by Laura Riley
Doing as he requested, I laugh when he stands at the bottom of the bed. He pulls the quilt up and crawls his way to me. He stops briefly to tease my clit with his tongue.
“Will you stop teasing me already?” Fisting his hair, I yank his head up.
“Fuck, Lizzie.” He rises above me, rubbing his head. “I like it when you’re feisty.” He grabs my hips and rolls us over. “Ride my cock.”
It doesn’t bother me I’ve never done this position before. Lowering myself onto him, I begin grinding myself forward and back. It doesn’t take long for him to grab my hips and he ups the pace.
The sex isn’t fast, it isn’t ferocious like the times before, it’s different. He isn’t fucking me, he’s making love to me. In this moment we are one, joined body and soul.
He kisses my hand, my arm, pulling me down. His lips dance as he kisses my neck. When our lips finally meet it’s as though they’ve never been apart. We make love, savouring every moment as though it could be our very last.
“I love you, Lizzie.”
I glance down at him, into eyes I want to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep at night and the first thing I wake up to. I love the guy with everything I am, everything I’ll ever be.
“I love you too.”
I lean forward, towel-drying my hair. I drop the towel and my robe to the floor and get dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a blue t-shirt.
I look around at the vast space. I can’t stop thinking about how much money this would have cost Cole, not that I’m complaining. Revelling in luxury, I prance into the lounge and open the blinds. I gaze out of the window and my mouth drops open. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as beautiful—a panoramic view of lawned gardens and Disney theme parks with Cinderella Castle standing tall in the distance. The blue sea and its white sandy beach lie beyond.
There’s a knock at the door. “Room service.”
Seth and I went through the breakfast menu last night. We called down to reception after midnight and placed our order.
I rub my hands together. “Come in.”
A waiter dressed in a dark suit pushes a silver serving trolley towards the far end of the room. He stops in front of the white marble dining table and begins laying out the plates from the trolley. I breathe in and smell the sweet essence of fresh fruit.
The moment he leaves, I run over to the table. I’ve never seen such a variety of food—yogurts, hazelnut granola, assorted cereals, Marshall’s Farm honey, and every fruit imaginable arranged in glass dishes. I pour myself a glass of fresh orange juice, admiring the crystal centrepiece.
I stop before taking a sip. Seth and Ellie’s voices come from the bedroom. The door to the master suite swings open and Ellie parades out wearing a green summer dress.
I smile. “You look very pretty, Ellie.”
Bending down, she pulls the skirt of her dress taut around her legs. “I’m going to see The Little Mermaid’s grotto, so I want to look just like Ariel.”
“And that’s your mermaid tail?”
She nods. I have to bite back a smile. Her face is so serious. Her attention is drawn to the large window, where she stands looking at her faint reflection. Seth joins me at the table, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He gazes down at the same time as I gaze up. As cheesy as it sounds, I just know that our story is going to be a happily ever after.
I need to be patient. As much as I want everything to happen overnight, we both agreed to move our relationship along slowly for Ellie’s sake. Seth needs to know his daughter is happy and there’s room in her life for me.
I picture the three of us like a jigsaw, the pieces almost fitting together, but still having small gaps between them. I don’t think it will be long before we fit together perfectly.
“I’m starving,” Seth says, reaching across the table and grabs a slice of watermelon. We tuck into breakfast, though Ellie refuses to eat. She bounces up and down on the chair nearest to the window.
“I’m not hungry. I want to see Beauty and the Beast, and Donald Duck, and…” She reels off one Disney character after another, having to stop to breathe.
Seth lowers his spoon and gives Ellie the ‘don’t mess with me’ face. “It’s going to be a long day. You’re not leaving until you’ve eaten.”
Slurping milk from her spoon, she finishes a bowl of cereal. “Okay, I’m done.”
After breakfast Seth covers Ellie in sunscreen, tweaking her nose between his pointer finger and thumb. “Can’t have my baby burning, now can we?”
