I shake my head, laughing at them, I call a car and it takes us to our resort.
The resort sprawls across a hillside that offers panoramic vistas of the ocean and the mountains. From our room, you can hear the waves crashing and the distant calls of the exotic birds echoing through the trees.
Millie immediately wants to take Aura to the ocean, and once we are changed and lathered in sun lotion, we head straight there. The moment I step onto the sand, I feel the warmth of it beneath the feet, but all I can focus on is them. My girls.
Aura's tiny hands grip the sides of the wagon, and Millie pulls it closer to the shoreline. Once Millie gets to the spot she wants, she unbuckles Aura and lifts her out, setting her in the sand.
Millie kneels next to Aura, grabbing a handful of sand in her hand, letting it fall onto the ground. I see her smile, one that is different than ones directed towards me. When Millie smiles at our daughter, she is totally in the moment.
"Look at you," Millie says, her voice low and soft, full ofwarmth that only she can exhibit. She is smiling—no, she's glowing as she watches Aura explore the sand.
Aura looks up at her, wide-eyed, and there is a little crease on her forehead as if she is trying to figure out this new texture. She giggles, a small, musical sound, and Millie laughs along with her.
I feel like a spectator in the background, watching them have their own little conversation.
"You're a little explorer, aren't you?" Millie says, her hand brushing away a stray curl from Aura's face. "This stuff is all around us, sweets. You can touch and feel it. It's all yours."
Aura looks at her mama, fascinated, then back at the sand. She carefully reaches her tiny hand into the ground, giggling when her fingers sink into the grains.
Watching them, my chest swells with a mix of love and pride. My fiancé and my daughter, having such a intimate moment.
Although Millie isn't Aura's biological mom, she loves her just the same. This getaway is allowing us to escape the reality of our custody case with Haley.
Our lawyer thinks that because we are engaged and since Millie has cared for Aura since she was practically a newborn, we have a strong chance of winning. Haley hasn't been in Aura's life at all since she was born. She never reached out to see our daughter. Not once.
I move my attention back to my girls in front of me. "You're getting the hang of it, Sweets," Millie murmurs, her voice full of encouragement.
Aura laughs again with more confidence. I see the moment the world stops for Millie. Her face lights up at the sound, and her smile widens.
She leans in, brushing her lips on the top of my daughter's head. "That's my girl," she whispers, like it's a secret just for the two of them.
Aura reaches up, her hand grasping at Millie's fingers, pulling herself closer. "You want up, baby?" Millie asks, her voice soft, but I hear the affection behind it. "Come here,Sweets."
She scoops Aura into her arms, cradling her against her chest. Aura wraps her arms around Millie's neck, resting her head against her shoulder like she's the most comfortable thing in the world. Millie rocks gently from side to side, humming a lullaby.
"Are you tired, baby?" Millie asks, brushing Aura's hair back with one hand. "I think that's enough sand time for today, huh?"
My daughter lets out a little sigh, her eyelids heavy as she rests her head even further into Millie's neck.
"You're the best mom to her, you know," I say quietly. I don't say it enough, but she needs to hear it.
Millie looks up at me, her eyes soft. She doesn't say anything but gives me a smile that says it all. She glances down at my daughter, her voice barely a whisper, "She's everything I never knew I wanted."
I nod, the lump in my throat tightening. "Yeah, I know."
She pulls Aura a little closer. Her fingers trace light circles on her back. "I don't know how I got so lucky. I get to be a mom to the most amazing little girl, and her dad is the love of my life."
I feel the lump in my throat more now. Everything about this moment feels perfect as if this trip was meant to happen.
"You know," I say, scooting closer, "I think we are the lucky ones."
Millie glances at me, a playful twinkle in her eye. "I think we are all lucky," she says, resting her head on my shoulder.
I wrap my arms around her shoulder, looking down at her—holding our girl in her arms, their faces lit by the soft light of the sun.
"Let's go back to the room."
We start walking back towards the resort. The sun is now dipping lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over everything. The sound of the waves fades as we make our way up the beach.
