Thanks for the reviews everyone!
I waited with the other parents in the school yard eagerly waiting for the bell to sound. The rucksack on my back a reminder of the fun we were going to have this afternoon. I had rushed home to pack towels, swimming outfits, snacks and Annie's sketchpad. I hoped she might do some drawings today she hadn't drawn in a while she had been too concentrated on her singing. I thought about taking mine but decided against it the last person I had drawn was Rose and I just couldn't bring myself to draw another thing.
The familiar school bell sounded, and the doors burst open children ran out onto the yard their bags bouncing on their backs or shoulders as freedom became there's. I looked out for Annie as more and more children filed out I wondered where she was. Then almost last out was Annie casually walking out talking and laughing with her friends. She looked up and spotted me and surprise filled her eyes.
She waved goodbye to the girls she was with and hurried over to me her shoulder length curls bouncing as she walked.
"Dad what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?" She asked.
"I closed up early to give you a nice surprise," I said.
Annie shook her head "Well I'm surprised," She admitted before eyeing the rucksack.
"Hey what's with the bag?"
I removed the bag from my shoulder and handed it to her. "Why don't you take a look?"
Annie looked at me slightly bewildered and began diving into the bag. She pulled out her swimming costume and eyed it suspiciously.
"Are we going to the pool?" She asked.
"Oooo close but no cigar,"
She dug further and pulled out her sketch pad. She flicked through it looking at the pictures she had drawn of the sunset on the beach.
"The beach?" Annie questioned.
"You got it!" I replied smiling.
Annie smiled back at me but I could tell it was false and she didn't share my excitement.
"Annie what's the matter?" I asked.
Annie paused for a moment. "Daddy I can't go to the beach," She admitted.
My smile fell and my heart sank. "How come?"
"Well you know my singing lesson was cancelled yesterday because of the concert," She began to explain.
"Yeah,"
"Well Mrs Pearson rescheduled it for tomorrow and I need to go home and practice my song,"
"Babe you practice all the time," I reassured.
"Dad I always practice the night before I have a singing lesson with Mrs Pearson to remind myself of the piece, and this song she set me is really tough," Annie stated.
I sighed I loved the fact that Annie had found a talent she loved and adored, and the fact she could possibly make a career out of it but I hated how it took over her life and I especially hated how it stopped me spending time with her. I decided Annie wasn't going to get away with it this time we were spending time together whether she liked it or not.
"Annie you do singing lessons three times a week you had a concert yesterday, you need a break," I insisted.
Annie was reluctant to believe this. "That's breaking one of Mrs Pearson's rules you know what she says about breaks," Annie replied religiously.
"Ahh but you have already broken one of her rules by cancelling a singing lesson yesterday,"
"That doesn't count Dad! It was her who put me forward for the concert,"
I shook my head. "You know what stuff her rules,"
Annie's eyes widened.
"I'm your father so what I say goes. No practicing tonight, we are going to have father daughter bonding session whether you or Mrs Pearson like it or not," I said.
Annie glared at me before folding her arms. "Fine!" She snapped and stalked on ahead. I followed her and we didn't speak the entire way.
When we reached the beach even though it was late afternoon it was still busy with parents and young children also with teenagers from the state school. We both changed and I laid out the towels. Annie cautiously sat down and was reluctant to relax. I laid down allowing my skin to soak up the rays and closed my eyes.
However when I opened one eye I saw Annie sat on the towel tense and uncomfortable.
"Annie just relax ok, the world isn't going to end because you didn't practice before a singing lesson," I assured but Annie didn't believe me her eyes said it all. I don't think it was the fact that I hadn't allowed her to practice that she was scared and angry about. I think it was about the fact she was scared of Mrs Pearson picking at her voice. There is only so much criticism a young girl can take.
Enough was enough I stood up and held my hand out to Annie. She looked at it like it was a foreign object that hurt too.
"What?"
"Come on get up we are going in the sea,"
Annie paused for a moment and then shook her head. I let my hand fall, sighing I turned on my heel and walked forwards into the sea. I paused for a moment while the water ran over my feet. I remembered coming here with Rose when Annie was just under a year old and close to taking her first steps.
