Hi friends! I'm back with another Annie story. This one has a similar premise to my other story "Annie 2.5" in which it directly follows the end of the Annie stage show. There are some quite significant differences in this story to that one though and I do anticipate this story being significantly shorter in length than Annie 2.5.
Warning - this story will primarily be a fluff-fest of Grace/Oliver cuteness and family bonding with Annie!
I've chosen to be incredible original with this one and am calling it...Annie 3.0. (I know - how DO I come up with this stuff?!)
I hope you enjoy the story.
Peace and love,
Renee.
...
It had been an emotionally draining week to say the least.
A wonderful little girl had swooped into Oliver Warbucks' life at the beginning of it and claimed his heart. That in itself was remarkable. Before meeting Annie, Oliver would have told you that a terrific eleven year old was an oxymoron. He never thought he'd get used to a child - let alone a girl! But now, here he was absolutely besotted and unprepared to ever let her go out of his life again.
The budding relationship had not come without its challenges however. Annie had been happy to meet him of course and excited to spend time at his magnificent home, but the girl had initially been reluctant to stay with him forever as she believed with great conviction that her own parents were coming for her one day.
It had been a devastating blow for Oliver after he'd already decided to adopt her. With some self-reflection he realized that this was why he never let people get close to him. Ironically, the trying situation brought him and the one other person he was quite attached to, closer than ever before.
Grace was equally as fond of Annie as Oliver was. The two of them were united in their sadness over letting her go. They were also both determined to do everything they could to give her the life she wished for herself.
And so they got to work trying to find her real parents. At first, they thought it was hopeless as couple upon couple swarmed the mansion's grounds. Then, the situation became even more complicated with the arrival of "The Mudges''.
They'd become resigned to the fact that she wanted her birth parents, then as they had no success in finding them, they'd become resigned to the fact that they would have to see the pain in the child's face when they told her that her parents were not coming for her. When the Mudges arrived, everyone felt fragile and incredibly wary - not least, Annie herself.
Late into the night before Christmas, Grace and Oliver had worked to find the truth about the people claiming to be Annie's Mother and Father, and they soon discovered why there had been such an uneasy feeling about them. They were relieved in a way, and devastated in another, for they knew they would have to disappoint the girl once again. Their own happiness about keeping Annie with them was sidelined by the revelation that her real parents were dead.
Boss and secretary sat in solemn silence in his office after Oliver had ended the phone call with J. Edgar Hoover.
"I wish there was something more I could do, Sir", Grace sniffed.
"Grace, please…call me Oliver. And I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you've already tried to do for us this past week. For me and for Annie, and every member of the household, and how sorry I am that things haven't worked out the way that any of us would have hoped."
"I'm sorry too, Oliver."
As difficult as that night had been, they had come through it together and Annie, ever so strong and admirable, was able to remain optimistic about the whole situation. When Oliver told her he loved her and she responded in kind, everyone in the room felt their hearts soar - none more so than Grace.
But the tables were turned yet again when the United Mothers of America showed up out of nowhere - on Christmas day, no less, to inform Oliver that he must find a wife if he wanted to keep Annie as his daughter.
Surely these women had families of their own who were waiting for them at home. Spitefully, Oliver mused to himself that if he were their child he probably wouldn't have invited them for Christmas either!
In any case, they certainly didn't have the right to be here badgering him about his relationship with his new daughter and the conditions surrounding it.
"Who exactly is enforcing this?" He fumed. "I think I'll call the president. He was just here, you know…" his threatening tone was quieted by a warm hand at his elbow.
"Darling, it's alright. I think it's time we told everyone anyway."
Oliver looked at his secretary with an expression of sheer confusion.
Grave took a deep breath before saying, "Mr. Warbucks and I have been seeing each other in a romantic capacity for several months now. He and I intend to be married imminently."
Oliver's face was a picture as he processed her words and looked around at the representatives of The United Mothers of America and all of his staff. They were all staring back at the two of them with surprised looks on their faces, waiting expectantly for Oliver to confirm or deny Grace's unexpected claims.
"Well, we'll see about this", Mrs. Christmas' surly tone cut through the silence. "You'd both better believe that we'll be keeping an eye on the two of you and we will be back to conduct interviews to substantiate the validity of your…relationship", Mrs. Christmas sneered disapprovingly.
Grace gave the woman a cold stare before smiling. "Then we look forward to your next visit. Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving us to enjoy our first Christmas with our new daughter…"
Mrs. Christmas looked infuriated but answered cordially, "Just as long as the child has a family which is stable and content then we can leave you with satisfactory assurance."
