Hey, I know that Easter has passed now but I wanted an excuse to make everyone happy and excited so I thought I'd do an Easter themed chapter. Things are finally looking up ;) enjoyyy x
Easter surprises
"Shh, be quiet Lily! It's meant to be a secret!" Ellie whispered to Lily as they entered through their parents bedroom door. Clara and Danny smiled at each other discretely as they pretended to still be asleep. The girls began to crawl around the bedroom floor as quietly as they could manage. Clara and Danny had no idea what they were looking for but it was funny nevertheless. After a few minutes Lily let out a big sigh and stood up.
"I can't see anything Ellie! He's not here." Ellie stood up and shushed her.
"Shh! You've made him run away now. We have to be quiet to see him!" Lily shook her head and walked over towards Clara.
"I want to cuddle mummy instead." Clara smiled widely and turned over to lift Lily into the bed. She looked absolutely adorable. With her Easter bunny button-up pyjamas, her half done up hair that drooped over her face and her eyes still clouded with sleep. It was one of those moments where Clara could almost explode with love and gratefulness. Lily laid down in between Clara and Danny and leaned into Clara. Clara kissed her head and hugged her tightly.
"What are you looking for monkey?" Danny laughed a little as he propped himself up on his elbow to see Ellie still looking around inquisitively.
"Ellie said that the Easter bunny is coming today and that if we get up early we can see him leaving us some eggs." Clara and Danny looked at each other and giggled. Lily sighed hugely again. "But I don't think he's here because he wasn't under the bed and that's the best place to hide ever." Clara kissed her head again.
"Well maybe you missed him then because he is a very busy bunny. He's got lots of other little boys and girls to give Easter eggs to. But if you've been a good girl, which we all know you have, he may have been really nice and left some for you." She looked up and smiled. Her eyes widened just about as far as possible.
"Really!? Can we go and find them!?" Danny laughed.
"Well, mummy and I have a few surprises for you later on so you'll have to be a good girl and wait for a bit. Then maybe you'll find some chocolate just for you." She nodded and moved over to hug him. Clara rolled over to see Ellie stood by the bed.
"Alright munchkin?" She nodded.
"Mummy... Is there a surprise for me too?" Clara smiled.
"Honey, of course there is! As if we would give one to Lily and not give one to you! Come on." Ellie smiled and jumped into the bed with Clara.
"Happy Easter everybody!" Lily exclaimed with a rather interesting pronunciation of the word 'everybody' making them all laugh.
"Happy Easter to you too sweetie." Clara said as she kissed her on the head. As she did so Noah started to move in his cot right on cue. She rolled over and got up slowly. As she walked over she saw that for once he was not crying. He was laying on his back contently with his feet in the air. She smiled and tickled his tummy making him wiggle and fall onto his side. She laughed and picked him up gently.
"Noahhhhh." Lily called as Clara sat down. "Good morning baby brother." She kissed him on the head and started to play with him gently as Clara laid him down close to her. Clara and Danny smiled at each other, Lily was so good with him. It warmed their hearts.
After breakfast Ellie and Lily didn't get up and run off to play like usual, they sat quietly looking at each other and giggling. Clara and Danny grinned. They then looked at Dave and they all smiled after latching on to what they were waiting for.
"So what do you two want to do today then?" Ellie and Lily looked at each other hesitantly, not quite sure what to say. Danny joined in with Clara's game as the look on their faces was worth it.
"I think we need to go food shopping. Ooh and we could clean our trainers from our walk the other day?" Both girls shook their heads.
"No! That's boring!"
"Boring? Well, what else do you want to do then?" Ellie looked at them with confusion as though she couldn't tell if they had actually forgotten or not. "No ideas? Well we may as well all go back to bed then eh?" Soon Ellie couldn't contain herself anymore.
"EASTER EGGS!" She shouted as Lily nodded in unison as Clara, Dave and Danny looked at them with shock.
"Easter eggs?! And why would you two be getting Easter eggs!?" Ellie hit her head with her palm.
