*Friday night arrives and the boys have their suitcases packed and ready to go early hours Saturday morning. Cheryl arrives about 2 whilst the kids are still at school and she drops her suitcase full of stuff into the lads room.*
"BREN! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" she says squeezing him hard
"Hi sis… this is….Steven!" he says trying to breathe as she squishes him with cuddles.
She pulls Ste in too and gives him a massive hug as well.
"He's a skinny lad ain't he Bren?"
"He is yeah" Brendan says smiling
"Kinda scrawny. I'd best be careful not to snap the wee fella… speaking of which I hope my brother ain't being too rough on ye sweetheart" She says to a red faced Ste. He doesn't really want to explain his sex life with his fiancées sister as fantastic as the sex is he doesn't want anyone to have the details especially Brendan's flesh and blood. She let's the boys go and Brendan pops the kettle on.
"I thought you weren't coming in til later? If I had known I would've met you at the airport"
"Wanted to surprise you big brother!" She says arranging her leopard print dress of her massive bosom. " So Ste tell me about the little ones"
"Well I've got two kids, our Leah and Lucas, they're as good as gold and won't be any trouble. Lucas is 4 and Leah's 6"
"Oh good young enough to still be cute without the nappies but old enough to have a conversation without all the teenage gob" she says taking her cup of tea off of Brendan. "Cheers hun! It's so good to finally meet you Ste. Brendan's told me all about you."
"Cheryl!" Brendan says from the kitchen as he fetches a pack of biscuits.
"Awww come on Bren I've never known you so in love. Any fool can see you're mad for each other"
"Chez! Anyone I've got to go pick up the kids from school. You stay here. Steven..?"
"He can stay with me love I want to get to know him before the kids come back"
"Ok… No embarrassing questions or stories ok?"
"Can't promise Bren"
Brendan pretends he didn't hear her and goes off to get the kids.
"So darling" She says as she scoots up on the sofa and pats the space next to her "come sit with me here ya wee thing"
Ste does as he's told and him and Cheryl start talking. Ste tells her about the kids and Brendan now and Cheryl tells Ste about Brendan as a kid.
"I still reckon he had that moustache, even as like a little kid in nursery" Ste says laughing put his fingers above his lip like a moustache.
"He did for a few weeks. He found some fuzzy felt in school that looked like a moustache and he also found some super glue. He was only a wee lad, no more than 8 and the doctors couldn't do anything so he had that handle bar moustache for about 3 weeks before it finally came off! Ma was furious because he did it for the school photo to look good but she couldn't get it off though she tried for hours to get rid of it so he got his own way and had to have the photo with his fake tache"
Ste's in fits of laughter at the thought of this. Brendan comes in and the kids rush over to Ste and Cheryl.
"DADDY!" they both yell
"Hi kids, this is your Aunty Cheryl, she's looking after you this weekend"
The kids looked her up and down and she smiled at them so they smiled back.
"She's so pretty" Leah says in her version of a whisper.
"And you're very pretty too young Leah. You've got lovely hair. Maybe we can play hair dressers this weekend?"
"YEAH!"
"Lucas? Do you want me to do your hair?"
"my hair IS done!" he says
She looks at his hair and smiles when she notices it's a mini Brendan hair style.
"It's like daddy Brendan's!" Lucas says "It makes me look tough! Who's gonna do my hair when you're gone Daddy Brendan?"
"I can do it sweetheart." Cheryl says
"Just like this?"
"Just like that"
"No pink bows or glitter or hair slides?"
"Not unless you want them"
"NO, THEY'RE FOR GIRLS!" Lucas says outraged
"I know sweetheart I was joking." Cheryl says laughing
The kids hang up their coats and school bags and Brendan listens to Leah read her book.
"During the weekend Lucas has to draw a picture in his what I did at the weekend book and you hae to write a few sentences for him. Just like today I went to the park and we fed that ducks that sort of stuff. He has to tell you what to write though. We'll be back Sunday afternoon so I'll fill in that day if you could just do tomorrow's entry?" Ste says to Cheryl
"No problem chick."
"Daddy Brendan?" Leah says once she's finished reading
"Yes Princess Leah"
"Can we have Pizza for tea?"
"Of course we can darling. Your Daddy and I have to grab something quick to eat before we get the plane."
Brendan orders the food and within half an hour they're eating and talking and having a laugh.
Once they've all eaten Brendan and Ste give the kids a big hug and kisses each and Brendan puts their suitcases in the car.
"Bye kids, we'll be back Sunday and in the meantime you behave for your Aunty Cheryl ok?"
"Ok"
"Love you daddy!" Leah says hugging Ste once more. Lucas copies and then they both give Brendan a massive hug and Brendan picks them both up off the ground and gives them another hug and kiss.
"Bye kids"
"Bye daddy" they chorus
"Bye boys have fun and don't worry we'll be fine and Bren you've got my number so you can text or ring anytime"
"Will do and thanks sis."
"No worries chick." and with that the boys are gone.