Friday 24th March 2023
With Ella at the age of 3, and Daniel at the age of 7, the Kent Family were going on another caravan holiday during Daniel's end of term Easter break from school for two full weeks to the Scottish highlands, at a camp site in a remote area of Glencoe. It was a Friday evening and they had filled the caravan filled with food and Sam and Tom were just finishing packing their bags in their bedroom whilst their children sat in the middle of the bed between their bags.
"Do they speak another language?" Daniel asked.
"Nope. Most people speak English just like you do. But some might have an accent which means they just speak a bit differently to you." Sam replied as she saw now point in going into the whole Gaelic topic because that would only lead to more questions from their inquisitive children.
"Will Shadow like it there?" Daniel asked.
"And Panda? And Alex?" Ella added.
"Yeah, the dogs will love it there. There's plenty of space for them to run around and we're going to take them for lots of nice walks." Tom replied.
"How long is the car journey?" Daniel asked.
"Seven and a half hours." Sam replied.
"How long?!" Daniel shrieked. "But that's ages!"
"Yes, but you and Ella can sleep for a while and you have both got a bag each that me and Dad have packed with plenty of things to do, and there's a couple of snacks in there too. But don't worry, we'll stop on the way there to get lunch somewhere." Sam explained.
"But what if I need a wee? I don't think I can hold it that long." Daniel admitted shyly.
"Neither can me or dad." Sam laughed. "We'll stop every couple of hours to stretch our legs anyway. Just tell us when you need to go and we'll stop at the next services."
"What 'bout potty?" Ella moaned.
"Your potty, is coming with us. Don't you worry." Tom said reassuringly.
Saturday 25th March 2023, 4:30pm
After a long, exhausting drive the Kent Family had arrived at their campsite in Glencoe, Scotland, but they were yet to set up their caravan and all they wanted to do was have an afternoon nap before dinner.
"Can't we just sleep in the car tonight?" Sam sighed, as even though they hadn't done much, the 7 1/2 hour car journey had been knackering.
"Nope. Right come on, if we do it as quickly as we can, then we can go to sleep and not have to worry about doing anything later." Tom said sleepily as he rubbed his eyes before he got out of the car. He disconnected the caravan from the car, before Sam drove it to the car park after the kids and dogs had gotten out. She returned to Tom putting the legs of the caravan down to make it sturdy for them to go in. Once the legs were down and the electricity was connected, Tom opened the caravan door. "Right, do you two want to have a lie down for a while?" Tom suggested.
"Mmhmm." Daniel replied and Ella gave a small nod so Tom got out their pillows and duvets from under the sofas in storage, and after making up their beds, he tucked them both in and it didn't take long for them to go to bed.
"We've still got to put the awning up." Sam said quietly as she wondered if Tom was going to get into bed.
"I know but I thought it'd be best to let them get their heads down first." Tom replied and Sam smiled at his thoughtfulness before they set about putting the awning up.
6pm
After getting his head down for an hour or so, Tom slowly opened his eyes to see Sam standing by the small kitchen in the middle of the caravan whilst his children were sat up at the table with their duvets wrapped around them. When he had laid down in the double bed, his wife had been besides him, but she had presumably woken first without waking him up.
"Hello sleepy head. Decided to join us, have you?" Sam joked as Tom sat up and then rubbed his eyes.
"How long have you been awake?" Tom croaked.
"Not long. I just thought I'd get dinner done so that we won't get hungry in the night, and then after they can read a book or whatever until they fall asleep again." Sam replied.
"What are we having for dinner?" Tom asked.
"Toasted cheese and ham sandwiches with some salad. If you want to sit at the table, this is nearly done." Sam stated and Tom got up and sat on one of the sofas next to Ella, leaving Sam to sit next to Daniel when she was finished cooking. V
"It's beautiful around here, isn't it?" Tom smiled as he looked out of the windows at the hilly surroundings without a skyscraper in sight. They were in a small field with various tents and the odd caravan dotted around on the pitched but there was plenty of room and all that surrounded them was more and more fields.
"It smells nicer." Daniel stated.
"That's because there's lots of fresh air."
"I tired." Ella announced grumpily as she leant on Tom's arm with her pink princess duvet still wrapped around her shoulders.
"I know. But if you have dinner now, then after this you can sleep for as long as you want." Tom stated as he put his arm around her shoulders. "Where are the dogs?" Tom asked curiously.
