Chapter 11—Father's Day 2023

It was only June 16th, and the Grant Family had quite the month. First, Brielle's graduation from kindergarten happened on June 1st. Although Fitz and Liv knew there would be so many more milestones in their young daughter's life, they savored this moment.

Brielle looked so mature in her basic white sundress. It was decorated with small pink carnations, and she wore the cutest pink small floral converse sneakers. She waved to her parents while walking to the small stage.

Up on the stage, there were 15 chairs, and Brielle took her seat, front and center. Liv didn't think the smile left Brielle's glowing face. Holding a clapping Soriyah in her lap, Liv looked over to Fitz and saw the slightest of tears in his eyes, his brown eyed little girl was growing up.

They all recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and it was Brielle who was chosen, along with Isaiah to hold the flag while the audience said the words. Brielle took a glimpse at her father, dressed in his Naval uniform and gave her two eyed wink.

Fitz couldn't be prouder of his daughter in that moment. He had to laugh when the crowd was reciting the pledge, Soriyah was giving little grunts as if she was saying words also. He took Soriyah from Liv and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Don't you be too quick to grow up, too.", he said as he bounced her up and down.

Liv tried to keep her composure throughout the half hour long ceremony. Some of Brielle's classmates read poems, others led the class in songs. Brielle was the one her teacher had selected to read the end of the year message to the parents. Liv and Fitz had no idea she was doing this part of the graduation.

The speech was about a paragraph long, and Brielle did not miss a word, proving to her parents what a fabulous reader she was developing into. That's when Liv cupped her mouth and took a deep breath through her nose, crying tears for how wonderful their daughter read the lines.

Several awards were given out to each student. Once again, Brielle received an award that had followed her all year, since she began Kindergarten. Brielle Carolyn Grant had won the "Character Student of the Year Award". She stood up so stoically and walked towards the podium to receive her small trophy.

Upon receiving the trophy, she turned to her parents and waved, throwing them a small kiss, still smiling from ear to ear.

Liv nudged Fitz with her elbow. "Look at her, Fitz." Liv looked up at Fitz. "We did good, Admiral Grant."

Fitz's eyes never left the stage as he watched Brielle walk from chair to podium and podium back to chair. He used a continuous clap while he watched his brown eyed girl sit down, and his heartbeat proudly in his chest.

"We sure did, Liv." When Brielle finally took her seat, he pulled Liv to him, kissing her temple. "I don't know if my heart can take them growing up so fast." Soriyah reached to her daddy too, pulling his face to hers and putting her lips on his cheek. "I mean it Soriyah, slow down for daddy, ok?"

"Da" she smiled.

Fitz gobbled her up in his arms as she rested her head on her daddy's shoulder.

The final part of the graduation was the distribution of diplomas. Brielle Carolyn Grant once again took her walk to the podium, but this time she didn't look at her parents. She thanked her teacher and stared down at the diploma.

This is what she had worked hard to achieve, and she was taking this moment to be proud of herself. She read her name printed so neatly on the paper and as she sat down and placed it on her lap, she daydreamed about one day becoming the best pilot ever, just like her daddy.


June 6th, just ten days ago, it was Soriyah's turn to shine. Although the little girl had no idea it was a special day, her family made sure they knew. Soriyah was now one year old. She woke up and did her normal routine of standing in her crib holding Tigertwo and calling for Ma or Da, whoever would do the pleasure of getting her out of the trapped little crib.

When Fitz and Liv let Brielle be the one who got Soriyah that morning, Soriyah stopped calling Ma and Da and smiled. Liv and Fitz stood in the doorway watching it all happen.

"Happy birthday, Soriyah.", Brielle said so clearly. "It's your birthday today, the most special day ever." Soriyah saw her big sister nodding her head, and Soriyah copied her, agreeing with Brielle.

In the last month, Soriyah had gone from calling Brielle "El" to calling her "Beal". One day Soriyah was playing in her play area and Brielle hopped in with her. "Beal" she said and leaned into her. Brielle looked at Liv. "I think she tried to say my full name."

