Family Ties

Chapter Six - The Prince's Adventure

Aha! I'm back! Awks.

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Matt woke up on the creaky fold out bed to find his son curled up happily beside him, clutching his Wunny Babbit.

Maisie was bustling around in the kitchenette quietly making toast, and she smiled tiredly at him when she noticed he was awake.

'How'd you sleep?' she asked quietly, sitting at the small table.

'Eh, okay,' he replied, sitting up carefully so he didn't disturb Sam.

'I was thinking about what you said,' she continued. 'I want you and Sam to have a good, close relationship. I really do, and I want him to come and stay with you, but I've never been so far away from him.'

'It's very remote, yes, but there are nine of us, Mais. We'll make sure nothing happens to him. You can even come down and meet the family yourself if you want? Or heck, you could come with us!' Matt added with a hopeful grin.

'Mm, I don't think it's really my thing, but I do trust you Matt, I know you'll keep him safe,' Maisie said, gently brushing back Sam's crazy sleep curls.

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'What did you pack?' Matt asked, and Sam showed him the fancy suitcase.

'All the stuff I need!' Sam declared.

'You got Wunny Babbit, very important... a dinosaur, a video, colouring ins... Sammy you have no pants or shirts or jackets or any clothes,' Matt laughed.

'I got clothes!' Sam said, gesturing to the ones he was wearing.

'What if they get wet or dirty?'

'Oh. Okay, more clothes,' Sam conceded.

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Matt, Maisie and Sam walked down to the docks of Hoonah, Sam chattering away about his rabbits latest adventure.

'Oh wow,' Maisie whispered. 'You weren't kidding.'

The Brown family was waiting for them.

'Uncle Bear!' Sam cried. 'How did you get up there!?'

Bear waved from his position on the top of the mast.

Maisie clutched Sam's hand even tighter, nervous to be meeting the family she had kept a grandchild from for three years.

'You must be Maisie,' Ami said warmly. 'It's lovely to meet you my dear.'

'Yes, it's lovely to meet you too,' Maisie said shyly, shaking Billy's hand. 'Thank you for accepting Sam into your family, and for not being hard on Matt for my mistakes.'

'Are you kidding?' Gabe piped up. 'They've been wanting grandbabies for about a decade.'

'Uncle Gabe is the strongest man in the whole world,' Sam whispered loudly to his mother.

'Even stronger than daddy?' she whispered back.

Sam looked up at Matt for confirmation.