Three Years Later

Blair lined up the shot through the viewfinder as the sun set over the Celtic Sea. Waves crashed against the rocks, and her finger clicked, capturing several shots of the water and the setting sun, brilliant hues of orange and red fading up into violets and blues. The chilly breeze rustled her curls, and she turned the camera, moving back to angle her body as she changed the focus of her next shot.

A tall man with shoulder-length brown hair walked along the rocks, a toddler by his side with the same curly hair as her mom. The little girl giggled as the man hoisted her up into the air and spun her around. Blair took several more shots of the moment, but if having a family had taught her anything, it was learning to be a part of the moment instead of always on the outside of it.

“There’s Mommy,” Hugh said, pointing towards Blair as she hiked to them.

“Mommy!” Shay, their little girl, yelled happily as Blair reached out for her. She picked up her daughter and hugged her close against the chilly air. “Did you see me?”

“I did, I saw you both. You were marvelous,” she exclaimed as Hugh draped his arm over her shoulders, planting a kiss on the side of her head. “Are you hungry yet?”

“No. More water.”

“We have to eat sometime today,” Hugh told her. “We’ll be here for a while longer, don’t you worry about that.”

Shay pouted, but she didn’t argue with her parents anymore. The small family strolled back down the path towards the tiny, gravel parking lot and their rented car they’d had since arriving in Ireland two months ago. Traveling while Blair was pregnant had been interesting, to say the least, but their wedding in Iceland was beyond magnificent and every day since was an adventure Blair wouldn’t trade for anything. Hugh managed her online store for her photographs, and Jesse had a part-time job working for her, too, helping get the right photos to the gallery on time.

For picking up and leaving their old lives behind, the days ran smoothly, and Blair and Hugh enjoyed their nomadic life. They knew in a couple years, they would have to put Shay in school, but there were several online options and they even considered settling down in Ireland or England for a few years.

Life was nowhere near perfect, but as Hugh took Shay from her arms and the two shared a very entertaining conversation about edible choices for dinner, Blair knew perfect was overrated. As was living the life their parents had originally wanted for them. Jean kept up to date with their travels and would join them in a week, along with Jesse.

Hugh’s family was another story. Kella was the only one who spoke with them on a regular basis. Blair made sure to send photographs from their travels to his parents but received no response. Their loss.

“Squid.” Shay giggled as Hugh tickled her.

“You won’t like squid,” her daddy assured her. “It’s sticky and chewy and stinks.”

“I’m sure we can find something edible in Cork,” Blair told them both. “How about troll?”

“Oh, troll…I hear troll is delicious,” Hugh chimed in, and both parents laughed at the panicked look on Shay’s face.

“I don’t want troll. What if I turn into a troll?”

“Nah, you’re my little fairy.” Hugh kissed her cheek. “You take after your mother in that regard.”

Blair packed up her camera in the trunk of the small car as Hugh settled their daughter in her car seat. When she walked around to the front, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. “I love you,” he murmured in her ear as heat spread through her body.

Thankfully, they managed to also find places to stay that offered two rooms so they had their privacy. She ground her hips against his, teasing until he growled. “I love you more. Maybe tonight, we’ll have some dessert?”

“Dessert would be magical.” He winked as she laughed and they climbed into the car.

The sun set beside them as they drove the winding road back into Cork and onto the rest of their lives.

More beautiful than a photograph, Blair mused and couldn’t wait for tomorrow.