The next three days were filled with sightseeing, luaus,
beachcombing, and just enjoying time together. Tori was the happiest Blake
had ever seen her. Today was their last day in paradise and Tori once again
found herself on the beach.
Blake had tried his hand at surfing, but spent more time in the water than on top of it. It killed Tori that she couldn't surf right now. All she wanted to do was get out in the water and surf like she had when she was a girl. Kailani began to move again and she smiled.
As soon as this baby was born she would teach it how to surf, just like her father had taught her. She looked out at the water and saw a very wet Blake jogging towards her with a rental board. He set it in the sand and lay down on his back on the blanket they had brought.
"I don't know how you do it," he said breathlessly.
Tori smiled and ran her hand through his hair. His navy wet shirt clung to his chest and he was itching a little. "Blake, why don't you take your shirt off? It's like 85 degrees," Tori suggested. Blake sat up and gave her a wary glance.
"Tor, you know why," he said. Tori placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry...I'm just so used to seeing you without it," she said grinning. Blake smiled and kissed her gently.
His hand lingered on her face as he ran his thumb along her cheeks. They pulled away and Blake pulled her down with him. Tori laid her head on his shoulder, not caring if she got wet. "This has been so great- I hate to see it end," he said.
"Yeah...it's been great coming back here, but our home is in Blue Bay Harbor...plus," she said as she propped herself up on an elbow. "You guys have your first tournament in two weeks."
Blake's face broke out into a smile. He had talked to his sponsor and to Hunter and Dustin. Everything fell into place rather quickly, and Thunderstorm Racing was born. Racing with the FOXY logo on their backs, Hunter, Blake, and Dustin were entered in their first tournament that was being held only a few hours from Blue Bay Harbor.
"I guess it'll be good to get back home," he said. They sat on the beach for most of the rest of the day- swimming and lounging, until the sun got low in the sky. They were going to Alana and Mak's house tonight to honor their invitation to Tori's old friend.
The walk from the hotel to the house was short, and soon they were standing on the front porch of the modest little beach home. Tori knocked on the door and was greeted by a very tall, built, dark skinned man with short black hair and green eyes.
"Tor?" the man asked in shock. Tori nodded and hugged him.
"Hello Mak," she said smiling. "This is my husband Blake." Blake stepped forward and shook Mak's hand. "Blake this is Mak Tanoi."
"Nice to meet you," Mak said. He led them inside and got them drinks. "I think Lana went to get Loa May," he said as he heard the soft sounds of a baby. Alana emerged with a tiny bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket.
"Tori, Blake, I'm so glad you could make it," Alana said. "This is Loa," she said introducing her daughter. Tori instinctively placed a hand on her stomach and Blake smiled.
Soon Tori and Alana were getting dinner ready, while Blake and Mak got acquainted. Mak was holding his daughter while Blake looked on in awe. "So how long have you and Tori been married?" Mak asked. Blake ran his hand through his hair.
"Well, we've been married for a little over three months, but we've been together for over a year," Blake said.
"Ah," Mak said. "Started the family a little early?" he asked smiling. Blake let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, but I couldn't be happier."
"I know what you mean...Lana and I had Loa before we got hitched- nothing wrong with that."
There were a few moments of awkward silence before Blake decided to change the subject. "So how do you know Tori?"
"We all went to school together. Her dad and my mom knew each other and sometimes we would play over each other's houses. What about you? How'd you meet?"
Blake swallowed and smiled nervously. "Our, friend Dustin introduced us," he said truthfully. Mak smiled and heard Alana calling from the kitchen.
"Would you mind holding her for me?" Mak asked Blake. Blake's eyes widened- he had never held a baby before... "Come on, you're going to need the practice." Blake smiled and took the tiny baby from Mak. Mak disappeared into the kitchen and Blake tried his best not to disturb the sleeping child.
He couldn't believe that he was going to have one of these in a few short months. Loa began to stir slightly and Blake got nervous. He carefully adjusted her in his arms and she settled back down.
"You're pretty good at that," Tori commented as she entered the room and sat next to him. The sight made her heart melt and she felt her child move again.
Blake turned his head and kissed her cheek. "I've never done this before," he said. Tori bit her lip and Blake's eyebrows raised.
"I've never held a baby either," she admitted. Blake smiled.
"Great parents we're going to be," he said grinning. "I mean that Tor...everything's going to be fine." He handed Tori the baby and she smiled down at the little girl she held in her arms. Blake's words played back in her head. 'Everything's going to be fine...' Suddenly fear gripped her heart.
What if everything wasn't fine...what if her worst nightmare came true and she...suffered the same fate as her mother...
"Tor? You there?" Blake asked. Tori snapped out of her mindset and turned to him with a small smile.
"Yeah," was all she got out before they were called to dinner.
((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
After a pleasant evening with Tori's old friends, the Bradley's went back to their hotel and began to get ready for their morning flight. Tori was taking things slowly. Everything she did was done at half the pace she normally would have done.
Several thoughts raced through her head as she packed. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, and after her mother left her for a second time, a growing fear began to engulf her. What if she passed away like her mother had. She would never be able to hear first words, see first steps, or see her baby grow up. One time, when she was having theses thoughts, she almost wished she wasn't having a baby.
