The Honeymoon

Meet The Farrells Chapter 3

Notes:

My original characters Rose, Catherine and Anna Farrell will be deeper explored throughout the course of this story.

Some chapters from Overcoming Obstacles are being tailored to fit this story. So I can keep this story interesting for readers I will also try my very best to come up with original content.

I own no characters from Annie.

The wedding was a day Grace would remember for many years to come. It was exactly who she pictured getting married but she had only wished her father had been her to walk her down the aisle and give her away to the man of her dreams Oliver Warbucks. Rose stayed around for an extra week while Oliver and Grace went on their honeymoon. Catherine and Anna had to return to Boston because they had work and school conflicts.

Grace bent down and kissed Molly and Annie softly on the head. "You girls be good for Grandma Rose. "

Annie nodded. "We will Mom."

"We love you ." Molly added

Grace didn't like the fact she was going to be gone from her two daughters for a full week. "I love you too my angels. We'll see you in a week."

Annie and Molly waved goodbye to their parents as their car pulled out of the drive way, Molly looked like she was about to cry.

Rose scooped up her youngest granddaughter. "Come now, no time for tears. Let's go inside and have some lunch."

Once they were inside Annie helped her grandmother make some sandwiches.

"That was such a fun wedding." Mom looked so pretty.. almost like an angel." Annie commented.

'She'll always be my little angel.' Rose thought to herself."

"Yes, Annie it was a beautiful wedding. I couldn't be happier for your mother. She always dreamed of a wedding exactly like that when she was little. I'm so happy her wish finally came true."

"What was Mommy like when she was little?" Molly asked.

"Oh she was very much like the two of you. Sweet, caring, energetic."

"Did always say she wanted to be a secretary?" Annie asked

"Actually her dream was to be a teacher. She was studying at Columbia to be a kindergarten teacher before your grandfather got sick."

Annie's jaw dropped. "Mom dropped out of school?"

"Well no, not exactly. Your grandfather got diagnosed with cancer in the fall of her junior year of college. She halfway there to getting her degree but then once he got sick she dropped everything to take care of him. I was working at the time so I needed all the help I could get from your mom and your aunts."

"But she never graduated?"

"She had to take a leave of absence to take care of your grandfather. Once he died she went back for a little while but found it was hard for her to focus. She decided to take the rest of the spring semester off and finish up her junior year credits in the summer and started some of her senior year credits early then she decided to look for a job and got hired by your father."

"But she still has credits to complete?"

"Only a few.. I think after the honeymoon she's planning to finish up her classes so she can get her diploma."

"What was Grandpa like?" Molly asked.

Rose's eyes grew misty. "Your grandfather was a wonderful man. He was tall, had dark brown hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes. He would have adored you two girls. I wish he'd lived to meet you."

"You must really miss him. I know Mom does. She always seems to be sad on Father's Day." Annie noted.

"Your mom, your aunts and I all miss your grandfather very much. He was the glue that held this family together. It has been a real struggle going on without him but we've been surviving."

"What do Aunt Cathy and Aunt Anna do for work?" Molly asked

"Your aunt Cathy lives in Brighton and works at the town recreation department as an activities director. She's engaged to be married and will be getting married next fall. Your aunt Anna is in college at BU studying Biology. She hopes to eventually go to medical school."

Meanwhile…..

Oliver had booked a lovely week away skiing in Lake Placid and exploring parts of New York he had not seen before. He was eventually hoping to retire and move out of Manhattan,,, this would not be for another two or three years.

Oliver noticed that Grace looked a little anxious about going skiing.

"I haven't been skiing since I was thirteen you know." She said

"Don't worry. I'm a good teacher. You will learn faster than you think you will."

A long afternoon of skiing tires both of them out.. they snuggle in bed their hotel room, order room service and watch a movie on TV.

Grace lays her head on Oliver's chest and he strokes her hair gently.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?".

Grace blushes.

"No need to be embarrassed or modest darling. It's the truth. You are the most beautiful woman in the world."

She gazes up at him lovingly.

"Did I ever tell you how happy Annie is that we're her parents? Molly is so happy to be part of our family too."

Oliver's grip tightened around her.

"I would have no doubt in my mind that she is darling. She was the one who brought out the best in us as parents in the first place. Was she not?"

Grace nods, gazing up into Oliver's eyes which were glistening with pride.

"She most certainly was. I am most grateful for that." She said.

Grace nuzzled deeper into Oliver's chest.

"I am too. I love you Grace."

Grace smiled as Oliver's lips softly grazed her forehead.

"I love you too Oliver. You and the girls mean everything to me." Grace sighed and a lone tear fell down her cheek.

"What's wrong gorgeous? It's our honeymoon, you should be happy."

"Oh I am happy. I just wish my Dad had been here today to walk me down the aisle. I will always cherish our wedding, no questions asked. I just wish my family had been complete. He would love you and the girls as much as my mother and sisters do."

Oliver took her chin and cupped in it his hands tracing the tracks of my tears with his fingers.

"Grace, you were unquestionably the most beautiful bride. Your father is definitely very proud of you. He was smiling down on you from heaven. You do realize this?"

Grace's eyes were filled with tears. "Do you really think so?" she whispered.

Oliver smiled and pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing the last of her tears away.

"Of course! He is your guardian angel from heaven and he's always watching over you no matter what."

Grace took comfort in her husband's embrace and fell asleep in his arms. Oliver shifted her over to her side of the bed tucked her in and gently kissed her forehead.

"Sleep well my darling. I love you so much." He whispered.

The week went by very quickly. Pretty soon it was Friday and Oliver and Grace were checking out of the hotel room and preparing to go back home.

"What a wonderful vacation. I think we should definitely take the girls. They will have such a good time." Grace was grinning from ear to ear

Oliver kissed the top of Grace's head softly. "I don't see why we couldn't all go as a family. Perhaps we can do that for Christmas this year or next year and invite your mother and sisters to come."

Grace smiled. "That's a lovely idea!"

When they arrived home Annie barreled down the front steps and into Grace's arms

"Mom! Daddy! We missed you so much!"

Grace ruffled Annie's hair. "We missed you girls too. Were you good for your grandmother?"

Annie nodded. "Will you take us skiing sometime?"

Oliver grinned. " Funny you should ask. We were talking about that as we were checking out of the hotel this morning.. Perhaps we can all go on a family ski vacation for the Christmas holiday . How does that sound?"

Annie smiled at her parents broadly. "That sure sounds swell."

Molly and Rose met them in the entry way.

"Welcome home!" Rose embraced her daughter and then embraced Oliver.

"Did the there of you have a lovely week?" Oliver asked.

Molly nodded. "We sure did Daddy! I really missed you and Mommy though."

Oliver kissed Molly on the head. "We missed you two very much as well. We brought you back some presents from our trip,"

"Yippee!" Molly squealed.

"Come along, Helen Pugh has made the two of you a lovely welcome home lunch." Rose said.

"Good. We're famished from our trip." Oliver said.

Annie chattered on and on about what they had done the previous week.

"We had such a good time. We went to the zoo, went to the movies and did a whole bunch of other fun things. Grandma also told us about what Grandpa was like."

. "He was so special to me." Grace whispered getting choked up at the mention of her father.

Rose patted the back of her daughter's hand. " I was telling the girls how much all of us really miss your father but how he was smiling down on you the day of your wedding. You were gorgeous my beautiful angel."

Grace kissed her mother's check softly. "I love you so much Mama."

"I love you too Gracie Liz."