"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, are we are at the beach yet?"
Lauren smiled as she looked in the rearview mirror. "Almost, sweetie." She snuck a quick look at Bo in the passenger seat before looking back at their daughter. "We have to unpack first and then we can go to the beach. Okay, Charlotte?"
The response she received was some giggling and a quiet chant of "beach" as she swung her feet happily in her car seat. Next to her, Ethan was asleep with his head resting against the side of his car seat. The flight combined with the couple stops they needed to make on the way to the resort was much more than the little six-month-old was used to.
The trip was Lauren's Christmas present to Bo, something her wife had been hinting she wanted since Ethan had been born in the summer. They never had much time to travel many places, especially with the whole family and Bo had told Lauren she wanted to change that after Ethan arrived. She wanted the family trips and everything that came with them and Lauren always wanted to give her wife everything she could.
She had debated about where to go on their first trip but then the answer ended up being fairly obvious. Booking the beach house she'd booked all those years ago when she'd met Bo seemed like the perfect place to have a family vacation. They could relax for a few days, just the four of them, and she knew Bo wanted to take lots of pictures of their kids playing in the sand.
"You know, we're not going to have much time to do anything today," Bo commented as she looked at Lauren. "By the time we unpack it'll be time for dinner and then it's bedtime."
"We might have a little time to walk around a little," Lauren reasoned. "We can make something quick and easy tonight."
"Good plan," Bo said. "Are we actually almost there? It's about time for feeding."
"We're only a couple minutes away. You can wait in the car with the kids while I get the keys." Lauren smiled, like she did every time she mentioned their kids. Some days she couldn't believe they were parents. "Shouldn't take too long."
Bo nodded and they spent the rest of the ride in silence. Lauren kept looking back at Charlotte and Ethan, making sure they were okay while she drove the SUV they rented. Before she knew it, she saw the turn for the resort and she guided the vehicle to the front entrance.
"Are we at the beach?"
Bo grinned at Lauren before turning to look at Charlotte. "Almost, baby. Mommy's got to get the keys to where we're staying and then you'll be able to see the beach."
Keeping the vehicle running, Lauren stepped out of the car as Charlotte began chanting "beach" again. She stretched out her limbs as she walked, the day of traveling catching up to her. She knew her wife had to be feeling it, too, so she wanted their first night to go smoothly.
"Hi, how can I help you?"
Lauren reached the counter and smiled politely at the man dressed in a resort uniform. "Yes, I have a reservation under Lewis. I requested beach house number four."
The man looked at his computer and nodded his head. "Yes, I have your reservation here and I see you declined a free upgrade. Number five has an extra bedroom and I noticed you have two children."
"That's okay," Lauren said. "Number four has special meaning to us and I know there's plenty of room for the four of us. Is everything there that I requested?"
"Of course," he said. He slid the key cards and other offers to Lauren. "There are your keys and some offers you can take advantage of while you and your family are here."
"Thank you," Lauren said. "We'll call if we need anything."
She walked out of the lobby and immediately noticed Bo had the backseat door open. "Honey, is everything okay?"
Bo shut the door and looked at her with look off exhaustion on her face. "We almost made it." She shook her head. "Our little man is awake and he is cranky."
Lauren let out a chuckle. "I got the keys and made sure they have everything ready for us. We can get him back on schedule."
They got back in the car and drove the short distance to the small house they'd rented for the week. She had made sure they got the same one she originally rented when they met and then again when they went on their honeymoon. Bo let out a small sound when she pulled into the parking spot by the house and placed her hand on Lauren's.
"It's the same one, isn't it?"
Lauren met her eyes and nodded. "Of course. I know it holds special significance with us and now we can share it with our kids."
Bo leaned in and gave her a feather-light kiss on the lips. "You are amazing. Now let's get these two and all our things inside."
