Grace Doll (27 page)

Authors: Jennifer Laurens

“Is that her?” someone asks.

“May I present Grace Doll.” Judy beams, gesturing to me with outstretched arms. Does she expect me to hug her? Thank her for this final bridge I must cross before I completely take ownership of who I am.

“How do you answer to Ms. Lemarchal’s claim that you are Grace Doll?”

“Why does Judy Bernard Lemarchal claim you’re Grace Doll?”

Brenden stands behind me, his radiating presence of protection a comfort. I smile at the crowd.

A half-dozen mics are thrust near my face.

“Who are you, really?”

“Are either of you doing this for money?”

“Ms. Lemarchal claims that her father, the late Dr. Alexis Lemarchal, gave Grace Doll a fountain of youth treatment. What do you say to that?”

A slow hush falls over the crowd. They’ve had a chance to ask their ridiculous questions and now they’re getting their first good look at me. Whispers. Glances. Murmurs.

A new power rushes through me. My future is mine, both script and scene.“Judy Lemarchal is correct.”

Whispers turn to hisses. Gasps.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“What are you saying?”

“I am Grace Doll.”

Flashes of light burst in the night air, like the start of a fireworks show. I lower my lashes and grin.

Grace Doll Happy Ending

Acknowledgements

It is with love and fond memories I use the name of my Auntie: Grace Doll, for this story. Wherever we went, whenever her name was mentioned, people were curious about it. Like all of my stories, I weave threads of my life into the pages, spine and cover of each book I create. Grace Doll is no different.

I thank my Dad and step-mother, Marcia, for opening the door for me into show business when I was fresh out of college and needing work. It was there, on the set of motion pictures, television shows and the odd commercial that I met fascinating people—some of whom were the inspirations for characters in Grace Doll.

Many thanks to James P. Kaiser, Ph.D. for sharing his vast scientific knowledge of Dr. Alexis Carrel whose discoveries in the area of ‘eternal youth’ are used in the story.

Jennifer Laurens