The Unexpected Journey Part Two

Chapter 10

"Yes." Her sigh was heavy and dramatic and he had to stop himself from laughing. "But please don't tell him."

"I won't baby," he shook his head and hugged her close. "I won't. Now come on. Climb into bed, I'm going to go get your brother out of the tub before he turns into a whale and swims away."

Giggling, Lilli did just that, scrambling under the covers and laying back against her pillow with a sigh. "Everyone was so nice to us at the airport today. I think I already like Nepal. Very very much."

"Me too Lilli-bean," Harry chuckled. "Me too."

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"Is it strange for you?" Harry looked across the bed at Maddie as he finally shed his clothes. Despite the time difference, he was sleepy and well beyond ready to go to bed, to rest before the second day in Nepal--one that would be decidedly busier than the first.

"Hmm?" Maddie glanced up at him through half open eyes, pulling a t-shirt on over her head, sending her hair spraying out wildly.

Chuckling, Harry moved around to her side, his hands smoothing over the wayward strands. "Is it strange for you?" His voice was soft and warm and full of the affection that still ran heavy between them. "Tomorrow we're going to be surveying the damage from the earthquakes, the reconstruction efforts. I thought it might hit a little close to Bendal for you."

"Ahhh..." Maddie sighed, nodding her head thoughtfully. "I'm sure that tomorrow will be reminiscent of those two weeks..." She reached out towards him, her fingers scratching the scruff of his beard. "And how crazy you were..."

"Crazy?!" He cut her off, pulling back with a smirk on his face. "Me?"

"Yes," she giggled, tweaking his nose before she went back to readying for bed, pulling her hair up and preparing to wash her face, to brush her teeth. "Crazy. I'll never forget the way you paced at the airport before we left, the way you slipped that phone to Ella..."

"Ha!" He laughed along with her, nodding his head. "I suppose I was a bit crazy."

"A bit?" She shot him a look in the mirror. "A bit crazy?"

"A bit crazy over you," he replied, his smirk was smug and even he knew how cheesy he sounded.

"Oh wow," Maddie snickered, moving into their bathroom. "You're losing your touch Sussex!"

"I know, I know," he laughed at himself, pulling back the blankets and climbing into their bed; exhausted. "I'll work on it. I promise."

"See that you do!" She called back to him. "Bishop would be disappointed."

"It's true," Harry laughed again. "Oh hey, speaking of Bishop...Lilli told me tonight that she misses Buckie."

"No she didn't!" Maddie's head poked out of the bathroom, a toothbrush in her mouth and her eyes wide in surprise.

Harry nodded with a grin. "Swore me to secrecy but yes. Your daughter misses Buckie Bishop."

"Oh wow," Maddie shook her head, pulling the toothbrush from her mouth and looking at him pointedly. "We might just have our work cut out for us someday Captain."

"Ha!" His head tipped back as she slipped back into the bathroom. "I was thinking the same thing."

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It turned out that Day Two was very reminiscent of Bendal. It started out grand and impactful, meeting Nepal's first female President Bidya Devi Bhandari and touring Patan Durbar Square and the Golden Temple. Both Maddie and Harry were impressed with the coordinated efforts to rebuild these amazing sites, to preserve their history and beauty.