Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Brighton

When Will saw me come downstairs in my sailor dress, he groaned and shut his eyes. "Don't you have anything else to wear?"

"Of course I do," I chuckled, coming over to sit beside him. "But nothing as fun, and you said Brighton is fun. Is it anything like Coney Island?" I had to admit, I was anxious to see Brighton. I had remembered Will saying that his original plan to propose, before he had asked me to stay at his house, had been to take me to a day at Brighton and propose there. I was hoping that it would be a beautiful spot.

One of his eyes flicked open, "I haven't been to Coney Island, so I can't compare it."

"Well, are there roller coasters?"

"I think one or two."

"What about a steeplechase?"

"Yes."

"Games?"

"Far too many."

I grinned, sidling up to him. "Then it sounds like we'll be having a very fun day."

He sighed and opened his eyes. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up, most people go to Brighton to swim."

"Well, I didn't bring a swimming costume and I doubt I could get away with wearing nothing like the last time we went swimming." I watched as he flushed, and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Unless you would want to stay there until late and see if we could do that."

"Oh God no," He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, "If Lights ever learns about that we'll be doomed." I giggled at that, and Will and I collected a bit of breakfast on our way out, simply some fruit. I was looking forward to Brighton, not only for the rides and the games and the fun, but also because hopefully they would have frankfurters. It had been ages since I had had one, they were perfect for days on the boardwalk and I hadn't been to the boardwalk since I was a child.

I had been dreaming of the food so much that when we reached the station, I stumbled back as something barreled into my legs. Will chuckled, reaching down for my attacker. "Roger, let your aunt go."

The boy resolutely refused, "You didn't say she was coming!"

"I wanted to keep it a surprise." Will replied, "Don't you like your surprise?"

"It's a surprise to all of us." I looked up to see Sylvie, dressed in a light summer dress and carrying Mavis, on her husband's arm. "It's very kind of you to come over to surprise the boys, Anastasia."

Lights snorted at that. "It's a surprise to all of us, I wasn't aware you smuggled her over!" He leaned forward to embrace me while disentangling his son from my skirt, whispering into my ear. "And you must have been a surprise to him because last night he was complaining about missing you."

I blushed a bit, whispering back. "Well, everyone deserves a surprise every now and then."

He rolled his eyes, "Come on now Rog, let your Aunt go. We've got to catch the train after all." The only way to get his son to let me go was for him to lift Roger up and set him down away from me. Roger and Trevor were both wearing clothes that wouldn't show dirt and straw hats to keep the sun off. I brushed my fingers up against my forget-me-not hat, glad for it as we boarded the train. Everyone boarding with us seemed to be have the same thought on their minds, and it was a holiday crowd that exited the train.

I had been expecting a crush of people rushing to the piers, like the amusement parks on Coney Island, but everything seemed much more sedate. Lights and Sylvie strolled along, Roger and Trevor in front of them, and Will took my arm. I glanced to him, "Don't we want to get to the pier?"