Chap 4
The next morning I woke before Edward. And seemingly everyone else in the house. We had stayed on the sofa all night, me tucked into Edwards chest. He looked pretty when he slept. Peaceful. I managed to slip out of his hold without waking him up and made sure to cover him with the blanket before kissing his cheek and going up the stairs.
Looking in on the girls I saw they were all still asleep in Jenna's bed, I went into the spare room and saw Ethan was awake and sat up in the travel cot, playing with a blanket. "Hey little man." I cooed lifting him up and out of the cot. "Nice sleep?" I asked carrying him down stairs and into the kitchen. I grabbed the high chair and set it up before settling him in there and throwing some cheerio's on the tray for him to pick at while I made enough breakfast for everyone. I decided on making pancakes. I have no idea what anyone wants but most people like pancakes. I mixed up the batter for the pancakes and left it on the side ready to make the pancakes when everyone wakes up. Ethan had finished his cheerio's so he was bored. I lifted him out of the high chair and let him play on the floor with some measuring cups. Seemed to keep his attention.
If everyone sleeps for much longer I may let him play with the saucepans and a wooden spoon. Just an idea.
"Hey." I groggy voice said from the door.
"Morning." I said turning to face Edward. "Sleep well?" I asked turning back to stir the porridge.
"Yeah." he replied coming up behind me. "Is everyone still sleeping?" he asked.
"No Ethan is playing on the floor there." I said pointing to the other side of the island. "But the girls are all sleeping." I said as he wandered round to see Ethan.
"Dada!" he exclaimed happily.
"Hey buddy. Having fun?" he asked lifting him up and hugging him. He played with Ethan while I finished making breakfast.
"Edward why don't you and Ethan go and get dressed while I wake the girls up?" I offered. I'd send him to wake them but Jenna isn't particularly nice in the morning. She might scare him off.
"Sure."
"Pass me Lizzie's clothes. Ill get her dressed then we can have breakfast." I said. He nodded and grabbed them out of the bag.
"Here. She can do most stuff herself. Its her hair she will need help with."
"Edward I have a girl the same age." I reminded him laughing a little.
"Oh yeah." he said. He turned and headed towards the door before turning and coming back. He stopped in front of me and ducked down and pressed a soft kiss to my lips before pulling back and resting his forehead on mine.
"I've wanted to do that since I walked in here." he murmured.
"Why wait so long?" I asked.
"I have no idea." he chuckled kissing me again.
"I wont next time." he said. "Also I was thinking maybe we should take the kids out. Maybe to the zoo or something." he said.
"Sure. Jenna's friend Sophie is coming over at some stage but Jenna doesn't have to come if she doesn't want to." I said.
"Ok you go wake the girls." he said. I nodded and we both went up the stairs. He disappeared into the spare room and I went to Jenna's room. They were all still asleep. Jenna on her side on the left, Maddie on her back on the right and Lizzie on her front in the middle. I smiled wishing I had my camera.
"Jenna… Jenna. Oi wake up." I said shaking her.
"What." she groaned.
"Its morning." I said.
"Yes I can see that. Why are you waking me?" she scowled.
"Edward and I are taking the kids to the zoo. Do you want to come or do you want us to drop you and Sophie at the mall?" I asked.
"We'll come to the zoo but we may wander off." she said.
"Ok well we will leave in about an hour and a half. We can pick Sophie up on the way." I said.
"Ok well I'm going to jump in the shower." she said.
"Well there will be pancakes soon. I'm just going to get the girls up and dressed." she nodded and slipped out of the bed and wandered into the bathroom.
"Lizzie? Maddie?" I said shaking them both a little. "Wake up." Maddie's eyes opened a little. "Mama tired." she moaned slightly.
"Well you should have gone to sleep last night." I said lifting her onto my lap. She turned and buried her head in my hair. I rubbed my hand up and down her back while I rubbed circles in Lizzie's back trying to wake her. She whimpered slightly and rolled onto her back. "Hey. Time to get up." I said. She smiled slightly and sat up.
