A/N: Well, here's chapter four. Hope y'all like it and if you do, please review. Thank you, showtunediva, for reviewing every chapter and I hope you enjoy the family dynamics in this chapter.


Chapter 4: A little family time

For the rest of the week, Grace was busy getting everything ready for the trip to Chicago. She had a lot to do to get ready and Oliver was really busy with work. Annie helped as much as she could but there wasn't much for her to do. Both girls were really excited to meet their cousins and also to go on their first plane ride. Their flight left early on Thursday morning at seven am, so they had to be up around five, so on Wednesday night the girls went up to bed early. Both Grace and Oliver knew that they would be up all night, too excited to sleep, but they tried to get them to sleep. The day before Grace was busy getting everything packed for the trip. The girls would be starting school just a few days after they got home, so they were trying to prepare them for that, too. Grace noticed that when she was helping Molly with her reading lately that she was getting frustrated really easily. She was reading well, but Grace was getting worried with Molly's frustration. She loved her daughter very much and wanted her to excel in school, but she could understand why she was getting so frustrated. Oliver had noticed this, as well as Annie. In fact, the night before they were to leave Grace went up to Molly's room to get her for dinner and she found her sitting on the ground, crying into her knees.

"Sweetheart? What's wrong?"

Molly looked up, holding a book in her hand. "I can't read this!" She said, bewildered.

"Oh, honey, that's what Daddy and I are here for. I f you don't understand, just come to us, alright?"

Molly nodded.

"Okay," Grace said, leaning down and picking Molly up. "C'mon, let's go to dinner,"

The two went downstairs and ate their dinner. Afterwards, the girls sat down in Oliver's study and Annie attemptedd to teach Molly how to play chess. Grace and Oliver watched them lovingly as Annie let Molly win and give her helpful pointers. She was such a good older sister to Molly and Grace was thankful she was so patient with Molly.

"Okay, girls, it's time for bed," Grace said around eight. "You have a long day tomorrow,"

The girls agreed reluctantly and went upstairs. Grace and Oliver said goodnight to their daughters and then went back to the study to play a few games of chess themselves.


The next morning, Grace and Oliver woke up at four-forty-five. They started getting ready for the day and then went to go wake the girls up. Grace went into Molly's room and panicked when she didn't see her in her bed, but then went down the hall to Annie's room and saw both her daughters snuggled together. Grace smiled as she knelt down beside the bed.

"Girls, it's time to wake up," She said in a whisper.

Annie opened her eyes and sat up, yawning. "I'm still so tired," She said.

"I know you are, sweetie. You can sleep on the plane ride,"

Molly awoke, hearing her mother and sister talking. "I don't wanna wake up, Mommy," She said.

"I know, baby, but we need to get up so we can visit Aunt Jennifer in Chicago. You can sleep on the plane,"

Molly seemed to accept this and hopped out of Annie's bed and began to get dressed. Grace went back into her and Oliver's room to get all the last minute details done. The family was out the door fifteen minutes later and climbed into the car. Molly laid her head on Grace's lap and fell back asleep on the way to the airport and when they arrived, Grace just didn't have the heart to wake her daughter for the second time that morning and carried her into the airport instead. Annie, despite being tired, was excited to go to Chicago at such an early time in the morning. Molly eventually woke up fifteen minutes before they were to board the plane. By that time, Annie had worn herself out and fell asleep on the plane. Molly was kept occupied with a coloring book. Grace didn't want her keeping Annie up and her plan worked. She read a book on the plane and also spent time with her youngest. The plane landed around eleven and Annie was just waking up right around then. Jennifer was waiting for her sister in the airport with her daughter and son, Kathryn and Jacob, 12 and 7. Once Grace stepped off the plane, Jennifer embraced her sister.

"It's good to see you again!" Jennifer said.

"You too,"

The two women pulled away and Jennifer smiled at her nieces. Annie hugged Jennifer.

"It's good to see you, too, Annie," Jennifer said, chuckling. "These are my children, Kathryn and Jacob,"

"Hi," Kathryn said, stepping towards her cousins. "It's nice to meet you,"

Annie nodded. "I'm Annie and this is Molly," She said.

Oliver came toward the family with their luggage and they went to Jennifer's car. Jennifer drived to her house. Annie and Kathryn seemed to be getting along well, as they were chatting amongst themselves in the back seat, along with Molly. Oliver, Grace, Jennifer and Jacob had their own conversation. Grace was glad that she was with her sister. Once they arrived at the house, the girls ran inside up to Kathryn's room. Jennifer poked her head in a few minutes later.

"Annie, this is where you will be staying and Molly, you have a choice. You can stay here with Kathryn and Annie, or you can stay in the guest room with your parents,"

"I wanna stay with Annie!" Molly said.

"Okay. I'll go tell your parents that," Jennifer went downstairs.

Kathryn sat on her bed. "Come sit, guys," She said. Annie sat down on the bed, along with Molly who sat on her lap. They chatted for a little while until Grace called them down for lunch. They went downstairs. Oliver, Grace, Jennifer, and Jacob were already at the table.

"Your house is so pretty, Aunt Jennifer," Annie said, sitting down at the table.

"Thank you, honey. Are you girls liking everything so far?"

Annie and Molly nodded.

"That's good, girls,"

The rest of the afternoon, Annie and Molly spent some time with their cousins. They went to the park right near Jennifer's house and had a blast. Grace was happy that she could spend a little one-on-one time with her sister, for she hardly ever saw her and was glad her daughters were having fun with their cousins. The smiles on their faces were priceless. They layed low for the evening and just hung around the house. Grace and Jennifer let them stay up until around ten, but then sent them up to bed. After Molly had fallen asleep, Kathryn and Annie stayed up into the late hours of the night chatting. Annie was glad that she had an older cousin that she could talk and relate to. She was having a lot of fun with her cousins and as exhaustion took over, she wondered what the next day would bring for her and her family.


