"No" Jack protested, waking as Iain lifted him from his bed, "I'm tired Daddy and it's Saturday, I don't have to go to school."
Iain smiled as Jack's head lolled onto his shoulder, "I know you're tired mate" he said as he kissed Jack's head, "but we need to get you dressed and get you some breakfast in you and then you can sleep in the car and on the plane."
Jack's eyes shot open, "the plane? Today? We're going on holiday today?" hhe asked, suddenly wide awake.
"Yep" Iain grinned, "we're going on holiday today, we'll have dinner on the plane but we'll be at the hotel by tea time."
"And then can we go to the beach?" Jack asked, a big smile on his face.
Iain laughed, "probably not today, it'll be too late to go to the beach by the time we get there but you can swim in the pool at the hotel and then we'll go to the beach tomorrow" he promised.
"Okay Daddy" Jack nodded, "will you help me get dressed?"
"Of course" Iain smiled as he carried Jack through to the master bedroom where his clothes were already laid out on the bed, "but let's be quick, Mummy's making sausage sandwiches."
"And hash browns?" Jack asked, already stripping off his pyjamas.
Iain nodded, "and hash browns."
Jack raced downstairs once he was dressed, "I'm ready Mummy" he beamed.
"Perfect timing" Rita smiled as she cut his sandwich in half, "your sandwich is just ready for you."
"Thank you Mummy" Jack grinned, blowing her a kiss as he climbed up to the table.
"Anything I can do?" Iain asked, snaking his arms around her waist from behind, kissing her neck as his hands wandered over her swollen stomach.
"Stop harassing me" Rita laughed, swatting at his hands, "and pour Jack some juice please, the kettles just boiled for your coffee."
"And you?" Iain asked as he took Jack's cup from the cupboard.
"I'll have some juice too if there's enough left, if not I'll just have water" she said, knowing there wasn't much juice left, the family having tried to use up the contents of the fridge before they went on their fortnight's holiday.
"Are you and Daddy all ready?" Jack asked once he'd swallowed a mouthful of his sandwich.
"I think so" Rita nodded.
"I just need to put my shoes on" Jack said excitedly. Rita raised her eyebrow, "and finish my breakfast."
"And?" she prompted, "what do you do after breakfast?"
Jack frowned for a minute as he thought before grinning, "I've got to clean my teeth".
"Good boy" Rita smiled, "Daddy will put all the cases in the car once we've eaten and then we'll all be ready to go."
"Is it a long way to the airport?" Jack asked.
"Not too far" Iain told him, "but you'll probably fall asleep, I bet Mummy falls asleep too."
"I bet Mummy falls asleep too" Rita laughed, "I'm sure it wasn't this tiring the first time round" she said as she stroked her bump.
"You're growing my boy, that's a lot of awesome you're making" Iain smiled, putting his hand beside Rita's, it had been just 6 days since her 20 week scan when, to Jack's delight, they found out he'd be getting a little brother.
"Hmm" Rita glanced at Iain, "more likely to be growing a massive pain in the neck" she teased.
Iain pouted, "but you love me right?"
Rita laughed and playfully pinched his cheek, "Of course I do" she smiled before stealing a kiss.
"And you love me too?" Jack asked, ketchup all round his mouth.
"I do love you Darling" Rita nodded, "Daddy and I both love you so much more than you know."
"To the sky?" Jack asked.
"And back" Rita winked.
Iain wasn't surprised at all when Rita and Jack had fallen asleep in the car on the way to the airport, and he woke Rita up with a gentle kiss, letting her know they were at the airport before giving her a minute to wake up as he got the cases out of the boot.
They checked in and made their way through to the departure lounge, Iain treating Jack to some new books and a colouring book and crayons for on the flight before letting him run around the play area whilst he and Rita sat nearby, a second coffee for Iain, another glass of orange juice for Rita.
By the time their flight was called to board Jack was beginning to flag once again and Iain carried him onto the plane, "can I sit in the middle?" Jack asked as they reached their seats.
Iain glanced at Rita, she hadn't said as much but he could tell she was getting more and more anxious, "why don't you sit next to the window mate? Once the plane takes off everything looks tiny, it makes you feel like a giant."
"Okay" Jack beamed, scrambling over to the window seat, kneeling up to look out of the window.
"Thanks" Rita said softly once she was settled in the middle seat, Iain slipping into the aisle seat beside her.
"It's okay" Iain gently took her hand, lacing their fingers together, "are you alright?"
"Bit nervous" she admitted, "the last time I was on a plane was for my honeymoon with Mark, it's the only time I've ever flown before" she told him.
Iain squeezed Rita's hand, "you'll be fine" he told her, "just think about relaxing by that big pool in the sun with a mocktail in your hand and the most handsome bloke in the world by your side."
"Oh" Rita's face lit up, "I didn't know Gary Barlow holidayed in Gran Canaria."
Iain pouted and rolled his eyes, "really? You prefer Gary Barlow to me?"
"Well" Rita let her head fall onto Iain's shoulder, "you do come a very close second." Iain pouted again and she kissed his lips, "don't be all pouty" she told him, "you're going to get to see me in a bikini in a few hours", she saw Iain's face light up, "ah, thought that might work, if you behave I might even let you choose which one" she whispered before settling back in her seat as the plane began to taxi down the runway.
"Can we go to the beach now?" Jack asked excitedly as Rita helped him slip his arms into the straps of his new backpack once the plane had landed several hours later.
"Not yet Darling" Rita kissed his head, "we need to get our cases and get checked into the hotel."
"I think you're going to have to make do with the pool today kiddo" Iain told him as he got his own rucksack out from under the seat in front of him, Rita's oversized handbag already over her shoulder.
Jack pouted slightly before looking up at Iain, "will you splash with me in the pool?"
Iain nodded and smiled, "of course I will."
Jack grinned, "and you can sit in the sun Mummy and read your new book."
"Oh, can I now?" Rita laughed.
"Yep" Jack nodded, "you need lots of rest while you cook that baby" he grinned.
Rita shook her head, taking Jack's hand as they finally began to leave the plane, "you two have been spending too much time together" she told Iain.
"What can I say? Iain shrugged and winked playfully, "he's my boy". Iain picked Jack up as they reached the door to the plane, carrying him down the stairs and into the terminal so he didn't get lost amongst the crowds, "are you going to wait here with Mummy?" he asked as he sat Jack on a bench, "so I can go and get our suitcases?"
Jack nodded, "I'll look after her Daddy, I promise."
"Good boy" Iain ruffled his hair.
"Can you stay with him for a sec?" Rita asked, handing Iain her handbag and gesturing across the large room, "I just need to go to the ladies."
"Of course" Iain pecked Rita's lips, "I'll take Jack before we leave."
Iain and Jack were sat together on the bench looking at something together when Rita returned, "what have you got there?" she asked.
"Look Mummy" Jack held out the leaflet, "we can go on a boat and see whales and dolphins, can we? Can we please?"
Rita sat down as Iain went off to wait for their cases, "I'm sure we can" Rita told Jack as she looked at the leaflet, "and look, the boat goes from the beach so we can go on the boat in the morning and then afterwards spend the day on the beach."
"And I can bury Daddy in the sand?"
Rita laughed and nodded, "you can bury Daddy in the sand."