by Young, Alexa
I pick up the box and pull the doll out. I’d already inserted the batteries, so we’re good to go. Gracie stares on in wonder as I press the button and her hair begins to grow.
“Dadeee, look.” She points at the doll in wonder; we’ve rendered her speechless. One moment, she has short hair then instant long hair.
“Wow! Me do it, peas.”
I hand over the doll and she concentrates, pressing the button herself, her face priceless. Then she presses it to shorten.
We could be here all day.
There are also lots of little accessories to go with it, clips, slides and hair ties. They’re all pink and sparkly, everything Gracie loves. I start to unpack them, which soon grabs her attention; she stops pressing the hair growth button to play with the actual hair. Abbie joins her as I move back to let them begin, finally having a go with my new iPad.
It’s certainly a sight, us all in our Christmas pyjamas. Luce and Dray look on, smiling before heading into the kitchen to start Christmas dinner.
I sit back on the sofa, listening to Abbie and Gracie’s chatter. They giggle every now and then, and both have a look of such serenity on their faces.
Best. Christmas. Ever.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Daddy, me pay with car,” Gracie says, bouncing around. We’re all stuffed to the brim with turkey after one hell of a Christmas dinner. I couldn’t eat another bite, especially with the pudding that followed. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely be working it off, but today I will enjoy every single morsel.
“We need to go outside, baby, and it’s cold. Let’s just cuddle up with a nice film.”
“Me want car.” She looks at him with pleading eyes, pouting.
“Come on, Dray. You can’t buy her a battery-motorised car and not expect her to want to play with it,” Luce huffs, shooting him a look.
“Well, this is your fault, feeding us to the extreme and pushing us into a food coma,” Dray grumbles, rubbing his stomach.
“I always over-cook. It’s your fault for being so greedy.”
“You know I like a challenge. Waste not, want not.” He chuckles.
“Daddy, peas.” Gracie gives him the look.
“It’s either that or you help wash and stack the dishwasher,” Luce offers.
No competition.
“Come on then, Gracie.” He scoops her up and she giggles.
“Thought that might change your mind,” Luce mumbles. “Now Gracie, you need to wrap up warm as its cold out there. Hat and gloves on, please.”
“No gwoves,” Gracie says in disgust.
“Yes, baby, or your little fingers will be frozen. Jack Frost will be nipping away at them.”
“Jack Fwost.” She looks alarmed at the thought.
“Yes, so put your gloves on. And no pouting.”
“She takes after you,” Dray mutters.
Luce sends a glare Dray’s way as he places on her coat, hat and gloves. She looks like she’s going on a trek to the Arctic.
“Car, car, car,” she chants. I want to go out but I think Luce needs me in the kitchen, and I know Abbie will want to help out, too.
Dray picks up the car and he, Gracie and Max head off for some fun in the garden. We all groan before resigning ourselves to the big clean-up.
“It’s okay, you two put on a film and relax,” Luce says, beginning to fill the sink with soapy water.
“No, the sooner everything’s in the dishwasher the sooner we can relax.” Abbie winks at Luce and she smiles. Luce gives me a look which says ‘keep hold of this girl’ as we start to empty the table. We quickly have a system in place and laugh as we watch all three out the window. Gracie soon gets used to the car and is ambling along, laughing away. Max gets tired of running around so he hops into the seat beside her.
Dray is busy taking pictures, beaming while watching his daughter have a great time.
“How did my baby get so big?” Luce sighs, handing me a rinsed plate to put in the dishwasher.
“They don’t stay small for long,” I say, sad at the thought.
“Oh, don’t say that. It only feels like yesterday that we brought her home. I’ve known your brother for a long time. We were the best of friends and when we finally got together, it was like all my dreams come true. I knew he would be a good father to Gracie, but his devotion has exceeded everything. He amazes me every single day. The love he has for her just blows me away.”