"Because it's Easter, silly!" Clara laughed as Danny continued on the joke.
"Is it? Are you sure?" Ellie nodded.
"Daddy yes. It is Easter." He laughed.
"Okay, well I don't know where the Easter eggs are then? I can't see any? Can you?" They shook their heads. "Oh no wait! What's that up there?" He pointed to the shelf above the table where an egg was sat waiting. Both girls leaped up to grab it whilst giggling with excitement.
"How about you crack it open and see if there's anything inside?" They nodded and both started to hit it with their hands. After a few valiant attempts Lily shook her head and held her hands up.
"Nope. It's too hard." They all laughed. Lily was such a character, she always managed to make everyone laugh. Danny stood up and smiled.
"Let me try. With my big daddy muscles." He winked at Clara who scoffed. "Oi." She laughed and kissed him on the hand. Soon enough he had cracked it open leaving a piece of paper inside it. Ellie picked it up with a confused look on her face.
"What's this?" Danny shrugged.
"I don't know, what does it say?" She turned it up the right way and read off it slowly.
"It says 'To Ellie and Lily, there are some surprises for you today because you've been very good girls. Go to the back door and wait for your daddy to tell you what to do to find them. I hope you like what I've got you! Love from the Easter bunny.'" Both of their eyes widened.
"The Easter bunny!" Lily called. They jumped up and ran to the door as quickly as possible leaving the adults to follow.
"Okay so mummy, grandad and I had a meeting with the Easter bunny a few days back and he told us to give you some instructions. You have to be really good girls and follow them, yes?" They both jumped up and down nodding as they did so. "In the garden there's eggs hidden all around so you need to take one of these each." He handed them both a little basket. "And go round nicely to find them all. Also there's one bigger present for you both but you'll have to find the eggs first!" They nodded excitedly. "Are you ready?!"
"YESSS!" They shouted. Danny laughed and opened the door to let them free. Dave and Clara followed him outside along with Noah in Clara's arms. They stood happily watching them search high and low. Danny put his arm around Clara and kissed her head.
"You okay?" She nodded and smiled gently.
"Yeah, it's so nice to see them both so happy. If they're happy, I'm happy too." He grinned.
"Bless them, they're loving it." She nodded again.
"Yeah, they deserve it after all they've been through. They deserve their day of fun and laughter." They both smiled at each other and then at the girls who were running around and giggling with each other.
Soon they ran over to Danny.
"Look! Look! Look how many we found!" Danny laughed.
"Wow! The Easter bunny must like you two!" He quickly counted up how many each of them has and then smiled. "I think you've missed some, there's definitely some more out here!" They looked at each other and then ran off again. Dave and Danny followed to lend them a helping hand. Clara watched as they tried to give the girls subtle clues but ended up having to show them where the eggs were. It made her laugh. Truly laugh for the first time in a while. Danny noticed this and it made him smile a little bigger and laugh a little harder himself. He had missed her laugh.
They headed inside to the living room where Ellie and Lily emptied their eggs out onto the floor in separate piles. A sad look appeared on Lily's face as she noticed how few eggs she had managed to find compared to her big sister. Ellie saw this and began to count both of their eggs so that she could give some of hers to Lily to equal how many they had.
"You can have some of mine, don't worry Lily." A wide smile appeared on her face as she began to look through the ones she had been given.
"Thank you Ellie!" Ellie smiled and then looked up to Clara and Danny who were smiling too.
"Good girl Ellie, that was really nice of you." Clara said with praise making Ellie look very proud of herself.
"Now, there's one more thing for each of you, your main present. But you'll have to come outside to see that one." They followed Danny out into the front garden as Dave grabbed the camera. There was a large box sat on the grass which confused Lily greatly.
"A box?!" Danny nodded.
"Yes, but what's inside the box?" Ellie walked up to it and looked at the picture on it. Her eyes widened and she gasped.
"Is this for us?! Really?!" Danny laughed.
"Yes! All for you!" She then looked over to Clara for a second reassurance. Clara nodded and smiled.
