Grace opened the doors to her home with a smile on her face. It stayed on her lips the entire way home and she was absolutely sure that it will be there even when she falls asleep.
She was taking off her coat when she heard footsteps.
"Ah, so you remembered your home", quipped Lillian, crossing her arms and putting on a serious face.
Grace grimaced as she turn around.
"I'm sorry, Lillian. I've lost a track of time", she took of her shoes "But, I'll make it up to you. You take the rest of the day off", she smiled widely, rushing inside.
Lillian raised one eyebrow, allowing a small smile to escape her.
She followed Grace inside and watched as her sister became a nervous little bee; she picked up the toys from the floor and put them away. After that, she put away the books that were scattered on the table, along with countless drawings and crayons.
Lillian leaned on the doorframe and watched as Grace ran around, putting things away until there was nothing else left to be put away.
Grace looked around and took a deep breath in.
She wrung her hands.
"Laundry. I'm gonna do the laundry", she turned on her spot and took two steps when Lillian caught up with her.
"Gracie, stop", she turned her sister towards her and peered directly into Grace's eyes "What are you hiding?"
Grace's eyes widened.
"Hiding? I'm not hiding anything", Grace stammered.
Lillian nodded.
"Uh huh. Sure", she took Grace toward the settee "Sit down. Kids are having a nap. So spit it out".
Grace shook her head.
"Spit what out?"
Lillian gave her a look, then slightly squeezed her eyes and leaned on the settee.
"Alright. We'll have it your way", she sat calmly for half of minute then leaned toward Grace once again "How did the meeting go?"
Grace pursued her lips, nodding.
"Good. It was good".
Lillian put on a serious face.
"Good. And how was the food?"
Grace swallowed.
"Good. Very good. Delicious", she nodded again.
"Mmm. And how was our Governor?", quipped Lillian and watched as Grace froze.
Grace peeked at her sister.
"What do you mean?"
Lillian moved closer to her sister and put her arm through Grace's arm.
"Oh, you know… Was he good? Was he very good? Or…was he delicious?", Lillian held back a laugh at Grace's facial expression.
"Lillian!", Grace gasped.
"Well, I know that the Williams couple won't arrive until tomorrow so don't give me the story about a meeting!", grinned Lillian.
"Well…true, they didn't come", Grace smiled a bit, bursting to tell her sister everything.
"Yeah, so wanna tell me what were you doing with Lucas for almost four hours that has you smiling like a Cheshire cat?", quipped Lillian.
She still held for Grace's arm and Grace put her other palm on Lillian's fingers as they shared huge smiles.
In the next second, both of them squealed and hugged each other.
"I knew it!! The moment you came in I knew it!", Lillian laughed happily.
"What, how? How did you know?!", Grace smiled happily.
Lillian let out a laugh.
"Are you kidding me? Your eyes are shining, your cheeks are aflame like you have a fever and your lips are red and swollen", Lillian gasped "He kissed you, didn't he?", at Grace's nod and a smile full of joy, Lillian squealed in delight and pulled her little sister in a bear hug. "Oh, Gracie! Oh, I am so happy for you!"
Grace slowly pulled back and took her sister's hands in hers.
"Oh, Lillian, I've never felt like this. I am so happy", she mumbled, her eyes watering "He is… I don't have the words".
Lillian grinned.
"So, he WAS delicious!", Lillian quipped and burst to laugh at the look on her sister's face "Come on, tell me everything!"
Grace put her nose in the air.
"A lady never kisses and tells", she said, playing haughty.
Lillian held her laugh back.
"Oh, so the lady kissed?", she grinned madly "Ooooh, Gracie, you got it bad!"
Grace fell into a settee, letting out a sigh.
"I know!", she put an arm over her eyes, her smile shining brightly.
Lillian smiled happily at seeing her sister like this. She couldn't remember when was the last time she saw Grace this happy.
"So…are you gonna tell me what happened or do I have to drag it out from you?", asked Lillian.
Grace sat back up and took her sister's hands in her palms.
