OK, so I know I already wrote the last chapter and that this story is technically finished but for a while now I've felt as if there was more than could have been explored in the story between the time Grace and Oliver were married until the time Grace realized her feelings for him. So I've come up with a few little extra scenarios that can be inserted between chapters 3 and 4. We'll call this chapter 3A!
A bit unconventional I know, but I hope you enjoy reading it all the same!
Peace and love,
Renee.
...
Over the next couple of months, the dynamic between Oliver and Grace, both professional and personal, changed exponentially.
Oliver began to include Grace more in business decisions, being that she was now his partner in Warbucks Industries. Many of Oliver's associates, especially those in his legal and financial teams had thought the billionaire quite mad for allowing Grace to have equal partnership - a woman in that sort of position was not often heard of. But Oliver was adamant that he and Grace should be on equal footing and that his wife was just as wise and as capable as he himself was to run a business.
The days of the depression were easing but there was still a lot of destruction left in the wake of it. The Warbucks' factories were still struggling and some were barely keeping their heads above water.
"Profits are down and they have been for far too long", Oliver sighed, running his hands over his face. Grace sat across from him, staring down at sheets of paper showing the worrying figures.
"There's got to be a way through", she said with lackluster hope in her voice. Then her eyes lit up. "What about these new bridges the mayor's proposing? We could have a hand in that. Get the factory workers producing rivets and such."
Oliver's eyes cut to hers, a fire starting in them. He wagged his finger at her. "Now that's a good idea."
"I could organize some extra welding equipment to be delivered to the factory. Set up some in-house training…"
"Great!"
Grace smiled at his enthusiasm. "Let's give it a month. See if we can't just turn things around for this factory and its workers."
Oliver nodded in agreement. "We'll give it a month."
"I'll contact the supply company about sourcing that welding gear", she told him brightly.
"Thank you", he stood as she stood.
"Thank you", she replied sincerely with a lingering look of warmth and gratitude.
As she walked out of the room Oliver smiled softly to himself. He'd never have imagined having a partner to be so worthwhile. Then again, he thought, perhaps it wasn't just because he had any partner, perhaps it was because he had Grace.
After Grace had made the call to the supplier, she cheerfully informed Oliver that they would be shipped to his factory first thing the next morning.
"Now all we have to do is arrange for some training to be done and then we can start marketing the toughest, most reliable rivets in all of New York!"
"Brilliant! Grace, you're a marvel!"
She shrugged shyly in response but wore a pleased expression.
"I feel like celebrating. Why don't we go out for dinner?" He beamed excitedly.
"Oh, I don't know if we should celebrate just yet. Our plan has to work yet and the mayor has to agree to even use our product."
"Yes, but the wheels are now in motion, thanks to you." He gave her a warm smile and she returned it. "Well alright, where shall we go?"
"How about The Stratosphere room?" Oliver suggested buoyantly.
Grace narrowed her eyes at him. "But it's not even open to the public yet."
"Oh, I know", Oliver responded suavely, offering her his arm. She shook her head with a bemused grin and looped her arm through his so he could lead her upstairs for them to both get ready to go out.
…
"Wow!" Annie exclaimed as she looked out at the New York skyline from one of the highest vantage points in the city. The interior of the restaurant was just as interesting as the city around it. Newly decorated and not really furnished yet, the room was exquisitely designed yet quite barren, apart from a ginormous crystal chandelier which hung from the ceiling in the center of the room.
Grace stared around the room and at the view in wonderment. "This is spectacular, Oliver."
"Pretty swell, isn't it?"
"Buonasera!" A man speaking in Italian suddenly appeared out of the elevator behind them.
"Ah! Grazie Gennaro. Grazie mille."
Annie's eyes lit up as she noticed the paper cones containing hot slices of pizza the man was carrying. "Oh boy! Pizza!"
"My wife Grace, my daughter Annie", Oliver informally introduced the others.
