It's 2 in the afternoon when there is a knock on the door. Archie opens it with a smile on his face. A beautiful woman with shining raven hair returns that smile. She wears a light blue summer dress that hangs loosely over her shoulders.

"Hi Veronica" Archie smiles "come in, we're not leaving for another 10 minutes"

"Thank you Mr. Andrews"

"Oh please call me Archie, you're part of our family now"

"Okay" Veronica smiles. Just as she steps into the house, Ella comes running towards her with two cookies in her hands. "Hello Veronica" she giggles "look, grandma and Benny and I made cookies yesterday. Do you want one?" she asks and holds one up to her.

"Sure thank you Ella"

"You're welcome"

"Can I have a bite of your cookie?" Archie asks and points to his daughter hand.

"No daddy" Ella whines. "This is my cookie. There are more in the kitchen"

"But I'm too lazy to go to the kitchen" he smirks and holds his hand out.

Ella groans. She puts the cookie into his hand before she spins around on her heels and walks to the kitchen. She stomps her feet on the floor. Her little hands are into fists.

"Ella, sweetheart" Archie laughs. "I just wanted a bite"

"No! You can have that. I get a new cookie for myself"

"Wow she can be—" Veronica starts but Archie interrupts her. "I know" he chuckles. "That's my little girl"

He follows Ella into the kitchen. He lifts her up and kisses her cheek. After some protest she rests her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry sweetheart but I just wanted a bite. You didn't have to give me the whole cookie"

"And I said I don't want to share. So I get a new cookie for me now"

Archie chuckles. He squeezes Ella close to him and kisses her cheek a couple of times. "I'm sorry princess. I love you"

Ella sighs. She wraps her arms around Archie's neck and places a sloppy little kiss on his cheek. "I know you love me daddy. I love you too but that was my cookie and I didn't want to share. Next time you have to get a cookie yourself"

"Okay" he grins. He takes a cookie out of the jar and hands it to Ella before he sets her down. She runs back to Veronica and takes her hand. "Do you like my dress Veronica?" she says as she spins around.

"It's beautiful Ella. Uhm where is your brother?"

"I don't know" she shrugs "maybe in his room. He wants to get dressed all by himself but he usually needs help"

"Maybe I should go help him then" Veronica suggests. She looks to Archie who nods with a smile on his face. He waves Ella over to him so that Veronica can go to Ben by herself. She knocks on the door before she slowly opens it and walks in. Ben sits on the floor with some tears in his eyes. He's holding his shirt in his hands and looks up to Veronica as she walks in.

"Do you need some help Benny?"

The little boy nods. "My shirt in inside out. I can't make it right"

"Here, let me help you" Veronica says as she sits down on the floor and reaches for the shirt. She turns it and pulls it over Ben's head. "There you go"

"Thanks —uhm—"

"Veronica" she smiles. "You can call me Ronnie though. That's shorter"

"I like Veronica. It's a pretty name" he says as he crawls in Veronica's lap.

"Thank you Benny. That's really sweet. Your daddy said you're usually a little shy. How come you're so comfortable with me already?"

"I don't know. I like you"

Veronica could swear she felt her heart melt at his words. She wraps her arms around him, squeezes him close for a second and lies her head down on his. With her eyes closed she whispers "I like you too Benny. I promise you and Ella and I will be great friends"

"He turns around to face her and runs his fingers through her long raven hair. "Your hair is pretty and very soft"

"Thank you" Veronica giggles.

"Can I braid it?"

"You can braid hair?"

"Mhm, daddy taught me so I can braid Ella's hair" he smiles.

"You can do that later okay sweetie. We want to go to your grandma's house now"

"Okay" he mumbles. He pulls himself up, out of Veronica's lap and slowly walks to the door of his room with hanging shoulders.

"Benny" Veronica says. The boy turns around. A few tears are in his eyes. It breaks Veronica's heart. She gets up and walks over to him. "Benny you can braid my hair later. I want you to do it but right now we don't have the time. Don't you want to go to your grandparents' house?"

