Prince's POV:
June 14th. A week after my birthday and two days after Ian's first doctor's appointment as a foster child where we were told he was a little delayed in meeting his milestones, even though he was one month already. He was taken off the feeding pump and put on bottles. The feeding tube was kept in just as a precaution and we had been left alone and were able to spend time together as a family. Something I had always dreamed about and hoped to have with Mya. Maybe not with the current circumstances, but we were finally in a place where we were genuinely happy.
She was healing, Ian was feeling better, and despite her deficits, Mya was dead-set on doing everything on her own, encouraging me to work as she cared for Ian. But really, I just discreetly watched her finally embrace being a mother for the first time ever, pretending to work when she'd peek her head in every hour.
I wasn't working at all. In fact, I was planning to whisk Mya and Ian away from Minnesota for awhile to somewhere much warmer than here. Somewhere we could reset, unwind and not have to worry about anyone but ourselves. My desktop in front of me was filled with tabs of tropical destinations we had visited multiple times before and I smiled softly at the memories.
"Do you love me?" Mya whispered in my ear as she walked beside me against the water's edge. The moon was replacing the sun and I shook my head, laughing to myself without answering her question as she stopped me from walking further with a smile I knew too well. "More than anything. You want something, what is it?" With raised eyebrows, my girlfriend pursued her lips and 'accidentally' kicked water on me, doubling over in laughter when I stared at her.
"Oh, that's how we're playing this game? I see." I mumbled, picking her body up and throwing her over my shoulder with her laughter echoing in my ears. "P, put me down! Mercy. I'm sorry. I love you." Acting like I didn't hear her pleas, I took a breath and walked into the ocean fully clothed with a smirk, ignoring her attempts to try and get out of my grasp until I was waist-deep in the water and dropped her in front of me.
Her wrist grabbed mine just before she hit the water and I went down with her, both of us going under water for less than a second before she splashed me playfully and wrapped her legs around my waist. "Is the infamous Prince Rogers Nelson getting his hair wet? Oh my goodness, it's a miracle!" She sassed, her lips inches from my own, a glint in her eye. "Shut up," I whispered back, filling the gap between our mouths and crashing our lips together as the waves swayed us back and forth, the cool ocean breeze welcomed us, and there was nobody around for miles as we made out like teenagers somewhere in the Caribbean Ocean.
"Y..you're supposed to b..be working!" Mya's voice took me out of my trance as she teasingly scolded me. She sat on top of my desk with a lollipop in her mouth, extending one to me with raised eyebrows and a very small smile on her face, one I mirrored and commented on. "You're smiling." I said, pulling her on my lap and turning us around so she could see the screen of the computer too.
"Where's our child? Hm? I don't hear his noises." I said curiously, yet in a playful tone as she laughed and took my hands off of her stomach with a shiver. "S..sleeping. S..stop your hands are c..cold!" The firmness of her tone made me laugh as I did what she asked and kissed her cheek instead. I nodded towards the screen as her eyes brightened at subconsciously seeing the ocean for the millionth time. But to her, she'd never seen it before and that's what was going to make this trip so incredibly special for us. Firsts all over again.
"I'm going to whisk you away. What do you say?" I whispered lovingly, feeling more excited for this getaway the longer I stared at her. I had already gotten clearance from Dr. Smith, who told me that it would be good for Mya as long as she continued to keep her stress level low and give herself the shots she was prescribed. Ian's pediatrician also gave me permission, as did the court. I had secretly applied for Ian's passport a few weeks ago and received it in the mail the day prior. All I needed was for her to say yes. Her eyes were mesmerized with the picture of white sand and the crystal blue water. Her whispering a condition caused a surge of happiness to course through my body at what it was. "Baby P h..has to c..come too.." The way she looked at me told that she thought I'd leave him behind and it made her upset. Her hands were holding mine and her body was relaxed as we sat in silence in each other's embrace.