She hops from one foot to the other, pulling on his arm. “Can we go now?”
Seth smiles. “We sure can.”
We leave the hotel and make our way to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Ellie skips between me and Seth, exhilaration shining in her eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy.
Ellie lifts her arms in the air, flapping her hands for us to hold. I take her right, Seth her left. It feels as though we’re swinging our little girl between us as we head to the theme park.
After a short walk from our hotel we enter a very new world, the magical world of Walt Disney.
We stop as a parade makes its way down the long winding street towards us. The street is transformed into a musical show, and theme tunes from Disney movies blast out of speakers attached to large floats.
Ellie starts jumping up and down. “Pluto, Mickey Mouse.”
People gather around and we stand together, lining the street. Ellie turns to Seth with her arms in the air and he lifts her onto his shoulders.
A horn blasts. Ellie squeals and reaches for Pluto, who parades past on tall stilts. Mickey, dressed in his striking red tunic, follows closely behind, waving his white gloved hands.
Ellie screams, waving to get their attention. Mickey passes and appears to look straight at us. She blows him a kiss. “I love you, Mickey.”
Seth takes a sideward step, closing the small distance between us. I glance at Ellie and Seth. I can’t believe we’re here together, that something so broken only days ago can feel so perfect.
The next float to drive towards us is The Little Mermaid. The song Under the Sea blasts from the speakers and Ellie sways from side to side in time to the music. She watches in awe as one float after another follows, finishing on Beauty and the Beast.
The parade passes and people move on. Seth crouches down and Ellie hops off his shoulders. Red-faced, she throws her arms round my waist. I smile down and hug her tightly. Looking between us, Seth winks. “My girls.”
I smile big. A warm feeling swirls around my stomach. Those jigsaw pieces are starting to fit together so naturally. Seth joins us for a group hug, placing a soft kiss on my temple.
We carry on through the park, weaving between colourful castles, ornate palaces and crooked houses. I can’t get over how visual everything is. With Ellie’s focus elsewhere, my and Seth’s hands manage to find their way together and our lips share the odd kiss.
The next attraction we visit is The Little Mermaid’s coastal retreat. We’re greeted by Ariel and her friends in her magical grotto. After, we have a ride on Aladdin’s magic carpet.
At five pm we make our way to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party for something to eat. Alice, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat are waiting on the tables. The Mad Hatter appears and shakes Ellie’s hand.
She crinkles her nose. “You look funny.”
He straightens his tall hat. White hair springs out from either side. “I am funny,” he says, leading us to an empty table.
We enjoy our dinner surrounded by all of the Wonderland characters. When it’s time to leave they stand and wave us off.
With the rides and shops starting to close, we head towards Cinderella’s palace for the night-time extravaganza. Wide-eyed, we stand and watch as fireworks explode into the night sky. A vibrant array of colours sprinkle through the dark clouds like a beautiful fountain. Spellbinding lasers come to life, making Cinderella’s palace look even more magical.
I turn to see E
llie’s little face. She’s in Seth’s arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed tight. “How can she be asleep through this?”
He grins. “I know, right?”
He wraps his arms around me. We stand and watch the remainder of the show. Today feels like the first day of the rest of my life. It’s the moment I realise that Seth and Ellie complete me. The moment I realise Seth and I are for keeps.
Lizzie
Six months later
Amber, Chelsea and I have spent the last two hours in the kitchen. I’ve been preparing sandwiches whilst Amber has been cooking finger foods. Chelsea’s job is to arrange the games for my and Seth’s gender reveal party. Chelsea has been somewhat inventive, from nappies filled with Nutella and baby dummies dipped in a range of sauces.
“We make a good team,” Chelsea says while filling the last nappy with chocolate sauce and wrapping it up as though it were a present.
“We certainly do,” agrees Amber while arranging sausage rolls onto a white ceramic serving dish.