"Go to your room and pick what you want to wear." I said to Maddie as I placed her on the floor. She nodded and ran off. "Come on sweetie. Lets get you dressed." I said and lifted her off the bed and took her to Maddie's room.
"Right wash your face and brush your teeth." I said, directing them to Maddie's bathroom.
They both took it in turns using the sink and toilet while I laid out their clothes. For Maddie a pink checked button up shirt and jeans and for Lizzie a pair of jeans, a white vest top and a pink jumper. They got dressed and I did their hair for them. I tied Maddie's up and put Lizzie's in two plaits.
"You two go downstairs and watch cartoons while I get dressed, then ill make pancakes ok?" I said. They both nodded and ran off. Now more alert than before.
I went into my room and quickly washed and dressed. I pulled on some black leggings and a white vest top with a black cardigan over the top. I slid my feet into my black ugg boots and went down stairs.
I could smell pancakes.
A little worrying considering I'm the only one who cooks.
The kids were all on the sofa watching cartoons with Ethan sat between the two girls and Jenna presumably in the shower still. I went into the kitchen and saw Edward flipping pancakes.
"Hey I was going to do that." I said walking over to the stove.
"You cooked dinner last night. Its my turn." he said smiling over at me.
"Ill cut up the fruit and stuff." I said.
"Ok." he shrugged. I went to the fridge and pulled out a load of fresh fruit and began cutting It up and putting it in little bowls. I grabbed the whipped cream, chocolate, jam, sugar and lemon juice and put it all on the counter. The kids could all sit at the breakfast bar like they did for dinner. I put out glasses of juice and Edward placed the stack of pancakes on the table.
"Did Jenna want to come?" he asked.
"Yeah. We are picking up her friend Sophie on the way and they plan to go off a bit."
"Cool. I think tonight me and the kids should go home. After the zoo and dinner." he said grasping my hips and pulling me to stand in front of him.
"Yeah. Might be a good idea."
"We can do something tomorrow though." he said.
"Yeah. Maybe take them swimming?" I offered.
"Yeah. Sounds good." he said.
"Ill go and get them. Do me a favour and get the girls booster seats from the garage?" I asked. He nodded and placed a soft kiss on my lips before disappearing. I went into the living room.
"Girls breakfast." I said lifting Ethan from between them. "Go and sit in the kitchen." I said. "Jenna! Breakfast!" I yelled up the stairs.
"Coming!" She yelled back. I could hear her moving around so she should be down soon. I looked at Ethan who was playing with a strand of hair laying on my shoulder.
"Come on little man." I said tickling his side making him giggle. We went into the kitchen where Edward had strapped the girls in and was placing pancakes on their plates. I strapped Ethan in and put his bib on to protect his clothes. Edward had dressed him in jeans, a white t shirt with an unbuttoned shirt over the top. Edward was dressed similar. In dark denim jeans, a white undershirt and a plain grey button up over the top. Edward placed a plate of pancakes in front of Ethan already cut into bite size pieces with some fruit.
"Ooh pancakes." Jenna said coming in the room. Her hair was dry and straight but had been pulled up into a ponytail, she had little make up on and was dressed in dark jeans and a blue shirt with a white pattern on it and a dark blue cardigan over the top.
"Here you go." Edward said handing her a plate.
"Thanks." she said. Edward handed me mine with a wink and I smiled back.
"Did you ring Sophie?" I asked.
"Yeah. I said we would be there around 1030." she replied. "But I would text when we left here."
"Ok." we all finished breakfast and I tidied up with Edward while the kids found their shoes and coats with Jenna's help.
"We should go in my car." I said. "Its big enough to fit all of us." I said.
"We can do. I'm gonna put Ethan in his coat and shoes and check on the girls."
"Ok well pass me your keys and ill sort car seats." Edward nodded and dug out the keys while Ethan played on the floor with saucepans. Making a lot of noise.
