Three weeks after the incident with Rachel.
Marcus decided that his family needed a break from city life. Marcus decided that they deserved to have time away from work stress and business pressure.
Marcus booked a luxurious beach house in a coastal town that was peaceful and beautiful. The beach house was private with direct access to pristine sandy beach.
Emma was very excited about this vacation. Emma had never had a proper vacation with Lily. Emma had always been too busy with work and survival. But now, Emma had time. Emma had a partner who supported and encouraged her to relax.
Lily was over the moon when hearing about the beach vacation. Lily had recovered very well from surgery and was now strong enough to enjoy beach activities.
Saturday morning, they started driving to the beach.
The drive was approximately three hours from the city. As they left the urban area and approached the coastal area, the landscape began to change. Buildings became less frequent. Trees became more abundant. The air became fresher.
"Look, Lily!" pointed Emma. "We're almost there!"
Lily pressed her face against the window with excitement. Lily had never seen the ocean before in her life.
"It's so big!" exclaimed Lily with wonder. "How far does it go?"
"Very far," explained Marcus with a smile. "The ocean covers most of the planet."
"That's so much water," said Lily with amazement.
They arrived at the beach house at 1 PM.
The beach house was absolutely beautiful. It had modern architecture with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the ocean. Inside was spacious with comfortable furniture and a fully equipped kitchen.
But the best part was the private beach area that was directly in front of the house.
"Oh my god, this is incredible," whispered Emma while looking around.
"Welcome home for the weekend," said Marcus with a smile. "I wanted us to have a place that's peaceful so we could enjoy being together."
Lily immediately ran to the window. "Can I go to the beach now?"
"Of course," answered Marcus. "Let's go explore."
They changed into beach clothes and headed to the beach.
The sand was soft and warm under their feet. The ocean air was fresh and salty. The sound of the waves was gentle and rhythmic.
Lily immediately started running toward the water. Emma quickly grabbed Lily's hand.
"Slow down, sweetheart," said Emma with a gentle tone. "We need to be careful with the ocean. The ocean is powerful."
"But I want to go swimming!" protested Lily.
"We will," promised Marcus. "But first we need to understand the ocean. The ocean is not like a pool. There are currents and waves that can be tricky."
Marcus taught Lily about ocean safety. Marcus showed her where it was safe to swim and where it was dangerous. Marcus patiently answered all of Lily's questions about ocean life and waves.
Emma watched Marcus with Lily and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
A few months ago, Lily didn't have a father figure in her life. A few months ago, Emma didn't have a partner to help raise Lily. Now, Lily had Marcus who taught her with patience and kindness. Emma had a partner who was active in parenting.
"What are you thinking?" asked Marcus while approaching Emma. Lily was busy building a sandcastle.
"I'm thinking about how lucky we are," answered Emma with a sincere voice. "I'm thinking about how far we've come. A few months ago, everything was so uncertain. Now, look at us. We're at the beach. Lily is healthy. Our family is together."
Marcus put his arm around Emma. Marcus watched the ocean while embracing her.
"Yeah," agreed Marcus. "We are very lucky. And I'm grateful to you every day for making it possible."
"I didn't make it possible," said Emma. "You did. You opened your heart. You were willing to include us in your life."
"That's not generous," corrected Marcus. "That's selfish. Because having you and Lily in my life makes me happier than I've ever been."
They spent the afternoon playing with Lily on the beach. They built a sandcastle with Lily. They ran toward the waves with Lily. They collected seashells with Lily.
Simple moments. But moments that were priceless.
As the sunset began to happen, Lily was exhausted from playing and fell asleep in the arms of Marcus.
Emma and Marcus sat in beach chairs with Lily sleeping peacefully between them.
"Look at the sunset," whispered Emma.
The sky was painted with colors that were impossible to describe. Orange and pink and purple and gold all blended together in the most beautiful display of nature.
"It's like magic," said Lily with a sleepy voice. Apparently, Lily wasn't completely asleep.
"It is magic," agreed Marcus. "Magic of nature."
They sat in silence while watching the sunset. There was no need for conversation. The moment was perfect in its simplicity.
Sunday morning.
Marcus made breakfast for everyone in the beach house kitchen. Pancakes with fresh berries. Crispy bacon. Fresh orange juice.
