“Do they hurt?”
“A bit. I’ll be glad when they’re smaller.” I managed to get my leggings off, sitting on the edge of the bed to kick them off at the end because getting that low down was not easy.
Then I pulled the dress over my head, the smell of new material reminding me that I meant to wash it first.
Too late now.
“You know, Daddy could’ve just had my summer house built. That might be the surprise.” It had occurred to me the place that I couldn’t see from the house was where the summer house would be. Yesterday, I’d been out for much of the day too, so things could’ve gone on without me knowing.
Libbie looked disappointed. “But I heard him tell Auntie Jez he had the ring.”
“Let’s go find out, shall we?”
She nodded. “Shall I get Zara?”
“Yes, let’s get Zara.”
Zara was playing in her room after having a nap, the time of the day that Libbie treasured the most.
I watched her go and get her sister, wondering how I was here right now, with two little girls who would be my baby boy’s half-sisters, in the house of a footballer.
I shook my head and decided not to analyse it.
Libbie whispered something to Zara, who giggled and stared at me, then they both came and grabbed a hand each.
We walked downstairs carefully, both still holding my hand, the staircase wide enough for the three of us to go down at the same time.
Zara was quiet, possibly still sleepy, and Libbie felt excited, her steps had a jump to them. Nate and Jez were in the kitchen, deep in a hushed conversation which stopped as soon as we got there.
“Girls, do you want to come and - ” Jez stopped when she saw both girls shaking their heads. She turned and looked at Nate, alarmed.
“We want to see Amber get her surprise.” Libbie clutched my hand even tighter, so much so the circulation was about to be stopped.
Nate nodded. “Okay. You can both come too.” He shrugged at Jez. “Jez, can you get the drinks out of the other fridge?”
She nodded back, looking apprehensive. That was when I got it. He was going to propose, and he didn’t want to do it in front of the girls in case I said no. He wasn’t assuming I’d say yes, he didn’t want me to feel I had to just because they were there.
And he was nervous.
I saw it now. He was so completely nervous.
I blinked hard a couple of times because my eyes had welled up with tears, and I knew beyond doubt what my answer was going to be.
Maybe this wasn’t the way I’d thought my happily ever after would happen, but I wouldn’t change a single second of it.
Nate took hold of Zara’s other hand and we walked out of the bi-fold doors and down the garden, round the back of the annex to the spot where the summer house was going to go.
Where the summer house now was, because it had indeed been built.
Flowers and pontoon lighting had been placed everywhere, probably by Jez, and there was a new swing seat that looked far too comfortable.
Nate stopped walking when he got to the patio in front of the summer house, letting go of Zara’s hand.
Libbie freed herself from me and sprung towards her father, pulling him down to whisper in his ear. She looked at me as she spoke, giving away exactly what she was telling him.
I smiled at her and shook my head. She just grinned and took Zara’s hand, pulling her away from me, holding her from behind.
Our spectators.
