15Chapter 15: Life Secret.
It was her 17th birthday and she couldn't wait to get downstairs, knowing full well her Aunt Tammie would have her favorite breakfast cooking and probably a gift as well. But, she had been given strict instructions to stay upstairs until 8:30am. Grace Benton sighed.
"That's still a full fifteen minutes away! Why is it always so hard to wait?" she demanded of a stuffed bear on her bed.
With another sigh, Grace got up and finished getting ready, quickly brushing her long brown hair out, then grabbing her favorite outfit; a white and purple t-shirt with her orange jeans, her purple and white trainers, all topped off with her favorite purple jacket. She then did her makeup, just like her favorite rockstar, Jem. Only her color was purple rather than pink (besides, it's unseemly to copy everything a celebrity does).
Grabbing her purple watch and rectangular glasses of the same color, Grace gave herself a final once-over in her vanity mirror. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she walked over to her desk and sat down to while away the time sketching. She wasn't very good, at least, not in her own opinion, but as she sketched she sang, loosing herself both in the art and the music.
"There's music in the air,
News is in the making.
Music in the air,
Something big is breaking.
Wow! Look around,
At the sight and the sound.
Did we take you by surprise,
Bet you can't believe your eyes!
Well, this is only the beginning.
Only the beginning!
Only the beginning.
Only the beginning.
Only the beginning!
Now, now's the time,
While our star's on the climb.
Watch us try for the prize,
We're already on the rise.
Well, this only the beginning.
Only the beginning!
Only the beginning.
Only the beginning.
Only the beginning!"
Singing her favorite Jem and the Holograms songs while drawing, Grace was lost in her own little world until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw her aunt smiling down at her. "I heard you singing and figured you'd loose track of time. It's time for breakfast now, little one," Aunt Tammie said.
"I'm not so little anymore, Aunt Tammie," Grace frowned. She hated it when people called her little or underestimated her because of her age, gender, or size.
Tammie hugged her niece. "I know, honey. I know. But you will always be my little Grace to me. Come on. There's a special gift waiting for you downstairs."
At the mention of a special gift, Grace bolted down the stairs, taking two at a time. Tammie shook her head chuckling and followed. Grace saw the small package by her place and sat down. Though she was bursting with curiosity about what the gift could be, she waited until her aunt got downstairs and got breakfast on the table. Grace and her aunt sat in comfortable, companionable silence as they enjoyed their meal, Grace only breaking the silence to thank her aunt for the, "Best birthday breakfast ever!" in her words.
Tammie smiled. "Thank you. Now, open your present."
Grace did so, eagerly tearing off the bright wrapping paper to reveal a cream colored box. Inside the box, was a beautiful red star-shaped pendant on a sliver chain. "Oh! Aunt Tammie! It's gorgeous! It looks just like Jem's earrings! Thank you!" Grace exclaimed.
Tammie's face at once dropped though. Grace noticed. "Aunt Tammie? What's wrong? I love it. Aren't you happy?"
Tammie sighed. "Grace, the necklace is not from me."
Grace's face became one of confusion. "If it's not from you, who is it from?"
"It's from your father," Tammie's face was turned away as she softly spoke the words.
"My father? I thought he died," Grace asked as she fingered the pendant.
"He did. Grace, it's time you learned the full truth of who you are," Tammie said resolutely as she stood and got out an old photo album.
Curious, Grace followed her aunt to the living room. Tammie sat on the couch and Grace snuggled up to her, like she always did when curious or frightened. Tammie smiled sadly. "This is your father, Emmett Benton, my older brother. When you were just eight years old, he secretly adopted you and sent you to live with me. He did this for two reasons. The first being, your biological father was a known gangster who killed your mother shortly before the adoption. The second was because he knew I had no children and lived way up here in Colorado, where no one would think to look. Emmett always intended to take you back to live with him and your sisters in California once there was no danger of your biological father tracking you down. However, Emmett died unexpectedly shortly before your biological father did in a shootout with police.