"How do you do?" Grace smiled at Gennaro who, without pretense, kissed her on both cheeks, then pulled back to murmur to Oliver with a nudge of his elbow, "è molto bella!"
"Yes, indeed", Oliver chuckled. "Thank you, Gennaro", he politely dismissed the Italian man by paying him generously.
Gennaro laughed gleefully and bid them all goodnight. "Buonanotte signora, signorina...signore" he bowed to Oliver before making his exit.
"Don't tell me you speak Italian and I never knew about it", Grace teased him.
Oliver shook his head. "Only enough to know what he said."
"And what did he say?"
"Doesn't this pizza smell fantastic? Let's dig in!" He dismissed her question, handing her a cone of pizza and hopping down next to Annie to pass her one too. Grace gave him a sideways look but sat down with her husband and daughter and undid the twine on her pizza cone to eat.
The Warbucks family of three sat on the floor of the highest eating establishment in New York, happily eating pizza and enjoying the magnificent surroundings as much as one another's company.
…
Two weeks later, they had the rivets in production on the factory line. Things were picking up for the factories which was great but it also meant that Oliver and Grace were busier than ever. With Annie having had a successful meeting with Mrs. McIntosh, she was due to start school the following Monday and so things were just a bit more chaotic than usual.
Grace was standing by their desk with a pen in her mouth, focusing intently on some charts when Oliver came into the room holding two cups of coffee. "Here, I thought you could use this", he said casually, handing one cup to her.
She raised her eyebrows at him as she took the coffee from him. "You made me coffee?"
"Well, Mrs. Pugh made it. I'm just delivering it", he answered coyly.
She thanked him with a shy smile, feeling quite taken aback by the unexpected gesture.
She placed the charts on the table and Oliver set his coffee down beside them for a moment. Grace jumped as he abruptly picked up her left hand in both of his, noticing how his brow was furrowed as he stared down at it. "Are you eating enough?" He questioned her.
"Why do you ask?" She blinked, unsure what he meant by his comment and whether she should be offended or even concerned by it.
"Your ring seems to be looser than when I first put it on your hand."
Grace couldn't help but feel subconscious over his scrutiny, while also rather touched by his observation and care.
"Are you sure you're taking good enough care of yourself?" He frowned at her.
"Well, I-I think so. Admittedly I suppose I've become so accustomed to making sure you're alright ahead of any concern for myself."
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Ah, so that's the problem. You haven't got anyone like you making sure that you are taking care of you", he delivered the absurdly phrased sentence with deliberate comedic intonation and Grace both laughed in amusement and smiled brightly at the compliment.
"Well…I wouldn't say that", she raised her cup to him.
Oliver chortled. "Bringing you a cup of coffee doesn't automatically make me a hero, does it?"
"Well, I think considering where you started, you're doing very well", she told him gently.
"As a business partner or as a husband?" He asked earnestly.
Grace shrugged. "What's the difference?"
Oliver smirked softly. "Perhaps we ought to hire a new secretary for both of us."
Grace shook her head quickly. "Please don't. Despite how busy we are…I still find a great deal of fulfillment in being the one to take care of you."
His features melted into an expression of warmth.
"After all, is that not the job of a wife?" She asked with a small smile.
Oliver released a slow breath. "Well, I suppose all I can say is, if there was a recruitment process for wives the same as there is for secretaries, I would have hired you for both."
They both laughed at the comment, though only Oliver really knew how truthful his words had been.
…
Annie started school the following Monday. Grace and Oliver both wanted to see her off for her first day so the three of them went in the Bentley to The Brearley school and were greeted at the gate by Mrs. McIntosh.
Grace and Oliver were far more nervous about Annie's first day at school than she was. After speaking with Mrs. McIntosh and hearing all about the things she would learn in class, Annie was just excited to get started.
"Have a terrific day sweetheart!" Grace called out as Annie happily strolled into school with the headmistress.
