We awoke the next morning ready to enjoy the final day of our cruise.
Ann would be picking us up that evening when we disembarked back in Sydney, and I was so excited for Ashton and Gracie's surprise this evening I could hardly contain it.
Of course Ashton noticed my ridiculously stupid grin that I had been wearing all morning, but whenever he asked I would always reply that I was just really happy we were spending this family vacation together, and every time I told him he would just hug me and say he was happy we were spending this time together too.
After breakfast in the dining hall we did some shopping in the gift shop and then decided to catch the ships ice skating show.
Of course Ender and Gracie dragged Ashton and I to the front row and we took our seats as we waited for the show to start.
Gracie kept going back and forth between sitting in mine and Ashton's laps, until finally the lights went out signalling the show was starting and Ashton captured the energetic child, putting his arms around her while she reclined into him.
I could just see it in the way he looked at Gracie that he loved her so much. The way he smiled down at her when she saw the ice skaters come out and gasped made me smile as well; it was just so sweet I couldn't help it.
"Look Gray." Ashton moved down so his head was at her level and pointed to the ice skaters, Gracie looking up at him with a massive grin on her face.
I couldn't take my eyes off the pair as Ashton danced with Gracie to the songs, moving her arms around sillily, making her laugh and giggle adorably.
Looking past the giggling duo I saw Ender who was watching the show, clapping when one of the performers successfully completed a trick.
After our conversation from our first day on the cruise, I hoped that tonight wouldn't hurt his feelings if we were celebrating Gracie legally becoming mine and Ashton's child.
The more I thought about it the more I worried and after the ice skating show I made an excuse to go back to the room so I could call Ann.
"Hello?" She answered on the third ring.
"Hey Ann, I just wanted to know how everything was going?" I replied cheerfully.
"Oh it's going great! Ari and I are setting everything up right now and Jason and the boys are at the grocery store for us."
"That's wonderful! I was wondering if I could ask one more favour of you if you don't mind?"
"Of course honey, what is it?"
"Well Ender had a bit of a meltdown the other day about not having parents, and Ashton and I explained to him that we were legally responsible for him, but I was wondering if I called the courthouse if you could pick up a copy of our statutory declaration of Ender's guardianship? I'm just worried that he might feel left out and I want him to have that so he knows for sure that he's really ours." I asked, biting my lip as I paced around the room talking.
"Of course! I think that's a wonderful idea! We will make tonight extra special for the both of them." She said with a very cheerful and excited voice.
"Thank you so much!" I smiled.
"Of course, I'll see you all later."
After I had ended my call with Ann I called the Haven Harbour court house and gave them all the necessary information to request a copy and so that Ann would be able to pick it up.
I then relayed that information to Ann before re-joining Ashton and the kids on the pool deck where the rock wall was.
We had a blast climbing the rock wall and finished the rest of our day playing mini golf, getting milkshakes, and just having the time of our lives.
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Haven Harbor • a.i. •
Fanfiction"Being in love with Carter was the most beautiful and horrible thing at the same time; because I knew if I told her I loved her, then I would have to tell her all of the secrets I had been hiding from her. That's why I was waiting to tell her, becau...
