Posted by Commander Mason Black (Executive Officer) in Eden Prime - The Black’s Arrive

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Paris Black (Science Officer) in Eden Prime - The Black’s Arrive

Posted by Commander Mason Black (Executive Officer) in Eden Prime - The Black’s Arrive
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Paris leaned back in her seat as the boat moved them across the lagoon to the resort from the landing port. She had debated about skipping the water taxi and walking until Mason pointed out how long of a walk it was around the complex. The place was massive and now with little legs, it would take them twice as long to get from point A to point B. She was tempted to lean back, close her eyes, and relax but Harper was not only sitting on Mason’s lap but also leaning over the edge of the boat far more than Paris liked. Reaching over she grabbed onto the hem of her shirt. Once it was securely in her hand, Paris leaned back and closed her eyes enjoying the feel of the wind on her face and the smell of the ocean.

“She is holding onto me again Daddy,” Harper looked up at Mason with a scowl trying to scooch to the side enough to pull away from the body leash attached to her.

“Let her hang on to you, if you fall out you can bounce along the beside the boat and I won’t have to jump in after you,” Mason grinned at the little girl, “besides, Mommy isn’t quite as excited about the water as you are, she’s more into the sand remember?”

“Mommy is from Mars remember. The only way you can drown is falling asleep in the bathtub. All this water is like culture shock,” she replied not opening her eyes or lifting her head.

Harper looked up at Mason wrinkling her nose. All her mommy did was rant and rave about how excited she was that they were going to a beach for vacation but now that they got here, she seemed nervous.

“We’ll have time to play and explore the water later,” Mason promised Harper as he pulled her back in from hanging over the side. “We’re almost there, see?” He pointed to the building that they were fast approaching, mostly to distract both Paris and Harper from the water.

“Wow,” Harper stopped wiggling and was amazed at the building they were moving towards. “Looks like a castle from a Disney movie. Like Cinderella’s house,” she said with a large smile. “Can we sleep out on the balcony and pretend we are Rapunzel,” she asked eagerly. Only a kid would want to sleep in a lawn chair when there were two thousand count silk sheets in a five-star bedroom but that was the beauty of children. They saw things slightly different than their parents. They brought magic and wonder to the mundane, even if the mundane was a hotel room that would rival an actual room in a castle.

It was not like Paris didn’t love the water. Mason was from Deneva. His family lived in the archipelago region where it was all turquoise waters and white sand beaches. Her father Denver had made sure his children were able to do a little bit over everything. It was more what she didn’t know about Harper. Swimming on a starship was not a top on most people’s to-do list. Mason had promised to teach her and even replicated a small flotilla of swimming devices for Harper but the daring streak that was coming out in their daughter was almost more challenging than becoming a parent on the fly. Harper was fearless and wanted to try everything much to the chagrin of her parents. Once the little girl was lathering in sunscreen and buoyed up like a life raft, Paris would be able to relax.

Parisi Black

“What do you think?” Mason asked Harper first, “Ice Cream? We find the biggest, most chocolaty ice cream we can find and once we have our bags in the room, find out where we can hire hover-ski’s and take mommy for a ride?

The Ice cream plan would allow Mason to enact that old time parents rule of having to then wait half an hour before going into the water. That in turn would give Paris time to make sure Harper was well and truly slip slop slapped with sunscreen, and that Paris herself would be armed with a fresh coffee before they headed to the water.

Mason Black

“Can we,” she bounced around on Mason’s lap with huge eyes holding her hands together as if praying.

“Of course we can sweet pea. First thing we do when we get to shore, promise!” Mason grinned at Harper.

“I think Daddy’s idea is brilliant,” Paris smiled at her daughter before moving over to lay her head on Mason’s shoulder feeling a wave on contentment she never had experienced before. Mason and she had taken a handful of vacations together. They had stayed at luxury resorts where they laid in the sun, drank too much, had sex until dawn, and then slept in until lunch. These had been great vacations but suddenly the memory felt like it lacked something. That something was the small bundle of energy in her husband’s lap. Harper made life fun and exciting. Every day was something special and not like the day before. Who would ever have thought a simple away mission would have led to an instant family. “I love you,” she said to Mason kissing his shoulder. There would be time later to express how much and Paris planned to have at least half the time here doing things to show Mason how much she loved him. There had to be a kids club somewhere and if not....Harper did have to sleep sometime.

