Oceans Between - L. Hughes

Thirty Six

"I wanna stay here all night baby, all night, alright. Midnight, your eyes, bitter wine, conversations."

~*~*~

Today is the last day before summer ends. Luke is going off to New Jersey to start his rookie season with the Devils and I'm tagging along like I'm his groupie. Packing to leave has been so annoying, I hate packing but I can't show up with no clothes especially since Luke and I are new and we need to make an impression.

To take a break from packing I decide to join the Hughes' on their boat for one last time this summer. I woke up this morning without a hangover and I think it was a sign that I needed to be out on the water all day. I've spent so much time on this boat it's honestly ridiculous but I love it. They have already broken out the inter tube, been water skiing, and many other things.

My favorite is watching Luke with the twins. It melts my heart to see him include them in everything we do. They are getting so big now, almost two years old.

Quinn has them both obsessed with mini sticks. The two of them are always running around with their tiny hockey sticks. I couldn't possibly count the amount of times I've been cracked in the shins as they pass by.

"If I give you a juice box do you promise to stop hitting uncle Trevvy?" Luke is crouched in front of the twins. Holding a juice box in each hand.

Waylon makes grabby hands and Luke gives it over. Lilah on the other hand is not even a little bit interested. She's looking at me as I make faces, not listening to her uncle at all.

"Lainey! You aren't helping."

I flash him a wide smile. "I'm not trying to help." I take a peak at Trevor who's rubbing the red spot on his chest put there by the twins' hands. I secretly think Quinn has turned his children against Trevor.

They run around like two little soldiers who's mission is to make Trevor as miserable as possible. It's absolutely hilarious.

Luke gets distracted with helping Waylon open his juice box and Lilah takes the opportunity to sneak away and come sit with me. She wraps her arms around my neck and whispers in my ear like she has a big secret.

"Uncle Lukey is mean."

I chuckle at her comment. "He's not being mean sweetheart he's just trying to tell you that hitting your Uncle Trevor isn't nice. Actually, it's not nice to hit anyone."

Lilah sighs heavily. "I don't like Trevvy."

"Yes you do, Uncle Trevvy is so funny and he makes you the best pancakes doesn't he?"

She pulls back from my ear and looks at me with wide eyes. I think she forgot about Trevor's kick ass pancakes. Lilah and Waylon could eat that stuff in the plate fulls. I could too.

"I love his pancakes." The words are slurred slightly as she still learning to enunciate but I understand her all the same.

I snatch her around and make her sit on my knees so that I can see her face. "That's right. I think you should apologize to him or he won't make you anymore pancakes. He only makes them for the nice people."

She pauses for a moment, eyes flicking back and forth between my own as she decides if the prospect of no more pancakes is enough to apologize for hitting him.

I give her some encouragement and soon enough she's bounding off to the other side of the boat to apologize to her Uncle. I watch in fascination as Trevor beams at the little girl. He absolutely adores her and she's never apologized to him because she never really thought it was a big deal.

"How did you do that?" Luke lifts up my legs as he comes to sit next to me. His cheeks are burned and his hair is slightly wet as he cuddles up next to me.

"I just reminded her of Z's pancakes and it seemed to sink in that if she wasn't nice he wouldn't make them for her anymore."

Luke nods his head like that's the smartest thing ever. "How did I not think of that?"

"It's okay. You were going for the good cop approach, I hit her where it mattered and it did the trick."

He presses a soft kiss to my lips, it lingers enough that I feel my face heating. Suddenly I feel a tug on my hair and I break apart from Luke to see Lilah standing at our feet.

"So gross." Is all she says before spinning on her heel and running off towards her mom.

The rest of the day is spent in and out of the water. We eat, some of us drink, and most of all we spend our last day basking in each other's company.

Jim and Ellen are here and it's really nice to have everyone all together one last time before we are all off to different places, starting our lives and beginning our futures.

I take a second to really count my blessings. At the start of summer I never would have guessed this is where I would be. In the arms of the man I love surrounded by his family and friends.

It's the best feeling in the world. A sense of belonging like no other.

~*~*~