Today we are grateful - for the people in our lives, for the choices we have made, for what has happened to us in our lives.
Oh, and it's also Kim's birthday.
To be grateful
That morning, when the ringing of his phone awakened Hank from his sleep, he immediately reached for it and turned it off. He didn't want to wake Kim. Not today. Well, not on a special day like today. And not when he was going to surprise her with breakfast in bed. Oh, and with something else, too. Later. Much later.
At the bedroom door, he paused once more and looked at his sleeping girlfriend. Before long, their whole lives would change. With the birth of baby Voight. With what lay ahead of them. Today. As well as all the days that were yet to come. His mind was focused on what was going to happen today. Well, about later. The things he had planned for today. You know, the big secret he'd been carrying around for a while.
But first, they would join his team and those of the 51 at Molly's for a little celebration. Now, they wanted to celebrate the good things that were going on in their lives. To Hank, the good thing in his life was Kim. And baby Voight.
"Good morning," Kim's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Good morning."
"Come back to bed," Kim requested, flipping the covers aside a bit so that all Hank really had to do was to slip underneath.
Hank hesitated only briefly before going to the small dresser in the corner and pulling out a box. Then he went back to the bed and sat on the edge of it.
"Happy birthday my darling," he said, holding the box out to Kim.
Surprised and touched at the same time, Kim looked at him. She didn't think he would remember her birthday. Kim had never cared about her own birthday, so far she had only bad memories of that day. Her own birthday. However, that Hank had remembered it - Kim struggled against the tears that gathered in her eyes.
"Oh Kim," Hank murmured, pulling her into his arms. He hadn't meant to make her cry. After all, Hank had no idea how much this little gift meant to Kim. How much it meant to her that he had remembered her birthday. Last year, she had mentioned it in passing. Her birthday. In the morning they had woken up together and Kim on the drive to the precinct had mentioned that she would be glad when the day was over. When her birthday was over. Hank could still remember the sound of her voice when she had said it - I am glad when this day is over, my birthday. It's nothing worth celebrating.
And Hank would change that. He would give her a reason to love her birthday. To celebrate it. Together with him.
"I. . . Thank you. Never, so," but Kim failed to say how she felt at that moment. But Hank understood her even so. The words left unsaid. And then Kim broke away from him and reached for the box that had fallen carelessly on the comforter. She was curious what was inside. Carefully she opened it.
"A charm bracelet," surprised, she looked at Hank.
"A police charm representing our job. Two intertwined hearts, for our love. A K for Kim. And the H stands for me," he recited the meaning of the four charms, "And when our baby is here, we'll add another charm to the bracelet. And on any other special occasion in our lives."
Hank took the bracelet out of the box and placed it around her wrist. Then he lifted her hand and blew a kiss on her wrist, just below the bracelet. And then another. And another.
After enjoying the morning in bed together, the two of them headed to Molly's for the afternoon. Everything was already set up there for their little Thanksgiving celebration.
"Where do you want me to put the cookies?" asked Hank as he approached Christopher Herrmann.
"Cookies?"
"Kim's homemade chocolate chip cookies," Hank agreed.
"Made from a secret recipe of my grandmother's," Kim added, "Grandma Shepherd's famous cookies."
After Hank placed the bowl of cookies on the counter, Kim and he mingled with the guests who were present.
"Well, it's about time. When's your due date?" inquired Trudy, pointing to Kim's belly.
" December 8th. But for all I care, it can be tomorrow," Kim replied, " I mean, Hank can't hardly wait. Last night, he was talking to my belly. He told the baby he can't wait to finally hold him."
"Him?"
"Or her. We want it to be a surprise."
"Trudy is a beautiful first name for a girl," Trudy then commented.
"I'd like to name her after my grandma. Grace."
Surprised, Hank looked at her. Over the past few weeks, he kept learning little things about Kim's past. But he didn't have much time to think about it further, because it was Wallace Boden who spoke up, drawing the attention of those present at the Molly.
