“Stay. You can’t go back to bed if you’re having a nightmare. Daddy gets rid of the nightmares.”
Eden is so sweet. She nuzzles down, going straight to sleep. Alex and I look at each other from across the bed.
“Sorry,” he mouths.
Smiling, I shake my head, curling up to go back to sleep.
Two hours later, and I am half hanging out of the bed. Alex is on the other edge, and Eden is fast asleep, her body stretched horizontally across the covers. Her head is prodding in my back. I am staring at the wall, willing myself to sleep, when Ace walks into the room to find us all in bed together.
“Why is Gemma in your bed?” he asks, looking at the scene.
“Because she had a nightmare,” Eden says as she extends her arms.
I groan.
“Did you have sex?” Ace asks.
Sitting up, which is easier now Eden has moved, I look over at Alex. He bolts up, his eyes wide.
“Where… what?” Alex stutters.
I have to stop myself from laughing. Placing my hand over my mouth, I make myself cough instead.
“That’s how you make babies,” Ace says. He rubs his head like it is just so obvious.
“How… when… how?” Alex still can’t string a sentence together.
“George told me. You have sex to make babies.” Alex looks at him. Ace is unaware of the logistics, or at least I know both Alex and I are hoping that’s the case.
“What’s sex?” Eden asks, taking it all in.
“Making babies. Daddies will—” Ace starts to say.
I launch myself at him and put a hand over his mouth before he can say another word in front of Eden. “Okay, I think that’s enough. Eden, come with me while your dad talks to Ace alone.” I let go of Ace, who looks at me confused.
“Why? I want to know,” Eden demands, her arms crossed.
“I’ll talk to her later. After this one,” Alex says to me as he looks at Ace.
ALEX
This is not how I planned on telling the children. I should have put more thought into this. I haven't even taken Gemma out on a date, not without the kids. Forcing my mind to focus on the current situation, I sigh; I need to speak to Ace.
“Where did you hear the word sex? How did you find out?” I ask him, sitting him on my bed.
“George told me. His cousin told him. He’s going to be a dad. When he asked him, as he’s not married, he said he had sex and got her pregnant. Penny told George what happens. A man puts his penis inside the woman’s vagina and makes a baby.” Ace says it all innocently, getting the facts right, at least.
“But it’s not just like that.” I run my hands over my face. Explaining what I think a boy his age should know, I find myself talking about how it’s only consenting adults that do things like this.
“Are you and Gemma having a baby? Did you put your willy in her?” Ace asks, looking up at me.
“No, we’re not having a baby. She just stayed in my bed for the night,” I say, wanting to close the subject.
“Why?” he asks, raising his eyebrows at me just like I do when I ask a serious question. He isn't going to let it go.
“Because I wanted her to. That’s why," I say.
“Do you love her? Like you loved Mum?"
