Friends
Chapter 15
Before Christine could have her date with Mike, he took Hannah out for dinner and to go bowling. He was exhausted when they got home, but Hannah had loved every minute of it. She talked about it for three days, while Mike recovered. It was hard for Christine to be patient, but she was glad he was taking being a father so seriously. The girls had probably been more wounded by Mike's behavior then Christine. About a week after his evening out with Hannah, Christine laid down next to Mike and smiled at him.
"Feeling better?" Christine asked.
"Getting there. I should have found another activity besides bowling. I just wanted something that I was actually interacting with her." Mike remarked.
"She really enjoyed it." Christine replied.
"I did too." Mike said.
"So, when you feel up to it, I would like to do something. Just dinner or something." Christine said.
"I did promise you that, didn't I?" Mike remarked.
"Yeah, but you haven't felt good and I do feel its more important that you rebuild things with Katie and Hannah." Christine said.
"They are not the only ones I need to rebuild things with. I will never win a prize for being husband of the year." Mike replied.
"I might argue with you on that. There have been some missteps but I could have had it far worse." Christine answered before giving Mike a long kiss.
"You could have had it better too." Mike remarked.
"You know, our twenty-fifty anniversary is this fall. I think I'd like to renew our vows." Christine remarked. Mike raised up enough to look at her.
"You sure?" Mike asked.
"Yeah. I want to make it special. That is, if you want?" Christine asked.
"I do. And then after, maybe go on a second honeymoon? Mike suggested with a smile.
"With or without the kids?" Christine asked.
"Hannah and Katie would have school in October. I guess we could take Abigail with us." Mike said, even though Christine knew he would have preferred it just be her and him.
"Let me see what we can get arranged." Christine answered.
"How about you figure out the second honeymoon and I'll get with the girls and arrange the other stuff?" Christine suggested and Mike smiled.
"Paris? You always wanted to go to Paris." Mike suggested.
"Maybe someday but for this one, lets stay closer." Christine said.
"I'm sure I'll find something." Mike answered.
"I hope you know how much I love you." Christine said.
"I love you far more. Now, while you sleep; I'll be coming up with plans for your second honeymoon. Maybe some beach somewhere?" Mike suggested.
"I do love a beach." Christine said.
"Remember our first honeymoon, you wore that bikini. Barely made it out of the hotel, before I insisted on going back to our room?" Mike reminisced.
"Yes, and four kids later, there will be no bikinis this time. Sorry to break your heart." Christine teased.
"I can just hear my mother say 'a tasteful one-piece swimsuit would be perfectly sufficient.'" Mike whined.
"Hey, now. I said that exact statement to Katie last year when she was shopping for a swimsuit. She did buy a two piece but the top covered her stomach other than about a half inch and it was pretty modest." Christine said.
"I went to a pool party at the Greene's last year and their little girl was in a bikini…she's four. What was funny was she has a tummy on her and made no attempt at sucking it in." Mike said.
"Well, at four…she doesn't have to." Christine answered.
"I hope that Abigail gets a 'perfectly sufficient one-piece'" Mike remarked.
"And Katie and Hannah?" Christine added.
"Yes, them too." Mike answered. He leaned over again and gave her a long kiss.
"I am really looking forward to this now." Christine said. Mike pulled her close and she cuddled into him.
"Good. We will make it special. And having the girls there will be amazing." Mike remarked.
"Well, technically, Katie might have been present at our first wedding. I might have been pregnant with her, remember?" Christine replied and Mike chuckled.
"I would advise not telling her that. She would be scared we'd have another honeymoon baby." Mike remarked.
"It probably wouldn't happen but it is a possibility." Christine said with a yawn.
"I wouldn't be opposed." Mike said. Christine was a little surprised but Mike was almost asleep so she let it drop. Instead, she cuddled close and smiled into Mike's shoulder.