Daphne POV
"How about a swim, handsome?" I suggest as we step off the bus back at our resort.
"That sounds like a great idea, babe," Chris says while wrapping his arm around my waist.
We'd spent the last eight hours at Epcot, eating around the world and I was looking forward to just relaxing, and what better way than to enjoy a quiet swim with my gorgeous husband.
A short walk through the gift shop finds us seeing a familiar little red head and her family. Chris motions with his head, letting me know he wants to go and check on the little girl. Of course I encourage it; his caring heart is one of the things I love most about him. I follow along, letting him lead the way.
"Princess Alice?" Chris says the closer he gets to her. She turns to look at him, a wide smile beaming as she recognizes him.
"My Prince!" she exclaims as she opens her arms and grabs a hold of him. Chris crouches down further to be on her level.
"How are you feeling?" he asks the girl, looking at her eye to eye now.
"Much better! Mommy said you're her Knight in Shining Armor," she glances at her mom whom I notice is blushing profusely.
"Alice!" her mother scolds her.
I grin, looking between all three of them. "He really is though. Kind of like how he and I met actually."
"But I said you were more than that. You're Prince..." her voice trails off, she leans in closer to Chris. "What's your name?"
He chuckles with his response. "Chris."
"Prince Chris!" she exclaims. "Ya know, sometimes the princess saves the prince too, like Ariel saved Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid. But most of the time the prince comes to the rescue of his favorite girl," she rambles. "Is that what I am? Am I your favorite girl?"
Chris glances up at me, a little unsure of how to answer the question from the hyper beauty before him. I smile back at him, loving the little interaction between them, and shrug, leaving that decision in his court. "Well, Princess, this is my first favorite girl. This is queen Daphne. She's my first responsibility to take care of."
"Oh," Alice says, her face becoming sullen at his words as she takes a couple of steps back from him.
"But," Chris begins again, "It's my job to make sure everyone in the kingdom is safe and doing well, and that includes you." We watch as the smile returns to her face.
"How long are you here, Prince Chris, in this kingdom?" she asks, eyes widening in excitement again.
"I have to return to my own kingdom in three days," he informs her. "What about you?"
"I'm not sure. Mom? I mean, Queen Mom?" the little girl corrects herself, continuing the ruse of Princes and Princesses.
Mom glances over at grandma before answering. "Well, it was suppose to be tomorrow, but with all that happened, we decided to extend our visit and enjoy this 'kingdom' a little longer." Mom places her hand on her chest. "I'm Gabriella, or Gabbi, and this is my mother Louisa." Official introductions given we each exchange handshakes.
"Well, Princess Alice, I am thankful to see you're feeling well. Queen Daphne and I were just going to head back to our castle before taking a swim in the..." Chris is trying to think of the correct terminology to continue the make believe conversation. "Moat?" he says unsure of himself, even his face showing confusion.
Alice jumps up and down. "That sounds like fun! Mommy, can we go too?"
"We can go tomorrow, Alice. It's not polite to invite yourself into someone else's plans," she tells her daughter, ruffling her long red hair with her hands.
"It's really no big deal," I assure them. "The pools here are huge, plenty of space." Chris stands up from his crouched position, moving next to me now.
"Maybe we'll see you there, Princess. But if not, stay safe in whatever kingdom you go to," he tells her with his sweet smile. "Ready?" he asks, looking over at me. I nod for him to lead the way.
"Good night," we both say before walking back to our room.
~~~~~
Chris POV
"Not gonna lie, I'm worn out," Daphne tells me when we step into the cool room. She moves to flop down on the bed.
"You know if you lay down you're not gonna get up," I remind her. "I thought you wanted to swim?"
"Well, that was fifteen minutes ago. Now I just want to bathe and go to sleep."
I release a sigh, somewhat unknowingly. This causes her to sit up on her elbows. "What was that for?" she asks me.
"Nothing," I say before walking over to the dresser. I begin emptying out my pockets, placing my wallet, keys and watch on the stand.
"That wasn't nothing, Chris. What was with the big huff?"
My back to her, I roll my eyes. She can't see me do it. Or at least that's what I thought.
"There's a mirror in front of you, Chris." My face scrunches up, knowing I was caught. "Now, not only do you owe me the truth about the massive sigh, but why it earned me an eye roll." Her voice is getting sharp and pointed now.
I turn around facing her and lean against the dresser, arms crossed over my chest. "You got me excited for a swim and then you change your mind."
"I never said you can't go, just that I don't feel like it now. It will not bother me if you go, I know Alice is hoping you'll be there," she says.