"Grab Ethan's buggy too. He will need a nap and I'm not up for carrying him for a few hours." Edward said placing the keys in my hand before pulling me forward for a kiss. Our lips teased and tasted until Ethan became annoyed and hit Edwards leg with the spoon.
"Ow-ah" Edward complained and I laughed.
"Ow-ah. I didn't know it had two syllables." I said through my laughter.
"Yeah yeah laugh it up but the kid has a good arm." He said ducking down to lift Ethan up and take the spoon off of him.
"Go do what you were gonna do. I have work to do." I said turning to the garage. I opened the garage door and unlocked my car. I left Maddie's seat in the middle row where it was before and placed Lizzie's in the seat next to it. I strapped Ethan's into the next seat and strapped that in. Jenna and Sophie could sit in the far back with Edward and I in the front seat. Once all the car seats were strapped in I grabbed Ethan's buggy and slid it on the floor in front of where the kids would sit. Its hardly like they need the leg room. I reversed Edwards car onto the road and parked it in front of the house so I could reverse my car off the drive when we leave. I went back into the house to see everyone pretty much ready.
"Where is Jenna?" I asked.
"Coming." she said running into the room. "Sorry I lost my boots." she said. She was in black ugg boots. She had also put on a different, thicker cardigan on. I grabbed my grey body warmer from the cupboard and my bag off the table.
"Ok lets go then. Jenna you and Sophie have the back row." I said. Edward handed me Ethan and I took him outside and strapped him in his bright blue car seat while Jenna climbed in the back seat. "Seatbelt." I warned. She never likes wearing it.
Lizzie climbed in the middle to her black and white patterned car seat and I strapped her in making sure she was secure while Edward did the same for Maddie in her pink and black car seat. "Come on!" Edward said motioning me over to the drivers side where he was stood. He opened the door for me making me laugh.
"Told ya I'd figure a way!" He grinned. I leant forward and kissed his smiling lips.
"You win. But I still don't think you can keep it up but we'll see." I said climbing in. I put the keys in the ignition and reminded Jenna to text Sophie and tell her we would be outside in 15 minutes.
"Ready? Have we forgotten anything?" I asked. "Did you grab Ethan's bag?" I asked
"No." he said. I laughed and handed him the keys to run back inside. The girls chattered about their favourite animals and what they wanted to see, while Jenna texted and occasionally added her little bit and Ethan played with a toy babbling quietly. Edward ran back out of the house and jumped into the car placing the bag at his feet.
"Got everything?" I asked.
"Yes now drive." He said handing me the keys and winking.
"Ok. If your sure." I said putting the keys into the ignition and reversing off the drive.
"Can we see the lions?" Maddie asked.
"Yep we should be able to see everything." I replied.
"So we can see the monkeys?"
"Yep."
"And the penguins?"
"Yep."
"And the.."
"Maddie you will see everything." I said cutting her off.
"Ok." She relented as we pulled up outside Sophie's house. The pretty blonde came out of the house and down the drive. I jumped out of the car to let her in the back.
"Hi Bella.!" she said as I opened the boot door for her to climb in.
"Morning Sophie. Are your parents ok with you coming today and staying over?" I asked.
"Yeah they are fine with it." she said.
"Good." I said. "Put your belt on." I said as I closed the boot door.
"Oh Sophie. This is Lizzie, Ethan and Edward. Edward is Bella's boyfriend." Jenna said as I climbed in the drivers seat making me give Jenna a dirty look in the mirror.
"Edward, Lizzie and Ethan this is Sophie." she concluded.
"Nice to meet you Sophie." Edward chuckled slipping his hand under mine of the gear shift. He intertwined our fingers but did it so I could still change gear.
"You too." She said softly.
All the kids chattered, Ethan to his self while I drove the last 15 minutes to the zoo. Sophie and Jenna seemed to be gossiping about something and the girls were going on about animals still. I pulled into the parking lot and happily found a parking space near the entrance.
"Let the girls out of the boot please." I said as I climbed out of my seat making Edward scowl at me and making me laugh. I went round to get Ethan's buggy out and set it up before lifting him out of his car seat and settling him in the buggy and strapping him in. I grabbed the bag from where Edward had been sitting and put it across the handle bars. Edward let Jenna and Sophie out and then grabbed Lizzie and Maddie out of their car seats. I made sure the girls was wrapped up warm and put a blanket over Ethan to keep him warm. It wasn't winter yet but its still cold.
"Right lets go." I said as Edward took the buggy and pushed it. The girls skipped ahead a little bit and Jenna and Sophie hung back a little.
Edward paid much to my annoyance and we wandered around the zoo.
"Bella. Do you mind if we wander off?" Jenna asked.
"Its fine but keep your phone on." I said. She smiled and nodded and they wandered off.
"Right where first?" I asked.
"Well should we start here and then go round?" Edward asked.
"Sure. Left or right?"" I asked.
"Hmm left." Edward said. I nodded and we wandered off to the left and started at the birds. I hate birds. I scooted a little closer to Edwards side and linked my arm through his. "You ok?"
"Don't like birds." I said. He laughed and pulled me to stand in between him and the buggy with his arms caging me in. "Ill protect you." He said into my ear as we walked, before kissing my neck.
"My hero." I laughed leaning back into him.
"Mama can we get a bird?" Maddie asked.
"No!" I said quickly making Edward shake with laughter behind me as he buried his head in my hair to muffle the sound.
Thankfully we got through that bit of the visit quite quickly and kept wandering through. We bumped into Jenna and Sophie in the butterfly conservatory.
"Hey. There's a face painting thing next door. Can we take the kids?" Jenna asked.
"Yeah. We'll meet you there in a minute." Edward said before I could. I handed Jenna some money and she took the girls hands while Sophie pushed the buggy.
"Come on." Edward said pulling me behind him and out of the conservatory.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Somewhere private for a minute."
"Why?" I asked as he pulled me behind a building.
"So I can do this." he said before pushing his lips down on mine. I smiled and kissed him back. Our tongues slid against each other softly for a few minutes while his arms wrapped around my waist and mine round his neck. We kissed languidly for a few more minutes before breaking apart and he rested his forehead on mine. I opened my eyes and looked up into his. "Come on. We should probably go help your sister." Edward said pulling away and linking our fingers.
"Yeah. We should do lunch after this." I said.
"Yeah I'm hungry."
"Me too so the kids must be as well." I said. We wandered over to the tent where face painting was being advertised to see Ethan with a tiger face, Lizzie had an underwater design and Maddie had unicorn design. Jenna was being painted and it looked to be a butterfly design around her face and Sophie just had a flower on her cheek.
"Hey. Wanna get your faces done?" Jenna asked.
"No your ok." I said.
"Your loss." she said.
"I don't think so." I murmured into Edwards chest while my hand slipped into his back pocket. Jenna quickly finished up and we left.
"Coming for lunch?" I asked Jenna and Sophie.
"Yeah we are hungry." Jenna replied.
We found a café near the face painting and quickly grabbed a table big enough. Jenna and Sophie wanted to get burgers, the girls wanted hot dogs and we got Ethan a chicken nugget meal. All the food came with chips and drinks. Edward and I also ordered burgers and we waited for the food.
"What have you seen?" Jenna asked.
"Birds, monkeys, fish, snakes and butterflies."
"Ah so all the things you hate." Jenna said with a smile. "Well at least you will get to the bigger animals soon."
"What have you seen?"
"Ill be honest we were at the carnival." Jenna said. "We have no interest in the smaller animals so we plan to tag along now."
"Ok that's fine."
"By the way there is a shop near the exit that we need to stop at. I want a teddy." She added.