Before Lauren could say anything else, Bo was out of the car and working on getting Ethan out of his car seat. Lauren got out and did the same with Charlotte, struggling to keep her still long enough to get her unfastened. She couldn't believe the little girl still had so much energy after a day of traveling. Even she wanted a nap at this point.
They walked into the house together and Lauren immediately noticed that the resort had done everything she'd asked. There was a crib for Ethan set up in the corner of the living room and there were extra blankets and linens for when they pulled out the couch for Charlotte. On the kitchen counter, there was a welcome basket, more offers that they probably wouldn't use.
"Thank God for a crib," Bo said, walking through the door with their son in her arms. "I can at least put him down while we get everything inside."
"Mommy!" Charlotte yelled as she rushed into the house. "The beach is right outside! Can we go?"
Lauren picked up her daughter and gave her a kiss on her cheek, eliciting a giggle in response. "We've got to get everything out of the car and then we need to eat. Aren't you hungry?" She chuckled as Charlotte shook her head. "I don't know. I bet even your mama can hear your tummy."
Bo turned away from Ethan in the crib and smiled at the pair. "That's what that was! I thought someone was roaring at me."
Charlotte giggled as she wiggled in Lauren's arms. "No, Mama."
Lauren winked at Bo then put their daughter back on the ground. "Let's unload the car and decide what to eat for dinner."
Getting unpacked was a bit of a chore but Lauren tried to make it fun for Charlotte so she wouldn't get distracted by everything outside. She knew they wouldn't have time to spend any real time outside until tomorrow so she wanted to make sure her daughter was occupied since she knew by the time they ate dinner she would probably be too tired.
This meant letting Charlotte arrange her things in the living room just the way she wanted them and then having her "help" make dinner. The toddler happily brought things to Lauren as she made a salad to go with the pasta they were having. Most parents would have chosen to stay away from something so potentially messy but her daughter was turning into a bit of a neat freak. She hated being messy so she ate very carefully.
While they were unpacking and preparing dinner, Bo was taking care of Ethan. The little boy needed to be fed then changed and after that, she wanted to get of his things unpacked so he would have something familiar to look at. Bo had expressed fears that their children would be scared in an unknown place for a week so they brought extra items from their home to make the surroundings less foreign.
Lauren had a feeling that Charlotte's energy would run out by the time she was finished eating and she was right. The little girl's head seemed to be getting heavy as she ate her pasta and then when she ate the chocolate chip cookie Bo gave her.
"I think it's time for jammies, Char-Char," Bo said, picking their daughter up.
"Not tired," she whined out but it was followed up by a yawn.
"I think you are," Bo countered, giving Lauren a wink. "All of us will get into our jammies then we'll have story time."
Story time was the earliest way to get Charlotte to agree to bedtime. The two of them would take turns making up stories for her, telling her fanciful things about legends, battles, and myths. She would curl up on her bed with her stuffed animals and would be sound asleep by the end.
Bo carried Charlotte into the bedroom while Lauren finished with the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. When she was done, she checked on Ethan. The baby was awake but also starting to drift off. She hoped he would sleep for awhile tonight before she knew Bo was tired and it seemed that she woke up whenever Ethan did, whether Lauren got up to get him or not.
She just finished getting Charlotte's bed ready on the couch when Bo walked back into the living room with her, both in pajamas. Charlotte's were covered in little penguins while Bo's had dancing elves all over them. Those clothes Bo had packed without Lauren knowing and Bo grinned at Lauren's reaction to the new nightwear.
"Yours are laid out on the bed," Bo said as she walked up to her. Charlotte scurried around them and climbed onto the couch, grabbing her stuffed animals.
Lauren leaned in and put her lips to Bo's ear. "You look really sexy in those pajamas, Mrs. Lewis."
Bo turned her head to her and wiggled her eyebrows. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Doctor."
Letting out a quiet chuckle, Lauren shook her head and walked back to the bedroom. She noticed what Bo wanted her to wear right away and knew that there would be pictures of them in the clothes that Tamsin and the rest of their friends would laugh at for years to come. Still, she put on the pajamas that had Santa and Rudolph on them and walked out of the bedroom.
