They'd been on the road for a little over a week, Dave, Julie and little Ruby. And while it was oddly reminiscent of the summers they'd drive to Whiting Beach (without the cacophony of noise from the backseat, as Rachel, Ben and Nathan fought over the limited space), their drive held a completely different sense of direction.
Because unlike their summers at Whiting Beach, they didn't have a destination.
"Where we goin' Daddy?" Ruby said suddenly, and Dave grinned, bracing himself for the stream of questions that were sure to follow. Ruby, much like her big brother Nathan, had a thirst for knowledge and didn't stop until she got her answers.
They knew that already, but had learned it once more, after being confined in the car for an extended period of time.
"We're heading to Adelaide baby girl", Dave decided, and Julie looked at him in surprise.
"Adelaide?"
Dave nodded. "Adelaide".
"Where's Ad'laide?" Ruby questioned, beginning to kick her feet again, one arm clutching her Tonka truck.
"A long way away, Rubes", Julie chuckled.
"Oh".
And Ruby turned her attention back to the window, watching as the country flew by.
They'd been driving along the Great Ocean Road, through Victoria, with no apparent destination. They'd stopped and they'd seen the Twelve Apostles, Dave holding Ruby above his head and watching as the wind blew through her golden curls.
Seeing their youngest in that light, her mouth open in a grin, reminded Julie of their eldest at the same age. She laughed and screamed in joy as Dave tossed her into the air, making Julie gasp in a way that both terrified her and exhilarated her.
She had never loved Dave more than the times she caught him playing with their kids. The nights where she found him reading stories to Rachel, finding him hitting a cricket ball around the backyard with Ben, allowing Nathan to help him in the shed.
He was a family man, and she loved him more than ever.
They didn't make all the way to Adelaide. But they found themselves a sweet little shack on the beach, with a nearby park.
"Is this home?" Ruby wanted to know, bouncing within the constraints of her car seat and Julie laughed, turning around to unbuckle the little girl's seatbelt. "We home now Mummy?"
"For tonight at least!" Julie laughed, opening the door and allowing her to bounce outside.
The sun was still high in the sky, so after they'd poked around the little beach shack, they went for a walk. Julie's hand clutched Dave's, leaning against him, as Ruby skipped ahead of them, enjoying the cool evening air and the freedom that came from being out of the car.
"I could get used to this", Dave mused, as he and his wife took a seat on a park bench, watching Ruby climb up the frame in the park. "Fresh air, the beach… that one running wild. It's like Whiting Beach all over again".
"Only she doesn't have any brother or sisters with her to go running from the goannas from", Julie chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder.
"LOOK A'ME!" Ruby hollered, grinning hugely from the top of the climbing frame, and Dave laughed.
"Ruby's crashed", Julie confirmed, coming into the bedroom. Dave was lying on his side, flipping through the road directory, wondering where the days ahead of them were going to take them. "Apparently these long days wear her out. Parks, too".
"Little terror", Dave chuckled. "She's so much like Rachel".
"No, I see more Ben", Julie shrugged. "And a lot of Nathan".
Ruby Louise was a mixture of all their toddlers into one, with the same eyes as her father and the same smile as her mother.
"She thinks we're home now", Julie chuckled, her head resting on Dave's chest.
"My home is wherever my girls are, Julie Rafter", Dave whispered, kissing the top of her head gently. Julie smiled, tilting her head to press her lips against his. "I love you".