But her heart and brain put a stop to that immediately. She wanted this child more than she had wanted anything in her whole life, and she loved it more than she ever thought she could- even before it was born.
Blake had noticed her sluggishness and wondered what was puzzling her. Tori hadn't said anything to him about her concerns...but in the same, Blake hadn't told her of his apprehension- he was afraid that he would be taken from his wife and child like his parents had been from his brother and him. He didn't want to leave his child alone...
"Ouch," Tori said softly. Blake stopped what he was doing and was at her side immediately.
"What happened?" he asked concerned. Tori grabbed her lower back and began to massage it as best she could.
"It's nothing. I just got a cramp," she said. Blake moved her hands and led her over to the bed. Tori sat down and Blake sat behind her, rubbing his fingers in small circles on her lower back, and then up to her shoulders. Tori closed her eyes and tried to relax.
She knew all this worrying wasn't good for her in her condition, but she couldn't help it. At that moment, Kailani moved suddenly and Tori grasped her belly. Blake stopped his motions and turned to her.
"Is anything wrong?" he asked. Tori shook her head, but couldn't stop a small tear that ran down her cheek. The feeling of life within her, while at the same time thinking about her own life, caused her eyes to well up.
"Blake..." she sobbed out. Blake helped her reposition herself so he was holding her to him. "I'm...I'm scared." Blake felt her floodgates open and felt tears on his shirt. "What if something goes wrong and I...I don't..." she couldn't finish her sentence and just held Blake.
His mind began to place the pieces of her sentences together and realized that both of them feared leaving their child. "I am too," he finally admitted. This topped Tori's sobs a little and she looked into his eyes. "I don't want to have Kai or you without me there."
Tori felt his hand reach her cheek and a few tears were brushed away. She leaned her forehead against his. "What are we going to do?" she asked nervously. "I don't want to leave you either..."
"We made a promise to each other," he said. Tori smiled weakly as she remembered their wedding. "To always protect one another...and I plan to hold to that."
"I promise to honor and protect you, and all that surround you forever," Tori said, repeating her vows. Blake smiled and kissed her lips gently.
"We'll get through this together...like we always do."
Tori found some comfort in his words and kissed his cheek. "I love you," she said softly as she caressed his face. Blake moved his head and kissed her gently.
He would do everything in his power to ensure the safety of his wife and child, and he knew that she would do the same for him. "I love you too Blondie." They sat together in comfortable silence until Tori let out a yawn. "Why don't you turn in and I'll finish packing." He kissed her forehead and Tori smiled...everything was going to be alright... wasn't it?
Blake had tried his hand at surfing, but spent more time in the water than on top of it. It killed Tori that she couldn't surf right now. All she wanted to do was get out in the water and surf like she had when she was a girl. Kailani began to move again and she smiled.
As soon as this baby was born she would teach it how to surf, just like her father had taught her. She looked out at the water and saw a very wet Blake jogging towards her with a rental board. He set it in the sand and lay down on his back on the blanket they had brought.
"I don't know how you do it," he said breathlessly.
Tori smiled and ran her hand through his hair. His navy wet shirt clung to his chest and he was itching a little. "Blake, why don't you take your shirt off? It's like 85 degrees," Tori suggested. Blake sat up and gave her a wary glance.
"Tor, you know why," he said. Tori placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry...I'm just so used to seeing you without it," she said grinning. Blake smiled and kissed her gently.
His hand lingered on her face as he ran his thumb along her cheeks. They pulled away and Blake pulled her down with him. Tori laid her head on his shoulder, not caring if she got wet. "This has been so great- I hate to see it end," he said.
"Yeah...it's been great coming back here, but our home is in Blue Bay Harbor...plus," she said as she propped herself up on an elbow. "You guys have your first tournament in two weeks."
Blake's face broke out into a smile. He had talked to his sponsor and to Hunter and Dustin. Everything fell into place rather quickly, and Thunderstorm Racing was born. Racing with the FOXY logo on their backs, Hunter, Blake, and Dustin were entered in their first tournament that was being held only a few hours from Blue Bay Harbor.
"I guess it'll be good to get back home," he said. They sat on the beach for most of the rest of the day- swimming and lounging, until the sun got low in the sky. They were going to Alana and Mak's house tonight to honor their invitation to Tori's old friend.
The walk from the hotel to the house was short, and soon they were standing on the front porch of the modest little beach home. Tori knocked on the door and was greeted by a very tall, built, dark skinned man with short black hair and green eyes.
"Tor?" the man asked in shock. Tori nodded and hugged him.
"Hello Mak," she said smiling. "This is my husband Blake." Blake stepped forward and shook Mak's hand. "Blake this is Mak Tanoi."
"Nice to meet you," Mak said. He led them inside and got them drinks. "I think Lana went to get Loa May," he said as he heard the soft sounds of a baby. Alana emerged with a tiny bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket.
"Tori, Blake, I'm so glad you could make it," Alana said. "This is Loa," she said introducing her daughter. Tori instinctively placed a hand on her stomach and Blake smiled.
