Darcie stands and smiles, mouthing that Gracie’s having a good day today. Gracie leans back and points to her head. “Look what I’m wearing today?! I knew something good would happen because of it.” She grins, referring to her Alabama Blacksmiths bandana I sent her.
“You look just as beautiful as the last time I saw you too.” I wink, causing her to giggle. “I have an even better present for you this time.” With that, I turn to where Mike and Kinley are still standing in the doorway.
“Hey, Mike!” Gracie waves at him. “Who are you?” she asks Kinley.
“Gracie, this is my friend, Kinley. Kinley, this is my girlfriend, Gracie.”
Gracie beams a smile at me before Kinley says, “It’s nice to meet you, Gracie.”
I put Gracie gently back down on her own two feet and crouch down next to her to be at eye level. “You should probably be really sweet to Kinley. I asked her to hold your present for me.”
Her eyes widen as she glances between Kinley and me. Slowly, she walks over to Kinley and gives her a hug. “It’s nice to meet you too. You’re really pretty.”
“Thank you, but I’m not as pretty as you.”
“Thanks.”
“C’mon, Gracie. Let’s sit down over here and open your present,” I say. She hurries back over to take my hand, leading me to the table where she was when we walked in. I sit down first and then lift her into my lap. Darcie takes a seat as does Kinley. Mike stands next to me since we’re out of chairs. Kinley places the yellow bag on the table and I reach for it. Gracie holds her hands together in her lap, waiting for the signal. I give it to her, and she quickly reaches inside.
“I know the last time I brought you my jersey, but I figured it was time you had your own,” I tell her. On the back is her name and her favorite number, 91, which happens to be my number.
She turns in my lap and hugs me again. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Carson! Can I put it on right now, Mommy? Please! Carson is wearing his.”
Darcie nods, so I carefully help Gracie wiggle into the jersey. She glances down at it once it’s on, staring at the front.
“Well, what do you think? Ready to show it off to the other kids for a while?”
“Oh, yeah! You have to meet Tommy too, Carson. He’s my newest friend.”
“Tommy’s with the doctors right now, remember Gracie?” Darcie says.
“Right.” Gracie looks up at me. “Will you stay long enough to meet him?”
“Of course.”
We make our way to another room where the kids will gather if they are able. Mike, Kinley, and Darcie split carrying the bags I brought in since Gracie is leading the way. The excitement is visible when we walk in with bags full of toys, coloring books, crayons, and all sorts of stuff. A few of the kids who were here last time I visited rush over to me much like Gracie did. They give me hugs before introducing me to everyone else.
There really isn’t any other option than to sit down in the middle with all of them and start playing too. Gracie wants me to help her color, so I do that while talking with the kids and taking quick breaks from coloring to help them with the new toys. After about an hour of that and taking pictures with a few of them, Gracie starts looking tired.
“Do you feel like watching Looney Tunes, G
racie?” She nods. “Let’s go do that then before it’s time for me to go. How does that sound?”
“You have to meet Tommy first,” she reminds me.
We put all the crayons back in the box and then I pick her up before turning to try to find Darcie. Gracie rests her head on my shoulder as I walk over to her mom.
“She wants to go see Tommy and then we’re going to her room for cartoons.”
Darcie nods and leads the way to Tommy’s room, which is next door to Gracie’s. She perks up when we enter his room.
“Told you that Carson is my boyfriend,” is the first thing she says to Tommy.
I laugh, shake hands with his parents, and then give the little boy a high five. “Gracie told me you’re her newest friend, Tommy.”
“Yeah.” He shrugs. “She wants me to watch the Blacksmiths play.” He frowns. “I like the Mustangs better.”
Gracie is loud and dramatic as she says, “Ew! I’ve told him that he’s cheering for the wrong team, but he won’t listen to me.”