Devotion

Tidal Pool

"Jack... I'm not wearing it. No way!" Nikki speaks as Jack holds out the swimming costume to Nikki for her to change into. She had seen the design and then panicked she had brought the swimming costume way before she was pregnant with Katy but now she is paranoid that her post-pregnancy weight would make her look awful.

Jack sighs as he holds the costume out to her, "Just put it on Nikki, you look fine..." He huffs.
"Can't you go in the pool with her," Nikki quizzes as she knew Jack had put his swimming shorts on.

He smirks and watches her as she slowly takes the swimming costume from Jack and looks at it, She adored the costume and only wore it twice before getting pregnant. "Put it on Nikki, please. You're going to do this a heck of a lot more when she's older..." He responds and Nikki reluctantly gets changed.

She changes and then looks at Jack through the mirror. "I'm not sure" she speaks as she runs her hands over her stomach.
"I love it... sexy..." he smirks as he sits Katy in the middle of the bed and walks over to Nikki. Wrapping his arms around her torso, "I love it" he whispers running his hands over her hips.

"You keep telling me"
She smiles as Jack presses kisses along her shoulder, Nikki relaxes into her husband and sighs happily. But their moment is soon ruined when Katy squeals out at them and claps her hands. Jack pulls away from Nikki and looks at his daughter who is on her hands and knees attempting to crawl along the bed.

"Well aren't you a clever wee thing" Jack coos.
"She is," Nikki smiles as she quickly pulls her denim shorts on and a sun top.

Jack scoops Katy up and holds her against his hip. Making sure she's got everything they leave the bedroom and meet Carol who is sat outside the caravan waiting for them. "Oh look at her, isn't she just adorable?" Carol coos as she notices Katy in her pink and purple set suit and sun hat.

Nikki smiles as she alters her daughters hat and looks at Jack. "I've packed us a picnic, Yes before you ask I've done some sandwiches for Katy in finger sized," Carol responds as she places her hand on her daughters back.

They all head down to the sea pool and find a spot to sit down. Carol places the blanket out and then sits herself down. "It's lovely here."

Nikki looks down at her mum and nods before taking Katy from Jack. He pulls his top over his head "like what you see Mrs Hodgson?" Jack chuckles when noticing Nikki watching him.

"Hmm," she speaks as she sits down with Katy on her lap. "Jack, are you taking Katy in the pool?" Nikki quizzes.

Jack nods and watches Nikki remove Katy's little jelly shoes before passing her over. Jack walks off to the pool with Katy and sits on the edge before slipping ever so carefully into the pool with his daughter in his arms.

He chuckles as he watches Katy look down at the water and hold her feet up higher than usual. It was not warm but it wasn't freezing cold.
Nikki gets up and takes a few photos of the father and daughter duo in the water. "Clarissa will love these" Nikki grins as she walks back to the place where their stuff is and sits down.

She quickly finds the sweetest photo she took of Jack and Katy and sends it to the work chat which consists of Thomas, Clarissa and now Adam. 'Jack on Daddy duties today, Katy's not best pleased about the water'

She sighs contently at the pair as she slowly bobs around in the water, "Aren't you getting in dear?" Carol speaks looking up from her puzzle book.
"No...erm... I'm on my period..." She stumbles thinking of a convincing lie.
"Bullshit."
"I'm sorry what?" Nikki speaks snapping her head around to see her mother.

"Bull-shit! You're just self-conscious to get in the water, but you have nothing to be worried about if I had a body like yours after giving birth seven months ago and looking after the child I would be dancing around in the bare minimum. When I had you I put on a whole two stone,  but let me guess you are back to pre-birth weight... yep."

Nikki messes with Katy's sun hat before looking out at Jack in the pool, "I just..." She stumbles.
"You've got a man there who loves you, he doesn't care what you look like. You gave him the one thing in life that is worth more than money or gold..." Carol explains.

They both look out at the pool and Jack smiling happily at his daughter who still isn't keen on the cool water. "He adores her..." She whispers.
"Yes... and he adores you too, I am your mother but last night..." She begins and noticing Nikki blushing instantly suddenly realising they may have been slightly too loud. "...Let's just say he loves you, doesn't matter what you look like he will always love you."

Nikki nods and strokes her hand over Katy's hat once again, A shadow is suddenly cast over her and she looks up to see Jack with Katy in his arms. "Here's Mummy, it's okay..." He chuckles as he passes the crying seven-month-old over to Nikki.

She grabs a towel and wraps Katy up as she cuddles her close. "What's Daddy done to you?" Nikki coos as she cuddles her daughter close and kisses her head.
Eventually, Katy falls asleep in Nikki's arms, "So are you coming in the pool?" Jack quizzes.

"No...erm... you see I am on my period," She lies and Carol looks up from her puzzle book once again with raised eyebrows, she knew her daughter was point-blank lying.
Looking over at his mother-in-law he knew straight away what was going on, "Nobody is watching... here..." He speaks slowly moving Katy from her arms and settling the child in her pushchair.

"I'm not getting in," She protests.
"I'm giving you no choice," He grins as he comes up with the most wonderful idea, scooping up his wife he carries her to the pool edge, she clings to his body and begs him not to drop her in the pool. He teases her slightly and pretends he is about to drop her which only makes Nikki squeal even more.

Pretending to give in she turns back and loosens her grip, he quickly turns on the spot and throws her into the pool. He watches as the blonde suddenly appears on the surface again, franticly kicking her legs and wiping her hair from her face. "I'm going to kill you, Hodgson!" She yells pulling herself out of the pool but as she stands Jack pushes her backwards into the pool, this time she grabs his arm and pulls him in with her.

They both surface and spend a moment laughing at one another, he swims closer and watches Nikki tread water luckily for him he could just about touch the bottom of the pool. "Still going to kill me?" He smiles.
"Yes!" She giggles and splashes him.

He tip toes forwards and pushes her up the swimming pool wall, "Careful... there are children about," She giggles.
"I know..." He grins and kisses her before glancing over at Carol who is sat rolling her eyes as the married couple.

They swim around for a while which mainly ends up with Jack mucking around and splashing or dragging Nikki through the water. Soon Katy wakes and Nikki gets out of the pool to see to her but instantly gets back in the pool with her daughter who she has woken completely. Jack smiles as Nikki remains in the shallow end, he swims up to them and smiles as Katy giggles at him appearing from under the water.

Carol gets their attention and gets them to come across the pool so she can take a picture of the three of them in the water together.

She wanted more photos of her daughter and granddaughter and being on holiday with her daughter's small family felt like the best time while creating long-lasting memories.