"Look around us, Grace," urged Stephen. "Look at all the couples we know. Jack and Sh.e.l.ly, their wedding was perfect. Both of them so right for each other, that it was obvious they were meant to be together forever. Yet, they chose each other freely. My grandparents, together for over sixty years! Of their own free will. Look at Jim and my Mom. Getting closer by the day, together because they choose to be," said Stephen, before looking away in shame. "Then there"s us. You are compelled to be with me, not because you want to.""I do want to, Stephen. You know I do!" She moaned.
"Would it matter if you didn"t? You"d still be here," he asked.
Grace thought about it for a moment, wiping a stray tear from her cheek, before shaking her head and resuming her sobs between her arms.
"I just can"t do it, Grace. It reminds me... of my father. I feel no better than him for keeping you like this."
"Stephen, you aren"t him! There"s no greater distinction between the two of you. You are your own man, and not a carbon copy of him," she cried.
"I won"t know until we figure this out," he replied, quietly. His will was set, and he would see this through.
Grace let herself cry for several more minutes before finally putting her head back up, her face a.s.suming a tranquil neutrality. It was a look he had seen before. It was the same look she had given his father back in the diner. Seeing it ripped his heart in two.
"You may do as you wish," she sniffed. "As your genie, I"m bound to obey you to the limits of my power. Yet I do not like this. In fact, I hate it. And my opinion of you is lessened for it. With your permission, I"d like to separate myself from you right now. I don"t think any good will come about from your increased presence right now." Grace folded her arms back under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, lending a serious tone to her words.
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Stephen almost flinched back at the solidity behind her words. He feared his relations.h.i.+p with Grace would never be the same again. All because of his stupid morals.
Sighing, Stephen agreed, "That"s fine. Take all the time you need."
She nodded, before hopping off the truck. In the s.p.a.ce of mere moments, she had disappeared back inside.