"Look, Char-Char, doesn't Mommy look pretty?"
Charlotte nodded as she cuddled against Bo. "Mommy, can I sleep with you and Mama in your bed?"
Lauren sat down next to her, noticing how she and Bo had organized the area so Charlotte would be nice and secure on the pull-out sofa, surrounded by her stuffed animals. "Are you scared to sleep out here by yourself?"
Charlotte nodded her head. "I like my bed at home."
Bo hugged Charlotte to her and kissed the top of her head. "Baby, it's okay to be scared but you don't have to be. Do you know why?" When Charlotte shook her head she continued. "This place is special. How about Mommy tell you a story about it?"
Lauren smiled. "It is special. This is where I met your Mama for the second time."
"Here?" Charlotte asked, her eyes full of wonder as she continued to lean her head against Bo.
"Yep, right here." Lauren's eyes met Bo's and she smiled as she continued. "I came here alone because I didn't have anyone to spend Christmas with and I got this very beach house that we're in right now. And my first day here I was sitting outside and your Mama walked right up to me and asked to sit down."
"And you fell in love?"
"We did," Bo put in, looking from Charlotte to Lauren and back. "As soon as I sat down I knew Mommy was the one for me."
"Part of me knew that Mama was my future," Lauren continued. "We never left each other for an entire week. About how long we're staying here this time."
"And nothing was scary?"
"Nothing at all," Lauren said. "This place brought your mama into my life and that makes it magical. It's probably the safest place and nothing bad can happen."
"You have your teddy bear and mister lion and we plugged in your light night. Ethan is sleeping right over there and Mommy and I will be in the bedroom. We all need to get some sleep because we're going to play all day tomorrow."
"Okay, Mama." Charlotte yawned again and snuggled into her pillows and stuffed animals. "I love you, Mama. I love you, Mommy."
"We love you, baby. Good night." Bo kissed her cheek and then Lauren did the same before both of them stood. They watched their daughter close her eyes and they backed away, shutting off the lights and plugging in the much-needed night light.
Lauren took Bo's hand in hers and walked to the bedroom, shutting the door as quietly as possible. After that, she wrapped her arms around her wife and lightly kissed her lips. "So, do you like your Christmas present?"
"This is amazing, Lauren," Bo said quietly. "I was a little nervous traveling with the kids but they made it."
"Just the one tantrum in the grocery store," Lauren said. "I love you, Bo."
"And I love you."
They kissed again and Lauren thought about how far they could take this. Since Ethan was born, life had been hectic to the point that their sex life wasn't what it used to be. Bo's pregnancy with their son hadn't been an easy one so sex simply wasn't an option for awhile and then with a baby and active toddler there simply wasn't time.
"I really want to get you out of these pajamas," Lauren said honestly. "I've missed you. Seeing your body."
"Me, too," Bo agreed. "I love our life but I really want to have a night with you without interruption."
"Well, we do have a few hours," Lauren said. "As long as we're quiet, I think we'll be safe."
Bo's response was to begin unbuttoning Lauren's shirt, slowly revealing her chest. Lauren's hands did the same, showing her Bo's body. She found her wife attractive no matter how she looked and tonight was no exception. As soon as she got her shirt off, she began to place kisses on her skin, enjoying the closeness they were finally able to have.
"That feels really good," Bo whispered as Lauren's hands covered her breasts.
"Mm," Lauren mumbled, kissing up her neck until she reached her mouth. "Should we test out the bed and see if it's just as good as it was when we met and on our honeymoon?"
"I have a feeling it's not the same bed."
"Well, we'll have to compare then."
"I love how you think, Doctor."
Ethan had been crying for a good ten minutes and Lauren couldn't do anything other than to hold him and rub his back in hopes he would calm down. This wasn't exactly how she thought the morning would go but she knew never to fully plan with two little kids.
