"That's mommy calling, Luke!" Clementine squealed as she heard Violet's ringtone and ran for her phone, Luke on her hip. She swiped to answer the facetime, "Viiii! We've missed you!" Clementine held the phone up and away so that both she and Luke were in frame.
"I miss you too babe!" Luke babbled at the phone excitedly, "And Mommy misses you Luke!"
"How's your business trip going?" Clementine set Luke down on the ground near his toys.
Violet shrugged, falling back on her hotel room bed, "It's going pretty well, I would love it actually, but this is just too long to be away from you two."
"I'm glad. You deserve this Vi." Clementine smiled at her wife, who was thousands of miles away in London, "Don't worry, we'll be right here when you get back and we're going on our first family vacation!"
Violet smiled, "I can't wait."
Clementine got serious, "Have you decided what you want to do?"
"What do you want to do?" Violet asked.
"It's your choice. Did you buy it?"
"Right here." Violet held up a pregnancy test. "Maybe we should wait until I get home."
"Whatever you want." Clementine sat down on the couch.
"It's just, this is our second time trying... if it's negative... who's going to cry with me? If it's positive who's going to jump up and down with me?" Violet chewed on a finger nail nervously.
"I'll cry with you. I'll jump with you. I'll stay with you all night if you want but really, you can wait until you're home. You don't have to take it now. It's not like anything will be different in two days." Clementine reassured.
Violet was quiet for a minute, mentally debating with herself, running her free hand through her hair. Clementine waited patiently, peeking a Luke as he used the couch to pull himself to standing position. He was babbling 'mamamamama' as he took tentative steps along the couch.
"Vi! Vi! He's doing it again! He's taking some steps." Clementine shrieked.
"Let me see! I want to see!" Clementine turned the camera around so that Violet could see Luke. "Good job Luke! Mommy's so proud of you!" Violet dropped the phone on her bed so that she could clap. Luke giggled as he continued to shuffle towards the phone, reaching out for it with one hand and then two, now standing unassisted. "Ahhhhhh!" Violet screamed, "Come to Mommy Luke, come to Mommy!"
Clementine jumped from the couch, taking a couple of steps back, using the phone to lure Luke in their direction. She was holding the phone up just out of Luke's reach, tempting him to walk and allowing Violet to see. Both girls bombarding the blonde shaggy haired boy with 'come on's' and 'you can do it's'. Luke smiled wide at his moms and took a tentative step forward, the girls cheered in unison. He took two more steps, swayed on the spot and collapsed onto his bum.
Clementine flipped the camera around and grinned at Violet who she could see was now jumping on her hotel room bed. "He did it! Our boy did it!" Violet yelled, as Clementine grinned back at her.
"He sure did. I love him and I love you." Clementine looked over her disheveled wife, whose cheeks were flushed from jumping, "I wish I could kiss you right now..."
Violet sat back down on the bed, "Me too," she gave Clementine a lopsided smile.
"I'm going to do it." Violet stood up from the bed grabbing the pregnancy test from the night stand, leaving the phone in it's place.
"Wait! Take me with you!" Clementine yelled.
Violet leaned her head back over the phone, "Gross. No. I'll be right back."
Clementine pouted as she waited for Violet to return, watching Luke crawl around the living room, pulling books off the shelf one by one. She could hear muffled cursing coming from the bathroom, "What took so long?" she asked when Violet's face reappeared as she picked up the phone.
"For a stick you pee on the instructions are unnecessarily complicated." Now we have to wait 5 minutes. They sat in silence, Clementine was now laying on her back on the floor as Luke climbed back and forth over her face.
"Has it been five minutes?" Clementine asked, holding the phone out of Luke's reach as he grabbed for it.
"Three." Violet answered, laying down on her hotel bed. The continued to wait, time ticking by slowly, slower than it ever had before, "Five, it's been five minutes."
"Okay, before you look Vi... it's okay, no matter it says, we're going to be okay. I love you." Clementine said.
Violet smiled, "I love you too Clem." She picked up the test and looked at it. Her face was a mask, for the first time in Clementine's life, she couldn't read it.
"What is it Vi? Please I'm dying here!" Violet didn't say a word, but turned the test over so that Clementine could see. Luke thought now was a good time to crawl on top of Clementine's face and lay there. "Not now Luke." She carefully pushed the boy off her face, finally seeing the plus sign on the stick. She screamed, she screamed so loud that Luke started crying. She grabbed him up in her arms, bouncing him up and down, "Sorry Luke, but Mommy's pregnant, your going to be a big brother!"
