The Way We Were

The Way We Vacation PT3

Marcy added another stroke to her canvas. It was coming together nicely.

"Mommy?" Mickey piped up.

"Yes?"

"Are you still sad?"

Marcy's hand stilled. She didn't know how to describe trauma to her five and two year olds. "Do you know how Mommy and Daddy tell you that just because someone is a grown up that doesn't mean you can trust them?"

Both little girls nodded.

"When Mommy was your age plus your age, bad things started happening to her. Things I don't ever want to happen to you."

"Scary things?" Mickey's eyes were wide.

"Very scary things."

"Why?" Mickey began to cry, Riley right behind her.

Marcy realized that she didn't know what to say. She'd asked why for years but hadn't gotten an answer that didn't make her feel like shit. "I'm not sure, baby. They said it was Mommy's fault but Daddy says they were bad people and Mommy didn't deserve it."

The girls were more inclined to believe their father. They slipped out of their chairs to hug their mommy.

Marcy hugged them back. She held on tightly to their love.

W.W.W.

"Daddy?" Mally spoke up.

"Yes, son?" Mal focused on scrubbing the side of the boat.

Mally copied him. "Why was Mommy sad?"

Mal knew this was going to come up. "When Mommy was a little bit older than you, people older than us now hurt Mommy."

Mally didn't like that at all. "Gramps didn't hit them?"

"Gramps didn't know." At least he was sure Marcus didn't know.

"So they hurt Mommy and got away with it?"

That blew Mal's mind. "No. They'll pay. Daddy will make them pay."

"Promise?" Mally wanted them to pay, too.

Mal looked him in the eye. "I promise."

W.W.W.

"Granddad?" Mal spoke low and quick into his phone.

"What's up, Grandson?!" Donald's jovial voice boomed.

"We've got to talk."

W.W.W.

Marcy was going to miss Ireland. It started out rocky but after trusting Mal to catch her and talking with her children (and seeing Carly), she felt better than she had in a really long time.

She and Mal were going to India for Santana's, Brittany's and Artie's wedding while the kids were traveling with the nannies to England. Marcy had pumped enough but they'd also be visiting a milk bank.

Laura and Marc would be there, watching all the kids at their Nana's house ‪until Monday‬.

Marcy packed everyone to go and found herself humming.

Mal came in and was delighted with her good mood. "What's going on?"

"I've got news." Marcy chirped.

"Is it good?"

"Yup."

"Is it about us?"

"Yup."

"Are we having sex?"

"Nope."

He pouted.

She laughed. "Stop that! You'll see. It's the best thing ever!"