Going Home

Part 21

On the walk down to the pub Grace glanced at Josh. He was quiet, obviously still thinking about what he learnt from his mother and she couldn’t blame him, it was a lot to take in. But she’d hoped by taking his mind off it for a while, he’d have a different perspective when he went back to it. First though she had to change his focus. She was hopeful some healthy competition at the pool table would give him little time to think about anything else.

But Josh’s head was a mess. Everything his mother told him kept going around and around. As they walked to the pub he couldn’t stop the thoughts from coming and it was driving him crazy. So grateful for any chance of a distraction, on reaching the pub he immediately commandeered a pool table while Grace went to get them a drink. As he set up the balls Josh frowned as memories of his life before the accident flood his mind. Times he had played pool with Gavin that he hadn’t thought about for years. But surprisingly, as he steeled himself for the pain those memories always brought he found it didn’t eventuate. He found he could remember those times without being overwhelmed by grief and guilt. Maybe meeting with his mother had helped him in a way he didn’t expect. Suddenly Josh’s mood was lighter.

Walking back from the bar Grace studied the strange expression on Josh’s face. Not sure what it meant she handed him his beer and putting her own down on the edge of the table picked up a cue “ok my break.”

Her voice breaking into his thoughts Josh looked up with a slight smile “how do you figure?”

Smiling sweetly Grace teased “well I thought seeing as you were so much better than me you could afford to give me a head start.”

Josh raised his eyebrows “oh so when it suits you I’m better than you.”

“Well of course, but if you repeat that to anyone I’ll deny it.” Grace joked.

Shaking his head and smiling Josh stepped back and watched as Grace took the first shot wondering how he ever got so lucky. 

Seeing a smile on Josh’s face and sensing the change in his mood, Grace was filled with hope that he would come out the other side of this more at peace with his past than when it started.