"They are in the awning, sleeping." Sam stated.
"It's a hard life being a dog isn't it?" Tom said sarcastically. "All you have to do is eat, drink, wee, poo and sleep."
"But that's that all you do." Sam retorted and Daniel giggled. "Right, toasted cheese and ham sandwiches, but be careful they're hot." Sam warned as she picked up a plate with a mound of steaming toasties quartered into triangles and squares on it and she placed it in the middle before she grabbed the bowl of salad, put that on the table too and then sat down to join the family.
"There you go, you've got one of each shape." Tom said as he put a triangle and a square onto Ella's plate for her along with a handful of salad leaves. "Just let them cool down a bit." He added as he stopped Ella from grabbing it immediately and Ella frowned as she sat back in her seat and waited patiently.
"Right tonight we're just going to relax and you can watch a movie if you want to, and then tomorrow I think we should walk the dogs and have a picnic somewhere nice and quiet." Sam said.
"Can I take my bike?" Daniel asked.
"Only if you behave, don't go too quickly and stay close by." Sam said sternly.
"I will." Daniel nodded.
"Can I eat now?" Ella moaned as she sat up properly and stuffed her duvet behind her.
"Yes." Tom chuckled and Ella grinned before she began nibbling away at the edges of her toastie.
"Sam?" Tom said through the bathroom door as his wife was taking a shower in the surprisingly spacious but cozy rectangular bathroom with the shower (which was the full width of the bathroom) in the corner, a toilet at the other end of the room and the sink against the wall in the middle.
"Yeah?" She replied.
"Ella needs a wee. Can she come in?" Tom asked as he looked down at his daughter who was crossing her legs as she stood in her pink pyjamas. Usually if someone needed the toilet and someone else was in the shower, then they would go to the toilet block on the camping site however Ella wouldn't go to the toilet until she was sitting on her pink potty which they even had to take to the crèche when they went to work so that she would go. That and the fact that she would have to go in the men's toilets with Tom which she hated doing.
"Yeah, sure. The door's unlocked." Sam stated and so Tom opened the door towards him and let Ella slip inside; he knew his daughter wouldn't go if he was in the room so he knew Sam would have to make sure that Ella was okay and washed her hands properly. Tom waited for a few more minutes and he was about to knock on the door to check that everything was alright when the door opened and Ella came out, as well as his towel clad wife.
"Ella's left you a present in her potty, go and empty it." Sam whispered to her husband jokily and Tom huffed as he went into the bathroom whilst Sam went over to where Ella was clambering back into her bed (which was the sofa during the day) and Daniel, who was also in bed, watched a Disney film on the TV that stood on the kitchen sideboard. "That's it, good girl." Sam smiled as Ella got comfortable whilst Sam kept a firm hold of the black towel around her body with her wet hair dangling over her back and shoulders. Suddenly, Shadow and Panda jumped up at the end of Ella's bed and curled up - there was plenty of room for the 3 year old and the dogs because the single bed was adult sized - whilst Alex got on the end of Daniel's bed.
"Night mummy." Ella mumbled as she laid on her side with her head on her pillow as she faced the TV that was a couple of meters away from her with the intention of watching the film, but Sam knew that her daughter wouldn't last ten minutes as she would probably fall asleep soon.
"Night night." Sam whispered as she held the towel title against her chest and bent down and kissed Ella on the forehead. "How long has the film got left?" Sam asked her son.
"It's nearly at the end." Daniel replied quickly as he didn't take his eyes off the screen.
"Alright, well once that's finished it's bedtime." Sam said sternly before she walked away and grabbed her pyjamas. She went into the bathroom to get changed where she found Tom wiping the potty with an antibacterial wipe. Sam squeezed past him and dropped her towel to get changed when she suddenly felt Tom's arms around her naked body and he kissed the back of her neck.
"If it weren't for the kids, I'd say leave that off." Tom whispered as he pulled her strapless bra up on her properly and then did it up at the back for her before he wrapped his arms around her abdomen again.
"And even if the kids weren't here, I'd ignore you." Sam retorted. "I hate not wearing a bra. Besides I'm too tired for anything that you're implying." Sam added as she pulled her clean underwear up; she also hated sleeping without underwear on and felt uncomfortable without them.
"You seriously don't look like you've had two kids." Tom said as he stood in awe and appreciated the temple that was his wife's body.
"Really? I think my gynaecologist would say otherwise if he had a look between my legs." Sam retorted.
