A Day at the Beach
It was only a matter of seconds after they saw Mac and Danny leave and they walked into the beach. It was a very nice day, after the last 2 days were kind of stinky for everyone in Jamaica. They set up their stuff in the shade, so they could protect little Lucy from the sun. Lucy didn't know what the sand was, it was abnormal…alien to her. She was picking it up and throwing it down on the ground. Lindsay was so proud, Lucy's first time to the beach.
"Wow, it's so great out, isn't it?" Lindsay asked, taking bottled water from the cooler that Danny made up and offered Stella a bottle. Stella took the bottle from Lindsay's hand.
"Thanks, yes, it is a fine day. I haven't had the best you know?" Stella said, smiling but with sorrow in her eyes.
"Oh Stella, you are fine. You think I would let anything happen to you guys? I love you guys to death!" Lindsay replied, patting her shoulder.
"Oh thanks Lindsay. I love everyone at the lab, they are so supportive, especially you Linds. I had your back when you needed it most, and now you had mine. I couldn't ask for a better friend." Stella said, with a smile. Stella opened up her arms for a hug and winked at Lindsay.
"Aww, of course I'll give you a hug!" Lindsay exclaimed, hugging Stella happily. She never knew she was her best friend. "You're my BFF Stella!"
"Really? You are too!" Stella screamed. "I thought I was the only one who would think we were BFF's! It's glad to know I'm right for once."
"Oh, you always were. Yeah, we had a couple of fights, who doesn't? It makes us even stronger friends." Lindsay said, taking a sip of water from the bottle.
"Aww, that's sweet Lindsay. I love you girl!" Stella said, taking out a pack of crackers out of the basket.
"I love you too. So, what do you want to do?" Lindsay asked, holding Lucy, who was starting to cry, so she gave her a bottle.
"Well, I guess we can go near the water, I'm getting hot." Stella said, applying sunscreen quickly and got off the blanket.
"Ok. Come on Lucy, let's go see the ocean!", Lindsay said in a funny voice, holding her hand as she walked beside her, Stella only an inch away. Stella looked from the corner of her eye and thought she saw somebody staring at her. Maybe she was paranoid, but someone was definitely staring at her, she didn't recognize the man's face.
"Stella. Are you ok?" Lindsay asked, she was puzzled, she didn't know what Stella was doing.
"Yeah, I could have sworn that man over there was staring at me. I don't recognize…" Stella explained before being cut off by Lindsay.
"Stell, you are just overreacting, I'm sure it's fine. Maybe he thinks you're hot." Lindsay said reassuringly. "Too bad you're taken."
"Yeah, too bad. He's giving me the creeps." Stella said sarcastically.
"Oh Stella, just stop it.", Lindsay said, picking up Lucy who was starting to cry from the hot sand.
The man that had his eyes fixed on Stella had black hair. He didn't look very tall, but was around Stella's height.
"Oh, I wish he would just leave." Stella said instantly, her back facing the man. He got up immediately after he said that and walked off the beach.
"Looks like the genie granted your wish." Lindsay said, tilting her head toward the man, who was already heading up out of the beach.
"Wow, I'll say. That was the weirdest thing that happened to me. Yeah, nice speedo, buddy!" Stella screamed, laughing at him, and Lindsay joined in.
"All the creepy guys wear speedos, don't they?" Lindsay said, starting to walk toward the water.
"I know, it's such a terrible fashion trend. Why bother?" Stella said, giggling along with Lindsay.
"Yeah, you're not kidding. They should really listen to women's advice. No speedos!" Lindsay said, sharing a great moment with Stella.
Lucy was looking around and playing with the sand, giggling at its texture and feel and she said, "Water." That was surprisingly her first word.
"Oh my god, Stella! She said her first word!" Lindsay screamed happily, clapping at the sight. Lucy just smiled at her.
"I know, it's so great. Great job Lucy!" Stella said, holding her hand up for a high-five. She hit her hand. That was Danny's doing, he taught her that.
"Oh, I'm so excited. I have to call Danny right now!" Lindsay said ecstatically, running back up to the blankets, not even warning Stella. Stella was all smiles watching Lucy play in the sand, she was just too cute.
---
Danny and Mac were walking along shopping stands outside, near stores, when Danny's cell phone started ringing.
"Hello?" Danny asked, looking through toys that Lucy might like, while Mac was looking for something great for Stella.
"Oh my god, Danny!" Lindsay said quickly, causing Danny to think something was wrong.
"Oh my god, are you ok? What happened?!" Danny screamed, as Mac ran over to see what was wrong. If something happened, Mac knew that Stella must be involved too.
"Oh everything's fine. Lucy said her first word!" Lindsay said, watching Stella tickle Lucy's stomach, causing her to giggle and tried to push Stella's hands away.
"Oh wow! She did. I miss everything." Danny said happily then sadly. Mac sighed in relief. "What did she say?"
"She said water. She must really like the beach. She's having such a fun time. You guys will have to join us on the beach when you get back." Lindsay said, walking toward Stella, who was sitting with Lucy by the water.
"Aw, that's adorable. And we will be sure too." Danny said, looking through baby toys, and found the perfect one.
"So, how's it going there? You know what I mean." Lindsay asked with a smile, trying not to act suspiciously, even though everyone was, Danny, Mac and herself included.
"Oh, it's going fine. We are trying to find a ring. And, Mac doesn't know what size. Do you think you could ask Stella what size she is and not act suspiciously?" Danny asked, looking toward Mac, who was impatiently standing at a jewelry counter, waiting for an assistant.
Lindsay looked over her shoulder and saw that Stella was wearing a ring. She saved the plan.
"Oh yeah, I've got it. Let me text you back and I'll tell you everything. I love you." Lindsay said sadly. She hasn't spent a minute away from Danny and it was taking a toll on her, but she cared about Stella and Mac and that's all that mattered.