Lily ate with a huge appetite. "This tastes like a fancy restaurant!" exclaimed Lily.
"Because I cook with love," said Marcus with a playful tone. "Love is the best ingredient."
After breakfast, they went to the beach again. But this time, Marcus brought a picnic basket with lunch for later.
They spent the morning playing in the shallow water. Marcus taught Lily about swimming techniques. Emma photographed moments with her phone.
Around noon, they set up a picnic on the beach.
Marcus had prepared delicious sandwiches, fresh fruit, and cold drinks.
They sat on a picnic blanket and ate while watching the ocean.
"This is the best vacation ever," declared Lily with an authoritative tone.
"Really?" asked Marcus. "You haven't been to many places?"
"Never," said Lily with an honest answer. "Sister was always too busy working. We didn't have money for vacation. But now with Marcus, everything is different."
Marcus looked at Emma. Emma was also looking at Marcus with a grateful expression.
"I'm glad," said Marcus with a sincere voice. "I want both of you to have the best life possible."
Sunday afternoon.
They returned to the beach house. Lily was tired and fell asleep after lunch.
Marcus and Emma sat on the balcony that overlooked the ocean. They shared a comfortable silence while watching the waves.
"Thank you for this," said Emma. "Thank you for bringing us here. Thank you for everything."
"Don't thank me," said Marcus. "This is not a favor. This is a gift to myself. Having you both here, watching Lily be happy, watching you relax and smile freely. This is the best gift that I could give myself."
"That's a beautiful way to frame it," said Emma with a smile. "But seriously, you have changed our lives completely. You have given us stability. You have given us hope."
"And you have given me purpose," responded Marcus. "Before you, I was successful in business but empty in life. I collected things but didn't have meaningful connections. You taught me that success is not about accumulation. Success is about creating a life that you're proud of. A life that is full of love and meaning."
Emma leaned on Marcus's shoulder. Emma felt completely peaceful.
"I love you," whispered Emma.
"I love you too," whispered back Marcus.
Monday morning, the last day of the beach vacation.
Marcus decided to cook a special breakfast to send them off properly.
French toast with maple syrup. Fresh berries. Bacon. Special coffee for Emma.
After breakfast, they packed to leave.
Before leaving, they walked to the beach one last time.
Lily wanted to leave a message in the sand for the ocean.
"What do you want to write?" asked Marcus.
"I want to write thank you," said Lily. "Thank you for the beautiful beach and beautiful memories."
Marcus helped Lily write in the sand: "Thank you for beautiful memories."
They photographed the moment with all three of them in the frame.
The drive back to the city was quiet. Lily slept in the back seat. Emma held Marcus's hand.
"I don't want to go back," said Emma with a slightly sad voice.
"I know," said Marcus with understanding. "But we need to go back. Real life is waiting. But we are bringing memories from here. We are bringing the peace that we found at the beach. And we are bringing a reminder about how important it is to take time away and enjoy simple things."
"You're right," said Emma. "Thank you for reminding me about that."
They arrived home at 7 PM.
After settling everything and putting Lily to bed, Marcus and Emma sat on their familiar balcony.
"I realized something," said Marcus. "During the vacation, I completely forgot about the lawsuit, about business pressures, about everything. For the first time in months, I was just present. Just enjoying moments with people that I love."
"That's healthy," said Emma. "That's what we all need sometimes."
"It made me thinking," continued Marcus. "Maybe we need to do this more often. Maybe we need to create a rhythm of work and rest. Balance between ambition and peace."
"I completely agree," said Emma. "And I want to suggest something."
"What?" asked Marcus.
"Once per quarter, let's take a long weekend away from the city," suggested Emma. "Just the three of us. We can go to different places. Mountains. Forests. Lakes. Anywhere that makes us feel close to nature and close to each other."
"That's a perfect idea," agreed Marcus immediately. "Let's do it."
They made a promise to each other that they would prioritize it. Not just vacation, but deliberate time away to reconnect as a family.
The beach vacation was short, only three days. But its impact was lasting.
It reminded them that life is not just about achievement. Life is also about joy. About peace. About being present with people who matter.
It strengthened their family bonds. It created memories that would last a lifetime.
And it established a pattern that would continue throughout their married life. A pattern of prioritizing connection. A pattern of deliberate rest. A pattern of choosing togetherness over constant productivity.