Turning his head, Mason returned the kiss by placing his own on Paris’ temple and sliding his arm around her shoulder. “I love you more,” he smirked. Later on that night when Harper was exhausted from a day on the water and sleeping the sleep of the dog tired, Mason would show Paris exactly how much and in what ways he loved her. He smiled in thought, at one time a baggage handler that lingered too long in their room would have received an evil glare from Mason as he delayed the two of them from starting their ‘holiday time’ in earnest. Now that they had Harper, that time would be delayed even later but Mason didn’t really mind. It was enough for now to be with the woman he loved and their daughter.

The boat slowly decreased speed as it reached the dock for the passengers to disembark. Harper wasted no time getting off the boat and heading to the cart filled with the ice cream Mason promised. Her parents were slower to follow especially since they had to check in with one of the hotel staff waiting to take their name.

“Mr. and Mrs. Black,” a woman with long dark hair said with a smile indicating another staff to approach them. “This is Jeff and he will be your personal valet. Can I have your luggage pass. It will let him get it all to your room while you and Mrs. Black start to enjoy your time here at the resort.”

“Here you go,” Mason handed over his pass and signed into the hotel.

“She called me Mrs.,” Paris playfully poked Mason’s side. Aside from the life change of adopting Harper, Paris, and Mason had also decided to make themselves official. It was still weird to be called Paris Black but it was also something she loved hearing.

Paris Black.

Blinking in surprise, Mason laughed. “So she did! Well, Mrs. Black, seeing as we never had a chance to actually take a honeymoon, what say we make the most of this one?” Turning suddenly he swept Paris off her feet and into his arms as if he was about to carry her over a threshold.

“Which way to the nearest coffee cart?” He asked the woman who had checked them in, still holding Paris in his arms and not putting her down. Looking around, he spotted one near where Harper was about to take possession of possibly the largest ice-cream Mason had ever seen.

Mason Black

“God you know what makes me tick,” she laughed throwing her head back slightly. Her hand came up rapidly to catch her hat that was about to fall off her head. Seeing Harper with an ice cream that was almost as big as her head Paris bit her lip. “Okay on a scale from one to ten how bad of parents are we if we pretend to not see that,” she motioned to Harper. “I mean it is her vacation too right?” Paris and Mason were not crazy with their new daughter about things but they did set limits. RIght now all Paris wanted however was five minutes alone without the chatterbox adding her two cents or having to use code words that Mason and she were still creating. It had not been long enough for them to develop their secret parent language so whenever they were placed in that situation the message often got terribly misinterpreted.

Paris Black

“Why would we not see that?” Mason said and then grinned wickedly, “I want in on that!” Leaving their bags to be taken to their room Mason carried Paris the few short steps to the coffee cart, before lowering her back to her feet and giving her a playful pat on the backside. “Hey honey, can you get me one of those too? But, bigger! And get mommy the peanut butter and hokey pokey cup would you? I’ll come and help in a moment.”

“What coffee are you wanting today bub, as much as you want. Don’t tell the CO but I put all coffee ordered by Command Staff on this trip completely on TAB to the Odin, lets go wild!” Mason took a coffee menu from the holder on the side of the cart and handed it to Paris.

Turning to Harper, he took the large, oversized Ice cream that she handed him and the smaller cup for Paris. “So hover craft and remote islands to explore? I heard Mr Rhodes found a man eating plant on Risa, maybe we could see if we can find any here as well?” Crouching down, Mason compared ice creams with Harper and made a face, then looked at Paris. Honey, Harpers ice cream is bigger than mine.”

Mason Black, XO

Harper let out a giggle and replied with a very Paris-inspired expression tossed her hair to the side to get it out of her face, “it’s ‘cause I need not be blonde and bitter like mommy so I gets the bigger one with more sugar.” She licked her cone and gave Mason a look as if daring him to challenge her statement.

“That’s my girl,” Mason grinned, and ruffled her hair.

Paris began laughing so hard her coffee sloshed over the side of her cup splattering on the porcelain tiles of the patio. “I told you that she was listening and she is far smarter than you think.” The comment would not seem so funny to anyone passing by however if you belonged to the Black household it would eventually become a family motto. Mason had always joked that Paris’ preferred coffee combo of milk and no sugar made her blonde and bitter. The couple used it often until one night Mason off-hand called out if she wanted her coffee blonde and bitter. Not paying much attention when Harper asked why Mason had said because that’s mommy. Paris laughed kissing Mason which made Harper see it was something silly and happy. The couple did not think anything of it until the teacher called from school stating when Harper was asked what best describes her mommy her answer was blonde and bitter.

