The family stayed inside for the rest of the morning, everyone content to just laze around for a while, but then, after lunch, everyone got changed and they headed out to the pool.
"Do you want to give swimming a go?" Jimmy asked Rachel as he pulled off his tshirt by the side of the pool, "you don't have to if you don't want to though" he added, not wanting her to feel like she had to say yes.
"No, I erm, I'd like to try" Rachel said nervously as she followed her uncle down the shallow steps and into the pool.
"Okay" Jim smiled, "I want you to go in as far as you're comfortable, you can just walk for now." Rachel nodded and walked through the water until was almost up to her shoulders before turning and looking nervously at Jimmy. "Okay, now come this way a little bit" he said, leading her a few paces back towards the shallow end.
"I don't…" Rachel was confused, she'd thought that, if anything he'd have wanted her to go deeper so she couldn't cheat by putting her feet down.
"Whenever you take your feet off the floor, I promise I will always be within arms reach of you so I can catch you if you need me to, but I know that just asking you to trust me is a big thing so, whilst I'd never let you get hurt, I want you to be comfortable. I want you to know that, regardless of me being here or not, if you panic, if you're not comfortable, you know you can just stand up and you're safe" he explained.
Rachel wanted to cry at her Uncle's thoughtfulness, that he wouldn't be angry at her if she panicked. "Thank you."
"It's okay, we'll just go from one side to the other for now, we won't go any deeper until you feel confident enough to go deeper. Now, you said you can swim but not very well?" Rachel nodded, "why don't you swim over to the other side so I can see what you've got? And if you can't make it all the way then that's okay, just do the best you can."
"Okay" Rachel nodded, she didn't know why she was so embarrassed by the fact she couldn't swim very well but she was. She tried not to let it show though as she lifted her feet from the floor and clumsily managed to swim from one side of the pool to the other.
Jimmy watched as Rachel struggled to swim across the pool and he smiled when she turned to face him, "we need to start with getting your butt up, so your legs are behind you and not underneath you, so how about you hold onto the edge and just let your feet float up? That way you can get used to being in the right position before we try anything else."
"Okay" Rachel did as her uncle asked, clinging onto the edge of the pool and lifting her feet up, trying to let them float out behind her, but she was terrified that if she lifted her legs up, her head would go under the water.
Jimmy saw how tight Rachel was clinging to the edge of the pool, how tense her muscles were, "can I put my hand under your chin?" he asked, "I'll make sure your face won't go in the water" he correctly guessed that Rachel was worried about having her head underwater.
"Okay" it seemed to be all Rachel could say and she tried to relax as she felt her Uncle gently cup her chin with his hand.
Jimmy's hand under her chin was firm enough to let Rachel know he wouldn't let her head go in the water but gentle enough to let her know he wouldn't hurt her, "you need to relax your hips a little, push your butt up and let your legs float, I promise I won't let your head go under the water" he tried to reassure her.
Shelby watched Jimmy and Rachel for a while before wading over from where she and Amy had been playing with Lily and Max to stop them disturbing Rachel and Jim, "can I touch you Baby?" she asked, "I want to put one hand on your stomach and the other in the middle of your thighs."
"Okay" Rachel mumbled, worried everyone would get angry that she wasn't able to do as Jimmy asked.
Shelby slipped her hands under her daughter's body and gently lifted her legs higher, Jimmy keeping his hand under her chin to stop her face going in the water, "this is where your legs need to be" Shelby said softly as she kept her hands under Rachel's body as she kicked her legs gently, "it's just a case of muscle memory, once you get used to it then you'll be fine."
It took Rachel a moment or two but eventually both Shelby and Jimmy felt her relax a little as she realised that neither her Mom, nor her Uncle were going to let go. "There we go" Jimmy smiled, Shelby staying quiet, wanting Rachel to learn that she could trust her Uncle, "you've got it!".
"I'm going to keep my hand under your stomach but move my hand from your thighs" Shelby told her a few minutes later, "see if you can keep them up." Shelby moved her hand, Jimmy once again praising Rachel when she managed to keep her legs up, and then, a little while later, Shelby moved her hand from Rachel's stomach, once again receiving praise and encouragement from her Uncle. Shelby stayed with the pair, putting her hands back under Rachel's stomach every time her feet began to sink, but eventually Jimmy could tell that the teen was getting tired even though they hadn't been going for long.
"Why don't we leave it at that for today?" he suggested," I don't want you to push you too hard, you're working muscles in ways they aren't used to, you don't want to be tired or sore, and anyway, you're on vacation, you need to have fun too."
Rachel nodded "I'm sorry that I'm not very good" she told him as she stood in the pool, unable to look him in the eye.