"We did it Clem!" Violet grinned, moving the stick away from the screen, "In about 8 months, we'll be holding a little Clementine in our arms."
Clementine looked at her wife misty eyed, "We did it... I wish you were here..." her breath hitched.
"Clem, this is happy news, don't cry..." Violet sighed as Clementine started crying.
"Call me tomorrow?" Clementine asked, tears trailing down her cheeks, "I need to feed Luke and get him to bed and then cry myself to sleep in our big empty bed."
Violet frowned, "Clem, I can't leave you like this. We can talk, discuss names while you feed Luke and then you can let me sing him a song before you put him down?"
"Okay," Clementine nodded, wiping tears from her eyes, "I just miss you..."
"I miss you too. I'll be home before you know it." Violet leaned back into her pillows, propping her phone up against her blanket as they continued to talk.
Violet walked in the door, "Clem, I'm ho-" was all she could get out before Clementine nearly tackled her to the ground, pressing her lips against Violet's. Violet kissed back eagerly, dropping her luggage to the ground, so that she could put her arms around Clementine, "Where's Luke?' she asked between kisses.
"Napping." Clementine answered, deepening the kiss.
Violet, felt for the door, closed it and locked it without looking before guiding her wife to the bedroom without breaking the kiss.
"Have we got everything we need? Swim suits? Sun screen?" Clementine asked.
"Yes and yes." Violet answered, sitting behind the steering wheel of the car.
"Diapers, wipes, toothbrushes-" Clementine was cut off by Violet.
"We have everything, I mean, look at our car, it's loaded! I think we have half the house with us. You've gone over the check list ten times. Can we please leave now? If we forgot anything, we can go to a store when we get to the beach." Violet reassured.
"Fine. Let's go, are you so excited for your first real vacation Lukey?" Clementine said from the passenger seat, reaching around to squeeze Luke's hand in his rear facing car seat. Luke giggled.
"Here we go, Everett family vacation here we come!" Violet grinned as she cranked the car.
"That was a nightmare..." Violet pulled the sunglasses off her face, rubbing her eyes before replacing them. "At least now we know that Luke does not like road trips." They had just parked in the hotel parking garage. Both women looking more than a little frazzled.
"MmHmm," Clementine said sarcastically, pulling the boy from his car seat, "Can't wait for the six hour drive home..." His cheeks were stained with tears. Clementine's didn't look dry either. "We're never driving more than an hour from the house again."
"Let's try and not think about that yet. We've got four days to enjoy first." Violet started pulling some bags from the car. "It'll be fun, come on. Let's hit the hotel and then the beach!" Violet clicked on her key to lock the car and led the way up to the hotel room. As soon as they entered the room, Clementine set Luke on the floor near the fold out couch. He chattered gleefully as he crawled around, exploring the new space. Clementine opened the balcony door and stepped out on it, stretching, it felt nice to be out of the car. There room was seven floors up facing the ocean, she closed her eyes listening to the crash of the waves. Inhaling deep, smelling the salt in the air. This. This made the horror of a commute worth it. Violet came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"See, this is nice right?" Violet asked, leaning her head on Clementine's shoulder.
"Mmhmm," Clementine agreed, leaning back into the embrace.
Violet ran her hands under Clementine's shirt, she rotated around in Violet's arms, kissing her on the cheek. "People can see us up here you know. All those people on the beach" Clementine pointed to the sand, "And the ones much closer hanging out at the pool." She pointed down to the several people sitting in pool chairs and swimming. A couple of which actually did look to be staring in their direction.
"So?" Violet asked, kissing Clementine on the neck.
"What's with you and hotels? It's like you can't control yourself!" Clementine giggled at her wife, ducking out of her grasp and going back into the room just as Luke started crawling for the balcony. Violet scooped him up into her arms.
"So?" Violet repeated, taking her son out onto the balcony to show him the ocean, sitting down on a chair with him, leaving the balcony door wide open, "What are you doing?"
Clementine was rummaging through her bag, "Putting my swim suit on." Clementine finally found it, pulling it out of her bag with a cheer and headed towards the bathroom.
"Where are you going?" Violet yelled after her, "You can change in the room!" Violet frowned as Clementine blew her a kiss and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Violet sat and stared at the ocean, mesmerized by the waves, Luke seemed to be watching them too, he was quieter than he had been all day.
As the bathroom door creaked open, Violet snapped her head back to Clementine, she frowned. "Why aren't you wearing your red one?"
