DISCLAIMER: I know absolutely nothing about sailing and have no idea what compelled me to try and write about it! Anywho - enjoy!
…
On the day of the regatta, Annie, Grace and Oliver all excitedly, and a little bit anxiously on Oliver's part, were up early to prepare for the event. Grace and Annie would be going down to the riverside to support Oliver of course. They were both looking forward to seeing him and Mr, Astor race.
"Now Annie dear, please bring your coat with you", Grace requested of Annie as they stood by the door waiting for Oliver to join them.
"But it's Summer Mommy. It's gonna be hot out", Annie argued.
"It could get cool down by the river, love. Please bring it with you, just in case."
Annie shrugged, obeying her Mother with a sigh "OK."
"Thank you", Grace said with an amused smile.
The child wasn't quite at the stroppy teenage stage yet but she'd started to assert herself more and more of late.
Once Oliver joined them, the three of them piled into the car. It was just after 7am, Oliver wanted to get to the river early to make sure they were registered. They would be meeting Jakey and Tucky at the dock. Sandy and Juniper would also be attending the event, of course. It was a glorious day and would be a great day out for people and pooches alike!
Oliver had, of course, worked on boats as a young man and so he was quite competent as a sailor. He'd maintained a healthy interest in sailing all throughout his life and took great pride in his yacht, "The Warbuccanner."
They arrived at the starting point of the race in good time and got themselves registered. Jakey and Tucky greeted the Warbucks family warmly as they all met up.
There was quite a breeze down at the docks and Annie gave her Mother a sheepish look as she pulled her coat a little tighter around herself. Grace took Oliver in her arms before the two men left to go and prepare their yacht for the race. "Be careful", she asked softly, then smiled "And good luck."
"Thank you", he said sincerely and pulled her to him for a brief but loving kiss.
A photographer who was standing nearby happened to snap a picture just as they kissed and Grace and Oliver both frowned as they pulled apart, both feeling as if they were on display.
Oliver glared at the photographer. "Aren't you here to photograph the boats?"
The man with the camera shrugged. "I'm here to capture all the highlights of the day, Sir."
"Well, just you keep your attention on the water", Oliver told him in a threatening tone.
Grace stroked her husband's shoulder. "Don't let him distract you", she told him knowingly.
Oliver sighed and nodded his head.
"I love you", Grace said to him with a gentle smile, instantly calming him.
"I love you too", he replied to her and then bent down to tell his daughter the same.
"Have fun, Daddy! Race like heck!" Annie grinned, much to the shock of both of her parents.
"Where on Earth did you hear that expression?" Grace asked her daughter.
She looked up at Jakey who suddenly became very aware of the time. "Ooh, I think we'd better go and get set up Oliver, come on!" The young man grinned sheepishly and Oliver shook his head before following him.
As Oliver and Jakey boarded the 40-foot vessel, Oliver looked up at the billowing sail and whistled. "That's some headwind. Looks like we've got a challenge on our hands today, Jakey."
"Nothing we can't handle, my good man", Jakey responded confidently.
Annie, Grace and Tucky, along with Sandy and Juniper, went and sat on the bank of the Husdon, ready to cheer Oliver and Jakey on.
The crowd cheered as the pistol went off to signify the beginning of the race. The dogs barked along as everyone screamed and yelled words of encouragement to the sailors they were supporting.
Oliver helmed the boat and shouted orders at Jakey over the noise of the wind, telling him to lean in certain directions and pull on various ropes. The two men worked well as a team, even under quite stressful conditions.
There were six other boats on the course and Oliver and Jakey were coming in third place as they made the first turn around the buoy.
"Lean hard to port, Jakey!" Oliver yelled to his fellow yachtsman and the younger man leapt across the boat with impressive agility to keep the boat on course.
The three ladies on shore clapped and cheered for them as they came around the bend.
They managed to move up into second place down the straight but as they approached the second turn, one of the other yachts cut across their path, causing them to nearly collide.
Grace and Tucky watched anxiously from the sidelines as the two boats missed each other by mere inches.
Oliver grit his teeth and turned the wheel as far as he could without tipping them over. As they straightened up again, he groaned loudly in relief. "That was close!"
Jakey looked back at him and laughed with exhilaration, pulling the winch around again.
