XVI. GRACE—CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"I'll be right back."

Grace nodded in reply, giving Sebastian a small smile before he placed a kiss on her cheek and walked towards the bar on the other side of the room. The after party (she honestly didn't know the actual word for it, so she settled for after party, because, well, that's what it felt like) had been in full swing since the wedding ceremony concluded hours ago, and Grace was more than pleased with the outcome.

She hadn't even been alone twenty seconds before she heard the sound of heels quickly approaching her from behind. She turned around, ready to come face to face with a newly married Wren (who had told her in a buzzed state the day before that she absolutely must save her a dance), but she only saw a stressed out bridesmaid carrying a smiley Bubba in her arms quickly approaching.

"Can you take her for a bit? I really have to use the bathroom and I'd like to have a drink with my date. I hope you don't mind?"

Grace didn't mind. She never minded when it came to her goddaughter. So, she happily clapped her hands and took Bubba into her open arms, resting her on her hip. "Hi, princess. You look very beautiful tonight. Who ya trying to impress? Oh, is it that one boy—the bearer of all things rings? Yeah, I bet it is."

Bubba smiled at Grace, and she smiled back. She knew the small child had no idea what she was talking about, but, hey, it was worth a shot. Bubba was never a fussy child; she was always simple-minded. It was easy to get along with her and understand what she wanted or what she needed.

          "I'm back and I brought some cham — and there's a baby." Grace turned around as she heard his voice, laughing at the expression on his face. He didn't seem disappointed that Bubba was now in the middle of their date. In fact, he seemed happy to see her. "Is this her? Oh my god, hi, sweetheart. You're adorable."

          Grace nodded, a smile spreading across her lips. "Yes. Bubba, can you say hi to Seb?"

          She watched as Bubba looked at Sebastian before bringing her thumb to her mouth and sucking on it. Grace laughed. "Oh, come on, I know you're not shy. This is my...friend. His name is Sebastian—like your favorite character on The Little Mermaid. You know him?" Bubba nodded. "Well, this is him as a human, and he wanted to meet you. Wanna say hello to him?"

          Sebastian almost — almost — burst out laughing at the explanation Grace gave Bubba about him, but he held it in as a wide smile graced Bubba's face before she nodded, opening her arms wide towards him. Grace smiled, raising her eyebrows towards Sebastian, silently asking him if he wanted to hold her, and he nodded. He'd been waiting to meet the child that Grace loved so fondly, and now that he was, he wasn't going to ruin it by refusing to hold her.

          Besides, he loved children.

          (And she now seemed to think that he was an underwater creature that was friends with a mermaid. But that's only a minor detail, really). 

          Sebastian happily welcomed her into his arms after he set the glasses of champagne on the table behind him. She relaxed in his arms, taking the sunglasses out of his shirt pocket when she saw them. "You wanna wear those?" He asked, taking them out of her small fingers before opening them and putting them on her face. She smiled brightly, and Grace couldn't help but smile back. He grabbed Bubba's hand with his finger, and nudged Grace with his arm before saying, "Would my two little princesses like to dance?"

          Bubba giggled in reply, and Grace happily followed them to the dance floor, where they spent the remainder of the night dancing, laughing, and having more fun than they've had in awhile.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: bubba and seb finally met! next chapters probably one of my faves, so that'll be up soon!!