A Bit of Me

Flashback 1: A Ballerina's Last Dance

Summary: Grace knew that if she wanted to be a professional ballerina, she'd have to eat well and stick to a rigorous fitness plan in order to do the demanding routines. But today, Grace couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something more important than turning 14 and her ballet performance was going to happen. Her life was about to change course.

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Sittingbourne, Kent (2011)

That morning, the house was filled with the warm, comforting aroma of breakfast as James and Isabelle bustled around the country kitchen. The smell of pancakes frying on the cooker mixed with the sweet smell of fresh melon and the savoury smell of the veggie omelette created a cosy atmosphere. Isabelle carefully poured the freshly squeezed orange juice into a glass, her hands moving with the confidence of someone who has done this countless times before. James smiled as he put the final item—a hot cup of tea—on the tray. He smiled at his granddaughter's favourite meal. "Might've gone a bit overboard, but it's her special day, after all."

There was maybe a little too much food, but it was her birthday and her mum was not here in Sittingbourne this weekend. He carefully lifted the tray, and followed his wife as they made their way up the stairs. The creaks of the old house seemed quieter this morning.

"We're going on three..." Isabelle murmured as she came to a halt in front of the door to Grace's bedroom.

James sighed. "Do we really need to-"

Isabelle smiled, "One, two, three!" She held the door open for James to step into the room with the tray of food. They both entered with the lightest of steps.

The room was still bathed in the soft glow of early morning, and Grace lay peacefully in bed, unaware of the treat awaiting her. James and Isabelle exchanged a quick look of shared excitement before Isabelle leaned down to gently wake their granddaughter.

"Happy birthday, love," Isabelle whispered, her voice tender and full of affection, as James set the tray down on the bedside table.

She tapped Grace's shoulder, "Gracie love, it's morning."

Grace smelled something delicious and gently sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Ugh, what time is it?" She asked, yawning and stretching, "Did my alarm go off?"

"Oh, it hasn't gone off yet, don't worry. But-" Isabelle helped James settle the breakfast tray onto the bed smiling at their granddaughter. "-happy fourteenth birthday!"

"Oh, you didn't have to do so much!" Her eyes lit up at all the food on the tray. They prepared her favourite breakfast: pancakes, crepes, veggie omelette, pineapple and cantaloupe, along with freshly squeezed OJ. "Wow, thank you, this is amazing," She smiled, drinking some of the tea and then eating some cantaloupe. "I love you two."

"We love you too, Gracie." Her grandmother placed a kiss gently on her forehead.

"Well, your grandmother insisted." As he perched on the edge of the bed beside her, James grinned and ran his fingers through Grace's untidy, wavy hair. "Wishing you a happy birthday, sweet pea."

Her nan smiled as she said, "Everything here your grandad helped make too! With the exception of the fruits and tea, of course."

Grace's heart swelled with warmth as she looked at her grandparents, her two favourite people in the world. The room was filled with love, and the soft morning light that filtered through the curtains seemed to wrap around them like a comforting blanket. Grace gave both of her grandparents a loving smile.

She squealed after taking a taste of the omelette. "It's all fantastic! You ought to have some! I doubt I'll be able to finish everything on my own. And I have to dance later." She stabbed the omelette with her fork. "Here." Grace knew that if she wanted to be a professional ballerina, she'd have to eat well and stick to a rigorous fitness plan in order to do the demanding routines. The majority of the professional ballerinas she has met have the most beautiful bodies in the world. But it was her special day, so she decided to splurge a little.