Chapter Text
“I just don’t get it!” Grace exclaims, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. “He’s the perfect man, why does Karen keep lying to me about him?” She twists the cap off with frustration, taking a swig from the bottle. “What does that woman have against me? Why does she always want to ruin my relationships?”
Will steps up to the kitchen and rubs her freckled arm gently. “Grace, calm down. As much as I agree that Karen is a conniving Disney villain, I don’t think she purposely ruins your relationships.”
“Oh yeah?” Grace begins, walking into the living room. “Every time I have a new boyfriend, she incessantly insults them and tries to convince me to break up with them. It’s like she doesn’t want me to be happy.” The redhead plops onto the couch, pouting.
Will joins her, wrapping his arm around the woman’s shoulder. “To be fair, Grace, she insults everyone. I mean, remember yesterday when she made you go home and change because you couldn’t pull off that shade of green? She wasn’t wrong, but she didn’t have to be so rude.”
Grace’s jaw fell open into an offended ‘o’. “Hey!” She yells, hitting his arm before pausing, thinking about yesterday’s incident. “Wait a second… She made me change right before Sumners showed up. She’s embarrassed of me! She doesn’t think I’m good enough for her upper-class family!” Grace raises from the couch quickly, grabbing her jacket from the coatrack and rushes to put it on.
Will furrows his brows. “Grace, don’t jump to conclusions so quickly!” He grabs her arm before she could reach the doorknob.
“Well do you have a better explanation Sherlock Homo?” She quips.
Will sighs. “Karen couldn’t give less of a shit about her family, especially since her and Stan and divorced and he’s not even her family anymore. There’s got to be a better reason than that for her to not want you to go out with this guy.”
Grace pulls her arm from his grasp. “Well whatever the reason is, I’m going to find out.” She opens the door, marching out of it in a huff before slamming it behind her.
Grace knocks heavily on the door of the Park Avenu manse. Whatever it was that Karen had against her love life, she was going to find out tonight. It has been far too long that she insulted her boyfriends, scratched out dates from her calendar so Grace would forget about them, and made her feel that every man wasn’t good enough for her. Who does that woman think she is making Grace feel like she’s some sort of untouchable entity that no man deserves? On second thought, maybe that wasn’t the worse thing in the world…
The door opens to the familiar face of Rosario. “Oh, Grace. Miss Karen isn’t here.”
“Rosario if I don’t have a drink in my hand in the next second I’ll send you back to Del Taco faster than you can down a Twinkie!” A voice screams from behind the maid, who flinches at the shrill woman.
Grace pushes her way through the door. “I’m sorry, Rosario but I have a bone to pick with your boss.”
“I really don’t think you should be here, Grace. Miss Karen has told me to keep you away at all costs.” Rosario follows the redhead as she walks towards the voice of Karen.
Grace looks back at the shorter woman. “Oh, so now she’s avoiding me? Oh no, I deserve an explanation!” She continues to rush up the stairs towards the room that Karen used to share with her ex husband. When arrives at the door, she pushes it open, revealing the brunette socialite laying in a silk robe on the massive bed.
“What’s this what’s happening why are you here?” Karen asks hurriedly, sitting up. “I told Rosario to keep the middle class away from here. I have an Opera to go to!” She stands to meet Grace.
“Your Opera can wait, you have some explaining to do.” Grace says, placing a pointed finger on the other woman’s exposed collarbone. “Why did you lie to me again? Why did you tell me that Sumners was a con artist?” The now fiery redhead demands.
Karen gently pushes the other woman away. “Back up, Honey, I can smell your breath.” She waves a hand in front of her nose and sticks her tongue out.
“Karen!” Grace shouts in frustration, placing her hands on her hips.
“Fine, fine. I didn’t want it to come to this, but I’ll tell you the truth.” Karen declares. “He’s a woman.”
Grace purses her lips, giving Karen a disapproving look.
“He’s a robot.” Karen states next.
“Stop lying!” Grace exclaims. “Just tell me the truth, tell me that you think that I’m not good enough for him!”
Karen tilts her head, taken aback. “Not good enough for him?”
Grace nods. “Yeah, I know you’re embarrassed of me, Karen. I’m tired of you poking your head into my love life, why can’t you just leave me alone?” She blurts out, waving her hands in exaggeration.
Karen pauses for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips curved into a frown before she rolls her eyes and smirks slightly. “Good Lord, Honey. You jump to conclusions faster than you make bad fashion choices. I lied to you about Sumners because he’s not good enough for you.”
Grace’s jaw falls open. “What?” She smiles despite herself. “What do you mean? He’s handsome, funny, and- and rich! And what am I? Gross Adler from Schenectady?”
“Oh stop it, Grace. I mean, sure your hair is a mess and you look like you dress in the dark, but you are so much more than that. You’re funny, quirky, stupidly talented, and- and gorgeous! He’s just… Average. Just like every other loser you date.” The brunette averts her eyes from the hazel gaze of Grace. “They’re all not good enough for you. I mean, you’re special.” She runs her hand through her hair, a pink tinge coming to her pale skin. “You need someone who will treat you like you’re all of those things. Someone who loves you like- like I do.” She sits on her bed, sighing.
Grace stares at the shorter woman, eyes widened and heart pounding from her words, not knowing what to say.
Karen looks up to meet the other woman’s eyes. “Gosh Honey, stop staring.” She states, her voice almost breaking.
“Like you love me?” Grace manages, moving closer to Karen. “Were you always so critical of my boyfriends because you were- jealous?” She touches the brunette’s hand gently, surprised when she doesn’t pull away.
Karen looks away again, the blush in her cheeks darkening. “I don’t know, Grace. It’s just hard watching you be with people who- who…”
Grace sits onto the large bed next to the other woman. “Who weren’t you?”
Karen furrows her brows. “Listen, stop interrogating me!” The socialite swiftly lifts from the bed, moving away from Grace. “You got your answer, Grace. Get out of my manse.” She sighs, looking down, fidgeting with the large ring on her middle finger.
Grace follows the other woman, raising from the bed. “Karen I-“
The brunette looks up, her dark eyes intense. “I said get out, Grace.” She responds sternly.
Grace purses her lips, watching as the other woman turns a heel to walk to the master bathroom attached to the bedroom, never once looking back. The redhead slowly treads out of the room, down the stairs and to the door, attempting to comprehend what had just taken place.