"You don't need to apologise Rach" Jimmy reached out to gently lift Rachel's chin so he could look her in the eye as he told her, "the only reason you're not very good is because you've never been taught how to do it, you've never had the chance to learn." He saw she looked unsure so he continued, "Lily can't read. Max can't ride his bike without training wheels. I can't do cartwheels, Amy can't speak Japanese, your Mom can't play the tuba. There are so many things all of us can't do simply because we haven't been taught how. And learning anything takes time. Your Mom wouldn't be able to join a brass band after one tuba lesson, when Lily starts learning how to read, she'll have to start with simple words and sentences, I'd probably fall on my face a few times before I learned to cartwheel, Max won't be able to ride the tour de France the day after we take his training wheels off… You get the idea, learning anything new, swimming included, just needs time, and we'll take as much of that as we need."
"Thank you" Jimmy was surprised when Rachel hugged him tightly and he was only too happy to return the hug.
"You've got nothing to thank me for Rach, now you go enjoy yourself and we'll try again tomorrow."
Amy smiled and swam over to her husband, wrapping her legs around his waist as Lily asked Rachel to play with her and Max. "Thank you" she whispered before kissing him softly.
"Not that I'd ever complain, but what exactly are you thanking me for?" Jim asked as he pushed a stray curl behind Amy's ear.
"For being patient with her and staying calm, for showing her that not all men, not all fathers are like hers were. I think the fact that you even have time for her means the world to her."
Jimmy smiled, "she's an amazing girl, and I know how much she means to you, I just want her to be happy."
Amy smiled and glanced over her shoulder when she heard Lily shriek with laughter as Rachel lifted her onto her shoulders, Max already sitting on Shelby's, "I think she is happy" she smiled.
"Yeah" Jimmy smiled, "me too."
It wasn't long before Amy, Shelby and Rachel found their way back to their sunloungers, Jimmy only too happy to stay in the pool with Lily and Max. "What are you smiling at?" Shelby asked Rachel when she saw her smiling at her phone.
Rachel turned her phone towards her Mom, "Brittany sent me a picture of Jasper, he's made friends with Lord Tubbington" she smiled, showing Shelby the picture of the two cats curled up together in the same bed.
"That's cute" Shelby smiled, "I'm glad he's enjoying his vacation" she knew Rachel had worried about leaving the kitten, leaving him with strangers had never been an option and Shelby's parents and both her brothers had offered to watch him but when Brittany had offered to take him, Rachel had jumped at the idea, she knew Brittany loved her own cat so she was sure she'd take good care of Jasper too.
"Me too, do you think he misses me?" Rachel asked shyly.
"I'm sure he does" Shelby smiled, "and he'll be happy to see you when we get home".
Shelby couldn't help but smile as Rachel's attention turned back to her phone. She didn't mind the girl being glued to the device, not right now anyway. She knew Rachel would never sit on her phone at the dinner table but now, when there was nothing else she had to be doing, Shelby enjoyed seeing Rachel happy, enjoyed knowing that she was talking to her friends, that they were making plans for the summer and that Rachel was happy, and that was all Shelby ever wanted.
"I'm going to go lay down for a bit" Amy said as she sat up on the edge of her sunlounger, "I feel a bit… " she gestured vaguely.
"Are you okay?" Shelby and Jimmy both asked at the same time, Jimmy swimming over to the edge of the pool.
Amy nodded as she stood slowly, "I think I might just have had too much sun and not enough water. I'm going to get a drink and lay down for a while."
"Let me get you some water" Jimmy hauled himself from the pool and grabbed his towel, planning on helping her inside.
"I'm okay" Amy batted him away, "honestly, stop worrying."
"I'll always worry about you" he pecked her lips as he let one hand rest on her bump, "both of you."
"I know" Amy smiled, "but I'm okay" she put her hand on his, "we're both okay."
"Rachel's got her phone" Shelby told her, "so if you do need anything…"
"I'll call her" Amy promised before heading inside to lay down.
Jimmy managed half an hour before concern for his wife got the better of him and he asked Shelby if she'd keep an eye on Lily and Max so he could go and check on Amy. He seemed a little more relaxed when he came outside and he sat down on the sunlounger beside Rachel, "did you leave your bear in our bed this morning?" he asked her.
"Yeah, I did, I, is…"
"It's not a problem, it's just…" Jim handed Rachel his phone, showing her the picture he'd taken of Amy fast asleep, Rachel's bear clutched to her chest, her chin resting on the top of the bear's head.
"Oh" Rachel smiled, "I think I left my blanket in there too."
"Yeah, she's got that wrapped around her too" he laughed. "She's got the aircon on full and she's bundled up in the covers."
"Is she okay?" Rachel asked as she handed the phone back.
Jimmy nodded, "she's fine, she probably did just get a bit hot out here but she's okay."
"Good" Rachel smiled.
"She's made of tough stuff, all you Corcorans are."
Rachel's face lit up as it did everyone she heard someone use her 'new' name, in the airport she'd been unable to stop looking at her passport, the official documentation of her name change coming through in plenty of time for Shelby to get 'Rachel Corcoran' her first passport. "I'm glad she's okay" Rachel smiled before going over to where her cousins were playing in the shade after Lily asked her to join them.
Amy was in the kitchen later that afternoon when the family traipsed inside, wearing shorts and a tank top, her hair damp from taking a shower. "How are you doing?" Jimmy asked as he moved to take her in his arms.
Amy nuzzled into him and kissed him gently before telling him, "I'm okay, I think I was just a little dehydrated and still tired from yesterday. I feel better now I've slept and had some water."
"Good" Jimmy held Amy close, rocking gently with her the same way Amy had rocked with Rachel that morning, Amy tucking her head into the crook of Jimmy's neck as she felt him kiss her hair.
Rachel couldn't stop watching them. She felt like she was intruding on a private moment between her Aunt and Uncle but she couldn't tear her gaze away. The love, the softness between husband and wife seemed almost foreign to her, she was so used to her fathers constant yelling and arguing, not only with her but with each other too that the way that Amy and Jim just simply loved each other was somewhat new to her. She knew that this was how couples were 'meant' to be, that the yelling and the screaming wasn't normal, but to be faced with a couple showing affection to each other that, quite clearly, wasn't forced, still felt slightly strange to her.
"Go get a shower" Amy said when she finally pulled away, Jimmy happy to hold her for as long as she needed, "I'll bath the kids and then you can get them ready while I get dressed and sort myself out."
Jimmy nodded, "I can bath them if you want to take it easy?"
Amy shook her head and kissed him again, "I'll be okay" she told him, "I promise."
Shelby showered first and, by the time Rachel came out of the bathroom, her Mom was mostly ready and she gestured for Rachel to sit at the dressing table, "okay, let's see what we've got to work with" Shelby gestured to Rachel's make up, Rachel unable to wipe the smile from her face as she laid everything out. "Which of these do you want to use?" she asked as she gestured to the two eyeshadow palletes. Amy had explained that she'd wanted to get Rachel something neutral but Lily had wanted to get her the pallete with a rainbow of bright colours, so, in the end, Amy had just got both.
"This one please" Rachel gestured to the neutral pallete, not sure she had the confidence to pull off any of the brighter colours.
"Okay" Shelby smiled, "let's see what we can do."
The call of "knock first Lily" alerted Shelby and Rachel to the girl's presence before the impatient rap on the door.
"It's open Lily" Shelby called, "just push it."
Rachel was sat at the dressing table, Shelby sat beside her on one of the chairs from the dining room as Lily wandered into the room, "what doing?" she asked as she scrambled to sit on the bed, looking inquisitively at her cousin and her aunt.
"We've been doing Rachel's makeup" Shelby told Lily, she'd done one side of Rachel's face and, with a little help and advice, Rachel had done the other, "we're almost done."
"Good" Lily grinned, "then you help me Rachie? P'ease?"
"Sure" Rachel nodded as Shelby told her how to use mascara without poking herself in the eye, "what do you need help with?"
"When we buyed that" Lily pointed to the makeup, "Mommy get me nail varnish. You do for me p'ease?" she wiggled her tiny fingers towards her cousin.
Rachel smiled and nodded "of course I will". She felt a strange sense of pride that her cousin had asked her to help.
"Thank you" Lily grinned, sliding off the bed and running from the room, "she said yes Mommy, she's gonna help me."
Shelby helped Rachel blend out her eyeshadow a little more before kissing her head, "what do you think?"
"I love it Mom, thank you so much." she wrapped her arms around her.
"It's okay" Shelby smiled, hugging her daughter, "don't be afraid to experiment, try different colours, different shades, find out what works for you, the worst that will happen is you don't like it, you wash your face and then you start again" she reassured her, "you just have to find out what works for you."
"Okay" Rachel nodded against Shelby's shoulder, "thank you."
Shelby kissed her again, "You've got nothing to thank me for, now, why don't you go help Lily paint her nails while I finish getting ready, then I'll come do your hair."
"Will you braid it for me please?"
"Of course. Now you go see Lily before she bursts with excitement, I'll be through as soon as I've done."
Rachel found Lily sat at the dining table and she grinned happily when she saw her cousin, "Mommy says only you open them" she said, pointing to the nail varnish she'd put on the table in front of her.
"Okay" Rachel smiled as she saw Lily had two 'sets' of nail varnish, one contained several small bottles in a rainbow of colours, the other had three shades of pink and a glitter top coat, "what colour would you like?"
