#trinity sommers

[dandylion240]

“I love you” Trinity said reaching for his hand eyes sparkling in the sunshine.

“That’s not the same” he pouted.

“What am I old cheese” she demanded moving to get up.

Grabbing her hand he pulled her down to him. “That’s not what I’m saying. I love you to the moon and back.”

“I love you too even though your still as sappy as ever.” She giggled as his hands went around her waist slipping lower to her hips. “Not here” she warned “people are watching.”

“Let them watch” he nuzzled his nose into the side of her neck placing soft kisses along her collar-bone.

“What about Aubrey” she asked trying not to give in to her growing desire.

“She’s seen us kiss before” he tilted his head back “we’re on vacation. Relax.”

“I’m trying” Trinity muttered leaning into him.

“You know what our problem is don’t you” Vincent asked after a moment or two of silence.

[dandylion240]

“You’re right” Trinity agreed shocked when her daughter threw her arms around her in imitation of her father.

“Love you Mommy” she murmured. Pulling back Aubrey asked “can we go see my friends now?”

“Are you down playing already” Trinity asked glancing at the half-finished sand castle. Shrugging Aubrey shuffled over to it. “It wasn’t very good anyway” she kicked at the walls with her feet until it caved onto itself.

Vincent exchanged glances with his wife before squatting down beside his daughter. “Sweetie not everything has to be perfect.”

“I know” she mumbled.

“Then why” he gestured towards the ruined castle.

Shrugging she crossed his arms “I didn’t like it anymore.” She looked up her chin set in a stubborn line “can we go now?”

[dandylion240]

“No” Aubrey shook her head “I don’t want to.”

Kneeling in front of his daughter he asked “what do you want to do then?”

Thinking for a moment Aubrey smiled. “I want to build a sand castle.”

“Ok” he grinned sitting in the sand with her.

“Not with you Daddy” she objected “I want to do it by myself.”

Vincent stood up watching his five-year old daughter select a different spot in the sand to build her sand castle. Looking down as a hand landed on his forearm “my little girl doesn’t need me anymore.” He was half-joking despite the ache in his heart.

“She’s growing up” Trinity said moving to the blanket where they had their picnic lunch a couple of hours ago.

“She’s five” Vincent protested joining her.

“Don’t worry she still loves you” she assured him.

“I hope so” he muttered tossing a handful of sand in the air.

[dandylion240]

Jerking her hand away “it was my fault don’t you get it? I was driving. I was rushing. My mind was on all the things I left unfinished. I was thinking of my job, my career instead of paying attention to the road. Maybe if I hadn’t been distracted I could have seen what was going to happen. I keep thinking I could have prevented it.”

She stumbled to her feet Vincent following her. “Don’t do this to yourself. It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident. A terrible accident.”

Her left hand reached out to him while her right hand softly traced the scars on his once unmarred handsome face. “If I had been going slower it would have been you who had died that night. Instead it was a little boy.” Her face crumpled as she remembered the screeching of tires and crunching of metal as the truck tore into their car as it ran the stop light that night almost 2 years ago.

Pulling her close Vincent held her as the memories tore her apart. He rubbed her back whispering soothing words as she cried into his shoulder. The accident had been the reason she quit her job despite his protests. He knew even if she didn’t at the time it was her way of punishing herself for the accident. An accident that was out of her control.

[dandylion240]

“Daddy watch” Aubrey called trying to get his attention.

Smiling Vincent turned from Trinity “I’m watching.”

“You sure” she demanded hands on hips.

“Positive” he got his phone out ready to capture her latest feat.

“Alright here goes” she poised herself in the sand. Her feet spaced evenly apart as she took off to make the best cart-wheel ever. Halfway through she lost her balance causing her to fall to her knees in the loose sand.

“That was awesome” Vincent clapped.

“I didn’t do it right” she complained crossing her arms.

“It was a very good attempt” Trinity said coming up beside her daughter. “Next time you’ll do better.”

“But I wanted it to be perfect now” she pouted.

“You can’t be perfect at everything” Vincent said putting his phone away. “Let’s go for a swim” he suggested.

[dandylion240]

Trinity scowled up at her husband “what is our problem?”

“We don’t take near as many vacations as we should” he gave her a bland innocent look “we don’t know how to act while on vacation.”

“I’m not the only one who works too much” she grumbled taking offense.

Making hand dampening motions Vincent sighed. “I didn’t mean it that way” his eyes glancing towards their daughter making sure she was still occupied with building sand castles.

“You implied it” she huffed. Sitting up she pulled her knees to her chest. Her eyes looked out of the ocean waves. “I’m sorry” she apologized a moment later “I’m never any fun anymore.”

“That could change” Vincent said making sure to keep his tone light.

“Not anytime soon” she retorted “I have the Brockhaven case to review next. You know how awful their books are.”

“Do you like your job” he asked her.

“What” she blinked at him like she didn’t quite understand his question.

“Do you like your job” he repeated enunciating each word carefully.

[dandylion240]

“Daddy” Aubrey tugged on his pants leg “Is Mommy ok.”

“She’s a little sad” he smiled down at his wild haired little girl.

“Is she missing Toby” she asked.

He felt Trinity shiver in his arms at the mention of their son’s name. “Yes she is sweetie.”

“Mommy” Aubrey waited a moment looking up waiting for her mom to look down at her. “It’s alright if you still miss him. I do too… a lot.”

“Thank you sweetie” she sniffed moving from her husband’s arms. “I didn’t mean to make you sad too thinking about Toby on day like today.”

“I’m not sad” Aubrey insisted shaking her head. “Toby wouldn’t want me to be sad. So I made up my mind to be sad.”

[dandylion240]

“For disturbing you while you worked” she mumbled looking at the floor.

“I’m sorry for getting upset with you” Trinity said kissing the top of her daughter’s head.

“Now that you’ve apologized to each other” a deep voice said from the door “maybe we could all go out for dinner and a movie.”

“Yeah” Aubrey cried running to hug her father.

Smiling Trinity joined them moving a little slower but with no less excitement than her daughter. “It sounds like a date.”