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Megan
I give Samira a big hug when I see her. She was able to take a break from engineering for the Coast Guard and she's back home to go on this big trip. However, it's not her first vacation with us and I think she is already preparing for Brooke's shenanigans as she enters.
"SAM!!" Brooke barrels through the halls and gets downstairs.
"Hey, lil sis.!"
Brooke jumps into Samira's arms and she hugs her tightly. Ever since she was born they've been best friends. She has always looked up to Sam as a big sister since she could remember. Samira has been a great role model for her and she always makes sure to call and check up on us. She has stood alongside us at almost every one of Brooke's school events and stood right by us for support through every family crisis. She is honestly one of the best people ever. Though she isn't biologically ours, that doesn't change a thing for Normani and I. She's still just as much our daughter as Brooke.
We wanted her to join us on the trip as soon as she would let us know if she would be given some time off. At first, it looked like she wouldn't be able to make out, but then they finally let her know that she had two weeks free. It's amazing to have the whole family together.
Brooke let her purple suitcase fall as she was just so excited to see her big sister again. Normani called out after her with a jacket and a pair of sandals.
"Rookie!"
"Oh, that's ma', go see what she needs, okay?"
Once Brooke heads back to get the jacket I give Sam a big hug.
"Girl, we are the same height!" I joke around as I greet her with a hug.
She has her luggage by her side.
"Hey, Meg! I've missed you all so muchhhh like what? Rookie is so tall!"
Normani appears and she joins in on the hug. We are all ready to step onto the plane. But before that I clap my hands and asked Brooke if she had everything We trusted her to choose outfits for the 5 days we would be there but she kept stalling when Normani and I were asking to check her bag last night.
"Lemme check that bag, baby."
We have 2 spare hours before we have to get to the airport. I trust her because Normani went over it with her, but we let her pack the rest. I just don't want her to look a fool packing all of the wrong things. She hands me the suitcase reluctantly.
I take it to the living room and begin opening it up as Normani and Samira catch up.
So far it looks good, she packed 6 changes of clothes and 3 pairs of shoes and a good amount of socks. She packed her Nintendo switch for the plane and she packed some accessories. She also packed some pajamas as well as other necessities.
"Okay baby, looks good. "
"See, why can't you trust me, mama?" Brooke says.
"Look, Rookie, it's not that I don't trust you, but baby this is your first time packing for a trip all by yourself and I want us to have everything ready and in order. We not gonna be back home for about a week. I just want this all to be perfect, okay?"
Brooke just nods. I can tell that maybe I must've been overreactive with the way I've handled overseeing that she completed her responsibility. Sometimes as a parent, you don't want to admit when your child is capable of doing things because they're still a 2-year-old in your eyes. Every day she reminds me that she's not a baby anymore, she is learning more and more every day and is becoming more and more independent. It's bittersweet. I will never forget when she was 3 and we took her to our first vacation in the islands. I will never forget holding her in the water and watching her run around the shoreline. Now she is more than old enough to stand in the water on her own and doesn't need to hold my hand anymore.
"Come here, Rookie." I pull her in for a hug. "I'm sorry. I trust you."
"It's okay."
"You ready to go?"
"Yes!" She perks up excitedly.
As a family, we desperately need this vacation.
_____________
I'm woken up out of my sleep by Normani and Brooke giggling. I wake up to them trying to stack Hot Cheetos all over me.
"What are yall niggas doin'?" I squint my eyes open.
We are in first class the four of us, Samira, Brooke, Normani and I are in a pod or section rather. Normani and I are sitting down together in the back row of our section while Brooke and Sam are in front of us.
Brooke gasps and jumps down in the seat. I chuckle as I eat the chips. I don't care I'm not wasting some perfectly good Hot Cheetos. Period. Normani laughs and rubs my face. She presses a gentle kiss to my lips.
"Sorry we woke you my love. Talk to me, you okay?" She laughs.
She sets the magazine she was flipping through down.
"Awww you a lil' old lady with that catalog." I pout my lips playfully. "Look at chu';! You got them lil' peppermints? Them strawberry candies?"
"Megan!" she scolds me and I laugh.
"My lil' old lady." I give her a kiss even though she seems annoyed by my joking around. "I'm sorry, baby."
"Sure." She rolls her eyes.
"SURE." Brooke mocks us from above the seat.
"See? That's your twin right there." I say. "That's your twin."
Brooke laughs that same Normani-laugh. It melts me inside watching my wife and daughter laugh at the same time.
"Look at ya' mama, Rookie." Normani pokes fun at the stray tear flowing down my cheek.
"STAWPPP." I wipe my tears.
I don't know why I felt a wave of emotions.
"Ok baby." Normani laughs and gives me a kiss. "Let's not bother your mama anymore Brooke."
She blows her a kiss and Brooke blows her one back.
"Where my kiss?"
Brooke laughs and then blows me one too.
"Where's mine?"
I laugh and blow her a kiss as well, pinching her nose.
"Okay sit correctly so no one says anything, baby."
"Okay, mama."
She sits in the seat correctly and we hear the loud videogame coming from her switch, but it's not overly loud because she has her headphones.
I search for Normani's hand as the TV on the back of Samira's seat continues to play the music I fell asleep through. I groan as I find I'm still tired.
"Go back to sleep, I'm sorry we were messing with you, my love. They said there are two more hours left." she speaks referring to the flight attendant that passed my shoulder not too long ago.
I mumble as I find myself going back to sleep. I'm so exhausted and already feel the jetlag while still on the plane but I already know that this vacation will be worth it in the end when I get to spend some quality relaxation time with my beautiful family.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
sorry for the shorter chapter. This is a bit of a filler.
