4fter-hours - 4fter-Hours

Emotions, hormones, whatever it was, her husband's words made her tear up as she felt her heart balloon over in love. Growing up believing that she was so hard to love that no one would ever do so, that every single day she was loved without even asking for it felt like a dream. A fantasy. Even after all this time together, it still amazed her that he had picked her. Wiping a tear away, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Ma meilleure moitié."

At the old term that Annie had given them long ago now, she laughed. A big smile on her face now, thinking of that they had gone through, all the patience and love that he had given her. Things that never in her wildest dream would ever have. And yet here she stood, loved and with a family of her own. Nodding, blinking the tears away, she agreed. "Soul lobsters."

The shark song, the bane of her existence and sanity. Thankfully, they seemed to be growing out of it and past it but it still earned her husband a small head shake and eye roll. Now that it had been mentioned there would be bath times and lunch times with it being hummed or sang again. "Maybe," she suggested with a grin. "We should all take a nap and then help unpack." Even if only one or two of their kids agreed at least it would be a little less stress on her husband.

"I know," she said with a closed smile his way. Knowing that his worry for her wouldn't wane until a couple of months after they caught their stride with the new addition to their life home. As he came in to kiss her cheek, she couldn't help but turn and steal a kiss with a giggle, reminiscent of the times he would do it when they first started dating.

"Hmmm," Elizabeth smiled as she took a bite from another slice. As much as she hated to admit it, a horse or a pony would most likely be their first one. It was the only other animal besides lobsters that she knew much about, thanks to Wally. She knew that they were all waiting for her to weigh in, so she just pretended to continue to think about it as she took another bite and chewed slowly. Eyes looking up towards the ceiling as if the answer was there and she was just trying to read it before looking back at them. "I think that maybe a visit to your uncle Andy's ranch after we finish cleaning things up might help us all decide what should be our first." A cope out she knew it, but it would still buy them some time to fully figure out just how many of what animals they could have on the land and where they would go.

After a couple of more bites and some more chatter, she began to feel more exhausted and with the growing life within her awake and moving, she wanted nothing more than to lay down. "I think I'm going to head off and have a laydown now." Brèanainn stood up and said that he would nap with her and Isabeau quickly volunteered to stay with their dad and help. Vivienne just smiled and looked back and forth between them all trying to figure out which to choose, caught between wanting to help and wanting to sleep but also trying to figure out how best to get away with things as well. Perhaps sneaking back out to the yard to roll around in the grass again.

Smiling at their son, she took his plate and then leaned over to kiss Vivi on the top of her head. "You be good my little tourbillon." While Isa would listen to her father, being his little shadow, Vivienne was their wild one, her imagination and energy knew no bounds, and sometimes it could be a bit much. Hopefully, she had burned most of her energy outside and soon enough would come up and nap too. After taking their plates to the sink, one hand on her low back which had began to ache, her sons' hand in the other, she kissed the top of Isa's and Wally's head before the two headed up.

Shaking his head he made sure her eyes locked with his. "Beautiful, I never saw showing you I could be trusted as a chore. Getting you to open up at your time and speed, well honey, I'd have waited a whole two hundred years for you. You are it for me. I didn't want anyone else back then and that hasn't changed now. You make me happy. You have always been worth it to me. There's a reason why there are zero songs about easy love. You gave me a reason to believe in love." He reached over to grab one hand while his thumb caressed her index. "I meant it then and I mean it now. I could take not having a family, yes it was a dream but that I could take it or leave it. But, not having you in my life. No, that'd crush my soul."

He knew she had put pressure on herself when it came to building a family of their own back before any of this sitting before them became reality which had come with its own tribulations. "Whether we had one or none at all, the only thing that'd matter to me is you. How I could best continue to make you fall in love with me." That thought alone mortified him to no end. The remnants of what had transpired way back before they were even a thing still ran through his mind like old sitcom reruns. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before a soft whispered no slipped past his lips. "In every and any universe I'd come find you. We're soul lobsters."

"I'll tell you, some people would do anything to get out of hearing baby shark for the millionth time. Even take a nap," he again couldn't help but tease his wife. All he wanted was to make her smile even though he'd prepare himself for an eye roll or two. Turning serious he nodded and was relieved she'd agreed to take that nap. "Once you're up maybe the house won't be so bare." A challenge he was up to for sure while chasing around their tiny whirlwinds and getting one room unpacked.

He couldn't help but chuckle, she was right in the fact that this wasn't their first rodeo but that still didn't stop him from worrying. Things went wrong all the time as evident by the many trials and tribulations they had gone through already. "Fair," he tried to smile through his concern. "You know I'll always be worried up until the very last moment. Maybe some after." A soft chuckle escaped but nodded. "If you need anything you know," he kissed her cheek. "I'm here." His face morphed into playfulness and scoffed. "You do deserve me. Actually deserve this and more. Don't you forget it. Especially on my birthday." He added cheekily.