Soriyah saw her sister clapping at the name, and must have remembered it being a happy moment, so now Brielle was suddenly Beal.

Now, Soriyah lifted her arms up for Brielle to take her out of the crib. "Beal" she said. Brielle reached under her sister's arms and held her tight. She placed her down but held her hand. Ever since Mother's Day, Soriyah had walking down to a science, but she was still a bit wobbly to begin.

Hand in hand, the Grant girls walked towards their smiling proud parents and when Brielle came out of the room holding the walking Soriyah's hand, they began singing, "Happy Birthday to you."

Soriyah stopped walking, never letting go of her sister's hand and looked up at her parents with a startled look on her. Her big blue eyes stared wide at them and when they said, "Happy Birthday to Soriyah", Soriyah smiled recognizing her name. Then she looked up again at what Fitz was holding.

It was a princess crowned shape balloon that said, "Happy Birthday Princess Soriyah." She pointed up and said "boon".

"It sure is Muffin. It's a birthday balloon for you." Liv poked her nose as her daughter looked up at the balloon bouncing on the ceiling.

Fitz let the balloon go and scooped her up in the air, twirling her around. "My baby girl is one already. I told you to slow down." He kissed her and Soriyah looked at her family, noticed the singing had stopped and she clapped her hands together with a "yay."


That weekend was exhausting. They hosted a barbeque/birthday/pool party for Brielle's classmates and a few of Soriyah's baby time library friends.

In all, about 12 classmates of Brielle's came and 3 little ones, siblings of Brielle's classmates came for Soriyah. Brielle's side of the backyard was decorated with graduation things and Soriyah's side had Unicorns with the number 1 in most of them.

Fitz was happy to be home and he was manning the grill amongst the fathers he didn't get to see too much of. Liv was so happy to see him carefree, not worried about work and able to be the family man he loved to be.

Olivia kept close watch on the pool deck, holding and taking turns with Fitz watching Soriyah. Most of Brielle's classmates loved the pool, and they had lucked out with the weather being so warm. It was 85 degrees, and the sun was shining brightly down on the party.

Desiree sat poolside with Liv most of the time. Now almost six months along in her pregnancy, they had found out she was having another boy. Her belly was the cutest round thing, and Liv was talking to her about being pregnant with Soriyah.

"I'm not going to lie, Des, the third trimester threw me for a loop. The back pain this little one gave me." Soriyah was sitting between Liv's legs and her feet were in the water. Soriyah was kicking and splashing calling "Beal" but being ignored because her sister had her friends over.

"Girl, I hear you." Desiree agreed. "Look at these ankles, I have to monitor that my blood pressure doesn't rise. Isaiah is a nervous wreck and he's making Little Isaiah begin to get nervous. The things pregnancy does to our bodies to get these little ones into the world." Desiree shook Soriyah's hand. Soriyah looked at her and smiled. "Right Soriyah."

"Beal" Soriyah said back.

"Is it hard having the two Liv?"

Liv shook her head, "not really, I mean the routine has to be established, but in all it's everything I never dreamed. I always thought motherhood was a trap, an imprisonment and I was scared of it, now I can't imagine my life without them."

"Party's here!" Liv heard a familiar voice, looked up and saw Abby, Quinn, and Huck come into the yard.

"Two burgers, a hot dog, two chicken legs, and a corn on the cob" Quinn gave Fitz a pat on the back after giving her order. "Thanks grill master."

"Is that just for you?" Liv carried a wet Soriyah, who reached out for Abby.

"Yeah, the girl can eat, and when the food is free, she can eat squared." Abby poked Soriyah's nose and gobbled her up from Liv.

"Huck, I'm glad you could…." Liv couldn't finish. She heard squeals and laughter as she watched Huck jump from the deck into the pool with the happy kids.

"CANNONBALL!" Huck said mid air and landed with a humungous splash. When he popped his head out of the water, he picked up Brielle high in the air. She spread her arms out like a plane and he let her go gently into the water, but not before saying. "I'm so proud of you kid."

