Grace wasn't normally one to complain but they had been working for hours non-stop, phone call after phone call coming in for new orders, updates on shipments, stock market figures. Grace had frankly, had enough.

She'd popped out of the room for a short while and when she returned, she was disheartened to find Oliver still yelling instructions down the telephone receiver.

"Six thousand new orders for titanium rivets from our Colorado factory", he said jovially as he ended the phone call and began writing it down.

"That's grand", she replied with a plastered-on smile.

"Yes, they'll be used on the new Boulder Creek Dam - we're getting Americans where they need to go, isn't that a good feeling, Grace?"

Her face softened at his enthusiasm. "Yes, it certainly is."

As he went to pick up another order form, Grace stepped up to the desk, addressing him quickly, hoping to pull him away from work.

"I don't mean to rush you or sound pushy, but how close are we to wrapping up for the night?"

Oliver blinked at her and then glanced at his watch. "Ah, I apologize, I know it's late. There's quite a backlog of orders here to process is all."

"It's New Year's Eve", she reminded him gently, yet pointedly.

"I know, and would you believe that productivity is at an all-time high? It seems demand is at its peak during the holidays."

She sighed lightly, drumming her fingers on his desk. "Do you at least have an estimation of how much longer you might be so that I can let our guests know?"

Oliver grimaced. "How many are there?"

"Oh, only half the town, including the mayor, the governor, the chief of police and all of the Marx brothers."

His eyebrows raised with interest. "OK, I'm coming, I promise."

Grace watched as he picked up the telephone again, her shoulders slumping in disappointment.

Before he dialed the number, she murmured, "Oliver…Annie has a speech prepared."

He stilled and stared up at her. "She does?"

Grace shrugged, gazing at him with emploring eyes. "How many times do a young lady's parents celebrate twenty years of marriage?"

Oliver swallowed and laid the phone back down on the receiver, knowing it was time to hang up his business hat for the night and exchange it for his devoted husband and father one instead. "Well, I must say, it's certainly a first for me."

"And even more certainly the last", Grace said pointedly with a chuckle as she helped her husband to his feet. "You know, I'd rather hoped you might've considered retirement before this day arrived."

He scrunched his nose up at the thought of slowing down, despite pushing 70 years of age. "Maybe we'll discuss that again when we get to thirty years."

Grace shook her head helplessly at him as they walked slowly to the door.

"Grace…" He tugged gently on her arm, prompting her to stop and look at him.

He leaned forward and pecked her softly on the lips, still making her blush as much at 55 as he did when she was 35.

"Happy anniversary."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled, kissing him again. "Happy anniversary, Oliver."