~The Grace and Jim Romance~

One thing that I am HIGHLY obsessed with right now is the Grace and Jim relationship. I have recently discovered something quite disturbing about the end of that story plot. I was on windatmy-back.com, browsing around, when I came across an interview with Robert Bockstael (for those of you who may not know, he plays Jim). In the interview, I found this quote by him about acting with Ms. Kathryn Greenwood: "Ms. Greenwood was an absolute joy to work with and to know. A smart, funny and immensely talented person whom I adore. Wooing was easy, but sad that the storyline was dropped when Raymond (Storey) left." When I said disturbing, I didn't mean the wooing part. From what I see when I read this, I think that, perhaps, if Mr. Storey had not left, perhaps Grace and Jim's romance would have blossomed at the beginning of season five, instead of coming to a dismal end. I have re-watched "The Foolish Heart" and I am convinced that there should have been more than a Jim I-can't-handle-the-pressure end to there courting.

So that brings me to another subject. Recently,  there has been on windatmy-back.com, there has been a Wind at My Back writing contest called "The Show Must Go On..." in which you would submit a story to continue the show, either after "Payback" or after  "A Wind at My Back Christmas".  Now, I must tell you that Honey (an old and dear friend of mine whose name will probably pop up many times in the future) and I thoroughly loved to write stories about Wind at My Back, even before we knew about the contest and resolved to write a story of our own. Unfortunately, she and I did not finish our story and I am embarrassed to say that, thanks to my schooling, I have still not finished the writing. I plan to as soon as possible though, and have decided to post what I have written in this post, and will post the rest as soon as I finish. You will find the story at the bottom of the page.  If you would like to read the winning story and the runners up, here is the link


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Later (aka once I read them all) I will review each story in a MAJOR WIND STORY POST!!!! So read up so you know what the heck (it might be a kicker!) I'm talking about when I post it!


Here is what I have so far of my story. I have put in some pictures to help to "illustrate" the story for you.

I dedicate this story to my Mother who listens patiently as I talk non-stop about the Town,

My best friends, Honey Sutton, who is as close to me as a sister

Her Mother for being the sweet person she is (and for bring her here :-) )

Standing Strong:
What Happened After Christmas

By Grace Bailey and Honey Sutton

The monotonous clickity clack of the train to New Bedford seemed to hypnotize Grace Bailey as she sat in the seat next to her mother. It had been about two years since she had been to that small, quaint town in which must of her life took place, and yet it seemed to Grace like just yesterday she had received the letter telling her that her husband, James F. Marshall III, had been killed in England. She and her mother, May Bailey, had gone there to retrieve his body. “Grace, are you feeling alright?” May asked.

            “I’m fine, Mother. How are you feeling?”

            Grace had been concerned about her mother because she had contracted pneumonia in Europe. She had recovered well enough to travel, but was still a bit weak. “Don’t worry about me, Dear. I’m stronger than you think. I’m concerned about you. You have been so quiet.”

            “I’m just tired, Mother. The trip thoroughly exhausted me.” Grace replied.

            “I know it did. Let’s just be thankful we made it out of that God-forsaken place alive!”

            Grace nodded with a sigh. Europe had been an absolute horror. All the fighting and killing had scarred her memory. She had had nightmares every night since she had left. She was beginning to dread closing her eyes, in fear that if she did she would see all that terror again. All her life she had dreamed of going to that great continent. Now she just wanted to forget about everything that had to do with it.

            “Next stop, New Bedford!” called the conductor from the front of the car. May turned to Grace and smiled kindly at her “You’ll feel better once we are home. It will be so nice to see everyone, won’t it?”

            Grace didn’t say anything. She was too busy staring out the window, wondering what was in store for her next.

~

            “Mom, hurry up! The train will be here any minute!” yelled Violet Bailey to her mother, Honey Sutton.

            “Hold your horses, I’m coming!” said Honey from her bedroom as she pulled her comb through her hair for the last time.

