Maekar finally felt the weight of the day start to melt away the moment he sank waist deep in the small, circular jacuzzi of the time-share.

His children, the younger ones that is, squawking and splashing in the adjacent swimming pool while the three elders lounged beside it. Aemon, like always had a book in hand; Daeron and Aerion were occupying themselves with low chatter while the latter threw rings into the deep end to watch Aegon, Daella and Rhae chase after them.

A weekend at a theme park sounded like a lovely idea at the time he booked the tickets. Rides, games and entertainment to distract the kids, alcohol to east his nerves and a sundress on his wife.

His wife. The young woman he married nearly a year ago after a year of 'courting' as he called it. Maekar, for all its worth, had never anticipated falling in love again...getting married again. But when you had walked into his office, a research student seeking his family archives, he was taken aback.

The feelings bloomed and to his surprise, you had reciprocated. The rough, and at times rude demeaner had not pushed you away, rather you took it as a challenge.

And this trip had all been your idea in retrospect. Spring Break for the kids meant spring break at the university where you worked. As CEO Maekar never took time off unless coaxed into it, and the flutter of your lashes had surely convinced him.

He had not stopped to consider the grueling heat of the south, nor the whining of all his children, elder teen and child alike. The suite they had booked had been double booked for the weekend, resulting in three separate rooms, his own adjoining to the younger three, while the elder took the one across the hall.

The walking was also not a joyous thing on his knees, especially when he was carrying either a bag or a child at any given moment. But Maekar made do. He suffered for the joy of those around him, his children and his wife.

His wife who had been just as stressed and just as attentive to the children as he had, but with all the grace of a woman. He was not patient, yet you were; he would not ride rides, yet you would; he wished to lounge in the jacuzzi and perhaps drown to get the trip over with quicker; and yet...

The slosh beside him and the faint giggle beside him made his jaw clench as he sighed through his nose, long and deep.

"Don't get any clever ideas," he grunted, knowing well who had sunk into the heated pool beside him.