"Thank you all for coming. Our little Thanksgiving celebration has been a long-standing tradition. We started with a small meal at the station. Turkey sandwiches and coleslaw. But over the years, our family has grown and grown. And so here we are today, at Molly's. As a big family. Standing here, grateful for the people we get to share this moment with."
Hank was only half listening. His attention was on the woman that he loved. He was standing directly behind Kim and had his arms around her. Both of their intertwined hands rested on Kim's stomach.
Sometimes he just couldn't believe his luck.
"And now let's raise a glass. To all the things we're grateful for. To the people and moments. All the things we're grateful for," Wallace Boden finished his little toast and raised his glass, "To all the things we're grateful for."
"To all that we are grateful for," echoed those in attendance.
"And I am grateful for you. That you love me. Oh, and for all the moments we've shared so far. And for the laughter you've brought back into my life. The happiness. You are like a ray of sunshine," Hank whispered in Kim's ear.
"Hank, I'm just-"
"You are the person who makes me happy," he whispered.
Kim didn't get to say anything in response, however, because Kevin and Alvin came up to the two of them.
"Sarge, Kim, how's Lil'Kim?" inquired Kevin, pointing to Kim's belly.
"The baby is kicking right now. Do you like to feel?" asked Kim, at the same time reaching for Kevin's hand, which she placed on her belly.
"Wow, Little Burgess is really active."
"Voight," she corrected Kevin.
Kim didn't catch Alvin and Hank exchanging a look at that moment. A meaningful look.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with laughter, good food, conversation. Kim and Hank enjoyed the company of the people who had all become a part of their family to them. Sometimes a family wasn't made up of the people you were related to by blood, but people who were part of your life by choice. Like Kevin, Alvin, Jay, Hailey, Adam, Trudy and all the others that were in the room. That was their family.
And then Hank suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He took just a quick glance at it.
"Let's go home. I'm kind of tired," he said to Kim.
Surprised, Kim looked at him. But then she nodded. Kim noticed that Hank seemed kind of nervous.
All afternoon, she had kept noticing him looking at his phone. He had probably been waiting for Olive to call. Kim knew he missed his daughter-in-law and grandson Daniel. The last connection to the family Hank had lost.
And Kim was now going to give him a new family.
The car ride passed in relative silence. Kim, too, was noticing fatigue. And the next few days promised to be exhausting as well. Kim was therefore looking forward to her bed. Perhaps, however, before that she could cuddle a little with Hank on the couch. To enjoy being together.
Quite a gentleman, he held the passenger door open for her.
"Thanks."
Together, the two walked to the front door.
"Hank, I-", Kim began.
"Let's go inside first," he said, opening the front door, "After you."
As Kim entered the house, she noticed something was different. She saw a light. A light that came from the living room.
"Hank?" she looked at Hank questioningly. He nodded at her and gestured her to go on.
Kim walked in the direction from which the light came. Once there, she couldn't believe her eyes. There were candles burning in the room. Everywhere. And then there was a bouquet of flowers, roses. Surely Hank wouldn't . . . But when she turned to him, she saw the answer to her unspoken question in his eyes. He was going to ask her. He would ask her.
"Yes," she whispered, "yes."
"I have to ask you first," he said, and Kim could clearly hear the laughter, but at the same time the nervousness in his voice.
Kim nodded. She waited for him to continue speaking. For him to say the words. The words he was going to use to ask her to be his wife.
"My darling, My sunshine, Kim, we've known each other for several years. I remember the very first time you stood in front of me. In your uniform. You were so eager. You wanted to prove to me that you deserved to wear that badge. Deserve to be a cop. You charmed me even then. With your smile. In those first minutes, I knew you were special. But back then, I didn't want to admit the affection I felt for you. However, the feelings were stronger. I couldn't suppress them anymore. All that I feel for you. And today I am glad about it. That I let it happen. That we both allowed it. To love each other. And this feeling, this us, I want to experience it for the rest of my life. Kimberly Burgess, will you make me the happiest man in Chicago? Will you marry me?"
Tears gathered in Kim's eyes at his words. Those wonderful words.
"Yes," she repeated her answer, and then Hank slipped the ring on her finger.