"The bikini?" Clementine raised her eyebrows, Violet nodded, "Um, have you seen my body lately?" Violet nodded again, waggling her eyebrows this time. "Then you know I'm not bikini ready yet, I still haven't lost all of my baby weight." Clementine patted her stomach, wearing a modest light purple tankini.
Violet brought Luke back in, setting him on the floor and closing the balcony door. He pulled himself to standing against the door and hit his hands on the glass, staring out at the ocean. "Your body is as perfect as it ever was." Violet said seriously, taking the opportunity to tackle Clementine onto the bed, pinning her down.
Clementine squirmed, "I'm laying on the comforter, groooss. Haven't you read the articles about how they don't have to wash these? All the things they find on it when they run tests. Fecal matter and other stuff. Let me up!"
"For a kiss," Violet smirked, Clementine leaned up, giving her the quickest kiss of her life, pushing Violet off of her. Clementine shuddered as she threw the comforter on the floor. "I feel like I need a shower now."
Violet laughed, "Don't be so dramatic, and stop reading those articles." Clementine washed her hands and then rummaged through Luke's bag now, finding his swim trunks with little sharks on them, a matching blue swim shirt, swim diaper and floppy fishermen type hat to protect his little baby head from the sun. His hair was so fine still Clementine was worried he'd get a sun burn. As Clementine dressed Luke Violet changed into her swim suit.
Violet made sure to change in Clementine's line of sight, smirking when she noticed how frequently she peeked up from her task of dressing and sun screening Luke.
"Like what you see?" Violet winked, taking longer than necessary to redress.
"Of course I do," Clementine rolled her eyes, "Have I not been giving my Vi enough attention lately?" Violet smiled sheepishly as she pulled on her black one piece suit, followed by some swim shorts. She pulled a t-shirt on over her swim suit and replaced her sunglasses.
"Ready?" She asked.
"Almost," Clementine replied, setting Luke on the ground. She pulled out the sunscreen, slathering it on herself before turning to Violet, "Shirt off." Violet did what she was told and Clementine rubbed the sunscreen on her arms, back, shoulders and neck.
"I can do that myself you know." Violet said, not making a move to try and stop the brunette as she began rubbing it on her face for her. Violet grinned, enjoying the feel of her wife's fingers on her skin.
"I know, but if I have an opportunity to rub my hands all over your body I'm going to take it. All done." Clementine popped Violet on the butt as she was putting her t-shirt on, Violet grinned at her through her t-shirt hole. Clementine walked to the beach bag, making sure it had towels, sand toys, snacks, water bottles and other beach necessities. "I think we're all ready." She pulled the bag onto her shoulder as Violet grabbed Luke, they slipped on their flip flops and headed out of their room, down the elevator and to the white sandy beach.
As the stepped onto the sand, they removed their flip flops and carried them as they walked closer to the water. It was late afternoon, the sun making it's way behind all of the tall hotels, casting a shadow on parts of the sand. They found a piece of shade to lay their towels.
Violet set Luke down in the sand, tore off her t-shirt and grabbed him back up, ready to introduce her son to the ocean. Clementine smiled and pulled out her phone, taking a couple of pictures as Violet stood holding Luke, ankle deep letting the waves wash over her feet. Then, holding Luke under his arms she held him firmly and let his legs dangle into the water as well. He kicked joyfully as small waves lapped at his toes. As a bigger waved rushed in, Violet's eyes widened, she started to pull Luke up but the wave still splashed halfway up his chest. Violet moved to hug and comfort the boy, but noticed he was giggling uncontrollably, squirming to get back down into the water again. Violet obliged with a grin as she splashed Luke in and out of the waves, making sure his head never went under.
Clementine smiled at them from the shore, taking more pictures and a short video before laying back on her towel, putting her forearm over her eyes. She listened to the waves and the sound of her family laughing. Only to be disturbed as whoosh followed by a thud nearby sent sand scattering all over her face.
Clementine sat up annoyed, wiping sand away from her nose and mouth as she spotted the football that hand landed inches from her head. A tall red headed woman ran over apologizing, "I am so sorry, my sister doesn't know her own strength. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Clementine said curtly, trying to comb the sand out of her hair with her fingers.
The girl reached down to pick up the football and froze when she noticed who she had just disturbed. "Clementine? What are the odds! It's been years."