Paris Black

“Yes, clearly she is and has me completely wrapped around her little finger,” he laughed, and kissed Harper on the head and then looked at her Ice cream with Envy. “What is it mommy always says? Appearances are everything. Take your huge Ice cream and enjoy it, but I bet you can’t finish it before I finish mine.” Taking his own cone, Mason stood up and made a show of taking a big bite out of it.

Walking back to Paris, he booped her nose with a finger dipped in his ice cream and handed her the tub of ice cream Harper got for her. “How’s the coffee? It better be worth the cost, I’m the one going to have to reconcile the accounting when we get back.”

Mason Black

“Not that I don’t love you with all my heart and soul,” Paris handed Mason her coffee as she wiped the tip of her nose, “but you and I got married in the back of a governmental building built with hammer and chisels probably created somewhere between the birth of the galaxy and the time the pyramids at Giza was built. This is the wedding, honeymoon, and all the parties in between so it is going to cost you.” Paris took a bite of her ice cream and smiled. Nodding she liked it, Paris took a seat at a table and waved her spoon in the distance at two people literally barking out a squabble in the plaza. “You know I am so glad we are not at that stage anymore. The awkward stage where you debate if you want a date or are you going to ask them out, and then the whole nerves about whether they are going to say yes. You and I,” she pointed the spoon at him, “we just always tend to go for the gusto. Move forward. Push ahead. God I love you,” she said leaning forward to punctuate the sentence with a kiss.

Paris Black

“Ditto, gorgeous,” Mason answered right before he locked lips with Paris and returned the kiss, lifting his hand and holding the back of her head to keep the kiss going far longer than was publicly decent.

Harper looked at her parents as she continued to eat her ice cream cone. She allowed this to continue until Harper realized they were going into one of their ignoring phases. It happened when her Dad came home from work. He would say hi and kiss her making her giggle at the door, carrying her to the kitchen. Then he would kiss her mommy and that at times could take forever. Sliding off her chair, Harper tucked her head under Mason’s arm wiggling her way between them all the while never stopping eating her cone.

“You loved the wedding by the way,” Mason defended himself, laughing. “Christmas Day, a proper white wedding with snow and everything and your parents waiting in that little chapel on a planet in the middle of nowhere. And you thought we were going to have a back-of-the-shuttle Christmas on the way back to the Odin after picking up Harper and signing the papers. Did I do good or what? I even held back processing those papers until we were Mr and Mrs Black. I’m more than just a pretty face you know.” He winked at her again and turned to Harper.

“How’s that Ice cream, Precious?” He asked, seeing a large part of the massive ice cream cone had disappeared. “You thought I was clever wrapping up Mommy’s wedding dress as a present and keeping her other big Christmas Present besides you a secret, right? Back me up here munchkin, it was awesome, right?”

Mason Black

“Uh huh,” she mumbled still more concerned about her ice cream than what Mason was saying.

“There see,” Mason looked at Paris triumphantly. “It was so awesome it even managed to break Harper away from her ice cream long enough for her to grunt out Two Syllables,” he emphasized the word two.

Paris leaned back in her seat and took a long sip of coffee looking at Mason and Harper. Mason was correct. Her wedding was not what she expected but then again neither was this life. Her father Denver always said plan as far as you can reach in front of you but dream bigger. The dream Paris had for her and Mason however was exactly as she imagined. “Baby,” she said in a questioning tone, “you should say Paris, love of my life, all I hold dear,” she paused and waited.

Paris Black science

“Why? How much will it cost me if I do?” He smirked, then put one hand on Harpers head, leaned forward and let his lips brush Paris’ once more. “Baby, love of my life and the air I breathe....” he trailed off and waited for Paris to reply, but made sure his lips just touched hers. If she was going to break out one of her ‘exciting’ ideas, he wanted her focused on him instead.

Mason Black

“It was all I hold dear,” she corrected him,” but the air that I breathe does have a really nice ring.” She paused to give him a wink. “I was wrong. So wrong about so much.” Paris these moments with Mason. It made her feel young and exciting. She motioned with her head for him to keep going and repeat what she had said.

Paris Black

“What?” Mason asked and pulled back slightly. “What were you wrong about gorgeous?”