With her friends there to assist in watching the kids, Liv and Fitz finally got to walking around as a couple to greet the other parents. They had been receiving birthday invitations, park playdates, and invites to other pool parties.


As the night was ending, all the guests had left, Brielle had Soriyah in her bed with her. "Mommy, can I read to her, please?"

Liv was in there to put them down to bed while Fitz cleaned up the yard. "Ok, Boo, but not too long, you both had a very long day."

"But it's summer and we can sleep late, right?" Brielle asked.

"Can't pull one over on you, can we? What book would you like?"

Soriyah had Tiger in her hands now, looking at it and recognized it wasn't her Tigertwo. She held it out to Liv and said "El". That was her cue she wanted her Tigertwo, she still called the stuffed animal El. Liv left to retrieve it from her crib.

Brielle was reading the book Soriyah received for her birthday called First Birthday for Soriyah. They had the book personalized for her. Brielle opened the book and as Liv was leaving to get Tigertwo she heard Brielle begin. "It's time to have a party with loved ones all about…"

"BOON" Soriyah said, pointing to a picture of a balloon.

"Yes, Soriyah, balloon, you are so smart." Brielle yawned, not even knowing Soriyah was already fast asleep on her shoulder.

Brielle continued. "A very special song to sing and candles to blow out…" The book gently fell backwards onto Brielle's stomach and her head tilted onto her little sister's where she was fast asleep also.

By the time Liv got Tigertwo, Fitz was coming in the and they both stopped at the doorway of Brielle's room. Fitz wrapped his arm around Liv's shoulders. "Look at them, Livvie, how did we get so lucky?"

Liv walked over to the bed. She took the book, handed it to Fitz, rested Tigertwo between them, and put the blanket up to just their shoulders. 'Soriyah can stay with Brielle tonight, we'll just put the gate up on her doorway."

"You sure she won't fall?"

Liv looked at her daughters, she tilted her head. "I think they will sleep the night like that. They are that exhausted." She leaned back onto Fitz's chest as they just stared at the two girls. Fitz kissed her head. "I smell like a barbecue steak. I'm going to take a shower." Fitz wrapped his hands now around Liv's waist as she turned to him. "Wait up for me?"

She kissed him tenderly. "Yes, Admiral, I'll wait up for you. Father's Day is next. And we have all week to plan out surprises for the best father in the world."


Liv was lying in the bed, writing down some plans she had for Fitz on Father's Day. It was a week away and she couldn't wait to spoil him like he spoiled her Mother's Day.

Last year it was easy, the Pentagon had their father/daughter dance, but this year, they weren't doing it. Many of the fathers weren't going to be around and not enough signed up for it. Liv was secretly happy because the three of them would have Fitz to themselves all day.

With just the towel wrapped around his waist, Fitz came out of the bathroom. He looked over at Liv smiling. "You're topless, Mrs. Grant."

Dropping the notebook she was writing in onto the nightstand, she turned her head towards her husband, smiling. "Yes I am Admiral, and all you need to do is drop that towel and let me feel those wet curls."

In one motion, Fitz unwrapped the towel and crawled into the bed next to his beautiful wife. Before he took another inch closer to her, her hands were in his hair, and she was rubbing those wet curls, moaning and kissing him.

She kissed his neck, as he was comforting himself more on to the bed, and she stopped at his ear. "You have no idea how in love I am with you, Fitz." She rested her head on his shoulder as she felt him rub her back.

"Livvie, what is it?"

She met his eyes. "I just loved watching you today, being all in the daddy mode." She put her head down and shook it. "Sometimes I miss you around here, when you work the long days and nights, and you were just so carefree tonight. Just like you take of me on Mother's Day, Father's Day is going to be all about you." She pulled him to her for a kiss, and he flipped her to her back, rubbing down to her ass cheek.

"Having those girls, watching you, between Brielle's graduation and Soriyah's birthday, I couldn't have asked for a better mother for my children. I love you just as much Livvie and I fall in love with you over again each day." His head went down, and he kissed between her breasts, bringing his hand down to feel how wet he was for her.

