{ chapter twelve ~ family outings }
It was the typical summer day in England, the overwhelming heatwave and the swarm of people taking over the beaches. Mila, Peter, the twins, and the rest of the family were amongst that swarm. Peter shook his head as Mila frantically coated her two children with sun lotion as they whined about joining their Uncle in the sea. "Okay, all done!" Mila told the two as she watched them eagerly join Edmund. "Ed!" Mila shouted. "Make sure they stay in the shallows!" The boy replied with a thumbs up before he hauled his niece and nephew over his shoulder. The two's laughter was a melody to their parent's ears.
Edmund splashed and played with his niece and nephew. They were his way to scoring women, but he loved being around them all the same. "Aww! Your brother and sister are adorable!" One young woman had called over. "My niece and nephew actually. I just can't help but babysit them! They're my best friends." As a small group of females fawned over Edmund, the twins continued to shriek and splash their flirtatious uncle.
Lucy Pevensie had sat further down the beach, away from her 'embarrassing' family. The attempts of tanning her beautifully fair skin weren't working miracles due to the thick layer of sun cream, courtesy of Mila. "It's so you don't burn Lu!" She had told her as she rubbed the lotion on her back. "You always burned in Narnia, shame they didn't know of this magical cream." She chuckled, only for the teenager to groan as she eyed some handsome, older boys. One of them had taken a liking to her, and the two were now conversing back and forth as they sat with ice creams. He seemed lovely. He even asked Peter for permission to take her to ice cream, which Mila thought was adorable.
Susan and her fiancé, James Davidson simply watched the waves in the arms of one another, whispering sweet nothings to one another. "You two are adorable," Mila called over as she turned to the blushing couple, like teens.
Peter and Mila had taken their small break away from their troublesome twins further along the beach as they strolled along the shore. Hand in hand as they cheerfully spoke about their beautiful time in both Narnia and Finchley. The two had really lived the most perfect life. "I cherish you dearly, Mrs. Pevensie," Peter whispered as he took Mila into his arms. "That's a new one," Mila whispered as she glanced into his eyes. The sea reflecting within them was almost unrecognisable due to their similar stunning colour. "I cherish you also, Mr. Pevensie." She whispered before lightly kissing his lips. "Eww!" The high-pitched squeals of three children, including Edmund, broke them apart. Peter raised an eyebrow at his two adorable children before he charged toward them, earning screams and squeals from the two as they tried to run from their father.
"So," Mila said as she took a seat beside Edmund on the sand. "Which girls have you been flirting with?" Edmund acted shocked. "Me? Flirting with girls whilst I play with my niece and nephew? NEVER." Mila chuckled. "You're good with them Ed. In fact, they remind me of you when I first met you. They're full of wonder and curiosity, but they're also stubborn." Edmund interrupted, "So they're like Peter?" Mila groaned, "You didn't let me finish, remember in Cair Paravel how we would run riot and play pranks? They're just like that, and I didn't teach them that, Ed. And you seem to babysit them every Sunday. So it's most definitely you." She let out a laugh. "And I wouldn't change them for the world." She honestly told him as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Watching Peter and the kids play in the sea and build sandcastles, was such a perfect picture to Mila. She loved them so much. Her perfect family. They were perfect in Finchley or Narnia. It was their destiny to be together, wherever in the world they were. Mila and Peter loved their destiny, and they wouldn't change it for the world, even in the darker moments, they all added up to those that were filled with such wonder. Their destiny was perfect.
Edited - 21/04/2023