Standing at the counter in the Kitchen, Kate sighed staring at the coffee machine which seemed to be taking forever to brew the drink from the pod she had inserted. The whole week had in fact dragged and seemed to take a month to end then again, the whole year to date had felt like 10. Grace had moaned each morning at having to do school work because Kate or Mike were doing it wrong and no help what so ever, Nicole had been moodier than normal and hormonal which resulted in the slightest little thing setting her off in its not fair rant and lots of door slamming and Chris had been grizzly and clingy when Kate left the room or dropped him off at day care.

Hearing the hiss of the steam as the coffee finished brewing from the machine. Smiling she lifted the mug up sipping the drink tentatively. Looking over at the table she sighed, Nicole was working on the tablet looking at information she needed. Grace too had relented and eventually settled down to do her worksheets that the school had sent home.

"finished my work sheets mummy" Grace called

"okay let's see them" Kate sighed perching on the stool.

Taking the sheets from Grace she scanned over them making sure they were all complete. "right and what about this section" she raised her eyebrow.

"oh" Grace grinned "I forgot"

"go on finish it please" Kate said handing her the sheets back sending her back to the table.

Grace had barely sat down grabbing her pencil scribbling the new answers. Shaking her head Kate sighed as Grace ran back up to her with the now completed sheets. Relooking over them Kate sighed it was pointless to argue with her as getting her to sit down and do the work was like sailing through treacle. "fine"

"yay" Grace cheered running upstairs returning moments later with a large note book and a pencil case of felt pens. Dropping the paper down on the table she climbed up on to her seat

"Grace those are my pens" Nicole protested "Mum! Grace stole my pens"

"i did not I just want to borrow them to write my letter don't be a meanie"

Sighing "Grace give your sister her pens back please and use your own" Kate said looking over

"but my pens are useless they don't write well and they are all dull" Grace moaned sadly.

"well you should have taken better care of them Grace. I keep telling you to put the lids back on and look after them so you're just going to have to make do" Kate sighed dropping her cup in to the sink. Heading for the stairs to see if Chris was awake and get him up from his nap.

"fine" Grace sulked pushing the pencil case across the table towards her sister stomping in to the living room pulling her own pencil case from her toy box that was in front of the window. Sitting back down at table she tipped all her pens across the table.

"Grace!" Nicole said with an air of annoyance as a lid-less brown pen rolled across the page of work she had just done leaving a streak across the whole length of paper.

"sorry" Grace giggled nervously.

"whatever" Nicole sighed stacking all her books up heading upstairs

"Nicole?" Kate questioned as her daughter pushed past and headed up stairs.

"I've finished my stuff" she said walking back out of her room with her book.

"okay" Kate smiled as Nicole followed her down stairs.

Sitting Chris on the floor in the living room she put the TV on for him to watch the wiggles. Reaching for her laptop she loaded it up and logged in to her emails to see if the school had released any more information on when the kids could go back because they were driving her round the twist. she had just sat down when Chris walked over pulling himself up next to her. Sighing she rested the laptop on the arm of the sofa as he climbed on to her lap wiggling round till he was comfy

"you Mr have a bony bum" she grinned tickling him under his arms, which made him wiggle even more. "right down you go mummy needs to do some work" she said sliding him back down on to the floor. Clicking on to the latest email from the school she scanned the text.

Thankfully there was news and the self-isolation could end at the end of the week as tests had come back negative. Silently cheering to herself Monday was 4 days away and she wished it would hurry up.

"Mummy" Grace walked up to the sofa

"yessy" Kate matched her daughters sing song voice

"can you check my letter please I want to make sure I have spelt everything right"

Sighing "let's have a look" she smiled placing her laptop on the coffee table

"yay" Grace said bouncing down on the sofa next to Kate.

"dont bounce" Kate sighed reaching for her reading glasses

"i didn't" Grace protested holding out several sheets of paper

"fine" Kate sighed not in the mood to argue, "what is this" she sighed counting the 5 sheets of paper Grace had written and handed her.

"My letter to Father Christmas . I need to get it in early." she smiled sweetly

"Gracie its September I don't think Santa's mail room is open just yet" Kate sighed

"but I need to get it in early. Masie said she had already sent hers in September and Santa will be getting lots of letters so I wanna make sure I get my list to him so he knows what I want" she smiled sweetly

"right" Kate sighed looking at the pages which were all out of order and had writing on both sides. Finding the first page she looked at what Grace had written

'Dear Father Christmas,

I have been very. Very. Very. very. Very. Very. Very. Super good this year. I have always brushed my teeth and gone to bed when mummy and daddy told me and helped my daddy with my brother when mummy had to go to sea. She is in the Navy and is in charge of the Hammersley. I never ever, ever create when she has to go to work...'

Looking over the rim of her glasses Kate frowned at the slight over exaggeration already in this letter her mind flashing back to the last three times she had been to sea in lockdown when Grace had sat on the floor holding on to her leg not wanting her to go.

'I always get on with my sister Nicole even when she is moody towards me and throws things at my head. I would really really love it if I could have...'

Again another slight over exaggeration of events there was usually a lot of moaning between her getting asked and her actually getting up and helping.

1) a baby sister as Chris is a boy and smelly and won't play mommies and babies with me and boys are really smelly and loud and always crying

2)….

