Sonny parked his car outside Arianna's school. He and Will always alternated, always making sure that at least one of them was here every day to pick her up. The days where Sonny picked her up, he always brought her club TBD, there she would see her uncle Chad and Uncle T.
He pressed the button to turn his engine off, got out of his car and walked into his daughter's school.
"Hi daddy!" Arianna called running up to him for a hug. Sonny happily obliged picking her up. "
Hi baby, how's your day?"
" It was okay."
"I think you've been spending too much time with your uncle T. We get no details. You sound just like him." Sonny chuckled as he pushed the door open with one arm.
"Oh Daddy, I have homework. Can you and daddy help me with it?" Arianna asked looking at Sonny.
"Of course! What do you have to do?" Sonny smiled.
"Answer questions about my family." She answered.
"We can tell you anything you want to know." He assured her and began driving to the club.
Arianna pushed the door open at club TBD, her dad close behind her. When she was at club TBD, she always sat in the same two places, either at the very front table, in direct view of all the adults or in Daddy and uncle Chad's office.
"Sit down at the table, your uncles are probably in the back." Sonny instructed his daughter who was already removing and unzipping her backpack, taking her worksheets out and placing her backpack on the floor.
Sonny walked behind the counter and waved as the door opened and revealed new customers.
Sonny worked while Arianna did her homework. A few minutes later her Uncle Chad walked out from the back room with a simple greeting of "Hey munchkin" and continued to work.
An hour and a snack later, Arianna needed help with her homework. The club was quite quiet, so she knew that she could ask her daddies for help without being interrupted or having to wait long for their attention.
She walked up to the counter where Daddy Will was talking to Daddy Sonny and Uncle Chad. "Daddies, can you help me? I don't know the answer to this." She asked them giving Daddy Will her worksheet pointing at the question.
" Does your name have a special meaning to your family?"
"What does this mean? Arianna asked.
It's asking why Mommy and I named you Arianna Grace Horton." Will clarified.
"Oh ok." Arianna said indicating she understood the question. Daddy, why did you and Mommy name me Arianna Grace? I know why I'm a Horton." Arianna declared.
Will smiled at his daughter, amazed at this little human in front of him. "And why are you a Horton?" He quizzed her.
"Duh, Daddy because I'm your daughter and you're a Horton." Arianna finished with her hands on her hips.
"Okay, you know that. I'll tell you why the other names are important." Will said as he walked back to the table his daughter was sitting at.
"Okay. Where do you want to start? Will asked his daughter.
Arianna rolled her eyes. Daddy, what's my first name? Start with Arianna." She told him.
"Fine. We'll start with Arianna. Well, you know your uncle Rafe?" Will asked. When Arianna nodded, he continued. Well, mommy had a sister too." He stated.
"Like you have Aunt Allie and Aunt Sydney? Ari questioned her dad.
"Exactly. Will nodded. Mommy's sister's name was Arianna." Will stopped waiting for his daughter to process what he was saying.
"But daddy. If she's mommy's sister, how come I haven't met her?" Arianna asked Will.
"Because sweetie, she died before you were born." Will told her, his voice quieter.
"Oh". Ari responded. 'what was she like'? Arianna asked.
"Well. I didn't know her very well because I only met her a few times. But from what I know, she was very nice, she always thought about other people before her, especially your mommy. She loved your mommy very much.
Arianna nodded in understanding. "Mommy's very easy to love." Arianna added.
"Yes she is." Will smiled.
"Daddy, I want to know more about her." Arianna exclaimed. Will nodded. "We can call Uncle Rafe when we get home, I'm sure he'll be happy to tell you anything you want to know." Will finished.
"Who was Grace?" Arianna asked.
Will took a deep breath and Sonny who was watching intently from the counterwalked over, rubbed Will's shoulders in reassurance. Grace died nine years ago, but it was still hard to think let alone talk about.
His voice slightly lower, he told his daughter: "Grace is my little sister. She died a while before you were born; she died even before I met your Mommy and Daddy Sonny."
"Oh. I'm sorry she died Daddy." Arianna apologized putting her hand out for her Daddy to grab.
Will smiled at his daughter. He knew exactly what he needed all the time. "Thank you baby.' She died when she was a baby, she was very sick."
"What was she like?" Arianna asked looking at her Dad.
"She was such a happy baby. She was always smiling and she was very attentive. A lot like you." Will explained rubbing his daughter's hand in his.
"Did anyone else in the family know her?" Arianna asked him.
Will looked at Sonny who was now sitting next to Will. When he nodded, Will opened his mouth to speak.
"Grandma Sami and Uncle Rafe knew her. They raised her." Will paused and looked behind him at Chad who was behind the counter with cups in his hand.
Sonny put his hand on Will's shoulder for support. "Grace was also really important to your Uncle Chad. He was her Daddy, but she died before he was able to meet her." Will finished.
"How come Grandma Sami and Uncle Rafe raised Grace?" Ari questioned.
Sonny answered allowing Will relax a little bit. "You know how we talked about how people have all types of families. This is similar. Grace's mommy was too young to raise her. She didn't feel ready, so she gave her to Grandma Sami."
Arianna nodded in understanding and squeezed her daddy's hand. "Can I go hug Uncle Chad?" She asked her daddies as she pulled her chair out.
Sonny nodded. "I'm sure he would love that." He told her as she pushed her chair out getting ready to stand up.
"Thank you for helping me." Arianna hugged both her daddies.
"Anytime kiddo. We love you." Sonny said as he kissed her forehead.
Arianna ran behind the counter to her Uncle Chad. "Uncle Chad?" She called him.
"What's up munchkin, do you want another cookie?" Chad asked as he bent down.
"I'm sorry Grace died." Arianna said wrapping her small arms around him.
Chad hugged Arianna for a long time before pulling away. "Thanks munchkin. I get sad sometimes but then I remember that you're in my life and I'm not sad anymore. You are very important to me" Chad said as he lifted her up.
"I love you Uncle Chad, I'll always be here." Ari said and kissed Chad's cheek.
"Ditto munchkin." Chad chuckled.