The rest of the previous night had been amazing. Lauren had got to explore her wife's body in a way that she hadn't been able to do for months. She worshiped every inch of her as they moved together on the large bed, reacquainting herself with the woman she loved so much. Bo did the same with her and they made love until they knew they would need to get some sleep.
They had slept in each other's arms the rest of the night, putting on their pajamas on the off chance that Charlotte would wake up and wander into the room. The little girl slept through the night though, even when Ethan woke up and needed to be changed. Apparently, the knowledge that her mommies had met at the same little house had done its job of helping her relax and be comfortable in the unfamiliar place.
The morning went well, too, until Ethan threw a little fit. "Come on, baby, you have to calm down. Don't you want to go outside and play with your sister and mama?"
She waited another couple minutes then sat down on the couch and moved his away from her shoulder, sitting him down on her thighs. Bo had a little freak-out when he had started crying, thinking that they had brought him here only to get him sick, which was why Lauren had sent her outside to show Charlotte the beach and the ocean. Ethan didn't show any signs of being sick and figured Bo needed the little break anyway.
Ethan looked back at her as he slowly stopped crying, his big brown eyes looking at her curiously. He was starting to get some light brown hair covering his head and Lauren thought he had some of her features. Bo would say that often but she hadn't really noticed until now.
"What do you think, little man? Do you want to see the beach and play with Mama and Charlotte?" She used a finger to tickle under his chin and he started to smile. "There you go. Let's get your hat and then we'll go outside."
Lauren wiped away the last of Ethan's tears then stood up with him and grabbed his hat from the kitchen counter. Bo had already brought out the bag of snacks and other supplies outside so she didn't need to bring anything else.
She put on a pair of aviator sunglasses and carried Ethan out of the house. She instantly heard Charlotte's laughter as she walked with her son to the chairs and umbrella Bo had set up with Charlotte. Not too far from the chairs, Bo and their daughter were playing in the sand, building a castle with some of the beach toys they had found in the closet when they woke up.
Charlotte noticed Lauren and Ethan walking toward them and jumped up. "Mommy! We made a castle!"
"Yes, you did." Lauren's eyes moved to Bo and roamed over her bikini-clad body for a couple seconds before looking at Charlotte. Bo had braded her hair this morning, which was looking to have been a genius idea. It would have been a complete mess by now. "Have you gone out to the ocean yet?"
"We were waiting for you," Bo put in, "but now that you and Ethan are here I say we test it out." She turned her head to look at their daughter. "No running off, okay? Stay close to me and Mommy."
She nodded and reached for Bo's hand as they walked out to the water. Soon they were playing in the water, Charlotte laughing as the waves hit her feet then running away from them. Lauren sat Ethan down in the sand, just enough for the edge of the waves to touch him. His giggle as the water hit him warmed her heart.
As Charlotte jumped around in the water and sand, Lauren noticed that Bo had snuck away long enough to get a camera out of the bag by the chairs. It looked like she had already even taken a couple shots while Lauren was playing with the kids.
"That's pretty sneaky of you," Lauren said as Bo got closer.
"If I remember correctly, you gave me this amazing camera along with the tickets to come here," Bo said as she walked closer to them. "I plan on taking pictures every chance I get."
Lauren stood up with Ethan and gave Bo a kiss on the cheek when she reached them. "As long as you get some pictures of the four of us together. And maybe you in this bikini because you look amazing."
Bo chuckled. "I don't know about that but thank you." She kept the camera in one hand and put the other on Ethan. "He calmed down."
"He's fine and loves the water," Lauren said. "Get some pictures of them playing."
They looked at Charlotte as she ran along the edge of the water, laughing when the water hit her toes. "Mommy, we should make a bigger castle!"
Lauren laughed. "Then let's start one."
"I can tell you're tired, Charlotte," Bo said as she walked the toddler into the house. "We need to wash this sand off of you then it's sleepy time."
