Chapter 13

At the hotel later, the door suddenly burst open as Mattie and JJ ran past their mother in search of their Papa. Amanda shushed them, reminding her daughters, "Your Papa may be sleeping."

Philip followed, drinking a coke from dinner.

Lee called from the bed, "I think I hear my girls."

JJ and Mattie's faces brightened as they ran and jumped onto the bed with Lee.

"Papa, do you feel better? We missed you so much!" declared JJ.

Lee sat up against the headboard. "Yes, my Bomber Princess, I do."

JJ grabbed his neck and hugged her Poppy. Next, Mattie snuggled up excitedly under his right arm.

"Poppy, I went on all the roller coasters, and I wasn't scared or got sick at all!" She proudly informed him.

Lee looked at his daughter, feigning surprise. "Not at all?"

"Well, maybe a little scared…but I didn't chicken out!" Mattie exclaimed boastfully.

"I'm so proud of you, my little Irish Princess."

Mattie added, "Guess what, Poppy? We saw Steve at the Pirates of the carbeen, and a pirate was chasing him!"

"That's Caribbean, squirt." Philip corrected.

"Mommy, Philip is calling names," Mattie complained.

"Philip…" Amanda warned.

"A pirate was chasing Steve. Why?" Lee's eyes widened, trying to sound shocked.

"Don't know. But I think he looked like you, Poppy," insisted JJ, bouncing on the bed.

"Oh, that's silly." Lee began to place zerbet* kisses all over his daughters as they squealed with laughter. All while pretending to try and get away from him.

Amanda stood leaning against the door jam, watching her family smiling contentedly.

Later, after the children were in bed, Lee and Amanda were snuggled together on the sofa in their suite. Lee was drawing little circles with his fingers over Amanda's arm while they talked about the day's events.

Amanda was filling Lee in on everything he missed with the family. While she was talking, Amanda snuggled closer to his chest. Lee became distracted as he smelled her jasmine-scented hair. He breathed in her aroma, sighing, "I missed you all so much today."

Amanda tilted up her head to smile at her handsome hubby, then leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss on his neck before settling back down. "We missed you too, Lee."

They both fell asleep listening to the rhythm of one another's hearts with their hands entwined together.

The Next Day

Standing on Main Street, the family of six watched the Electrical Parade float by them. The music's redundant tune didn't even bother the blissful father. Philip had Mattie on his shoulders while Jamie held JJ the same way.

Amanda leaned her back against Lee's chest as he stood there with his arms securely around her.

JJ turned to her parents, her eyes sparkling. "This is the happiest place on earth!"

Amanda laughed. "Yes, my love, it is." She leaned over, stood on tiptoes, and gave JJ a soft kiss on her forehead.

Lee placed his mouth near Amanda's ear for only her to hear. "JJ's wrong."

Amanda turned to see her husband's face and gave him a questioning look with one eyebrow raised.

Lee rested his chin on his wife's shoulder as his baritone voice softly whispered into her ear. "The happiest place on earth is always where my family's together with my wife in my arms."

Amanda nuzzled her head against Lee and whispered, "I agree."

*Zerbet kisses are when you press your mouth against the skin, and when you blow out it sounds like farts.

TBC