188 - Fun Fun Fun

The morning found them loading up and heading to the beach for some fun in sun. Even though she tried hard not to go, they vetoed her when her bathroom excuse was solved. They usually traveled further down the shore, but settled on Sandy Hook’s parking lot D. Fully equipped with a bathroom and a bar. Not that she would need the second. Jon, on the other hand, might by day’s end.   

She absolutely loved the ocean. Sounds of the waves crashing against the shore, sand shifting between her curled toes, the smell of sea and salt, all peaceful and calming to her. She’d spend many a day and night taking in its serenity. And did so again today, settled back against her lounge chair, watching while her family frolicked. Jesse with his new board, Jon playing with Romeo and Jake, and Stephanie with her book.  

 

For a weekday in June, the beach was relatively crowded. Most schools had not let out yet, though Jon said that really didn't matter. Memorial Day was the official start of shore season, and with each week, the crowds would increase. What surprised her was that they were not approached. Yeah, there was whispering and those who did a double take here and there. It was kind of hard not to be recognized when Jon removed his shirt, exposing his infamous tattoos. Nevertheless, she was impressed people actually stayed away and let them enjoy their family time.

 

With July approaching, the water was still chilly, but not nearly as cold as the waters of Half-Moon Bay she grew up with. She’d braved them more than a few times, their chilliness helping to relieve some of the pressure from her lower back. And what would a day be without a little family sand castle competition? Since the girls were outnumbered, she and Step declared themselves team captains, with each of them vying for the best team. It surprised no one when Ari chose Romeo first or Jake, ending up on his sister’s team. She’d remember a similar conversation about the two of them building some of the best sand castles when they were in California the last time. Leaving Jesse and Jon and as much as she wanted to torment her husband, she couldn’t resist that puppy dog face and piercing blue eyes, so she picked him. In the end, it didn’t really matter; she had to declare it a tie when her bladder and her stomach decided it was time they both needed attention. Not wanting to risk being noticed, Jon stayed back with the two young ones, as Ari, Steph and Jesse headed back up the hot sand to use the facilities and pick up some munchies at the Seagulls Nest. After lunch, Jon and the kids ventured out for a walk along the beach to collect shells and find some of Stephanie and Jesse’s friends, who had texted them, were also there. Ari took advantage of that time to catch up on some work she needed to do for Petite Soho.

 

“Jesus Christ.” Her eyes flew open and found Jon hovering above her, shaking the excess water from his head.  

 

“Wakey, wakey.” he teased once more, this time using his fingers to shake the excess water from his hair.

 

“That’s fucking cold.”

 

“I know. That’s why I did it.” He tossed her his towel after he gave his arms and chest a quick dry off. “Ready to hit the road? Kids are getting antsy, and Daddy needs a bottle of wine.”

 

Devilishly, Ari tilted her head sideways, checking to see where the kids were first. “Pussies drink wine.” 

 

She tried ducking under her towel, but was too slow for his fast hands. Tossing the towel to the sand, he straddled her and the chair and feverishly shook his head. Droplets of water fell from his long, mousy hair, causing her to squeal. When he thought she had had enough, he braced himself on the arms of the chair and leaned in for a kiss.

 

“Get a room, why don’t you?” Jake mumbled sarcastically under his breath, reaching for one of the towels.

 

“Problem, Jacob?” Jon snapped back, pushing up off the lounger.

 

One step forward, two steps back. The continual dance they played where Jake was concerned. In all fairness to him, they hadn’t spent a significant amount of time all together. Quick visits while on the road, a day off here and there. Didn’t really help. Though, the past two days had been good, until now.

 

Trying to avert a fight between father and son, Ari wrapped her fingers around Jon’s wrist. “Hey, help a beached whale off the chair, will ya?” 

 

“That’s funny. Beached whale. We’re on a beach.” Laughing, Jesse slipped his feet into his flip-flops. “Not that you’re actually one.” He quickly stated, although that’s not what he meant.

 

“Jacob!” Jon called out to him as he stormed away.

 

“Jon.” she ran her fingers down his arm. “Let it go.”

 

Tugging his shirt over his head, he roughly folded one chair at a time. “Jesse, carry the rest of the stuff.” he growled and took off after Jake.

 

By the time the rest of the crew made it back to the car, they were both strapped in their respective seats and from the looks on both of their faces, neither was happy. 

 

“Did your Mom try to get you?” Ari asked, putting the rest of the stuff in the back of the truck.

 

“I didn’t answer.”

 

“Well, your dad is bar-b-queuing. Matt and Dez are there, too.”

 

Before he could decline, the kids were already cheering about seeing their cousins. Shifting the car into drive, he pulled out of the parking lot. “Do we need to bring anything?"

 

A huge smile spread across her face. “I told her we would stop at Crazee’s.” 

 

“Of course, you did.”

 

“Hey, it’s not me who wants it, it’s Lily here.”  

 

He couldn’t help but laugh at her patting her stomach. He’d warned her she would be addicted to that place in no time. He wondered what her excuse would be after Lily was born.

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Of all days for them to oversleep, today was not the one. They had an early morning appointment with Dr. Barnes. Dinner at the in-laws turned into a drunken night of whose dick is bigger contest between brothers as to who could hold their liquor better. Both failed, leaving Ari and Dez to schlep both their sorry asses home and put them to bed. Thank God Ari had Jesse and Stephanie. If it wasn’t for them, she would have never gotten Jon in the house, let alone upstairs and in bed. And while they took care of their father, Ari had to let Meatball out, make sure Romeo and Jake showered the day’s sand off before setting one pinky toe into their beds, before climbing into the shower herself.  

 

You would think with such a hectic fun day she would have been lights out the minute her head hit the pillow and she would have, if not for Lily. She chose that time to perform her version of the can-can dance that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The last thing she remembered before sleep overtook her, was the start of the sun rising and had it not been for the alarming sound of the smoke alarm, thanks to Romeo and Meatball trying to make them breakfast in bed, they would probably still be in their twelfth dream. Now, here it was nine o’clock and Jon was still in the shower. She still couldn’t find anything to wear and they needed to be out the door in the next thirty minutes. 

 

"Geez, Louise! Why did I have to eat so much last night? I don’t care what Dr. Barnes says, I am not getting on the scale today.” 

 

Ariana walked from the bedroom to the closet, talking to herself, wearing nothing but her sports bra. She had given up on underwear months ago when she couldn’t or wouldn’t go from her boy shorts to granny panties, as she called them. Besides, yoga pants didn’t require underwear, another staple in her recent attire, and other than the few times they’d gone out, she really didn’t need to dress up.  

 

“Just last night? I can’t wait to see the scale.” Jon responded to the rhetorical commentary from his wife. He loved to watch her get flabbergasted over a few pounds. Even though everyone had assured her she was still under the weight, they had wanted her to gain.

 

Ariana walked through the closet’s entryway to the en suite to see if he had said something to her. She loved this recent addition just for that fact; it made for easy access to her closet rather than walk completely out of the room and into the other. It was one of the few little touches Luc added when he did the renovations. Her only requests were a shower big enough for two and a tub long enough to flank the block glass window.

 

As she pulled open the glass door to ask him, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her under the stream of water. “What are you? We don’t have time for this!”

 

“You know what....” he ran his tongue up the column of her neck to that spot behind her ear. “We do.”