"But I was playing," Charlotte said, pouting. "It's fun outside."
"Come on, it's time for a break," Bo said, picking up the child and taking her into the bathroom. "We can play again a little later."
Lauren watched them go as she sat in a chair, giving Ethan a bottle. They had been playing in the sand and water for a few hours, only stopping for lunch, and she could tell that Bo was tired. She was tired, too, but it seemed Charlotte was a never-ending ball of energy at times.
She heard the shower start and she knew that Bo was trying to get all the sand off so she could dress her in clothes she could sleep in. She looked down at Ethan and smiled. When she had come inside to change him, she'd washed him off in the sink. "Your sister's getting all clean like you. Then it's nap time, yes, it is."
Ethan's full concentration was on his bottle and Lauren kept her smile as she looked at him. She wasn't sure if they would have any more children but she didn't care. She loved her family as it was. After all the years it took to get to this point, she wouldn't change anything.
Charlotte came running out of the bathroom in a clean t-shirt and shorts and stood in front of Lauren. She could tell that she wanted to climb onto her lap but knew better since she was holding Ethan. "I don't wanna take a nap."
"But Ethan's going to take a nap," Lauren said. "I think Mama wants to take one, too."
"But . . ."
Lauren shook her head as she set the empty bottle on a small table next to the chair. "Lie down with your stuffed animals. If you're still awake in 30 minutes, then you can play again."
She scowled and pouted but climbed onto the couch and grabbed her teddy bear. Bo walked out of the bathroom wearing a tank top and shorts, her hair now out of the ponytail she'd had it in while they were outside. "No pouting, Char-Char. I know you're tired."
"I want a story."
Bo raised an eyebrow at Lauren but only shook her head as she sat down next to their daughter. "Okay, let's come up with a story." She paused and smiled at Lauren. "Once upon a time, there was a girl walking on a dark and dangerous road."
"Were there dragons and goblins?"
"Not this time," Bo said. "The girl's carriage had broken down and she needed to get it fixed so she could go home. So she walked to find some help. She walked and walked until a large wizard stepped into her path."
"Was it a good wizard?"
Bo shook her head. "He wasn't a good wizard. He need jewels for his magic and wanted girl's jewels but she didn't have any. That made him angry. He stepped closer to the girl and began to cast a spell over her. The girl began to feel sleepy and helpless but just as the wizard was about to take the girl, a knight came running down the road."
"A knight?"
"Yes, a knight," Bo said, her voice animated. "The knight saw what was happening and knew the girl needed help. The knight scared off the wizard and saved the girl was the wizard and his spell. The girl was still dazed but noticed that the knight who saved her was a girl in shiny armor."
"Did they live happily ever after?"
"Not that day," Bo said, noticing the little girl was struggling to keep her eyes open. "That day the knight made sure the girl was safe and then had to leave. But years later, they found each other again and lived happily ever after."
Lauren got up and put Ethan in the crib as Bo put a blanket over Charlotte. She stood as well and stepped outside the house with Lauren, sitting on the two chairs outside the door. "You're a knight now, huh?" Lauren commented.
"I did save you from getting robbed that day," Bo said. "I needed to change it a little. Wizards and magic spells are better than a homeless man with a knife."
Lauren thought about their real first meeting, in a bad neighborhood in Vancouver so many years ago. Bo had saved her from getting robbed and probably worse that day but she ran off before any connection could be made. It had taken them years to reconnect but it was worth it.
"It is better," Lauren said, "but I don't regret anything."
"Me neither." Bo leaned in and kissed her. "It's been pretty amazing."
"I love you, Bo."
"And I love you, Lauren."
A/N: Merry Christmas! I wanted to get something out a little sooner but a Christmas day was the earliest. Let me know if you enjoyed it! I'm still working on the in-progress ones and I have a couple other ideas. Thank you for continuing to read Doccubus! Twitter: hayley128 :)