I changed into more comfortable clothes and laid across the bed. As Karen expected Owen was hesitant on the phone with her to leave Maisie out of his sight, but in the end he knows not to cross her.
I smiled and closed my eyes remembering the day we got married. Karen helping our mom put my veil in place, she chatted about how lucky Owen was to actually get me to settle down.
She left the room to what she said was to check on Zach and Gray. Being that I was forced to stay put because I was already dressed, I moved to look out the window. Zach and Gray ran around the yard, Gray just barely walking fell every few steps. Hearing Owen's voice, I looked to see Karen speaking to him. A conversation that started off with Owen smiling and agreeing with her, ended with her finger pointing in his face and his eyes wide. Never in my life have I seen Owen intimidated by someone, but Karen can do that when she's got someone to protect. Guess that runs in the family.
The bedroom door open slowly, pulling me from my thoughts. Owen poked his head in and I could hear a cartoon playing on the TV that must have had Maisie's attention.
"Just got off the phone with your sister." he informed me.
I nodded and turned to lay on my side, curling myself in a tight ball.
I felt the side of the bed dip from his weight as he sat down behind me.
"Claire, I love you, you know that, right?"
I closed my eyes refusing to cry anymore.
He continued when I didn't answer, sighing heavily. "I do, Claire. I know that doesn't change things right now, but it's a start, right?" He continued knowing I wasn't going to answer. "We will leave tomorrow after your relieved of duty and head to Karen's house. I will do anything to prove to you that my love for you hasn't changed. Things may be a bit rocky right now, but damn, Claire, I need you more than air."
I turned over so I was on my back, his eyes were already on my face. "You were leaving." I pointed out.
He shook his head. "Not because I didn't want you. I would have came back and dragged you out of here in a few days, whether you were ready or not."
"You didn't tell me that before. Telling me you're taking my daughter from me is not telling me you love me."
Owen scooted over so he was sitting beside me, his leg touching my side, he leaned over me, resting his hand on the mattress beside me to support his weight.
"Claire, I know you have a lot going on right now and as the Husband and Father in this family I have a lot going on, too. I have to keep the two of you safe, and it kills me to let you go off into mobs of people. At this moment in time I am literally forced to choose protecting my wife or my daughter."
"Maisie always comes first." We both said at the same time.
He smiled, glad I understood that.
He continued, "As the man in this family I need to have a plan set forth of what happens now."
I noticed a tear in his eyes and slowly sat up as he spoke.
"I just don't know what to do now, Claire."
"You don't have to do all that on your own. We are equals in this. We have more than enough in our savings to keep us going for quite a while."
Owen nodded, his shoulders relaxing. I was the one in charge of finances and Owen never knew just how much we were able to save. By living on the island we were able to purchase the house for next to nothing, given my job title. Plus driving a company car meant no car payments.
We sat in silence, Owen chewed the inside of his mouth which only meant he was planning something. I wasn't quite sure if I should be worried or not. Owen's spur of the moment plans don't always work out the way he wants. Like the ill faded hiking trip he planned for us that ended with me spraining my ankle and he had to carry me halfway down the mountain.
"I got it!" Owen yelled. He leaned down to kiss my cheek and ran out of the bedroom.
"Oh, boy." I grumbled and rolled back on my side.
I smiled to myself, feeling a little better knowing Owen's feelings for me were still strong.
"Mama?" Maisie whispered behind me.
I rolled to my other side so I was facing her and opened my arms. "Come here."
She quickly climbed on the bed and curled herself into my arms.
"Are you sad?"
I kissed her nose. "A little, but nothing for you to worry about. There was a lot I had to do today."
She reached up and poked my forehead. "Does it still hurt?"
I squeezed her closer to me, smelling her scent. "Not anymore, sweetie."
"Daddy said we are going on a road trip."
I raised an eyebrow. "Road trip?"
She nodded. "He's on the phone planning it out right now."
"This should be interesting." I grumbled.
Maisie laid with me until Owen poked his head in the bedroom. "Pizza will be here in a few minutes."
"Yum!" Maisie jumped around on the bed, flung herself off and landed in Owens arms.
When I walked into the main living area of the hotel room, I noticed Owen had Maisie's bed made up again.
We ate while Owen explained his brilliant road trip plan.
"We will fly into the states tomorrow evening and I got a van that will serve as our home for a little while. We will drive to Karen's house and then go away for the weekend." He informed us.
"Go away where?" Maisie asked, picking her pepperoni off her pizza and eating it.
"Just mom and I. You'll stay with your cousins."
Her eyes lit up, "Oh! A sleepover!"
Though this would be a first for her, she seemed excited. She had a few friends on the island, but most employees didn't want the boss's kid sleeping over their house. Plus Owen was always a little too protective to not have her in her own bed at night.
After dinner Maisie wanted to call Gray and Zach to plan our their sleepover. She threw herself on her bed, laying on her stomach. Her legs kicked up as she swung her feel in the air as she spoke to her cousins.
"Teenager in training." I laughed.
Owen rolled his eyes, "Can't wait."
"Maisie, time for bed." I told her, giving them more than enough time on the phone.
She said goodbye and handed my phone back to me.
"Mom," her eyes were wide when I pulled the blankets up around her.
"What is it?" I asked.
"There's no dinosaurs, right?" Her eyes flickered towards the window.
I knew this was going to come up. Last night she was too exhausted to understand much.
"They are on the island. We are safe." I informed her.
"I miss Beth," her bottom lip quivered.
"I know, sweetie, we all do."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
I quickly wiped them off her cheeks. "It wasn't your fault."
She shook her head. "I broke my promise. If I stayed with her like you said maybe she'd still be with us. You and daddy wouldn't have ran around to find us." her words shook as she cried. "But, mommy," she continued now sobbing. "you promised I would have fun!"
I yanked her up and held her tight on my lap. Owen was in the shower and I knew she was waiting for us to be alone to have this conversation.
"I'm sorry, too. We both made mistakes and it's ok. Did I ever tell you we are allowed to break one promise each. So this means from this moment on no more broken promises." I held up my pinky and she looked down at it. "I promise," I whispered.
She hooked her pinky with mine, crying harder.
"Beth died trying to protect you guys. It was no one's fault." I tried my best to keep my voice strong.
I tried leaning back so Maisie would look at me, but she shook her head, pressing her face into my neck.
"Maisie, it's not your fault."
"It is!" She cried.
"Look at me," I shook her lightly and she peeked up at me. With her eyes locked on mine, I leaned forward. "It's not your fault. Do you hear me?"
She nodded slowly.
I raised an eyebrow. "Do you hear me?" I asked again.
"Yes. It's not my fault." She repeated my words.
I hugged her tight until she stopped crying. Her body relaxed and I rocked her until she was asleep.
"I'll help you," Owen said when I tried moving to lay her down. He was leaning against the doorframe to the bedroom.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked when he lifted Maisie from my arms.
He tucked her in and turned to kiss me. "Since you're little promise to each other. I figured it was a mother, daughter moment and as always you handled it like a pro."
I smiled and leaned in to kiss him. "Thanks."
We climbed into bed and I curled into Owen's side. His arms held me tight and I fell asleep feeling safe and protected.