Ch 2 of 2 … Start with Ch 75!

(23/8/2019)

CHAPTER 76

A few days after Christmas, the Thornton's were ready to go jet setting on their holiday to Hawaii. After an early start, they were sitting in a taxi on their way to the airport. Elizabeth had felt super stressed the day before when the packing for five people began to overwhelm her, but after a late night, her and Jack had everything waiting at the door ready for the morning. Jack had dropped Rip off to Lee and Rosie's the day before so all they had to do in the morning was get up and dressed and head out the door.

Halley, Grace and Eve were chattering non-stop in the backseat. Their excitement was evident although Elizabeth was hoping that would lead to them collapsing from exhaustion at some time on the long plane trip. Elizabeth now rested her head on Jack's shoulder, her arm wrapped though his. She shut her eyes and in no time, Jack was stroking her face trying to wake her up.

"We're here, baby."

Elizabeth sat up, nodding slowly as Jack climbed out of the taxi and helped the driver put their bags on a trolley. She slowly started moving, climbing out of the side door before helping the girls.

"Make sure you have everything. Halley can you double check nothing has been left behind?"

"Yes, Mommy."

After checking in and making their way through customs, they found somewhere to get some breakfast. Elizabeth eagerly had a coffee, something she had stopped drinking over the last few months, but they had two hours until their flight departed and she was still feeling exhausted from her nap in the taxi. She watched her daughters, still excitedly talking about their holiday while they ate their pancakes.

"Will we be able to see the beach from our room?" Halley asked.

"I'm not sure. Your Grandpa booked the hotel. It's on the beach but I'm not sure what type of room we have. But they do have a swimming pool with a waterslide."

"Oooh I can't wait" Grace said, clasping her hands together.

Elizabeth had noticed a few shops down the way, so she decided to go for a walk. Eve wanted to go to so they left the others behind. One of the shops was a book store and Elizabeth quickly found a book by her favourite author that had just been released. Eve browsed through the children's section and found an activity book. They found one for Grace and a new book for Halley. After paying, Eve eagerly ran ahead back to show her sisters. All three girls were lit up with excitement. Elizabeth laughed to herself as Halley immediately opened up her new book and began reading, something she herself would have done as a child.

When they finally boarded, the family had three seats together in one row and two seats on the opposite side of the aisle. The girls all wanted to stay together so Elizabeth and Jack sat across the aisle from them. Elizabeth put her head back on Jack's shoulder and almost as soon as they had taken off, Elizabeth was fast asleep again.

Halley, Grace and Eve travelled surprisingly well. Eve fell asleep for a few hours but Jack was expecting some complaining but he figured they were all so keen to get to the sun and the sea that nothing else mattered. When they finally stepped off the plane, it was still midday and the heat hit them straight away.

"Wow. It's so hot!" Gracie yelled in excitement and Jack just laughed.

They quickly discarded their jumpers, leaving Jack to carry all of them. He held Eve's hand as they made their way through the terminal. They found the baggage carousel and loaded up their bags before leaving the airport, walking straight into the hot sunny day.

An hour later, they were checked into the hotel and heading toward their room for the next two weeks. Elizabeth already knew the hotel had a five star rating so was expecting something amazing but as she opened the door to their room, she was blown away with what her father had organised.

"Wow!" everyone exclaimed as they walked in.

There was a massive room in the center with huge windows that showed clear views of the ocean. A giant verandah with sunlounges and a dining table. Elizabeth opened the doors and stepped out to see people dotting the sand below and slow waves rolling into the shore. Hawaiian music floated up from below them and as Elizabeth looked directly down, she could see a large pool area. Jack put his arms around her and pressed his chin against her neck.

"This place is amazing, babe."

"Two whole weeks, Jack."

"It's going to be so good."

Elizabeth turned into his arms, a big smile on her face. "I can't wait to get down on the beach, but I need to find some bathers first."

"You better go and sort that out then."

Jack took her hand, leading her back inside. Only then did she notice a giant tv screen and L-shaped lounge that allowed a good view of the water. There was a huge master off one end of the room and two bedrooms off the other end. The girls squaling was coming from one of them.

"What's going on?"

"There are two beds in each room. We can't decide who is going to get which bed. Grace wants to be with me" Halley explained.

"Halley, you should probably go on your own. Eve needs someone with her, Gracie, but you can pick which bed you want."

Gracie hung her head for a moment before she ran and jumped on one of the beds.

"Okay, Eve, you're on that one. Halley, are you happy with that?"

"Yes" she said as she walked into the other room.

"Alright, I'm going to go down to the shops quickly. Are you all going to stay here?"