"Well, it all started with a phone call and Gustave and Bertha having a show about the kitchen", as Lillian rolled her eyes full force, Grace smiled "I told Lucas what was going on, Gustave heard me telling him all that and quickly figured out to whom was I talking and we had such a laugh over the phone…"
"You two are incorrigible!", laughed Lillian.
Grace chuckled.
"Then he told me about his friends coming to look into adoption. He said that he was planning a dinner for us, but seeing that I won't get any breakfast with those two, he said that I should come for breakfast. He only asked for an hour before I come", Grace's smile widened.
Lillian's smile mirrored Grace's.
"Aaand? What did he use that hour for?", she asked impatiently.
Grace's facial expression turned dreamy.
"Oh, Lillian... he sent the entire staff away, gave them a day off…he turned the room where we ate into a rose garden…", tears sparkled in Grace's eyes "And while I stood there speechless, taking it all in, he put on the waltz and told me that he wanted to dance with me all night long at the ball", a few tears rolled down her cheeks, colliding with her smile "And he kissed me", she whispered, wiping her tears of happiness and Lillian pulled her in a hug. Grace let out a little laugh through her tears "I don't even know why I'm crying when I'm so happy", she silently mumbled.
Lillian gently caressed her sister's hair, placing a kiss on it.
"That's just because", Lillian softly said "Those are tears of happiness, sweetie. There's nothing wrong with that", as Grace held more tight for her sister, Lillian continued "You give so much love every day. To me, to the children", she gently wiped the tears from Grace's cheeks away, looking into her sister's eyes "If anybody in this world deserves to be happy, it's you, Gracie. And you will be happy with Lucas", she gently kissed her sister's forehead "You better be or he'll have to answer to me", she winked, making Grace laugh.
"I love you so much, Lillian. Thank you for always being there for me", she mumbled through her tears and smiled.
—--
It was past dinner time. Grace was putting the dishes away while Lillian tucked the kids in.
Humming as she washed the dishes, Grace got so lost in her thoughts about everything that happened that day that she almost missed a knock at the doors.
She turned the faucet off and wiping her hands on the apron, she went toward the doors.
"Just a minute", she called out as she unlocked the doors and opened them.
A boy about 15 years old stood in front of her, his hands behind his back.
Grace looked at him questioningly and gave him a small smile.
"Hello. Can I help you?", she asked.
A boy pulled one hand from his back to read the name from a small piece of paper.
"Are you Miss Grace Bennett?"
Grace nodded.
"That's me", she replied.
A boy smiled back.
"I have a delivery for you, Miss Bennett", as he said that, he pulled out the most beautiful bouquet of a dozen red roses behind his back.
Grace gasped, accepting the flowers.
"Oh, my God", she inhaled the wonderful scent of red flowers in her hands "Thank you."
A boy nodded.
"You also have a note in there. Good evening, Miss", he said before he turned away and left.
"Good evening", Grace closed the doors and quickly inspected the mesmerizing flowers searching for the note.
Ah. There it is.
Pulling it out, she opened it impatiently.
"Just thought that you would like to have a piece of our little rose garden...so you could always remember this day. Thank you for letting me in your heart. I will love you forever and a day. Lucas"
Grace closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of flowers in her hand, kissing the soft petals of a single red rose, feeling its color transferring into her cheeks.
Oh, my Lucas. I love you so much.
—--
Something in your eyes makes me want to lose myself,
Makes me want to lost myself in your arms,
There's something in your voice makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts the rest of my life.
If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've felt so low,
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done.
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I come from.
Feels like home to me,
Feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.
A window breaks down a long dark street
And a siren walls in the night,
But I'm alright cause I have you here with me,
And I can almost see through the dark there's light.
If you knew how much this moment means to me,
And how long I've waited for your touch,
If you knew how happy you are making me,
I've never thought I'd love anyone so much.
Feels like home to me,
Feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I come from.
Feels like home to me,
Feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.
("Feels like home" - Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton)