More on the Hawthorne Fam. In the POV of Madge.
The wind was moving the boat back and forth in the dark water. The sun was high in the sky and casting a glow on the waves around us. The shade of the boat was helping with the heat. The two older children had gathered around the back of the boat.
Madison and Rowan were fighting about who got to perform their trick first. It mostly involved just jumping off the boat into the water but my husband and I let them have their fun. I pulled on my wet bathing suit. It was uncomfortable against my newly protruding stomach.
I looked over at my husband who was laughing loudly after making faces at the toddler in his arms. Meg grabbed onto her bottle and had began to shake it madly with happiness. I opened my arms and took a heavy two year old into my grasp.
Madison looked over her shoulder. Her dark brown hair had matted onto her back. She smiled, her two front teeth missing. "Watch this, Dad!" She cried and plugged her nose cascading into the water. My husband cringed but clapped when she bobbed to the surface.
"Relax." I muttered, grabbing at the squirming toddler in my arms. Her hands found my cheeks, pushing them together. "She has a life jacket on." My words jumbled together.
"I'm sorry..." My husband laughed and looked away for a second. "Didn't quite catch that last thing." I glared and peeled off my daughter's small hands.
"They're safe." I gestured to the life vests. Madison climbed aboard and struck a pose.
"Well?" She grinned and tapped her foot impatiently. "What rating was that?"
"Ten." My husband winked.
"Again?" The eldest child groaned. "Dad... that's the fourth ten."
"I'm very predictable." Madi sighed and reached for her towel. Rowan got up, his crazy dark hair, windblown in every direction under his blue baseball cap.
"My turn?" He asked. Gale got up from his chair and collected his son in his arms. "No!" Row yelled and latched onto his father. "Mom!" He cried.
"Always asking mom to rescue you." My husband tisked. I laughed.
"Let him go." I grinned and moved Meg to my other knee.
"But..." My husband pouted like a child at me. I rolled my eyes and removed my daughter's grip from my hair.
Review and Request.
Erin