July 6th- 8:00pm
The blanket was spread across the sand, and the three bodies that lay curled atop it stared out into the ocean as they had been for nearly an hour. Silent and thoughtful, Aiden kissed Antonia's head, feeling her push her body into him just a little further, her eyelids drooping, a yawn on her lips.
"Do you want to go back inside?" He asked, running his hand up and down her arm lightly, she shook her head against him. "Are you feeling okay?" He whispered.
She sighed lightly, leaning forward, she looked down the beach. The evening had started to set in, and most beachgoers had headed back to their hotels or homes for dinner. The sun was casting an orange pall over them as it began to dip its way to the horizon. "My parents were married down the beach from here." She said, pointing to the north, she smiled at the memory as she rocked slightly with Melody against her.
"They were married on the beach?"
"Yeah, they rented one of the houses down there for the ceremony and reception. It was so beautiful." She said, looking up into his eyes as they smiled back at her. "Though I don't remember too much about it, just the colors and the sounds and smells." She said, closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply.
"Do you want to get married on the beach?" He asked, his voice rumbling in her ear, she could feel his breath sending a chill down her neck.
"Maybe." She whispered. "It reminds me of a time before things got really complicated. It was just my Mom, Dad, Gracie, and me. Despite how weird my childhood was, and how I met my father, and the whole thing with him and my Mom… that part of my life, between Gracie's birth and just before Seeley came to live with us… that was perfect." She said softly.
"Tell me about your parent's wedding." He whispered into her ear. "Tell me about the smells, and the sounds, and the colors."
The spring breeze was cool against her skin, the waves gently lapping at the shore as the young girl sit alone on the beach, thoughtfully drawing designs in the sand as the sun reflected a soft, yellow warmth over her. She could hear the sounds of the party behind her, people laughing and soft music playing as they celebrated the rehearsal of the wedding that would be taking place the following day. She could sense that someone was behind her before she felt them settle on the spot beside her, and she shifted her body so that she was facing away from the intrusion, and continued drawing in the sand with her fingertip.
The person said nothing, just sat beside her, and she sniffled a little as she swiped at the tear on her cheek. "Go away, Oompa." She mumbled, sniffling again.
"Okay." Max said, as he shifted slightly as if he were going to stand up. Instantly, she reached her hand out and grabbed his hand, pulling herself toward him. He wrapped his arm securely around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Don't go away, Oompa." She whispered.
Max chuckled under his breath, holding her close to him as he rocked her gently. "You're missing the party." He whispered into her hair, feeling her grip on him become tighter. "What's the trouble, little bear?" He whispered gently.
"I don't want Mommy to get married." Antonia whispered, squeezing her eyes tightly, another tear escaped. "I don't want Mommy to get married, and I know that Daddy makes her happy, but…I miss my mommy, the way things used to be." She whispered. "Sometimes I just want Daddy to go away, and Gracie to go away, and for it to be just me and Mommy again." She swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. She looked up at Max with wide eyes, a look of surprise on her face as she took a deep breath. "Oh no! Please don't tell Mommy I said that." She shook her head. "I don't want Mommy to think that I don't love Daddy or Gracie." She whimpered. "I love them very much."
"It's our secret." Max smiled kindly. "Sometimes I wish it was the three of us too, you know." He winked. "We were a good team."
"Yeah." She sniffled, swiping her arm across her nose and eyes, she sighed. "Me, you, Mommy, and Deuce." She sighed.
"Oh, so Deuce is in the mix too, huh?" Max teased, watching Antonia give him an incredulous look.
"Well, yeah." She shrugged. "I guess, maybe. I mean, Daddy and Deuce are the same person, but Deuce never scolded me for not eating my vegetables, or being bossy, or anything like that. Deuce and Daddy are really not the same, right?" She said, looking to Max as if he'd give her a different answer than everyone else. She watched Max give her a bit of a scrutinizing look.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Max whispered, watching Antonia's brow furrow thoughtfully, she nodded. "Are you sure?"
"Uh huh. I'm a good secret keeper." She said with a smile.
"Do you know what makes me your Oompa?" Max asked.
"Uh, yes." She nodded. "You're my mommy's daddy." She smiled. "You're my Oompa."
"That's right." He smiled.
"That's not a secret, Oompa." Antonia sighed. "I think everyone knows." She whispered conspiratorially at him, listening to him laugh heartily at her innocent response.
"No, that's not the secret." He laughed.
"Oh." She nodded, listening closely as if she were worried that she'd miss the secret.
"Well, your mommy is my little girl, just like you are your daddy's little girl." Max explained. "And when a daddy's little girl gets married…" He shrugged. "It sometimes feels like the daddy is kind of left out in the cold. I sometimes feel like I lost my little girl." He sighed.