"I will!" Annie confidently replied.
Oliver turned to look at Grace with a sort of sympathetic smile. Despite the fact they were so busy with work, he knew his wife would be quite lost without the little girl at home. He also knew how worried she still was about Annie fitting in with the other kids.
Seeing her anxiety, he placed his hands on her arms to comfort her. "She'll be fine", he reassured her.
She nodded her head with a small smile. "Yes."
A grin slowly came to his face. "Come on, let's go and see if we can find a cocktail somewhere."
"It's eight thirty in the morning!" Grace gaped at him.
"What, too early for you?" He asked, a little glint in his eye.
Grace shook her head with a chuckle. "Not today it's not."
Oliver laughed boyishly and wrapped his hand around hers before crossing the street. Neither one of them noticing how natural the action was. .
…
In May, it was Oliver's birthday. He hated a fuss being made just for him but Grace and more emphatically Annie were insistent that they have a celebration for him. Besides which, it would be a good opportunity for Oliver's friends and associates to meet Annie and to see for themselves their happy home life. At least that's how it would be portrayed.
When their guests had arrived and Grace and Oliver entered the room to greet them, they walked in together hand in hand. Annie came bounding up to them and they each hugged her before the three of them took their seats for dinner. As they chatted to the people seated around them between courses, Oliver kept his hand atop Grace's on the table.
After dessert, Oliver clinked his wine glass with a teaspoon before standing and clearing his throat. "Ah, I'd just like to thank everyone for being here tonight to celebrate with me. Thank you to all my staff for your hard work, not just today but every other day of the year too", he acknowledged Drake, Cecile, Annette, Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. Greer and all of the other workers. "And mostly I want to thank the person who is responsible not only for organizing this wonderful party but for practically everything that's good in my life - my wife, Grace."
She raised her head in surprise and locked eyes with him. He reached out for her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you for everything you do for me, and for Annie and for all of the many sacrifices you have made for us."
His words stirred up emotions inside of her but she remained stoic. She placed a quick kiss upon his cheek which was mostly for show, yet when she pulled back again she found him gazing at her intently, his eyes brimming with affection.
…
Before Oliver made Grace his partner he would often go on business trips alone. Now that Grace had a say in what happened to the company, she began also needing to attend these trips. Not wanting to be away from Annie for too long, they made their necessary trip to visit the factory in Iowa only two days long.
Strolling into their room at the Des Lux Hotel, Oliver tipped the bellhop who then left. He looked at his wife quizzically and asked, "Aren't you going to your room?"
Grace looked at him hopelessly. "I couldn't very well book two separate bedrooms for a married couple, could I?"
"I suppose not, not unless we want people thinking we're having problems", he acquiesced.
"Which we most certainly don't."
"No."
Grace patted him on the arm, "I'm going to call Annie to let her know we've arrived safely."
"Alright", he shook his head lightly, sort of surprised at how casual and unbothered she was about them sharing a room. Mind you, he did suppose she'd had more time to get used to the idea seeing as she was the one who'd booked it.
That evening, they each took turns preparing for bed in the bathroom and by the time Oliver had finished washing and changing, Grace was already under the covers, half asleep.
Oliver tentatively climbed in next to her. Grace could feel the tension radiating off him. She sighed. "You don't have to be so cautious, Oliver. We aren't strangers."
"I think I might feel more comfortable if we were,'' he confessed quietly.
Knowing they needed to rest and wanting to put him at ease, Grace reached behind herself and took hold of his arm, pulling it across her waist, deciding to simply break the barrier he was obviously afraid of breaching. "Go to sleep", she encouraged him gently. Oliver gaped in surprise for a moment before letting his body relax against hers. When she finally heard his restful snores, Grace smiled and fell into peaceful sleep herself.
…
A/N: I mostly wrote the last scene for markaleen because I know it's her favorite trope! Also, because the opportunity within this story was perfect and I couldn't resist! :D