"We're very content, thank you", Grace answered icily, tightening her grip on Oliver's arm.
"Mr. Warbucks?" Mrs. Christmas pushed Oliver who took a glance at the woman next to him. She stared back into his eyes, trying to communicate silently with him, pleading with him to go along with her spontaneous plan.
"Very content", he murmured uncertainly.
Mrs. Christmas glared at both of them scrutinizingly for a moment before saying, "Well then, we shall see you at the wedding."
Oliver paled - the wedding. He was getting married.
He and Grace were getting married. Somehow, that thought wasn't quite so daunting.
"You're really gonna get married?" Annie piped up excitedly as Drake showed their unwelcome guests to the door.
"So it would seem", Oliver responded, still looking quite flummoxed.
"So you're going to be my new Mommy?" Annie asked Grace, even more excitedly.
Grace smiled and knelt down in front of the girl. "If that's alright with you."
"It's more than alright with me!" Annie quickly hugged Grace and Grace felt a surge of warmth flood her heart.
She stood up again after a few moments of holding the child and turned to Oliver. "I think we'd better talk."
He gave her a pointed look. "Yes, I'd say so."
She pursed her lips, hoping she wasn't in too much trouble as she walked with him to his office.
Oliver immediately went to his desk and pulled out his decanter, pouring himself a large brandy. He swallowed it down and then leaned against his desk, sighing. "What in God's name were you thinking, Grace?"
Grace bowed her head. "I wasn't thinking of anything really, only about how unbearable it would be to have Annie taken away from us again. To see the two of you be separated."
Oliver stared at her for a moment before pouring himself another double. He tipped it back before addressing her again. "You realize what you've done now, don't you? What you've set yourself up for? Well, both of us, really."
Truthfully, she hadn't thought, she'd simply reacted on instinct, but now Grace had time to consider things, she began to realize how much this would affect. How it was going to alter all of their lives.
"Are you angry with me?" She asked him timidly.
"I…no", he sighed, shaking his head. "As a matter of fact, I'm incredibly grateful."
Grace's heart lifted at that.
"But I do wish I'd had some time to get used to the idea, that's all."
"I'm sorry, I…I panicked!" Grace's face reddened, she was starting to feel incredibly embarrassed about her impulsive action.
Oliver stared at her with eyes of sympathy. "Look, I can call them back and tell them it was all a misunderstanding. You don't have to go through with this, Grace."
"Oh, and what will people think of me, then? That I'm unbalanced? Unhinged? Is that the reputation you want for the secretary of your company? Besides, how could you have time to find a suitable wife within thirty days? It's impossible."
"You told them we'd been romantically involved for several months. How do you think that makes me look at your boss?"
Grace buried her head in her hands with a groan. "I didn't think about that, I'm sorry."
Oliver stared at her contemplatively for several moments until Grace sighed. "Look, you have to marry someone. Do you mind terribly if that person is me?"
Oliver's expression turned to one of part amusement and part warmth. "No Grace. If I have to marry anyone, I'm really rather glad it'll be you."
His statement gave Grace the confidence to be bold enough to say, "Good. Because truthfully, watching you marry someone else would have been very difficult for me."
Oliver blinked, there were a million thoughts swirling in his head, but all he could say at the time was, "Well then, I guess we have a wedding to plan."
They locked eyes and Grace inexplicably found hers welling up with tears.
A knock on the office door shifted their attention. Drake walked in, looking a little cautious. "Pardon the interruption. I wanted to extend my congratulations to both of you and to ask if there is anything you would like me to do in terms of organizing the happy occasion of your nuptials?"
Oliver and Grace shared a look of apprehension before Grace responded to Drake. "Thank you, Drake. I shall come and find you soon and we'll discuss what needs to be done."
"Very good, Miss", the butler bowed dutifully before turning and leaving the room.
Once Drake had left the room, Oliver turned to Grace with his eyebrows raised. "Will you…need my help with any of the planning?"
Grace gave him a wry smile. "You sign the checks, I'll do the rest."
Seeing the humor in her statement, as well as in the bizarre situation they had put themselves in, Oliver couldn't help but laugh.
"Do you think Judge Brandeis will be able to come back tomorrow to oversee Annie's adoption?" She asked him.
"Why don't we hold off until after we're married, that way she can be officially adopted by both of us?" His suggestion made Grace smile. "Yes, good thinking. I suppose we'd better try and get this wedding organized as quickly as possible in that case."