"Yes, it's for you two! For being such amazing girls. You've been so so good and grown up lately so we thought you deserved this." Ellie jumped up and down and started to kneel down next to the box. But Lily stood there looking a little confused.
"What is it?" They all laughed. Ellie held her hand and pulled her towards the box to show her the picture.
"It's a trampoline Lily!" Now she smiled and started to get excited.
"Ooh I like those!" Clara, Dave and Danny all laughed.
"That's a good job then isn't it!" Dave said.
"Can we make it now!?" Danny nodded.
"Yes we can, but we need to take it into the garden first." They nodded and let Danny pick up the large box. They then continued to jump up and down and follow him excitedly into the garden. Dave walked over to Clara and put an arm round her. She smiled up at him and leant her head onto his shoulder.
"Well today has been a success then." She laughed and nodded.
"It has indeed..." She started to speak again but stopped herself. Dave noticed so obviously began to inquire.
"What else were to going to say?" She shook her head.
"No, no, it's nothing." He frowned.
"I can tell when you're lying Clara..." She sighed at him. Sometimes she wished she could put on a more convincing show.
"I just... I can't help but think that all of this could have been prevented." Dave frowned again.
"What do you mean?"
"Well think about it, all the stuff with the Doctor came up and then it was you and Linda and then Noah. And all of that has been mixed in with other things too. I feel like if I had payed a little more attention or if I had been a little less stressed I may have noticed Ellie's problem and would have been able to support Lily more too. And Danny for that matter." Now Dave sighed.
"Clara, everything that's happened has been unfortunate and hasn't been too nice but that doesn't mean that you could have changed the Ellie situation. Anyone would have been distracted in your position, not just you. You've been fantastic with the girls lately, especially Ellie, despite everything. Things have gotten rather messy in some places but the whole way through you've been everyone's rock. You've not stopped once to think about yourself, you've been so good for everyone. Always being there for help and support. So don't keep beating yourself up for what's happened because you've been amazing. And you can't change it now so we need to focus on the future." She nodded and smiled before kissing him on the cheek. "Clara, you're the bravest, kindest and the most loving person I know, don't ever forget that." He winked and then placed his arm around her shoulder again leading her into the garden.
When they got to the garden Danny was sat on the floor with a screwdriver and what looked like ten different sized poles in his hands. Ellie was holding up the instruction booklet for him as he held the screws in his mouth. Suddenly he dropped the part that he was holding together and it fell to pieces again with a crash.
"Oh for-" He looked over to Clara who reminded him not to swear as she knew exactly what he was going to say next. He sighed and put the poles down.
"Want a hand?" Dave called over as he laughed slightly at the mess.
"Yes please mate." He nodded and headed over. Clara laughed and sat down on the grass next to Lily who was making a daisy chain whilst happily singing to himself.
"You alright monkey?" She nodded and smiled but then looked away when the sun went in her eyes.
"Yeah, do you want to help me make a daisy chain mummy?" Clara smiled and nodded.
"I'd love to!" She put Noah down on the grass softly making him start to wiggle around a little. Lily laughed. Clara liked to lay him down on his back because the faces he made always managed to make everyone else laugh, especially Lily. Her little laugh melted Clara's heart so she made sure that she heard it as often as she possibly could.
"Mummy you have to pick the daisies for me. Okay?" Clara nodded and looked at Lily with a frown. "Oh, I forgot. Can you pick the daisies for me please?" She repeated, emphasising the 'please'. Now Clara smiled and started to pick them slowly.
"How many do you need?" She took a moment to think before answering.
"Lots and lots. We're going to make one as long as that bridge we went to the other day." Clara laughed.
"The tower bridge in London!?" She nodded and smiled. "Wow we sure are going to need a lot then!" She nodded again and got back to work. Clara watched her happily. After a pause, Lily started to speak again.
"Mummy... Can I ask you a question?" Clara nodded.
"Of course you can sweetie, what is it?" She paused again.
"Is everyone okay now? Is everyone happy again?" Clara sighed and paused for a second. She then ushered Lily to come and sit on her knee.
