‘Can you come back to bed with me? I had a scary dream.’
Rose smiled. She’d never been so happy to be asked to do something in her entire life.
‘Of course, sweetheart. Snuggles with you are exactly what I need tonight.’
Rose woke in the morning to a little face squished into hers, and warm breath telling her that someone was already awake and trying to compel her to wake up, too.
‘Grrr,’ she pretend-growled. ‘It’s still sleep time.’
‘It’s six o’clock, Rosie!’ Serena said, sounding as if she’d never been so wide awake. ‘Maisy, come look who I found!’
But it was Jessica who came running into the bedroom first. ‘Oh no, she already woke you up? I’m so sorry.’
‘Let’s just say she found me in the night,’ Rose said, hauling herself up. ‘But it was nice. She cuddled me like I was her soft toy and put me straight to sleep. I don’t think I would have slept a wink without her.’
‘Morning, Rose,’ Ryan called out from the hallway, and she saw that he was in his robe and carrying Maisy on his hip.
‘Geez, this is what time people with kids get up? I don’t know how you do it.’
Jessica groaned. ‘This is why I don’t drink anymore. The hangovers just aren’t worth it.’
They both laughed, and Rose bent down to scoop Maisy up when she ran towards her, launching into her arms.
‘You guys go back to bed,’ she said. ‘Enjoy a Saturday lie-in and I’ll take the girls.’
Jessica didn’t look convinced. ‘You’re sure? They can be a handful.’
‘I’m sure. What do you say, girls? We leave Mummy and Daddy for a bit, and we can make chocolate-chip pancakes and then walk down to the park. Are there any good swings there?’
The girls began chatting animatedly about all the things they could do, and Ryan mouthed ‘thank you’ and disappeared backinto the main bedroom, clearly not needing to be convinced. Jessica still looked torn, though, as if the offer were too good to be true.
‘I promise I’ll look after them,’ Rose said. ‘Just go and relax.’
‘That’s not what I’m worried about,’ she said. ‘They?—’
‘Are a handful. I know, you’ve warned me already.’ Rose laughed. ‘But don’t worry. I love their sticky little fingers and belly laughs, it’s what I need right now. In fact, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning, honestly.’
Jessica slowly began to nod. ‘Okay, well, if you’re sure…’
‘She’s sure!’ Ryan called out from the bedroom.
The girls ran to their mum and Jessica kissed them and made them promise to be on their best behaviour as they ran off down the hallway to the kitchen.
‘Have you heard from him?’ Jessica asked in a low voice.
Rose shook her head.
‘You could always call or text him, you know, and tell him how you feel.’
Rose nodded and touched Jessica’s shoulder on the way past, before calling out to the girls.
‘Chocolate-chip pancakes, here I come!’
Rose sat in bed that night, her phone resting in the palm of her hand as she stared down at his name.Just text himand tell him how you feel. Jessica had said the words as if they were so easy, and yet Rose had been holding her phone for at least ten minutes trying to decide what to type.
She lifted her thumb, hovering over the keys for a moment before finally typing.
I miss you.