Molly was up at six the next morning. Her sister and cousin were still sleeping. She tried to fall back asleep, but she just couldn't, so she went to the guest room where her parents were staying. SHe crawled up onto the bed and snuggled between her parents and eventually fell back asleep. Grace woke up at eight when she heard noises coming from downstairs and noticed her daughter in the bed next to her. She let her and her husband sleep a little bit longer and went downstairs where Jennifer and Jacob were up. Jennifer was making blueberry pancakes/

"Good morning," Jennifer said.

"Morning," Grace said, sitting down. "Is everyone else still asleep?"

Jennifer nodded. "Kathryn's a late sleeper and I'm sure she kept Annie up, too,"

Grace nodded. "I'll allow it. I'm glad she's enjoying her summer,"

Thye sat in the kitchen talking until Molly and Oliver came downstairs around nine o clock.

"Good morning," Grace said as Molly ran over and sat on her lap.

"Morning," Molly said.

"Is your sister still asleep?"

Molly nodded. "I think they were up late last night. What are we doing today?"

"Well, let's wait until everyone's up, then we can decide,"

Oliver kissed Grace's head. "Good morning, my dear,"

"Good morning,"

They ate breakfast and waited for Kathryn and Annie to wake up. They finally got up around eleven. Jennifer chuckled when she saw the two of them come downstairs looking half asleep.

"How late were the two of you up last night?" Grace asked.

"I don't know. Maybe two or three am," Kathryn said, yawning. Annie nodded.

"What in the world were you doing?" Jennifer asked.

"We were talking," Annie said, "It was fun,"

The two of them sat down at the table and began to eat breakfast.

"Mom?" Kathryn said, looking up.

"Yes, dear?"

"Can we go to the zoo today?"

At those words, Annie and Molly's eyes lit up. "Ooh, can we?!" Annie said.

"I dn't see why not, Jennifer said, smiling at her nieces.

After Annie and Kathryn finished their breakfast, they all went upstairs to get ready.

"I can't wait to go to the zoo!" Annie said, going into Kathryn's room to get her clothes for the day. Molly sat on her bed, looking like she was about to cry. Kathryn looked at her little cousin with concern.

"Molly? What's wrong?" She asked gently, sitting down next to her.

"Mommy's busy, so she can't brush my hair," She said.

"Well, I can brush your hair, Molly,"

"No. You'll brush it too hard. Mommy brushes my hair softly,"

"Can't I at least try? I promise I'll do it softly,"

Molly nodded and handed her brush to Kathryn, who began brushing her hair until it was silky smooth.

"There you go,"

"Thanks, Kathryn!" Molly hugged her cousin and then went to get dressed for the zoo.


The family had a great time at the zoo, spending amost all day there until it was dinner time. It was Annie and Molly's first time at the zoo and they were having the best time ever. Grace was so glad to see them so happy and it made her so glad that she adopted them. They went out to dinner at a fancy resturant, at Oliver's insistence and then went to a movie. They got back to Jennifer's house around ten, and surprisingly all the children were still awake. They stayed up a while longer then their parents sent them up to bed. Annie, Kathryn, and surprisingly, Molly stayed up late talking again and Grace could hear them giggling at midnight when she and Oliver went to bed. She didn't wan to bother their bonding time and let them stay up, though she knew they'd be up late the next morning. She was being more leaneant with the rules, seeing as they were on vacation.


The rest of the week they spent at Jennifer's, they went around sightseeing in Chicago. The girls were having a blast with their cousins and vice versa. They were leaving the following Friday, three days before the girls were to begin school, and while Grace and Olive knew they didn't want to go, they had to. Jennifer understood as Kathryn and Jacob were starting school on Monday, as well. On their last night in Chicago, they went shopping. Their flight left at three thirty on Friday, so they had to leave at one.

"It was good to see you and your family, Grace," Jennifer said, hugging her elder sister tightly.

"I know. We need to keep in touch,"

"I know we will. Kathryn will be making sure we do,"

"Annie too," Grace chuckled. "I love you, Jenn,"

"I love you, too, Grace. Don't be a stranger,"

"No chance. Not with my children,"

The two women chucled and pulled away.

Annie, Molly, Kathryn, and Jacob said their goodbyes and the family went off to the airport. Annie and Kathryn exchnaged addresses so they could send eachother letters throught the year.

Oliver, Grace, Molly, and Annie arrived home around seven o' clock and dinner was waiting for them on the dining room table. Grace was happy to be home, but she also missed her sister a lot already. After they ate, the family spent time in Oliver's study, Annie and Oliver in a chess tournament and Grace reading a book to Molly. They sent the girls up to bed around nine thirty as they could tell they were exhausted. After the girls got ready for bed, Oliver and Grace tucked them in and went downstairs.

"They start school in two days, Oliver," Grace said, sighing.

"I know, honey. But they'll be fine,"

Grace nodded. "I'm going to miss them so much, Oliver,"

"I will, too, but this is good for them,"

"I know. I just don't want to leave them,"

Oliver kissed Grace's temple. "Don't worry,"

"I won't,"

While Grace knew Oliver was right, she was still a little apprehensive for her daughters. But only time would tell, Grace decided. She'd had a nice time with her little girls this summer, but now it was time for them to go to school. And they were going to be fine.


A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Not sure when the next chapter will be out, as school assignments are killing me, but will definetely have it out ASAP. Until next time, thanks for reviewing.