A/N: Again, this is just another more gentle filler chapter before the drama picks up again, and it's a little shorter. Dr. Lindstrom's trial begins in the next chapter.

Grace quietly crawled out of bed, being careful not to disturb her sleeping Mistress in the process, and walked to the bathroom to begin getting ready for the day ahead. She shed the pajamas she had been allowed to wear the night before and stepped under the warm spray of the shower. As the young submissive carefully washed her hair and body, her mind wandered. Today was her twenty-seventh birthday, and Grace wasn't at all sure how she felt about it this year. Melissa had never acknowledged Grace's birthday in any way, shape, or form, and Grace had grown accustomed to letting the day pass by as any other day would, and even though Grace fully understood that the differences between Melissa and Olivia were like night and day, Grace was still prepared for Olivia to not even acknowledge the day, and if Olivia didn't bring it up, then Grace certainly wasn't going to bring it up and risk the possibility of making Olivia angry with her. The young brunette picked up a razor and stared at it for a long moment, battling within herself. Grace won the battle and simply began to shave her legs. With all of that accomplished, Grace stepped from the shower, dried her hair, and dressed in a fresh pair of panties and matching bra before quietly leaving the bedroom. Grace entered the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks. Tears began to stream down her pretty face as she gazed at the big banner that read 'Happy Birthday' and the vase of her favorite flowers on the table along with an envelope with her name written across it in Olivia's neat handwriting. Grace opened the envelope to retrieve its contents.

Good morning, my beautiful birthday girl! Happy 27th! Today is one of the most important days in this house and I will never forget it. You will not be cooking any of our meals today, I want you to turn around and come straight back to bed and crawl into my arms, I'm waiting for you. We will get up in an hour or so and order breakfast from any restaurant your heart desires. Today is completely yours, my baby, you get to tell me what you want.

All my love,

Ma'am

Grace put the note back in the envelope and placed the envelope back on the table. She wiped the tears from her eyes only to make room for new ones as she obediently turned and made her way back to the bedroom. When she walked in, Olivia was indeed waiting for her, lying in bed with her eyes open. Olivia pulled back the blankets and welcomed Grace into her arms. Grace snuggled down into Olivia's arms and cried on Olivia's chest while Olivia cuddled her close and lovingly rubbed her panty-clad bottom.

"I love you, Ma'am." Grace wept.

"I love you, my baby. Go back to sleep." Olivia kissed Grace's head and continued to rub her bottom until she was certain that Grace was asleep before drifting off herself with Grace still wrapped in her arms.

About an hour and a half later, Olivia and Grace were both awake and Olivia was on the phone ordering the breakfast that Grace requested. With that accomplished, Grace giggled as she found herself swept up off her feet. Olivia carried her over to the couch where she sat down and settled Grace to cuddle on her lap.

"Now, we have some important business to attend to before the food arrives. I'm afraid a certain baby girl of mine needs a birthday spanking today." Olivia stated sternly.

"What?" Grace squeaked in surprise as she was suddenly flipped over Olivia's lap there on the couch, never having heard of such a thing as a birthday spanking and startled by Olivia's stern tone. But she knew better than to complain about it and she settled in comfortably, accepting Olivia's right to spank her at any time for any reason.

"That's right, twenty seven good, hard spanks, plus one to grow on. It will help you remember to be a good girl this year, or you know what will happen." Olivia stated, gently pulling Grace's panties down.

"Yes, Ma'am." Grace's lower lip trembled as she squeezed her eyes closed.

"One." Olivia counted aloud as she delivered a very light love spank to Grace's bottom.

"Ouch!" Grace yelped involuntarily before she realized that the pain she had been expecting wasn't there.

"Two." Olivia delivered another light love spank.

After the fifth pain-free spank, Grace finally understood what was happening and she couldn't help herself as she began to giggle uncontrollably at the absurdity of the situation. Between giggles, she began to play along and howled as if she were in excruciating pain.

"And one to grow on." Olivia announced once all twenty seven spanks had been successfully delivered. She raised up her strong right hand and brought it down with extra hard force.

"OW!" Grace let out a genuine cry of pain and actually felt tears fill her eyes as she immediately turned herself over on Olivia's lap and buried her face on Olivia's chest.

