Soul - Colby Brock

Fifty-Nine - Octavia

Colby and I smiled at each other. "Can we meet her?" Kat asked. I nodded.

"Let me go get her," I said. I walked to the door, opening it. Callum was sitting on the floor with Gracie on his lap. It looked as though they were talking. 

"Mommy!" she exclaimed as she ran into my arms.

"I've not been gone long!"

"I know, I just miss you," she smiled at me with her innocent looking face.

"Awe," I heard Devyn from behind me.

"Do you want to meet mommy's friends?" I asked her. She nodded eagerly. "OK, come here," I picked her up then turned. I heard Callum come in but ignored it. 

"Pretty!" Gracie exclaimed, pointing at Kat.

"You think Kat's pretty?" I asked.

"Awe, you're beautiful!" Kat replied, walking forward. Gracie nodded her head.

"She pretty too," she pointed at Devyn.

"I completely agree with you," Kat nodded approvingly. 

"Me too," I said.

"What about us!" Jake exclaimed. I laughed.

"What about the boys? Are any of the boys handsome?" I asked.

"Him," Gracie pointed at Colby. We all laughed.

"Colby?" I confirmed. She nodded. "I definitely agree with that," I winked at him. "Wanna give them all hugs?" I asked. Gracie fought to get out of my arms. "That's a yes," instead of running to Kat or Devyn, who was closer, she ran to Colby, hugging mostly his legs since he was taller than her.

"Wow! Didn't even look at the girls! Straight for the 'pretty boy'!" Corey exclaimed, pretending to be offended.

"You're just jealous, Corey," Colby said as he bent down to hug Gracie properly. My heart melted at the sight. 

"Gracie, hug everyone else, too," I said. She hugged everyone in turn then ran back to me, holding my hand. I turned to Callum. "Thanks for helping, by the way," I said. He nodded but stayed back by the door. 

"What are the names?" Gracie asked.

"Oh, right," I bent down to her level. "That's Kat, Devyn, Colby, Corey, Sam, Jake, and Aaron," she repeated them back to me correctly. I nodded.

"Mommy?" she asked. I looked at her. "Is that you b-b," she struggled with words. Sighing, she tried again. "Is that your boyfriend? Yay, I did it!" she did a little jump in celebration: making my heart melt AGAIN. 

"Yes, Gracie, that thing right there is my boyfriend," I pointed at Colby.

"Hi," she said cheerily, waving at him.

"Hi," he replied, smiling at her. 

"Do you like poop jokes?" Jake asked.

"Jake!" most of us said at the same time.

"What? It was a question!" Gracie giggled.

"I don't know," she replied. 

"Idiothead," Jake said.

"Poopy pants," Gracie replied, giggling. If Gracie hadn't have found it as a joke, I would have killed Jake. Jake giggled in a similar way.

"Children!" Callum basically yelled.

"Uncy Cal! You are poopy pants too!" Gracie yelled at Callum in response. He gasped, pretending to be hurt.

"How dare you!" he leaped towards her. She ran away giggling. We all watched her until she was gone around a corner. 

"You have a daughter! And she looks exactly like you! And she's adorable!" I could see Kat was about to explode. I laughed.

"Yeah, crazy, huh," I watched her through the window as she'd now made it outside. Colby wrapped an arm around me from behind. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, keeping my eyes on my daughter who was running around the pool with Callum not far behind. He engulfed her in a bear hug when he caught her. I could see the pure joy in her eyes. 

As I was wearing a crop top, I could feel the extreme warmth of Colby's hands, minus the rings, on my stomach. It was so comforting. "She's almost as lovely as you," Colby whispered into my ear.

"Wrong, she's more," before Colby could respond, Gracia ran at me, jumping. I caught her, forcing Colby to let go and take a step back. I spun my daughter around then plopped her on my arm. "Having fun?" I asked her. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes! AHHH Uncy Cal!" she exclaimed. Callum came into the house at that point. I put her down so she ran. Callum didn't chase her for very long, only a few seconds then he came back to the group. At this point, Colby had wrapped both of his arms around my waist from behind and was leaning his chin on my shoulder while I laid my arms on his. Gracie walked back in, staring at her surroundings. "Big house," she said, only just realising. 

"Yup, it is isn't it," Kat said. She knelt down by Gracie.

"Very. Do you live here?" she asked.

"No, but everyone over there except for mommy lives here," Kat replied.

"A lot," Kat smiled and nodded. "Pretty boy?" Gracie said, looking directly at Colby.

"Me?" he asked.

"Yes, you. Hands off mommy!" she said. I laughed as Colby let go of me and took a step back, holding up his arms in surrender. Everyone else laughed at the exchange.

"Sorry, Gracie," he said.

"Better," Gracie nodded. She scanned the rest, probably looking for the same thing with anyone else. When Gracie turned to Callum, Colby took a step forward but this time he just whispered into my ear.

"She's charming," I nodded in agreement.

"Colby!" Gracie yelled. "Back off from mommy! For second time!" I burst into laughter, I couldn't help it. 

"Thanks, Gracie!" I exclaimed.

"No problem!" she replied. 

"Callum? Could you take her home please?" I asked. Callum nodded, standing up and holding out his hand for Gracie to take. She shook her head. 

"I want to stay, please?" she looked me in the eye.

"You have to go back home, you don't have any PJ's hun," I said. She pulled puppy eyes on me. Puppy eyes only ever worked when Colby tried it. "Don't make this harder, Gracie, come on. I promise you can come back tomorrow, OK?" she stared into my eyes for a few seconds. Then a wide smile grew on her face.

"You just want to be alone with pretty boy!" she exclaimed. Before I could respond, she ran towards the door. 

"What? Why do you think that?" I asked. I pretended not to know what she meant. She giggled.

"OK, I will let... you, but I want to be invited tomorrow! For night!" Callum walked up to her. I chuckled as she opened the door. Callum stepped out, calling bye more to me than the roommates but they said bye to him anyway. The door almost closed but then it burst open as there were suddenly two small arms wrapped around my neck. Gracie was hugging me. I hugged her back. "Miss you, mommy," she said.

"Awe, I'll miss you too, sweetheart," she pulled away, a tear rolling down her cheek. "It's OK, I'll come to get you for a little while tomorrow. We'll do whatever you want, yeah?" she nodded. I wiped the tear from her cheek. "Now go attack Aunt Emily with stories," I said. She nodded with a small grin. Her eyes locked on something behind me. I looked to see Colby. She stood in front of him with her arms extended. He gave her a hug.

"Keep your hands off," she whispered, making Colby smile. "Bye mommy!" she exclaimed then ran through the front door. The moment it was closed, I remembered what it was like to say bye without caring so much. What it was like to say bye when I had less of a soul. It was easier. So much easier.