He knew full well that she was expecting him to repeat her words, but there was no way in hell that she was going to get him to say he was wrong before he even knew what she was talking about. Instead, he used her head motion as an excuse to let his lips brush hers again and for longer this time. “It ok, all that I hold dear, tell me what you were wrong about. I’m listening.”

Mason Black

“Daddy, mommy is never wrong. You know that. You should say sorry,” Harper licked her arm instead of wiping it to catch the melting ice cream.

“Honey, you only say sorry when you have done something wrong, and I have done nothing wrong, have I?” He looked between the two of them, Harper was learning quick how to switch sides.

“Take her advice baby.” Paris propped her foot upon his free knee and repeated the sentence. “Paris, love of my life, all I hold dear, and the air I breathe I was wrong. So wrong about so much but,” she ignored what he said.

Paris

“Paris, love of life and all I hold dear, the air that I breathe, blah blah blah blah, but…” he trailed off waiting for Paris to continue.
Mason Black

“Mason if you don’t say I am right this second I swear I will make you sleep on the balcony. Now let me have my cute and adorable moment or so help me god,” she narrowed her gaze, “I will not be cute and adorable.”

Paris Black

“All right, all right,” Mason laughed. “Paris, love of my life, all I hold dear, and the air I breathe I was wrong. So wrong about so much but…”

Mason Black

Paris’ mood instantly changed from the looming storm just behind her eyes to a day that was perfect with crystal clear sunshine. “Because,” she altered the addition of his word, “this life is far better than the one we thought we would ever have all those years ago in the holodeck on the Asimov.” A smile followed by a wink ended Paris’ little game of repeat after me. There was no more to say or add. Mason would understand and remember. All those years ago, Paris and Mason were in love yet they were also so stupid. She remembered Mason wanting to call off the wedding not because he wasn’t madly in love with her but because he thought he could not give her the life she wanted, she deserved. His condition prevented them from ever attaining what was sitting on his lap and dripping ice cream down his leg.

Masons smile at her words turned into a laugh, and he leaned back in the chair and took her hand. “Baby, this life is the life I never knew I needed until I met you. It’s far better than what I ever thought we would have on the Asimov.” Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of her hand softly and then gently kissed each of her fingers that were entwined with his slowly, letting his lips linger on her skin. “Later on tonight, I’m going to show you exactly how much better this life is,” and he emphasized the point by raising an eyebrow and giving that single brow a wiggle. “I was wrong, wrong to ever think that the love in my heart for you would never have been enough for you. I was stupid.”

Sitting between them, Harper screwed up her face and looked between Mason and Paris. “Ewwwwwwwwwww,” she let the sound run into a drawn out sound that sooner or later would force both of them to pay her attention. “You guys are all mushy, that is, so gross.” Noticing that her ice cream was melting faster, Harper licked the side of the cone quickly and then stuck the ice cream on her lips, making a long sucking sound to slurp up the half melted ice cream that was running down the cone.

“We’re being all mushy because of how perfect you are and how much we love you,” Mason grinned and kissed the top of Harpers head, then Paris’ fingers again but quicker this time instead of slow and drawn out.

Paris knew Mason’s worries would never have come true. Life always gave you opportunities to make your own happiness. You could dwell in what you had or dwell in what you didn’t. Paris always chose to have faith that God and the universe will provide what you needed.
While tragic that the little girl’s real parents were killed, Fate put Mason and Paris there to pick up the pieces for Harper and make sure the little girl was loved, cared for, and never go a day thinking she was alone in the universe. Whether Paris and Mason had any other children was a decision of Fate. Paris had one child and a man that loved her. Her life would be rich and full no matter what else ever happened.

Blowing Mason a kiss, she leaned back letting the sun’s rays warm her face. Life was good and she would soak up all the good in this moment.

Paris Black.

“Time for that later hun,” Mason ran his finger along Paris’ foot, “time to check into the hotel, change into our swimsuits and hang out at the pool all afternoon. Tomorrow we should go camping, how about it? I know a spot along the coast that the two of you will love, trust me.” Knowing that Paris was not about that boating being from Mars, camping by the seaside was a way to appreciate the ocean while keeping Harper entertained, and Paris free from worrying about sinking. There was no way that Mason was going to miss out on a night in the hotel with Paris this first night, and the spot Mason had found while looking at brochures by the ice cream stand while talking to Harper had given him an idea of how to achieve Paris’ goal of spending the entire time by the pool and get away from the people that were here doing the same.

