Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter 82

"That's fine. Are you sure the kids won't be in the way?"

"Nah, they'll be fine." I assured her.

She smiled and went back to watching the movie.

I reached my arm so I could hold her hand, Carter pressing herself even closer to my body.

We watched the movie for a few minutes longer until I heard her whimper.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Cramps." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry baby." I placed my hand on her naval, tracing my fingers over the area to try and soothe her.

"I hate being a girl." She whined. "Mother Nature is a bitch."

I let out a laugh.

I always found it funny whenever Carter would cuss.

Continuing to rub my fingers across her stomach the movie played before us, Carter softly singing along.

Her voice was pure and sweet, and I had never heard her sing before so it was cute.

"Did you used to watch this movie with your mom?" I asked her.

"Mhmm." She nodded. Carter was on her side facing away from me but I could just imagine her smiling. "All the time."

She was quiet for a few moments.

"We would watch Mamma Mia and Grease together almost every week, and we'd sing along to the songs at the top of our lungs just to annoy my dad, but he'd end up coming in here to watch the movie with us." She laughed a little at the end.

"Tell me more about your parents." I said quietly.

"Well, they were high school sweethearts, and they got married when they were around our age. My mom and I were really close but I was definitely a daddy's girl, just like Gracie." She said and I laughed. "My dad and grandpa were my best friends, I hung out with them all the time. Every day when my grandparents would come over my grandpa would yell out "Hey Hal!" and I'd run to him and then he and my father would take me out to the boat and show me the ropes and teach me everything I know now."

"And you know how I sit Gracie on the counter so she can mix the pancake batter?" She asked and I nodded. "Well my mom used to do that with me."

She sighed a little bit before she kept going.

"My mom loved musicals and I got that from her, so she would always tell me that when I graduated high school she would take me to New York and we would go see musicals on Broadway. After she died, I knew I wasn't going to go to New York, but I kept that as inspiration and I graduated first in my class."

"We're going to New York on tour, you can go see some musicals then." I said and she turned around in my arms.

"Really?" She asked with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Mhmm." I smiled and she bit her lip, looking incredibly happy.

"Maybe since my mother couldn't take me then I can take my daughter."

"I think that's a great idea. She'd love that."

She was quiet for a few minutes.

"Ashton, you've provided me and the kids with so many opportunities, and I know I say this a lot but thank you."

"Of course. I like getting to take you guys places and treat you to special things."

"Ender is really excited to go on tour, and I think this might be just what he needs to get past our parents death." She said.