"I'm being serious." Tom protested quietly as he playfully slapped her bum. "You look exactly the same as you did 7 years ago except your hair is a few inches longer where you've grown it and your breasts are bigger. Both of which I see as bonuses." Tom smiled. "Ah, see? I saw that little cheeky grin you're trying to hide." Tom smirked and Sam hid her face by turning around as she pulled her top on. "I love you." Tom whispered as he kissed Sam behind the ear where her tiny white chickenpox scars were.
"Meh, I kinda like you too." Sam joked. "Now get out, I need a wee." Sam ordered and Tom left the bathroom, only to find that both of his children were fast asleep as there was soft music playing in the background as the credits of the film rolled down the TV screen. He switched the TV off and then got into bed where he was joined by his wife just minutes later.
"How about tomorrow evening, we have a fire to keep up warm, and sit outside with a glass of wine each?" Tom suggested.
"Only if we can have a lie in in the morning because I'm really tired." Sam mumbled as she snuggled her face into Tom's chest and entwined her legs with his.
"Listen, I've been meaning to speak to you about our family." Tom began.
"What about our family?" Sam asked worriedly.
"Well you said when you was pregnant with Ella, ask me after I've have this baby whether I want another one or not." Tom stated and Sam realised what he had been thinking about.
"I'm sorry, but unless you really want another baby I don't think we will have one." Sam replied quietly. "It's just, I'm 37, and then there's the whole worry with having a child that could have Von Willebrand disease, or be a carrier. And the possi. I'd just be too worried Tom and besides, I'm happy with what we've got now."
"I'm happy too, I was just wondering." Tom said as he rested his chin on the top of Sam's head. "So what would you do if you accidentally fell pregnant?" Tom asked curiously.
"I don't know, that's different." Sam shrugged.
"But you would tell me, right?"
"Yeah, of course." Sam nodded, though she began to think in her mind as to whether she actually would or not. Then again, she realised that she probably wouldn't be able to go through an abortion without needing Tom for support so she concluded that she probably would tell him. "Night." Sam mumbled as she closed her eyes.
"Goodnight." Tom replied as he settled down for the night.
Sunday 26th March 2023, 8:30pm
After a nice long walk and a picnic during the day, Sam and Tom had put their children to bed in the caravan, and they were sitting just outside the awning on a picnic blanket on the grass, just a metre away from a small cracking fire that was keeping them warm as they each sipped a glass of wine.
"You know I said about how I wanted us to put £10,000 aside from the lottery money so that we could take the kids to disneyworld?" Sam began.
"Yeah."
"Well I was thinking,"
"What have I told you about doing that?" Tom joked and Sam playfully nudged him with her elbow before she continued.
"What would you say, about splashing the cash big time, and going to America for a whole four weeks?" Sam asked apprehensively.
"And do what?" Tom questioned.
"Well we could, spend 2 weeks in a Disney resort, go to all the parks, sea world and things like that. And then for another two weeks, we could stay in another hotel for one week in somewhere like Miami and then spend the fourth week in Tampa or Key West. We could do so many activities and I think that the kids would really benefit from it. We could do it in the summer holidays and we've still got over £2,000,000 in our bank so money isn't a problem. Please?" Sam asked as she fluttered her eyelids at him.
"This is probably the wine talking, but yeah. Sure." Tom nodded and Sam grinned as she climbed onto his lap, wrapped her legs around his waist and began passionately snogging her husband. They continued for a few moments before they both pulled away for air. "You do realise that our kids could come outside at any moment right?" Tom joked.
"You do realise I finished my period a couple of days ago so I'm as horny as I'll ever be right?" Sam retorted mockingly as she linked her fingers together at the back of his neck.
"So you're horny on the days after your period?" Tom queried and Sam nodded. "Well then, I'll have to pay more attention to the calendar on your phone from now on!" Tom smirked before Sam planted her lips on his again and they began making out. Eventually, they both pulled apart because they knew that they had no chance of trying to make love without fearing that their children would wake for the toilet or something. Plus they were outside where a few other families and elderly couples were sitting outside their tents or caravans so they definitely couldn't even try it.
"We could always drag this picnic rug into the awning and make love in there." Sam suggested. "No one will be able to see us and we'll keep the caravan door shut so the kids won't hear."
"You really are in a good mood aren't you?" Tom grinned. "But we haven't got any protection." Tom stated as, to the best of his knowledge, they hadn't brought anything because they would be sleeping in the same room as their children and hadn't planned for such activities.
