“yes hi so you know all those painful times when they’re like wE’rE NOt a COUplE i think i need to write the first time they actually say YES YES WE ARE THIS IS MY WIFE/HUSBAND”
Tony jogged back to the car as Ziva and Tali began to walk down the big hill that led down to the beach. They’d got 20 feet from the car before Tali had said she was cold in spite of her insistence she wouldn’t need a jacket, and as usual all it took was one smile at Tony for him to go and fetch her one.
The hill was fairly steep and in the wintry weather it was windy; Ziva found herself watching Tali’s steps as she climbed down though she seemed much more preoccupied with the ocean waiting for them at the bottom.
There was an old man stood with a small dog facing the water. Not exactly a surprise; the fact it was a dog-friendly beach was half the reason they came here, with dogs being Tali’s most recent and passionate interest.
It also shouldn’t have been a surprise, then, when Tali began to run down the hill and across the small stretch of sand towards the dog.
“Tali, come here. What did I tell you?”
“It’s OK, he’s friendly.”
Ziva turned at the voice to find an older woman sitting on a bench at the base of the hill, waving Tali on as she came to a screeching halt in front of the dog and bent down at the man’s feet.
“I’m sorry. We tell her again and again she has to ask before stroking a dog, it is as though she has no control over her hands.”
“It’s quite alright, we were all young once.”
Before Ziva could reply there was a shout from behind her, and she moved out of the way just in time for Tony to come careering down the hill past her.
“Idiot.” The word, tinged with affection as it was, earned her a grin over his shoulder as he continued running past her and towards Tali. She felt the old woman’s eyes on her as she smiled after him.
She found herself smiling further as she watched him scoop up Tali from behind without warning, lifting her in the air before putting her back down and rubbing his back in a way she was sure wasn’t for show.
Ziva felt a strange pride as she gave confirmation. It was the first time someone had asked since they got married – when they worked together they would get the question all the time, and a part of her had been waiting for the first time she could tell someone. She supposed people assumed their relationship now rather than asking. After years of objecting to the question, she wished she heard it more often.
Feet planted back on the floor, Tali’s attention was back on the dog, and Ziva watched as it lay on its side for attention as Tony and the woman’s husband began a conversation.
“We have had dog questions non-stop for months. She is very insistent about getting one. We recently moved, and so I think now we will have no choice.”
“I heard your accent. Are you new to the States?”
“I am not from here originally, but we used to live here. My husband is American.”
There it was again, the funny feeling in her stomach at the acknowledgement. She wasn’t sure she’d ever said it before.
Ziva sat down on the bench, drawing her jacket tighter around her. Her eyes flickered back to him as they often did, now chasing Tali across the wet sand. His shoe got caught and he just about saved himself from falling flat on his face, hopping backwards to retrieve it as their daughter ran away laughing with her head thrown back.
“Yes, actually. How did you know?”
“You have the glow. Honeymoon period.”
“Oh, I am not sure about that. We have known each other for a very long time.”
“You love him very much, then. I used to look at Walter like that when we first met.”
“How long have you been married?”
“You must have been very young.”
“That’s very flattering, dear, really. We weren’t so young, but when you know, you know.”
Ziva couldn’t help but think back to how young she was when she and Tony first met. How long they could’ve already been married by now, if things hadn’t turned out the way they did.
“Are you going to ask the secret? That’s what people usually do.”
“I think if you’re in love you don’t need any secrets. The two of you will be just fine.”
Ziva smiled as she felt the warmth in her stomach spread further, not sure what had inspired her to open up to a complete stranger sat on a bench in such a way.
When she directed her attention back to Tony and Tali she caught his eye, and she saw him signal something to Tali who immediately made a beeline for her.
“Yes.” Tali stomped through the sand upon approach, holding a seashell in her hand that she presented Ziva with. It was light pink and cracked in one corner, lines of age and wear running down it.
“Thank you, sweetheart. It’s beautiful.”
“Daddy said we can get a dog just like Benjy.”
“I don’t think that’s exactly what I said.”
Tony came up behind her and Ziva couldn’t help but reach out a hand to pull him towards her. There was a happy little frown between his eyebrows as she pulled him down to kiss him, though his hands quickly came out to rest on her legs as though he was expecting something more than the peck he received.
“Yes, let’s go. It was nice to meet you.” Ziva addressed the woman as she stood up, who was looking between the three of them and her husband and dog out towards the ocean.
“You too. Congratulations.”
Tony took her hand as they began to walk away and Ziva couldn’t help but flick her eyes back to the woman, watching them with contentment as they disappeared across the sand.
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