Jolie laughed as she ran ahead of her parents in the garden maze, Belle and Adam not too far behind her. They smiled, watching their little miracle chase the butterflies. "She's so adventurous and curious," Belle said with a huge grin.
"I wonder who she got that from," Adam said looking at his wife.
Belle looked up with a smirk. "It certainly wasn't you," Belle said.
Adam laughed and looked ahead to make sure Jolie was still in front of them. "You're right," he said, "She got her good looks from me."
Belle just shook her head when she turned to look at their daughter as well. She had disappeared. "Jolie?" Belle asked in sudden panic.
Adam looked ahead as well. "Jolie!" and he ran ahead to look for her. Belle running after him. "Jolie!" they cried as they looked in bushes and behind trees and statues. "Where is she?" Belle said frantically.
"Momma! Daddy!"
Belle and Adam spun around to see Jolie trotting to them, muddy and smiling.
The King and Queen relaxed to know she was only in a mud puddle somewhere. "Look what I found!" Jolie said holding a frog in her tiny hands to her parents.
"You found a frog!" Adam said acting excited around her.
"Can I keep it?" Jolie said holding the struggling frog close to her.
"But Jolie," Belle said leaning down to the princess' level, "You already have many garden pets. Don't you think he's going to miss his family?"
Jolie gave out a loud sigh. "I suppose so…" and let the frog jump out of her hands.
"Now let's go home and wash up," Belle said, "You're all muddy."
Belle stood up, putting her hand on Jolie's back on the way up, letting her know it was time to go.
Jolie took a step forward and soon felt herself being lifted in the air. She laughed at the fun she was having. Jolie looked at her smiling father who was making her fly in the air. He tossed her up and caught her, Jolie filled with giggles. "You need a bath," he said.
"Who me?" Jolie asked pointing to herself.
"Yes you!" Adam said tickling her tummy.
Belle couldn't help but laugh at the laughing duo and said, "Come on you two. We still have to read Jolie her story."
"Yay!" Jolie said putting her hands in the air.
Adam put the kicking Jolie down on the ground and she ran ahead of her parents again. Adam tried to wipe off the mud Jolie had left on him but it would have to be washed later anyway so he gave up. Belle and Adam held each other's hand as they tried to keep up with the muddy child.
They arrived at the castle where Mrs. Potts was already waiting for Jolie. "Are you ready dear?" Mrs. Potts asked bending down.
"I'm ready to play with bubbles!" Jolie said popping imaginary bubbles in front of her.
Mrs. Potts stood up and looked at Belle and Adam. "She'll be down in a moment," she said scooting Jolie upstairs.
"Thank you Mrs. Potts," Belle said turning away with Adam, "We'll be where we always go."
Mrs. Potts nodded and continued with Jolie up the stairs.
Belle and Adam talked as they made their way to the library he had given her so many years ago. "How long has it been since the curse was broken?" Belle asked.
"Seven years now?" Adam said thinking about it.
"That's right," Belle said, "I always remember because Jolie was born a year after."
"Why did you ask?"
Belle looked up at him. "I was just thinking about the book we are reading to her tonight. That's all," she said.
Adam remembered what book they decided on. They thought Jolie was finally old enough to remember these stories they read to her so they picked a special one.
They opened the doors to the library and Belle looked around the large room. "Where is it?" she asked.
"Over here," Adam said walking to the left and taking a blue book off the shelf. He handed it to Belle. "The story of our life."
"Do you think she'll like it?" Belle asked taking this book.
"Of course!" Adam said sitting in a chair.
Belle sat in the chair next to him and rubbed the mud stain on the back. So many memories…
Moments later, the couple heard a door open behind them and they both leaned around their chairs to see even though they knew who it was. Jolie ran into the room in her night gown yelling, "DADDY!"
Adam stood up and scooped Jolie in his arms and hugged her. Jolie backed up and whispered in her fathers ear, "Mrs. Potts made me use soap before I could play with the bubbles."
Adam gasped, playing along with his daughter. "No!"
Jolie nodded her head and said, "She did!"
She leaned in again to whisper, "I'd watch it when you take your baths Daddy."
Adam looked at Jolie and nodded. Belle laughed at the whole scene and Adam put Jolie down and nodded at a grinning Mrs. Potts who nodded in return and closed the library door.
Belle picked up Jolie and put her in her lap, wrapping her arms around Jolie and putting the book in front of them. "We have a new story tonight Jolie," Belle said.
Jolie turned her head to looked at Belle. "Really? What's it about?" she asked turning back to stare at the mud stain.
Adam pulled his chair up next to them so he could lean in and see. "It's a story of a woman who falls in love with a prince," Belle said, "But she doesn't know it's him because he's in disguise. But when she falls in love with him, the disguise disappears!"
"Sounds yucky!" Jolie said sticking her tongue out.
"Will you give the book a chance?" Belle said, "I think you'll like it very much."
Jolie let out a annoyed sigh and said, "I guess…"
"Alright," Belle said opening up the book, "Here we go!"
Adam leaned on Belle's arm chair and Jolie lied back on her mother's chest. Both of them listening. Waiting for the next detail and what would happen next. Belle read of a woman who was different and her father was imprisoned by a terrible beast. When Belle traded places with him, she lived in the castle and was very upset. At first, the woman and the beast did not get along but in time, they learned to love each other and the woman asked to see her dying father again. The beast granted and when the woman did not return, the beast was dying was a broken heart. And when the woman heard of this, she ran to his aid and confessed her love. And how the beast was turned back into a handsome prince.
Belle finished reading the book and how they woman the prince lived happily ever after. "Did you like it?" she asked closing the book.
But she soon noticed the sleeping Jolie in her lap. Bell gently gave the book to Adam to put back, trying not to move and disturb Jolie. Adam returned and carefully picked Jolie up from Belle's lap, heading to their daughter's room. Belle got up and followed behind.
Belle walked ahead and moved the covers so Adam could set her down as soon as he reached the bed. Belle pulled the covers up and kicked her forehead good night. Adam bent down and did the same.
They tip toed out of the room and let their little angel dream sweet dreams.
