Sweet Summer Sunsets- A Robert Irwin FanFic

Robert

I think Grace viewed Ashley as part of the family, and that warmed my heart. I know Ashley and her mum are like an extended part of our family, and I like to think that Grace viewed it that way, too. Plus, Ashley did play and interact with Grace as I did, so it was neat that Grace was able to recognise that, too. 

"Ashy!" Grace repeated, reacting to everyone cheering her on for trying to talk. She smiled and giggled too, causing everyone else to laugh at her too. 

"Ashy!" Grace said again, this time pointing towards the back door. 

We all turned and looked where she was pointing, and sure enough, there was Ashley and her mum approaching the back door. Ashley had a couple of presents in her hands, and her mum had a container in hers, which I'm assuming must be biscuits. 

Ashley smiled, and I knew that if her hands weren't so full she'd be waving. I quickly got up and opened the back door for her and her mum. 

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Ashley said, walking into the dining area with her mum right behind her. 

"Merry Christmas!" We all said before Bindi turned back to Grace. 

I closed the back door carefully, looking outside and smiling. I was so happy in this moment, and I wished I could feel like this all the time. 

"Okay Grace, say it one more time," Bindi said, looking at Grace hopefully. 

"Ashy!" Grace said, carefully getting out of the chair and running over to Ashley, grabbing onto her legs. 

"Oh my goodness, Grace!" Ashley said, looking down at her. I took the presents from her hands and set them on the dining table. 

"Thanks," Ashley said, bending down to talk to Grace. "Merry Christmas, Grace."

"Ashy!" Grace said again, giving her a hug. 

"Aww," everyone cooed at Grace and her affection for Ashley. I couldn't help but smile and feel kinda proud. I was so happy to find someone that my entire family loved so much. 

"It's been her new word today," Bindi explained, getting up to hug Ashley as well. 

"Oh, how sweet!" Ashley said, standing back up and hugging Bindi.

It was funny to me how not everyone got up and hugged Ashley, it was just Bindi and Grace, but our families saw each other so much that it wasn't like a necessary thing to get up and hug everyone every time we saw them. 

Ashley's mum greeted Chandler's parents, taking a seat next to my mum. Bindi went and sat back down next to Chandler. I took this opportunity to give Ashley a hug, knowing that she probably needed it. 

After we hugged, we went and sat back at the table, Ashley and I sitting next to each other. 

"You feeling better?" I asked, in a whisper.

"So far, so good," she said, whispering back. She smiled, which of course made me smile. 

"Why don't we bring these to the living room and open them?" My mum said after everyone had been quiet for a minute. 

"That's a great idea, Terri," Ashley's mum said. Chandler's parents agreed. 

Ashley and I grabbed the presents, and we all went into the living room. She and I sat on the floor with Grace, and everyone else sat on the couch. 

"I can pass them out, I mean everything is for you and your mum," I said, laughing slightly. 

"That works," she said, pushing the pile of presents to me.