"Happy birthday, baby girl." Olivia gently kissed Grace's head and lovingly rubbed her bottom to soothe the mild sting she had just inflicted.

"I want cake now." Grace offered an adorable fake pout.

"We are having cake with Don, Eileen, and Emily later this afternoon. If you didn't like your birthday spanking, I can give you birthday tickles from now on instead." Olivia trapped Grace in her arms and wriggled her fingers, slowly inching closer to Grace's belly.

"No, Ma'am! No, Ma'am! A birthday spanking is fine!" Grace squealed. She was rescued by a knock on the door, indicating that breakfast had arrived. The young submissive enjoyed her birthday breakfast kneeling at her Mistress's feet being fed by hand as usual.

"Just breathe through it, baby. No, don't arch your back, just relax. That's my good girl." Olivia praised a few hours later, watching carefully for any signs of fear as she held the vibrator on Grace's special spot while she used her other hand to steadily thrust the toy in and out of Grace's body.

"Oh! Please, Ma'am! Please!" Grace pleaded in her arousal, savoring every moment of anticipation building up to the orgasm she knew she was going to be allowed to have.

"Well, I just don't know. Maybe it's not a good idea today. Maybe tomorrow. Or next week." Olivia teased as she continued to stimulate her sweet little submissive lying on the bed.

"Ma'am, it's my birthday! You promised!" Grace pleaded desperately, and Olivia chuckled.

"I did promise, didn't I? Very well, then. Go ahead, my baby." Olivia granted her permission. Grace screamed with her orgasm, pulling against her restraints, and collapsed on the bed in post-orgasmic bliss.

At around five o' clock, there was a knock on the door and Grace, now fully dressed, happily hurried into Don and Eileen's arms to be greeted with hugs.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Eileen handed Grace a wrapped package.

"Thank you!" Grace beamed and went to open the package.

"Hold it, little girl. Go put that over there. When Emily arrives you can decide whether you want to have cake first or open presents first." Olivia pointed to the kitchen table where a few other packages wrapped in brightly colored paper were waiting to be opened.

"Yes, Ma'am." Grace obediently did as she was told and went to put the package on the table along with the others.

"By the way, young lady, I think it's time you find out what happens to birthday girls in this family." Don said sternly with a teasing gleam in his eye.

"My Ma'am already spanked me, sir!" Grace giggled as Don took her by the arm and sat on the couch.

"Good, that means you're ready for another one." Don flipped Grace over his lap.

"Ma'am, save me!" Grace pleaded dramatically.

"I'm afraid I can't save you, baby. You'll just have to take your spanking like a good girl." Olivia winked at her.

Grace giggled as Don gave her the same gentle twenty seven spanks that Olivia had given her, this time over her jeans, plus an extra hard one to grow on. Then Grace gasped when she suddenly found herself over Eileen's lap for a third birthday spanking. After the extra hard one to grow on, Grace jumped up and hurried into Olivia's arms, burying her face on Olivia's shoulder. After three birthday spankings in one day, Grace's bottom was getting uncomfortable and right now this didn't seem like a very fun game, even though everyone seemed to be very proud of her for taking all of her spankings.

"That's my good girl." Olivia cooed lovingly, gently rubbing Grace's jean-clad bottom.

When Emily arrived, the two friends happily embraced and Emily was introduced to Don and Eileen. Grace decided to open her presents, most of which were from Olivia, before having cake, and then Grace was delighted to find that Olivia had purchased her favorite lemon and blueberry cake from one of the local bakeries. The party of five talked and laughed together for a few hours until it was time for Emily to go home, and then soon after that Don and Eileen decided to call it a day. Alone in the apartment again, Grace snuggled into Olivia's arms on the couch and Olivia tenderly kissed her forehead.

"Thank you for my birthday, Ma'am." Grace smiled as the tips of Olivia's fingernails lightly grazed her belly.

"You are very welcome, my baby. I told you this morning, today is one of the most important days in this house and I will never forget it." Olivia assured her. Grace hadn't said anything about it, but Olivia was smart enough to correctly guess that Grace's birthday had been overlooked for the past several years.

"Can I have another piece of cake, please?" Grace asked hopefully.

"Yes." Olivia chuckled indulgently.