Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
My situation makes me the laughing stock of the whole group, including my wife, who reaches for my face and gives it a sarcastic pat. ‘Poor baby.’
‘Be quiet. I’ve got my head around it now.’
‘Head around what?’ Kate asks, handing Betty to a laughing Sam.
He just can’t contain himself, jerking his girl in his arms as he wipes at his eyes. ‘Raya’s pregnant,’ he tells her.
‘Oh God, you guys!’ Kate gushes.
‘And so is Ava.’
‘What the fuck?’ She swings around, blue eyes wide, her red hair whipping her face.
‘See.’ Ava chucks a heavy hand in the air. ‘This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell anyone today. Now I feel like I’ve stolen two lots of thunder.’
Raya muscles me out of the way and puts a comforting arm around Ava’s waist. ‘Are you kidding me? I can’t wait to be expecting with you. You’re a pro. I’m gonna need all the help I can get.’
I could kiss the woman. She couldn’t have said a nicer thing at a better time. ‘We’ll be the baby club!’ Kate sings, delighted.
‘We haven’t told the twins yet.’ That worry I don’t like passes over Ava’s face. Everyone looks across to the drinks table, where Jacob is cracking the caps off bottles of beer for the men, and Georgia and Maddie are still happily pouring punch. ‘Does Georgia know?’ I ask.
‘Yes.’ Raya beams. ‘She’s more excited than Drew.’
‘Here’s to babies,’ Sam whisper-hisses, raising his glass as he bends towards us.
‘To babies,’ we all chant quietly, leaning into our little circle and laughing.
*
Good food, good company, amazing venue, superb occasion. It’s been a fucking brilliant day, everyone together, and after Drew and Raya have had their first dance to Eric Clapton’s ‘Wonderful Tonight’, the other guests are invited onto the floor to join them. I look across the table to Ava, her attention split between the happy couple and Betty sleeping in Kate’s arms. It’s how she’s been all day, distracted. She’s imagining our family with one more person. I am, too.
The song fades, and another begins. My heart skips too many beats as Ava darts her eyes across to me, and I wonder if this is a purposeful move on Drew’s part. I shoot him a look on the dance floor, his expression telling me everything. My eyes thank him as I slowly return my gaze to my wife, my heart booming nervously.
I smile when I find her still watching me, and I nod mildly, telling her that the recognition happening in her head is right.
I rise to my feet and walk slowly around the table, holding out my hand to Ava as ‘Chasing Cars’ plays. ‘If you have no better offers.’ I raise a cocky eyebrow, blinded by her shy smile as she gets to her feet.
‘Never will.’
I walk her onto the floor, nodding at Drew to tell him today is a job well done as I pull Ava into my chest, one arm around her shoulders, my spare hand resting on her waist. ‘Hey, Mummy,’ I whisper down at her, starting to slowly sway us.
‘Hey, Daddy.’
I feel an overwhelming sense of contentment flourish inside me. It tells me that this is right. I won’t ever argue with the Fates, and the Fates want to give us another baby. ‘I love you, woman,’ I say, pulling her closer, her head settling in my chest. I rest mine on hers, continuing to move slowly on the spot, taking an age to turn a full circle.
‘So you’ll be there on Tuesday? For the scan?’
‘Just try to stop me.’ I smile into her hair. ‘And when do you want to tell the kids?’
‘I don’t want them to think I’m replacing them. Or replacing the memories of their baby days with new ones.’
‘Don’t be daft. They’d never think that.’
I feel her chest press against mine, her inhale long and deep, as I catch the twins across the way watching us. Both of them are smiling, Jacob with his arm around his sister. Me and Ava, we make them happy. Just being together. I flick my head at them, ordering them over. I expect a protest, but neither does. In fact, they’re quite speedy across the floor.
‘We have company,’ I say to Ava, gently nudging her from my chest. She looks around and finds them, smiling and opening one arm as she keeps her hold of me with the other, inviting them in. Maddie and Jacob join us, and our little huddle continues to turn on the spot, mine and Ava’s heads above the twins, her eyes on mine. Love. It’s blasting through me unstoppably, lighting my veins, warming my soul. This is just about fucking perfect. And then Ava reaches across and presses a kiss to my mouth, a soft kiss, a lingering kiss. And I’m proven wrong. Now, this is perfect. And it’s the perfect time to share our news.