"Now," he said smiling, "I would like to be inside my wife." He guided his throbbing erection to her entrance, and she raised her hips in anticipation of him. His first thrust sending a rush through her body as her head fell to the crook of his neck with a loud groan.

Nice and slowly, they watched each other, Liv cupping Fitz's face and pulling him down. His arm went under her back, and lifted her just a bit, pounding a bit harder into her.

"Geez, Fitz." Knowing the girls were sleeping, she wasn't taking a chance, and she devoured his mouth moaning hard into the kiss, as her climax hit her through Fitz's unending thrusts.

"God, Livvie, I can't get enough of you ever." He pushed harder as her body fell back, her head gently hitting the pillow, both her hands on his chest, as he continued to push into her. He felt her legs wrap around him, lifting her hips once more and it was all Fitz needed.

His head fell onto her shoulder. "Oh, yeah, baby," as he climaxed hard into her. He lifted his head and looked at her. "Good?"

"So Good." She pulled him back down to her shoulder and they turned, wrapping their legs together and facing one another. "But not too much more after tonight, I have my yearly exam coming up."

Fitz's look of disappointment made Liv smile. "It's all good, it's on Wednesday and you're working Monday and Tuesday, so."

Liv's finger was outlining his lips as he caressed her back, and that is how they fell asleep. The Grant household finally quiet for the night after a week long of celebrations and parties. There was still more to come.


"Mrs. Grant, good to see you again." Dr. Lee greeted her. "How are the girls?"

"They are great, thank you. Soriyah just turned one, Brielle just graduated Kindergarten, time doesn't slow down."

"It sure doesn't, so you're ready for another?" Dr. Lee laughed.

"I'm here for my annual, my best friends have the girls. Hope this goes quick before their minds are corrupted." Liv laughed.

"Alright then, let's get this started." Dr. Lee sat down in front of the computer. "Just a few basic questions."

"Any stomach pains or pains in the vaginal area?"

"No, all good."

"Breastfeeding going alright?"

"Yeah, no problems, not as frequent, but no issues."

"Good, glad to hear that. I'll do a quick breast exam, just to check."

"I understand." Liv said, now swinging her legs answering the questions.

"Any pain during sex?"

Liv smirked, "Only the kind Fitz can give."

Dr. Lee shook her head laughing. "Girl, you're bad."

"I know."

"Last menstrual period? Date?"

Liv picked up her phone, she marks it with three dots on the calendar. She looked at June, didn't have it yet, and flipped to May, not seeing the dots. Maybe I forgot, she thought. She flipped to April, no dots. "What the?" She thought maybe Soriyah got her phone erasing some data, but other reminders were clear on the calendar.

"What is it?" Dr. Lee looked at her concerned.

Liv looked up. "March 29th." She took a big swallow, thinking. No, it can't be can it? She couldn't remember, her days were just so busy, and they weren't not trying.

"Have you been using a condom?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Well, no, because we're married, so I guess we were just..I don't know…thinking it may not happen. You think I'm?"

She stopped. Three kids? Oh boy, this would be some Father's Day gift for Fitz.

Dr. Lee looked at her, smirking. "Let me draw some blood, I'll know in a few minutes."

After taking the blood, Liv sat back on the examining table while Dr. Lee tended to a few more patients. A text came through from Abby. "Take your time Momma, we're having a ball!"

The picture showed the girls in a ball pit at one of the indoor play gyms. Then the next picture showed Soriyah out of the ball pit, with a spoon of ice cream going into her mouth. Liv smiled, rubbing the screen.

"So" the door opened startling Liv a bit, "looks like the annual is going to be a quick ultrasound. You, my dear, are most definitely pregnant. It will be a probe, just a quick look to determine conception and how far along you may be, I'm thinking close to eight weeks if not ten. Let's have a look."


Liv sat now at the table, the girls fast asleep and Fitz working late, she was putting together some of Fitz's Father's Day gifts.

