Next part-still 2006. Hope its not too predictable and bad! R&R to make me love you x

'Alex, please stop eating the nuts. They're for when people turn up.'

'But Mom,' I whine. 'I'm hungry.'

'Go and get some fruit then!'

I slouch off to grab an apple. Hate apples, want nuts!

I hear the doorbell ring and voices. It's Carter, Abby, Susan, Chuck and some one I don't actually know. Susan and Chuck are more people who work at County, and they have a daughter called Lucie who's 5.

Slowly more people turn up- eventually Austin, Sam, Oscar and TJ arrive and we go and play X box and eat chips. Sam and TJ are twins but they don't look like twins; Sam has blond hair and blue eyes and TJ has brown hair and green eyes. I wish I was a twin, then I'd always have a friend.
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'Alex, I'm off now. I'll probably be about an hour.'

'Where you going?' I call from the couch.

'My appointment. I told you last night!'

'Oh yeah, sorry. Is Chloe dressed?'

'No, can you put her in the clothes I put on her bed? Nothing else!' She still remembers the time Chloe didn't like what mom had put out so I let her wear her best dress. She decided to spill grape juice down it, then fall over and rip it. I was not in mom's good books that day, even though dad managed to laugh about it (before he got yelled at too.)

'Okay, I promise.' Mom calls goodbye, kisses us both and goes.

'Come on Bo-bo, time for clothes.' I use Chloe's nickname. It originated when she was learning to talk and she couldn't say her own name, it came out as Bo-bo and stuck. She's since learnt to say her name but we sometimes call her it. I walk into her room, where she's playing with her dolls.

'No!' She leaps off her bed and runs down the hall. Luckily she's still way too short to reach the door-handle or else I'd be in trouble. I catch up with her by the door and start tickling her. She can never resist if she's giggling so I have the perfect weapon. Scooping her up still giggling I quickly get her out of her pyjamas and into her underwear. After she realises she isn't getting away undressed she cooperates and even helps me to pull up her tights. Finally when she's dressed I let her go back to her dolls and I watch more TV until Mom comes home.

She's having a scan; I think she's about 5 months pregnant now. I hope she doesn't get as grumpy this time as she did with Chloe. Boy, that was tough. But Chloe was born 7 weeks early with all sorts of problems- jaundice, underdeveloped lungs, low heart rate and she weighed 3lb 2oz. We found out after the birth that she had a hole-in-the-heart which she had surgery for when she was 2 weeks old. But now she is even more active than a normal 2 year old- she runs around all the time, she walked at 8 months which I'm told is early and I taught her to climb trees about a week ago and now she climbs basically anything including the coat rack and dad's leg (which is funny to watch). I hear a car and a few minutes later mum comes in.

'Honey, I'm home.'

'How'd it go mom?' I sit up and see her smiling. Something good has happened.

'Um, I was gonna wait til your dad came home but...' she's almost wetting herself with excitement and it's rubbing off on me. Now I'm excited about the news. '...I'm having twins.'
Okay, so there's me thinking she got extra ice cream on a deal or found a dollar on the floor. But...twins?! That's big news!

'Twins? Like, two babies for one?' Mom laughs at that comment, then nods. 'Wow! That's pretty cool.'

'Alex, I'm really glad you're happy with it.'

'Well there's not much I could do if I wasn't but, no. It's cool.' I grin and hug her. 'When's dad home?'

'Any time now. Do you think I should tell Chloe?'

'Well, I'm not sure she would understand but you can try.' Mom nods.

'Chloe? Where are you?' She runs out of her room, grinning madly and launches herself at mom. Mom scoops her up and tickles her belly.

'Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama.' Chloe babbles away happily.

'Well, you know Mommy is having a baby?' Mom says.

'Bubbee, mommy is having a bubbee.' Chloe is still learning some words.

'Well, I found out that I'm not just having one baby, I'm having two.'

Chloe looks slightly perplexed and holds up two little fingers.

'Two? I'm two.' She giggles, and Mom sighs.

'Yes, Chlo you are two. But this is different. I'm having two babies.'

'Oh. Okay.' She obviously doesn't understand what that means. 'Can I go play dollies again?' Mom smiles and sets her back on the floor and she charges off again.

'Oh this is gonna be fun- having 3 under 3's in the house!' I exclaim playfully. Mom just nods and keeps smiling.

'You know what, a few years ago I never dreamt of meeting someone again, let alone find someone and have 3 kids with them.'

'That's partly my fault though.' I point out.

'Alex, we both know the circumstances surrounding your birth were.... difficult but I can't imagine life without you.' Mom looks at me and I nod. 'Don't ever think I didn't want you or that you did anything your life?'

'You didn't ruin my life. I did that totally by myself, with help from your dad...'

'Steve is not my dad. Not anymore. Luka is my dad, I don't care who's name is on the birth certificate, Luka looks after me and he looks after you and that's what a dad is to me.' I look up into mom's eyes and see a tear. Jeez, I made her cry again.

'Thank you.' She whispers. I don't know what she's thanking me for but I just wrap my arms around her.

'Sammy? I'm home.' Dad calls from the hall and mom stands up. I see her waver and drop like it was slow motion. My arms won't listen to my head screaming for them to catch her. Her body hits the corner of the sofa and she slides to the floor like

a limp doll. I can hear a scream and slowly realise it's mine.

Dad rushes in and his face pales.

'Sam? Sweetie, wake up.' He checks her pulse and sighs so I guess it's okay.

'Alex, go get your sister. We need to get your mom to hospital, I think.'

'Dad, she went for a check up today.' I gulp. Would she want me to tell him like this? 'It's...the baby...well....'

'Spit it out. Is there something wrong?' He pales again. Is there any blood left in his face?

'It's twins.' I blurt out and then go to find Chloe. I can hear him move mom onto the sofa, and I'm praying in my head for her to be okay, for the babies to be okay.

Chloe is sitting on her bed playing with her dolls without a care in the world. I scoop her into my arms and tuck Billy and Marie into the crook of my arm, knowing they will keep her quiet for the best part of our hospital visit.

'Where we go?' She asks, pulling my hair.

'We're taking mommy to the hospital.' I say softly, knowing if I keep my voice gentle she won't worry. She knows the hospital well, so it doesn't tend to scare her anymore but seeing your mother on a gurney is a weird sight especially at 2.
I join dad in the living room and mom is awake now. She looks really pale and nauseous but at least she's awake.

'Mom, are you okay now?'

'Yeah, feel a bit weak though.' I nod.

'That's why we need to get to the hospital.' She nods back and dad picks her up and carries her to the car. I've never seen her look so helpless, even after Chloe was born. It worries me, but I can't let it show for everyone's sake.

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