Coming into the final straight, Oliver and Jakey were neck and neck with their competitor. The finish line was in sight and the two men could taste victory, they just needed a little push from the wind Gods.
Grace stood on the bank with her hands together in prayer. "Come on darling, you can do it", she muttered softly and just at that moment Oliver and Jakey pulled ahead into first place.
Grace, Annie and Tucky all began screaming words of support and excitement across the river. There was no way the men could hear them but that didn't matter. Annie jumped up and down and Grace and Tucky gripped each other's hands as the Warbuccanner sailed across the finish line.
The entire crowd erupted. Grace and Tucky hugged each other while Annie hugged the dogs. All five of them ran to the dock and were there to greet Oliver and Jakey when they disembarked the yacht.
"You did it, Daddy Warbucks! You won!" Annie cheered, running and jumping into her grinning Father's open arms.
"We did, didn't we?" Her Father laughed joyously before meeting his wife's eyes. Grace was beaming with pride and happiness. Oliver placed his daughter back down on his feet before sweeping his wife up into his arms. She kissed him deeply at the same time Tucky and Jakey also embraced.
The photographer from earlier snapped a picture of both couples, but Oliver didn't pay much attention this time. He was far too elated and in love.
The two men were pulled up to the podium where they popped open a huge bottle of champagne before being asked to make a speech.
"It was a tough race out there today and a valiant effort was made by our competitors. At the end of the day, we were able to make that last big push and win. I could not have accomplished this without my terrific Captain", Jakey laughed. "Thank you Oliver!" The young man grabbed the elder by the head and smacked a kiss to his cheek.
Annie, Grace and Tucky laughed as Oliver made a face.
"Yes, well, thank you Jakey", he grunted. "I'm sure you made your Father very proud today, son, and I hope that I have made my family proud as well. Grace, Annie, I couldn't have done this without your support, nor could I live my life without you", he said with sincerity as he looked over at his wife and child. He turned back towards the rest of the people gathered and added, "And you know, for the first time I can truly say how glad I am to be bald. It's great for aerodynamics!" Oliver chortled and each member of the crowd laughed along with him.
The two men beckoned for their families to join them on the podium and the cameras flashed another picture of them all together.
After receiving many congratulations and messages of support from attendees, the Warbucks' and the Astors' parted ways and returned to their respective homes.
Jakey took the trophy home with him. Oliver was happy for him to keep it. Grace was so proud of him, not only for winning the race but for being such a great mentor to the younger man. Despite the fact that Jakey was only a few years younger than Grace herself, Grace saw the young Mr. Astor as a bit of a protege of Oliver's - almost like a son, especially since the young man had no Father of his own. It warmed Grace's heart to know that Oliver had taken him under his wing.
As Grace and Oliver got into bed that night, Grace rolled over to face her husband, raising her head up on her elbow and gazing at him intently.
"What?" He questioned her.
"I'm awfully proud of you", she whispered softly to him.
"Thanks", he smiled in return. "It was a good day."
"Yes, but I don't just mean for the race though. The way you've given your time and your support and encouragement to that young man. Well, I can tell it means a lot to him, and I'm just very proud of you being there in that capacity."
Oliver gave her a half smile. "He's a good lad. A little wayward perhaps", he smirked. "But if I can guide him and help him to stay on the right path, then I'm glad."
Grace's heart thumped. He was far more capable and equipped to be a Father than he ever gave himself credit for. She found herself thinking of her desire to have more children with him again, for the first time since they had confessed their feelings for one another. She didn't know why but somehow the thought of talking to him about it was even more terrifying now, even though they were at a much more appropriate place in their relationship for her to be bringing it up.
Before she could gather up her courage to open up the conversation about it however, Oliver stretched up to kiss her softly before settling down into bed with his eyes closed. "Goodnight dearest."
Grace sighed softly, though she smiled at her husband looking so peaceful beside her. "Goodnight", she replied as she lay down and curled herself into his side.
The following morning became quite chaotic when, after breakfast, Grace and Oliver made their way downstairs and Drake brought them the morning's papers to read.
"Oh! Those low-life scoundrels", Oliver growled in a menacing tone of voice. Grace's eyes flicked up from her copy of The New York Times to look at him. "What?" She asked warily.