“When I came here, I was so low, at rock bottom. I hadn’t had any kind of family for a long time. My parents… well, I never expected anything from them, but when my brothers left that hurt. They always looked after me and I felt so alone, but Dray has filled that void. All of you have become the family I always hoped for, the family I dreamed about.”
Luce’s eyes tear up at my words. “We’re happy you’re here. Dray grew up alone. He only has a tight group of friends. He doesn’t trust many, so to have you here as part of his family means the world to him. It’s why he reacted the way he did. He tries to pretend he’s this tough, hard guy, but he’s so emotional underneath it all. He only lets certain people see that side to him, and those of us who do are blessed.”
“He’s given me so much more than I ever hoped for. When I met him, it was under bad circumstances which I was forced into, but it turned out to be the best thing. Now, I have a family I love whole-heartedly and a girlfriend I’m falling deeper for every day.”
“Lex,” Abbie says, looking so overwhelmed she almost drops the plate she’s holding. I take it from her and hand it over to Luce.
“It’s true. Having you here today has meant the world to me. I want to see you happy. I love when you smile. Your face lights up, and it takes my breath away. I’m looking forward to seeing where we go from here, making memories. And this is one memory I want to cherish, our first Christmas together.”
Her eyes turn glassy. “It’s been the best.”
I walk over to her and pull her into me. “It isn’t over yet, because I haven’t finished spoiling you. When I take you home later, I’m going to put a permanent smile there,” I whisper.
“Lex.” Abbie blushes as Luce chuckles. She’s used to the Millers and their dirty mouths.
“I can’t wait,” she whispers back, making my day.
I want to say so much more, but we’re interrupted by the back door opening and Dray and Gracie walking in.
“Locklat!” Gracie yells, ripping off her hat and gloves. Luce bends down to unzip her jacket as she impatiently bounces around. Her eyes are wide, ready for chocolate.
“I said she could have something from her selection box, baby. It was the only way I could get her in. I was freezing my nuts off out there.” Dray shivers, taking off his own coat.
I walk over and scoop her up. “All your nose is red. You look like Rudolph.”
“She takes after her mother. Luce always gets a red nose when she’s cold.”
“You said that was adorable,” Luce pouts.
“I think it’s really adorable.” He pulls her into a kiss. It’s a good job we’ve finished cleaning up. The dishwasher is stacked, so we leave them to have their moment. I head for the tree and grab a selection box, much to Gracie’s delight. I open it and give her time to decide. She goes for a Freddo Frog.
Good choice.
“What do you want to watch Gracie?”
“Fwozen.”
“Oh, not Frozen again. How about Nemo?” I suggest, hoping she’ll say yes.
“Oh, I love Nemo!” Abbie squeals, grinning. I hand her a bar of chocolate and she sits back on the sofa. She pulls Gracie into her side, opening the chocolate for her as I find and load the disc into the player.
I hit Play and the credits roll. I snuggle into Gracie and look over at Abbie, who smiles back.
She really is perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It’s the big day of the baby scan to determine the sex. Even though Gracie has us all convinced it’s a boy, today we’ll have it confirmed. We’re
all excited, and I’m more than happy to be included in this special occasion.
“Luce, we need to get going,” Dray huffs, looking annoyed as we all stand around, waiting for her to finish getting ready.
“I’m here, I’m here. Oh, hang on, I need—”
We watch in horror as she heads back upstairs.
“We’ll be in the car!” Dray yells, walking off with an excited-looking Gracie. He straps her into her car seat before I slip in the seat beside her and click on my own belt. Dray climbs in front and scowls, turning to me as he looks at his watch again. She’s not one to be on time.
Luce finally walks out and we breathe a sigh of relief. We might just make it.
Twenty minutes later, Luce’s name is called and we shuffle into the small room. I walk over into the far corner, trying not to take up much space as I stand with Gracie in my arms.
“Funny!” Gracie yells as Luce is squirted with gel. We all laugh at what exactly it sounds like, but we keep that thought to ourselves.
“Is it going to be a boy or a girl?” Dray asks, smiling at Luce as she takes his hand.
