Time Stands Still || Kate & Leo

The girl

"I'm going to go and have a nap, if that's okay with all of you"

It was 4pm and Kate and Leo were rewatching Titanic for what seemed like the fifth time that week. Leo looked up from the TV, refocusing his eyes onto Kate's weary face.

"Of course sweetheart"
He untangled his arm from her shoulder and helped her up off the couch. She trudged up the stairs and a faint sound was heard from the higher floor, that of her bedroom door being closed.

Leo turned to Mia and Joe, who were silently reading books onto the couch next to his.

"Operation set up beach picnic is in action"

He slowly rose to his feet, so that he was standing up, taking into account the seven year old napping in his arms.

The two eldest children placed down their reading materials simultaneously and stood up, leading Leo and a sleeping Bear into the kitchen where they had previously stashed the bakery items.

"So, I say we grate some cheese and get some ham and some salad items, put them into Tupperware, as well as some butter so you can add what you like on your cobs and baguettes."

Joe nodded "and we can bring some jam and squirty cream for the scones."

Mia smiled and began to walk toward where the drinks were stored, taking out a bottle of her mothers finest champagne for Leo, Kate and herself and a bottle of apple juice for Joe and Bear.

She then grabbed three champagne flutes and two highball glasses and gently placed them in a bag surrounded by foam to keep them from being smashed en route to the beach.

Meanwhile, Leo and Joe were packing everything away in tubs, just as Leo had previously mentioned as well as packing them into the hamper with the drinks that Mia had stored.

Bear was laying asleep on the sofa, and Leo occasionally stole glances from him just to check he was okay and not hurt.

After about twenty minutes, the group of three had finished and were now ready to take a trip to the beach ten minutes away from the house to set up.

Joe sorted out Bears pushchair so he could come along too and helped to strap him in. Leo then wrote a text to Kate explaining that he'd took the kids for an evening stroll before the sun went down, which wasnt exactly a lie. He also instructed her to get dressed up and meet them there at six.

Being four pm, he still had two hours to set up everything. Though he decided that he would have to be extremely careful with the candles and have a bucket of water on standby just in case.

--♤--

"Okay" Leo clapped his hands together. Mia and Joe turned to look at him from laying the blanket down on the sand.

"I had an idea, but we may need to steal a table and some chairs from the house. But that might look a little suspicious..."
He paused and looked around before pulling his phone out.

"I'll text your mother, say that we're planning a surprise and for her not to worry."

The forty six year old shot a message along the lines of:

Kate,
As you know from the previous message, me and the kids are at the beach. Do not be alarmed if the table and chairs are gone, you'll discover why at six.
Until then,
Leo.

"Great. Mia, are you okay to stay here with Bear while me and Joe get some things from the house?"

Mia nodded "sure, of course."

"We will be back in ten"

"Okay." Mia shouted "dont hurt yourselves."

She turned to the sleeping child infront of her. Smiling as his eyelashes rested comfortably on the rosy apples of his cheeks and his agaped mouth allowed breaths to come and go. The gentle tide washed into the sand, fizzing as it leisurely rolled back and forth. It was almost perfect felicity for Mia in that moment; just the sounds of the saline waves and the reposful breathing from her brother, Bear.