"However, Emmett, being the resourceful genius that he was, had a failsafe plan. If anything happened to him before he could bring you back, on your seventeenth birthday, you would receive a special gift from him. A necklace and instructions on how to reach your sisters, Jerrica and Kimber Benton."
Grace had been quiet through all this, soaking up the information and trying to process it all. "You're not coming with me?" she asked at length.
Tammie sighed sadly and shook her head. "No. My life is here. I said goodbye to California a long time ago and I have no intentions of ever going back. No, Grace, the time has come for you to head out on your own. To spread you wings and fly. Somehow, I know you'll find your sisters no problem. All you really have to do is head to Starlight Music. Jerrica owns it now and she manages that singer you love so much, Jem."
"Really? That's sweet! Wait… didn't you say my other sister's name was Kimber?" Grace asked, excitement starting to build.
"Yes," Tammie replied, a tad confused.
"Then that means she's the one who plays the keyboard and writes all the songs for Jem and the Holograms! Oh! This is just too amazing for words! I have to pack!" Grace dashed up the stairs to her room, eager to start packing for the trip of her life!
As soon as the door shut behind her, a strange thing happened. Her new pendant started glowing and a purple lady sprang up from a light from the pendant. "Hello, Grace Benton. I am Synergy, and I will be your guide to Jerrica and Kimber."
Grace was thoroughly surprised and a little freaked by this weird thing. "Um, what are you, exactly? How did you get in my room?"
Synergy smiled. "I am a hologram creating supercomputer your father, Emmett Benton built. I am appearing to you from the micro-projector in your Jemstar pendant, also built by your father."
Intrigued, Grace came closer to the woman and reached out to touch her. Her hand went right through her, causing Grace to jump back, surprised. Synergy chuckled. "The image you see before you is merely a holographic projection. I am really many miles away in Starlight Mansion, the home of your sisters Jerrica and Kimber. Pack quickly and take the next flight to Los Angeles, California. I will give you further instructions there. If you need me or my help, just touch your pendant and call for me. Goodbye for now, Grace Benton." Synergy then faded away and vanished, leaving a rather confused Grace standing in her room.
After a few moments though, Grace got busy packing. She took most of her clothes, leaving some with the intent to come visit her aunt every now and then. She also took her teddybear, journal, sketchbook, and a few other things. In all, Grace managed to pack most of her stuff into two suitcases and one duffle bag. She headed back downstairs.
Tammie stood and walked over to her, giving her a hug. "You'll come and visit sometimes, right?"
Grace returned the hug. "Of course. And I'll bring the rest of the gang too."
Tammie smiled. "That would be lovely. Now, you'd best be on your way."
Grace nodded, letting go and heading out the door. She boarded the plane to L.A. and watched the scenery roll by. Nothing eventful happened in the whole time it took for Grace to reach L.A. Once she reached the city however, Synergy popped up again.
"Grace, take a cab to this address. There, you will meet your sisters," the holographic woman said, disappearing after displaying the address.
Grace shrugged her shoulders and hailed a taxi. When she reached her destination, she saw a huge, gated mansion. As soon as the taxi was gone, Synergy appeared once more. "Grace, on the gate you will find a keypad. Enter the code: 1538."
Grace did so and the gates opened.
Synergy smiled. "Welcome home, Grace Benton. Your sisters are expecting you."
Grace gulped and walked up the gravel path to the house. Unsure what to do, she knocked hesitantly on the door. A young blonde woman of about 25 answered. She smiled when she saw the teenager on her doorstep.
"You must be Grace. I'm Jerrica, your big sister. Come in," she smiled invitingly, holding the door wide open.
Grace entered the house, feeling unsure and a bit out of place in such a huge and nice mansion. Jerrica took her bags and led her to a room upstairs. "This is your room. It's next to Kimber's, so if you need anything, just holler. Come. I'll show you to Synergy's room. There's a few more things you need to know."
Grace, her curiosity now piqued, followed. She followed Jerrica to a room, but didn't see any supercomputer. "So… where's Synergy?"
Jerrica smiled. "Follow me."
