Grace came inside the orphanage and as she took off her coat, Lillian walked in the hallway, her facial expression anxious.
"How is he?", at seeing Grace's troubled look, Lillian felt cold fear catching her heart "Oh, God. What happened?"
Grace hurried to her sister and took her palms in her hands.
"Physically, he's fine. But, he'll need all of us these days", she said gently "Lucas and I planned something, but we need your help too."
Lillian quickly nodded.
"Of course. Anything you need", as they walked in the living room Lillian glanced at her sister. Grace took her to sit down on the sofa and taking a deep breath in, she started to talk.
"They lost a woman and a baby that night and it woke memories of his late wife. It's her birthday on Sunday", Grace said quietly.
Lillian's face fell.
"Oh, Gracie. We have to help him", she murmured quietly.
Grace nodded, smiling sadly.
"I agree. He shouldn't be alone on that day. Lucas checked Carson's schedule, he is free at Sunday. So", inhaling deeply "We're gonna take him out. Eat outside, show him Capitol City, and we can go bowling."
Lillian nodded eagerly.
"Yes, yes. We can show him the parks, take him to that chocolate café", she suggested.
Grace's eyes widened as she gasped.
"Oh, I forgot about the chocolate café! That's a great idea!", she smiled before her face fell "But, there's more", at Lillian's quizzical look Grace told her sister about Faith and her selfish behaviour.
Lillian gaped at her sister, completely appalled.
"You're kidding, right?", as Grace shook her head, her face sad, Lillian felt anger bubbling up inside her "What a witch!"
Grace sighed.
"Lucas told him to tell her to stop calling him", she shook her head "How can some people sleep peacefully in the evening is beyond me, Lillian."
Lillian's facial expression turned determined.
"Well, we're all going to help him. He deserves it for everything he did for us", she said.
Grace smiled softly.
"I agree. Come on", she got up and pulled Lillian's hand "Let's go make some popcorn and we can work on our plan in my room."
—--
Carson creased his eyebrows slightly as he looked at Lucas. His friend stood in front of him, his hands in his pockets, a lip-closed smile on his face.
"Wait, let me get this straight…", Carson slowly said "You, Grace and Lillian plan to take me out for the entire day, possibly half of night because…", he raised his eyebrows quizzically.
Lucas' smile turned thoughtful.
"Because you are our friend, Carson. And ever since you moved here, we never managed to match our schedules to hang out together. And we won't take no for an answer", he placed his hand on Carson's shoulder "You got friends here, Carson. You don't have to go through this alone."
Carson swallowed hard, his blue eyes glistening with tears and he smiled shakily.
"Thank you, Lucas", he said quietly.
—--
Sunday morning dawned on without clouds, sun shining and sparkling on the remnants of snow in Capitol City.
Lillian gave last instructions to Gustave who was in charge of the orphanage for the day. He smiled softly at how nervous Lillian was to leave the little ones without both her and Grace.
"Don't worry, Madam Lillian. Everything will be alright", he assured her before stepping into the kitchen to start with the breakfast preparation. Two members of his staff were there to help him and it looked like they had everything under control.
Lillian exhaled and smiled nervously.
"Thank you", she said.
At that moment there was a knock at the doors and she went back toward the doors, exclaiming:
"Grace! They're here!"
Her sister's voice was heard from upstairs as she exclaimed:
"'ll be down in a minute!"
Lillian shook her head.
"What on Earth are you doing that long?!", she muttered as she opened the doors and greeted Lucas and Carson with a smile "Good morning! Come in."
As they both greeted her with a smile, Lucas asked:
"Are you ready to go?"
Lillian playfully rolled her eyes as she murmured:
"I am, but your fiancée takes eternity this morning to get ready", shaking her head, she turned around and exclaimed "Grace, come on!"
A moment of silence and then they heard Grace's voice from the stairs:
"Lillian? I need your help."
Creasing her eyebrows slightly, Lillian went into the living room and walked toward the stairs.
"Grace, what on Earth…", her eyes widened as she barely stifled a laugh "Oh my!"
Grace stood at the middle of stairs and huffed out in desperation and turned around to point at her hair.
And a brush that was stuck in it.
"Please, take this horrendous thing out from my hair!", she whined.
Lillian pressed her lips tightly together not to burst to laughter as she noticed Lucas coming toward the stairs and she nodded at him as she stepped back and walked to the hallway to wait for them with Carson.
Lucas quietly climbed up the stairs with Grace not being any wiser that he was there as her back was turned to him.
He stopped two stairs behind her and without a word, he started to gently free Grace's wavy hair from the brush.
Grace exhaled and grumbled quietly:
"Imagine if Lucas saw me like this. He could remember that horrible day when this stupid thing got stuck in my hair and I looked like an absolute freak in that horrendous bathrobe!"
Lucas smiled gently at his beloved fiancée's grumbling and as he removed a brush from Grace's hair he inched closer and kissed the brunette waves, murmuring:
"Oh, I think he was completely enchanted with you that day."
Grace gasped as her eyes widened and she quickly turned around, her cheeks aflame from embarrassment.
Lucas climbed up the remaining steps and slowly stepped into Grace's personal space, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Bonjour, mon coeur" ("Good morning, my heart"), he whispered before leaning down and kissing her gently, lovingly.
Grace smiled softly into his lips at hearing him speaking French. Her hands joined behind his neck as she kissed him back, her anxiety calming down immediately.
