It wasn't the ringing of the phone but of the front door that woke Martha and her mother from their sleep. Martha had been the first to wake and therefore opened the door. She wasn't expecting the visitor to be Clive.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, shocked.
"I couldn't sleep," Clive replied. "Feeling far too guilty. I ignored your call this afternoon, Marth and it wasn't until a couple of hours later that I listened to your message. I'm so sorry about your granddad," he sympathised. He knew how big an influence he had been on his wife's growing up. "I don't want to fight anymore either. I hate it," he admitted. "I love you and that's all that matters, really,".
"I love you too," Martha replied tearfully before moving into her husband's embrace.
"Um, I'm going to need some help in unpacking the car," Clive said as they released each other. "I have three sleeping children in there, couple of animals and some luggage,".
Clive had decided to make the journey north after the children were in bed. He had managed to pack the car, put each child in their car seat and drive to Bolton without them waking. First things to be unloaded now we're the twins travel cots which were placed in the room Liv usually used when she was staying at her Nanna's. Pam helped take one twin, and Martha the other whilst Clive carried Liv up the stairs and put them to bed, again without them stirring.
A few suitcases along with the two Costello-Reader pets were hurriedly retrieved from the car before everyone went to bed. Martha and Clive heading to Martha's room. Everyone soon joined the children in sleeping be it from emotional or physical tiredness or a mixture of both.
Martha and Pam's sleep wasn't to be for long however. The hospital were soon phoning to say they didn't think that Martha's grandfather had much longer to live. The two women made their way to the hospital and made it just in time before the elderly man passed away. After staying with him for a while, and with information on what happened next, the two women headed home.
The three Costello-Reader children were a little confused when they woke up the following morning. They were not in the beds they had gone to sleep in. Liv soon orientated herself and realised she was in her Nanna's house, although what she was doing there was a mystery.
Will and Lil were awake and chatting to themselves across their cots. They noticed their older sister was awake and both stood up in their cots whilst chatting to her, excited at someone else to talk to. With Liv's help they managed to scale their cot sides onto Liv's bed and Liv helped them out of their sleeping bags before leading the way to the room where her parents usually stayed in Bolton.
"Why are we at Nanna's?" Asked Liv as she entered the bedroom, waking both Martha and Clive.
"How did you guys get out?" Martha asked through a yawn when she realised this bedroom visit included all of her children.
"I helped them," Liv answered as all three children clambered onto the bed.
"Excellent," Clive muttered. "Looks like our bed invasions might be a lot bigger from now on,".
Lifting the quilt up, Martha and Clive got everyone settled before answering Liv's question. "I've got some really bad news, Liv," Martha started.
"Are you and Daddy getting 'vorced?" Liv asked worriedly. "I know you've been fightin' and I don't like it,".
"We're not getting divorced Liv, I promise," Martha said as she kissed the top of her daughter's head.
"You sure?" Liv repeated and Martha confirmed with a nod. "Thank goodness!" Continued Liv, "because I have no idea who I want to live with. I love you and Daddy the same,".
"I'm sorry that you thought that, Liv," Martha replied. "I promise we will never let that happen again,".
"So what are we here for then?".
"Well it's about Papa," Martha said, using the name that Liv called her great grandfather by. "He was very poorly yesterday,".
"Is he going to be ok?" Liv asked.
Martha didn't quite know how to answer the question. This would be the first time that Liv would have to deal with the death of a relative and she wasn't sure how her daughter would handle it. She decided that honesty was the best policy however.
"No he's not, Liv. I'm afraid he died overnight,".
"He died? So I'm not going to see him anymore?".
"No Liv, you're not. I'm really sorry," Martha continued before the tears started.
"But I want to be able to see him," Liv said sniffing. "I love Papa. He liked me the best, he said so,".
"Did he?" Martha asked.
"Uh huh. He gave me more sweets than Will and Lil and more pocket money," Liv replied.
"Well you were his only great grandchild for quite a while," Martha agreed.
"I don't want him to be died, Mummy,".
"Me neither,".
Liv remained very subdued, stuck to her mother for the morning. After lunch, Pam could tell her daughter was very tired after hardly getting any sleep the night before. Her son in law didn't look much better after his long drive. They could probably also do with some time alone after their argument in London.