"Come and sit here sweetie... I know things have been quite up and down lately but everyone is getting happier now. The Doctor is okay isn't he? We saw him the other day and he looked very happy to see you." She nodded. Clara thought it was best to hide all of the details as Lily wouldn't understand anyway and would start to worry more. The last thing she wanted was to see that. "And Noah is better now isn't he. He's not poorly anymore." She nodded again and Lily laughed a little.
"Yeah he's better now. That makes me happy because when he feels better he smiles. That makes me smile too." Clara smiled and kissed her on the head.
"It makes me smile too! And Ellie is okay today and is okay most of the time now, yeah? She does get upset but we all help to make her smile again don't we. She knows that we're all here for her to talk to if she needs it." Lily nodded again. "And grandad looks happy too doesn't he, look at him today! He's not sad, not really. Linda has been making him sad but soon she's going to go away forever and then grandad will be happier again. And seeing you makes him smile anyway so he forgets about her when he's here." She smiled and leant into Clara who put her arms around her.
"Okay, that's good then. I was worried." Clara sighed.
"Don't be worried honey, everyone is fine and we're all having a great day! You can go on the trampoline later and show me your tricks you learn at your club at school!" She nodded excitedly.
"I can do this really cool one where I jump onto my bottom and then flip over!" Clara gasped.
"Really!? You have to show me that one! That sounds so cool!" Lily smiled and then hugged Clara tightly.
"I love you mummy. Even more than all of my chocolate and the trampoline!" Clara laughed.
"You better do!" She tickled her a little. "I love you too darling." Lily hopped off her lap and then carried on picking up the daisies and threading them through the stems carefully. Clara couldn't help but sit and smile from ear to ear. When she finally looked away she saw Danny watching her. She hadn't realised that he was looking so she smiled back, slightly confused. He left Dave and Ellie screwing the metal together and came to sit down on the grass. As he did he tickled Noah's tummy making him squirm again. Lily laughed making them all smile. He then kissed Clara on the head and let her lean into him.
"What were you looking at from over there mister?" She said jokingly. He laughed.
"You. And Lily and Noah of course, but mainly you." He said it into her neck so that Lily was unable to hear.
"And why's that then?" She said playfully.
"Because you're beautiful." She shook her head and leaned back into him. "What? You are! And I'm the luckiest man alive." She smiled and kissed his cheek. Lily held up her daisy chain to show Danny and Clara with a huge smile on her face.
"Look! Look! Look how long it is!" Danny grinned.
"Wow! I've never seen a daisy chain so long in my whole life!" Lily laughed.
"Well that's very good then because your life is very long! You're old!" He gasped and grabbed her round the waist, pulling her into his chest and laying her down on him as he laid back. She laughed and tickled him as he tickled her back.
"Did you say daddy was old!? Did you!?" She laughed and screeched.
"No daddy! I didn't, I didn't!" He tickled her some more.
"Are you sure!? Really!?" She nodded and smiled. "Oh, maybe I heard you wrong then?" She nodded again.
"Yeah, your hearing is bad too because you're old." He gasped again, along with Clara who was loving the sight of the mockery.
"Right you! Come here!" He tickled her again and rolled her around on his chest. They all laughed happily.
A while later Ellie stood up and threw the instruction booklet on the floor.
"We're finished! Look!" They all looked over and Lily sprinted to Ellie's side.
"Wow, well done! Good job!" Danny winked at Dave who laughed back.
"Haven't lost my DIY touch just yet." He pulled his hand up and saluted at Clara who cringed and laughed.
"Oh god dad. We don't need to hear any of your DIY stories again thank you." They both laughed.
"No, no, I think I want to hear these!" Clara hit Danny on the chest and sighed.
"Please no." She laughed. Ellie and Lily looked at each other, not really understanding the joke.
"Go on you two! On you get!" Danny called. They both clambered on excitedly.
"Please be careful!" Clara called. Her motherly paranoia and worry had just heightened. Danny kissed her on the cheek again to calm her down. She smiled back happily.
