Grace in the Morning - part 2

prompt: For Hire | Word Count: 1000 Words | Genre: fiction
Due Feb 26, 2020
Warning: sequel to Jan20 Prompt; reference to human trafficking
 
Grace in the Morning
 
 
Flashing police lights illuminate the rapid events happening outside the dilapidated house on this chilly Monday morning. Deputies manhandle Madam Esther and her thugs out of the house in handcuffs and bruises. Nearby, Grace watches in silence, her attention focused on the girl in the window upstairs, face shiny with tears.
 
Grace should be elated, but all she feels is heart-sore. Memories are surfacing. Suffocating.
 
“Pull yourself together, Grace,” she tells herself sternly, taking several deep breaths, and reminding herself of her duty. “These girls are counting on you. You didn’t come this far to fail them now.”  
 
She’s the one who’d recognized the signs of human trafficking, had informed the Community Coalition, where she volunteered. She’d set this rescue in motion. She nominated herself to be the one to give freedom back to the abused and mistreated girls trapped inside, and to do it in a way that would preserve their dignity and restore hope to their lives.
 
The old Asian woman glares at Grace as if Esther knows she is to blame for her downfall. But she shows no evidence of remorse or regret as the deputy shoves her roughly into the backseat of his police car.
 
Gabriel, senior detective and coalition leader, appears in the doorway of the house. Signals all clear.
 
She makes her way over to the house, climbs up the porch steps to meet him.
 
Behind her, the new guy follows. He’s wearing leather jeans that sag from his hips, black leather vest over white t-shirt. With his bald head and tattoo sleeves, he looks every bit the part he was hired to play, to infiltrate and obtain the final evidence needed to arrest the ring leaders and convict them with a lasting penalty. 
 
Damon’s persona, coupled with the events of the morning, have unleashed memories of Grace’s own bondage and deliverance, three years before. She instinctively shrinks away from him.
 
"You shouldn’t be here," she says firmly. “It’ll be harder on the girls with you here.”
 
Despite his appearance, Grace knows Damon to be a kind-hearted, gentle man. He has two teen-aged daughters himself, and his motivation is only to help. He nods understanding, fades back into the shadows.
 
At the porch landing Gabriel hands her a set of keys. His beguiling eyes hold her a moment, compassion in his steady, tender gaze.
 
“Go on then,” he steps aside, his confidence bolstering her courage. She takes a deep breath and enters the house.
 
She climbs to the second floor, unlocks the first door at the top of the staircase, opens it slowly. She knows not to approach too quickly. Not to touch or initiate physical contact. Grace knows firsthand the horrors she will have suffered from her captors. The difficulties she’ll face in recovery.
 
Morning sunlight streams through the window. Recognition crosses the girl’s face. She launches herself into Grace’s arms, holds on with fierce relief.
 
“I knew you’d come back,” she whispers. “You’re the Angel I saw in the window that day.” 
 
Grace’s arms tighten around her thin frame, faces press together where warm tears mingle.
 
“I knew you’d come back,” she repeated, “I knew it.”
 
Grace made soft, shushing noises, whispered “its okay,” and “you’re safe now,” and “we’re gonna take care of you,” between the girl’s wrenching sobs and declarations of gratitude.
 
At the touch, warmth infuses Grace’s soul, fills her with resolve and strengthens her purpose.
 
“Let’s go free the others, shall we?”
 
~_~
 
 
The assembly room is charged with a sense of accomplishment and pride, triumph and achievement ripples through the crowd. Gabriel watches as glasses of champagne or sparkling cider are distributed to the throng.
 
“Gather around, people," Gabriel raises his voice above the general hubbub of the assembly. It takes several attempts to gain their attention, caught up as they are in reliving the events of the day.
 
“Let me just start by saying how proud I am of each and every one of you. This has been a long, difficult job and by God, you nailed it!" Gabe pauses for cheers and erupting applause to calm down before continuing.
 
“Please, raise your glass and join me in a toast."
 
Light glints off champagne flutes as they’re lifted high in prideful anticipation.
 
"Because of you, nine young girls have been rescued from atrocious conditions.”
 
Whistles and cheers erupt once again, elation and pride swelling the room.
 
"Because of you, another band of human traffickers have been taken off the streets. I promise, they will be punished to the full extent of the law. It's because of you, and the work of our coalition, that we’ve achieved this success. You are all to be commended for a job well done. Thank you, one and all!"
 
Glasses clink and Gabriel joins the company in downing his cider. He speaks a while longer about the importance of their work, the value each team member brings to the coalition, and he applauds them a final time.
 
He scans the room, observing the group as it breaks into smaller clusters, frowning slightly when he sees Grace set her glass on a side table and head for the door.
 
“Grace!” he calls, hurrying to catch her before she leaves. He wants to tell her how grateful he is, how magnificent she’d been in the gentle manner in which she’d treated the rescued girls. How the girls will need her in the coming days and weeks.
 
He knows she knows this, but he wants to tell her anyway. To have a reason to talk with her. To linger in her presence.
 
~_~
 
 
Grace’s heart leaps when Gabriel calls her name. She’s tempted to pretend she hasn’t heard him, to run away instead. But she’s learned to trust this man in the six months they’ve worked together, even to let her guard down in his presence.
 
“Don’t go,” he says, alluring eyes holding her with his steady, tender gaze.
 
She’s afraid, but not of him.
 
Responding to his soft entreaty, she doesn’t run away.