Saving Ma
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this
Chapter 9
The next morning Natalia woke early to find everyone was up already. She came down the stairs and stopped outside the doorway of the kitchen to listen when she heard Rafe.
"Hey mom I brought all the luggage I found in the attic down but I don't think I found the small bag you were looking for. I set them all at the end of the hall by the attic door." Rafe said around a mouthful of food.
"That's fine, it must be in my closet or something," Olivia sat a plate of pancakes on the table, "and don't talk with your mouthful."
"Sorry mom." He said after swallowing.
"There's some bags in the closet in my room," Ava said getting up for more coffee.
"Mommy, we need to wake up Ma." Emma had been worried since Olivia started cooking that Natalia wasn't going to be happy about it. She liked making breakfast for everyone.
Olivia chuckled, "We need to let her sleep. She had a long stressful week and needs the rest. I promise she will not mind that I made breakfast jellybean, stop worrying." She knew it wouldn't be long before Natalia woke and made it down stairs, she just wanted her to sleep as long as possible.
Natalia smiled and entered the room having listened long enough wanting to join them. "I'm up, and you guys are all up super early. Good morning" She went around the table kissing the top of all the kids heads then walked toward the coffee pot.
Olivia handed her a cup of coffee. "Good morning. Go sit, I have your plate in the oven staying warm." She pushed her toward the table. "I woke up early and started cooking. Everyone just started trickling down at the smell of muffins I think."
Olivia sat a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of her. "Thank you." On the table was pancakes, muffins, fried potatoes, and a bowl of fruit salad. She looked around the table at the kids chowing down but didn't see a place for Olivia. "Did you eat yet Liv?"
Olivia smiled, she was always taking care of her. "Not yet. I still need to make my turkey bacon then I will. I was just finishing up the pancakes."
Natalia started to get up, "I can make it for you while you finish the pancakes."
Olivia pushed her back down. "No I can get it. You eat and let me cook for once. I'll be done in a few minutes."
Olivia put her bacon in a skillet while finishing the last of the pancakes. After she finished she sat the rest of the pancakes on the plate in the middle of the table and sat down with her turkey bacon and eggs. She grabbed a muffin and some fruit and sipped her coffee. Natalia got up and grabbed her medicine setting it down beside her and sat to continue eating.
Ava had finished eating and was sitting back in her seat with a cup of coffee. "I have some checklists printed out so we remember to pack everything. I already started to pack the garment bag you asked me to with a suit for Rafe and a dress for me and Emma. You just need to add a dress for you two."
Natalia looked up. "Why does Rafe need a suit at Disneyland?"
Olivia smiled. "We are doing more than just the theme parks. I figured we all need one really nice outfit in case we needed it for a nice dinner out or something."
Rafe remembered to swallow before he spoke. "Yea, and I like the suits. They make me look hot. I can't wait for you to see me in them."
Natalia chuckled. "I saw you in a suit Thursday mijo."
Rafe nodded. "I know but these are different. Ava picked them out. They have vests."
Olivia perked up at that. "You got him three piece suits?" she smiled amused. "Did you have fun playing dress up?"
Ava smirked. "He was the perfect Ken doll to dress up. It was fun, haven't played dress up in years." Everyone but Rafe laughed.
"Hey, I resent that, I am way hotter than Ken." He puffed out his chest causing everyone to laugh harder.
Olivia patted his head. "I'm sure you are son."
Natalia chuckled at that. "What all did you get yesterday?" she was still concerned that Olivia spent too much money on his clothes.
Rafe just shrugged, "I can show you while I'm packing. Can you help me? I never can get a suitcase packed right."
Natalia nods, "Of course mijo. I had already planned on helping you and Emma. I started getting her things ready last night." She turned to Olivia. "What small bag were you looking for?"
Olivia sipped her coffee. "The one I use for my toiletries."
"It's in my closet. I put it there after we went on that trip to Chicago for that meeting. I didn't feel like climbing back in the attic after that trip." Natalia stood and started clearing the table.
Ava stopped her. "I'll get the dishes ma. Rafe and Emma can help dry and put away. We've all had our showers already. Why don't you get yours and then we can get to packing?"
She looked a little apprehensive. "Ok, thank you, I'm not used to not cooking and cleaning breakfast. I usually have zombies to deal with in the morning."
Emma huffed. "I told mommy you liked doing it."
Natalia laughed. "Its fine baby, I don't mind mommy helping cook. It's nice to have a break every now and then."
Olivia chuckled. "Told you bean. I think everyone is excited about the trip. I know I am. I couldn't sleep last night thinking of all that needed to be done today to get ready. I woke up early and couldn't sleep anymore so I decided to make muffins for breakfast. Rafe came down looking for bacon then the girls put in their requests and it kind of blew up from there."
Rafe looked up concerned. "I'm sorry mom, the muffins would have been fine on their own."
Olivia waved him off. "Its fine son, now everyone has had a good breakfast. I didn't mind, promise." She looked to Natalia. "I switched out the laundry, the last load is in the dryer, should be done by now."
Natalia nodded and they all split off to do their own thing. They spent the rest of the day getting everything packed and ready for their flight tomorrow. Natalia helped Emma get her bags packed first then Emma spent the day following Natalia around helping her with whatever she needed. Rafe showed her all his new clothes and she helped him pack his bags as well. Once she got the kids squared away they helped her with her bags.