Mason Black

===========
The next day
===========
Paris inspected the secluded camp site Mason had reserved as she stepped off the boat bringing them there. It was nothing like she expected but exactly what she wanted. If there was one thing Mason knew about his wife, it was how to keep her happy doing the mundane. The stories would reflect an adventure of camping in the jungle in a remote location devoid of comforts such as restaurants, crowds, or tourist activities. The reality was the campsite was bathed in luxury. “Mommy mommy look I gots my own tent,” Harper squealed diving towards the edge of the boat ready to jump overboard and swim in.

“Mason,” Paris snapped her fingers in the general direction of her overactive daughter. She had held the little girl half the way here before giving up the struggle of trying to keep her in the boat. It was then she turned the eager beaver over to Mason. If Harper managed to get over the side of the boat, Mason was definitely a stronger swimmer to fish her out. Putting a hand to her face, Paris looked at the tents on the beach. Luckily, Harper was at the age that everything besides her bed was magical. Tents were a loose term Paris noticed the closer they got. The tents were more of a yurt with a hard floor, windows, and climate control pumping inside them. Harper did have her own little tent that was attached to the main one with no other exit besides the main door of the yurt. This would give the little girl the impression she was camping alone but the parents the confidence the kid was going no where. The tops of the yurts were clear material that reflected the sun during the day but went clear as glass at night to let those in it sleep under the stars.

Outside of the yurts, there was a hut with a large garage-like door. From here, Paris could see kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, and that was only what was visible. The hut undoubtedly had much more inside it to prevent any kid from screaming they were bored ten minutes after they arrived. “You did good,” Paris smiled at her husband. “You did really really good.”

Paris Black

Mason gave his wife a wide smile and slid his arm around her waist, kissing her cheek as he let Harper, who he had carried by the pants waist off the boat, down onto the sand and let her run ahead to explore.

Looking at the huts for a second, he blinked and quickly looked at his wife again with a look of shock on his face. “Wait, you think this is where we are staying?” He shook his head quickly. “No baby, this is the VIP camp. You don’t want to stay here and be pampered like you are on a holodeck and can go back to our quarters at any time, you want the real, full on experience of a dirt floor, sleeping bag, long drop toilet and sausages cooked on a stick. Real, out in nature camping!” He smiled widely and breathed in a huge lungful of fresh sea air, then let it out with a happy sigh.

“Real camping,” Paris slapped at what was an imaginary insect buzzing about her head. “Baby you remember what outside means to me. Plexisheilds and atmospheric controls,” she looked around. “I am from Mars. We don’t really do outdoors like you people do out doors. I mean what if there is something in the forest,” she started before Mason cut her off.

Turning to Paris, he took hold of her belt and pulled her body in close to him, and put his finger over her lips. “Ssshhhhhhh, baby,” he said in a near whisper. “You think after that little display of agility and endurance you gave me after Harper went to bed last night, that I wasn’t going to treat you to something special? Of course I am kidding. How could I let a wildcat like you loose in nature without giving my girls something special to come home to.” Not waiting for the smart-arsed comeback that he knew was going to burst forth any moment, he removed his finger and replaced it with his lips.

As much as Paris loved being a mother, she also missed being the only person in Mason’s life. Moments like these were not rare but less spontaneous. Paris pushed Mason’s hand off her pants and out of the way. The second it was gone she jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist. Harper had taken off into the yurt the second her feet had hit the soft sand. There was only one exit. While Paris had always secretly judged the other women who admitted they allowed things like the holovision, a call to a relative, or finger paint to entertain their child for fifteen minutes, today she was joining that club and the babysitter was a yurt.

When Paris’ legs wrapped around his waist Mason’s hands automatically moved under her thighs to support her. That had the benefit of his hands being able to slide under the skirt she was wearing and the skin on skin contact was electric to him. Paris had always had that affect on him, and even back as far as the Asimov the urge to find the nearest storage closet hadn’t always been possible to ignore. Mason’s kiss turned into a bite on her lip as his hands settled into familiar territory, not caring that the boat that had dropped them off was now backing back out into the ocean and the remaining passengers were seeing a live show. Lifting his wife slightly from where she clung to his waist, he made sure that she was aware of what her movement had created, that movement serving to encourage him to kiss her harder again and move down to her neck with a low moan.

“Do you think it is big enough to occupy her for fifteen,” Paris said unbuttoning her husband’s shirt and then stopping. “Ten,” she adjusted her time frame. “Do we have ten,” she asked Mason wide eyed with an excited and eager tone.