Dr. Lee had given her a due date of January 3rd. She smiled thinking about it. She was 10 weeks along and in two more weeks had an ultrasound scheduled as she began her second trimester. Never had she ever thought she would be a mother, never mind a mother to three.

She heard Fitz's car pull into the driveway, and she quickly hid the gifts she was working on and plopped down on a couch with a book she was pretending to read.

"Am I glad to be off the next two days, I am so tired, that Pentagon is a mess." Fitz took off and hung up his Naval suit jacket and walked over to Liv on the couch, bending down to give his wife a kiss.

"I didn't ever hear you pull in, this book is so interesting." Liv lied, kissing him back.

"How are the girls?"

"Good, you'll be happy to know Brielle has a loose tooth. Her bottom middle." Liv smiled.

Fitz's shoulders slumped. "More growing pains for me, my little brown eyed girl."

"Yes," Liv said giving his hair a rub through. "She's so excited to tell you in the morning, she's also been working very hard on her gift for you."

"I love that kid. Shower time, and don't seduce me tonight, Mrs. Grant, I am very tired."

"As if." Liv tightened her mouth into a smirk, getting up to call it a night.

Fitz stopped before going into the bathroom. "Hey, how did the annual go, everything alright?" He looked at her body up and down.

"Just fine, Admiral. Now go, I want fall asleep in your arms."

"Count to ten, I'll be back in no time."

They were lying there, just talking to one another about their last few days. "So I don't know if I'll top the gift of Soriyah walking that you worked on for me, but I'm trying, Mister. What do you want to do on Father's Day anyway?"

"Remember last week when you said how carefree I looked at the party?"

"Yah." Liv answered kissing his chest.

"Well, that's what I want. I want a day in the backyard barbequing, swimming, and enjoying the time with you and girls. I just want a day with us, with nothing to do."

Liv looked up at him resting her chin on his chest. She blinked, looking at him lovingly. "Then that's what you'll get. I'll do some shopping tomorrow for the barbeque with Brielle. She'll be so excited to know we're getting things for you to cook on the grill."

Although she felt him rubbing her back, she looked back up at him and he was sleeping. His head tilted just slightly to the right, and she watched him.

So many years ago, (or so it seemed), in that bar in Florida she never would have bet this would be where they were today. Liv moved her body closer to him thinking of the time they met and smiled with her eyes closed.

"A family of five." She whispered, "all because I wanted a weekend get away." Her eyes stayed closed and that's how they slept through the night, until the sounds came out of the monitor.

This time Fitz didn't move, and Liv woke up, but Brielle was already in the room by Soriyah. "Good morning," she whispered.

"BEAL!" Soriyah yelled, no disturbance to Fitz at all.

"Shhh!" Brielle put her finger to her lips. "Mommy and Daddy are still sleeping. Want to go to your play area? We can finish Daddy's card, ok."

Soriyah saw Brielle's finger go to her lips and Soriyah did the same thing. "Ma, Da" Then she put her hands out shrugging, like she knew they weren't there.

Liv smiled and cuddled one last time to her husband. She had to savor this Father's Day, because it will be the last one he celebrated with two children.

She walked out to the room to join her two daughters, one was working hard on coloring a beautiful picture for her father, the other one was sitting amongst 20 toys, just tossing them about, having a blast doing so. "yep," Olivia whispered. "Three will be so much fun."


"Mommy, what are you going to give daddy tomorrow for Father's Day?" Brielle was reaching the shelf with the barbecue sauce and putting it into the shopping cart.

"Well, after we finish here today, we're going to the grill store. I figured your daddy will like some brand new grill tools for his brand new grill."

Brielle's mouth opened in shock. "WOW! A new grill, he's going to love that!" She reached now and grabbed some hot dog buns from the shelf. "What about your gift from us?"

"Hmmm" Liv thought. "I want that to be a surprise for all of you, but one of them is a brand new picture frame for his desk. It's with the family picture we took at your gradation, Boo."

"Oh, I love that picture, Mommy."