"Yes we have."
"Where?" Tom protested.
"There's a box of condoms in the same cupboard as my underwear and stuff, and it's tucked inside one of my thick socks. I brought it just in case." Sam replied bluntly.
"Well then. I'll be right back." Tom smirked and Sam stood up so that Tom could creep into the caravan whilst she pulled the picnic blanket into the awning and laid it down on the rug that they already had in there. Sam had just stood up when Tom rapidly spun her around by her shoulders and planted his lips onto hers once more.
"I take it you found them then." Sam joked quietly after they'd pulled apart. "This isn't just gonna be a quickie is it?" Sam pouted.
"We can make love, for as long as you want." Tom said softly as he put one arm around her back and the other onto the picnic blanket as he slowly lowered them down on the floor with Sam underneath him. "But as long as you're quiet." He added cheekily and Sam smiled as she began to unbuckle his belt...
Monday 27th March 2023, 8am
The next morning, Sam and Tom were in very good moods. Not just because of what they had gotten up to during the previous night, but also because it was Monday morning and neither had work. And because of their good moods, they were up early, as were the kids because they had always been early birds rather than night owls even when they were babies, and they were out on the grassy field next to their caravan kicking a foam football around. At 7 years old, Daniel was getting pretty good with his aim of the ball as well as using a lot of power, however Ella was yet to discover the talent of targeting - all she did was kick it as hard as she could and it often resulted in her falling backwards, missing the ball, or both.
"Dad!" Daniel shouted to get his attention as he prepared to kick the ball.
"No, it's Ella's turn. Kick it towards her, but gently." Tom ordered and Daniel rolled his eyes before he gave the ball a nudge so that it rolled against the grass and stopped in front of his sister.
"Go on Ella, kick it as hard as you can." Sam said encouragingly as she knew that her daughter couldn't hit it very hard, plus it was only a foam ball so it wouldn't break anything. Ella toddled forward and booted the ball which Tom managed to receive and control however, as expected, she fell backwards but Sam was there to catch her under the arms and lift her back onto her feet so she giggled. "Did you kick that a little bit too hard?" Sam asked as she stood behind her daughter.
"Nooo." Ella gave a big shake of her head before she walked over and picked up a tennis ball that the dogs liked.
"No, please don't start that." Sam moaned quietly but it was too late, the dogs had seen the ball and Shadow, Panda and Alex, who were all chained up to a 10m lead with a post in the ground to stop them from running off, jumped up.
"Fetch." Ella said cleverly as the threw the ball towards them, and she could only say the word fetch well because Sam had been trying to get her to say Fletch for months however she would never pronounce the 'L'. And because of that, when she tried to say 'fly', it sounded like she was saying 'thigh'. The ball was thankfully within the range of their leads and they all roled about as they played with the ball between them which made Ella giggle. But suddenly, the laughing stopped and Sam watched as Ella's denim blue shorts went darker and then liquid came trickling down her legs and onto the grass.
"Mummy." Ella mumbled as her bottom lip quivered and Sam quickly ran the short distance to her.
"It's okay, it's just an accident." Sam said reassuringly as she knew how upset her daughter got whenever she had a mishap with her potty training. "Are you finished or do you still need to go?" Sam asked.
"Finished." Ella muttered ashamedly.
"Alright. Come on, let's go and get you cleaned up and changed into something dry." Sam smiled as she put a hand on Ella's shoulder and walked her back to their awning. "Right, take your shoes and socks off." Sam ordered as she crouched down so that she was Ella's level. Ella took her Velcro shoes off and then her wet socks as well but Sam wanted to cheer her little girl up because she didn't like seeing her so disheartened. "How about after we get you changed, we get you some juice in your favourite high school musical cup?"
"But I been naughty." Ella frowned.
"It's not naughty to have an accident. Because an accident isn't anyone's fault, and I know you wouldn't wet yourself on purpose so you're not in trouble. Come on, you know that; I never get mad at you if you have an accident." Sam said as she rubbed her hands up and down Ella's arms. "Right, come on. Pull your shorts and knickers down and then go through to the bathroom and I'll give you a quick rinse down in the shower." Sam ordered gently.
"But people might see." Ella protested.
