"Be good for papi."
"I will, an' Barney will too."
"Stay in the shade and drink lots of water."
"Not juice?"
"No, Finn, not juice."
Ben was loading the cart as Lilly said goodbye to her son who was bouncing with excitement on the bench seat.
"But we likes juice the bestest," Finn huffed, pulling his bear out of his pack, "don't we Barney?" He jiggled the stuffed toy on his lap. "Yes we does," lowering his voice he imitated the bear and Lilly sighed heavily.
"Just have fun," she smiled as she reached to ruffle Finn's hair. "And do as papi tells you young man."
"He will." Ben responded
When she felt her husband's arms around her waist, she turned and smiled. "Go carefully," she urged, gently caressing Ben's cheek. "It's going to be another hot day. You'll both need to drink..."
Ben nipped in and kissed her forehead. "Yes mami," he grinned. "And you enjoy your day of relaxation, Lil's."
"Relaxation, are you serious?" Lilly sighed. "I am sure it will be fraught with opinions and arguments, you know what Cara is like!"
Ben smiled and rubbed her arm. "I do but, I'm sure you are more than capable of handling your baby sister."
"Yes, well she'd better..." Lilly started to reply but a loud huff stopped her and she turned to address her son again. "Something wrong Finn?" She smiled at the sight of the young boy sat, chest puffed out and arms crossed in obvious annoyance.
"If you and papi don't stop doin' that yammerin' we will be keepin' them Earlin's waiting!"
"Finn Ashton!" Lilly exclaimed in horror at the words that left her son's mouth. "I do not think that is an appropriate thing to say, young man, do you?" She stood and placed her hands on her hips.
Ben took her pose as the signal to get on their way. "Time to go, son," he chuckled as he climbed aboard, giving his wife a light-hearted reassuring wink.
"'Bout time," Finn grouched and Ben tapped his knee.
"That's enough Finn," he scolded softly. "Say goodbye to mami," he then picked up the reins and clicked Hector on.
"Bye mami," Finn waved enthusiastically as they started their journey.
"Be good. Have fun!" Lilly returned the waves her boys were giving her and watched as the cart disappeared down the lane toward town.
She knew they were going to have a wonderful time.
After giving one final wave, she turned and made her way back into the house, she had a very long day of decision making ahead of her and she envied the fact that her boys were having a fun day without her.
Xxx
Memories of her own special day came flooding back as Lilly flicked through her wedding album.
It had been a balmy summer's evening when two worlds joined to celebrate their marriage, the heady sent of apple blossoms filled the air as the wedding party gathered in Quinn's orchard.
Lilly smiled as she traced the outline of her beautiful dress in the first photograph. The gorgeous silk and lace had been a present from Earth and the pearls that decorated her long elegant train were a gift from Mari Quinn whose great grandfather had travelled the seas off Tanger province to find the perfect gift for the young lady who'd stolen his heart. The sentiment behind the dress had been the same as the ceremony and it fitted their love story perfectly, two worlds joined as one.
When she turned the page, her smile broadened at the picture of the man she loved with all her heart. Ben stood, with a goofy smile on his face watching her as she walked towards him on her father's arm. Her breath caught when she realised how much her son looked like his papi. He had his eyes, his chin, everything right down to his cheeky grin.
Finn had completed her fairytale and she felt herself blessed by the gods.
She really wanted to help her sister in any way she could to have the same wondrous experience so she carefully closed her album, today wasn't about her, and reached in her keepsake box for the samples of fabric Janet had sent.
It was time to get organised, her family were on their way.
Xxx
"Are we there yet?"
Ben sighed as his son asked him the same question for the third time in less than half an hour. "No Finn, we've still got a long way to go," he turned and ruffled Finn's hair.
"I'm hot!" Finn grouched and fidgeted in his seat. It was nearing midday now and the suns were high in the sky, driving up the temperature on the already scorching day.
"I know me too," Ben agreed sadly as he clicked Hector on. The journey to the Stargate took at least three hours on a good day but today the heat was sapping the energy from both human and horse alike, poor Hector could do no more than slowly plod down the lane, tail swishing, trying to keep cool.
Finn sighed heavily again and reached for Barney. "What will the time be when we gets there, papi?" He asked and buried a cough in his friend's fur.
"When the sun dips lower in the sky, to the line of the trees on top of the hill," Ben explained as he pointed to earth hill on the horizon. "That's when we will nearly be there. The stone ring is just over that hill."