"I know, and the frame says Best Dad Ever on the top of it."

"That's because he is the best dad ever." Brielle put some burger buns in the cart as she continued to shop with her mom.

While Fitz was at home with Soriyah, he received a call from Abby. He rolled his eyes looking at the display. "Your aunt Abby, Soriyah, do you want to answer it?"

Soriyah continued to play in her area, happy because her daddy let Tigertwo in with her to play. Mommy never lets Tigertwo leave her crib, but daddy doesn't know that.

"Gabby, what can I do for you."

"Abby, Adermeral. I need a ride, Quinn took my car while she's getting an oil change and I have a prescription I need to pick up before the pharmacy closes. Liv said she's out shopping with Brielle."

"yeah, she is." Fitz answered. "Good luck getting that ride, have a good day."

"FITZ!" Abby yelled.

Fitz laughed. "Relax, geez, I was just kidding. Let me get Soriyah ready and put her in the car, or do you think she can fend for herself while I jump and run to your emergency."

"She's probably taking care of you. I bet you are letting her play with Tigertwo out of her crib, Liv doesn't allow that, you know."

Fitz grabbed Tigertwo from the play area and quickly threw it back in the crib, as if he was being watched by the FBI or something. "No I'm not, I know the rules of my house." Soriyah began a loud cry as she saw her toy being taken away.

"Sure you do, that's why Soriyah is crying, you just took it away from her didn't you."

"Goodbye, Gabby, I'll text you when I'm there."

Fitz picked up the crying Soriyah. "I'm sorry baby girl." Soriyah had tears in her eyes, but stopped crying as soon as her daddy picked her up. "You forgive me right? It was all Aunt Abby's fault anyway." He was nodding his head for her to agree.

Soriyah nodded her head as he took her to the room to get her dressed and tend to Abby's dire emergency.

It's all the time Liv needed for the new grill to be delivered and installed. She had called Abby from the store as the service guy said he could do it all within the hour. With the tip Liv gave him, hell he would do it in the next five minutes.

Abby used the excuse to go to the pharmacy, but she would have him drive to other places also just to kill enough time for her best friend. She loved to torment Fitz anyway, and him having Soriyah there will be an added bonus. Abby loved spending time with the kids.

With the grill covered outside, everything set and ready for a nice quiet Grant family day barbecue, and the kids asleep beyond the excitement of Father's Day, Liv finally went to bed with Fitz waiting for her.


"Come here, my Livvie. You owe me for having to deal with Abby." He pulled her down, putting his lips right to her neck.

As she lay on top of him, tilting her neck to his touch, she whispered "I'm glad you enjoyed her company." She kneeled, with her legs on opposite sides of him and cupped his face for a nice long kiss. "So how can I repay you Mister? Shall I take care of this?"

Wearing only his boxers, she felt his hardness coming right through them, as her hand rubbed over it, pulling the boxers down with her other hand. "Let me take care of my man." She heard him moan, as her mouth took all of him, and she felt him caressing her hair.

Blinking to the morning light now coming through, Liv woke up with anticipation. She couldn't wait to give Fitz the news about the pregnancy, and she had a special way she was going to do it. She looked at him and stroked his jaw with her finger.

He moved towards the touch and opened his eyes, looking at her. "Happy Father's Day, Fitz." She reached over, kissing him. "I couldn't have asked for a better father to our children."

Still waking up, he rubbed her bare back and handed her his NAVY t-shirt before the girls got up. Putting it over her, she said to him, "I have one gift to give you, before the girls wake up."

"Oh?" He said happily as he began pulling the shirt back off.

She stopped that, holding the shirt in place and gave him a small whack on his shoulder. "You are shameless you know that?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, I know. So what's the gift?"

Reaching under the bed, Liv took out a wrapped gift. The wrapping was gray with black bold writing reading a repeated "Happy Father's Day" along it. Fitz smiled at the gift before taking the corners off and sliding the book out.

