birds // hs

17. Back

The first time Harry and I decided to take the girls to the beach was about two months after they were born. We checked James out of daycare early on Thursday, and made the short trip down to the water around one.

It was a perfect day. The sky was a brilliant blue with the just the right amount of clouds to prevent the girls' delicate skin from getting burned, and the slight breeze kept the air from being too hot.

"Birds!" James squealed excitedly, his chubby fists beating on the window profusely as Harry turned around in his seat.

"Hey, quiet down, James," he ordered firmly. "Your sisters are sleeping, bud. You're going to wake them up."

"Yes sir," James muttered. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, baby," I smiled widely. "Daddy is just grumpy because he didn't get much sleep this week. Isn't that right, daddy?"

Harry peered at me over his sunglasses. "Daddy didn't get much of anything this week, maybe that's why he's so crabby."

"Well maybe he should be patient," I quipped. "Good things always come to those who wait."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

He turned sharply into the empty beach parking lot and parked the car, then gave me a playful eye roll as I laughed.

"You get the girls, I'll get James," I directed as the hot sunlight began to radiate off the black interior of the car.

Harry and I flawlessly executed our system of wrangling our children and soon we were out on the sand, sitting comfortably on towels in the shade of our huge umbrella with James playing next to us in the baby pool we brought from home.

"Sweetheart," Harry called from out in the hot sun.

I looked up from my book. "Yeah?"

"Bring me the girls' little floaty things, would you? I'm going to take them out in the water."

"Yeah, sure."

I grabbed the adorable pink and purple floaties and took them out to where Harry stood, James trailing close behind me the whole time.

"You look beautiful, by the way," Harry grinned. "Thank you, darling."

"Sure."

He pulled me close and kissed my lips softly, then patted my bum as I walked away.

Some things never change.

*

"Your Pops seemed happy to watch the kids," Harry observed quietly as I watched him pour us each another glass of wine. "Don't you think?"

I laughed a little and leaned into Harry's warm body. "Yes. He also seemed to like you more this time."

"Well I hope so. I am your husband, after all."

"That you are."

"Hey." I looked up at Harry and smiled a little.

"Hey."

"I've been thinking."

"Oh, have you?"