“How do you know I’m seeing someone?”
He’s hiding a smirk. “I’ve known you for years, this is the first time you haven’t tried it on.” He gets up, leaving me alone.
It’s not long before Fern is home. I introduce the children to her, and they love her. She’s running around the garden playing with them, giving me a momentary break. But there’s a pang of guilt. These are my children, those laughs should be mine. Getting off the sun lounger, I run over to them. We are playing tag, until we hear another voice.
“Three girls against one boy, I don’t like those odds.” Wesley smiles, joining in the fun.
Fern makes us a late lunch, whilst Wesley takes the children to the park down the road.
Catching up in a moment of peace, Fern tells me about her new job. I can’t believe she’s working for my Alex; this is so weird. He never said, so maybe he didn’t know. I’ll make sure I mention it tonight.
Fern’s smiling as she puts the plates down for the food. I go over, wrapping my arms around her.
“I love you,” I tell her. She’s my best friend and I don’t think I’ve ever told her that.
The laughter of two little people and an adult fill the house.
“Come on, Ace.” Wesley asks, “Toes for a nose, or a nose for toes? That’s just silly.”
“I want toes for a nose,” Eden shouts loudly.
“Why?” Wesley questions her.
“Then I don’t have to smell daddy’s farts,” She giggles.
We leave just before dinner, I’ve missed several calls from Alex. Pulling up on the drive, I carry a tired Eden in, while Ace brings in the bags. Alex has a massive smile on his face. We follow him to the bottom of the garden where Jill and Charlie are sitting looking at two rabbits jumping around.
“You got them!” Ace screams with delight. Alex had been working hard on the enclosure for the last several weeks.
“They have their forever home, now you just have to select their new names.”
“Thunder.” Eden points to the black and white one.
“That one has to be Lightning,” Ace says, smiling at the white one with a brown splodge on his back. I sneak off back to the house, and I know Alex is following. We are all over each other, missing the fact Jill has come in.
“So, it’s true.” She’s standing in the kitchen with us.
“Mum.”
“You’re getting married?”
“Eden!” I call, she pops her head around the door, giggling.
“You must stop telling people we are getting married,” I tell her.
“She’s done this before?” Alex asks me.
ALEX
Everyone was outside except me and my mother.
“Alex, is this wise?” she asks me, loading the dishwasher, while I wash the remaining items by hand.
“Mum…”
“She’s so young, does she know about the… you know.” She doesn’t want to use the word vasectomy.
“No, I’ve not told her.”