At the mention of shopping, she saw Halley's ears perk up. "Shopping? What for?"

"I need some bathers and I need to get some snacks to take down to the beach."

"Can I come?"

"Of course. Let's go."

Elizabeth left Jack behind to wait for their bags to arrive. She hurried downstairs and out onto the street with Halley's hand in hers.

"Keep your eye out for a swimwear shop."

It took all of two minutes for them to stumble across one. A lovely sales lady was there to assist them and she showed Elizabeth their range of maternity swim wear, which was much larger than what they had back at home.

"Mommy, what about this one?" Halley was pointing to a bikini that Elizabeth would admit was beautiful although very brief for a pregnant woman, or so she thought.

"I don't know, sweetie. I'm a bit big to be seen in that."

"Nonsense" the sales lady said. "I have a beautiful kaftan that would look lovely with it."

With a handful of swimwear in hand, Elizabeth made her way to the change room and thirty minutes later she was walking out with a maternity swimsuit, a kaftan and the bikini that Halley had pointed out. Although she was still not convinced that she should wear it in public, Elizabeth knew Jack would like it. Halley and Elizabeth found a convenience store and bought some snacks and drinks and headed back to the room.

"Hi. We're back" Elizabeth said as they came inside.

Grace and Eve bounded out of the bedroom all ready to go in their swimwear and rash shirts.

"We're ready for the beach!"

"I can see that. Well Halley and I will get ready and then we can go."

Halley headed to her room while Elizabeth went to find Jack. He was in the bedroom, tying up his boardshorts with no shirt on. His muscular chest and ab muscles were on full display.

"Are you going to the beach like that?" Elizabeth asked as she admired him from the doorway.

Jack turned to the sound of her voice, a smirk on his face. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Not exactly. You're just going to have every woman on the beach drooling over you."

Jack laughed. "So long as my wife is too, then that's fine."

Elizabeth shook her head as she walked into the room, putting her bags on the bed.

"Did you have success with the swimwear then?"

"Yes. I got two."

"Can I see?" Jack said coming closer to snoop in her bags.

Elizabeth pulled the bag away. "You can see them when I put them on."

Jack laughed. "Fine."

He left the room to let her get changed. She pulled both set of swimmers out and looked at them trying to decide. After shrugging her shoulders, she slipped out of her clothes and pulled on the bikini along with the kaftan. She didn't really think there would be any chance of her baring herself on the beach to go swimming at that moment. The kaftan material was thick enough to show her silhouette but that was about all. Elizabeth went to her suitcase and pulled out her sunhat, flip flops, sunscreen and a beach towel before heading back to find the rest of her family. Jack was kneeling down on the floor plastering Eve in sunscreen who stood there whining.

"I don't want sunscreen."

"I know, baby, but you have to put it on."

"It feels icky though."

"Sure but in ten minutes you will forget you even have it on. Did you remember to get your bucket and spade out of your suitcase?"

Eve let out a gasp and pulled away from Jack running to get the cheap toys that her Grandpa had given her for Christmas. Elizabeth followed to find each of the girls hats in their luggage. After another ten minutes they were all ready to go and the girls excitedly ran ahead of them toward the lift.

Jack wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder as they followed. "You look stunning, but I really want to see this swimsuit that you got."

Elizabeth glanced at him uncertainly. "I don't know, Jack. I'm going to look like a beached whale down there."

They stepped into the lift and Halley eagerly pressed the button for the ground floor.

"That is not possible" Jack said kissing her shoulder. "You are carrying two babies. You should be proud that your body made our three beautiful girls and you still look amazing."

Elizabeth still wasn't convinced and as she walked down onto the sand, she looked around to see people of all shapes and sizes littering the beach, enjoying the sun, sand and ocean, not bothered by anyone else. Sure, there were still the people watchers but most people were too busy having their own fun.

The family found a space large enough for all of them on the sand, close to the water, but not too close that they'd be swept away. Elizabeth set up a towel on the sand for herself, while Halley and Grace eagerly ran to the waters edge. Jack followed and as soon as he put one foot in the water, he was already walking and diving in.

"Beth, get in here. It's beautiful" he called out.

Elizabeth just shook her head slowly but watched as Grace and Halley followed Jack in. Eve stayed on the shore while Elizabeth blew up Eve's arm band floaties and helped her slide them on.

