HAPPIER; jra ✓

045 | are we there yet?

Once arriving in Hawaii just past midday, the day after when Adalyn was supposed to leave, they got the keys to a rental car from the airport before loading their belonging in and heading to Gabriela's place to pick up Lavender.

Adalyn still wasn't quite sure on how she felt about spending the next two weeks with the three year olds. But as Jack promised her the previous night after leaving her parent's house, he'll take the girls out and give her some space if things ever got too much, which made her feel a little more content about it.

"Gorgeous," Jack reached over and tapped his girlfriend to gain her attention, hearing a small hum as she looked at him. "El.." he mouthed while quickly making eye contact with her, nodding to the girl in the back.

"Yes princess?" Adalyn took her headphone out as she looked over her shoulder to her niece.

"I'm hungry," Eliana frowned while crossing her arms.

"We're almost at Lavender's house, then we'll go get lunch, the four of us, okay?" she watched the girl nod.

"How many of us are there here?" Jack questioned the little one, trying to keep her entertained as Adalyn put her headphones back in, slightly turning up her music.

"One.. two," Eliana counted as she pointed the two sat in the front.

"Yes, and including you?"

"One.. two.. three!"

"And how many more to make four?"

"One!" she replied after counting on her fingers.

"mhm, one more," Jack nodded, a smile on his face as he looked back at her using the rear view mirror.

"Lavender?"

"Yes, little miss Lavender.. once she's with us, we can go and get lunch."

"Okay," her gaze moved to the window, watching where they were driving. "Are we there yet?"

"Yes, actually we are here," he replied as they pulling into the driveway, putting the car in park yet leaving it on and then grabbing Adalyn's hand to gain her attention. "I'll be ten minutes max."

"okay.."

Jack placed a quick kiss on his girlfriend's lip before getting out of the car and shutting the car door behind himself. Walking over and knocking on the front door of his ex's house, patiently waiting for it to be answered.

"Lavender, someone's here for you," Gabriela called out to her daughter as she herself walked over to the door.

"Addie!" she exclaimed as she ran past her, beating her to the front door. Furrowing and folding her arms once she made eye contact with her father, "Dada?"

"Are you not happy to see me?" he chuckled while crouching down to her level, holding his arms out for a hug.

"What happened to your hair?"

"I shaved it off," he ran his hand over his own head. "Do you like it?"

"mh.." Lavender looked at him, unsure on what to say in response. "Where's Addie? Mama said Addie was coming."