Training camp

Holiday and surprises

She laughed as they paddle boarded across the sea. She wore a black swimsuit that dipped in the middle, her feet bare as she balanced perfectly on the board over the clear water. Jacob, however, was wobbly, more than wobbly and she found she couldn't stop laughing.

"I've got a prosthetic leg," he grumbled an as shook her head.

"And under all those muscles your lower abdominals are terrible," she laughed, still holding strong on the board as he shook his head,

"You're so annoying," he told her, watching how she seemed to have captured the attention of the group. She smiled at him, pulling her board next to his and stepping so she was standing next to him. He held her waist and she kissed his mouth,

"I do totally love you, even if you are terrible at paddle boarding," she smiled, kissing him again, before stepping back onto her own board.

She sat up onto his lap as they ate lunch on their balcony. Their apartment was on stilts above the sea, and lunch had been delivered by a small boat.

He ran his hand through her hair and when she'd finished eating she moved so she lay with her head on his lap.

"I first saw you twenty years ago," she told him,

"Twenty years... One marriage... Four children later..."he smiled, running his hands over her bare stomach, before he drew gentle patterns across her skin,

"I love you Mrs. Masters," he told her, "now the girls are older we must make more time for times like this."

She nodded, "we must, I've had the best time here... With you..."

The girls were at school when they got home and on the way back from their run, they had popped into the local dog shelter to donate some food. He should have known she would offer to walk some of the dogs and shook his head as she cuddled into him,

"We are busy enough," he smiled, watching as she what sapped a picture of the young Dalmatian to the girls, "you girls need to beg your dad," she replied as they all commented quickly.

"She's so gorgeous," Connie spoke quietly, "who on earth would dump such a beauty,"

She lifted the puppy onto Jacobs lap and he rolled his eyes as she curled into a small ball.

"She likes you muscles," Connie smiled.

As they got in the car he realised he'd left his phone inside, "I'll be back in a minute," he smiled, "turn the heating on its freezing out here."

Connie yawned, surprised to find Jacob wasn't beside her. She heard a commotion downstairs before footsteps running up the stairs.

"Happy birthday mum," they all grinned, jumping on the bed and handing her presents.

"Girls... These are beautiful," she smiled, as she opened a pair of rose gold earrings and a scarf.

"Where's your dad?"

"Here," he smiled, dressed in joggers and a tight t-shirt, "happy birthday princess... Now close your eyes..."

She did as he asked, before he placed something warm and cuddly into her arms,

She opened them to see a small dalmation puppy with a bow loosely around her neck,

"Maisie?" She smiled, "oh Jacob..."

"The dog shelter said she was always really excited when you came to visit her," Evie smiled, "she's really pretty mum,"

Simba ran in, her tail wagging as she looked up to sniff the small puppy Connie held in her arms.

Jacob smiled, getting into the bed beside her, "happy birthday sweet cheeks."

"She's lovely isn't she mum?" Grace grinned and Connie nodded, "she's gorgeous girls..."

She smiled as she watched the twins playing with Simba. Her hands ran through the dogs soft fur,

"Thank you," she smiled up at Jacob, and he kissed her mouth gently, "once the girls visited her with me, I knew we couldn't leave her at the shelter."

"We're going to get dressed, mum... You have an hour..."

Connie smiled, "what shall I wear?"

"Anything casual," Mia smiled and Connie nodded.

Jacob watched how the tiny puppy cuddled against Connie's chest, her hand running gently through her fur. Connie pressed her lips against her head gently as the puppy closed her eyes,

"Shall we keep her name as Maisie?" She asked, and Jacob nodded,

"She looks like a Maisie,"

"Thank you," she admitted and he smiled. "This is the life I wanted... With the amazing husband, and beautiful girls... And dogs running around our feet... I just never knew it would actually happen... This life we have is everything I used to want so badly."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her softly, "you don't have to thank me... you know you look ever so beautiful cuddling that dog like that... It reminds me of everytime we bought the girls home."

"Wow girls... This is amazing," Connie smiled as she sat crossed legged on the large rug over looking the lake.

Simba swum up and down as the twins threw sticks at her. Grace and Mia lay on their front, sharing earphones and listening to music. Connie lay back against Jacobs chest, the puppy cuddling against her chest as Jacob pressed soft kisses against her neck.

"I love her," she smiled and Jacob smiled against her skin,

"Mmm... She looks pretty comfortable sat there with you sweetcheeks,"

He leaned back against his hands, smiling as Eloise and Chloe came over with a gift and card in their hands,

"Happy birthday Connie," they grinned, sitting beside them.

Chloe took Maisie and smiled, "oh she's wonderful," she nodded, before laughing as Simba came running over,

"You gave in then Corp?"

"Don't I always?" He smiled and Connie rolled her eyes, "although no more, four children and two dogs is more than enough."