As the girls were taking it in turns happily to show all of their gymnastics Clara heard a noise at the back gate. She turned round to hear it but ignored it first off. Then she heard it again so got up to see what it was. As she did Danny called after her and Dave looked round. She got closer and it swung open. Linda marched in and almost barged Clara right over. However, Clara managed to jump back in front of her and stop her before the girls could see.
"No, stop right there. You're not coming in, we've had a nice day and I don't want the girls upset again. Back out the front, now." She shook her head and started to look over her shoulder to spot Dave.
"Oh good for you, I'm so glad." She said sarcastically. "I don't care about them anyway, I want to speak to my husband." Clara scoffed and was ready to throw a remark back but she stopped herself.
"Dave, not your husband. As you don't deserve to call him that anymore. He's round the back. I'll go and get him if you go out to the front." She was about to protest but Clara stepped in. "Please, I'm warning you now. You are not wanted here and you know that so I suggest you just do as I say or you won't see Dave at all." She hesitated but gave in and headed back through the gate. Clara ushered Dave over. "Guess who's popped in to say hi." He looked over and sighed. "She wants to talk to you." He nodded nervously. "Want me to come with you?" He sighed and shook his head.
"No, it's okay. I think I need to sort this one myself." She smiled and rubbed his arm.
"Okay, I'll just be here if you need me." He nodded and headed to the front.
Linda walked towards him quickly. He held his hands out at her to stop her before she could get too close.
"No, don't. Please." She stepped back slowly and sighed. "What do you want? Why are you here?" She stepped forwards again making Dave move away. He felt so uneasy around her now, she had been so unpredictable. He'd almost say that he was scared of her. He was scared of what she could do next because she had already nearly sent him to A&E twice now, no one wanted a hat trick. He wanted rid of her but he couldn't move on. Every time he looked in the mirror and saw his face he remembered her again. He hated it.
"I want to speak to you. I want to sort things out." Dave said nothing but moved back a little more. "Dave come on. Please. I'm sorry. You know I'm sorry." He shook his head.
"No, we're not going to sort things out. What don't you understand? I don't love you anymore. I don't want to be with you." She looked at him, shocked. As though finally something he had said had made an impact on her.
"Dave you don't mean that. You don't. That's what Clara wants you to think. She's made you say this." He looked at her with disgust.
"First you come back here after being warned not to and now you accuse me of not knowing how I feel about my own marriage? No, Clara did not make me say this. She has not made my decision for me. I can just take a look at my face to see what I need to get away from. Look at what you did to me. Doesn't that make you feel guilty?" She shook her head.
"You made me do that. You made me angry. You started it all." He stepped forward now. Time to show her who's boss.
"No. I didn't. I told you how I felt calmly and collectively. Like any other human being would. It was your decision to throw a plate at me and punch me in the eye. I didn't make you do that. You made everything worse than it needed to be like usual. I've spent so many years blocking out the most obvious thing here. Hiding from the truth that I didn't want to have to face. You're manipulative, calculating and obnoxious. You don't stop hurting people's feelings until you've got your way. If this would have happened a few months ago you would be getting your way right now but not this time. I'm ending this now. You can get your stuff from my house. You can answer a call from our divorce lawyer and you can get out of my life. You can let me get on with a family that I love to pieces. I don't ever want to see you near any of my family again." He turned and walked away. She followed him to the gate which he shut before she could enter. He stood with his back to it for a second, not moving.
"Dave, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I'll do anything, anything at all!"
"Nothing you can do or say will make a difference! You've brought this on yourself so you can deal with it!" It went silent on the other side of the gate and then he heard a car engine start and drive away from the house. Clara appeared at the side of the house.
"Come on." He smiled and took her hand. They sat back on the grass watching Ellie and Lily on the trampoline again. Dave sat in reflection. He felt proud that he had finished it. He felt like he was free to do what he liked now. Linda wasn't coming back. He'd won.
I'm not 100% happy with how this chapter turned out to be honest but hey ho. Thank you for reading!x