Page 48 of Her Sweet Surrender
Brie looked at Sir. “Did you know?”
He shook his head, smiling. “First I’ve heard of it.”
“The best part is we can be your built-in babysitters from now on. Pasadena is only an hour away, so we can take care of Hope whenever you want.” Her mother glanced around the room. “Where is my precious grandbaby, anyway?”
“She’s been keeping me company in my office,” Sir informed her. “Let me get her for you.”
“Oh no, let me,” her mom insisted.
Brie heard Hope start to cry when her mother entered the office. “This is exactly why we had to move,” her mother lamented as she walked back out with Hope squirming in her arms. “She doesn’t remember me.”
Brie walked over and hugged her mom as she told Hope, “Look, Grandma and Grandpa are here!”
Hope held out her arms to Brie.
Once she was safe in Brie’s arms, Hope quieted down and pointed at her mother. “That’s right, sweet pea, that’s your grandma.”
Brie set Hope down on the floor and smiled as Hope toddled toward her.
“I can’t believe she’s walking already,” her father said in awe. “I mean, you told us, but to see her walking with my own eyes…” He shook his head in disbelief. “Marcy was right. Life’s too short to miss moments like this.”
“What about all of your friends?” Brie asked in concern. “Won’t it be hard to start over?”
Her mother picked Hope up and smiled. “We’ll manage just fine.”
Brie’s father walked up to Rytsar and smacked him on the back. “Now you won’t be saddled with the kid anymore. You’re welcome.”
Brie wondered how Rytsar felt about it, considering how much he loved their little girl—but she needn’t have worried.
Rytsar smiled as he gazed down at Hope. “I never minded, Mr. Bennett. But knowing thatmoye solntsewill be growing up with her grandparents nearby is reason to celebrate. Will you share a shot of vodka with me?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he answered, smacking Rytsar on the back again.
Brie glanced at Rytsar and smiled.
He was right. Having her mom and dad become an integral part of their children’s lives was an unexpected and priceless gift.
Later that night when they retired to the bedroom, Sir noticed the wedding cards still scattered on the bed. He picked up one and smirked. “So, this was what you were up to in the bedroom.”
Brie started quickly gathering them up, having forgotten about them after the excitement of the day. “I was feeling a bit nostalgic, Sir.”
Noticing the two separate piles, he asked, “What were you doing with them?”
She picked up the smaller stack. “I was going to frame these to hang them up.”
“And these?” he asked, picking up the other pile.
She looked at him sadly. “Those are all the gifts we never used.”
He glanced through them with a thoughtful look, before handing them to her. “It seems like a lifetime ago.”
“I guess it was, really.”
He nodded and was silent. She could see the pain in his eyes as he relived the plane crash.
“Sir,” she said gently. “I was wondering. Do you think Marquis Gray would mind if I gave his gift to my parents instead? Knowing how solitary my dad is, it would give them both a way to get out in their new community.”
“There’s no harm in asking, babygirl.”