The three of us step back and take a look at our preparations. Blue and pink balloons are secured on each of the ladder-backed chairs. The food is prepped and arranged perfectly on the breakfast bar, and I smile big, taking in a deep breath. The food smells amazing, in fact the fragrances are stronger than they ever have been. Then the scent of marzipan twists my insides and I feel sick, physically sick. Clasping my hand over my mouth, I make a beeline for the bathroom.
I pass Seth on the stairs—he’s on his way down but, seeing me, turns around and follows me up. Like the gentleman he is, he pushes the bathroom door open for me. I run inside and dry-heave into the toilet. It physically hurts my insides and my eyes water from the force with which my body is trying to be sick.
Seth brushes the side of my face as he moves my hair out of the way. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
When the awful mouth-watering has stopped, and the feeling of needing to vomit subsides, I sit straight. “I’m fine, thank you.”
His hand moves from my neck and down to my stomach, which he slowly rubs. “You two are giving Mummy a hard time.”
I place my hand over his. “They certainly are.”
We share a glance and his eyes crease in the corners. “Bernard and Rupert.”
I elbow him playfully. “You are not calling our son Bernard. Anyway, we could be having two girls. Nora and Jazlyn.”
Seth pulls a face. I’m not sure if it’s my names or the fact he could be sharing a house with four women.
It’s official though, we will find out the sex of our babies today. Cole is bringing the balloons filled with colourful confetti with him when he arrives.
Seth stands and grabs a flannel from the sink, which he wets and places on my forehead. “Or a boy and a girl. Bernard and Nora?”
I snatch the flannel. “Bernard isn’t happening.”
He sits behind me, and I lean back into his chest. He wraps his arms around me and forms a heart with his hands over my baby bump. “We have a few more months of quiet time, we should really make the most of it.”
We jump, hearing a loud bang from upstairs, the loft room. Ellie and Freja have been making tents in Ellie’s bedroom all morning. All my bedlinen and sheets have been draped over her cupboards and headboard.
Another bang, followed by the girls’ raised voices. Sounds like they’re arguing. It’s not surprising. Since starting school they’ve become best friends and are together more than they’re apart. Since Darcy no longer minds Ellie, Amber and I have split the childcare between our jobs, and it’s been working really well.
“Quiet time?” I tease. The bathroom door is closed, so I take this moment to reach behind me and rub my hand over the crotch of his trousers. “I’d like that.”
I’m not going to pretend this pregnancy has been easy so far. It hasn’t. One thing being pregnant has done in our favour is crank up our sex life. I’ve never felt so horny as I do right now.
He hardens in my palm as I begin rubbing him faster. He laughs, nudging my hand away. “Later.”
Another bang, and this time Ellie starts crying. Seth shuffles his way out from behind me. I smile as he pulls down his black t-shirt and adjusts the waistband of his trousers.
I crawl on all fours towards him. “Do you want me to help you with those?”
He shakes his head. “No, you stay there, unless you want me to have blue balls all afternoon.”
I get up onto my knees, gripping his jeans. “Who said anything about blue balls?”
He pauses for a second, as if considering my offer, but when Ellie’s crying gets louder his gaze leaves me and fixes on the door.
I toss the flannel at him. “Go.”
He winks at me before slipping out of the bathroom.
The last six months have been a blur. It’s like every broken facet of our lives has fallen into place and fitted together.
Ellie and Seth moved in with me when we returned from Disney World. Seth and Darcy had a huge argument when she discovered we had gone on holiday together. Their argument resulted in her kicking him out. Being the charitable person, I am, I offered them a room. It was the right thing to do.
By trying to split us up, Darcy only pushed us closer together. Irony at its finest.
Seth and Ellie slept in the spare room for a few months. Of course, he paid me some late-night visits. Our little living arrangement was working out nicely, that was until I found out I was pregnant. The pregnancy threw us a curveball for sure. We could no longer pretend to be ‘just friends.’