“Joe.” Gracie points, and we all shake our heads.
“Is this a private joke?” the technician asks.
Dray smiles. “Our Gracie is convinced the baby is a boy and we have to call him Joe. She said my grandpa told her.”
“Oh, wow. So what if it’s a girl?”
“We can breathe easy that my daughter doesn’t have psychic powers, and she gets to have another girl to play with. But she has us so convinced it’s a boy, we’ve even started saying ‘he’ without thinking. So we’ve been excited for this day to arrive to confirm it,” Luce adds.
“Okay, big day for you and little Gracie.” She waves over and Gracie smiles.
The technician talks through the scan. I’m too busy keeping Gracie entertained to hear much, but it all sounds like everything is fine, which is good.
“And now the part you’ve been waiting for.” The technician grins as she begins to stare at the screen in contemplation. Dray squeezes Luce’s hand as they both look over to Gracie and sigh.
“Well, it looks like your daughter is indeed right. It’s a boy.”
We all stand there in shock, absorbing it all after having it finally confirmed.
“Joe.” Gracie points to Luce’s stomach.
“I guess we’re having a Joe,” Luce says before laughing. We all join in. It is a little eerie, but it’s not entirely a huge surprise.
“Come here, darling.” Dray takes Gracie from my arms and kisses her head before walking her over to the monitor. “See the baby on screen? His little head, his arms, his fingers.” Gracie frowns in concentration, staring at the screen.
“Joe,” she says, pointing.
“Yes, that’s our little baby Joe.”
“Mamma, Joe.” She points again.
“Yes, that’s your baby brother. Are you going to help take care of him when he arrives?”
She nods. “Here now?” she asks in confusion.
“No, Mamma has to look after Joe for a few more months till he grows into a big, strong boy. We’ll see him then.”
“Pay with me.”
Dray chuckles at her. “When he gets older, he’ll play with you. He’ll be a baby for a while, so he’ll need plenty of cuddles and kisses.”
“I kiss.” She holds out her hand and presses it against her lips before blowing it to the monitor. It’s the cutest thing we’ve ever seen, and we all “aww” as she proceeds to wave at Joe.
“Such a good girl. Are you still Daddy’s girl, Gracie?” Dray asks, nuzzling his lips against her cheek.
She nods and turns to kiss him on the cheek. “And Joe.”
“Yes, Joe will be Daddy’s boy, too. Are you excited for the little party?”
“Yes!” she squeals.
She loves a party.
Luce decided to make a little tea party for Gracie to include her in everything and to make the day a special occasion. Abbie, Ritchie, Laurie and Noah will be coming. Little Gracie’s face is a picture at having so many people over, and we all know what it means.
“We need to make some cakes when we get home. Are you going to help me, Gracie?” Luce asks, smiling.
“Pwincess cakes, Mamma.”
“Yeah, get it right, Luce.” Dray smirks, sticking out his tongue. She narrows her eyes in warning.
“Sorry, baby. Of course we’ll have princess cakes for our little princess.”
Gracie grins at her title. Dray walks over and hands her back to me, collecting the scan pictures while Luce cleans herself off before pulling her top back down.
“All done, and I have to say it was lovely to meet you, Miss Gracie. You are going to be an amazing big sister, I can tell. Joe is a lucky boy,” the technician adds with a smile.
“Fank ooh,” Gracie says in a sing-song voice, and we all laugh. She’s as old-fashioned as the hills. I can’t wait to meet my little nephew, to watch him grow and be there as an uncle. It’s been a privilege to be a part of Gracie’s day-to-day life. She’s worked her way deep inside my heart, and I know I’ll always be there for her whenever she needs me.
She nuzzles into my neck and I sigh as I breathe her all in. Today has been a big day for her. It’s going to be a massive change when Joe finally arrives, but she’ll take it all in stride.
“Well, come on then. We have a party to organise. Say bye to the nice lady,” Dray says, opening the door as we slowly begin to shuffle out.
“Byeeee.” Gracie waves one last time.