“I can do ten, can you do ten?” Mason raised his head and looked at her with a grin. “She will be occupied for at least that, probably fifteen. Trust me.” His voice was quiet but urgent. “But now, we need to go now.”

“In the shed,” she said in a needy voice motioning with one hand in a flailing motion behind her to the large space containing the various water activities that came with the yurt.

Not offering any argument, he turned and carried her towards where she waved her hand. To be honest he couldn’t have cared if it was a shed or behind the yurt in the forest, it just had to be somewhere, and the sooner the better. The clock was ticking. Behind him in the distance Mason registered the faint sound of voices cheering as the boat got further and further away from shore, and the sound of the engine revving as the crew tried to put some distance between them. The sound of the cheering only encouraged him however and he wasted no time kicking open the door of the shed rather than try to push it open carefully. “Hey this is cosy,” he laughed and carefully stepped inside so that he didn’t hit her knees or head on the door frame. When he stepped through the door he hit the close button on the main switch panel which silently swung the large garage door down blocking the interior of the shed from any audience outside, then pushed the single door shut with his foot. Sliding one hand further up the back of her thigh and squeezing, Mason let his lips return to her neck.

Entering the shed she looked around. “I am at a five star resort and I am in a shed,” Paris replied hastily pulling off her shirt to reveal the bikini underneath. “I didn’t even do that in high school but who cares. Come here,” she motioned to Mason.

“Baby we are parents, we haven’t got time to be picky. Right now this is a five star resort and I’m ordering room service.” Mason laughed and lifted one arm a little, letting Paris slide his shirt off. With that newly free hand he reached behind her and pulled the single string that let the bikini top fall free, while his other hand searched for the edge of her bikini bottoms letting her legs support her weight again. “Leave the skirt on,” Mason directed as his fingers curled around the fabric trim of her skimpy garment and his eyes searched quickly, coming to rest on the wide leather seat of an oversized jet ski. Seeing it, Mason slowly looked back at his wife and grinned. “Wanna go for a ride baby?”

Laying Paris back on the big sport machine Mason straddled the seat and then stood upright. His hand dropped the now removed piece of fabric to one side while his eyes looked into hers hungrily, looking at his wife with an urgent need while his heart beat faster and his breathing suddenly became quicker. “Oh I can do ten,” he grinned and said almost out of breath, and moved down to let his lips caress her skin.

---------------Fifteen minutes later--------------------

“Twice?” Mason breathed hard and laughed. “Anybody would think Mommy and Daddy haven’t had enough alone time lately,” he kissed her quickly and then reached for her bikini top which was laying on top of a pile of surf and paddle boards. Passing it to his wife he picked up both his shirt and hers, making sure to give her the right one as he looked around for a very important piece. “Baby where the hell are my shorts?”

Stopping at the sound of her quiet laugh, he looked up at where she was pointing and frowned. “How the heck did they get up there in the rafters?” Bending at the knee and jumping, he was just able to reach the bit of fabric hanging low enough for him to pull them off the wooden roof rafter, then he balanced against the jet ski that had been their chariot of the gods for the last quarter hour as he struggled to pull them on, still weak at the knee’s and tossing his shirt over the handles of the jet ski.

“Mommy,” a voice squealed happily as she walked out onto the porch. “Daddy,” Harper called out looking around.

“And just like that, we are back on the clock,” Mason laughed and turned, giving his wife a smack on the rear end as she grabbed the nearest leisure activity item she could and rushed out to greet Harper before she could make her way inside the shed looking for them while Mason struggled to turn his shirt the right way in before putting it on. Of course because he was trying to do it quickly, it was taking twice as long as normal.

“Mommy found a surfboard,” Paris came stumbling out of the shed holding a small paddle board and not the full-sized board one day Harper would recognize. Aedan Teller did think of everything when he created the place. The shed was perfectly angled so that one inside the shed could see anyone coming through the small window however anyone on the porch would only see the side of the building. “Mommy and Daddy were just looking at all the fun stuff we have to play with,” she spoke slightly out of breath. With her free hand, Paris made a rolling motion for Mason to move faster to her side.

“Hey honey,” Mason said walking out of the shed and moving to where Paris was standing. “There is so much cool stuff in here, you are going to have so much fun, I can’t wait!” While he spoke, he was stuffing something in his pocket and looking at Paris, realized that both his wifes’ and his hair probably looked like they had gone a week as castaways on a deserted island.

