Seven Days Grace (A Grace Rose Novel Book 1) (44 page)

‘
Thank you
,
Grace. Now we can all start being a little more responsible with our purchases and hopefully help make these people
’
s lives easier
,’
Tony said.

‘
That
’
s it.
’

‘
Thank you again to you
,
Grace
,
and thanks to your friends and colleagues for uncovering a unique story. We wish you all the best
,’
he said. The camera zoomed in for a close up with Tony Moore.
‘
We
’
ll be right back after the break with a story on how you can purchase products to help people in developing countries to have better lives.
’

Sunup
went to a break.

When the cameras were off for the ads
,
Tony and Suzy thanked Grace and there was some small talk before she made her way back to the green room.

‘
You were fabulous
,’
Kate said.
‘
Your phone
’
s been beeping like crazy. Christian sent me a text and said he and Jake watched the whole thing.
’

Grace gave Kate a look and her friend knew not to mention Jake
’
s name again. She was reflective as she thought about where she was right now in her life. She
’
d had a surreal
,
strange week which is nothing like anything else she
’
s experienced. She was happy to slip into the background and let others now investigate and expose Alex
’
s lies. She had received calls from other media asking her to be interviewed for magazines
,
newspapers and television programs. She could not have imagined the extent of attention such a story would bring her way. She would pick and choose media outlets she believed were reputable and honest. Being a freelancer now
,
she would need new contacts to publish her future stories.

Surprisingly
,
the buzz she felt came from knowing she had broken an exclusive story no-one else even knew was happening was hard to contain. And the idea that this story could lead to possible lives being changed for the better almost bought her to tears. Despite her break-up with Jake last night
,
if it could be called that
,
she felt lighter than she had in a long time. She knew it would all work out.
How many other stories like this are yet to be uncovered?

Grace and Kate made their way two blocks to
The Sydney Star
’
s
offices. JJ
’
s was on the way and he was at work organising his café for the busy week ahead.

‘
Morning
,
gorgeous ladies. Aren
’
t you the toast of the town?
’

‘
Grace is
,
for sure
,’
Kate said.

My ever faithful friend.

‘
I read in the story you saved her life
,’
JJ said.

‘
I helped
,
I guess
,’
Kate smiled.
‘
I
’
m just glad to have my best friend alive and well
,
it
’
s all that matters.
’

‘
She
’
s being humble. She did save my life. I guess I
’
m her slave for the rest of my days. Is that how it works?
’
Grace asked with a cheeky grin and tried to cock an eyebrow.

‘
Give it a rest. You either got it or you don
’
t got it. And you don
’
t got it.
’
Kate cocked her eyebrow and held it until the small group burst into laughter.

‘
Oh boy
,
I can
’
t remember the last time I had a good ol
’
belly laugh. Ah
,
it feels good
,’
Grace said.

‘
How are you really
,
princess?
’
JJ asked Grace when the laughter slowed.

‘
I
’
m happy it
’
s all over to be honest. A new chapter begins. What are you doing here on a Sunday?
’

‘
My in-laws are here from England
,’
he acted as if he was pulling out his hair.
‘
I needed to escape. Don
’
t worry
,
duty calls later. So
,
how many more television appearances for you
,
starlet?
’

‘
Oh
,
please
,’
she gave him a big eye roll for such a ridiculous statement.
‘
Who knows? It
’
s fifteen minutes of fame that will blow away with the wind like everything else does. As long as justice is served in some small way
,
I
’
m happy. Besides
,
I did have help. There
’
s no way I would have made it through the week without Kate and a couple of others
,’
Grace said.

‘
It feels like a lifetime since I
’
ve seen you. I hear there
’
s a new man on the scene.
’

Kate stood behind Grace shaking her head.

‘
It didn
’
t exactly work out
,’
Grace said.

‘
Oh sweetie
,
was he a good one?
’

‘
Yeah.
’

‘
What happened?
’

‘
I don
’
t know and I don
’
t have the energy to analyse it any more. Besides
,
it
’
s too late now. How are you?
’

‘
I
’
m great
,
lovely. Even though you
’
re not at
The Star
,
you
’
ll drop in and see me
,
won
’
t you?
’

‘
You won
’
t get rid of me
,
count on it. This is going to be my new freelance writing place. As long as you
’
re happy to ply me with coffee
,
I
’
ll be here.
’

‘
You are welcome any time
,
gorgeous.
’

The girls said their goodbyes to JJ and ambled around the corner to Grace
’
s old office to drop in on Nick. She wanted to let him know her plans even though she didn
’
t work for
The Star
any more. She felt it was a bridge she shouldn
’
t burn and she needed to sell her stories to someone. As hard as it was to swallow her pride
,
she could do it.
‘
Character building
,’
her Mum would say.
Miss you
,
Mum.

Grace crutched it to the office
,
wondering how she would tolerate them for the next six weeks. Kate walked alongside as she carried Grace
’
s handbag for her. Grace was eager to see the look on Nick
’
s face. She had spoken to him several times since the breaking news at the dam less than twenty-four hours ago
,
howeve
r
,
she was yet to see him in person.

They took the lift to the
The
Star
’
s
office. The girls stepped out onto the fifth floor. It was quiet. As Grace pushed open the glass door into the news room
,
she was startled when the door flew open and saw Nick standing there with a grin on his face.

‘
Oh
,
you scared us
,’
Kate said.
‘
I
’
m going to leave you two to it. I
’
ll be at my desk.
’

He had a copy of the newspaper under his arm and with one foot held the door open for her. Then he started to applaud. She was overwhelmed.
‘
Congratulations.
’

‘
Thank you
,
Nick.
’

It was sinking in more and more she had made a difference
,
especially as this was the biggest kudos she had ever received from her ex-boss. Despite their prior strained working relationship
,
she had often hoped for some form of acknowledgement he was happy with her work. Now she had it
,
it was strange though it did make her feel good. Perhaps the injuries and the pandemonium of the week had all been worth it as she had said on the TV show.

‘
You pulled one out of a virtual bottomless hole this time
,
Gracie
,’
he said.

‘
Let
’
s put it down to providence. Besides
,
I don
’
t work here anymore
,
why all the fuss?
’
She suddenly didn
’
t mind him calling her Gracie.

‘
The Sydney Star
’
s
star. You know
,
I
’
ve decided you can have your job back. What do you think?
’

She gawked at him in an amused way.
‘
Of course you have.
’

‘
Come into my office.
’

As she walked into his office she said
,
‘
Nick
,
I don
’
t want my job back.
’

‘
There
’
s a big pay rise in it for you. It
’
ll be an offer not even you could refuse.
’

‘
I
’
m going to be a freelance journo. I want to uncover the big stories and write them. I
’
m not interested in television. I
’
m a writer and I
’
m good at it. Actually
,
there
’
s nothing else I want to do or even know how to do. Now
,
here
’
s my offer
,’
the words spilled out.
‘
I
’
m giving
The Sydney Star
the first option of buying all my stories. Like I said the other night
,
Nick
,
this is business. If you want my stories and you want to sell more papers and make a bigger name for yourself
,
I
’
ll help you do that. I
’
ll be there at the frontline
,
sourcing them and uncovering the nasty deeds
,
the ones no-one else wants to do.
’

‘
Grace
,
what is it about the muck of life you find so appealing?
’

‘
Muck is everywhere and most people are too concerned with their own comfort and peace. Someone needs to get off their backside and help these people and I want to be one of them. I
’
m interested in justice and it
’
s addictive when you get the rush from those you
’
ve helped
,
even in the smallest way. What else matters?
’