(Book 2) This Could B Us

Part 54

We pull into the drive to see Angel's car already there, but no sign of them. Prince parks, we get out and make our way around the back. Derik spots us first, and his little legs can't seem to move fast enough as he runs towards us.

"Pwince!" he squeals, flinging his little arms around Prince's legs in the cutest version on a bear hug.

Prince scoops him up into his arms to talk with him while I look on smiling, tears start to form in my eyes. Angel walks up to me wearing the same expression as mine as she watches them, but only a moment before grabbing me into her own bear hug.

Another shrill squeal of excitement breaks our greeting as Derik is now back on the ground bouncing around us and chanting, "Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes!"

My eyes fix on Prince who is trying to look innocent and wearing his cheesy grin, I shake my head at him. He moves closer to me and whispers, "I might have mentioned pancakes."

I laugh, "No? Really?" as Derik is now bouncing and chanting in a circle around Angel.

Angel points her finger at Prince, "I have already fed my child, so don't be upset when he only picks at one pancake," she warns.

"Yes, Ma'am," but he has still won as far as he's concerned.

Angel moves the car seat into the back of the Cadillac, we pile in and head straight to the little diner I knew he would take us to.

Surprisingly, Derik eats two pancakes, which pleases Prince to no end because Angel was wrong in her assumption that he wouldn't even eat one. We climb back into the car with full bellies and begin the short journey to Gatlinburg.

We decide on the miniature golf first to let Derik burn off some of the sugar and to calm him for the aquarium. We all play for fun, except Prince, who sinks every hole below par and wins hands down. That is, if you don't count Derik plopping his ball into the holes by hand after he got tired of hitting them around.

Next stop the aquarium, Angel pushes Derik in his stroller a majority of the time. He seems quite content to view the fish from that relaxed vantage point, we just watch in which direction his arm would pop up to point and walk that way. Prince, looking relaxed, takes the opportunity to hold my hand as we're casually strolling through, Angel winks at me, she obviously approves when he's affectionate with me.

We spend a great deal of time in the aquarium, there is an underwater walkway that Derik insists on going through half a dozen times. It's my favorite part of the aquarium and I'm happy to have the opportunity to go back repeatedly. Prince is pretty amazed with the place and reads every bit of information on each of the sea animals, I even talked him into touching a horseshoe crab with me at one exhibit. Derik finally gave in and touched it, too, but only after Prince did, it was funny to see the same reaction of surprise on both their faces.

On the way out of the aquarium, they make you walk through the gift shop, where Derik is automatically drawn to a pile of stuffed animals.

Angel says, "Derik, you already have enough Softies, come on," as she reaches for his hand. Derik takes hers but looks crestfallen as he turns away from the pile.

Prince eyes me, but I suggest , "Talk to Angel first, because I know what you're about to do."

Prince approaches Angel and whispers into her ear, she rolls her eyes before she softens, "Okay, ask him."

Prince squats down in front of Derik. "So, you have a lot of Softies, huh?" Derik sadly nods.

Prince continues, "You know some kids don't have any, right?" Derik repeats the same sad nod.

"I'll make you a deal," Derik perks up, listening to Prince more attentively than you would think a three year old was able to. "If you give up five Softies to go to children that have none, I will buy you whichever one Softie you want. Can you do that, give up five?"

We watch Derik as he thinks about it, you can almost see him doing a Softie inventory in his head, then he nods enthusiastically. Prince holds out his hand, "Shake my hand, that's how I know we have a deal, that you promise me you'll go home and donate five." Prince holds up his other hand to indicate the amount again, while his right hand is ready to shake. Derik nods, and shakes his hand. "Your Mom is going to send me a picture of the ones you donate, so don't be stingy. Go pick one."

Derik nods one more time before rushing over to the pile. We leave with a stuffed sea turtle half the size of Derik himself. Angel whispers a 'thank you' to Prince for lightening the Softie load by four.

With drive time, we have been on the go for about six hours, everyone but Prince is getting tired and hungry, so we find a family restaurant for a quick dinner before heading home. As soon as the food hits our stomachs, we're even more tired. Prince still looks ready to roll, which is good, because he's the one driving. I order a coffee to go, because I don't want him to be the only one awake on the drive home.

We aren't ten minutes down the road and Derik is already sound asleep hugging his sea turtle. Angel's head rests against his car seat, fighting a losing battle with sleep herself.

Another ten minutes, I feel Prince's hand tap on my knee, with his thumb he points to the back. I crane over the seat to see an Angel's mouth agape, sleep has claimed her, too, we chuckle at the sight.

Prince whispers, "I had a great time today," as he takes my hand.

"I did, too," I squeeze his. "Even though you didn't buy me a stuffed animal," I pretend to pout.

He makes a face. "Awww, did you want a Softie, Sugar?" he asks in a joking way.

"I think I already got one," I laugh and kiss his shoulder, "I know I love to cuddle him."

"Hmmmm, is that so? Maybe you like to cuddle me more when I'm not so soft?" he wiggles his eyebrows.

From the back we hear a loud whisper: "Rabbits!"