Two
Walking into my daughter's room is a lot nicer than my son's.
If Gage is Edward's son, then Brielle is my daughter.
It's neat, tidy. Barbies sit in place in their dollhouse while teddy bears neatly line the floor from where she took them off to go to sleep.
She is my little perfectionist.
Often my best friend.
"Baby," I sat beside her on the edge of the mattress and shook her small body slightly.
She turns to look up at me stretching her small arms, yawning.
"Guess who is here," I smile at her, "Daddy has come to take you on your little holiday."
"Is daddy's friend coming?" She asks, disgruntled.
I check behind me for listening ears. The coast is clear.
"Tanya is going too, yes," I stand opening her curtains, "you'll have so much fun together."
"I'm sick," she says, holding her hands out for me.
I sigh and lift her up and into my arms, treasuring the feel of her small body in my lap. Trying not to blink so this moment doesn't speed up. I sit back on her bed, cradling her, rocking her slightly.
"Baby," I whisper, "you haven't got a temperature. Where are you sick?"
"Inside my belly," she buries her face into my chest, "I stay here with mummy."
Edward steps into the doorway, visibly irritated we're holding up.
His temper had always been short. Once upon a time I was the only thing that could calm him. With a kiss on his neck, a rub of his shoulder. One of the sacrifices that still stings.
"Princess," Edward sighs walking in, "come on. The lake is waiting for you to swim in. I got us s'mores."
His eyes darted to my exposed thigh, where his old shirt had skirted a little too high. Brielle in my lap wasn't helping my modesty. The way he looked at me made me want to blush.
"I want to stay," she shakes her head, burying her face into me, "unless mummy can come too."
He looks desperate for his 4-year-olds to cooperate.
Welcome to my world.
"I have lots of stuff to do here. I can't go. I have to do all of your dirty laundry and someone has to do the dishes," I poke her side gently, "you'll have so much fun. You might feel better in the car and if you don't you can rest at the lake."
"No," she shakes her head.
"Come on," I pat her back, encouragingly, "you can call me the second you get there."
"Not without mummy," she begins to cry into my shirt while I stroke her long brown hair.
"Fine," Edward huffs, "I'll just take Gage?"
"Sure," I nod standing up, my daughter clinging to me, "we can have a girls weekend."
Edward walks toward me, placing his hand on Brielle's back.
"You feel better," he leans in to kiss her cheek, "daddy loves you."
Brielle turns to look at him, her cheek pressed against my shoulder.
"Gage needs to take his medication at dinner time," I say to Edward, "his puffer is in the bag I managed to pack last night. Oh and absolutely no apple juice."
"Apple juice?" Edward raises an eyebrow smiling.
"He will turn into a horror child," I grin, "you won't be able to get him to bed. It's like his version of tequila shots I guess."
Edward smiles and leans in to kiss my cheek, an affection he'd started when the kids were born. A seal of the friendship he insisted we keep if there was no chance it could be more all those years ago.
In spite of the hurt we had breaking up we had managed to build a sustainable friendship. He was there for me in a heartbeat. When things got to tiring or tough he would be here in 30 mins flat. He'd offer support, advice and encouragement.
"No apple juice," he nods, "if she is staying here perhaps you could visit Alice? She's been struggling with the new baby. You could give her your killer parenting tips."
"Oh no," I nod, "we can definitely pay her a visit. I meant to call her but I got busy."
Alice and I had been inseparable when Edward and I dated. She'd just had a baby boy with her husband, Jasper. The twins absolutely loved being a cousin.
Ever since we were 19, we hadn't gone a week not talking or seeing each other. We often caught up for coffee chats. We were best friends, just as Rose and I were. When I broke up with her brother she was devastated.
She wanted us to stay together. She wanted her brother to fight. But he didn't. Probably because he knew I was right.
He couldn't juggle the speed of his work and two constantly on twins full time. It worked better for us to co-parent.
"Well I have to hit the road," Edward says, "you two have fun."
"Oh we will," I roll my eyes jokingly at him, "call me before he goes to bed so I can say goodnight. I also packed his new favourite bedtime book."
"Great," Edward nods.
Edward moves in to cup brielle's waist, lifting her from my arms and into his. She looks back at me concerned it's a trap. When I flash her a comforting smile though she relaxes cuddling Edward with arms around his neck.
"I love you," Edward says, "you be a good girl for Mummy."
"She's always a good girl," I smile.
His eyes flash to mine, seeming to search for something. When they don't find it he turns back to Brielle putting her down.
"Grab your bear, Bree," I instruct, "then go lie down on the couch. I'll walk Gage and your Daddy out."
She nods, putting her thumb in her mouth, racing to get her toy.
Gage crashes into my waist as I walk them to the door, a small Paw Patrol backpack over his shoulders. Edward carries a small suitcase.
"You have fun," I laugh, crouching down to his eye level, "you be good, listen to Daddy and make sure you call me to say night."
Gage nods, placing a hand on my cheek as I speak.
"I love you more than cake," he leans into me, kissing my cheek.
His new thing was telling me loved me more than his favourite things. It was the sweetest.
"Oh I love you too," I laughed, placing a dozen kisses on his cheek in return.
I straighten and ruffle his hair as he moves to take Edward's hand.
"Have fun," I smile at Edward, trying to ignore the blonde woman outside still on her phone, still ignoring me.
"We'll drop him back Sunday," Edward says.
Once he's gone I shut the door with a huff of annoyance. I knew he'd move on. When I broke up with him it ran through my mind. I knew I'd need to accept it. But introducing someone to our kids was a big deal.
Was it not that serious with Tanya? It obviously was serious enough for him to introduce the kids.
Tanya looks like the sort of woman he needs anyway. She has the look, the class. She'd definitely hold his arm during important functions. I'd shrink terrified.
He needs a strong woman.
I'm simply not that.
"Mummy," Bree calls out.
I find her sitting on the couch, legs crossed with a barbie in her hands.
"You're not sick," I smirk, "why aren't you going?"
She bites her lip, fiddling with her nightshirt.
"Tanya is mean," she says.
"How?" I take a seat beside her.
"She said daddy is rich and she would be my new mummy," she looked up at me, "I don't want a new mummy. I want you to be my mummy."
My heart cracks and anger at Edward reignites. How dare he let someone put these concerns into her head.
"Oh baby," I lean down and wrap my arms around her, "I will always be your mummy. No one can ever change that."
I was always such a pushover. I let things fly. I was constantly jealous of the confidence both my kids already had, likely inherited from their father.
But Mum rule number 2….
Never fuck with my kids.
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