Laurie and I walked into the park after school. Her brothers declined the offer to go to the park with us, as they wanted to work on their homework. Nikolas had asked us to meet him here, as he didn’t feel like going into work for the rest of the day. “Mommy, when is Daddy going to get here?” Laurie asked me as I set out the stuff for our family picnic.

I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Soon, baby, he’ll be here soon,” I replied.

I had been in meetings all day and knew that I had promised to meet Elizabeth and Laurie at the park. It took a little time to extricate myself from my meetings but I finally managed to do it. I got to the park and smiled as I saw them together.
"Hey. I'm sorry I'm late. I had a tough time getting out of a meeting. I hope I didn't miss too much", I said as I kissed the top of Laurie's head then gave Elizabeth a soft kiss and a smile.

I know Nikolas had been in meetings all day and he knew that he had promised to meet Laurie and me at the park. It probably took him a little time to extricate himself from his meetings but he probably finally managed to do it. He came into the park and I looked up, seeing his smile when he saw us together. “Hey. I’m sorry I’m late. I had a tough time getting out of a meeting. I hope I didn’t miss too much,” he said as he kissed the top of Laurie’s head then gave me a soft kiss and a smile.

“Not too much. I was just unpacking the basket,” I replied.

"Good. I didn't want to miss too much", I told her as I sat down and joined her, then started to help her unpack the basket for the picnic. "So, tell me about your day"

“Good. I didn’t want to miss too much,” Nikolas told me as he sat down and joined me then started to help me unpack the basket for the picnic. “So, tell me about your day.”

“Where do I start?” I asked with a laugh. “I had a half-day at the hospital, picked up Laurie from preschool, then we went grocery shopping together, and I allowed her to buy some new movies that she’d been asking for.”

"It sounds like you've had a busy day so far today", I asked with a soft laugh. "Are you due back at the hospital for another half shift or are you done for the day and spending time with Laurie?"

“It sounds like you’ve had a busy day so far today,” Nikolas said with a soft laugh. “Are you due back at the hospital for another half shift or are you done for the day and spending time with Laurie?”

I smiled. “No, I’m not due to go in again until tomorrow morning. Why? Are you hoping to spend the rest of your day with a much prettier client…perhaps your lovely wife?” I teased.

I smiled at her as she flirted with me. "As a matter of fact, I am done with my meetings for the day so I am absolutely available to spend my day with my beautiful wife if she will have me. Do you have something specific for us to do in mind today, sweetheart?

He smiled at me as I flirted with him. “As a matter of fact, I am done with my meetings as well for the day so I am absolutely available to spend my day with my beautiful wife if she will have me. Do you have something specific for us to do in mind today, sweetheart?”

I nodded. “I do. I thought that after the picnic, we could drop Laurie off at your brother’s and Summer’s place, then go home and have a candlelit dinner,” I replied. Since we had Laurie with us, I leaned forward and whispered the rest of my idea in his ear.

I wrapped my arms around her as she started telling me her idea and then smiled slowly as I heard her whisper the rest. I looked at her, smiling at her as I caressed her cheek, keeping one arm around her waist. "I would love nothing more, sweetheart. I know that Lucky and Summer won't mind taking care of her. Then I can take care of you", I told her before leaning to her and giving her a soft, loving kiss.

I leaned into his embrace when he wrapped his arms around me while I started telling him my idea and I could feel the corners of his mouth tilt up into a smile as I whispered the rest to him. I pulled back to find him looking at me, smiling as he caressed my cheek, the other arm around my waist still. “I would love nothing more, sweetheart. I know that Lucky and Summer won’t mind taking care of her. Then I can take care of you,” Nikolas told me before leaning into me and giving me a soft, loving kiss.

I giggled in delight. “I do love it when you take care of me. You’ve taken great care of me since we met,” I said, reaching for his hand and intertwining our fingers.

"I'm so glad that you feel taken care of, Elizabeth. I can promise you that it will never stop. You are my princess and you deserve the best...I will continue to give you the best for as long as you will allow me to be in your life, sweetheart", I told her as I reached over and gently caressed her cheek.

“I’m so glad that you feel taken care of, Elizabeth. I can promise you that it will never stop. You are my princess and you deserve the best. I will continue to give you the best for as long as you will allow me to be in your life, sweetheart,” he told me as he reached over and gently caressed my cheek.

I smiled up at him. “Why don’t we take Laurie to your mother and Luke’s house? I suddenly remembered that Lucky and Summer went out of town for their anniversary, and then you and I can take the picnic home?” I asked.

"That sounds good to me. Why don't you gather up Laurie and I'll gather the picnic and pack it up, then we can head over to Luke and Laura's to ask them to take care of her. Then we can continue with our plans, hm?" I suggested and gave her a soft kiss.

“That sounds good to me. Why don’t you gather up Laurie and I’ll gather the picnic and pack it up, then we can head over to Luke & Laura’s to ask them to take care of her? Then we can continue with our plans, hmm?” he suggested and gave me a soft kiss.

I nodded then turned to Laurie playing on the equipment. “Alright, missy, let’s go see Nana and Papa Luke, okay?” I called over and she eagerly jumped off the swing after slowing it down.

I had gathered up everything from the picnic and folded the blanket. I picked up the basket and the blanket before walking over to where Elizabeth was with Laurie. I smiled as I ran my hand over the back of Elizabeth's hair, waiting for them to be ready to go.