As they pulled apart, he murmured quietly:
"And just for the record…", he put a stray curl behind her ear "You took my breath away that day", as his fingers finally fixed the hair on the spot where the brush was, he added "And I love it when your hair is messed up."
Grace's smile widened and she leaned her forehead against his, murmuring lovingly:
"That's a relief. Because it is definitely a task to calm it down some mornings", she sighed, closing her eyes as Lucas moved and placed a gentle kiss on her soft hair.
"Don't worry", he whispered "I'll help you with it in the morning."
Back in the hallway Carson chuckled as Lillian rolled her eyes, before she quipped:
"We may as well go and have breakfast while those two get untangled."
Carson playfully creased his eyebrows.
"Wait, I thought Grace's hair is tangled", he said.
Lillian gave him a pointed look.
"Trust me - now Lucas is tangled up in that hair too", she smirked as she turned around and exclaimed "Hey, lovebirds! Are you coming with us or not?"
She grinned as she heard the footsteps and opened the doors, bowing to her sister and Lucas as she made a show of allowing them to step out first.
Grace bounced on her feet as she waited for Lillian to lock the doors and grinned.
"So, what do you all think about having a hotdog for breakfast at the Barney's?", she looked at Carson and hurried to explain "That's the best hotdog in Capitol City!"
Lillian nodded.
"Mhm. And they make their own mustard!", she said as she and Grace huddled close to each other, Lillian's palm in the crook of Grace's arm, big smiles on their faces.
But, before Carson could reply Lucas pulled up a facial expression of disbelief as he looked at Grace and Lillian:
"Wait, are you really selling all this to a doctor?!", he shook his head, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he noticed Lillian's killer gaze.
"Very funny, Bouchard", grumbled Lillian.
Lucas was about to make his point but Carson interrupted him by saying:
"Hey, don't try to blame me in order to avoid eating what you don't want, Lucas!", he stifled a laugh at his friend's dumbfounded facial expression "Who says I don't approve of hotdogs?!"
Lillian laughed out loud.
"Oooooh, Lucas, it looks like you got as good as you gave!", she pointed her index finger at Carson and said with a smile "And for that, I am eternally grateful, doctor Shepherd!"
Carson laughed and slightly bowed his head.
"Glad to be of service", he quipped.
Lucas shook his head as he went toward Grace and took her hand.
"Remind me why are we taking these two to town with us?", he quipped.
Grace giggled, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Because we need chaperones", she quipped before both she and Lucas bursted to laughter.
Lillian giggled.
"That you do! Come on, let's get going, I am hungry", she said.
And with those words, four of them walked down the street, talking all the time.
—--
Carson shook his head as he swallowed another bite of hotdog.
"Lucas, you are clueless. This", he shook his hotdog a bit and smiled "This is the best comfort food I have ever tasted!"
Lillian shook from suppressed laughter.
"Like we would go with food poisoning with Carson!", she said to Lucas and grinned before biting into her hotdog again.
Lucas huffed out a breath.
"I'm not going to live this one down, will I?", he shook his head at Lillian's smug smirk as she did a little silly dance "Fine. Rub it all in. Have your five minutes of glory. But, remember", he pointed his hotdog at Lillian "You're going to lose at the bowling game today, Lillian, no matter with whom you decide to play."
Lillian nearly choked on her hotdog from laughter.
"Oh, I am playing with Carson. No way I will let Grace slack just so you can win!", she quipped, causing Grace to gasp in mock shock.
"Hey!", exclaimed Grace "You just signed a loser contract, sister!", turning toward Lucas, she grinned "We're gonna make them pay for this!", she stormed away, pretending to be offended and Lucas followed her, chuckling all the time.
Carson laughed at his friends' antics.
"They are quite the pair", he commented with a smile. Lillian playfully rolled her eyes causing Carson to laugh "Are they always this annoyingly smug?"
Lillian smirked.
"Oh yes. Even worse. You wouldn't believe the things I had to put up with!", she quipped.
Carson glanced at her, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Didn't Gustave help you?", he asked, his smile widening.
Lillian let out a laugh of disbelief.
"Gustave?! Hardly! His support system lasts until our food comes and then he starts with deep analysis…even if it is only some snacks or fries!", she replied and both of them laughed. Lillian looked at her sister and Lucas to make sure they were out from the earshot before turning to look at Carson and saying quietly "Hey…thanks for your help with Helen. I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me."
Carson nodded, smiling softly.
"You are welcome. Glad I could help", his eyes shone with understanding "I knew that you didn't want to cause a rift so I decided to give her a call."
Lillian swallowed, trying to keep her tears of gratitude at bay.
"Thank you so much", she whispered.
Carson glanced at her and seeing her eyes fill with tears, he gently caressed her shoulder before murmuring gently:
"Anytime", his lips curled up a bit as he quipped "Besides… It's all in the best man's job description. Keep everything going smoothly, including helping a maid of honour in her time if need."
Lillian looked back at him and both of them smiled.
—--
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better,
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey, Jude, don't be afraid,
You were made to go out and get her,
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey, Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah.
Hey, Jude, don't let me down,
You have found her, now go and get her,
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
So let it out and let it in,
Hey, Jude, begin,
You're waiting for someone to perform with.
And don't you know that it's just you,
Hey, Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder.
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah yeah
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better,
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then you'll begin to make it better,
better, better, better, better... oh!
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude.
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude.
("Hey, Jude" - The Beatles)