❛𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃, 𝐈'𝐌 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐗...❜ | 𝐍𝐨. 𝟏

Chapter 15-When In Greece...

I am woken up by a very giddy two year old at 4:30am, stroking my soft, hazelnut hair. I peel my eyes open to see the little guy with a bottle of milk in his hands, looking cute as ever.

"Hey, baby. What's up?"

"Miwk..."

"I see that. Where's mummy, Max?" i ask as he chews on the spout, "Mummy no 'ear. She gone for walk."

"Ah, i see, you wanna come back into bed?" i lift up the duvet to allow him to crawl into a small space inside the bed, curling up in a sphere.

"Are you enjoying your holiday so far?"

"Yeaaaah, i no wanna go 'ome tomorrow..."

"Well, it's a good thing i've got a day filled with fun for you and mummy before we go back home."

"But 'ome means mummy go work...smelly work..."

"You miss mummy when she goes to work, huh?" he nods gently, outlining the contours of my hand that's rested in front of him.

"She work all da time, and come 'ome 'ate. An' Auntie 'Ever pay wif me and no mummy cuz mummy at 'ork."

It seems like i've only seen Emma at her best with Max; when they're together.

"Does mummy work a lot?" he nods in response. My aim today is to get those feelings of neglect away from Max.

"I'm going to make sure that mummy will spend all the time she can with you, okay? I promise." i wrap my little finger around his own, a bounded oath.

To my surprise, Max turns to kiss my cheek, "I 'ike 'ou, 'Auren." i humour the kiddo with a laugh, "Thanks kid, i like you too."

Emma walks hand in hand with Max to a surprise that i've arranged for them, and considering Emma grew up in Falmouth, surrounded by the ocean, she'll love it.

"Where are we going? Ever since the plane landed, everything has been a surprise."

"We're almost there, promise."

"Mummy, seaside!" Max points his direction in the way of the ocean, the cooling waves splashing against each other.

"I know, Maxy! That's where all the fishies were when we were on the submarine!"

"I wan' fishies, mama!"

"Maybe you'll be seeing some fishies sooner than you think, Mighty Max." Max's face gapes open wide at my teaser.

As we pass a stand stocked up with paddle boards, surf boards and other items associated with water sports, Emma realises where we are going.

"You're taking us to do water sports?!"

"I just thought snorkelling is a great way for Max to interact with the ocean..."

"What snort-elling, mama?"

"You get to go underwater and see all the fishies!" i've never seen Emma so excited before, she's like a kid in a sweet shop.

Max glances over the margin of the boat, his eyes lighting up, " 'Auren, i no see fishies 'et..."

"The fishies are under the water, Max. You'll see them soon, but you gotta wear these funny looking goggles first." i fixate a snorkel mask onto Max's head, adjusting it to his preferred size.

"Hehe! Dis 'ook funny!"

"I know, right? Do you like your arm bands?" i nod in the direction of Max's inflated blue swim shackles that are blown up around his arms.

"Yah! They blew..." i cast my eyes over to where Emma is, leaned over the cusp of the boat and dragging her hand side by side across the crystalline-like water.