"Franklin, I need your help."
Those words had been echoing in Grace's mind all night. Only now as things were beginning to grow quiet could she let them sink in and let her mind wrap around the gravity of the comment.
Oliver didn't think much of asking her for help. Help with dictation. Help to find files. Help covering meetings. Help with errands. Those kinds of things. But he never sought outside help. When Wall Street crumbled, his first words here, "Let's get to work." For him to ask President Roosevelt of all people meant he was feeling powerless. For as long as she'd known him, she never saw him crumble.
For hours she'd been helping Oliver and Franklin make phone calls. They hadn't known what they were looking for aside from confirming the identities of the Mudges. Thankfully, that had been the first thing settled. While they hadn't yet been able to confirm who these people claiming to be Ralph and Shirley Mudge were, they could confirm that no one by those names had ever resided in New York City. Likewise, there were no birth certificates issued for a little girl named Ann Elizabeth Mudge.
The determination to get answers pushed them harder. Obviously, they weren't going to show up at their doorsteps like previously hoped. Annie deserved to know who she was and where she came from. The FBI men were less than pleased to be roused in the middle of the night on Christmas but given how close they'd come to handing her over to conmen, the sense of urgency intensified. If not 'Ralph and Shirley Mudge', it might be another couple. Or worse, Annie could be in danger knowing Oliver would spare no cost to keep her safe. With Franklin at the helm, every agent gave it their all.
They were going to find them.
"I've lost her… I've lost Annie."
More words Grace couldn't shake from her memory. Hearing him admit defeat forced her to do the same. In turn, she might lose him, too. She couldn't bear to lose either one, but both of them at the same time? It was too much to think about after a long day – especially one that was carrying over to the next.
Franklin and Oliver were still on the phones but hadn't acknowledged her presence in the room the past forty-five minutes. With nothing to do, she took the opportunity to sneak away. Since the office was occupied, she retreated to the den. A few weeks ago, she never would have dared step foot inside even with Oliver away. This was his private space. Now it didn't seem so off-limits to her, though a couple of brushes of hands and lingering gazes weren't really enough to break her ranking. Maybe it was exhaustion playing with her reasoning. In any case, she wanted to be nearby in case someone called for her. If she went upstairs, she'd be out for the night.
She sat down on the couch as she exhaled. It felt like the first breath she'd taken all day. It felt more like many days in one, none of them good. At least not for long. She tried to focus on the fact Annie would still be here for Christmas, however, this came with having to tell her the truth about the Mudges. Annie was nothing if not plucky, but she did have a breaking point. Her parents were the threshold. And though watching her run up to her room in tears hadn't been the response to her 'parents' any of them had anticipated, it was still a blow.
Her own emotion began bubbling to the surface. So many times today she'd had to hold it all in. Anger, sadness, discouragement… she'd only let herself cry when things had taken a positive turn. That was safer. But she was spent. As the clock chimed four, she realized she'd been up for twenty-four hours. Everything caught up to her and she wept. She wept for Annie and for Oliver. She wept for her real parents, wherever they may be. She wept from exhaustion and discouragement and guilt. She should have made the questionnaire more difficult – something more even if the locket piece seemed cut and dry.
She jumped when she felt two arms wrap around her. Right away she knew it was Oliver, though he said nothing. Anyone else would have asked her what happened to be found here of all places.
Feeling more relieved than embarrassed, she turned into him and hugged him back, burying her face in the crook of his neck. She settled down quickly, not wanting to add to his burden, but she couldn't deny herself this moment with him.
"Did you find out any more?" she finally asked, slightly pulling away from him.
Eyes cast down, Oliver nodded and spoke in a low voice. "We got the names of her parents."
"Who are they?"
"David and Margaret Bennett."
"Is the FBI tracing them now?"
He was quiet.
"Mr. Warbucks?"
"… Gone," he finally answered. "Both of them passed away in early 1923."
Grace's eyes filled with tears again.
His voice cracked. "How the hell am I going to tell her?"
Shaking her head, she said, "I have no idea."
"Will you be there when it comes time to?"
"Of course I will, sir."
Still holding onto her, he tightened his grip as he pressed his nose to her temple. "Will you do me another favor?"
"Anything," she breathed, not entirely sure if she was imagining things or not.
"Start calling me Oliver."
Forcing herself to pull back again so she could meet his eye, she questioned, "Do you mean it?"
With the slightest of smiles, he leaned in and kissed her. They parted seconds later; Grace's eyes closed in disbelief. When she did force herself to look at him, he was bringing his hand to her cheek, brushing away a couple of lingering tears away with his thumb.
"I never could have gotten through any of this without you," he said. "If you hadn't been suspicious of that man, we might have lost her for good."
She trembled at the thought.
"But it's not just things with Annie. I owe so much to you. You've stood by me all these years without complaint. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with."
A smile tugged at her lips. "You're not so bad."
He chuckled. "Still, it's high time I admit to you as well as myself that I see you as more than my secretary. And I've… been hoping for the past week that maybe there's a chance you might think of me as more than your employer?"
Grace responded with a shy but definitive nod. For as many times as she's hoped for and imagined this moment, she was at a loss for words.
Growing serious again, he said, "I care for you as much as I do for Annie. Maybe it's silly, but I thought when I was losing her that I might be losing you, too."
"Never, Oliver."
His heart swelled at the way she said his name.
"But I've been worrying the same, too," she added. "I've been worrying all night that you wouldn't want to take a chance with me after losing Annie."
"I'll admit the notion frightened me. You know I'm not one for relationships. But with you…" he trailed off for a minute, not sure of himself nor what he was trying to say. "Things are different. You're… Grace. I think… maybe we're good for each other."
She was the one to initiate the kiss this time, one that lingered deeper than the first. Before completely sinking into the embrace, she pulled back, looking longingly into his eyes to say, "I think so, too, Oliver."
