One String Attached

18.

.Riley.

The following day, we were with James's side of the family again, as expected, but we had decided to head down to the beach.
Nathan and Grace were with us, including Madison. She and Aaliyah were currently running around like headless chickens in their swimsuits. Nathan was guarding them by the water, holding each of their hands as they walked along the sea and Grace was sat on a lounger on the land, watching them whilst taking a couple of pictures on her phone every now and again.

I was on the sand beside Asher as he was building his own sandcastle with my help. James was with us in his swimming trunks, his upper body shirtless. His arm was wrapped around my waist securely as my head rested against his bare chest as I sat with my knees hugged into my stomach.
He occasionally helped his son with lifting the bucket up to stop the castle from breaking and the pair had built at least three by now, but every time it happened, Asher gasped in excitement.

"Look, Mummy! I did it again!" he giggles, heading over to me and stumbling slightly, causing me to stretch my arms out to catch him in my lap.
"I can see, bubba. Well done!" I tell him, kissing his cheek as I hold him on my lap, making him giggle once again. "Do you want to go and play with LiLi?" I ask him but he shakes his head.

"Iceee," he says, making me raise an eyebrow.
"Sea?" I ask him. He was still developing his words so when there were words he didn't know how to say, he would say the words he did know that were closest to it. His babbles gain James's attention too as the little boy shakes his head.
"Screammm," he says.

James chuckles softly, shaking his head, clearly still not understanding what Asher was trying to say, but I knew.
"Try saying it together for me, sweetheart," I tell him. He tilts his head to the side before bringing his hand up to his lips - something he does when he wants to stop himself from laughing.
"The van, Mummaaa!" he says loudly, making my heart melt as I watch him fidget around in my arms before he starts rolling around on the blanket we had spread over the sand.

"Say what you were saying before, Ash," I tell him. 
"Iceee."
"Ice what?"
"Screammm!" he giggles again. That's when James's eyes widen and then he chuckles again, finally understanding what our little boy wanted.

"Now put it together," I instruct him. He moves his hand away from his lips when James holds his palms instead, and then he makes a few babbling noises before trying to say it as one word.
"Iceee . . . Screammm!"

"Well done, baby," I tell him, making him giggle as he lets go of his dad's hands and toddles over to fall onto my lap again. I laugh softly and kiss the top of his head. "Daddy will go and get you some ice-cream, okay."
"I will?" my husband questions in a huff, turning his head around to look at me. I roll my eyes and then nudge him in the chest harshly. 
"You will."

"Mummyy, why are you hurting Dada?" Asher speaks up, looking at me with a concerned expression on his face.
"Yeah, Ri," James seethes. "Why are you hurting Dada?" he questions with a smirk on his face as he stands on his two feet before reaching down to pick our second-born up.

"Be quiet, love, before I really do hurt you," I say to him, ignoring my son's complaints and staring straight at James.
"As if you'd ever be able to truly hurt me, sweetheart," he retorts, making me roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at him. he reciprocates, chuckling to himself as he begins to walk away from me.

"FYI, I would like a strawberry sundae," I call after him.
"We've been together for almost half of our lives, Ri! I think I would know that by now!" he yells back, turning his head around for the shortest moment which makes me chuckle to myself.

He calls for Aaliyah and Mads to join him before they run over to him, Madison immediately jumping onto her uncle's back while Aaliyah casually strolls along behind them. I thought my talk with her yesterday afternoon would have done the job, but nothing seems to have really changed much and I don't know what else to do about it.