!” she continued, turning to the younger girl and pouted. Grace chuckled walking over to her and picking her up leading her to the bed.

“Don’t move” Grace demanded, waving a finger at Piper’s face who simply giggled, collapsing backwards onto the bed as she starred at her ceiling. Grace walked to the now open draw’s, quickly pulling out a pair of pajamas before hastily shutting the draw and back towards Hunter.

“Put these on, you fine to do it by yourself?” Grace asked as Piper snorted nodding her head, Grace just nodded back, beginning to tidy around the girl’s room as she waiting patiently, double checking that Piper’s hair straightners were unplugged from when she used them earlier.

“All done!” Piper squealed as Grace shushed her telling her to get into bed as she walked into the en-suite bathroom, grabbing one of the home painted glasses that were on the window sill.

Sighing, Grace checked her watch as she began to fill the cup, quickly reaching into the mirror cabinet for some pill’s, popping a few out of the packet before heading back into the bedroom to see Piper tucked up in bed fast asleep.

Grace smiled, grabbing one of the many post-it notes from her desk hastily scribbling down a message before placing the glass and the tablet’s down.

Quietly she shut the door behind her, turning around to see Garrett stood only a few inches away from her.

“Are you staying over or...” Garrett trailed home, his hand reaching to mess with his hair as she just smiled at him.

“I think I’m just going to head out” she said softly, giving him a smile as she headed down stairs.