I step out of Lauren's privately owned jet with my sons hand in mine to be greeted by the cultural and fascinating island of Santorini, embracing the beautiful scenery around me.
The view below me is outstanding, "I feel like i'm in the set of Mama Mia or something." i feel Lauren's fingertips scrape up and down my back soothingly as i breathe in the Greek air.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" i turn around to reply and notice that Lauren is looking at me, not the ground below us, "Smooth, Thorne, smooth."
Lauren chuckles deeply, and we are escorted onto a ferry to our first destination.
Lauren plunges the door open of our hotel room, the brightness of the sun taking our breath away. Well, two of us. Max is curled up on my chest, fast asleep.
"I should probably put the little guy down for a nap. He was awake with excitement for most of the night."
"Of course he was. His mummy is taking him on holiday, i'd be excited too."
"Yeah, you didn't have to deal with a two year old running around your house screaming 'HOLIDAY, HOLIDAY' at 5am."
It seems to be a thing now that Max and Lauren gang up on me. With the two boisterous personalities around me, i can barely get a word in edgewise.
Lauren has managed to get us a table in a reserved and inviting underwater restaurant, below Santorini's beloved ocean wildlife.
I still can't decide what to wear, so i've called in Max for backup.
"Okay, Maxy. You ready to help mummy pick out a dress?"
"Why not G'een Pas'a Lady do it?"
"Because Green Pasta Lady is making the reservation, and i'm the only one who isn't dressed." i flick through my outfits and weigh out my options, when Max points to one of my dresses with a subtle muliticolour.
"Dat on'!"
"Mm, the tropical one? I guess we are eating under the sea...maybe i'll blend in with the coral." i slip into my dress, and help Max acquit his very dapper suspenders...
When Lauren walks in she smiles a huge grin and kneels down to Max's level, straightening out his bow tie.
"Aren't you a very dapper little boy?"
Max tilts his head confusingly and chews on his fingers, "What dat mean?"
"It means that you look very handsome."
He tilts his head upward toward me, "Dat a good ting, righ' mama?"
"That's right, baby boy. Did you manage to get a reservation?"
"Yes, i did. Only the best for you two. Let's get going, we've got a submarine to catch."
I would have initially thought that the way to an underwater restaurant was by ferry, but i guess the world just keeps on surprising me.
And plus, Max is loving looking at all of the fishes that swim by past the submarine, "Mummy, dat on' got spikes!" Max says excitedly as he points to the puffa fish, "Yeah, mummy sees, baby."
I take a seat next to Lauren on a nearby sofa, "I bet you only booked this submarine for Max, didn't you?" Lauren takes a sip of water to hide her giddy smirk, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Alton."
"Y'know, i think deep down in that dark soul of yours, you have a soft spot for Max."
Lauren rolls her eyes skyward, internally, "Okay, maybe the little guy softened me up a little bit...but don't think i'm some kind of teddy bear now."
"Oh, i wouldn't dream of it! Uh, speaking of dreams..." i decide to tell Lauren about my dream.
It seems silly to hide it from her after all this time we've spent together, and how we've become really close.
By the end of my story, i can basically bear her brain doing cartwheels, or whirlwinds.
"Wow, um...that really is something..."
"We don't have to talk about i-"
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" Max takes me away from the conversation, somewhat happily, "I so e'sited! The fishies so co'ourful!"
"Yes they are, baby! I think we might be there soon."
"Yay!"
The scenery is exquisite...the deep crystal blue of the ocean highlights the dining room's blood red theme.
The old Emma would never have been taken nor invited to a place as socially demanding as this, but the new Emma is on a rich dominatrix's arm.
"It's just us?" Lauren turns me to the side, grasping my hands with hers, a serious look on her face, "Can i be honest with you?"
"As a DCI, honesty is all i want."
"A few years ago, i went to the Maldives with some friends, and we were invited to a restaurant much like this one. I loved it there, but not as a place to go with friends." Lauren takes in a deep breath to prepare herself.
Something tells me there's more to this than just dinner.
"Everyone told me i should bring Rebecca there one day. But i knew i didn't want to bring Rebecca with me, and i knew i didn't want to take you to the Maldives. I wanted to take you somewhere you'd never been before, somewhere that i knew you'd get to relax and spend quality time with Maxy."
"Lauren, where is this going, because so far you've brought up your wife who you swore you wouldn't mention, and i'm really hungry, so speed it up a little bit?" she humourlessly bites her lower lip, "I'm getting there, i promise."
I stand patiently and wait for her to continue, "I knew i didn't wanna take, you-know-who, to a place as special as that, and i knew the Maldives weren't good enough for you...so i built this place for you. To show you what you're worth, because even though i don't consider myself the perfect woman, you make me believe that i am, so it's only fair that i return the favour."
"You...built this place...for me?" she nods slowly, treading on metaphorical eggshells.
I close the space between our bodies, clasping my arms around her neck and pressing my lips to hers.
"That is just about the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"You're worth it." i pecked her lips again, her hand keeping me still at the small of my back, marking me as her own.
"Did you enjoy your food, Maxy?" Lauren asks as she sets down her utensils, "Yah! Yah! It so yummy." Max says as he rubs his tummy in a circular motion.
"Good, i'm glad." a waiter approaches our table with a business smile, "Did you enjoy your meals?"
"Yes, we did thank you." i say.
"Would you like me to take a picture of you two with your son?" i'm taken aback at how he thinks that me and Lauren are both Max's mums. I guess the future is coming quicker than we both thought, "Yes, please, that would be lovely." i say instead of correcting him.
Feeling like a proper family, going out for meals, falling in love, the old me never would have imagined this kind of life...until now.
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Thank you for reading this chapter!
Do you guys like the images that i put up sometimes, or do you find them to not help with the story?
Any and all feedback is appreciated!
Come back for Chapter 15 :) <3