Antonia gasped at her grandfather, standing up beside him, she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Oh, no, Oompa." She said softly into him as he wrapped his arms around the little girl tightly. "No, no." She shook her head, putting her hands on his cheeks as she looked him in his eyes. "Oompa, mommy will always be your little girl." She said, as tears started to fall down her cheeks, "Always, always." She said, kissing his nose, she stomped her feet. "And I will always be Daddy's little girl! Always, always." She said stubbornly.
"Hey, hey…" Max said, trying to get her attention, he pulled her into his lap, and she held onto his arms tightly as she hiccupped through her tears. "It's okay. It's okay." He whispered. "You can't tell anyone that I told you that." He said, feeling her shake her head. "I love your mommy very much, and I want her to be happy."
"Me too." Antonia sniffled.
"So it's normal to feel like you're feeling right now, sweetheart. It's normal to feel like you want things to be like they used to be… but do you know what is even better now than what it was then?"
"Hmm?" She whispered.
"You have your Mommy, your Oompa… and your Daddy." He whispered.
"And Gracie."
"That's right, and Gracie. You're my little bear, and you are your daddy's little girl."
"Always." She sighed, cuddling into Max's arms as they watched the colors of the sunset in the sky.
They sat for several minutes together, Max gently rocking Antonia in his arms as they listened to the ocean, breathing the gentle sea air as Max hummed a gentle tune in her ear. After some time, they could feel the presence of another person coming up behind them, and settled beside them on the sand.
The person said nothing, only sat close to the two of them as they all watched the waves, when Temperance's voice skittered across the air, and they both looked to see her looking between the two of them. "I was in the house just now, thinking about my friends, my family. We're all here to celebrate, and we're laughing and talking, and having a good time. I was watching everyone, and it just felt kind of empty for some reason." She sighed. "That was when I realized that you two were missing." She smiled. "And here I find you both, sitting out here on the sand alone as the sun sets, looking like your world is about to end." She sighed, noting that they both looked thoughtful and sad. "Are you going to tell me why?"
"Nope." Antonia said, glancing to Max, who shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
"Nope." Max replied. "It's a secret."
Temperance furrowed her brow at the two of them, watching their stubborn nature take hold, she knew that she would get no further than this. "May I tell you both a secret?" She whispered, watching their eyes focus on her as she smiled toward them both. "I love you." She smiled. "And I just want you to know that I would never have been half the person that I am now without you two. You both got me through some of the darkest moments of my life, and I will never, ever forget that." She said, reaching her hand out to touch her daughter's cheek, she watched as those dark eyes looked back at her with a shred of uncertainty, and that uncertainty was whisked away by the breeze. "I just wanted you to know that." She said, leaning forward to kiss Antonia's cheek again, she stood up and crouched down beside Max. "I love you, Dad." She whispered, kissing his cheek, she rested her hand on his shoulder and stood up. "When you two are ready to join the party again, I think we will be ready for dessert."
She started to walk back toward the party, when she was suddenly passed by the little girl and her grandfather, both laughing as they raced toward the house.
"Last one there, is a pink banana!" Antonia squealed as she ran off ahead.
"Hey! That's not possible!" Temperance exclaimed, as she picked up her pace and continued after the two of them, laughing along with them.
"Wow, you were just as stubborn as a kid as you are now." Aiden teased, taking the playful elbow jab to the ribs in stride.
"I was not stubborn, I was just head-strong, dedicated, devoted." She said with a hint of the stubbornness that she had just spoken of. "I believe that you have used the terms…"
"Stubborn, pig-headed, persistent, and obstinate." He smiled, watching her grin brightly. "What?"
"You remembered." She giggled.
"Who could forget that?" He laughed. "That evening, and especially that moment, was a perfect example of your stubbornness." He said, tickling her slightly as he let out a laugh, she wiggled in his arms.
"Well, if I hadn't been stubborn, we would have never have had that first kiss, and then what would have happened?" She shrugged.
"We also wouldn't have gotten trapped in a cabin during a snowstorm where I almost died." Aiden teased back.
"You did not almost die!" She exclaimed, watching as he laughed and snuggled closer. She smiled and melted into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer to him, rocking the two girls gently in his arms. "Aiden?"
"Hm?" He mumbled, kissing her head again.
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Anything."
"I… want to keep her." She whispered, kissing Melody's head, the little girl looked up at Antonia and smiled sleepily.
"Can I tell you a secret?" He whispered back.
"Anything."
"I do too." He said, watching as a brilliant smile lit her face, and she leaned up to kiss him tenderly. "I want to give you both perfect." He whispered, running his fingers through her hair, he closed his eyes and breathed in the moment. "I will do whatever needs to be done to get us all to perfect."
