For Life

by D Gourlay

  Without thinking, I jump up and run straight into the bedroom, door slamming into the wall as I open it too fast. Tad must hear me as his eyes open and he turns on the lamp just as I get to the bed.

  “I’m pregnant!” I whisper excitedly, hoping I haven’t woken Ami with my mad dashing around.

  “What?! Are you serious?!” His eyes are almost as wide as his smile.

  I throw the test at him, and he picks it up and stares at it. Suddenly, he throws the covers back, stands up and lifts me in the air, arms wrapped around me, used test dangerously close to my face.

  “You know I peed on that, don’t you?” I laugh and he throws it on to the bed before kissing me and wrapping his arms tightly around me.

  “How do you feel?” He asks, eventually sitting down on the bed with me.

  “Sick!” I laugh. “That’s why I tested.”

  He holds my hand and squeezes. “But you feel okay?”

  “Nervous. Excited, but nervous.” I confess and he nods understandingly.

  I hear footsteps and realise I must have woken Ami up, the door opens slightly and she pokes her head around the door.

  “What’s going on?” She says sleepily as she rubs her eyes.

  “Sorry baby, I didn’t mean to wake you. Everything is fine, go back to bed.” I stand and go to take her back to bed when I feel something drop next to my feet.

  All eyes look downwards and before I even have a chance to react, Ami has ran in and picked the test up.

  “Mum! This is a- Mum!” She looks at me, mouth wide open and I just stare at her, not quite sure what to say. “I’m going to be a big sister!” She squeals eyes flitting between Tad and I. I look nervously at Tad and he is smiling at me.

  “Yes, you are, but can you keep it a secret?” I smile at her, and she responds by pulling an imaginary zip across her lips.

  She sits between Tad and I on the bed and drags us both into an uncomfortable hug.

  “I’m going to be the best big sister ever.” She exclaims proudly.

  “Yes, you definitely are.” Tad says softly before kissing her on the head.

  Epilogue

  Tad

  “S

  ebastian, will you please stop trying to eat the Christmas decorations.” I sigh and walk over to the troublesome little boy yanking decorations from the tree. “Mummy won’t be very happy if you eat any more glitter.” I say as I take the glittery candy cane from his hands and reattach it higher up on the tree.

  He just giggles at me as I lift him up and carry him over to the sofa.

  Rachel walks in from the kitchen and scowls as she sees Seb’s mouth covered in red glitter.

  “I told you we shouldn’t have bothered with a tree this year.” She sighs and throws a packet of baby wipes in my direction.

  “Well he was fine last year!” I mumble as I wrestle with him, trying to wipe his face.

  “Tad, he was a month old last year!” She laughs.

  Mary and Leo walk in, they’ve been upstairs with Ami, showing them her new laptop.

  “You spoil that girl.” Leo smiles as he sits on the sofa.

  “She needed a laptop for school.” I shrug and Mary swoops in, taking Seb from my arms. He giggles and coos as she tickles him.

  “Why is there glitter all over his face?” She asks.

  “Because apparently candy cane Christmas decorations are addictive and he won’t stay still for long enough for me to get it all off.” I roll my eyes as she starts trying to wipe it from his face with her sleeve.

  “Ah.” She says knowingly as she attempts to wipe his face, before he gets annoyed and demands to be put down by screaming at her. When she gently puts him down, he turns straight on to all fours and heads straight towards the tree again.

  He gets distracted by the doorbell and turns, heading for the door. I lift him up and carry him and his face lights up when he sees Celine carrying little Belle.

  “Merry Christmas!” She says as she walks in followed by Danny. “Sorry we’re a bit late, this one had to have a bath.” She motions at Belle. “Just, don’t ask!”

  Rachel walks up behind us carrying mugs of steaming mulled wine.

  “Merry Christmas!” She hands Danny two mugs as Celine walks into the front room. She puts Belle on the floor, and I put Seb down next to her, hoping she will be enough of a distraction for him to not eat anything else he shouldn’t.

  “I can’t believe how big he’s got!” Celine says while she watches the two of them playing together.

  “I know, nothing fits him anymore. He seems to have had a massive growth spurt over the last week or so.” Rach says, smiling at the two of them.

  “So how’s everything going with the move?” Danny asks me.

  “Not bad, just need to wait for the house to be totally finished and then we can move in.”

