Hey, hope everyone's doing ok!

Here's a little update I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for your ongoing support, it means a lot!

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

"Aunt Kim is coming over! Aunt Kim is coming over!" Gracie had managed to turn those words into a song and had been singing and dancing around her house the whole morning, making Anne totally regret telling her that Kim was going to join them for dinner with a full day of anticipation.

"I'm really glad you're happy, princess, but remember to be nice and easy with her, we don't want to smother her."

"I will be in my very best behavior." Gracie said proudly making her mother smile.

"I know you will."

Both women had agreed to get together at Anne's house, knowing full on that Gracie was going to be high on life the whole day. And since Kit was out working, they had the whole place to make a girl's lunch.

"Is Uncle Adam coming too?"

"No, he's working." The disappointed look in her face made Anne want to laugh, but she knew better than to do that. "But, he will pick you up after work so you two can have a sleepover."

"Really?" Her eyes were glowing now.

"Yes really. However, I will let your uncle know that you're not allowed to stay past your bedtime because you are not getting away from going to school tomorrow. It's already a lot that you stayed home today."

"Well, but today is a special day."

"It is." Anne nodded as she gently scratched the top of her daughter's head. "Now, come and help me get the food ready. You know what your Aunt Kim likes more than I do."

It wasn't at all difficult for Anne and Kit to acknowledge the fact that Kim truly was Gracie's aunt and not only because of her relationship with Adam, but because of the strong and caring bond their daughter shared with the brunette.

"She likes Uncle Adam. We should have him over too." She closed her little eyes in an all knowing look that had Anne biting her lower lip and shaking her head.

"You're not getting away with this, miss. You have to be patient."

"Fine." She said, not in the greatest mood until her mom took her to the kitchen and they started to fix some lunch.

They both decided to make chicken and veggies wraps, since Gracie remember having them at Kim's place and her aunt saying something about that being one of her favorite foods.

After almost two hours the doorbell finally rang making Grace run towards her mom.

"She's here! Can I please get the door, mom?"

"Yes, just make sure you ask who it is and check out the window just to make sure." She hadn't finish giving her daughter the instructions when the little girl was already halfway there. Gracie knew the procedures by heart and her excitement wasn't allowing her to be patient enough to listen to her mom.

"Who is it?" The sweet and chirpy voice warmed up Kim's heart.

"It's Kim." She knew for a fact that the whole family refered to her as Aunt Kim, but sometimes she felt a little shy to use the title herself. All that shyness vanished when the door opened and the most beautiful and cheerful smile welcomed her.

"Aunt Kim!" Gracie ran over to hug her, getting a one arm hug back, since then brunette was carrying a tray on her other hand.

"How are you bear?"

"I'm great! How are you?"

"Very good. Thank you for asking." Kim smiled to her insides seeing how enchanting this little one was.

"Is that what I think it is?" Gracie asked looking up at the tray.

"If you think it's cheesecake, then yes!"

"Mom! Aunt Kim brought cheesecake!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Let's go." The six year old took Kim's free hand and walked her to the inside of her house where Anne was waiting for them.

"Kim, hi!" Anne approached her and received Kim with a hug. "Here let me help you with that." She took the tray out of her hands and placed it on the kitchen counter. "Thank you so much; although you're our guest, you didn't have to bring anything."

"I don't like showing up empty handed. Besides, with all the free time I'm having lately, I was thankful to have something to keep me busy."

"Grace talks about your cheesecake all the time. You're going to have to share that recipe with me."

"Of course!"

They chit chatted for as long as Gracie allowed them to. The little girl wanted to spend time with her aunt and she had no problems showing that. It made Kim happy to see her like that. As her memories started to come back, different images of Grace had popped up in her head. The sad moments when she was struggling with her parents absence and when Adam had to go away had dimmed her down. Seeing her shine and bounce all over the place just showed how happy she was.

They had already eaten lunch and currently Gracie was showing her aunt around her house and just didn't stop talking, which made Kim smiled. Anne and Grace agreed that she could show Kim the new drawings she had made while she got dessert ready.

"This one is for you." She handed Kim the piece of paper that featured both of them in what seemed like a beautiful garden.

"I love it. I think it's going to si straight to my fridge." Gracie smiled and went on about how she made that picture in school when they were allowed to do free drawing.

"My mom told me that today was the only day I could stay at home, but I wish I could stay tomorrow too."

"What are you talking about? You love going to school."

"Not any more. The new teacher is boring."

"I'm sure is not that bad, bear."

"She's not you."

"Come here." Kim beckoned her to come and sit on her lap. "It's probably super hard for your new teacher to be there. She didn't get to meet you from the beginning and see how much you all learned and grew. I'm sure she's doing her very very best and maybe if you guys help her and give her a chance you can all have the most fun last days of first grade before you all become second graders."

Gracie didn't seem too convinced by her aunt's words. "Why don't you help me with that and give your teacher a chance?"

"Ok. I'll go in a good mood tomorrow."

"That's my girl!" Kim kissed her little chubby cheek before she kept speaking. "Plus, I think your Uncle Adam is driving you to school tomorrow. How fun is that?"

