“Yes, it’s Laila. Eliza will have to walk or wait for the next bus. Looking at the map, she’s walking, and because she’ll be annoyed that she’s walking, she’s walking quickly.” Claire studied her phone. “She also knows she’s in trouble with her dad because she didn’t do her chores this morning before she went to her friend’s, which was the deal. He can deal with thatthough.” Claire beamed, put her phone down and picked up her champagne. “His children are fully his responsibility until later.”
“What’s happening later?” Payton said. “I’m child free until tomorrow because Owen’s taking them to his mum’s for the night.”
“Nice. Come back to ours if you want after. Killian and Nick are out with their team for some celebration so I have four piranhas to wrangle.” She had another sip of champagne.
“Hard pass. I have the new book in that detective series to read and no small people.” She sighed happily. “And I’m going to Cases after this for some tipsy book shopping with Owen’s blessing.”
“Have you had your new bookcases installed?” Claire asked, looking at the door. “Ava’s finally here.”
My youngest rushed towards us, laden with bags and wild hair. She looked better than she had last time I’d seen her, which was just after she’d finished throwing up the dried toast she’d had for breakfast. Morning sickness was definitely in situ for her.
“I’m so sorry I’m late.” She dumped the bags next to the empty seat and sat down in a rush. “I found a sale and got distracted.”
“I’m so surprised.” Payton shook her head. “What’ve you bought? It looks like clothes. Do you need more clothes?”
“They’re for Rose. I found a little shop that sells really lovely nightwear and they had some in that were perfect for girls Rose’s age – not childish but age appropriate. Here,” she fumbled in one of the bags. “Have a look at these.”
Two sets of pretty pyjamas were handed round, which were lovely.
“What’s in the rest of the bags?” I looked at the other five that’d been deposited.
“Pyjamas for me. I got a set for Georgia too, and some stuff for Seph.” She picked one of the bags up. “There were some really sweet overnight toiletry bags too, so I bought a few of those for Christmas presents.”
“Ava, it’s August.” Claire frowned. “When are you due?”
“February. So I’m not nesting. Just being organised.” She tidied the bags up. “I saw Rose and Georgia this morning.”
“How were they?” I’d seen them the day before, so I didn’t think much would’ve changed.
Ava smiled and nodded. “Like you wouldn’t think Rose had a heart condition. Just like normal. I think Seph’s been the one who’s found it hardest to deal with, or that’s what Georgia’s said. She said he’s found it hard to sleep some nights and when she’s got up to check on him, he’s been at the computer searching all the information he can find on the procedure Rose’s having.”
“That’s what she told me yesterday.” I smiled at the waiter who was filling up our champagne glasses, Ava asking for ginger tea. “I spoke to Seph yesterday about it.”
“What did he say?” Payton asked.
She and Seph were close, as you’d expect for twins, although it didn’t always happen like that. I would be surprised if Payton didn’t know exactly how Seph was.
“That he was sleeping better and less worried about the procedure. I think he’s okay. It’s worrying when one of your kids is sick and he’s not really had it before.” Which was fortunate. “Remember when Callum’s Bea was in hospital with meningitis?”
“That was horrible.” Claire shuddered, picking at the nibbles that’d been put on our table. “It was touch and go for a couple of hours.”
“And now she’s fine and she’s thriving. Her and Bear are so much like Wren though, it’s like Callum didn’t have any part init.” Ava picked up two of the nibbles and regarded them like they were her new best friends that she was about to eat.
The conversation about Bea and Bear carried on, moving onto Lark, Callum and Wren’s other little girl, who was already showing signs of being rather good at dance – not a talent that ran in anyone’s family.
I listened, taking pleasure in being right where I was, in this exact moment with these wonderful people I’d had a hand in shaping.
“Mum, there was a photo we found in the secret room of when Dad proposed.”
I must’ve drifted off thinking how lovely this was when Claire abruptly changed the conversation.
“The one on the Empire State Building?” Grant had told me they’d found the albums we’d left out for them. They’d been stored in my wardrobe, all the photos already uploaded digitally because it only took a knocked over drink to ruin printed ones.
“That one. Max said something about it being the second time Dad proposed.” Claire looked puzzled. “Why did he propose twice? Did he make a cock-up the first time? I can imagine Dad doing that – he’d be a proper Mr Darcy.”
Grant’s children had a very odd view of him sometimes.
“Actually, he knocked me off my feet with what he said. I was too stunned to speak.” I had been. He’d thought I’d been silent because I wanted to say no, that it was just a fling, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Actually it was because I’d wanted to say yes so badly but I did need to think about it. I hadn’t acted on too much gut feeling. I had thought about the implications, one of them here now. “But we got a photo the second time.” I looked at my offspring and wondered how much I wanted to make them want to bleach their ears. “The sex that night was incredible.”