             She placed the comb on her dresser and went out of the room. Heading for the door she saw that Violet already had her coat and boots on and was leaning impatiently against the wall. “Come on, Mom! We’re going to miss it!”

            Honey promptly threw on her coat, placed her hat on her head with a fashionable tilt and went out the door with Violet walking swiftly in front of her. “I can’t believe Grandma Bailey and Aunt Grace are finally coming home!”

            Honey couldn’t believe it either. It had been about two years since she had seen Grace and May.  She and Toppy, her sister-in-law, had received letters and telegrams from the both of them throughout the time that they were gone, but that just wasn’t the same. Toppy had also been caring for May’s house and her dependent, Maisy McGinty. Maisy had dearly missed her guardian and was eagerly awaiting her homecoming. “Mom, do you think that Grandma Bailey and Aunt Grace will be different?”

            This question struck Honey with surprise. “I suppose that they will be different. You have changed since they last saw you. You have grown a full two inches!”

            “That’s not what I meant Mom and I think you know that. I meant will they act different.”

            “I don’t know dear, they may. They have been through a lot. They might need time to recover.”

            “That’s what I thought.” Violet replied.

            Violet didn’t say anything else until they got to the train station. There they saw Toppy.  “Hello Aunt Toppy!” she shouted.

            “Hello their Violet! Hi Honey! Isn’t this exciting?”

            “It certainly is. I guess all my prayers didn’t go unheard,” exclaimed Honey as she reached the platform.

            “We all prayed for their safe return and looks as if God has heard us! Where are Max, Fat and Zach?”

            “Fat had to go run some errands for Mr. Cramp and Max and Zach went off somewhere a few minutes ago. He said he’d be here soon though.”

            “That’s funny. Maisy told me that she had to run an errand for the Cramps. You think there up to something?”  Toppy said with a mischievous smile.    

            “I don’t know!  But if they are I’m sure it will be a something special” Honey replied with a smirk.

            Just then, a slightly tall man with glasses walked up to the women. “Hello ladies.” He said.

“Well if it isn’t Jim Flett! How are you? It’s Been so long since I have seen you out and about!” exclaimed Toppy

            Jim Flett was a teacher at the New Bedford school and a personal friend of Max’s. He had also once been one of Grace’s many beaus.

“I am fine. I have been very busy lately preparing for the end of spring break. Tell me, how is Grace? Have you heard from her as of late?” Mr. Flett said in his knowledgeable manner of speaking.

            “Didn’t you hear? She’s coming home! In fact we are waiting for her train to come in right now.”

            “Jim, you must be the only person in New Bedford who hasn’t heard about it!” Honey added to the conversation.

            “Well, with school out for the spring break, I don’t get as many chances to talk to Max. I am glad to hear that she is safe. The things you read in the news papers these days are hard to swallow.  I wouldn’t have wanted to be there.”

             

            “Why don’t you stay, Jim? I’m sure Grace would love to see you.” Honey suggested.

            “No, I’d best be going. Pritchard is waiting for me at the apartment.” He said and then he tipped his hat in a gentlemanly manner and walked away toward the The New Bedford Hotel where he and the Suttons both lived.

            ‘The poor man!’ thought Honey.

            First he had left Grace, not because he didn’t love her, but because he was unsure of himself. Then Grace, thinking that he would never be ready for her, eloped with James F. Marshall III (who was going by the name Van Mainwaring at the time). Jim, devastated, decided to try a more direct approach with his next love. He had attracted the attention of a teacher from Northbridge, but that relationship only lasted a year before she decide to take a teaching position in the states and leave him behind. Jim, his heartbroken once again, had totally shut down and had become the timid man he had been before.

            All of a sudden, a train whistle sounded. Violet, who had been so quiet all this time, jumped for joy and yelled “It’s coming, it’s coming!”