"Ok." I said. Our food turned up and everyone tucked in with Edward helping Ethan eat while eating his food too. The girls giggled and compared their faces with eating their food. Once we were all done Edward paid again mentioning the fact that I paid for face painting as his excuse before we headed back out. I carried Ethan this time so he didn't spend all day in the buggy. We wandered around the zoo with the girls oohing and ahhing over all their favourite animals. Ethan fell asleep in my arms with his head on my shoulder so I put him back in the buggy after leaning the seat back and covered him with a blanket. I pushed the buggy while Edward explained things to the girls that he must have been reading off the displays and then fobbing off as his own knowledge. The girls seemed to like it though.
Around 5ish we decided to his the shop and then leave. The girls seemed to be getting tired. Maddie picked out a lion teddy that she liked and we got Ethan a koala bear that I thought was cute. Lizzie got a dolphin one and Jenna got a polar bear thing that was bigger than Ethan. Sophie opted to get a key ring citing that she had too many teddy bears already. We all went out to the car and strapped all the kids in, folding down the buggy and putting it away.
"Right lets stop somewhere for dinner. I'm too tired to cook." I said.
"Why don't we get pizza and take it home?" Jenna asked.
"Good idea. Can you stay and eat before you go home?" I asked Edward.
"Yeah we have time." He said.
"Good." I said. I waited for Jenna and Sophie to climb into their seats and then shut the boot.
"Why don't you let me drive. You look tired." Edward offered cupping my cheek and running his thumb under my eyes.
"Ok." I said handing him the keys. He pulled the passenger door open and I climbed in. I turned to smile at him and he pressed a kiss to my lips before closing the door and walking round the car.
"Oooh." Jenna sang from her seat.
"Put a sock in it or you wont eat tonight." I called back. She laughed but shut up as Edward climbed into his seat. "Ready?"
"Yep. If we drop the kids off we can go grab the pizza after. Jenna and Sophie can watch them for half an hour." I said.
"Sounds good." Edward said reversing out of the parking space and heading home.
The car was fairly quiet on the way. Everyone seemed tired today.
Edward pulled up outside and I let Jenna and Sophie out. Jenna got Ethan out while I grabbed the girls and went to let them into the house.
"We will be back soon. Wash the paint off their faces and change them into PJ's. I don't think anyone will stay up long after dinner."
"Ok will do."
"Put Lizzie in some of Maddie's and there is an all in one for Ethan in his bag." I said handing it to her. "Change his nappy too." I said. "What do you two want on your pizza?"
"Pepperoni?" Jenna asked looking to Sophie.
"Sure." she said hanging her coat up.
"Ok we will be back soon." I said before leaving. I went back down to the car and slipped into the passenger seat.
"Everything sorted?" Edward asked.
"Yep. Jenna and Sophie are going to wash the paint of the kids and change them into PJ's in case they fall asleep after dinner." I said.
"Good idea." Edward said driving down the road. "Do we know what they want?"
"Well Jenna and Sophie want pepperoni. Maddie will eat pepperoni. Will Lizzie?" I asked.
"Yep its her favourite. I have jars of baby food for Ethan to have." Edward added.
"Good." I said as we pulled up outside the pizza place.
"Is pepperoni ok with you?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Well we can get 2 large pepperoni pizza's then. It should be enough." I said
"Yep." he said as we climbed out. We went indoors and ordered the pizza and the guy told us 10 minutes. Edward dropped onto the chair and pulled me down onto his lap while we waited and had his head buried in my neck.
"I'm tired." he complained.
"Well you can go home once I've fed you all." I soothed running my fingers through his hair.
"Id rather stay with you but I think we might be moving too fast for the kids." he said.
"Yeah. We can see each other tomorrow. Maybe take the kids to the cinema?"
"Yeah there is a new film I was going to take them too." he said.
"Ok well if you come over around 11 we can go and see it." I said.
"You know. The girls might not be happy about splitting for the night. They seem to be very close now." he said.
"Well if we tell them about the cinema it should soften the blow."
"Yeah. We can see what they say." he said. I nodded and kissed his cheek.
"Your order's up." the kid yelled.
"Thanks." Edward said as I stood and he paid before we went out to the car.
"Let me drive back." I said. He nodded and gave me the keys. I drove us back and pulled onto the drive way before we went inside.