"Why don't we go to the park, Liv?" Pam suggested. "Will and Lil look like they need to get out of the house and we can take Bailey with us for a little walk as well,".
"What about Mummy and Daddy?" Replied Liv, not keen to leave her parents alone.
"I think they need a nap," Pam answered looking at her daughter and son in law. "They didn't get much sleep last night so they need a bit of a catch up,".
Liv thought about it and agreed with her grandmother. "Ok, Nanna. I'll go with you,".
Half an hour later and Pam was heading to the park, Liv beside her, Bailey on a lead, and the twins in the pushchair. Without much discussion, Martha and Clive headed to their bedroom. They would be sleeping that afternoon with peace and quiet in the house, but first they had to make up after their argument.
"I keep thinking that mum's going to go mental when she catches me with a boy in my bedroom having sex," Martha said as Clive gently rocked above her.
"I'm the first boy you've had in here?" Clive asked, not stopping his rhythm.
"Yeah," Martha panted.
"Glad to hear it," Clive acknowledged before picking his speed up.
Two hours later and Pam and her grandchildren were returning from the park. Will and Lil were fast asleep having spent all their energy tearing around the park. Pam gently placed them in their cots whilst Liv went with her.
"I was thinking of making a Hot Pot for dinner," Pam whispered. "It's your mummy's favourite. Would you like to help me?".
"Ok. Do you think Mummy and Daddy will help too?".
"I think they're still sleeping by the sounds of it. They'll come down when they're ready,".
"Ok, Nanna. I'll be down in a minute," Liv said. Pam went downstairs to get everything ready whilst Liv used the bathroom. She couldn't resist looking in on her parents though before going downstairs herself. Quietly opening the door to their room she saw that her grandmother was right and they were still sleeping so she left just as quietly as she had entered.
"I think Mummy and Daddy have made a baby this afternoon," Liv blurted out to her grandmother.
"Are you sure?" Pam asked, not entirely sure where her granddaughter had got that idea. She was fairly sure her daughter and son in law did not want any more children either.
"Yep. I saw them asleep in bed and I could tell they weren't wearing any pyjamas," Liv informed her grandmother. Pam gave a small smile. Martha and Clive had obviously made up properly. Liv however took her Nanna's smile to mean that she was wrong. "I know all about it, Nanna!" Liv continued.
"Really?".
"Yes. I've read the book when Mummy had Will and Lil in her tummy,".
"Oh?" replied Pam.
"Yep. Daddy has something in him which has to get inside Mummy and they join together and make a baby, but you can't be wearing any clothes for that to happen,".
"Oh is that how it works?," commented Pam playing along.
"Yes Nanna,".
The smell of cooking food woke all the sleepers in the house and everyone gathered in the living room whilst it was just finishing off.
"Did you tire yourself out in the park this afternoon. Is that why you are so quiet?" Martha asked her eldest daughter who was sat on her lap. Liv was usually quite a chatterbox given half the chance.
"No. I'm just thinking about where the new baby is going to go,".
"What new baby?" Asked Clive. Neither he nor Martha had had a chance to speak to Pam yet about what had been discussed in the kitchen between grandmother and granddaughter earlier.
"The baby that you and Mummy made this afternoon. It's not sharing my bedroom," she informed her puzzled parents. "It'll be too noisy and I won't get any sleep,".
"Liv, there is no baby," Martha told her daughter.
"But I saw you and Daddy in bed and you weren't wearing any pyjamas," she informed her parents.
"It doesn't always mean we are making a baby,".
"So what was you and daddy doin' then?".
"Making up after our little argument,".
"Oh. So there's definitely no baby?" Asked Liv quite relieved.
"Definitely no baby," Martha reiterated. "I think we have enough don't you?"
"Yes. I think Will and Lil are enough. They can be very naughty sometimes and get into lots of trouble,".
"And what about you?" Martha asked. "You're the ringleader aren't you?" She continued as she started tickling Liv.
"No mummy!" Liv argued through her giggles. "I'm the good one,".
"Oh are you? You could have fooled me!" Martha replied before launching another tickle attack.