"Very! Uncle Adam is the best."

"He is."

"Girls, stop gushing about Adam and let's go have dessert." Anne said as she came closer to Gracie's door, causing a light blush on Kim's cheeks, while the little girl stood up and grab her aunt's hand to go downstairs. She took every chance she could to hold her hand or hugged her. Those months without any contact had really struck on her and in her own cute, six year old way she was trying to make up for the time that she lost with her aunt and teacher.

After having cheesecake, Gracie managing to eat two slices, Anne asked her to go brush her teeth and find what she wanted to take to Adam's place, giving both adults some time alone.

"I'm sorry about Gracie. We talk to her and tell her that she needs to go easy but sometimes it's hard for her to manage her excitement."

"Don't worry about it, Anne. She's six and she's doing great. She went though a lot of stuff in such a short period of time. Besides, being around her is always good. She's such a sweet and special kid and very important to me."

"You are important for her too. You and Adam, gosh, she loves you both so much."

"We love her too."

"I know. Adam's bond with her is so incredibly special since she was a tiny little baby." Kim smiled at the thought of that. "I'll ask Gracie to bring her baby album, she'll love to show you those."

"And I would love to see those."

"Your heart will melt, that's for sure." They both smiled and Anne got up to get two cups of coffee. "Adam told us about the family dinner you're planning on hosting. We're really looking forward to it."

"Yeah me too. We thought it was going to happen at some point, why not now?" Anne smiled and stayed quiet for a second.

"I'm glad that's the way you feel about it."

"Why? Do you think it's too soon?" Kim was beginning to freak out.

"No. Not at all. Why would I think that?"

"I don't know. I mean, Adam and I haven't been dating for a lifetime or anything remotely close."

"Kim, what's time anyway?" Anne went back to the table to join the brunette. "Do you really want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"I think relationships are not measured in time, but in intensity. How intense the feelings are and how intense the situations you have to put up with are. You guys had to go through so many tough tests in your relationship already and you managed to jump through everyone of those hurdles successfully. I don't know you a lot Kim, but I can see the look on your face when you talk about him or when you're next to him, you glow."

Kim smiled and looked down a bit embarrassed to know how obvious she was when she was around him.

"I definitely know him, though. He truly is like a brother to me, and believe me when I tell you that I never saw him like this. That man would literally walk through a brick wall for you. He was so lost when you had the accident and yet so careful to make sure that you were ok, that everything was being done exactly the way the doctors would recommend. The bottom line here is that I see true love when I look at you both." She took a sip of her coffee. "So, no. I don't think it's too soon. I think you both deserve to be happy."

"Thanks for that."

"You don't need to thank me at all." Anne grabbed Kim's hand over the table. "I'm so glad you're part of our family Kim. I really am."

"I'm glad to be part of it too." Kim replied smiling.

"Now let's go find Grace. I want her to show you those baby pictures while I get her bag ready for the sleepover. She's capable of taking all her books to Adam's place if I don't put an eye on it."

"Speaking of books, I have a little something for her."

"Aw, Kim, you don't need to bring her anything. You being here is more than enough."

"It's really nothing, but I think she'll like it."

"Come on, let's go find her then."

The both walked up to Gracie's room and Anne was beginning to get a bit suspicious of the loud silence coming from upstairs. "Did you decide what to take to your uncle's?"

"Yes!" Her proud voice now echoed in the room. "This."

"Ok. Don't you think he knows Encanto and Moana by heart now?" Her mom inquired.

"He said he liked them."

"Grace, I have something for you to take if you want." Kim finally intervened.

"What?"

"The other day I was tidying up my apartment and I found this." She took a story book about of her bag. It was Gracie's favorite one, she had taken it to school once to read to the kids and Grace had loved it, she kept talking about the book for days.

The little girl gasped taking both her hands to her open mouth.

"My favorite book."

"Yup. Maybe you can ask your uncle Adam to read it to you before going to bed. I don't think he knows this one." Kim added as she handed the book to Gracie, who was quick to hug it to her chest.

"Why don't you join our sleep over and you read it to us both?" The girl asked innocently with big green eyes and the sweetest smile. Although the look on her face was adorable, that didn't stop her mom from giving her a warning.

"Grace, we have talked about this, remember?"

"Yes mommy, but I'm just inviting her." She said raising her little hands with the palms facing the ceiling.

"It's ok Anne." Kim said softly before directing her sight to her niece. "Listen bear, I still don't know if I'm staying over or not. However, I am having dinner with you guys." Gracie nodded but the sparkle in her eyes diminished a bit. "You do know that the fact that sometimes I need a little more time to adjust has nothing to do with how important you are, right?"

"Mm hmm."

"Ok. Can I have a hug?"

"Yes." She almost ran to her aunt's arms, making her soft curls bounce all over the place. "I love you Aunt Kim."

"I love you too sweetie."

Anne was in awe of the scene before her. She was amazed by their bond, and she was grateful that her daughter had so many people who cared about her and loved her deeply. She was convinced that pure hearts found their way to each other, and that was exactly what was going right now.