All the kids were on the sofa. Ethan was dressed in a little blue and white all in one with his face clean. He was on Sophie's lap who had also changed into shorts and a vest. Lizzie was in a pink pj set with unicorns with it. Maddie was in a pink kitten set and Jenna was in a purple vest and short set. "Did you get the food?" she asked.
"Yep. Here we got two large pepperoni pizzas. It should be enough." I said handing them to her. "Where is Ethan's bag?" I asked her.
"Kitchen."
"Thanks." Edward went into the kitchen and got some food out of the bag and heated it up while making a bottle for Ethan.
We all sat down to eat and Edward gave Ethan his jar of food. I finished my pizza first so I gave Ethan his bottle and as suspected he fell asleep. It was just before 7 now so I expected the girls to fall asleep soon. I placed Ethan in the corner of the sofa and covered him with a blanket before taking the pizza boxes out. When I got back to the living room Jenna and Sophie had disappeared and Edward was talking to the girls.
"Lizzie we need to go home soon."
"But daddy I want to stay here." Lizzie moaned.
"Please Edward. Please." Maddie added. "Mama please can they stay?"
"Not tonight baby. But we are all going to the cinema tomorrow."
"Ok." she pouted. "You promise."
"Yeah. I promise." I said. "Why don't you watch this cartoon while Edward and I sort out their stuff ok?" I said pushing her hair off her face. She nodded and Edward and I slipped out of the room.
"That went well." Edward said when we were in the kitchen.
"Yeah. Could have been more difficult." I said as Edward climbed onto one of the seats at the breakfast bar. He pulled me between his legs and rested his head on my shoulder.
"Come on we need to swap the car seats over." I murmured. He groaned but nodded and lifted his head. He pulled my face closer and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was soft as our tongues occasionally brushed together.
"Come on." I said pulling away and pulling Edward off the seat.
"You swap over the seats and ill put down the cot and clear up the stuff." I said.
"Leave the cot. I don't need it at home." he said kissing my cheek and going out the door. I went upstairs and into the spare room where Ethan had slept and grabbed his clothes and favourite blanket, putting them in his bag. Once that was done I took it all downstairs and took it out to Edward who had just finished moving all the car seats back. I placed the bags in the boot and we went back inside to see all the kids sleeping now.
"Ill move Maddie upstairs for you before we leave." Edward said lifting her up. I followed him and pulled the sheets back for him and then closed the blinds and curtains and flicked on a nightlight. Edward kissed her forehead, then I did before leaving and pulling the door up. Jenna's door was open so I quickly got her attention.
"Edward and the kids are leaving now. I'm going to help him get Lizzie and Ethan to the car so can you listen for Maddie. She is in bed asleep."
"Sure. Goodnight Edward."
"Night Jenna, Sophie."
"Night." Sophie called back.
We went downstairs and I lifted up Ethan while he grabbed Lizzie. We took them out to the car and I strapped in Ethan for him. I covered the sleeping baby with a blanket and pressed a kiss to his forehead before closing the door and going round to where Edward was covering Lizzie. He stepped away and I kissed the sleeping child before closing the door for him.
"We will be round at 11. Maybe before. Depends how long I can hold Lizzie back." Edward said grabbing my hips and pulling me closer.
"Ok. Come whenever. Just ring me if no one opens the door." I said.
"Ok." he said dropping his forehead to mine. I tilted my head up and pressed my lips to his. We kissed softly for a few minutes before he pulled back.
"I need to leave now or I wont at all." he said against my lips before re attaching them. I slowed the kiss and then pulled away.
"Go before I don't let you." I said. He nodded and pressed a final kiss to my lips before pulling back.
"Get inside. Its cold." he said, I nodded and turned and walked up the pathway and up to the door. I turned and waved. He blew a kiss and winked before climbing in his car and driving off. I went inside and locked up before settling on the sofa. I spent the rest of the night tidying up and watching criminal minds and texting back and forth with Edward before showering and going to bed.