Clementine looked closer at the girl, heart sinking as she recognized the face immediately. "Hello Minerva." Violet had dated Minerva in high school. Seeing her face again brought back a wave of feelings that Clementine hadn't thought about in ages. Clementine and Violet were best friends while she dated Minerva. Clementine was there when Minerva confessed her feelings, she was there when they passed notes in class, when they held hands in the halls and kissed beside the lockers. She was there when Minerva stood Violet up for the prom and she was there when Violet needed a shoulder to cry on. She was there for it all. And it all came rushing back to her in a wave of anger and jealousy.
"You and Violet still together?" Minerva sneered.
"Yes." Clementine knew she sounded rude, that she was being short with the girl but she didn't care. She didn't want to talk to her any longer than necessary. "Well, it's been nice seeing Minerva but-"
Minerva continued, "Is Violet here? It'd be great to see her again." Clementine stood up just as Violet walked back from the ocean, soaking wet and carrying their smiling blonde haired boy with her.
"Minnie?" Violet said, shocked. Clementine's fists clenched at her side as Violet used her nickname. "What are you doing here?"
"Vacation, same as you I imagine." Minerva said as she wrapped her arms around Violet before patting Luke on the chubby cheek. "Is this your son Vi? He looks just like you!"
"He's our son." Clementine answered, moving possessively to Violet's side.
"Is Sophie here?" Violet asked eagerly, Minerva nodded, "Ohhh, I'm going to go talk to her, here." Violet handed Luke off to Clementine and walked off with Minerva, leaving Clementine glaring after them.
She sat down in the shade with Luke, half-heartedly making a sand castle with the wet sand, allowing Luke to smash it as soon as it was built and building a new on in it's place. Trying not to stare daggers at Minerva as she sat with Sophie and her wife in the sand, talking and laughing.
About twenty minutes later Clementine looked up from Luke and noticed that Sophie wasn't with them anymore. Violet didn't appear to be laughing either, in fact, she looked the opposite, was Violet crying? Clementine looked over at Luke, just in time to stop him from shoving a fist full of sand in his mouth and picked him up. She marched determinedly over to her wife.
As Clementine neared the two she could in fact see that Violet was crying. Violet never cried. "What's going on?" Clementine looked down at Violet, but of course Minerva answered instead.
"Just reminiscing." Minerva said, her lips curling up in a smile that only Clementine could see.
"I wasn't talking to you." Clementine said, looking fierce even with a baby balanced on her hip, "Why are you crying Vi?" her voice softened as she spoke to her wife, worry in her voice. Violet never cried, the only time she remembered Violet crying was when-
"I was just telling Minerva about when Luke was born," Violet swiped at her eyes, "I guess it's still too hard to talk about." Violet laughed tearily.
Minerva stood, stepping close to Clementine, squeezing Luke's squishy foot, "Don't worry Clem, if anything happens to you, I'd take care of Violet." she whispered it so that only Clementine could hear. "If it hadn't been for you, Violet never would have left me to begin with, but you were always there, hanging off of Violet like some lost puppy. Just waiting for an opportunity push me out." Clementine glared, turning Luke away so that Minerva couldn't touch him anymore. "It's amazing how much he looks like you Vi!" Minerva spoke louder now, "Looking into his eyes is just like looking into yours, gorgeous."
"Thanks, I'd like to think he got all my best traits and none of my bad ones, but we won't know that for sure until he's a teenager," Violet laughed and gave Minerva a watery smile.
"I would love to have an adorable blonde headed son one day," Minerva said loudly before narrowing her eyes and lowering her voice, "Maybe even this one?" she poked Luke in the belly, making him laugh, "How long do you think it will take me to push you out? How long would it take before Luke called me mom?"
Clementine didn't even think as her fist connected with Minerva's face. Minerva stumbled back in surprise. Clementine swung again before hastily pushing Luke into Violet's arms, turning back to Minerva, shoving her hard, "Don't. you. ever. threaten. my. family." Clementine seethed, raising her fist again only to be stopped by Violet.
"Clem?! What are you doing?!" Luke was sitting on the ground, watching worriedly, as Violet held Clementine back.
Minerva caressed her quickly swelling cheek, "She's crazy."
"She was saying things so that you wouldn't hear," Clementine tried to explain as her rage was replaced with sadness. "I can't lose you two..." Tears started to leak from Clementine's eyes.
Violet still wasn't sure what had happened, but she hugged her wife tight and spoke softly in her ear, "Hey, it's okay, listen. No one is ever taking me away from you okay? Not Minerva, not anyone." She kissed her on the cheek and stared into her teary eyes. "Okay?"
Clementine nodded meekly, and allowed Violet to drag her back to their little area of the beach.
