My Sister's Secret
(Chapter Thirteen: A Little Time Away)
"This place is even prettier than it is in the brochures," Bailey exclaimed as she climbed from the taxi.
"It is very pretty," Elliot agreed struggling with the luggage as he turned to see that Olivia and the girls had already gone inside. "Thanks," he said dropping a suitcase to tip the driver.
"Let me help you with that, sir," a young man from the hotel staff said as he pushed a cart in Elliot's direction.
"Thank you. We're only gonna be here a week, but between my wife and two daughters I think we've probably got enough luggage for the entire month."
The sandy haired boy stared at him with blue eyes and laughed pretending to be amused by Elliot's attempt at humor.
"You don't look old enough to work here," Elliot noted as the kid helped him stack the bags on the cart.
"I am seventeen, sir. Old enough to have a job."
"And you gave up your summer to lug around other people's bags?"
The kid laughed.
"My dad owns the resort. I've been working summers here since I was eleven. He says it will help me learn the value of a dollar."
"Has it?"
"Yes, sir. I saved my money from the last two summers and was able to buy my car," he said pointing to a white sports car in the parking lot.
"You make that much working as a bell boy?"
"I work as a bell boy, lifeguard in the pool, a caddy on the golf course, valet on the weekends and wait tables in the main dining room when they are short staffed. I don't mind the work and the tips are pretty good."
"I see that," Elliot said nodding toward the car. "Good choice."
"My dream car. I had wanted one since I was a kid."
"Since you were a kid?" Elliot asked with a laugh as they walked inside.
Elliot followed the kid up to the joining rooms he had rented for the week. By the time he got there Bailey had already found the mini fridge and Aubrey was draped across the bed with the remote in her hand.
"You can just sit the bags right here," he said handing the kid a twenty dollar tip.
"Thanks, Mr. Stabler."
"No problem. Hey, I was thinking about playing a few rounds of golf later this week, are you available?"
"Sure," the kid said smiling through braces and handing him a business card. "My name is Christian, just give me a call when you decide on a day and time and I'll meet you at the club house."
"I'll do that. Thanks, again."
Elliot closed the door behind the kid, then looked around the room.
"Where's mom?" he asked as Aubrey pointed to the other suite.
He picked up he and Olivia's bags and walked through the door and into their room and dropped them beside the bed. He looked around noticing the balcony doors were opened and the curtains were blowing in the wind.
"Hey you," he said kissing the side of her neck as he handed her a four dollar bottle of water from the refrigerator.
"It is so beautiful here," she said with a smile. "So tranquil and relaxing."
"Good. Otherwise I have overpaid terribly for the trip."
Olivia smiled as she looked back at him.
"I see you made a friend," she noted.
"Ahh, the owner's son. He also works as a caddy. I thought I'd give him a call when I am ready to play a few holes. He seems like a good kid, just trying to make some money during the summer."
"Are the girls settling in?" she asked.
"Last I saw Bailey was raiding the refrigerator and Aubrey was checking out the cable selection. I was thinking maybe we could get unpacked, then we can all walk down and check out the beach before dinner."
"I don't know, El. I'm a little jetlagged from the flight. I was thinking about taking a long hot bath and maybe a nap, try to unwind a little."
"Unwind then," he whispered as he kissed the tip of her nose. "That is what this trip is all about."
Olivia smiled.
"You and the girls should go ahead though."
"And leave you behind?"
"Yeah. They don't want to be stuck sitting around here while mom takes a nap."
"Alright. I'll take them. Maybe you and I could go out tonight and check it out. After the kids have gone to bed. I'll bet it's pretty romantic."
Olivia smiled.
"Sounds like it," she agreed.
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"Yeah, just a little headache. I'll be fine after a little rest."
Elliot gathered the girls and they ventured out to explore the resort that would be their home away from home for the next seven days. They checked out the spa and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, before walking down to the beach. Elliot watched his daughters as they kicked off their sandals and waded out into the water laughing and splashing at each other.
He smiled as he watched them, thinking back to when they were small. Two brunette four year olds with big eyes begging daddy to read them a story before bed. They were just babies then, but now they were strong young women. Both beautiful reflections of their mother.
