This is based on the 1982 Annie characters. I don't own them.
Grace floated down to breakfast on Monday morning. She was still beaming from her engagement to Oliver over the weekend at Annie's adoption party. It had been such a whirlwind week and she felt as though she would soon wake up from this amazing dream. She grinned giddily to herself as she admired the sparkle of the enormous sapphire ring on her finger. In walked Mrs. Pugh, setting her steaming plate of scrambled eggs and toast before her. The older woman smiled nervously, "Good morning Miss Farrell," but Grace sensed that something was amiss.
"Hello, Mrs. Pugh. How are you this morning?"
"Fine ma'am," she replied curtly.
"Wonderful!" She looked at the empty spot on the table where the daily newspaper usually laid. She and Oliver read it together every morning, discussing world events and debating politics. It was one of their most treasured pastimes. "Has the paper arrived yet?"
"Uh, let me check on that for you," she scurried out.
Annie bounded into the room, "Morning mom!" she grabbed a muffin and started munching on it.
"Good morning, dear. Please sit down while you eat. I trust you slept well last night?"
"Oh yeah!"
"Good morning, my fiancée," Oliver strode into the room and kissed Grace on the cheek. "Good morning, Annie," he kissed her on her cheek as well. "How are my ladies this fine day?" Oliver sat down at the head of the table. "Where is the morning paper?" he groused.
"I've just asked Mrs. Pugh. It seems no one has seen it," Grace replied.
Mrs. Pugh walked in, handed the paper to Mr. Warbucks, then hastily left.
"WHAT THE DEVIL IS THIS?!" Oliver bellowed.
"Whatever is the matter?" Grace gave a worried smile at Annie. He really needed to start watching his language with a child around.
"Whats it say, Daddy Warbucks?" Annie peeked over the flowers with a mouth full of food.
Oliver handed the paper to Grace. There, splashed across the front page was a picture of Oliver and Grace just after the proposal, locked in a very passionate kiss. The headline read, "Secretary Snatches Billionaire Bachelor."
"How in the world? Who could have taken that picture?" Grace's eyes were wide with shock. Her face went white as she imagined how many thousands of people would see such an intimate picture of her. Their private moment was on display for the whole world to see. She felt sick to her stomach.
"Lemme see!" Annie wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Grace folded the paper, keeping it from her.
"It must have been one of those damn circus performers looking to make an extra buck."
Grace sighed. "It's certainly not ideal, but news of our engagement was bound to get out eventually. You're not embarrassed by me, are you? I AM your secretary..." she fiddled with the ring.
He placed his hand over hers, "Good Heavens, Grace, I am the luckiest man on Earth to be marrying you. I'm still holding my breath, afraid that you're going to change your mind," Oliver laughed. "What upsets me is the press invading our privacy and making it out to be some scandal. I should buy the damn paper and fire the lot of them!"
This was precisely the kind of thing that worried Oliver. He did not give a damn what society would have to say about him, but Grace . . . that was another story. He didn't want even a hint of impropriety surrounding their marriage. Tongues would wag as it was. Eccentric billionaire Oliver Warbucks marries his private secretary, who has been living in his mansion for the better part of a decade. To the outsider it sounded positively salacious. He did not wish to tarnish her reputation. He wanted her to be able to walk into any room with her head held high and be received into society. He also had a daughter to consider now. He wanted to give her a stable family home and to set a good example of how a gentleman should treat a lady.
Grace waved her hands, as though trying to clear the air, "In any case, we have a meeting with John Rockefeller at one o'clock today to discuss closing that factory in Pittsburg."
"Is that today? I have a phone call with William Vanderbilt at one. You know as much about the status of the factory as I do. Could you please brief him on the details until I am through with William?"
"Certainly," Grace was confident in her business knowledge, it was the personal aspect that made her a bit uncomfortable. John always made her feel a bit uneasy. She had heard Oliver complain on several occasions that John had tried many times to put his own daughter, in Oliver's bed in an effort to join two of the great fortunes of the country. She found the idea of using a man using his daughter as a bargaining chip to negotiate business deals to be utterly repugnant. She knew that it would be next to impossible to run Warbucks Enterprise without having a good relationship with the Rockefellers, so she held her tongue. She tried to put it out of her mind.
"So, when are you guys gonna get married?" Annie couldn't contain her excitement.
"Oh, I haven't even thought about it yet," Grace looked to Oliver.
"As soon as possible. Can we do it this weekend?"
"Oliver, we'll have to send out invitations. We can't just throw together a wedding in a week!" Grace laughed.
"Grace, you may have complete control over the entire event. Make the day exactly the fairytale that you've always dreamed of for your wedding. Spare no expense, but I beg of you: please do not make me wait long," he gave her a long meaningful glance.
She blushed, sharing his impatience and nodded her agreement, "How about a month from now? It will give our guests enough time to arrange travel."
"Very well!"
"Yay! I can't wait! Can I be the flower girl?" Annie clapped her hands.