One Year Later
"Do you ever feel like our girls are growing up too fast?" Sara asked Gil with a small grin.
The two were swinging slowly on the frame swing Sara had purchased a few years before. Liz, now eight years old, was slowly running around the yard with Grace close behind. The toddler was now one year and eight months old, and loved to be involved in anything her big sister was.
She tottered unsurely behind Liz, a grin on her face exposing her chubby dimples. Her short brown hair bounced freely as she ran around the yard, trying not to fall down. When Liz would stop running for a moment, Grace would do the same to look back at her parents to make sure they were still watching.
Once confirmed that her parents were still watching, she sprang back into action.
"Sometimes. But I think we're supposed to feel that way," Gil planted a kiss on Sara's lips.
"Momma," Grace muttered as she ran toward her mother. She was holding her left hand in her right, almost as if she had gotten injured.
"What's wrong, honey? Did you get hurt?" Sara leapt off the swing and picked the toddler up. She inspected Grace's index finger on her left hand for a moment before spotted what looked like some sort of bug bite.
"Let's go wash it out," She whispered to her daughter.
Sara carried Grace into the house and to the sink. She turned the cold water on, then Grace stuck her finger until the chilly stream. A smile spread on her face as she informed her mother, "All better!"
"Okay. You want to go out and play some more?"
Grace nodded, drying her hand off on her Baby GAP jeans. Sara lifted her off of the counter and took her back outside, setting her on her feet in the grass.
Sara joined her husband on the swing. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders with a grin.
"What was wrong?"
"Bug bite. Nothing major," Sara replied, a grin on her face revealing the gap toothed smile he loved.
"I'm glad Liz likes being a big sister," Gil smiled as Sara rested her head on his shoulder.
The two continued to watch their daughters happily play. For once, the usual extreme Vegas heat wasn't extreme. It was a mild 80 degrees out, with a breeze so things weren't unbearable. It was nice to be able to sit outside and not be sweating to death.
"Mom, are we still going for ice cream later?" Liz inquired.
She sat down on the grass with an exhausted look on her face. It was understandable, since she had been outside for nearly eight hours.
"Yes, we will. After dinner, okay?"
Sara laughed as Grace tried to imitate her older sister. She plopped down on the grass, and fell backwards. A series of giggles erupted from the spot the girls were sitting at.
"They are so adorable together," Sara commented, lazily tracing circles on Gil's chest.
"I agree," He glanced at his watch and saw it was three o'clock. "I'm going to get the mail. I'll be right back."
Sara sat upright as he stood up from the swing. Grace sat up from lying on the ground to look at her father.
"Daddy go bye?"
"No. Daddy's going to get the mail. Wanna come?"
Grace eagerly jumped up and stumbled to Gil. He scooped her up in his arms and took off for the front door.
Liz also stood up from the ground, but walked to the swing and joined her mother.
"I'm tired," She yawned.
"Don't fall asleep yet. It's not bed time," Sara brushed her daughter's hair out of her face with a smile. "Do you like having a baby sister?"
Liz nodded instantly. "I love it. She plays Barbies with me, maybe not the right way but she still plays them."
Gil stepped out of the house, Grace in one arm and the mail in his right hand.
"Here. You can open this," He handed her a white envelope with a confused look on his face.
Sara flipped the envelope over to open it, when she saw it was decorated slightly with a soft cream colored lace. Her brows furrowed in confusion, but she opened it anyway and pulled out a white card with very fancy black text.
She read the card's outside once, then again out loud. The surprise was evident in her voice.
"You are cordially invited to the wedding of Heather Kessler… and Trent Tovano!"
"Wait, Heather? Lady Heather?" Gil asked in astonishment.
"Yeah! It says they're getting married on June 22nd. That's four months from now!" Sara replied.
"Why would she invite us?"
Sara ignored the question as she read the rest of the inside of the card to herself.
"Oh, she's got to be kidding."
"What?" Gil picked Liz up with his free arm and sat down on the swing, one daughter on each knee.
"She wants me… to be a bridesmaid? This is insane."
"I want to go to the wedding!" Liz clasped her hands together in excitement.
Silence fell in the backyard. Sara also wanted to go to Heather's wedding. But she decided that if Gil didn't want to, then she would stay home. No way was she going to the wedding of a woman she didn't know very well, let alone being a bridesmaid, without him there!
"I think it's a nice idea. Maybe we should go, you know, to wish her the best of luck."
Sara nodded eagerly. "Sure. We can always change our minds. It is, after all, four months away."
The two nodded in unison before resting back on the swing. Sara gently pulled Grace onto her lap, while Liz stayed on Gil's. Silence fell once again, but it was very peaceful. After swinging for a few more moments, Sara noticed that both Liz and Grace had fallen asleep.
And all was well in the Grissom Residence.