"Not if you're super quick, they won't." Sam replied and so Ella pulled down her shorts and underwear as fast as she could before she hopped into the awning where she felt safer and knew Daniel and her father wouldn't be able to see her. "Good girl." Sam praised as she picked up Ella's wet clothes and followed her through to the bathroom. She put the clothes in the sink, grabbed the shower head and knelt down on the shower mat so that she could hose off her daughter's lower half. She noticed the small grey/purple mark on one of her daughter's knees, and it was a simple, yet worrying reminder of the Van Willebrand disease and now easily her daughter bruised. Even picking Ella up too roughly could give her bruises under her arms, even if she didn't feel pain at the time if the injury.
"It's cold!" Ella squealed as she squeezed to one side of the shower whilst Sam ran the water down the other side until it warmed up.
"Sorry. There we go, that should be warm enough now." Sam smiled as she sprayed it on Ella's legs and Ella squirmed a little bit but she let Sam rinse her skin. "Right. Are you going to be a big girl and dry yourself?" Sam asked as she put the shower head back in it's holder and then grabbed Ella's pink hooded towel.
"Yes." Ella nodded as she took the towel off of her mother.
"Okay, you stay there. I'm just going to get you some clean trousers." Sam stated as she stood up.
"And knickers." Ella added quickly.
"And some knickers, yes." Sam smiled as she left the room. After getting Ella changed into a clean pair of underwear and stretchy jeans, Sam knew that her daughter was still a little down. "Do you know what I think might cheer you up? A nice big hug." Sam stated as she held her arms out and Ella reached her arms up so Sam lifted Ella up and hugged her with one arm and kept the other arm under her bum to support her weight. "You feeling better?" Sam queried as Ella pulled apart and she nodded.
"Thank you mummy."
"You're welcome." Sam smiled. "Now let's get you some nice apple juice in your favourite cup."
7pm
The sun was beginning to set outside and so there was a warm orange glow to the caravan as the family sat on the sofas with the table in between them sons they prepared to play a game of Simpsons monopoly. Ella was far too going to understand such a game, but Daniel was getting very good at playing it and it had become his favourite game so Ella often teamed up with one of her parents, and they played as a game of three.
"Ella, do you want to play with me or daddy?" Sam asked as Daniel and Tom set up the board along with the bank whom Sam was always in charge of because neither Tom nor Daniel could be trusted not to cheat.
"Um... I don't know." Ella admitted as she appeared in deep though about the very important decision.
"I think mummy will have enough to deal with being the banker, so how about you come with me? Tom suggested. "We can be the donut. And I'll let you practice your excellent maths skills and move the donut around the board." Tom stated as he picked up the small metal donut used as a playing counter as part of the game which was entirely themed for the Simpsons including dollars for money and places like the 'Kwik-E-Mart' for the properties.
"Yeah!" Ella nodded eagerly.
"Right Daniel, you swap sides with Ella then. In fact, it'll be easier if we swap." Tom said to his wife and so he and Sam swapped so that Tom and Ella were on the same side and Sam and Daniel were on the same side. Everyone was in their pyjamas and Ella was cuddling her duvet because she was on the sofa that she slept on at night, and it even had a plastic sheet over it, which was covered by a blanket, just in case Ella had an accident in the night. "Right, let's get this game started." Tom announced.
"Shall we call it a night now?" Tom suggested as, after playing for 30 minutes, Ella had fallen asleep cuddling her duvet and leaning on her father whilst Daniel had begun to yawn frequently.
"But we don't know who won." Daniel protested sleepily.
"Right, whoever has the most money right this moment wins this game." Tom stated as he knew that his son had the most.
"$428." Sam stated.
"$1435." Tom stated smugly.
"$1721." Daniel smiled. "What do I win?" He asked.
"The satisfaction that you are way better at playing monopoly than your mother is." Tom grinned as the began to pack the things away into the box. "Right, it's bedtime now." Tom said softly as he moved the table out of the way, as they always did in the night to give Ella and Daniel some more room to get out of bed if they needed to, before Sam and Tom got up so that the children had their full beds. Tom gently manoeuvred Ella around until she was lying on her back and tucked under her duvet with her head on her pillow, and Daniel got into his bed too, but laid on his side.
"Night night. See you in the morning." Sam said softly as she kissed Daniel on the forehead.
"Night." Daniel mumbled and Sam and Tom went and got into bed too before they drifted off into a deep slumber.
Coming up: The Kent Family go bowling and it's boys vs girls! Whoever wins will chose where they will eat out for dinner, but who will triumph?
Thanks for reading, please review :)