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Mila went to change into her swimsuit while I slathered Lucy with a second layer of sunscreen. As soon as I was done, she dragged me by the hand down to the water's edge. The moment her toes touched the surf, she shrieked.
“It's cold!”
I laughed and swept her into my arms. “Better get used to it quickly if you want to swim.”
Ignoring her protests, I carried her into the waves until we were both soaked. Lucy's indignation quickly turned to delight as we splashed and played in the surf.
Soon, Mila joined us, looking as beautiful as ever in her cherry-red one-piece. Her rounded stomach never failed to make me hard, which was a problem considering our location. She and Lucy ganged up on me, dunking me underwater. I surfaced to find them both giggling uncontrollably.
Mila headed back to shore, relaxing in a beach chair under the shade of our umbrella. She had been my rock these past five years. Becoming a father was the greatest joy of my life but also incredibly daunting. Mila's strength and patience as a mother never ceased to amaze me. She made it look so easy, and I knew becoming a mother had healed her in so many ways.
Despite extensive searches, we’d never found Shannon. I could only hope she’d disappeared for good, and instead of continuing the search, I’d focused my attention on my family and their safety. They were everything to me.
“Daddy, look how pretty!” Lucy cried, holding up a spiral-shaped shell glinting iridescent in the sunlight. She proudly held up the seashells she’d collected to decorate our castle so Mila could see.
Lucy's green eyes were bright with joy as we built a sandcastle and decorated it with colorful shells. At four years old, the simplest things brought her happiness. I lived for these moments. My little girl had me wrapped around her tiny fingers. When she wanted to play again, I couldn't refuse.
“Higher, Daddy, higher!” Lucy shrieked as I lifted her and spun her around. Her delighted laughter rang out across the beach. I set her back down, and she stumbled around dizzily, nearly toppling into the moat we'd dug around our sandcastle.
“Careful there, little cub,” I said, steadying her with a hand on her back. “We don't want to destroy all our hard work!”
Mila smiled indulgently as she watched Lucy and I play. Our daughter ran to Mila, who swept her into a tight hug and showered her with kisses until she was giggling uncontrollably. The joy radiating off my girls warmed my heart, and I committed this moment to memory.
Mila moved to sit beside me on the sand, resting her head on my shoulder. Lucy was nearby, dancing through the edge of the surf. Her joyful laughter carried on the ocean breeze.
I took a moment to soak this in. My two beautiful girls, the sunset, the sound of the waves...it was perfect. The stresses of running Grizzly Guardians seemed to melt away when I was with my family.
Today was extra special because it was Mila's birthday. I wanted to make it memorable for her, though she never asked for much. Simply spending time together as a family was enough to make her happy. Still, she deserved to be spoiled on her special day.
I’d picked up a small cake before we set out on our journey. Chocolate with buttercream frosting—Mila's favorite. I managed to hide it in the cabin fridge without her noticing. Now, as the sun sank lower in the sky, I decided it was time.
“Hey, cub, come here for a minute!” I called out to Lucy.
She came bounding over, dripping wet and covered in sand. "What is it, Daddy?"
I put a finger to my lips. "” need your help with a surprise for Mommy. But it's a secret, okay?”
Lucy's eyes widened. She loved secrets, though she wasn't very good at keeping them. Still, she nodded eagerly.
“Okay, here's what we're gonna do...” I whispered the plan in her ear. She bounced excitedly in response.
“Wait here with Mommy. I'll be right back,” I said, rising to my feet. I dropped a kiss on Mila's head. "Be right back, sweetheart."
She waved me off absently, her gaze fixed on the darkening water. I hurried up to the cabin and retrieved the cake from the fridge. Luckily, I’d thought to add the candles and bring a lighter earlier. I lit them quickly, grabbed a knife and plates, and headed back down to the beach.
Lucy saw me coming and started giggling.
Mila gave her a curious look. “What's so funny, Lu?”
"Nothing!" Lucy said in a loud whisper, then dissolved into more giggles.
I sank down beside Mila again, carefully balancing the cake in one hand. “Lucy and I have a little surprise for you.”
Mila turned to me with an indulgent smile. “Oh? And what might that b–” She broke off with a gasp when she saw the flickering candles. “Magnus! You didn't have to...”
“Of course I did. Happy birthday, my love.” I started singing, and Lucy quickly joined in. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...”
Mila laughed, a little choked up. She closed her eyes for a second, composing herself, then leaned forward to blow out the candles. Lucy and I cheered loudly.