"I'm hungry dad," Bailey groaned as she stood ankle deep in the water with her shoes in her hand.
"Well," Elliot said tipping his wrist to look at his watch, "what do you say we head back and get cleaned up for dinner?"
Back in their room, the girls rushed around picking out clothes for dinner and fixing their hair. Elliot stepped back into his room and pushed shut the door between the rooms. In the bed across the room his wife rested soundly.
He made his room across the room and slid into bed beside Olivia. He slipped his arms tightly around her and softly kissed the side of her neck.
"Mmm," Olivia moaned as she smiled without opening her eyes. "That's nice," she whispered as she scrunched up her nose. "Tickles a little, but it's nice."
"The girls are getting ready for dinner. You think you feel like coming down to eat? Or I could send the girls ahead and we could order some room service," he said kissing her tenderly.
Olivia groaned as she sat up and stretched.
"No, I'll get up. This is a family vacation. I am here to spend time with my family."
"We're also here to relax," he said giving her a quick kiss before she stood and headed into the bathroom.
"We can relax later," she said giving him a sexy wink. "Right now our daughters actually want to have dinner with us. It wont be long and they won't want that anymore. We'll have a hard time getting them to spend time with us at all. Then they will go off to college and start their own lives like the older children have. This could very well be our last vacation together as a family, El. And I fully intend spend every single moment of it making memories with the girls."
Elliot smiled.
"I never thought of it that way. I was thinking earlier how fast they have grown. It seems like only yesterday we were in that operating awaiting the arrival of Stabler baby 'A' and Stabler baby 'B.'"
"I still remember the look on your face when you realized that baby 'B' was actually a girl instead of a boy."
Elliot smiled again.
"I was a little shocked. We were so sure we were having a boy."
"I think everyone in that room was shocked," Olivia laughed.
"They were so tiny."
"I was afraid you'd be disappointed."
"Never. Not for a moment. I am so proud of them, both of them. They are so strong and smart and beautiful. They get it from their mother," he said kissing her again. "And I wouldn't trade our two tiny baby girls for anything in the world."
"Me either," Olivia replied with a smile. "Can you check on our two precious baby girls while I get changed real quick?"
"Yeah, it sounds more like a heard of buffalo in there than two teenaged girls. I'd better make sure they're not killing each other"
"Give me ten minutes," Olivia said placing a quick kiss on his lips as she headed for the bathroom.
Later Elliot sat flirting with his wife across the table as they both enjoyed a glass of wine.
"Can I have a glass of wine?" Bailey asked in her most adult voice.
"Sure," Olivia said with a smile.
"Really?" Bailey asked turning to her father for approval as Elliot turned his attention to his wife.
"Yes, just as soon as you turn twenty one."
Elliot laughed and Olivia smiled. Moments later both girls were laughing as well. That night Olivia crept into check on the girls after they had fallen asleep. She closed up the chip bag and cover both of her children kissing each of their foreheads, before turning off the television.
"How are they?" Elliot asked as she re-entered their room closing the door behind her.
"Sound asleep. They passed out eating junk food and watching horror movies."
"They are definitely your kids."
Olivia smiled.
"Definitely," she replied with a grin. "I never have understood how you can see the things we see in this ling of work, but you can't sit and watch a slasher movie with me. You hate them."
"I don't hate them. I just figure we get enough of the real thing. Besides the blood and guts in those movies always look so fake."
"But you'll sit and watch a romantic flick with me?"
"Hey, watching a girly movie with my wife gives us time curl up together on the sofa. I am always up for that."
"Aww, my big bad cop husband likes to cuddle."
"In girl world it is cuddling on the couch, in guy world it is the perfect chance to get to second base."
Olivia smiled.
"I'll tell you what. If you take your wife for a romantic moonlit walk on the beach…..I can guarantee you you'll get past second base tonight."
Elliot smiled a devious smile.
"Let me get the keycard," he reaching for the white plastic card from the nightstand beside the bed before kissing his wife and heading out the door.