            Not much more than a moment after, they all heard a honk behind them. Honey and Toppy jumped, for they had been so focused on the fact that the train was coming that they didn’t even notice the sound of an automobile behind them. They all turned to see Max, Fat, Maisy, and Zach sitting in May’s car. The car wasn’t dusty or dirty even though it hadn’t been used in a long time. In fact, it was quite spiffy. Honey realized that the kids and Max must have washed it. Max, who was leaning out the window, was grinning. “I thought that Mrs. Bailey would like to ride home in her own car!” he shouted.

            “Your darn tootin’ she will be!” Toppy shouted back.

            Max and the kids got out of the car and walked over to the women. “You’re just in time. We heard the train just before you scared us to death with that horn!” Honey said laughingly

            “The car’s a knock-out! How did you do it?” Toppy asked as she admired the automobile.

            “You wouldn’t believe what a little soap and polish can do, Aunt Toppy! Hey, look here comes the train now!” exclaimed Fat.  

~

            As the train pulled into station, Grace and May got up, retrieved their bags, and went towards the exit. Grace didn’t know whether to be happy or not. It had been such a long time since she had been happy and she wasn’t quite sure if she knew how to be anymore. The line of passengers getting off was short and within minutes, the mother and daughter were out of that stuffy train car and into the fresh, Canadian air that they knew so well and was so refreshing. Almost immediately, Grace felt a bit renewed. Then she heard a familiar voice. “Grace! Mother Bailey! Over here!”

            It was Toppy. She was jumping up and down and waving her hands like a child. Grace couldn’t help but smile as she walked over as she walked over to her friend who she hadn’t seen in so long.

            They hugged for what seemed like an eternity.  Then Honey came over and hugged her. There was so much talking at once that it was hard to understand everything. There was a mix of “How was your train ride” and “I missed you so” and “It’s so good to see you” etcetera. Grace was so overwhelmed and tired that she didn’t say much. It was May did most of the talking  Then a man who worked at the station came over to Grace. “Excuse me ma’am, are you a Mrs. Grace Marshall?” He asked.

            Everyone except May looked in surprise. They did not know that Grace had decided to keep her husband’s name. Before he left she had been so bitter against him because he had used her. In fact the only reason he married her at first was because she had a striking resemblance of the Princess Emboli of Spain. You see James had gone by the name Van because he was a con artist. After they were married and he started to get to know Grace, he had discovered that he loved her and even gave up the con life for her. He had planned on telling her everything, but she found out before he could. She felt betrayed and shunned him from her life. She herself actually drove him to join up because she had told him to leave and never come back. She had wanted a divorce. Why would she keep his name know?

            “Yes, I am Grace Marshall.” She replied.

            “You have a casket in one of the freight cars. Could you please sign for it?” he asked

            May, who had been standing next to her daughter, saw that her face had suddenly gone a shade whiter. She also noted that Grace’s hand trembled as she signed her name on the paper.

            Toppy who sensed the tension in the air, spoke up, “Well, I’m sure that you and Grace are extremely tired. We should probably go home now.”

            May nodded and took Grace’s hand. Grace began to walk away, but she stopped and turned to the worker who was now going towards the station.  “Sir, Could you please have the casket taken to Wanless furniture?”

            The man turned and nodded than went on his way. Then May, Grace, Toppy, and Maisy got in the car, waved good bye to the Suttons and went on their way to May’s home.

~

            The car ride was uneventful and awkwardly quiet. When they reached the house, everyone filed in through the door. Toppy, who had been laboring to all this time to keep the house nice, hoped that May would be happy with it. “Toppy! I swear this place looks as if we never left it! You have done a wonderful job taking care of it!”

            Toppy beamed. “I’m glad you are happy.  I have prepared your room as well as Grace’s.”

            “If you don’t mind Toppy, I think I’ll go unpack now.” Grace said tiredly.

            “Of course Grace, go right ahead. I’m going to start making lunch. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

            “Can I help, Grace?” Maisy asked

            “No thank you, Maisy. I can do it myself.”