With some difficulty, not wanting her to feel too rushed or under pressure, Oliver said, "That would be preferable."
Grace nodded her head and went for the door to go and find Drake and get arrangements underway. There was a lot to be done in a short amount of time.
"Grace", Oliver's voice stopped her in step. She turned to look at him and was taken aback by the sincerity of his expression. "Thank you."
She gave him a dainty smile and simply replied, "You're welcome."
…
Grace and Drake spent some time going over what would need to be arranged for the wedding, including a venue and a guest list of some of New York's most affluent people.
"The engagement will have to be announced officially of course", Drake supplied and Grace stilled for a moment. Putting it in the papers would make it all so real. Her heart raced with adrenaline at the thought. "Indeed. I'll call The Times and The Post later to notify them."
Once the majority of arrangements had been made, Grace thanked Drake for his help and went to meet with Oliver and Annie to continue celebrating what had so far been an extraordinarily eventful Christmas day.
"Hello", Grace smiled as she spotted her soon-to-be husband and daughter sitting together in the reception.
"Mommy!" Annie jumped up from her seat excitedly and ran over to hug Grace who huffed from the force of the girl's embrace.
Annie looked up at Grace in alarm. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you Mom?"
Grace drew in a shuddering breath. Hearing herself being called Mom was something she had yet to get used to. "No dear, I'm fine."
Sensing her inner struggle, the intuitive child asked insecurely, "Is it alright if I call you Mom? I know you're not really my Mom yet, like it's not official or anything. It's just, I've never had anyone to say it to and I just…"
"Annie", Grace took her by the shoulders. "Of course it's alright. Just because I'm still getting used to it, it doesn't mean I don't love hearing it. I really do", she promised the tearful girl.
She looked over at Oliver who gave her a grateful smile of his own. Ever since Annie had come to stay with them, it had almost always been Grace who had the right words to say to calm her and make her feel safe. Words of wisdom or of comfort and reassurance. He was so thankful she was there to guide him. Mind you, he mused to himself, without Grace there would be no Annie in the first place.
Grace's words seemed to have appeased Annie as she became a lot more cheerful after that, especially when Grace told her they'd be going out the following day to go dress shopping for the wedding.
The girl was beside herself with excitement. She'd already received so many beautiful new dresses but she knew the dress she would wear to her new adoptive parents' wedding was going to be extra special.
Grace and Oliver watched happily as Annie played with the new toys she'd gotten for Christmas. Sandy remained faithfully by her side, the dog wagging his tail excitedly at his mistress's joy.
Grace had grown up with pets and she loved all the attention she received from the friendly pooch as he placed his paws on her knee and nuzzled her elbow with his nose.
Oliver wasn't quite so sure about "the mutt" as he called him. He was wary of dogs after being frightened by some vicious strays when he was a boy, but even he too was won over by Sandy's sweet temperament and by the end of the afternoon, he'd asked Drake to bring him a tennis ball so he could play fetch with him.
Throwing the ball continuously to the energetic dog worked up quite an appetite and after about an hour, Oliver proclaimed he was hungry.
Grace stood quickly. "I'll go and ask Mrs. Pugh to rustle something up."
"Christmas ham and potato sandwiches", Oliver grinned at Annie.
"Mmm", Annie's eyes lit up. The thought made her salivate.
Mrs. Pugh prepared them all some dinner of Christmas lunch leftovers which even Sandy was allowed to partake in.
After dinner, Oliver and Grace returned to the office to work but invited Annie to come and sit with them.
Grace sat on the couch, taking notes while Oliver spoke. Annie lay with her head in Grace's lap, soothed by the sound of their voices.
"Supplies from Delaware are expected to arrive this coming-"
"This is the best Christmas I've ever had", Annie yawned sleepily.
Oliver paused mid-sentence and Grace stopped writing. They both stared at the girl, their hearts both glowing and aching.
Despite the fact that she'd learned that day of her real parents' demise and that the dream she'd long held of seeing them again was gone, her positivity and gratitude for what she had still shone through.
Grace sniffed, lowering her face to kiss the now sleeping child on her forehead. She was so glad she would soon be her Mother. How blessed they were to have her as their daughter.
She jumped in surprise as she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Oliver gazing down at Annie with his arms outstretched. Not wanting to wake her, Grace silently nodded and helped him to pick her up. She walked quietly beside him as he carried their soon-to-be-daughter up to bed.
It was an incredible thought, Grace considered to herself. She and Mr. Warbucks - Oliver - were going to be parents together. They were going to be husband and wife.