I hurried around the apartment trying to pick up all the essentials we needed. Rose held the list in front of her.
"Swimming costumes?" She asked.
"Check,"
"Diapers?"
"Check,"
"Towels?"
"Check,"
"Sun screen?"
"Check,"
"Bottles?"
"Check,"
"Rattle?"
"Check,"
"And Pacifier?"
"Err," I ran to the table and picked it up before popping it into baby Annabelle's mouth. She giggled lightly and clapped her hands. "Check," I smiled.
Rose folded the list up. "So we are ready then?" She asked.
I nodded. I couldn't remember our last visit to the beach been so organised, but I suppose when you have a ten month old child a lot of preparation needs to be done. Annabelle sat up in her pram already in her pink swimming costume kicking her chubby legs. Rose had already smeared a ton of sun block on her and placed a hat on her head, covering her short, fiery, lightly curled hair.
I knelt down in front of the pram. "Are we going to the beach Annabelle? Are we going to the beach?" I smiled while she kicked her legs in excitement.
"Mama, mama," She repeated.
Rose laughed, and knelt down with me. "You're Mama's little girl aren't you baby?" She laughed.
"Hey no fair, you probably repeated that word all day to her when I was at work," I teased.
"I did not!" She lied. I folded my arms.
"Ok maybe I did a little," Rose laughed leaning against me while I pretended to be cross.
She reached out and kissed my cheek making me smile and turn my head. "Make you feel better?" She asked.
"A little,"
Rose leant forward again and this time kissed me on the lips. It wasn't as passionate as our previous ones but we were in front of a baby and that didn't seem to matter. Rose's kisses were like my addiction always leaving me wanting more.
"How about now?" She whispered.
"Ok maybe a lot," I smiled.
Rose giggled.
We were interrupted by a restless Annabelle beginning to niggle. We both turned to face her and I immediately got to my feet and went round the back to open the door.
"Sorry Annabelle, Mommy and Daddy were making you wait," Rose said, she kissed our daughter gently and began to push the pram towards the door.
Once on the beach Rose got Annabelle sorted while I changed, when I came back she was handed to me while Rose hurried off to change into her swimming costume and get us some ice cream. I sat Annabelle down on the towel with her toys in front of her. She leant forward and reached for her rattle, she shook it gently before trying to fit it in her mouth. I laughed slightly and laid down on the towel.
I checked on her one more time before closing my eyes, she was sat firmly between my legs just playing. Ten or so minutes later I didn't realise I had dozed off.
"Jack!" Someone screeched. I awoke instantly to find the ice creams dropped on the floor and Rose running over to Annabelle who was sat just a few inches away from the sea. She swopped her up in her arms and came steaming over.
"Jack I leave you both for ten minutes!" Rose shouted.
"I know, I know," I said calmly trying to avert an argument.
"She could have been really hurt!" Rose continued to shout.
"I had her between my legs I didn't think she could slide her way out I'm sorry,"
Rose didn't say anything else. Annabelle rested her head against Rose's chest and Rose planted a kiss on top of it. I stood up and tried to hug them both, Rose resisted at first and I didn't blame her it was really irresponsible what I did, but she couldn't stay mad forever and she allowed herself to be held.
"What I'd like to know is how did she get all the way over there that quick," Rose questioned. We both turned to look at Annabelle who returned the gaze. I looked back at Rose and she looked back at me a smile creeping across both our faces.
As quick as a flash I ran back over to where Annabelle was found. Rose held her steady on both her feet while she stomped the ground. I knelt down and held out my arms.
Rose let out a breath and slowly released her hands. Annabelle stayed up on her feet chewing her fist unsure what to do next.
"Annabelle come to Daddy!" I called.
Annabelle delicately took a first step.
"That's it baby!"
She took another and another getting faster and faster each time. Until she was walking near to perfect without wobbling. She drew closer and closer and my smile grew wider and wider. When she was almost near me she held out her arms and fell straight into me.
