Work Text:
Elle Gold had endured a lot in life, but she was glad to have gone through all she had if only so she could reach this point.
Sitting on a picnic blanket under the shade of a large, leafy tree on a hot summer day, Elle's laughter rang out. Her son, now two years old, was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.
He had the cutest little nose, chubby cheeks and dark eyes, and when he scrunched his face up in concentration as he was doing now, attempting to peel a mandarin, Elle couldn't help but giggle and love him even more.
Carl smiled at them both and held out a hand for the fruit. "Would you like Daddy to help?"
Neil's eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly, placing the mandarin in his father's outstretched hand. "Yes, please, Daddy!"
Carl easily broke through the rind of the citrus fruit and peeled away a few pieces, pulling out a segment of mandarin. He gave this piece to Neil, and the little boy clapped and squealed happily.
He popped the piece of fruit into his mouth, chewing it happily, and Carl peeled some more rind from the fruit, offering a piece to Elle. "For you, sweetheart."
She beamed back at him, accepting the offering. "You are very kind."
"And very lucky," he chuckled, gazing at his wife with love.
"As we both are," she agreed, her eyes settling on her sweet little boy who was, thankfully, nothing like his biological father, Joe Judd.
Elle was happy now, and so very thankful for Carl and Neil. She was a successful CEO and business woman by day, but at night she was just a woman who loved her family. And they loved her just as much.