Heart of the Dragon Ch. 02

"Hi, Grace. Your mother had to get off of the phone. She had to lie down."

"Is she okay, Dad?"

She heard a soft exhalation on the other end of the line.

"She'll be fine. I have to tell you something. It's really important, are you sitting down?"

The earlier shiver returned to Grace. "It's that bad?"

"I'm afraid so," her father replied.

She sat down, trying to prepare herself for what she was about to hear. She took a few deep breaths, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

Hiroshi was thinking his words over carefully, figuring how much he wanted to tell her over the phone. God, how he had wished it had not come to this. Suddenly, he made his decision.

"We're having a family crisis, Grace. It's critical. I need you to go to Oahu and see your Grandfather. He'll tell you the rest."

Grace was very confused. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

Hiroshi tried to calm her down. "I really cannot tell you more than what I've already told you. Trust me. Please go to Oahu. You'll find out for yourself what's going on."

Grace calmed down, and Gabriel came over to sit next to her. "All right, Dad. I'll do what you ask. I was just confused, with Mom crying and everything. Is Grandpa okay?"

"He's fine. He just wants to see you."

Grace was still wondering what was going on, but she trusted her father.

"I'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Call me as soon as you get there, my daughter. I love you."

"I love you too, Dad. Bye."

Grace hung up the phone, and looked at Gabriel, who was waiting for her to fill him in. She told him everything, and Gabriel calmly replied, "When do we leave?"

Grace just gave him a relieved smile, confident that no matter what dangers lurked on the horizon, she wouldn't be facing them alone.