Olivia got herself packed, found the small bag she had been looking for in Natalia's closet where she said it had been. She got her clothes done first then packed her toiletry bag and even remembered to pack all her meds.
Ava was mostly packed already, so she did a load of laundry of what she had worn the last few days and repacked her bag adding the few things she bought while shopping with Rafe and was done. She took the extra time to print off their boarding passes and itineraries along with all the details for the hotel and printed their park passes. At lunch time she had made sandwiches and potato salad and called everyone down before Natalia had been able too.
Doris came by while they were eating and gave them their copy of the emergency restraining order. It was good for three months giving Mel time to get a permanent one. After she left they finished eating their lunch together talking and laughing then split back off to finish their packing. Ava cleaned up lunch and headed up to see if anyone needed help. She grabbed Olivia and Natalia's dress clothes and finished packing the garment bag.
By mid-afternoon they were all packed and ready to go. Their bags were all together in the living room. Olivia had the Beacon Limo picking them up in the morning to take them to the airport. Natalia made dinner with Emma and Ava's help. They ate dinner then had a movie night to wind down from the hectic day of packing. Natalia sat leaning into Olivia with Emma in their laps. Ava sat next to her with Rafe on the floor leaning into her legs his head resting on her thigh. After movies Ava and Rafe took Emma up, tucking her in and reading her a story and headed to bed themselves.
Olivia and Natalia cleaned up the popcorn and snack mess from movie night and retired to the porch with their cocoa. Olivia rested her head on Natalia's shoulder. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I love vacations but the traveling part sucks. I need a private jet."
Natalia chuckled. "You don't need a jet. I've never flown before. Tomorrow will be a first for me and Rafe."
Olivia looked up. "Really? Well tomorrow will be an adventure. Ava booked us first class so we will be comfortable at least. We leave at 7:45, and we have a 2 hour layover in Dallas so we can eat breakfast there. We will be getting to California around 1:30. We will go to the hotel, get settled then find food. I'm sure the kids will be starving by then."
Natalia just smiled. "Sounds like a full day."
They sat there for a while drinking their cocoa then headed off to bed. Tomorrow started their vacation and they were all excited to be getting away.
The next morning they got up and started preparing to leave. Natalia warmed up the left over muffins from the day before and had coffee and juice waiting for them to have a light breakfast while waiting for the limo. Once they were off and made it to the airport they got checked in with their baggage and were waiting for their flight to leave.
Olivia sat there and observed her family. Emma was cranky from getting up so early. Ava was just quiet, she didn't really like big crowds at the airport. Rafe and Natalia were anxious having never flown before. Olivia decided she think about looking in to a charter company when they got home. With her starting to franchise they would be flying more and this stress was not acceptable for her family. When it was time they boarded the plane and were off.
They were sitting in a small restaurant during their layover eating breakfast. Olivia turned to Natalia. "How did you like your first flight?"
Natalia smiled slightly. "It wasn't horrible but not my favorite thing in the world."
"The seats were kind of cramped and uncomfortable but it was cool I guess." Rafe added his opinion.
Ava sat forward. "I hate flying but it is necessary. Too many people, but the next plane we will be in first class so the seats will be more comfortable and we'll have more room to stretch out, and there will be less people in the general vicinity."
Olivia listened while they discussed what they didn't like about flying. Decision made, she would be researching charter and private planes.
After breakfast they got on the next plane and landed in California on time. They headed to the hotel to drop their luggage and find somewhere to have lunch before Emma chewed off someone's leg. Ava was apprehensive about the room arrangements but she would just have to wait and see what Emma had up her sleeve. Worse case, she would be sleeping on a couch or with mom. They were in the Mickey Mouse suite. The porters took their bags and led them to the room.
Olivia and Natalia looked around figuring out where to put everyone. Olivia looked to Ava. "There's only three room?"
Here we go she thought. "I know, it's spring break, everyone was pretty booked. All they had left was three suites and this one was the biggest. I figured you and I could take a room, and ma and Em, leaving the last for Rafe."
Olivia nodded but Emma came up to her. "Mommy I want to sleep with Ava." Insert pout.
Olivia looked down. "I'm sorry Em, but we have limited space. You need to sleep with your ma."
Emma's lip started trembling. "Can't you share with ma? I haven't spent any time with Ava. I missed her." She let a tear escape.
Natalia came up to them putting an arm around Emma's shoulders. "I don't mind if you don't. If she want Ava, it's not like we haven't shared before."
Olivia smiled slightly looking at her upset daughter. "Ok bean, you can stay with Ava." She looked to Natalia feeling a little apprehensive. "If you're sure?"
Natalia nodded and Emma launch into her arms. "Thanks Ma." She turned and hugged Olivia too. "Thank you mommy." She released them and turned grabbing her bag and walked into the room she would be sharing with Ava, smirking at her brother and sister as she went. They would learn never to doubts.
Ava and Rafe looked at each other trying not to laugh and give away what she had done. They grabbed their bags and went to put them in their rooms leaving the largest room for their moms'. Olivia and Natalia took their bags and went to their room.
Olivia went to lift her bag Natalia bumped her out of the way. "I don't think so." She lifted it on to the luggage holder. "You know better." Olivia huffed but said nothing and Nat moved over to lifter her own.
They quickly unpacked their bags and headed back out to the main room to meet up with the kids. They looked over the restaurants that the resort had to offer chose one and headed out to lunch.
Let the vacation begin.