Soon Tori and Alana were getting dinner ready, while Blake and Mak got acquainted. Mak was holding his daughter while Blake looked on in awe. "So how long have you and Tori been married?" Mak asked. Blake ran his hand through his hair.
"Well, we've been married for a little over three months, but we've been together for over a year," Blake said.
"Ah," Mak said. "Started the family a little early?" he asked smiling. Blake let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, but I couldn't be happier."
"I know what you mean...Lana and I had Loa before we got hitched- nothing wrong with that."
There were a few moments of awkward silence before Blake decided to change the subject. "So how do you know Tori?"
"We all went to school together. Her dad and my mom knew each other and sometimes we would play over each other's houses. What about you? How'd you meet?"
Blake swallowed and smiled nervously. "Our, friend Dustin introduced us," he said truthfully. Mak smiled and heard Alana calling from the kitchen.
"Would you mind holding her for me?" Mak asked Blake. Blake's eyes widened- he had never held a baby before... "Come on, you're going to need the practice." Blake smiled and took the tiny baby from Mak. Mak disappeared into the kitchen and Blake tried his best not to disturb the sleeping child.
He couldn't believe that he was going to have one of these in a few short months. Loa began to stir slightly and Blake got nervous. He carefully adjusted her in his arms and she settled back down.
"You're pretty good at that," Tori commented as she entered the room and sat next to him. The sight made her heart melt and she felt her child move again.
Blake turned his head and kissed her cheek. "I've never done this before," he said. Tori bit her lip and Blake's eyebrows raised.
"I've never held a baby either," she admitted. Blake smiled.
"Great parents we're going to be," he said grinning. "I mean that Tor...everything's going to be fine." He handed Tori the baby and she smiled down at the little girl she held in her arms. Blake's words played back in her head. 'Everything's going to be fine...' Suddenly fear gripped her heart.
What if everything wasn't fine...what if her worst nightmare came true and she...suffered the same fate as her mother...
"Tor? You there?" Blake asked. Tori snapped out of her mindset and turned to him with a small smile.
"Yeah," was all she got out before they were called to dinner.
((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))
After a pleasant evening with Tori's old friends, the Bradley's went back to their hotel and began to get ready for their morning flight. Tori was taking things slowly. Everything she did was done at half the pace she normally would have done.
Several thoughts raced through her head as she packed. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, and after her mother left her for a second time, a growing fear began to engulf her. What if she passed away like her mother had. She would never be able to hear first words, see first steps, or see her baby grow up. One time, when she was having theses thoughts, she almost wished she wasn't having a baby.
But her heart and brain put a stop to that immediately. She wanted this child more than she had wanted anything in her whole life, and she loved it more than she ever thought she could- even before it was born.
Blake had noticed her sluggishness and wondered what was puzzling her. Tori hadn't said anything to him about her concerns...but in the same, Blake hadn't told her of his apprehension- he was afraid that he would be taken from his wife and child like his parents had been from his brother and him. He didn't want to leave his child alone...
"Ouch," Tori said softly. Blake stopped what he was doing and was at her side immediately.
"What happened?" he asked concerned. Tori grabbed her lower back and began to massage it as best she could.
"It's nothing. I just got a cramp," she said. Blake moved her hands and led her over to the bed. Tori sat down and Blake sat behind her, rubbing his fingers in small circles on her lower back, and then up to her shoulders. Tori closed her eyes and tried to relax.
She knew all this worrying wasn't good for her in her condition, but she couldn't help it. At that moment, Kailani moved suddenly and Tori grasped her belly. Blake stopped his motions and turned to her.
"Is anything wrong?" he asked. Tori shook her head, but couldn't stop a small tear that ran down her cheek. The feeling of life within her, while at the same time thinking about her own life, caused her eyes to well up.
"Blake..." she sobbed out. Blake helped her reposition herself so he was holding her to him. "I'm...I'm scared." Blake felt her floodgates open and felt tears on his shirt. "What if something goes wrong and I...I don't..." she couldn't finish her sentence and just held Blake.
His mind began to place the pieces of her sentences together and realized that both of them feared leaving their child. "I am too," he finally admitted. This topped Tori's sobs a little and she looked into his eyes. "I don't want to have Kai or you without me there."
Tori felt his hand reach her cheek and a few tears were brushed away. She leaned her forehead against his. "What are we going to do?" she asked nervously. "I don't want to leave you either..."
"We made a promise to each other," he said. Tori smiled weakly as she remembered their wedding. "To always protect one another...and I plan to hold to that."
"I promise to honor and protect you, and all that surround you forever," Tori said, repeating her vows. Blake smiled and kissed her lips gently.
"We'll get through this together...like we always do."
Tori found some comfort in his words and kissed his cheek. "I love you," she said softly as she caressed his face. Blake moved his head and kissed her gently.
He would do everything in his power to ensure the safety of his wife and child, and he knew that she would do the same for him. "I love you too Blondie." They sat together in comfortable silence until Tori let out a yawn. "Why don't you turn in and I'll finish packing." He kissed her forehead and Tori smiled...everything was going to be alright... wasn't it?