Grace was startled when Jerrica walked right through the wall! Putting her hand out, she found that the wall was really just a hologram. Walking through it, Grace found herself in a secret room with the biggest computer she'd ever seen! As well as four other women present. She recognized them at once.
"You're the Holograms! You all play with Jem! I love your music! Let's see, you're Aja, Shana, Raya, and you must be my other sister Kimber! This is so great! I can't believe I'm related to a famous rockstar!" Grace gushed.
Jerrica smiled. "Kimber's not the only rockstar you're related to. Showtime, Synergy!"
Grace's mouth dropped. "Oh, my, gosh! You're Jem?! Well, I guess, now that I think about it, it makes sense. I mean, you and Jem are almost never seen in the same place together. I guess, Synergy creates a hologram of Jerrica or Jem whenever you need to convince people you're two different people."
Jerrica grinned as she deactivated the hologram. "You're pretty smart, Grace. That's one reason I let you in on the secret. However, no one can ever know about Synergy or that Jem and Jerrica are one in the same."
"Hey! My lips are sealed. I'm not stupid. I know highly dangerous tech when I see it," Grace said.
"Hey! How come you and Grace get Jemstar projectors and I don't?" Kimber asked.
"Actually, Kimber, you do." Jerrica handed her sister a Jemstar bracelet. "I was gonna give this to you on your twenty-third birthday next month, but I get the feeling you'll need it sooner."
"Outrageous! Thanks, sis!" Kimber slipped the bracelet on at once.
"So… was that the only thing I needed to know?" Grace asked.
"No. You see, Grace, Starlight Mansion is also a foster home for girls. We currently have about a dozen girls living with us. Also, I'm now married to Rio Pacheco, my longtime boyfriend. Finally, the band Moonlight lives here with us as well. They were living in their bus when I first found them, but they've turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to us. They're a family of Mutants, so don't be scared when you meet them. They're really very nice," Jerrica smiled as she led the way to the living room.
Despite Jerrica's assurance of them being friendly, Grace couldn't help feeling a little nervous when she saw the fury beast-like mutants. After all, the fur, claws, and fangs were rather intimidating. However, their eyes were warm and friendly, as were their smiles and body language.
"Welcome home, Miss Benton. I am Roarin Fireheart and these are my cousins, Rex, Ryan, Ally, Erin, and Dan." The fact Roarin and the others kept their distance and waited patiently for Grace to initiate contact really did help to calm Grace's nerves.
She took a tentative step forward, then another and soon closed the short distance to the Firehearts. Reaching out her hand, she gently grasped Roarin's offered paw-like hand. "I'm pleased to meet you all."
Roarin smiled warmly, gently clasping Grace's hand. "The pleasure is ours. I'm sure you'll be happy here, Miss Benton."
Grace blushed. "Please, call me Grace."
Roarin grinned. "Alright, Grace. I like that name."
"I hate to break this up but, we do have a recording session at the studio in half-an-hour," Erin reminded everyone.
"Right. We need to get going. Jerrica, is there anything we should pickup, drop off, or otherwise tend to while we're out?" Roarin asked, letting go of Grace's hand and looking at Jerrica.
Jerrica thought for a moment. "It's almost time for the weekly shopping trip. If you want, you can take a quick look around for any flyers or specials. Oh! And I do have a couple of bills that need to be mailed."
Ally saluted. "Aye, aye, Madam Jerrica!" she exclaimed, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
"In all seriousness, Jerrica, we'll mail the bills and take a look around town. I've been meaning to pick up some supplies for the shelter this week anyway," Roarin said, leading the Fireheart family out the door.
As the door closed after them, Grace thought, "I wonder what new adventures await me now?"
Right next to her, Jerrica was thinking, "I wonder what the future holds for our family now?"
The End. (For now.)
Author's note: I know the ending stinks, but I looked at this story and realized I'd gotten a year-long case of writer's block. So, I came up with this. I may or may not do a sequel (the probability is pretty high that I will), but if I do, it'll be whenever I get inspiration and have a decent first draft with a decent ending done. Finally, thanks to Gracekim1 for her OC Grace Benton. I hope to continue her adventures with the gang, but no guarantees.
