: : Summary : : The O�Connell girls are older, and as beautiful as Evie. They are beginning to find interest in other guys, the innocent type of interest, and their looks, so read and find out what happens
When the war had started to affect England, with bombings, and danger, Rick and Evelyn had moved to Connecticut where her cousin Edward and his wife and two children lived. There Evelyn had gotten the job of assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum, in New York, as well as teaching her three daughters who were almost eleven. Rick was in Germany liberating Concentration camps. He had gone to battle in 1940, four years ago, and had been home only four times, which had not been easy on Evie or the girls. Alex had gotten married to his childhood friend Megan, and both were attending school at Oxford in England. Jonathan was in Egypt managing a touring company taking people to different sites that were allowed, being his usual crazy self. With the war pretty much at an end, all of them were hoping to get back together again, but for now they had to stay where they were.
Chapter 1: A Big Surprise
It was a sunny afternoon, as Rick stepped off the steamer ship in New York�s Busy harbor. He was home for good, though had not told Evelyn he would be back so soon, wanting to surprise she and their girls. After he had time to relax, he was fully intent on selling their beach front home, and moving his family back to their home in England, which had miraculously survived the bombing years. Knowing that Sundays were one of the few days his wife didn�t go in to the Museum, Rick had the taxi driver take him into Conneticut, a half hour drive to their home on the beach. The house was seven rooms with a swimming pool inside, and green fields outside, which led down to the beach. When he arrived home it was quiet, and after finding the house empty he knew that his family was likely at the beach catching the warm rays of the sun. Once he was dressed in a short sleeved whit shirt and a pair of slacks, Rick went outside and walked through the field a ways until he got to the beach. It didn�t take long for him to spot the large pink blue umbrella, and he grinned as he watched his girls running in the water. They didn�t notice his approach, and he had a feeling they likely wouldn�t recognize him since it had been two years between visits. They were all dressed in yellow dresses long flowing with frills at the bottom, looking as beautiful as he had remembered them. Quietly he walked around the umbrella, finding Evelyn with her nose buried in a book, one he quickly pulled out of her hands.
�Rick?� she asked, then she was in his arms laughing as he spun he around.
�DADDY,� came three screams before he was tackled, and fell into the sand. He was given alot of kisses, before the girls let him go and even then they clamored for his attention.
�Daddy mummy let us get our ears pierced when we went to see Uncle John in Egypt,� Elizabeth said showing him the earrings. It was uncommon for girls to have that done, but they had begged and Evie gave in.
�Well you all look beautiful,� he said then chased them down tickling all three of them as he caught them. The day was spent at the beach running and having fun and by sunset everyone was tired. Once inside, Evelyn sent the girls up to get baths, then once they were gone she went into her husband arms.
�I�ve been so alone without you,� she said as he held her close.
�Me too.� They shared a soft kiss, warm and inviting and took time to reacquaint themselves to touching and pleasuring one another with soft caresses of both their hands and their lips. They didn�t get far as they heard approaching voices, and separated as the girls walked in all ready for bed.
�Whose first,� Evelyn asked as she sat down on the couch. Louisa quickly sat in front of her, giving Evie the pieces of fabric she used to roll her hair with.
�Daddy do you remember how to roll hair?� Rebecca asked.
�I think I do,� Rick said settling beside his wife. The first few he did were disastrous, but then he caught the knack of it, and the job was done in half the time it took Evelyn to do it alone.
�Mother, we want to stay awake late with you and daddy,� Louisa said.
�Not tonight my angels. You have a trip to go on with your Aunt Genevieve to the city, and I know you need your rest,� she said. They all pouted, then laughed as Rick chased them upstairs. In their large room, all three of them crawled into their beds, and Rick gave each of them kisses.
�Daddy your not going to leave anymore are you?� Louisa asked, after he kissed her. Rick sat down on her bedside, stroking his fingers over her soft cheek.
�No princess, I�m staying with you and your sisters and mum,� he replied and gave her another kiss.
�I need one more kiss,� Elizabeth called out. Once he had given more kisses to both she and Rebecca he stepped out of their room and shut the door then turned facing Evie who was wearing a red silk gown.
�I like the way you think,� Rick said lifting her easily into his strong well built arms.
�I know,� was her reply as he carried her into their room and shut the door.
~*~
The next morning after seeing the girls off with their Aunt, Rick and Evie settled in the den, and she told him everything he had missed.
�How was the wedding?� he asked as he took a sip of tea.
�Not the same without you,� she said sadly. Rick put his tea down and took her hands in his.
�Evie I�m not going to fight anymore, and I know you were mad for me going like that...� She cut him off by kissing him.
�You had to go Rick. Sam told me what it was like finding all of those camps, and Hitler was someone who threatened everyone. I�m glad you did what you needed to do, and the important thing, is that you are here with us now. Megan and Alex are due in next weekend,� she said. They kissed again then decided a walk on the beach was at hand.
~*~
The following day Evie went to the museum, and Rick spent the day with his daughters finding they had changed. All three of them were more conscious of their appearance and less willing to get into things that would get them, or their cloths dirty. Now as he sat watching the TV Evelyn had gotten them, he marveled at what he was seeing. He watched the news for a while then flipped the channel and adjusted the antenna getting in a show with children, which drew all three of his girls.
�Thats Mickey Mouse daddy,� Louisa said as he finally got the picture fixed. He sat down on the couch and she settled on his lap.
�Mickey lives at Disneyland in California. Uncle Edward is going to take us someday,� she said softly. Rick cuddled her closer loving that she was still willing to let him hold her. By the time he was eleven, Alex had not been willing to let anyone hold him, though by then they had three toddlers to contend with, and there seemed to be little time for anything other than their needs.
�Louisa get up and let me sit with daddy,� Elizabeth said drawing Rick out of his thoughts.
�Why don�t you ask your sister nicely,� he said. She huffed and turned away.
�Elizabeth look at me,� he said not pleased by her rude behavior.
�Now I�m sure if you ask nicely she will let you have a sit with me,� Rick said.
�I don�t have to do what you say, because you always leave,� she said then ran out. Rick put Louisa down, and went after her finding her in the room she shared with her sisters settled on her bed.
�Elizabeth that was uncalled for,� he said. She sighed and looked at him, hurt evident in her eyes, and all Rick could do was hold her.
�Mother cried for you every night before she went to bed. She thought we were asleep, but we always heard her,� Elizabeth informed. Rick�s heart ached at that bit of knowledge and he stood carrying her over to the rocking chair, sitting down with her snug in his lap.
�Do you understand why I left?� he asked looking up as Rebecca and Louisa walked in. Before he continued, Rick got up again and sat down on the floor letting all three of them be close to him.
�Why did you go away daddy?� Rebecca asked.
�There was a very mean man named Adolph Hitler. He wanted things he didn�t have a right to take, like peoples freedom.�
�Mother said he hurt people, and you left so that noone else would hurt, but it hurt us when you went because we were afraid you would get really hurt and never come home, like Tiffany�s daddy,� Rebecca said.
�I�m sorry I worried you, and hurt you, and I promise all three of you that I�m not going to leave you, not now and not ever again.
�You have to pinkie swear it,� Elizabeth said as she lifted her head from his chest. Having never heard of that, Rick asked them what that was.
�A pinkie swear is this,� Elizabeth said. She took his pinkie and latched it onto hers
�Now say I swear never ever ever to leave my wife or my daughters ever ever again,� she said. Rick repeated it then Elizabeth pulled her pinkie away. The other two required him pinkie swear with them, and one that was over they all decided to go to the beach.