The ocean bed dropped away quickly but still stayed shallow enough that both Halley and Grace could just stand up, although Grace needed a little help from Jack occasionally. The waves rolled in slowly and the girls could float over them before they broke on the shore. Elizabeth listened to their laughing and giggling as they jumped each wave and soon Eve was calling out to Jack to help her in. He came into the shore with Grace, picking her up and carrying them both back out into the water. Now with Eve on his back and Grace hanging onto his side, the girls were having a ball.

As Elizabeth watched from the shore, the heat from the sun combined with the beautiful crystal blue colour of the water was calling to her. Before long, she couldn't resist anymore and stood up, proceeding to shed her kaftan, she dropped it onto the towel before holding her breath out of nerves and walking down to the water, hoping no one was paying her much attention. Jack suddenly looked back toward where she had been sitting on the beach and did a double take of her walking toward him. As she moved through the water and came toward him, he held out his free hand.

"You changed your mind ..." he said with a dimpled smile.

Elizabeth smiled back. "It looked way too nice."

Elizabeth allowed the water to take most of her weight as she floated next to Jack, finally feeling cool and weightless from her ever-growing bump. At that moment she knew where she would be spending a lot of time over the next two weeks.

They swam together for a while before Halley, Grace and Eve decided to go back in and build sandcastles instead. Jack helped them safely back onto the sand, before coming back to Elizabeth and wrapping his arms around her. They were now sunken in the water with just their heads above the surface.

"Finally" he said as he leant in and gave her a sound kiss on the lips.

"Mmm, what was that for?"

"Just showing my beautiful wife how much I love her."

Elizabeth chuckled, glancing back to the girls to make sure they were okay. Jack suddenly pulled her closer and grabbed her legs so that they would wrap around his waist.

"I can't wait until I have you alone tonight" he whispered into her ear.

Elizabeth shook her head while a grin spread across her face. They had definitely reverted back to being in a honeymoon phase in their relationship since Christmas. Barely able to get enough of one another, every night Jack spent worshipping her. Part of the reason being that they had both been on holidays and hadn't been required to get up early and get organised for work or school. Now adding in the warmer weather and the holiday atmosphere, she was just excited at the prospect of two weeks of relaxing.

"Did you see our ensuite bathroom?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck.

"No" Elizabeth said pulling back to look at Jack.

"It has the most amazing looking shower and a jacuzzi."

"I didn't notice that."

"I did some exploring while you were shopping. It has its own floor to ceiling window facing the ocean."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Okay, now I am really looking forward to our adults only time."

Jack laughed. "So was it the jacuzzi or the views that convinced you?"

Elizabeth leant in again to kiss him. "It's always the company, Jack."

"Good answer, babe."

After seven days, the family had settled into a routine. They had spent the first few days at the hotel but had started to see more since then. They did a trip to the Pearl Harbour memorial site and did a shopping expedition one other day.

Elizabeth found an amazing children's wear store with a sale on babywear and went a little crazy. Her excuse was that she had gotten rid of all of their baby clothes since Eve was born. She bought a few things for Viola but Jack was certain with all her purchases, their unborn twins would have a whole suitcase to take back home on the plane. Seeing Elizabeth so excited at the prospect of the new additions to their family, made it all worthwhile for him wandering behind her carrying all of their bags.

Halley, Grace and Eve were in heaven when they found a Disney store, since they didn't have one near home. Their Grandpa had also given them spending money specifically to buy something while they were away and each of the girls were determined to find something. Eve found a Frozen Anna doll and Grace ended up with a set of Beauty and the Beast toy figurines. Halley couldn't decide for some time but eventually decided on a Disney princess colouring-in set.

By the time they got back to the hotel, everyone was exhausted and the girls all went to their bedrooms to play with their new purchases and Elizabeth collapsed on her own bed, groaning as she took off her sandals.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked as he came to sit beside her.

"Mmmm, I can't feel my feet."

Jack glanced down at them and noticed that the straps of the sandals had been cutting in to her feet by the red bands that now ringed both of her feet. Jack moved her feet to his lap and began massaging them gently. Elizabeth groaned loudly and Jack couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, that feels so good" Elizabeth moaned.

Jack continued working on them and the noises that Elizabeth was making made him continue to chuckle as he went. After ten minutes of massaging though, her noises got quieter and when Jack looked over to her again, Elizabeth was sound asleep.

Jack moved out from under her feet, replacing his body with a pillow to keep her feet elevated and help reduce the swelling. He laid down beside her, his body turned to face her.

Jack was just so glad everything had worked out. Just a month ago, he had been so worried about Elizabeth and all of a sudden after some sessions with Frank and the gift from her father, the weight had been lifted from her shoulders and as a result, Jack's as well. Finally he could breathe easier knowing that everything was going to be okay.