Haven Harbour: Beyond the Sea • a.i. • (Sequel to Haven Harbour)

Chapter 120

--

Ashton's PoV:

In the morning Carter was still asleep when Harry who had spent the night with the kids in our hotel brought them up.

I thanked him for staying with them before dressing Gracie in the room in her navy blue and white dress (my favourite of hers) and then  took her hand as I began to go to the DNA testing centre where Holly Baker was meeting us.

I found the hallway and walked down it, finding the testing lab door where Holly was waiting outside.

"Hello." She smiled at us. "Hello Gracie."

"Do you remember Holly?" I asked Gracie and the little girl nodded before lifting her arms up to me. I picked her up and she wrapped her legs and arms around me before burrying her head in my neck.

"Still shy." Holly commented.

"At first but once she's spent thirty minutes with you she's your best friend." I said and Holly smiled.

"Daddy I want to go play outside." Gracie pointed out a window.

"I'll take you to the playground after we do this, okay?" I asked her and she nodded happily.

"Let's go inside." Holly said and led us into the hall and into a room where a nurse was waiting with a needle so she could take Gracie's blood.

"I get shot?" Gracie asked me as I set her down.

"Yeah, baby, but it's going to be really quick, I promise."

"No shot." She shook her head, her eyes welling up and my heart broke for her.

"I know you don't want a shot, I'm sorry." I held her as the nurse prepared everything and Holly watched.

"Here, I'm going to sing to her so tell me when you want to start." I told the guy who was taking Gracie's blood and he nodded before telling me to go.

The words to Gracie's lullaby left my lips as I began to sing to her the moment the needle pierced her skin.

She let out a cry and a whine but I continued to sing as I wiped away a big tear drop.

"Shh." I said between verses and she sniffled.

Finally the nurse finished and put a band aid on her arm, Gracie immediately going back into my arms.

"Look it's all done." I smiled at her.

"No more?"

"No more shots. You were a brave little princess weren't you? And do you know what brave princess's get?"

"What?" She clapped her hands together, a smile on her face.

"Ice cream!"

"Yay ice cream!" She gasped excitedly.

"You love ice cream don't you?" I grinned at her.

"Strawberry!"