She kissed him again and sighed, smiling into his eyes as she turned her head and looked out at the expansive waterbody in front of them. She shivered a little in his arms, and he pulled her closer. "We should probably get the little one to bed." He whispered, feeling her nod against him, as he shifted slightly, carefully standing up before her. He leaned down and lifted Melody into his arms, where she molded herself against his body, her head on his shoulder, her eyes closing. He reached his hand out to Antonia and helped her to her feet, as she pulled the blanket with her, leaning against him, he smiled. "You're the prettiest mama in the world." He whispered.
"You're not so shabby yourself there, daddy." She said, listening to his laughter skitter with the sounds of the waves, as she took his hand and they walked back to the house together.
July 6th- 8:00pm
Temperance stood at the door of a very familiar apartment, her eyes focused on the call button as she tried to decide if she should push it, or of she should just turn around and go home. She cringed slightly at the thought of leaving, knowing that she was specifically requested to come over. She wondered for a moment when she had become an avoider, and realized that the answer was, never. She pushed the button, calling up to the apartment in question, and after a moment heard Grace's voice, stressed and out of breath. "Mom, is that you?"
"Yes." Temperance said softly.
"Door's unlocked." Grace said, as Temperance heard the front door to the apartment building buzz and unlock.
Temperance walked into the hallway and slowly ascended the stairs, starting to feel the exhaustion of the past few days pull at her. She just reached the apartment door when it swung open and Grace grabbed her mother's arm, pulling her into the apartment and closed the door behind her. "Gracie!" Temperance exclaimed, laughing.
"Sorry, Mom. I'm freaking out. I'm really freaking out. Jack is helping Anna and Fiona, I have no idea what flowers to pick or who is going to pick them up, and the cake thing. Oh, God, the cake is going to be awful. Cream cheese frosting? I mean seriously? Ugh! The wedding is in three weeks! Three weeks, and everything is all wrong! It's all wrong, and it's falling apart, and I should just elope."
"Your father would be disappointed, and I'm certain that Angela would put a bounty out on both of your heads." Temperance replied. "I don't care one way or another, honestly." She smiled at her daughter's slack jawed expression. "Oh, sweetheart, you know that I am just teasing you."
"No! You don't tease! You can't tease! You don't even know how to tease!" Grace exclaimed, flopping herself back onto the couch dramatically. "Mom. Three weeks, do you have any idea how long that is?" She sighed, and then immediately pointed her finger at her mother. "Do not answer that question!" She exclaimed. "My maid of honor is MIA, and she chose a color for her dress described as Pantone 16-3520, do you think I can find one damn thing that is that color? Do you? I mean who does that? Who picks a color based on the Pantone color? I'll tell you who, my sister!"
"African Violet." Temperance said, watching as Grace turned her head slowly to face her mother.
"Excuse me?" Grace said, her eyes widening as she watched a slow smirk rising on her mother's face. "Did you just…?"
"African Violet, Grace. That's the color."
"Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Grace exclaimed, breathing heavily. "I have talked to every damn dress shop in the tri-state area, and you're telling me the color has a name?"
"Did you ever ask Antonia what the name was?"
"NO!" Grace said, falling dramatically to the side, burying her face in the cushions of the couch. "I don't want to get married anymore." She mumbled into the cushion. "I quit."
Temperance walked to her daughter and sat down beside her, gently rubbing her back. Grace sat up slowly and buried her head in her mother's shoulder, sighing heavily. "You're going to be fine." Temperance whispered, rubbing Grace's arm, holding her against her. "You used to be such a quiet child." She said, smiling slightly as Grace lifted her head, sending her mother a glare. "It's true." She shrugged.
"Did your favorite child call you yet?" Grace grumbled.
"I haven't heard from Parker in quite some time." Temperance sighed with a slight smile, feeling Grace sit up and she watched her cross her arms over her chest. "I spoke with Antonia this evening. She's at a safe house with Aiden and Melody. Listen, Gracie girl." She said, touching her daughter's arm. "When it all comes down to it, your wedding is just one day. It won't matter in a day, a week, or fifty years what color your sister's dress was. It's one day in a life of days that you'll be spending with the man that you love. So stop stressing out about flowers and dresses, and cake frosting, and who is going to pick up who at the airport, and just have fun with it."
"Very well put, Mom." Grace sighed.
"I thought so." She smiled, running her fingers through her daughter's dark curls. "You should probably be more concerned about your sister fitting into her dress." Temperance said as she stood up and yawned, stretching slightly. "I really should get home." She sighed.
"What do you mean?" Grace asked, walking with Temperance toward the door. "Mom?" She said, watching as her mother opened the door to leave. "Mom? What do you mean?"
"I mean, another three weeks, she may be showing by then." She shrugged. "Goodnight, baby. Get some sleep." She said, leaning in to kiss her daughter's cheek. "Congratulations, you're going to be an Aunt again." She winked as she stepped out of the apartment into the hallway, and smiled the entire way to the car.