Another ragged cough from his son then had him delving in his pack for some water. "You doing okay, buddy?" He asked as he passed him the drink canister. "It sounds as if you've got a frog in your throat." He watched as Finn rolled his eyes and took a long drink.
"There aint no frog, see," Finn opened his mouth as wide as he could. "Gust teff an' goung," he shrugged, pointing a finger down his mouth.
"So I see," Ben chuckled as he plucked the canister out of his son's hand and returned it to his pack. "You do look a little flushed though," he sighed when he then placed the back of his hand on the young boy's forehead.
"I'm just hot," Finn moaned again. "It's too hot out here, papi."
Ben stroked his cheek, checking for fever that he already knew wasn't there. "Why don't you try and have a little nap," he suggested softly. "I know I had to wake you early this morning so I'm sure you must be tired."
Finn's yawn was right on cue and Ben reached over and grabbed Barney. He placed the bear on his lap and smiled at his son. "Rest your head on Barney, take a nap and I'll wake you up as soon as we're there, I promise."
"'Kay."
Finn literally flopped down on the stuffed toy, curled into a ball and started to slurp on this thumb. Within minutes, he was snoring softly.
"On Hector," Ben clicked the horse on again with one hand in his son's silky hair as they travelled along the windy road toward the Stargate. The suns was shining, the birds were singing and although he was really hot, he felt contented and at peace.
Life just could not get any better.
Xxx
"What colour were you thinking of for your bridesmaids, Cara?" Hanah flicked through a wedding magazine from earth.
"I was thinking," Cara crossed to her side and peered over her shoulder, "that I quite like that shade of blue," she said and pointed to a sky blue three quarter length dress.
"That style?"
"No, I'd rather a long dress to match mine but with..."
Mother and daughter were soon engrossed in conversation about fabrics and colours so Lilly crossed to her father who was at the stove, filling a pot for tea.
"How you doing pa?" She asked and reached for the cups.
"I'm fine, Lilly Lou," Sergi grinned.
"That's good," Lilly patted his arm on her way to the larder in search of cake to go with the tea.
"What time did the boys leave?" Sergi followed her, drying his hands on a cloth. He knew his place in all the wedding arrangements, he was chief tea maker and dish washer and he was happy about that, just as long as he had some sort of say if things started to get out of hand. Knowing Cara they probably would. His youngest daughter didn't have the same restraint as her older sister, to Cara finery and jewels were a must and Sergi didn't want to be seen as being frivolous in these hard times.
Lilly turned with a cake tin in her hand. "They left as the suns rose," she smiled in reply to his question.
"I bet one little boy was very excited," Sergi returned the smile. Finn had made such an impact in his life. He'd always loved the idea of having a son, not that he didn't adore his girls with all his heart, but coming from a family of boys, him and his three brothers, he missed the 'manly' side of life and longed to take his grandson on hunting and fishing trips as his father had done with them.
"I'm not sure, but I think the big boy was even more excited," Lilly chuckled, placing the cake on the table.
"I wish I'd gone with them," Sergi mused softly.
"No you don't," Lilly turned and laughed. "You wouldn't have missed this for anything," she gestured to her mother and sister who were now giggling uncontrollably.
Sergi nodded slowly and then grinned broadly. "You're quite right Lilly Lou," he agreed.
Lilly patted his shoulder. "Come on 'father of the bride'," she waggled her eyebrows. "You know your place, get that tea poured!"
Sergi Tanger watched his family as they happily worked together and considered himself a lucky man, a very lucky man indeed.
"Pa, didn't your daughter ask you for some tea?"
Sergi returned the wink his wife gave him and then turned to the stove once more.
"I hear you, I hear you," he mumbled under his breath. "Women, always nagging," he shook his head in jest.
Lilly was right, he wouldn't want to miss this for anything!
Xxx
"Is we here?" Finn sat up and slowly rubbed his eyes.
"Yup," Ben smiled as he reached for his pack. They'd arrived at the Stargate half an hour ago but he hadn't had the heart to wake his son, who was fast asleep, so he had spent the time getting the cart organized to make room for the feed grain and flour the SGC was sending through.
"Is we gonna talk to them Earthlin's now?" Finn stretched and yawned.
Ben smiled and nodded his head as he reached out his arms. "Yes we are. Come on buddy, you can press the buttons," he promised and gathered his son in his arms. When Finn coughed and leaned his head on Ben's chest, the concern for his boy's condition struck him again.
"Are you sure you're feeling all right, buddy?" He asked and rubbed Finns chest gently.