Oliver hesitated for a moment before passing the newspaper over to her. Grace scanned the article of The New York Post that Oliver had been reading, her frown deepening the more she read.
"Yesterday's regatta was a marvelous success with Billionaire tycoon Oliver Warbucks and John Jacob "Jakey" Astor coming out on top. Their wives and Warbucks' adopted daughter Annie were there to cheer them on from the banks of the Hudson and once the race was won, the gentlemen were received by their families with great exuberance and many hugs and kisses. For recently married Mr. and Mrs. Astor, this comes as no surprise, though we have not seen them together in public much at this early stage in their marriage. For Mr. and Mrs. Warbucks however, whom we have reported the attendance of at many social gatherings this season, their display of affection comes quite out of the blue, with no other instances of such passionate interaction having been seen between them before. This leaves yours truly to wonder why…Why now, after nearly six months of marriage, have the Warbucks' only just begun to exhibit such tender emotions towards one another, and why did they not before? Knowing the kind of man Oliver Warbucks is, we had assumed that it just wasn't in his nature to be overly loving towards his wife, but instead to treat her as he does his business - inertly and without much feeling at all. So, what could have possibly changed? Is one of the pair repenting for something? Could it be that Mrs. Warbucks has given her husband some kind of ultimatum? We at The Post are eager to know…"
Grace was seething as she finished reading the article. "Oh, the nerve of that reporter", she hissed.
"Who do they think they are? They're talking about us as if there's been something illicit or sordid going on between us. What right do they have to speak about us like this? To drag our names through the mud! I never thought that showing our love for each other would be viewed in such a cynical way."
Oliver sighed deeply. "People are spiteful and judgemental. I suppose we should have thought more about it before we displayed our affection so publicly, but like you, I never thought anyone would take this despicable slant on it. It appears it's too much to ask for people to just be happy for us", he scowled bitterly.
"What are we going to do, Oliver? I can't bear the thought of the public scrutinizing our relationship like this" Grace said desperately.
"I think the only way to clear things up is to make some kind of a statement." He stood up and took her in his arms. "Don't worry. I'll fix this, I promise."
"How?" Grace asked, curling her arms around his waist.
Oliver shrugged. "By contacting the Post and doing some sort of tell-all interview with them, I guess."
"But you're not going to tell them we only married initially to keep Annie, are you?"
Oliver shook his head. "No. I'll tell them that although we did have love for one another, we were um…tentative, unsure. The transition from a professional relationship to a personal one was…scary."
Grace gave him a somber look. "Oh, I do wish we didn't have to be exposed like this. Why do people care so much anyway?"
"Without sounding pompous - you do realize who you're married to, don't you?"
Grace gave her husband a half smile.
"Besides which", Oliver continued. "What we're saying isn't untrue. For me, at least."
Grace raised her hand up to stroke his cheek. "When I realized my feelings for you, I was scared too. I couldn't bear the thought of causing any friction in our relationship, our family was so important to me. I wasn't sure you felt the same as I did. There were times I was certain you did but then there were other times when I felt as though you thought I was wrong for feeling that way."
"I'm sorry to have given you cause to doubt", Oliver said sadly but genuinely.
"Well, aside from the mixed messages I was getting from you, you were doing many wonderful things as well. I could tell you were making a real effort to be a good husband, regardless of how unconventional our marriage was. The transition from my boss to my husband can't have been easy for you to get used to either but you started treating me as your equal. Me, a woman, no less."
Oliver shook his head. "Well, you aren't like any other woman, Grace. You've always commanded my respect, right from the day you started working for me."
Grace smiled shyly, tightening her hold on him. "You aren't like any other man, either."
Oliver narrowed his eyes in contemplation. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"
Grace let out a soft laugh. "It's variable."
Oliver smiled affectionately at her. "I'm sorry that what those reporters said upset you…I could have them fired if you wish."
The look Grace gave her husband was one half amusement and one half horror.
"I don't think that'll be necessary, but I appreciate it all the same", she smiled wryly. "Let's just give them an interview that will clear up any speculation and hopefully make us look respectable at the same time."
"That I'm confident we can do", Oliver assured her.
The next day, Oliver arranged for a press junket to come to the mansion. About eight reporters and as many photographers were there in attendance to listen to Grace and Oliver talk about their relationship and how their marriage had transpired. Annie was included in the interview too as the story of her adoption was a heartwarming one that people couldn't get enough of.
