A/N: Another Broadchurch ficlet. This one featuring how painfully ironic Ellie Miller's life is.
-BLUE SKIES-
Her phone pinged - a text from Beth
The pictures you promised? :/
Right, Ellie thought. She picked two. One the whole family - herself, Joe, Tom and Fred - in Disneyworld, with the castle in the background. Tom had his lightsaber toy in hand and Fred his Goofy. Joe had his arms around everyone, and Freddie sat on her hip. She admired how much Tom looked like Joe – same blue eyes, same ears, and Fred with his curls and toothy grin, just like her.
The second picture she picked Ellie took five minutes ago. In the frame was Tom, showing off his sandcastle, along with Fred running round in the waves, carefree of his little naked arse showing to the world.
Ellie smiled. But before she could send the photo, Joe came parading back to where Ellie was sitting.
"If you like Pina Coladas, or getting caught in the rain." Joe sang, handing her a cocktail, smiling sheepishly.
"What rain?" Ellie teased, gesturing to the clear blue sky peeking out behind the palm trees.
"You're right, this isn't Broadchruch, is it?" Joe said, planting a kiss to her lips.
Joe was right. A beach in England cannot even compare to Florida. Yes, Broadchurch was sunny, but for about six weeks in a year. This was something else completely. Golden sunlight baking down on her feet, clear water on the horizon… Heck, even the sand was sexier, Ellie thought to herself, running her feet through it.
"Mum! Dad!" she heard Tom snarl. Joe broke the kiss, half-blushing in a way that Ellie thought was utterly adorable.
"Now, now. You'll want to kiss your wife on a beach like this too, Tommy." Joe said. "This is paradise."
"I agree." Ellie said, cupping Joe's chubby fingers.
They kissed again, and Tom rolled his eyes.
"Gross."
Fred, who was covered in a second skin of sunblock, was busy smashing his spade into the sand. Quiet comically, some sand flew right at Joe and Ellie, hitting them in the face. Tom snickered.
'Nice, Freddy."
"Fred!" Joe said, brushing the sand out his lap, "Does someone want to go swim?"
"I think so." Ellie said in a voice, taking Fred's little hat off. Joe put Fred on his shoulders and ran into the sea. Tom ran after them, boogie board in hand.
There you go! Wish you were here. Send love to Chlo, Mark and Dan xx
Ellie captioned the photos, pressing the send button with a smile on her face. She relaxed against the chair, feeling completely in peace with the world. She thanked the world for this life. She thanked the world for her beautiful two children. She thanked the world for her amazing husband.
In this moment at least, Ellie Miller thought it just blue, blue skies ahead.