The technician smiles as we head off, ready to get the party started.
* * *
“You’re having a boy!” Laurie squeals, racing through the door before pulling Luce into a hug. She laughs at her over-enthusiasm.
“I know, I’m so happy.” Luce smiles with delight.
“And little Gracie was right.” Laurie grins, looking slightly bemused. I think we’re all a little weirded out by it all.
“Yep, but by the end, we were all convinced. This just confirmed it.” Luce strokes her mini-bump tenderly.
“So, are you going ahead with the name?” Laurie asks as they walk over to join me on the sofa.
“We are. We’re having a little baby Joe.”
“Such a sweet name,” Laurie says, sighing.
“We think so, too, and it’s perfect. He’ll be named after Dray’s grandad, Joseph. I like for our children to have names of our ancestors. It gives their name more of a meaning to know they’re continuing on with the next generation. Plus, at least it gets me out of naming the child Alex.”
“Alex?” I ask. I can only imagine which Alex it would be, and the thought brings a smile to my face.
“Yeah, Dray asked if I would name our child after Alex Ferguson,” Luce snorts at the thought.
I was right.
“He wanted you to name a child after an ex-football manager?” Laurie exclaims in disgust.
What? That’s a great idea.
But I keep that thought to myself.
“Precisely. I’m surprised Ritchie didn’t try it with you.”
“He knows better than to ask. He wasn’t sold on the name Noah, but I loved it and was not backing down. I told him he could name the next.” She grins in delight.
Poor Ritchie, he had no chance.
“So, are you trying for any more?”
I continue to stare at the TV screen, feeling slightly awkward.
“Not at the moment, but I want a sibling for Noah. I don’t want him growing up alone.”
“I know what you mean.” Luce sighs.
Oh, God.
I’m surrounded by broody women. I need to escape from all this baby talk.
“How are things with you, Lex?”
“Great.” I smile, taking a sip of my drink. Exit plan is aborted now I’m brought into the conversation.
“Abbie is amazing,” Luce adds. “She’ll make the perfect sister-in-law. Lex chose well.”
&nb
sp; I almost choke on my drink. Laurie starts to laugh and pats me on the back.
“Whoa there, Luce. They are still in the lovely early stage where they’re blind to their partner’s flaws,” Laurie scoffs.
What the fuck?
“I—”
“It’s okay, Lex. I’m sorry, I just love her. I know it’s early days and I shouldn’t even be talking like this, but I can’t help it. We had the best Christmas with her here. She’s so down to earth and helpful. She brought tears to my eyes when I watched how emotional she got unwrapping her presents. I just want to hug her hard and tell her she has us as a family now. Don’t you dare mess this up, Lex!”
“Seriously?” I ask.
Luce shoots me a look of warning.
I guess she means business.
“Oh, she’s serious, all right. I don’t have the best relationship with Ritchie’s sister, she took a disliking from the start. We can barely tolerate each other. In private, away from him, we tell each other exactly what we think. She says I’m not good enough for her brother. Her best friend has been secretly in love with Ritchie since they were teenagers, and she thinks I stole him away. It’s pathetic, really, but I don’t bite. I got the guy, after all. I just let my smug demeanour say it all.” Laurie finishes with a smile.
I would not like to get on the wrong side of her.
“Don’t rise to it. At least Dray doesn’t have sisters, thank God. I guess that’s a bonus, but we struck gold with Lex.”
Oh, God.
Luce grins in delight.
“Oh, well now, you made him blush.” Laurie giggles, pinching my cheek. “Please tell me Abbie’s coming. I want to grill her to find out how much she likes you.”
“Please, don’t,” I say in horror.
Kill me now.
“Laurie, behave,” Luce warns. But she has a look of delight on her face.
They are both the same.
“Fine, I just enjoy seeing young people in love. When I think back to those early days with Ritch…”
At that precise moment, Ritchie barrels through the door. “Laurie, Noah’s pooed. Can you change him? Hey Luce, Lex.” He wrinkles his nose in disgust.