"My head do hurts some," Finn admitted with a heavy sigh, his thumb creeping back into his mouth.
Ben stroked Finn's head as they made their way to the gate. "Let's get this over with and then have our picnic. I'm sure you'll feel better for some of mami's cake, hey?"
"Uh huh," Finn mumbled round his thumb.
When they reached the DHD Ben knelt on one knee and steadied his son. "Right, I'm going to tell you what to press and then we have to stand back."
"'kay," Finn sighed sleepily, increasing Ben's worry even more as he's assumed that his son would perk up when the time came to press the buttons.
Ben cleared his throat and continued. "You press buttons on the little thing and the ring shuts down and then whooshes back up and it will spit out a robot and we have to talk into it and doc Janet and everyone will talk back to us. How cool hey!" He tried to make the explanation as exciting as possible but Finn only nodded in reply.
Ben sighed again and reached for his son's hand. "Okay Finn, start by pressing that one..."
Finn kept his thumb in his mouth and his head resting on his father's chest as he started to activate the gate.
Ben was now sure that his little boy was not feeling well and the excitement of the day quickly started to dissipate.
Xxx
Magazine cut-outs, fabric swatches, dried flowers and strings of pearls littered Lilly's kitchen table.
Sergi and Hanah had gone out for a walk, leaving their girls to the wedding planning. Sergi had been going stir crazy, there was only so much tea he could pour and Hanah had taken pity on him and suggested a wander down to Penten Lake, the proposed venue for the ceremony.
Lilly and Cara sat, with legs propped up on the table, talking about their men.
"So, when did you know that Ben was the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?" Cara reached for another cookie to dunk in her tea.
"I knew within a week of meeting him," Lilly replied as she took a sip of her own drink.
"Really?"
Lilly placed her cup on the table, leaned her elbow on it and cradled her head. "I knew I loved Benjamin Ashton the moment he nearly passed out at the hospital..."
"Niiice!" Cara giggled.
Lilly rolled her eyes and continued. "He just seemed so vulnerable," she shrugged, picking the petals off a silk flower. "Throughout Daniel's recovery he'd appeared so strong, so invincible. To me he appeared to be slightly aloof, if you know what I mean. But, when he let his guard down, when he let his exhaustion show, he became human and I must admit my mothering nature took over," she glanced up and grinned at her sister. "I couldn't help myself, he needed me."
"So, you're telling me that, when the poor boy was sick and helpless, you fell in love with him?" Cara chuckled.
"Is that wrong?"
"Sort of, yes!"
The two girls giggled for a while before Lilly decided to address the same question to her sister. "Okay then, sis. When did you fall in love with the adorable Niall Wenton then?"
Cara shifted slightly in her chair before answering. "When I first met him I didn't like him at all..."
"Good start!"
"I found him irritating, immature and condescending," Cara continued as if Lilly hadn't spoken. "He was just always there, in the background, annoying everyone."
"He didn't annoy us"
"No, not you," Cara shook her head and smiled. "Well, not Benny. Benny loved Niall."
"He saved Niall's life."
"Yes he did and I know Niall will be forever in Ben's debt. He has him on a pedestal and he sees him as Mandana's great saviour."
"You're getting side-tracked, Car," Lilly interjected, picking up her cup of tea and sitting back in her chair.
"I am?"
"Yes. You were supposed to be telling me when you fell in love with Niall Wenton not why my wonderful husband is the saviour of this world." She boasted with a grin.
"Oh, yes," Cara smiled and straightened. "I was. Well, while you were giving birth to Finn we were lying under a tree and he slowly placed his hand in mine. It fitted perfectly and I just knew that I wanted to be at his side forever."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"But that was four years ago!"
"I know!"
"What took you so long?"
"Well, I wanted to be wooed. I wanted him to chase me..."
"But you knew you wanted to be with him, forever."
"Yes I did, but I wanted him to be sure that he loved me just as much."
"And does he?"
"Oh yes. He loved me from the moment he placed his hand in mine, under that tree in the orchard, while you were giving birth to Finn," Cara slowly turned her face and grinned mischievously at her sister.
"Oh for goodness sake, Cara!"
"What?" Cara shrugged, innocently.
Lilly tutted and shook her head. "Just hurry up and drink your tea, Cara Tanger. We have a wedding to plan," she scolded light heartedly.
Cara smirked and drank her tea as Lilly started to rifle through the clippings again.
She was so enjoying this time with her sister.