“Yay,” Harper clapped her hands. “Look at what I found,” she jumped up and down and disappeared back into the house.

Tossing the surfboard to her side Paris let out a laugh. “Well that was cauu loooose,” she laughed feeling Mason scoop her up in his arms. “You know we almost got a visitor,” she laughed kissing Mason. This vacation was good for them both as a family and a couple.

“Nope, fifteen minutes, baby there is a reason you are the best Vacation Activity Time Management Planner in the business,” he said as their lips parted, but he couldn’t help trying to hold that kiss just a little longer. It was different to the kiss they had 16 minutes ago, this one was tender and playful, fun, light and the love it carried was of a far less intensely urgent kind.

Grinning at her he began to walk to the hut with her in his arms, looking into her eyes with a simple, sanguine feeling of contentment that he had never felt as a bachelor, even as a man with a girlfriend as amazing and perfect for him as Paris, the addition of Harper had lifted his sense of completeness to a level he hadn’t imagined he could feel. “Come look at what I got you,” he smiled, “there is coffee for you, and maybe a little something for Harper as well. Oh, and I have your Bikini bottoms in my pocket. You left them in the shed.” Looking at her as he walked, he let his eyebrows lift and drop a few times. “You saucy puppy you.”

From inside the hut, came a squeal of laughter from the little girl and moments afterwards, a deep, strong bark followed by a happy whine of an excited animal.

Mason Black, XO

Paris looked at Mason and stuck her foot out stopping them from entering. “Is there something live in there with our daughter,” she raised an eyebrow looking at Mason.

Paris Black

“I sure hope so,” he looked at her and his eyebrow rose slightly. “If not I’m going to have a really hard time explaining how Harper is making that sound.” Coming up to the door, he set Paris down on her feet and nodded for her to go inside. “After you gorgeous, take a look at how we are going to be slumming it for the week and how I managed to get fifteen minutes alone time with my girl.”

The inside of the yurt was something that defied the simple look of the exterior, somehow it was able to look bigger than expected but at the same time, far more comfortable. There was indeed a second yurt attached to the first via a small tunnel that opened only to the larger one, and this was where Harper would have her own room. The inside of the yurt was decorated in warm tones of wood, the frame and the floor both complementing each other and the faux fabric walls a warm cream that mimicked the old hides that used to be used to build them. Small windows let the occupants see out and let plenty of light in while pictures in wooden frames of Paris, Harper and Mason as a family decorated the inside of the Yurt as if they lived there.

The large space was split into two spaces, with the smaller bathroom space walled off with a door for privacy. This contained only a washroom for personal use and a shower, as outside the yurt was a large Spa. The larger interior space of the main yurt held a huge Alaskan King bed, sofas arranged around an actual fire place with rugs that mimicked animal skins on the floor but much comfier, and a full kitchen with an actual refrigerator stocked with real food, a replicator, breakfast bar and island, designed to compliment the large barbeque and pizza oven outside next to the brazier, picnic table and loungers.

Around the walls were placed lanterns that could be set to either flicker with fake flame, or produce a steady, normal light. Glass display cases held a variety of ancient looking items that gave the yurt a tribal feel, and bookshelves held a range of real books, many of them fairytales and other stories. All in all, there was a reason this was a VIP camp site and Mason stood there looking at it happily as he watched his wife critically examine it.

The one thing that broke the calm of the scene was another loud, deep bark and happy whine and a giggle from Harper as she knelt behind one of the sofa’s. Sitting beside her but still towering over her was a massive dog with golden fur on it’s sides and back and a darker face, almost with black fur running from it’s ears down it’s chest. It was sitting with it’s enormous mouth open and a tongue that was clearly larger than Harpers hand. Black, intelligent and loving eyes watched her and turned to Paris as she walked in, with the dog shuffling excitedly towards her once or twice before sitting again and half barking at her to get her attention. Whining slightly and wagging his massive tail furiously, he leaned his head on an angle and watched Paris as Harper alternated between petting and cuddling the monster animal, her hand disappearing in the voluminous mass of fur.

“Baby, we just became pet parents as well,” Mason wrapped his hands around Paris’ waist and nuzzled her neck. “I felt like Harper might want a friend to play with, and when I saw him at the shelter, I fell in love. He’s a Leonberger, and you and Harper get to give him his name. I think he likes you already.”

Mason Black

CO Bumpity