"Mrs. Warbucks, will you tell us from your perspective, how your relationship with Mr. Warbucks has progressed?"
"I had always admired him and after some time, that admiration developed into love", Grace explained honestly as Oliver gently squeezed her hand. "He was always completely respectful of me and although I believed he was feeling the same way that I was, he remained cautious about not overstepping any boundaries. A large part of our decision to marry was to create a proper family for our daughter Annie, but it wasn't the only reason and we both knew it. I…I wanted to be in his life forever."
Oliver stared at his wife with so much love in his eyes as she so candidly spoke to the press.
"And so, what now for the two of you? What does the future hold for Mr. and Mrs. Warbucks?" One reporter asked cheerfully.
Shifting his gaze from his wife to the reporter, Oliver had his face set in determination. "Well, firstly, I want it to be noted here and now that I intend to step down from some of my responsibilities within Warbucks industries. Of course that means I'll be hiring more staff to delegate some of my work to."
The reporters all wrote down his statement quickly, the news that Oliver Warbucks himself was hiring staff would be a very exciting and welcome piece of information for those looking for work.
Grace glanced at Oliver in surprise. She hadn't known that he was intending to step back from his work. The fact was, he'd only made the decision as she'd been speaking to the reporters. He loved his wife and daughter so much and he now realized that too much of the time he could have been spending with them had been sacrificed by working.
"My ambition now is to maintain what I've already achieved, to watch out for the interests of my work force and to spend time with my family."
He turned his head to look at Annie and Grace again. "They are the most important thing to me now."
Annie smiled brightly at her Father while Grace looked at him adoringly and gratefully.
Later that afternoon, after the reporters had all left again and Annie was outside playing on her "castle", Oliver and Grace had time to debrief following the interview.
"Are you sure you're ready to take a step back?" Grace asked him as they sat down next to each other on the sitting room couch.
"Yes, I'm sure. I worked so hard for so long because I had everything to gain by doing so and nothing to lose", he explained openly. "But that's not the case anymore."
"You're not going to lose us if you keep working, darling. Annie and I understand how demanding your work is."
"But I don't want you to have to understand it, and I never want you to feel as if you come second to it. You and Annie come first now. That's the way it should be and that's the way I want it to be."
Overcome with emotion, Grace hugged her husband tightly. "Whoever said marriage won't change a man obviously never met you", she laughed tearfully.
Pulling away from his wife, Oliver looked at Grace softly. "It's not marriage that's changed me Grace, it's you…and Annie, and I thank you both for it."
"I liked the man you were before, but I love the man you've become", Grace told him earnestly.
Oliver took her hands in his own and gave her a contemplative stare. "I want to do something special for you."
"Something special?" Grace questioned him with an intrigued expression.
"Yes."
Grace looked at her husband adoringly, placing her palm to his cheek. "Your love is special, and that's all I need."
Oliver sighed. "Well that's very sweet…and very mushy", he added out of the corner of his mouth, rolling his eyes slightly and making Grace laugh.
"Come on, what would you like to do? It can be anything, Grace. Anything at all!" He prompted her excitedly.
Grace bit her lip, she wasn't used to receiving much but her husband's attention and enthusiasm was what really made her happy.
"Well, I…I have always wanted to go to Ireland. To visit my parents' birthplaces."
"Ireland", Oliver smiled. "What a swell idea! We can treat it as a honeymoon", his grin increased.
"Oh, but we have to take Annie. We couldn't leave her behind and I'd like to show her my ancestral home too."
"Alright, well then let's take Mrs. Pugh along as well. That way she can watch Annie so that the two of us can have at least some alone time."
Grace beamed. "Oh Oliver, that's perfect! When shall we go?"
"Tomorrow!" Oliver laughed and Grace shook her head, laughing as well. "There aren't any ships tomorrow, silly."
"Alright, I'll look into it. I'll take care of everything. You've done so much for me for so long and now I don't want you to worry about a thing. I'm going to make sure you enjoy every moment of this trip. You deserve it, Grace."
She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and smiled emotionally at him. "We deserve it."
She pulled him closer and they shared a deep and adoring kiss, both looking forward to the adventures ahead of them.
