34-year-old Nick stood before the gravestone at the Lexington Cemetary and traced the lyrics of her favorite Tim McGraw song with his fingertips. He blinked away the tears that were filling his eyes as he stood back and read her name on the grave... "Gracie." He felt a hand upon his shoulder and turned quickly to see his brother-in-law Brian standing by his side.

"You alright man?" Brain asked draping an arm over Nick's shoulder as he wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, it's just..." He motioned towards the gravestone and Brian nodded... "I understand."

"Where is everyone?" Nick asked wiping his eyes with his sleeve and trying to change the subject. Looking around he'd realized that the rest of the Littrells and the Richardsons had vanished from sight.

"They're over at the pond with the kids feeding the ducks. You ready to head over there?"

"Yeah, I'll be over in a minute... I just need a few moments alone."

"Of course bro, take all the time you need." Brian put his arms around Nick and the two hugged for a moment before Brian turned and walked off towards the pond.

Nick sat down on the bench across from the gravestone and glanced around the cemetary taking in it's beauty. He now understood why the Littrell family spent every memorial day here. It was an amazing place. There were flower gardens and towering trees covering most of the grounds and several ponds where you could come to feed the ducks. A person could get lost wandering around all day long just reading the gravestones. So much history was held here in this one cemetary. So many lives beneath the ground... families, friends, mothers, fathers, children, wives... so many stories.

The first time he'd visited with Grace the two of them had been coming to buy a joint plot, making the plans that she felt deep in her heart were necessary. It hadn't felt so wonderful then. He'd never dreamed he could spend so much time here. A cemetary had never been high on his list of places to go and spend a day, but he could sit here all day long and watch the ducks or just enjoy the peaceful serenity or sit in this spot right here. He was glad they'd gone ahead and choosen this place to be buried together.

He glanced over and read the gravestone again. He had no idea how he'd managed to make it this far, but he had. He looked up at the sky and said a silent prayer to God, thanking him for everything he'd done for him, for everything he'd gotten him through. He knew how different his life could be... he knew it more than ever just sitting here staring at her name on the gravestone before him.

He stood up and sighed before turning and walking down towards the pond. He could hear the boys playing before he even reached the top of the hill and he stopped a little ways back to watch them. Mason, now 6 years old, was running away from an overzealous duck and his uncle Brian quickly ran over to scoop him up out of harms way as Kevin and Kristin watched laughing from a distance. 11-year-old Baylee was throwing bread out into the pond and rolling his eyes at the others for making fools of themselves. Leighanne sat on a bench not too far from where Baylee was standing. She was holding Kevin and Kristin's sleeping two-year-old daughter, Emily Grace, and chatting with a very beautiful young woman. Nick smiled at the sight of the woman. She was laughing at something Leighanne had said, her cheeks were rosy in the sunlight and her long blonde hair blew out from behind her in the breeze as she cuddled a small baby close to her chest.

He walked down slowly to join the group and caught Mason in his arms as he once again ran screaming from the duck.

"You know dude, that duck's not gonna leave you alone until you stop running." He said with a sigh tossing him up into the air as he squealed with delight.

Mason giggled and squirmed and finally jumped down out of Nick's arms taking off in another direction, leaving Nick standing there laughing.

Kevin and Brian walked over to join him.

"You alright man?" Kevin asked, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah," Nick said looking over towards where the women were all sitting together and sighing peacefully... "Actually, I'm perfect."

He left the guys standing there smiling at him and walked over to where the girls were gathered on the bench talking. He leaned down and kissed the young blonde gently on the lips. She smiled up at him as he scooped the baby out of her arms and cradled her against his chest. He walked back over to where the guys were standing and held her up for them to see.

"Is she not the most beautiful baby in the world?" He asked kissing her hand and then her cheek as she smiled a toothless grin at them.

"She's beautiful Nick. But as her uncle I may be a bit biased." Brian laughed making kissy faces at the little girl as she giggled.

"I just can't believe she's finally here." Nick said as he held her close and she buried her face in his neck.

"She's a lucky baby." Kevin responded.

Nick smiled. "I think I'm the lucky one."

"Nick, honey," He heard a voice call out from behind him and turned to answer.

"Yeah babe?"

"We should probably get Mia home now... she should be ready for a bottle soon."

Nick nodded his head and carried the baby back over to where she stood waiting for him. They hugged everyone and said goodbye as Nick buckled his baby girl into her carseat. He took one last glance around the cemetary before climbing into the driver's seat. He had known when he'd married Grace that he'd be coming to this cemetary every memorial day for years to come... But he'd honestly thought that he would be here for a completely different reason.

That gravestone with her name and her favorite song permanently etched on it was a glimpse of what his life could have been. Whoever that "Gracie" was... she was Nick's constant reminder of just how lucky he was.

He looked back into the back seat at his daughter sleeping peacefully in her carseat. Life couldn't be more perfect. All of his dreams had come true. They'd been home from China with her for 6 weeks now... she was their own.

He looked over at his wife sitting in the passenger seat next to him and took her hand in his. The past 6 years of his life had been a mixture of sadness and triumph, of good times and bad... but mostly of miracles. For two straight years the doctors had told them that Grace's chances of survival were grim. Things were touch and go for many months after their wedding, and at one point they'd even planned her funeral together. That's when they'd come to the cemetary and bought their plots.

And then, 3 years ago, on a sunny day in April, almost exactly three years to the date of her diagnosis they had recieved the best news that anyone could possibly imagine. Her cancer was gone. No one could explain how it had happened, and no one dared try. She was in remission and that was all that mattered. The cancer had disappeared from her body leaving behind only it's memories.

Those memories and a stronger, far more humble Nickolas Gene and Katheryn Grace Carter.

Nick squeezed her hand as they pulled out of the cemetary parking lot and headed towards home... If life had taught him anything it was that he should appreciate everyday as if it were the last. Or as Grace had always said, "Tomorrow won't matter if you don't make today count."

"I love you Gracie." He whispered leaning over and gently kissing her on the cheek.

She looked over at him and smiled... "I love you too."