It was a scrapbook, obviously made by Olivia. It said on the front, in two sections, How it started, How it's going. Under how it started was a picture of the bar where they met. Under how it's going was their wedding picture.

"Liv." He rubbed the cover. "This is great. Best day of my life."

He opened the cover. Again, on the top of the page, how it's started, how it's going. The picture was a sonogram of Brielle, and the other picture was her on stage during her graduation. "My big girl." On the page it said "Brielle Carolyn Grant, born November 11th, 2016."

"Second best day of my life." Fitz said as he smiled and turned the page. It was identical to Brielle's page with the sonogram of Soriyah, but the picture was of her in her high chair with a number 1 on her bib from the party last week. "Soriyah Olivia Grant, born June 6th, 2022."

"Third best day of my life." He rubbed the pictures again.

Thinking he came to the end, he looked at Liv. "This is beautiful, Livvie, thank you so much."

"Wait." She said before he closed the book, there's one more page."

He crossed his eyebrows. "Of us as a family?"

He turned the page with a picture of a third sonogram. "How it started" but here was no picture under how it's going. Below the picture, it said. Baby Grant, number three, due January 3rd, 2024.

His head went up slowly, looking at Liv, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. "You're?"

She was shaking her head. Then he began, just like Soriyah would, shaking it with her. He pushed the book off to the side and grabbed her in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Oh my God, Liv, I'm so happy, this is the best Father's Day gift ever."

Bringing her head up to eye level with the man she loves, she told him how she never thought she would be a mother. "Never, Fitz. When I went to that bar, I vowed that was it with any kind of love, but then what you did to my heart, I couldn't ignore it. I tried, so hard, you know I did, even after we found each other." She placed her head back on his chest. "Now I'm going to be a mother to three of your children."

"And I wouldn't have had it any other way." He held her closer.

"Put the book under the bed. We have another ultra sound in two weeks, we'll tell Brielle then, ok, I want today to be special for you, and she wants to be part of that."


No sooner did Liv say that, Brielle appeared at the door. Seeing her daddy was awake, holding her mom, she ran to the bed. She fit perfectly on the other side of his chest. "Happy Father's Day, daddy, I love you so much." She squeezed him, as one arm was around Liv and one around Brielle.

"And I love you Brielle, I am so proud of you. You are the best big sister to Soriyah."

"BEAL" The voice came through the monitor.

"I'll get that Boo, you stay with your daddy." Liv got up and scooped Soriyah up, giving her a quick change, and joining Fitz in the bed with Brielle.

He opened the card Brielle made. It was a homemade picture frame made with sturdy paper. On the tip it read "DAD" in Brielle's colorful handwriting. The picture was Fitz with Soriyah on one lap and Brielle on the other, all three smiling, the same smile, as Liv remembered taking that picture.

"Da" Soriyah said looking at the picture.

He kissed her nose, "yes, Soriyah, that's Da"

"Come on Daddy, your big and bigger surprise are outside."

Standing in the backyard now, all of them still in pajamas, Brielle pulled the cover off the grill, exposing the new one, with the tools sitting on the side of it.

Fitz, holding Soriyah, walked to it, feeling the shiny outside and opening to a huge amount of grilling space. "Livvie, this is amazing, how did you…." Then he stopped. "Abby?"

Liv laughed, shaking her head, "Abby."

"See Soriyah, the time with Abby wasn't so bad after all." Soriyah, seeing her mom's head nod, began nodding too.

"One more." Liv said, handing the gift to Soriyah, and guiding her hands to Fitz, as if Soriyah had something to give him.

He looked at the frame Liv had described to Brielle and looked at the picture. He smiled and looked at Liv, pulling her closer with his free hand. "This will change soon enough." He whispered.

Brielle lifted off her pajama shirt and showed him she was already in her bathing suit. "I can't wait, daddy, to spend the day in the pool with you and helping you cook on your new grill."

Fitz pulled her close too, smiling the biggest smile. The Grant family stood in a big group hug, together as one. "Best Father's Day ever!" Brielle said.

Fitz couldn't agree more.

"Happy Father's Day!"