Lily pointed to the rainbow polishes, "all them" she pointed to her fingers one by one, "red one, orange one, lellow one…" she continued through the rainbow as she pointed to her fingers, "an' that" she pointed to the glitter before grinning up at Rachel "p'ease Rachie"
Rachel smiled and nodded, "okay, you have to sit really still though okay?"
Lily nodded as Rachel took the bottles from the packaging and lined them on the table, "I do it" Lily promised, "I sit still!"
Rachel carefully painted two coats of nail varnish and the glitter top coat onto Lily's tiny fingernails, the girl chatting away happily, excited to be spending so much time with Rachel. Once Rachel had finished Lily hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek before asking if she could paint Rachel's nails. Nobody else seemed ready to leave yet so Rachel nodded, choosing one of the paler pink colours for Lily to paint on her nails.
"What you doing?" Max asked as he came to sit at the table too."
"Pretty nails Maxy, look!" she held her hand out to show her brother, wiggling her fingers excitedly, "you want too?"
Max thought for a moment before nodding, "but jus' blue and green" he said. Pointing to each of the fingernails on his left hand one by one, trying to show he wanted the colours to alternate.
"You do it?" Lily looked up at Rachel.
Rachel nodded nervously, she didn't want to say no to Max but she didn't know how her Aunt and Uncle would feel about their son having his nails painted. "No" Max broke Rachel from her thoughts, "I want blue and red! Like spidey-man!"
"Okay" Rachel looked to Lily, "can you find me the blue and the red?" she asked her.
Lily nodded, studying the bottles before picking out the right colours, "here you go."
Rachel thanked her as Max held out his hands and told Rachel, "no glitter, spidey-man not got glitter. He got webs."
"Okay" Rachel smiled as she carefully began painting his nails, "no glitter."
She was putting a second coat of paint on his left hand when Jimmy joined them at the dining table and suddenly Rachel wanted to be sick, she knew he wouldn't be happy. "What are you three up to?" he asked, even though it was obvious.
"Look" Max held out his right hand.
"Oh cool" Jim smiled, "You've got spiderman fingers!"
"Yes!" Max grinned, "that's what I wanted!"
"Rachel's done a good job" Jim could sense Rachel's nerves, correctly guessing that she thought he wouldn't like his son wearing nail varnish, but he didn't care, all he cared about was his kids being happy and they quite clearly were. "Do you want to do mine when yours are dry?"
"You have spiderman too?"
Jimmy looked across the table at the colours, "I got rainbows Daddy, and glitter!" Lily showed him her fingers.
"Wow! They're really pretty." Jim picked up the green Max had wanted to use before he changed his mind, "I think I want green" he told his son.
Lily was clumsily adding the glitter top coat to Rachel's nails, Max painting Jimmy's nails when Shelby came in with a hairbrush to braid Rachel's hair, "wow" she smiled, "you really have been busy" she said as she stood beside Rachel and began to brush out her hair.
"You want some Auntie Lelly?" Lily asked.
Shelby shook her head and held out her hand, "I've already got some, maybe next time though."
"Okay" Lily grinned before turning her attention back to Rachel's fingers, tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration.
Amy couldn't help but smile as she walked into the living room, her smile growing when she saw Jimmy was letting Max paint his nails. She'd loved him for a long time, but the second she saw him as a father, her love for him had only increased, she knew he'd do anything for their babies, Lily and Max couldn't ask for a better Daddy.
"What do you think?" Jimmy asked his wife, holding out his hand once Max had finished and his nails were dry.
Amy sat herself on his lap, cupping his cheek with her hand and kissing him gently, "I think I love you more than you know."
"Oh, I know" Jimmy kissed her again, "because I love you just as much babe."
Shelby let them make out for a while, Lily and Max completely oblivious to what was normal behaviour for their parents. It was only when she saw Jimmy's hand slip down to Amy's butt and heard her sister fail to hold back a groan that she cleared her throat to get their attention, "do you two need a few minutes alone before we go out?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Mmm, maybe" Amy teased, Jimmy's cheeks flushing red. Shelby rolled her eyes, "oh come on" she gestured to her stomach and then to the kids sat at the table, "you don't think these were all immaculate conceptions do you?"
"Absolutely not! I just hope you've learnt to lock doors now." Shelby had been unfortunate enough to walk in on the two of them in compromising positions more times than she cared to remember.
"Most of the time" Amy winked, "sometimes we just get caught up in the moment and…"
"Okay" Shelby put her hands over Rachel's ears, "I think that's enough."
"Oh Shel" Amy stood from Jimmy's lap and smoothed out her dress, "you're so easy to wind up."
"And you're a pain".
"Yeah but you love me" Amy walked around the table and wrapped her arms around her sister.
Shelby rolled her eyes again and returned the hug, "you're right. I do."