Most would have called them crazy. Grace herself knew it was an impetuous decision, and yet she felt it wasn't totally out of the blue.
She was rather fond of the man who'd been her boss for many years and if she was going to marry anyone, he was the one who made the most sense to her. There was no man, no person in fact, that she felt closer to. She was still quite astonished that he had agreed to marry her though.
As she watched Oliver lay Annie down on her bed and tuck her in with a gentle kiss to her cheek, her heart swelled. She really was incredibly proud and impressed with him for the changes he'd made already, after just one week. Adapting his incredibly busy life to make room for a child. But of course, she'd always had faith in him.
Wanting to see how he would respond but hoping she wasn't pushing their boundaries too far, Grace leaned over to the side to rest her head on his shoulder as they both stood there staring at Annie as she slept. To her delight, he brought his arm up around her waist to hold her, both of them connected and basking in the peaceful moment together.
"We should probably leave her to sleep, shouldn't we?" He asked, which she found incredibly sweet and endearing.
"Mm, probably", she agreed, yet neither of them moved for several moments until Grace laughed softly through her nose and lifted her head from his shoulder, reaching behind herself to take his hand from her waist and clasp it with her own. "Come on", she encouraged him and they both pulled their eyes away from Annie and quietly left the room.
They were still hand in hand as they walked down the corridor and met up with Cecile and Annette who were on their way to their rooms.
The two young maids looked at their boss and his fiance and couldn't help their gleeful smiles.
"Oh Mr. Warbucks, Miss Grace, we are just so happy for you", Annette cooed.
"Yes", Cecile agreed with a wide beam. "We always thought the two of you must have been in love. There's always been a little spark between you. I noticed it the very first day I started working here."
Oliver would have laughed if he wasn't in such a state of stunned silence. Instead, he and Grace looked at the two young ladies, then at each other with their eyebrows raised and a tinge of pink on their cheeks. It was only then that they realized they were still holding hands which made them blush even more.
"Thank you girls, we appreciate your kind sentiments", Mr. Warbucks finally said and both ladies curtseyed before shuffling away, giggling and muttering between themselves.
Once they were out of earshot, Oliver turned to Grace with wide eyes and muttered, "Well, that was interesting."
Grace, still red in the face, shook her head with a smile. "They're young romantics, clearly with an idealistic view of things."
Oliver snorted. "There isn't much that's idealistic about our particular marriage, is there?"
Grace tried not to be hurt by his words, knowing that he was probably speaking for her as well. "Oh I don't know. It could be worse", she shrugged.
"Are we doing the right thing?" He asked her unsurely. "Not just for Annie, but for us?"
His question surprised Grace but she answered honestly - though she withheld the whole truth.
"Annie has dreamed of having a mother and father her entire life. I want to give her that", she sighed.
Oliver considered her with kind and patient eyes - she was unsure when he'd started looking at her like that but it had been more and more noticeable since Annie's arrival.
"And you're prepared to put your own life aside in order to do so?"
Grace contemplated his words seriously before answering him with complete earnestness. "If we had never met Annie, my life still would have been here…with you."
Oliver was slightly taken aback. He was sure she meant as his employee, but he couldn't help but see a deeper meaning to her words.
He smiled tightly. "And are you sure you're willing to be tied to me for the rest of your life? I don't know how much thought you've ever given to it, but I'm sure I don't exactly qualify as your ideal husband."
Grace had to laugh. "Again; I could do worse", she told him pointedly and his smile relaxed.
He knew he did in fact have a lot to offer as a husband, even if Grace wasn't interested in him romantically - though there was that statement she'd made earlier about it being difficult for her to see him marry another woman - he still didn't know exactly what that meant. At least they knew each other well enough. Even though she worked for him, Oliver had come to consider Grace as his friend, and the two of them had only become closer since Annie's arrival.
"I'm happy, Oliver", she said softly, trying to reassure him. He took her hand in his own. "Then I am too."
She squeezed his fingers gently. "It's been a long day. Try and get some sleep."
He nodded. "You too." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "Goodnight Grace."
Her heart hammered a little in response to the intimate gesture. She supposed that if they were going to portray being happily married, these kinds of gestures would be something she would have to get used to.
"Goodnight", she murmured softly as she opened the door to her room and stepped inside.
She released a long breath as she leaned against the wooden frame. She had just done one of the bravest things in her whole life and yet she felt like quite the coward.
Now that she was alone, she could at least admit to herself - itwasquite a drastic and elaborate course of action to take in order to show the man just how much she cared for him.