            Then Grace, almost mechanically, took her bags and climbed the stairs. May, who was standing next to Toppy, shook her head sadly and said. “This whole mess has been a terrible drain on her. She’s going to need some time to recover.”

            “I can imagine.” Toppy said sympathetically.

            May snapped out of worrying for her daughter and said “Well, Toppy, let’s get a start on lunch. I’m sure Grace is famished.”

~

            “Grace, lunch is ready!” Toppy called from the kitchen.

            When she received no answer, she decided to go up stairs and see if Grace had heard her. As she approached the door of Grace’s room she said “Grace? Did you hear me?”

            Then she got to the door, which was open, and saw Grace sitting on her bed, staring out the window. “Grace, lunch is ready if you want to eat.”

            “Toppy, did you ever here of men, when they are about to die, calling out the name of their mother?”

            “Yes, I suppose I have.” 

            “I was talking to a nurse at the hospital where James was.  She was with him when he passed. Did you know that he called out for me?”

            Toppy went up to her friend and sat next her. She saw a tear flow down Grace’s cheek. “Did you know that he sent me a letter everyday faithfully until he died?”  

             

            Grace turned to face Toppy with the greatest look of anguish on her face. “I couldn’t love Van Mainwaring after what he did to me. And at first when I received the letters I thought the same of James Marshall. But letter after letter came and with every single one I softened to him and began to look forward to his notes. I began to fall in love with him again, Toppy.”

            At this, Grace began to cry and Toppy put an arm around her. “I killed him, Toppy! He would never… never have enlisted if I… had not forced him! If only… I had given him… a chance!” She said between sobs. 

            Toppy’s heart when out to Grace and she squeezed her tight. Toppy knew how it felt to be heart-broken and alone. Her ex-husband, Bob Bailey, had left her for another woman years ago. She had felt so sad and abandoned. “Grace, you can’t blame yourself! Everyone makes mistakes. It’s human nature!”

            “But I knew it was wrong, Toppy! I knew… in my heart it was…wrong. I did it anyway, which makes… my sin greater!”

            A whole new flood of tears clouded Grace’s beautiful, blue eyes.  Toppy took Grace’s hand and clutched it firmly.  She had never seen her friend so hopeless in her whole life. Then, still sniffling, Grace said, partly to Toppy and partly to herself “No! I won’t put my burdens on your shoulders. I have to face this by myself. Stand strong on my own two feet!”

            Toppy rubbed the hand she held soothingly. “Grace, you helped me when Bob left, now it’s my turn to help. That’s what friends are for! It’s for you to let it all out.”

            Grace, who had been holding back most of her tears, put her hands to her face and released them. Toppy grabbed Grace and put her head on her own shoulder. Softly she hushed Grace until her sobbing turned into a soft sniffle. “How do you feel now?” said Toppy.

             Grace looked up at her. “Better, though I still feel as though things will never be the same. I guess I was right! It was my fate never to be truly happy.”

            “Don’t say that Grace. You’ll be happy again someday. It’ll take time, but the pain does lessen with time. You may even marry again. I’m sure when Jack died that Honey never thought that she would ever be happy again. And yet look at her now! Now she’s re-married, has a business, and takes college courses. She even had another child!”

            “Who would take me at my age? I’m thirty-seven, Toppy! I’m not a young girl anymore. I wouldn’t be ready yet anyway.”

            “And I am? You know that Archie still carries a torch for me, even though he and I are both “over the hill” as they say! And you’re right. You won’t be ready to receive anyone’s affections any time soon. But don’t be surprised if someone does fall for you someday.” Toppy said with a sad smile.

            “Toppy?”

            “Yes.” She said, waiting for something else to pour out.

            “I am ready for something…”

            “And what might that be?”

            “…Lunch!” She said trying to smile.

            Toppy smiled back. “Now that I can fix!”

~

~Grace Bailey