"I love you too. Bye." Danny said slowly. Every time he heard her voice, it was like angels were singing to him. Every minute he was away from her, he missed something. He missed out on Lucy's first word and he wished he could've shared that moment with Lindsay.
"Bye.", Lindsay said, as she hung up her cell phone and noticed Stella staring at her with suspicious eyes. Did she mess the plan up?
"What do you have to tell Danny that you didn't already?" Stella asked warily.
"Oh, it's nothing really. I love your ring! Where did you get it?" Lindsay asked, noticing Stella's confused expression turn into a happier one.
"Oh, when I was in Greece, I got it there. I love it. Usually no one has my size ring, I'm happy they got it.", Stella said; as she held her hand to the sunlight and watched it reflect in the sun.
"Oh what's your size?" Lindsay asked patiently. It was her lucky day…she didn't even have to ask her about it.
"I'm a 7. Why?" Stella asked, as Lucy was throwing sand at her legs and she brushed it off.
"Oh, I'm a 7 too so we could borrow jewelry!" Lindsay said excitingly.
"Oh, you can borrow anything, anytime. So, what should we do now?" Stella replied, as the group walked up to their beach blanket.
"Maybe we should pack up and look in the shops. I bet they have some dress that would really impress Mac.", Lindsay said joyfully, giving a quick wink to her. Stella smiled back.
"Oh yeah, I bet there is something nice. Ok, let's pack up.", Stella said, as she folded up the blanket and put it in the basket. Lindsay quickly texted Danny back with the info and helped with the rest of the items. They then started walking into the shops.
They found a shop with women's clothes and baby clothes so they were both happy. Stella picked a blue dress and a white dress and went into the dressing room. Lindsay waited with Lucy outside the changing room and saw Stella walk out with the blue dress on first.
It was knee length and had spaghetti straps. Stella turned around and asked,
"Does it look ok?"
Lindsay smiled and said, "It looks great, but try on the other one first. Then I can give you my perspective."
Stella came out with the white dress this time. It was long, down to her ankles and had bigger straps, a round neckline that showed some cleavage and hugged her figure.
"So, what one's better?" Stella asked, examining herself in the mirror. She seemed to enjoy the white one.
"I'd go with the white. It hugs your figure and it looks better." Lindsay said acceptingly.
"Oh, ok. The white one it is!" Stella rejoiced, walking back into the room and slipped her clothes back on. They walked out of the store after making their purchase.
"Oh, I need something refreshing. Do you want to get ice-cream?" Lindsay asked, sitting under the shade of an umbrella.
"Sure, I'll have ice-cream anytime." Stella said, as she pushed Lucy in her stroller. She loved her stroller. "Who's paying and who's ordering?"
"I will. Just tell me what you'd like." Lindsay said happily, getting out her wallet and stood up from the chair.
Stella glanced over the menu and picked her choice.
"I'll have a vanilla-chocolate swirl with sprinkles."
"Ok, I'll be right back." Lindsay said, as she walked up to the counter and ordered the ice-cream. She ordered an orange-vanilla cream and got regular vanilla for Lucy along with Stella's vanilla-chocolate swirl.
They sat at the table and ate their ice-cream. Lucy wanted to feed herself the ice-cream so bad, but she would get herself all messy, so she had to deal with Lindsay feeding her. They were enjoying their snack on this nice day when they noticed 2 familiar figures coming in the distance. Danny and Mac.
The girls smiled when they saw them. They missed them too much.
Stella sat her ice-cream down and ran and jumped around Mac. Mac carried her back to her chair.
"Wow, you really did miss me. How are you?" Mac asked sitting down with Stella on his lap.
"Oh, I'm fantastic. Even better now that you are here." Stella said, kissing Mac softly on the lips.
Danny and Lindsay kissed too. Danny kissed Lucy on the forehead. She held out her hand and he gave her a high-five. Danny pulled out a toy for Lucy out of a bag, a Barbie doll. Not even Danny could resist Barbie's charm. All Lucy did was chew on her head. Lindsay knew it was coming.
Mac and Stella laughed at their family moment. Stella wished she could start a family with Mac, but she still, deep down inside, didn't believe that their relationship would last that long.
"I think it's time to go, don't you think?" Danny said, addressing Mac and Stella.
"Of course, I'm tired." Stella said, slowly getting off of Mac's lap.
They all walked back to the car. Stella put the items in the trunk and Lindsay strapped Lucy in. Mac and Stella held hands the whole way back to the hotel. Stella lazily climbed up the stairs and walked in the hotel room. Lindsay was holding Lucy, the poor thing couldn't keep her eyes open and she walked into her and Danny's hotel room. The guys made sure Stella wasn't listening and Mac said,
"Thanks for the help, I owe you one. Is everything set?" Mac asked softly, in case Stella was listening.
"No problem, you don't need to repay me. Yes, Linds and I know how it's going to be. You ready man?" Danny asked, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yes, ready as ready could be." Mac said, pointing to the tiny box that was in his pants pocket.
"Alright! Well, I'll see you tomorrow." Danny said, walking into the hotel room.
Mac walked in and closed the door and noticed Stella was in her pajamas, under the covers, watching TV. He slipped off his pants, putting them in the bottom of the suitcase, just to make sure Stella wouldn't see the package.
"Hey, darling." Mac said, as he lay next to Stella and put his arms around him. They kissed for a minute and started to fall asleep.
"I can't wait until tomorrow." Mac said, as he looked into Stella's passionate green eyes.
"Why?" Stella asked, moving closer to him and turned down the lights.
"Oh, you'll see." Mac said in a whisper.
Soon they had fallen asleep, waiting for the fun, excitement and nervousness of tomorrow.