Wally couldn't help but smile as he finished off his bite. "I am much more interested in knowing what mama wants as her first animal." Truthfully, he hadn't thought about it. He knew that penguin and a flamingo would be on the list. Though those two would need to be in a sanctuary than their actual land. But he did once think horses were fun. Before he got thrown from one on his aunt's ranch. Getting back on a horse seemed to be coming back to him. Finishing his bite he wiped his mouth and chuckled. "This is hard because any animal is hard to start off with. But saying that, I have a little bit more experience with horses." And by bit more it wasn't by much. He just knew how to feed them and muck their stalls. He didn't need to look in Isa's direction to know that she knew what she had desired was on the verge of coming true. "So, horses maybe a pony and not gonna lie. I think a baby goat would be super cute." Looking in their children's direction he warned, "But, mama is right. We can't get animals until the land is ready and we've settled. There may be visits to uncle Andy's ranch in the future though."

this last week has been *a week* if you too have been going through it, I am sending you lots of love and hugs and positive vibes.

Elizabeth smiled at the girl as she told her about the way she spoke about the boy and how self confident she was about it all and who she was at such a young age. "Yup," she agreed. "And you're right someone who likes you just the way you are will come when you least expect it. It's best when you're not looking for it."

Bracelet making had been a skill she learned to make something for Wally when she was stuck trying to figure out what to give him for his birthday. Wanting to give him something with a personal touch when she confessed her feelings for him, only to be surprised and have him do so first. "Like this?" Smiling, she held up her right hand to show the couple of bracelets she had collected so far, along with the red one that he had given her, what felt like, lifetimes ago. "Of course, Annie! It'll be super special because only you and I will have the matching set. I even learned new ones with beads, so we have many different patterns and designs we can make now."

Leave it to Annie to always put things into perspective. But officially? Did she want them to get married? Granted, the girl was right. In emergencies, she most likely wouldn't be able to do much unless someone else vouched for her, but marry? That was never something she thought about doing, but if Wally asked, she knew what her answer would be in. But that was a bridge to cross another day, for now, she tapped the girl nose. "Well, you shouldn't be stressing about things like that, okay. We'll all be healthy and safe for a long time and all that matters to me is that its official to you, okay. "

Grabbing one of the cookies for herself she nodded in agreement before taking a bite. "Next time, we'll make raspberry or another fun flavor everyone likes." The curious little girls sigh was met with one of the woman's own sighs. "There is such a thing as being a little too curious Annie, but I promise you next time I have another case that Mai needs help with, I'll let you tag along."

"Well," a small chuckle. "Your uncle has been wanting me to take him to Iceland for as long as I've known him. So I thought it was about time I showed him around my island." There was a question she was going to ask Annie, when it was forgotten as Wally returned like a whirlwind. "Four hours?" Her surprise at what he was showing her was evident as her mind began to run with things to do. There were so many things to take care of, wasn't there? Then she was looking down at Annie who was so wise in her few years.

Smiling, she nodded. "With you always." Then she got up and held her hand out to Annie. "Want to help me pack?" It wasn't like she needed much but she did want to let the girl in on a little secret.

Annie giggled and turned a bright red. "Very nice. Always has treats for me. We are friends. I think we are but I don't think he likes me very much like that. That's okay too. I'm not for everyone. Someone who likes me will come later." A butterfly made her smile. "I really like that. The butterfly landed on you."

"Me neither. You're going to look so cool! I'm thinking beige that goes with your eyes and a deep crimson. It'll match my red one." She showed off her bracelet on her left hand. "Just make sure you have yours on your right side. That means you are inviting the good juju into your life not out." She gasped in surprise. "We can make some ourselves with a new pattern? Are you serious?"

Hmm she had a point but still that had the little girls head tilt in her direction. "Sure, you're right. But what if one of us gets hurt," more likely her uncle in this case but she digressed. "And you get blocked by people who tell you you can't know anything because you're not a spouse or family? Then you wouldn't get blocked out. We're family because I say so and it works but then wouldn't you like to be part of the family officially?"

She could eat lemon cookies all day long. It was never enough and never got her fill of them. "These are so good. Next time we need to make more and hide them!"

He took that look from his love as subtle confirmation this was a work free zone. Grabbing his keys off the desk he gestured that he'd be back momentarily. He opened the door slowly and closed it just as fast. Annie frowned being bummed that she wasn't going to get to see. "You two are no fun," she sighed then smiled and sat next to Liz. "Where are you going on your trip?"

Wally made sure to tell him to send all related content over to Liz's office that Mai would get it and relay anything important over if it should arise and then wished him goodnight. It didn't take much more than a few minutes before he was back inside, keys dropped back in their place and phone out to scroll through flights. "Alright. Back to our regular scheduled programming. About that trip? There's a flight in four hours. Nothing says seize the moment like just doing it. We've got no excuse." He grinned softly as he sat at the edge of her seat and showed her the seats. Annie nodded and pushed her chin on top of Liz's hands. "Go. Don't leave it for tomorrow. Sometimes it may never come."

"As for dinner. We can have it on the way. Sleep can be done in flight. All we really need is a suitcase. Which I believe we have plenty of. You got me curious over this trip to see the lights and have a mini getaway. You totally do deserve it." That killed all birds with one stone. "Up for an adventure with me?"

@dozenrozez

Camila Barrios | 2x01 | New Dance Coach in da House