Author's note: I hope this chapter will show you how much good can Grace and Lucas do when they are together. Let me know what do you think.
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Lucas was just about to enter the meeting room when he heard Simon calling him.
Turning around, he saw his butler bringing over two familiar faces. Lucas smiled sincerely going over to hug his friends.
"Harry, it's so good to see you!", he hugged his friend and patted him on the back.
"Good to see you too, Lucas", Harry hugged his friend back with a smile.
Pulling away, Lucas moved to greet his friend's petite wife. He noticed the sadness in her eyes and his good heart clenched as he gently gave his friend a warm brotherly hug.
"Hello, Susan", he whispered "How are you, my friend?", he asked, concern weaving through his voice.
Susan took a shuddering breath in and offered a wobbly smile.
"I'll be alright", she whispered "Especially now. Thank you so much for doing this for us, Lucas", her voice cracked a bit.
Lucas gently squeezed Susan's shoulder and smiled sadly.
His friends were a couple since their college days and were married for five years now. Unfortunately, they were not able to have children of their own. Susan had two miscarriages and the third pregnancy almost destroyed her completely when the child was stillborn.
It was over a year and half ago, but the sadness was still etched in both Harry's and Susan's faces.
"Come on, lets get inside. Grace and Lillian are waiting for you", Lucas said warmly and opened the doors, letting them in.
Grace and Lillian looked up as the doors opened. Lucas told them about the Williams couple and what happened to them so they were prepared for any tears or burst of emotions.
But, the grief that weighed on both of their shoulders was so visible that Grace could see it from the first glance at Susan and Harry. Her good heart constricted in pain and sympathy at the sight of Susan's teary eyes and the next thing she knew, she was up from her chair and crossing the room toward them.
Lucas watched in awe as she came toward Susan and warmly hugged her, causing his friend to let out a quiet sob and shed a few tears, hugging Grace back.
Lillian followed her sister and Lucas introduced her to Harry. They talked silently, giving some space and time to Susan to calm down.
Grace felt the moment a young woman started to calm down.
"I am so sorry", sniffed Susan, taking out her handkerchief and smiling weakly at Grace.
Grace shook her head.
"Don't apologize. It's alright", she gave Susan a gentle, sympathetic smile.
Susan wiped her cheeks and blew her nose, slightly nodding.
"Thank you", her eyebrows creased a bit "I am sorry. My manners flew right out of window", she smiled through her tears as she offered her hand to Grace "I am Susan".
Grace accepted her hand, smiling warmly.
"Nice to meet you, Susan. I am Grace and this is my sister Lillian", as two women greeted each other, Grace introduced herself to Harry, her palm never leaving Susan's upper arm.
"So, Lucas says you are running the orphanage here", Susan got straight to the point as she and Grace went to sit down.
Grace liked her immediately.
"Yes we do. New Hope orphanage", she smiled proudly.
"New Hope", Susan's voice was silent, but the small smile that found its way on her face was sincere and…hopeful "I like it", she took a breath in "And Lucas says you have a rule about adoptions".
Grace took a deep breath in.
"Yes. Siblings can't be separated", she quietly explained.
"Do you mind me asking why did you set up that rule?", Sysan asked cautiously.
Grace shook her head, her sunny smile never wawering.
"Of course not", she replied "It's because Lillian and I were separated after our parents died. We didn't know anything about each other for twelve years", at Susan's silent, surprised gasp Grace smiled "But, she found me and we are together again. I can't imagine my life without her now", she glanced at her beloved sister and Lillian took her hand, smiling lovingly.
Surprise was visible on both Harry's and Susan's faces.
"I am so sorry about your parents", Susan said quietly.
Grace nodded.
"Thank you", she replied quietly.
"And you two are now giving home to the children who have no parents", Susan shook her head in amazement "That is…I am speechless", she glared at her old time friend "Lucas, how could you not tell us that?!", she gently scolded him.
Lucas offered a small smile.
"It wasn't my story to tell", he said in his calm, comforting voice.
Grace's eyes fell on his handsome features, speaking volumes about his thoughtfulness. He caught her gaze and held it, caressing her with love and warmth shining from his eyes.
Lillian decided to jump in seeing as the silence prevailed.
"So, tell us something about yourself", she smiled encouragingly.
Susan glanced at Harry and he nodded.
"Well, we live in New Orleans, in a house. I run a hotel there and Susan is working as a nurse. We've been married for five years now, but are together since college days", he said with a soft smile.
Grace smiled warmly.
"That sounds lovely", her sunny smile held Lucas' eyes on her, but she was so much into talking with Susan and Harry that she didn't notice it "And what would you like to have, a boy or a girl?"
Harry and Susan exchanged glances and Harry slightly nodded to his wife to go on.
"Well", Susan glanced back at Grace "We would like to have both", she smiled in anticipation.
Both Grace and Lillian gasped slightly in surprise and smiled.
"That's wonderful!", said Lillian "You can adopt brother and sister!"
Grace was practically jumping slightly on her chair from excitement.
"Oh, I can't wait for you to meet the little ones!", her smile grew, her eyes shining.
Lucas watched her, warmth washing over him.
She is so beautiful.
Harry took a big envelope that stood in front of him and handed it over to Lillian.
"Here are the papers you asked for", he said.
Lillian took the envelope, nodding.
"Thank you. It's a standard procedure, nothing personal. You being Lucas' friends is recommendation enough, but I hope you understand that we can never be too cautious when it comes to children's lives", Lillian spoke as she and Grace looked over the papers.
Harry nodded.
"Of course. We wouldn't have it any other way", he said and took his wife's palm in his. She glanced at him and gave him a small, hopeful smile.
Grace finished looking at the papers before Lillian and Lucas hid his smile behind a teacup as he noticed his love practically bubbling up on her chair. She even sat on her palms to calm her excitement down, but to no avail.
She was staring so intently at Lillian, burning to speak that after a few moments her older sister couldn't take it anymore and slightly rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Grace?", she asked.
Grace leaned over to her and whispered:
"Are you thinking what I am thinking?"
Lillian let out a sigh, shrugging as she still studied over the papers.
"I don't know, Gracie", Lillian glanced at Lucas and saw his amusement at Grace's bubbling impatience "Am I?", she slightly smirked at Lucas before putting the paper down and looking at her little sister.
Grace practically jumped out from her skin as she grabbed Lillian's palms.
"Mary and Colin!", she grinned.
'Mary and Colin?", Susan quickly caught her words.
Grace turned to Susan.
"Of course, you will meet all the children. I just… I just have this feeling that Mary and Colin are the ones you are looking for".
Harry and Susan looked expectantly at Lillian.
She nodded.
"Everything seems to be in order", she smiled at the pure happiness that shone from the couple's faces and got up from her chair "Shall we?"
Lucas smiled encouragingly at his friends as he stood up too.
Lillian nodded to the couple with a smile and they went outside, talking.
Lucas watched as Grace quickly gathered the papers and put them back in the envelope before she rushed toward him, her face shining with a smile.
"Are you coming with us?", she asked.
Lucas smiled warmly, falling into a step with her.
"I wouldn't miss it for anything", he replied, his arm hugging her shoulders and he gently pulled her to his side as they walked, placing a kiss on her hair "You have a heart of gold. And I love you for it", he whispered, his voice full of love.
She gently snuggled into his side, her arm wrapping around his waist as they walked down the hallway.
"Thank you for bringing them here", she whispered back "You are the man who changes people's lives for better, my Lucas".