Looking up Kate forced a smile "that's quite a list" she said trying not to show her emotions. "and I am not sure Father Christmas will be able to get you everything on your list this year. The elves have also had to stay safe in the workshop" she said placing the list on top of her computer

"But..." Grace looked up slightly disheartened

"i am just warning you" Kate forced a smile. Taking a deep breath "but I will go and find you that envelope. She said picking up the wad of pages.

"Nice one squirt" Nicole said as Kate walked out of the room

"hey what did I do" Grace said looking innocent

"are you really that stupid" Nicole said throwing a pillow at her sisters' head

"don't call me stupid" Grace shouted back throwing the cushion back

"you really are stupid. Couldn't you see your stupid list to father Christmas upset mum" Nicole said dropping her book on the chair

"i didn't" Grace wailed

"yeah you did. Any way I don't know why you bother Farther..."

"NICOLE!" Mike called walking knowing what she was about to say. "what on earth is going on here"

"Nicole is saying I made mummy cry because of my letter to Father Christmas" Grace wailed wrapping her arm around her dad

"Nicole?" Mike looked up

"Dad you want to see what she asked for. Mum took one look and her face just fell."

"and where is this letter?" Mike folded his arms

"Mum took it. I think she is in your office" Nicole said

"right well no more arguing otherwise Santa defiantly won't be coming to our house because I will send him a letter telling him to miss us all together"

"yes daddy" grace grumbled

"fine" Nicole sighed reluctantly.

"right well Clean up in here. I will go and check on mummy" Mike said

Walking down the corridor he carefully opened the office door "Kate?" he called softly he saw her sat in the chair

She looked up "hey" she forced a smile brushing away the tears "when did you get back?"

"just now and world war 3 was almost kicking off. Over a letter to Santa clause?" he said looking at her sitting on the edge of the desk

Picking up Graces letter she handed him the first page. Scanning it himself he read the first thing on her list "Ah?" he said softly "do you want me to talk to her?" he asked

"no, I think its best I do it. Explain to her why she can't just have a baby sister" Kate smiled brushing the tears from her face. "i feel so silly, I thought I was over this. That I had come to except it but..."

"come here" he said holding his arm out wrapping it around her kissing the top of her head. "it's fine it is never going to be an easy thing to accept is it not really"

"i know but it's not like I can't have another baby; I just can't go through it all again"

"i know. Look you speak to Gracie and I will tackle Nicole" he smiled

"eh?" Kate looked up

"oh yeah when I walked in Nicole was almost about to say Santa isn't real"

"she didn't did she? because that's the last thing I need this week"

"no, I managed to close her down just in time" Mike smiled

"good. In other news they can go back to school on Monday"

There was no more mention of the letter until bedtime. Tucking the covers around Grace kate sat on the edge of the bed.

"now about your letter to Father Christmas" she said softly

"yeah" Grace beamed

"Father Christmas can't bring you a baby sister, it doesn't work like that."

"yeah I know you and daddy and it takes a while"

"Gracie," Kate sighed trying to think of the simplest way to tell the 6-year-old the truth "me and daddy have decided we don't want another baby, I was very poorly after Chris was born that's why you and Nicole had to stay with nanny and grandpops."

"but.." Grace said sadly

"lets not say anymore tonight and we can go through your list tomorrow okay and we will send it to Father Christmas on the 1st of December like always when Nicole and Chris have written their letters okay"

"fine" Grace said sadly

"now nighty night" Kate smiled as she walked out turning the light out

Sitting on the edge of Nicoles Bed Mike sighed

"i think you know what's coming" he raised his eyebrow

"i know I shouldn't have lost it with Grace. She is still a child and I am older and the bigger person yadda yadda" Nicole said

"its not that you almost told her Santa isn't real" Mike frowned

"but he isnt dad I know its you putting the presents out" Nicole moaned

"you may not believe but your brother and sister do. There is no need to spoil the illusion out of spite because you got narked at your sister"

"sorry daddy" Nicole said

"its fine. Now no more that Santa isn't real. Remember those that don't believe don't receive" he grinned

"Daddy" Nicole moaned

"night sweet" he said turning the light out

Sitting on the sofa Kate smiled as mike carried over 2 glasses of wine. Sitting next to her he held his arm holding his arm out.

"well that was interesting" Mike smiled

"yeah" Kate said sipping the drink

"how was Gracie?" he asked running his fingers down her arm

"i think she got it. She is going to write another list and sent it off with Chris and Nicole's on December 1st"

"why don't we get a early night" Mike whispered

Chewing her bottom lip Kate grinned nodding slowly as he took her hand slowly leading her to the stairs.

Falling back against the bed she smiled pulling Mike towards her she smiled. She was happier than she had ever been. So, she couldn't go through with another pregnancy but she had 3 amazing children and she wouldn't change anything for the world. She also knew Grace may wish for a baby sister but if she did have another baby Grace would probably moan and get bored once the novelty wears of and the baby is crying at all hours. There was still 97 days till Christmas, she had plenty of experience that Grace would change her mind several times between now and December which is why they got them to write lists in the last week of November. Nestling in to Mikes arms she closed her eyes telling her self that this was the right thing. For all of them.

so a little bit of a long one but i hope you like this. the way Gracie races through her work saying she has finished when she has left half of the sheet is one i have experanced in my work like wise with the over exaggeration on the letter to Santa.

anyway hope you enjoy and let me know what you think x