We sat down as a family and had the talk with Ellie. It was decided that Seth would move into my bedroom, the spare bedroom would be the nursery and the loft room would be Ellie’s new bedroom. Seth has since built an aquarium into her wall, which is home to several clownfish. I transformed the boring blue walls into the magical world of The Little Mermaid. It wasn’t complete without the addition of Nemo and Dory, who are playing with Flounder and Sebastian. Funny thing about love, you sacrifice what you love for the people you love more. I gave up my art room, my dream of drawing with the sea as my backdrop. My house is no longer bricks and mortar, but my home, with the people I love most inside.
I jump as a foot or an elbow presses into me hard. I tap my bump softly. “I know, I know. I have a gender reveal party to get ready for.”
Hearing voices downstairs, I head to my room to change and freshen up. I opt for a long flowing red t-shirt and a pair of my maternity jeans. I stand in front of the full-length mirror, focused on my baby bump. This is real. I’m having twins with the man I love, the man I’ve been obsessed with since I was a child.
“Lizzie, your parents are here,” Amber calls.
“Showtime.” Smiling at my reflection, I run my hand down my t-shirt. Seth often asks how the hell he got so lucky, but I feel like the lucky one. I didn’t realise how incomplete I was until he came into my life. Having Ellie and the babies in our lives only cements what I already know. We’re a unit. I’m complete.
I make my way downstairs; my parents are standing in the doorway. My mum is holding a large bag bursting with gifts.
I kiss her on the cheek. “Thanks, Mum.” I take the bag from her and she helps my dad into the kitchen, where I can see other guests mingling.
Cole, with two helium balloons in his hand, is the next to arrive, followed by Seth’s parents, his sister Imogen, and finally Darcy.
Seth has no idea I invited her, but I figure I’m carrying her nieces or nephews, it’s about time we put the past behind us. She stands on the welcome mat, I guess unsure if she is indeed welcome. She doesn’t back off, nor does she advance forward. She’s waiting for me to invite her in. When the silence is too much to bear, she flashes a glance behind her at her car. “I don’t think—”
I don’t let her finish. I throw my arms around her shoulders and I hug her. She doesn’t hug me back. One small, solitary tear spills from the corner of her eye, which she quickly wipes away. Well, well, so the ice queen
does have a heart.
“Thank you for inviting me.” Her words are forced, but she’s trying. I had to swallow my pride to ask her to come in the first place, but actually turning up is huge for someone as proud as Darcy. I’m serving her a large slice of humble pie, which I know she’ll eat crumb by crumb.
“I owe you an explanation,” she says.
I lift my hand. “It’s forgotten.”
“No, Lizzie. I have to get this off my chest once and for all.” She takes a deep breath before continuing. “I don’t know if Seth told you, but Dwight and I struggled to have a family of our own. After years of unsuccessful IVF we simply stopped trying. Just before Anna fell pregnant with Ellie, I found out I was expecting. Dwight insisted we wait until the twelve-week scan before we told our families, so I waited. Dwight met me on his lunch hour. Jennifer, the sonographer, rubbed the gel on my stomach, and then we watched the screen as she glided the probe over my skin.”
My heart is pounding. I feel sick as I know what she’s about to tell me. As I place my hand over my stomach, Darcy places hers over mine. “I didn’t get to see the tiny flicker of its heartbeat. I didn’t get to see my baby turning somersaults in my womb. I was the only mum to be leaving that room without a picture of my baby, without a baby.”
The hold she had on my hands moments ago is gone, and she drops her hands to her side. She miscarried. I can’t even begin to imagine what she went through. A tear makes its way down my cheek. So this is why she acted the way she did with Ellie. I want to speak but have no idea what to say. “Darcy—”
She shakes her head vehemently. “I don’t want your pity, and this doesn’t change anything with us. I still don’t trust you, not yet.”
I guess the bitch persona is easier for her to deal with than the pain she carries daily.
“Just let me in, Lizzie.”
It’s funny the ambiguity her statement carries. Let her into my house? Let her into my life? I’ll concentrate on the latter later.