  “I still can’t believe you’re moving.” Mary says sadly.

  “Mum, it’s not much further, and it’s so much bigger, honestly, when you see it, you will love it.” Rach says and Mary huffs slightly.

  When Seb was born, we started thinking about the possibility of extending the house, as we could have used a bit more space. Rachel needs more room for her cakes, I could ideally use a bigger office, and the prospect of toilet training without a downstairs toilet wasn’t appealing. There was also the very small chance of another baby at some point in the future, and we wanted everyone to be able to have their own room. Not that we’ve discussed another baby any time soon, after Rachel’s screams of “never ever fucking again Thaddeus!” during the birth.

  But we just didn’t have enough space for everything we wanted, so very reluctantly we started looking around. It didn’t take too long until we found the most beautiful house. It’s not that much further from Rachel’s parents. It still has a view of the sea. And it’s so much bigger. Five bedrooms, two with their own bathrooms, a sitting room in the loft, and a huge reception room downstairs. The kitchen is massive, and there is a downstairs toilet and shower room. It’s perfect.

  The only thing it didn’t have was a basement, which Rach and I were reluctant to give up, so we went down the long and complicated route of having one built under the house. We’re also having the kitchen split into a family kitchen, and a large workspace for Rachel.

  “Have you put this place on the market yet?” Celine asks me, and I catch Rachel looking at me.

  “Well, no.” She answers. “Actually, Tad and I had a thought. I know you’ve both been saving for a house for ages now, but, well, we were wondering if you’d maybe like to live here?” Celine’s jaw almost hits the floor and Danny just stares between Rach and I.

  “Rach- Tad, that’s very kind of you both, but-”

  “Before you finish that sentence,” I interrupt, “At least think about it. I don’t want to sell this place. It has too many memories. But I can’t have it sitting here unused and unloved. You’d actually be doing me a favour.”

  Celine and Danny just look between each other, totally shocked.

  “It’s just too much.” Danny says finally.

  “It will just sit here, empty and collecting dust if you don’t accept the offer.” I say firmly. “I don’t want strangers in here, and I don’t really want it empty. Honestly, the way the market is at the moment, you will still be saving for ages before you can afford what you’re after. Just call it a gift. A ridiculous and over the top gift from a man who will be very upset if you let his poor, beloved house fall into disrepair through leaving it abandoned.” Celine laughs and smiles at Danny, whose face seems to relax.

  “Well, if you’re going to make us feel guilty about it…” Celine starts before Rachel leans into her and wraps her arms around her shoulders.

  Seb’s eyes are heavy and he is moments away from sleep. I stroke his face softly before quietly tip toeing out of his room. I carefully walk down the stairs, avoiding the squeaky ones and throw myself on the sofa. Ami is curled up with Mary watching Love Actually, of course, and Leo has fallen
asleep in the arm chair and is softly snoring. Rach is sitting up, twiddling her thumbs, chewing on her bottom lip.

  “What’s up?” I whisper, nudging her leg gently with mine.

  She looks between Ami and her parents and stands, gesturing for me to follow her. She walks into my office and closes the door. I can’t help but worry when I catch sight of her face.

  “Seriously, what’s wrong? You’re worrying me.” I say as she sits on my desk.

  She sighs, and pulls something long and white out of her bra.

  “Is that a…?”

  I see the two little pink lines before I even finish my sentence and swoop down to lift her into my arms.

  “We’re having another baby?!” I whisper excitedly and she laughs.

  “How are you not freaking out?” She asks.

  “Why would I be?” I ask as I kiss her.

  “Sebastian has only just turned one! He won’t even be two when this baby is born!” She says, eyes wide with panic.

  “We’ve got this! We’re already moving into a house that will have plenty of space, your mum and dad won’t be far, Celine and Dan will be less than five minutes away. Ami will be over the moon and Seb and this baby will be so close.”

  “You’re really happy about this?” She smiles.

  “Of course I am, are you?”

  “I am now.” She beams at me and wraps her arms around me. “Shall we go and make Ami’s Christmas even better?” she grins at me, grabbing my hand and walking out of my office.

  “Ami, come here a minute, we have a surprise.” She calls softly and Ami bounds over excitedly.

  I have never been happier in my life than this moment, and it’s only going to get better.

  The end.

  Other works by D Gourlay-

  Another Life (Life series, book one)

  Our Life (Life series, book two)

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