Twenty. Disney and Silver Foxes

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I try to keep my leg still as Amy, the five-year-old we met on the cruise two days ago tries to scribble her name on my cast. There's a drawing of Minnie Mouse, a flower and some squiggle I'm not one hundred percent certain of, but who am I to ruin a little girl's confidence?

It's already nearing the end of the second week to our cruise, and I'm feeling all nostalgic. I'd happily sail the Mediterranean once more and forget about my troubles at home. I'll miss the calm when we crash right back into reality. It isn't as if I haven't prepared myself for it. I know I'll have to face Enzo sooner rather than later now we have a baby on the way, but it's going to be hard for me.

I'm a mess of emotions.

"There's a disco tonight," Amy says, excitement in her eyes. "Will you come to it? Mummy is letting me wear my dress!"

I laugh. "You bet."

"You can show off my drawing," she giggles, falling onto her dad's chest who is sprawled on a sun lounger, pointing at my cast.

Oh, the innocence of little minds. I nod proudly. "I'll show it to everyone I meet."

Amy lets out a half-giggle, turning her face into her dad's shoulder.

I cover my mouth. "Did I embarrass you?"

"No!" she says, pulling away from her dad's arms. "I don't get embarrassed."

"You don't?"

"No," she shakes her head, smiling. "Even when I spell words at my school," she glances over at her dad for help, and he mimes them back to her before she turns to me, "Spelling bumble bee."

James laughs. "Just spelling bee, honey."

"Oh," Amy shrugs as if to say, "okay."

James pulls her closer to him and presses his lips to her cheek making her scream at the top of her lungs. "No, daddy, you have a coleslaw."

Coleslaw?

"It's a cold sore, and it's died now, so I'm no longer infectious."

"So, it's yucky!"

I laugh at her poor dad as he rolls his eyes to the sky. Amy climbs off his lap and dashes back to me, eying up my crutches. James shakes his head, but she ignores him jumping onto my sun lounger, flashing an adorable smile.

"Can I try?"

I fold my arms over my chest, finding it hard to say no to her puppy dog expression. "I think they're a little bit big for you, sweetie."

"I'm a big girl."

"You are," I nod with wide eyes. "But, you might get hurt if you try to play with them and then you might ruin your holiday and we don't want that, do we?"

Amy twiddles her blonde hair around her finger, pouting a little. "No, because then I can't go to the disco tonight."

I shake my head. "And, we don't want that do we? We'd miss all the Disney characters walking around the ship."

Amy's mouth opens slightly, showing the missing tooth. "My mummy says I'm like sleeping beauty because of my blonde hair and my sleepy nature. I sleep in until eleven on the weekends."

The way she tells me makes me think she's sharing a deep dark secret. It's incredibly endearing, and I can't help but let my thoughts get away from me.

I imagine her as my daughter, and it's exciting.

I put my hand over my still flat stomach and wonder if this little bean is a boy or a girl. I'd be happy either way, as long as they're healthy.

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