"I want to go the grandma and grandpa" he sniffs.

"See" Veronica smiles and wipes the tears out of his face. "You can braid my hair then"

"Okay"

•••

Veronica' s heart beats fast as she, Archie and the twins stand in front of Fred and Mary's house. Ella and Ben hold on to Archie's hands so Veronica knocks against the big red door.

Just a few seconds later the door swings open.

"Grandma!" Ella squeals. She jumps into her arms and kisses her cheek. "Where is grandpa?"

"He's in the backyard, preparing some last things for our barbecue. Do you want to go to him?"

"Yeah" she giggles. Mary sets her down and watches the girl run to her grandpa before she turns to Ben.

"Hi sweetheart"

"Hi grandma" he mumbles. He slowly lets go of Archie's hand and wraps his arms around Mary's legs.

"Do you want to go to grandpa too?"

"Mhm"

"Well then go sweetheart" Mary smiles. Her eyes wander from her grandson to Veronica. She smiles softly at the young woman.

"Hi Veronica, we met yesterday but didn't really get to know each other. So hopefully we can do that today"

"I would love that Mrs. Andrews. It's really nice to meet you"

"Likewise" she smiles. "Come in honey, you too Archie. My husband is in the backyard"

Archie places his hand on the small of Veronica's back for a second to signal her to walk in. She feels a little blush creep on to her cheeks. She takes a deep breath before she walk outside into the backyard.

"Honey" Mary says "this is Veronica. She'll be the kids' nanny"

"Nice to meet you. Fred smiles. He holds his hand towards her. She smiles before she places her hand in his.

"Hi Mr. Andrews. Nice to —"

"Veronica come I want to show you something" Ella squeals. She grabs her hand and pulls her away from Fred. Ben slowly walks over to Archie. He reaches his arms out to him so Archie picks him up.

Fred pulls Mary a little closer. "I hope Archie didn't only choose her because she's pretty"

Mary laughs "my words, Fred. I already talked to him"

"What did he say?"

"What do you think?" Mary laughs.

•••

Ella sits in Archie's lap and Veronica next to them. Across sit Mary and Fred with Ben in his lap. Next to Veronica and next to Fred sit two other people. They introduced themselves as Betty and Jug. They have been friends with Archie for years. They're even Ella's and Ben's godparents. They just recently got engaged.

"Mhh that's so yummy" Ella giggles as she take a bite from a little piece of bread, Mary did it herself. She holds it up, into Archie's face. "Look daddy! It's very yummy"

"Can I try?" he asks.

"Mhm"

Archie takes what's left of the little bread into his mouth. This lips brush over Ella's little fingertips. It makes her squeal.

"Veronica, daddy ate all my bread!" she giggles "and my fingers"

"I saw that" Veronica laughs. She loves how the littlest things make Ella laugh. She's such a happy little girl, a real ray of sunshine.

"Daddy can you get me more bread?"

"I should have seen that coming" he sighs. Just as he wants to lift Ella off his lap, Veronica hands the little girl a piece of bread from her plate. "Here"

"Thank you Ronnie" she grins.

"Ronnie?" Archie asks.

"It's my nickname for her" the girl says before she turns back to Veronica "Can you put some butter on my it please?"

"Sure sweetie" Veronica smirks. She places her hand under the girl's and puts some butter on the little piece of bread. "Here you go"

"Thank you. You're really nice Ronnie. Do you want some of my chicken wing?"

"No thank you Ella. I have chicken on my plate too"

"Okay" the girl giggles. She turns to her dad and holds the chicken wing in his face. "Do you want chicken daddy?"

"Mhm" he grins and opens his mouh. He leans forward slightly and just as his lips touch the food the little girl pulls it away.

"But just a little baby bite!"

"Okay"

"Promise?"

"I promise honey" he chuckles and takes the tiniest bite of the chicken. "How come you suddenly share your food? Earlier you were absolutely not amused when I wanted a bite from your cookie"

Ella shrugs "now I want to"