"Well done Annabelle!" I cheered with pride.
The day we spent together was perfect. We spent most of it in the sea all three of us.
I splashed about in the waves while Rose and Annabelle sat just in the shallows the waves gently washing over them. Annabelle watched in amusement clapping her hands and laughing. I made my way back to the shallows and held out my arms.
"Are you coming to Daddy?" I asked while Rose passed her to me. I walked deeper and deeper into the sea until it came up to a little higher then my waist. I slowly lowered Annabelle into the water until it came up to her waist. Keeping a firm grip on her I laughed as she kicked her legs creating quite a big splash. I could hear Rose laughing in the background. I turned to face her.
"Come on Mommy!" I shouted. Rose smiled and stood up making her way to us both. There we splashed and played for hours an end I couldn't remember the last time we had so much fun like this. When Annabelle began to shiver we decided it was time to dry off.
I sat on one of the towels allowing the sun to soak up the water, while Rose sat cross legged on the towel next to me. She had gently wrapped Annabelle in a towel and was softly patting her dry, holding her close to her chest. Five or so minutes later Annabelle stopped squirming and he breathing got deeper. Rose prised her away just a little before putting her back to her original position.
"Fast asleep," She told me while gently rocking her.
"We should be heading back soon to get her settled,"
Rose simply nodded. "Jack when you met me did you expect any of this?"
"What?"
"Well spending the rest of your life with me, getting married, setting up home, having a family, giving up your travelling for me,"
"Rose when I first met you, I instantly fell in love I would of done anything to make you happy. I expected all of this, I wanted all of this. I wanted you to be happy," I rested a hand against her cheek. "You and Annabelle are the best things that ever happened to me, and I'm thankful everyday that I have you by my side," I told her.
Rose's eyes filled up with tears and she latched her lips onto mine, kissing me passionately.
I reopened my eyes and looked back at Annie who was still sat in the same position unwilling to move. I shrugged my shoulders and dived into the deep. When I next looked up at Annie she had pulled something out of her school bag and was reading it. It was a music sheet.
I crept back up to the shallows and splashed her. She looked up in horror. "Dad!" She screeched.
"No music," I repeated.
"Fine," Annie said putting the sheet back in her school bag. She stood up to face me, a menacing look on her face she made her way towards me.
"Oh shoot," I said and turned away to run back into the deep.
"Yeah you better run!" Annie shouted and then a weight hit my back pulling me down, small arms clinging to my shoulders. Unable to keep my balance I tumbled pulling us both right into the water. Annie was the first to stand up splashing me over and over again.
"Ok, ok, ok!" I said as the water continued to hit me. I held my arms up in defeat.
"I'm sorry," I said.
Annie gave a smile of glory and began to fool around her back to me, showing off her 'muscles.' I slowly made my way behind her and pulled her back down while she squealed.
"Dad, get off!" She laughed while water swept around us both.
I watched as she paraded round in the water laughing her head off. I missed this about her, her childlike manner. I watched in happiness as she relaxed and enjoy been a child, an eleven year old child. I hadn't seen Annie like this in a while, I knew how intense Mrs Pearson was I decided that maybe I should have a talk with her you know about cutting Annie some slack, also about cutting down on the amount of lessons she had. I didn't care how many rules we would be breaking.
Of course the day can't last forever, it grew later and the beach began to get lonely. When we decided to stop larking about in the sea I thought I would treat Annie to some pizza, we sat in a small restaurant on the beach still in our swimming gear our towels wrapped around us. Annie tore off a slice of pizza and chewed while watching the orange sun slowly setting over the shore.
"Dad," She finally spoke.
"Yes?"
Annie paused and wrinkled her nose before turning to face me. "Do you think Mom would be proud of me?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat trying to stop the tears forming in my eyes. "Everyday princess," I replied choking up on the last word. Annie gave a small smile and rested her little hand over mine. A little hand that gave me the power to carry on, even through the hard times.
A super long chapter for you there because I feel bad about not been able to update in two weeks. I hope you all liked it and will review because they will make me very happy. Until next time
Leah xx