|Thirty|

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"Pass him here. I want cuddles from my grandson before he gets too old for them," Helen chuckles after we had eaten our barbecue in the warm sun of the June heat in Costa Rica. 

It's golden rays caressing our melanin enriched skin as we sat collectively as a family in the miss-matching deck chairs Owen and I had pulled from a, long forgotten about, cupboard located at the rear of the bungalow. 

"Take him. We don't want him," Owen jokes as he gently passes his sleeping son over. Daniel fast asleep after playing all afternoon in the sun with Uncle Barry, Owen and Solo. Helen cooing and smiling down at the small toddler in her arms as he snuggles closer into her gentle embrace.

"Don't lie, Owen," Vivian smirks slightly from her seat beside Helen. Her own eyes watching over her nephew before she turns to address Owen who is sat on my right, as we sit on the picnic bench we both made a few years ago; I remember getting gloss all over myself when we treated the wood in hopes of it lasting longer in the blistering heat and torrential rain:

 "You love that kid more than Zoe," Vivian raises a thin eyebrow at him. 

Owen gasps dramatically, suddenly pulling me closer to him with a strong arm around my shoulders. I couldn't stop the small squeak escaping my lips and the hot blush from creeping up my neck and onto my cheeks at his antics.

"How could you say that Viv. Break my girls heart that," a wink accompanying his joke as his kisses my temple whilst his thumb soothingly strokes my shoulder as he pulls me into his side. Our small argument earlier forgotten about, for now.

She just chuckles and rolls her eyes. Barry commenting on how dramatic Owen can be. 

"Yeah take him, we'll miss him eventually." Owen winks, waving his hand half halfheartedly towards Helen, as if motioning for her to run away with the small boy this instant. 

"I think I might do that. Take my little chucky egg and run whilst I can," she teases as she slowly moves up from her seat to take Daniel to bed. His soft breathing matching the tranquillity of the evening as we all collectively follow her into the small bungalow. Each of us tiding up after the food we'd stuffed our faces with earlier as Owen and Barry cooked over the open barbecue.

Earth, Wind and Fire caressing our ears as the melodies of September  trickle out from the small speaker, as we make our way back outside to wave good bye to Vivian and Barry as they head off home for the night. Barry driving the pair home in his dusty jeep and disappearing off down the track towards their own homes after the tranquil afternoon we'd all spent socialising. 

"I'm off to bed, I'll see you two love birds in the morning," Helen speaks from the hallway as she heads towards the small spare room we had. A pointed look sent my way as she observes myself wrapped up in Owens arms; my back against his sculptured chest as he cheekily nibbles on my ear as he begins swaying us to the first few bars of the recognisable tune Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen. 

Casting my eyes downward in shame, I turn from looking over my shoulder at Helen to kiss Owen on his cheek. It doesn't take him long to begin humming along to the distinctive lyrics as we stand on the porch, overlooking the twilight scenery that surrounds the  picturesque setting the bungalow is placed in. 

The plains just over the horizon, full of the thriving herds of Apatosaurus and flocks of Gallimimus. The large lake just a few meters away from our small home, accompanied by a jetty that leads out into the sparkling water. 

A perfect scene.


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