I hang my head as I realize there is more behind my reasoning of wanting to go. "I see the way you are with her, just like you are with your nephews. It's fine if you want to go, but please don't act that way towards me again just because I change my mind," Daphne mentions as she gets up to move to the bathroom.
Gently, I take her arm as she goes to pass by me. "I'm sorry, it was childish of me." She hugs my chest long enough for me to lean over and kiss the top of her head. "If you're alright with it, I think I will go down, maybe just for a bit. Do you want me to bring anything back for you?"
Daphne shakes her head no before stepping out of my arms and over to the suitcase. She pulls out a nightgown but tosses my navy swim trunks over to me. "Have fun," she says simply, just before I hear the water running into the tub and the door close.
~~~~~
I splash water towards Alice again as she attempts to swim away, but the little floaties around her arms don't let her get too far before I grab her toes, pulling her back. I can't help but feel joy over the little cackles that escape as I learn she's quite ticklish around her feet.
"Prince Chris!" she laughs out just before I toss her into the air and across the pool, just a few feet in front of me.
I've completely lost track of time until the lifeguard comes by to let everyone know that the pool is closing for the night. "Well Princess, I hope you sleep well tonight. I know I will, you've worn me out." I finish drying off and wrap the towel around my waist.
"Stay a little longer, please! Mom said we could have ice cream." Her sweet little eyes pleading with me.
I think on it for just a moment. It would allow Daphne a bit more time of peaceful rest until I start snoring. She did seem pretty tired, and I'd like her to get as much rest as she can. "Ice cream it is!" The girl squeals and grabs hold of my hand dragging me to the ice cream station, her mom and grandmother walking behind us.
"Your daughter is adorable," I hear the man behind the counter say.
"This is my Prince," Alice calls out before I can correct the worker.
"Well, a Prince and his Princess must have the finest ice cream in all of the kingdom," he continues before scooping out two large helpings.
"So, Chris," Louisa starts, "where are you from?"
I set the bowl of ice cream in front of me and lean back in my seat a bit. "Originally I'm from Miami, but we live in North Florida now. What about you all?"
"We live in Miami actually!" she says surprised by my own answer.
"Small world, I guess," I add picking up the bowl again.
"Were you a medic there as well?" Gabbi questions.
I nod my head answering the question. "Up until a year and a half ago actually, before I moved."
I notice Gabbi and Louisa share a look with one another as Alice crawls into her grandmother's lap, snuggling in close. Gabbi drops her eyes, looking at the ground. "Is everything okay?"
Louisa speaks first. "Were you working when the factory blew up? Four...five years ago?"
I stop and think back to that day. It was one of the most trying days for all of the stations in the area, along with the community. I breathe out a long sigh, nodding my head. "That is a day I wish I couldn't remember, but yes, I was there."
Louisa's eyes fill with tears as she continues. "My son, Alice's dad, worked at that factory and was there that day," she pauses. "Alice was just a few months old when he died." Her gaze cast down to her granddaughter who is now asleep on her lap.
"I am so sorry for your loss. Both of your losses," I say looking over at Gabbi as well who remains relatively quiet. "How long were you married?"
Gabbi shifts her line of sight to me now. "We weren't married. Well, we were suppose to be, eventually I suppose." Louisa goes on to tell me that he had started a payment plan on an engagement ring and had been planning out a proposal at the time of the explosion.
My heart aches for all three of the ladies in front of me. One the loss of a son, another the loss of her love and for the little one who will have no memory of her own of her father. "I can't imagine the pain you've all felt. I truly am sorry."
Louisa shifts in her seat. "I'm going to go put this little one to bed, and have a rest myself."
"Would you like some help?" I offer.
"No, thank you though. Never know when will be the last time I can pick her up, so I'll do it while I can," she winks back at me before walking away. I'm under the assumption Gabbi will follow, but instead she continues to talk, so I sit back down across from her.
"He suffered third degree burns, over the vast majority of his body," Gabbi continues to tell me. "We were blessed to be able to say goodbye to him, but it was just so awful seeing him like that. I still have nightmares." I watch as she physically shudders, tears beginning to fall. "Do you suppose you took care of him?"
I shrug my shoulders. "There's honestly no telling. I remember we did have several burn patients, a couple that didn't even make it to the hospital."
"Did any of them say the name Ariella?" she asks again, more expectantly now.
I'm almost afraid to say that I do in fact remember hearing a man call out the name between moans of pain. "Actually, yes," I admit against my better judgement.
A smile crosses her face as fresh tears fall. "That's what he called Alice because of her red hair. It's why I was taken aback a bit when you called her Princess Ariel. Like her dad was right there with her."