Live and Let Live [Family Event- Chase, Clara and Mia]

"I'm too pale," Chase complained, looking at his stomach. Well, looking at what he could see of his stomach - holding Clara kind of obstructed his view. "It's summer time, and we're both as pale as ghosts. What kind of twisted world is this?" Clara wiggled a bit in his arms. He didn't blame her - she was covered head to toe in sun-protective gear. Hats, sunscreen, baby water shoes (not that she was going in the water at all), and a one-piece bathing suit with a skirt that practically ate the little girl up. And Chase had taken special care to set up an umbrella on the beach that angled directly against the sun. There he was sitting now, next to Mia.

"I have a feeling it's always this nice here," he said, after hearing Mia's mumbled appreciations for the beautiful beach. "I think we should pack up our bags and move here. So at least I can be tan again. But I think Clara wouldn't have much fun," he chuckled. He had set his daughter down on the blanket next to her mom, and she was just sitting there, confused.

He picked her back up again and scooted to the end of the blanket. "Look, Clara," he said, picking up a handful of the white grains that covered the border of the island. "It's sand." He put a tiny bit in her hand, and she promptly tried to eat it. He blinked, and grabbed her fist before it reached her mouth. "Okay, so, sand. Not a good idea." He grinned and scooted back to Mia. "Here, mommy," he said, handing Clara over.

Chase grinned. "She's pretty amazing." He looked at Mia and said, "You hold her like she's a porcelain doll. It's sweet." He paused, and added, "She's not going to break, though, you know. She knows you're not going to hurt her." Mia was used to being tough, he knew that. But she also had the capacity to be soft and sensitive.

"I've been so busy lately, with the shop and employees and this whole confusing parenthood thing," he sighed, lying back on the blanket. "It's nice to get away for a little while." Their little vacation was the definition of relaxation. No communication with the mainland (although there was a phone, if they absolutely needed it), no social plans, no business to attend to. Just his family sitting on a beautiful beach.

He stood up suddenly. "Let me see her," he said, holding his arms out. "I'm just going to let her play in the water for a minute. It's boiling out here."