The school counselor gave us a few suggestions on what to do about Aragorn's temper. She thought he needed an outlet for his frustrations and suggested sports. Unfortunately those didn't work out so well the first time or the second time. He just wasn't a team player. So we tried some solo activities like karate - unfortunately that only gave him new moves to try during fights. He absolutely refused to practice any sort of music and art was mostly a big mess as materials were splattered around the room.
After almost a year of pulling our hair out and banging our heads into walls - he was excelling in English at school so we put him down in front of a computer and told him to type anything to came to mind. He was worried that we might read it but we promised we wouldn't unless he wanted us to...and it worked.
Any time he was feeling frustrated, we would suggest he go to the office and calm down and soon there would be the familiar clicking of the keys. When he'd emerge twenty or thirty minutes later - he'd be perfectly calm. Soon he started sending himself to the office and he was like a whole different child.
With another mini-crisis averted, Mom and Dad sat the whole family down one evening for an announcement. We'd just been talking about what we should do for their wedding anniversary when they brought the subject up. "We're going to Egypt!" Mom said smiling. "So you don't need to plan anything."
They went for a week and came back with Mummy Bears for the kids (like they needed more toys) and tons of pictures.
"Oh I never got a chance to try my hand at the snake charming basket" I said, looking at the picture of Dad enviously.
"Well perhaps your father can teach you." my mom said with a snicker. Something told me that that would not be a good idea. I looked over at Dad curiously and he was looking appropriately embarrassed.
"The snake bit my hand." he said holding up his hand. There were two little fresh scars on his hand from the fangs. I wanted to be concerned but obviously there was no danger or Mom wouldn't be laughing at him.
"Awww, you two look sweet together." I said showing the picture to Isaiah.
"That was outside the market - after one of the locals treated your father's snake bite." she smirked. "It was lovely...a bit hot but lovely."
There were dozens of pictures of the pyramids, camels, the Sphinx and just the whole area. "Looks like you saw the whole of Egypt" I said with a laugh.
"Oh I'm sure we missed a few things." my dad said.
"And now we have a surprise for you!" my mom said as I closed the album full of pictures. She dug into her suitcase and emerged with a pair of plane tickets.
I took them curiously and Isaiah was reading over my shoulder. "France?" I sputtered out, looking from them to Isaiah.
"You two never got a honeymoon and your anniversary is coming up soon as well so we wanted to surprise you. I'm sure you can take some time off and we'll watch the children of course." Dad said.
"Wow..." I couldn't help but calculate the likelihood of encountering Jean on the trip...probably slim. He was an explorer and even so, France was a big country. "Thank you!" I said finally, recovering from my lapse. I smiled at Isaiah.
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"Are you okay hun?" Isaiah asked. "You seem kind of off..."
"Hmm?" Oh just...not feeling so well I guess, jet lag..." I lied. Truth was I felt like I was looking around every corner in fear. I hesitated outside every shop we approached, what if he was inside?
"Why don't we go back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day in bed?" Isaiah suggested with a grin.
"That is a plan I can get on board with." I said laughing.
The next day, I resolved to just let it go. I couldn't spend my entire honeymoon/vacation afraid of that secret. We went out into the country; aiming for the nectary we'd heard about but I made Isaiah pull over when I saw something fluttering around. "Ez!" Isaiah said as I neared the group of butterflies. They looked like they were glowing in the sun and they were such pretty colors. I waved him off.
We never made it to the nectary that day, we spotted a campground and after a lot of persuading and hints of the possibilities, Isaiah agreed to camp for the night. He hates the outdoors so it was a big win for me. "Ya know, we could do all those things back at the hotel room...you know, the one inside the hotel..." he said after an hour by the fire.
"True...but look at the stars...they're gorgeous. And we're all alone in this little camp spot...." I said with a wink. I pulled him close to me and kissed him before he could protest any more.
One thing led to another....the ground, even with a sleeping bag, is really rough though I have to say...
We emerged from the tent awhile later and it was even darker than before. There seemed to be millions of stars in the night sky that night. Isaiah lit the firepit while I hunted the area for food. The place seem to be set up for people who were on an impromptu camping trip because there was a flourishing little garden with fresh fruits and vegetables and even a small freezer in the building with some meat.
"What ARE you eating?" Isaiah asked after I assembled my kabob. "Are those frozen hot dogs?"
"Not for long." I said, holding them over the fire.
"And the potatoes?" he asked with a laugh. I just shrugged, it seemed like a good combination at the time.
The following morning, we finally made it to the nectary. After browsing for awhile, we were looking for gifts to take home. "What's plasma fruit?" I asked Isaiah as I read a label.
"Plasma fruit?" he asked, taking the bottle and reading the label himself. "I don't know - doesn't sound that good though."
"Maybe for Will...he mentioned playing at some club called Plasma 50...something, I don't remember the number...bet he knows." I said, adding the bottle to the stack of ones we would be buying. After we made our purchases and arranged for some deliveries, the clerk suggested we try out hand at pressing our own blend and pointed to the back.
Both of our blends were pretty awful but it was a fun experience...especially when Isaiah slipped and fell a few times and I was lucky enough to get pictures of it. We cleaned up and then went out into the garden to explore the orchards. Another couple was there getting married and we hung back so as not to get in the midst.
"We should do that." Isaiah said quietly.
"Sweety, we're already married." I teased.
"No, I mean, we could renew our vows...tomorrow, just us in front of that fountain...or anywhere else for that matter." he said.
And we did, I had only brought only one "nice" dress so that was what I wore, pinning my hair up myself and hoping it didn't all fall to pieces before we got there.
We said our renewed vows to each other - no need for any witnesses this time as this was just for us. We returned to the hotel afterwards and didn't came back out until the morning we had to fly home. I'm sure we missed out on a lot of possible sights to see but I was perfectly happy to spend the whole of the week in Isaiah's embrace.
We went to a little cafe before the airport and enjoyed a simple breakfast together.
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When we got home, it was time to plan another birthday party - this time for the twins. Seemed like we were always planning and having birthdays around here. On the plus side, the party supply story had a "Taffity Package" ready for us every time we came in - they knew the family's birthdays almost as well as we did!
Faromir went first, seeing as he was born a whole five minutes earlier than his sister. Dad helped him blow out the candles and then set him down to pick up Eowyn for the same experience.
I can't believe all my kids are going to be in school in a few weeks! I felt a small twinge of Baby Fever but the thought of diapers and waking up at all hours of the night again did not appeal to me. I had no desire to do the baby stage again! Anyway, my grown up kids!
End Chapter
Outtakes
D'aww
Don't mind the fishing pole in your arm dear...
This is my favorite thing about France lol
Cake...always with the cake! I think there are like 8 left over cakes in the fridge now!
What great trips this family takes! Too bad she was always looking over her shoulder while in France. I hope she can move past the fear one day.
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