Mirabe paused as she heard the suggestion, her fingers absentmindedly


    scrolling her phone screen. She checked the time before asking, "Got any special ns for today?"


    Grady seemed caught off guard for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head. "Not really..." But then he reconsidered, "Actually, I haven''t hit the racetrack in a while. How about joining me for a spin?"


    Mirabe''s eyebrows arched slightly. She''d heard from As about Grady''s love for racing, so she nodded with a smile, "Sure, why not."


    Nick couldn''t help but twitch a bit at this, turning to his sister, "You''ve only had your license for, what, six months?"


    One had the nerve to ask, the other the guts to agree.


    Mirabe touched her nose, her eyshes fluttering down, "Think of it as a bit of practice."


    Nick: "..."


    Before he could protest further, Grady chimed in, "It''s good to get some driving practice after getting your license. We''ll head out after lunch."


    Nick: "?"


    So, was he just extra baggage now?


    Grady, ignoring Nick''s bewildered look, picked up his phone to call As about prepping the car. His phone was still open to the Messenger app, and before exiting, he noticed a digital gift Nick had sent. He gave Nick a sideways nce before epting it.


    After that, Grady found As''s number.


    Nick heard his phone buzz, nced at it, and just sighed, "..."


    Meanwhile, Mirabe had opened the cake box, lit the candles, and dimmed the lights for the birthday celebration. Celebrating a family elder''s birthday had to have that special touch.


    Once the cake was done, Mirabe headed to the restroom. It was down the hallway, a left at the end. Just as she got there, someone wasing out, engrossed in a phone call and almost bumped into her.


    Fortunately, Mirabe quickly stepped aside.


    The girl looked up, a bit apologetic, "Oh, sorry, didn''t see you there."


    "No worries," Mirabe replied coolly, not bothered, and walked in.


    Yara watched Mirabe walk away, caught by how stunning she looked.


    She snapped out of it, continued her phone call, and as she reached the family room door, she ended the call and walked in.


    Today was a family gathering.


    Austin had been home recovering for weeks, and his injuries were finally on the mend. He had just received good news from the hospital, which he shared with Kitty next to him, "Dr. Ray says they''ve found a bone marrow match for Donald."


    The other Cunningham cousins around the table reacted in various ways to this news.


    Kitty beamed, "They found one atst?"


    Austin nced at the other cousins and nodded, "Yep, with Mr. Keller from the Pharmacists'' Guild helping with meds to keep Donald stable, and now the hospital''s ready for the transnt, he should be good for many more years."


    The tension in the Cunningham family had been rising with Donald''s illness, everyone eyeing the family head position if Donald didn''t make it through the year.


    Yara, having just walked in, heard the news and rushed over, "Uncle, is it true? When''s the hospital nning the surgery for Grandpa?"


    Austin looked at his niece, smiling broadly, "Dr. Ray mentioned it''ll be in the next few days. We really owe it to you, Yara, for having those connections at the Pharmacists'' Guild."