As I went back to my own car, I suddenly realised I was intending to help on Wednesday night. I didn't have the slightest clue about the Potter boys; did they have allergies? Did they argue often? Were they fussy? I was totally unprepared, and I prayed that I would have time to discuss this with Ginny beforehand.
I sidled back into the car, and went back home.
"Mama," I heard Mabel call from the backseat, "Can I see Wose again?"
"Maybe" I said, genuinely wondering myself.
"She nice" Mabel said. I peered at her through the wing mirror, and saw her staring out the window.
"She is" I said, agreeing with her, "Do you know how she knows Al?"
"No"
"They're cousins" I said, focusing on reversing into our driveway.
"Cousins like Orla and Abbie?" Mabel asked, trying to unstrap herself when she felt the car stop.
"Yes. But Orla and Abbie are big girls, and you don't see them often" I said, twisting around to help her unbuckle.
"They are really big girls" Mabel said, nodding in agreement.
My brother, Henry, had 2 girls who were about 13 and 15. Henry and his wife lived in Cardiff, so we didn't see them often. Orla and Abbie adored Mabel, but the opportunities that we meet were rare, and the last time we saw each other was when Mabel was 2; last summer.
"Do you like them?" I asked, succeeding in unstrapping her.
"They do my hair in braids" Mabel shrugged, opening the door, and leaping out.
"Is that it? What about Archer?" Archer was Roberts sister's son, and he was very boisterous towards Mabel.
"No, he's mean" Mabel commented, wrinkling her nose. We saw Robert's sister much more frequently; only Sunday did we see them last, but Archer was 9, and had a habit of trying to grab Mabel, which she didn't like one bit.
"He's ok." I said, not really meaning it.
We both walked across the gravel, and I unlocked the door.
"Can I go in the garden?" Mabel asked, pausing in the process of taking off her shoes.
"Go on then" I smiled, walking through the kitchen, and opening the back door.
"I'm gonna go jumping!" she shrieked, and bounded onto the small 6ft trampoline.
"Be safe!" I called, from my position of cleaning the dishes. She giggled as she flew up into the air, and landed on her bum. Liam and Mabel love trampolining, and they especially love going to Soar Trampoline Park, on a Saturday. We have annual passes, and try and fit in a bounce session every week. We missed it this week, because of the invite to the Potter's house, but we were fully intending to go this Saturday. Liam was actually pretty good, doing dive forwards rolls across the run ways at the open jump section. Mabel, however, had just perfected a seat drop, and did that at every opportunity.
"Mummy! Look! I can do two bum plops now! Watch!" I heard Mabel yell, and I sidled over to the door to watch.
"Look!" she cried again, making sure I was watching.
"I am" I grinned, as I saw her excited face.
"Ready?"
"Ready."
Mabel jumped in the air, and shifted her body so she was sitting in mid-air. She came down, and landed on her bum, before being raised into the air by the shock, and falling back down again. She rose back onto her feet, and clapped her hands to encourage me to copy.
"Bravo!" I praised, clapping my hands to please her.
"I'll show Li when he gets back from school!" she exclaimed, whilst bouncing up at down in enjoyment.
"He'll be very pleased." I agreed, moving back into the kitchen. I found it utterly hilarious that my two children were so different in personalities. Yes, they do look similar, but Liam had always been shy, hiding behind me when he saw someone unfamiliar, but Mabel was comfortable in the presence of anyone, and she chatted happily to everyone she met. I think Mabel takes after Robert, but he thinks she takes after me.
Mabel was bouncing for a full 2 hours, before she got tired, and entered back into the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Don't slam it please" I called from the living room (which I had long since migrated into after the first half-hour of bouncing. Mabel ran to join me, and pulled the TV remote from my hands.
"CBeebies" she said firmly, clicking the button that changed the channels.
"Go on then, lets see what's on" I said, yawning.
"THE ROLY-MO SHOW!" Mabel yelped, quickly shutting off the TV. I inwardly laughed.
"Why not the Roly-Mo show?" I asked her, trying to keep a straight face.
"Roly-MO's scary" Mabel told me, sincerely.
"But what about Little Bo?"
Mabel shook her head in distaste.
"No, she's ugly"
I was shaking with laughter at this point, and checked my watch. It was 11:50, so the show should be over in about 10 minutes. I flicked through the 'Radio Times' and saw that The Fimbles would be on next. Mabel likes the Fimbles, so I just needed to distract her for about that time.
"The Fimbles is on is 10 Minutes, can you hang on for that long?" I asked her. She shook her head miserably.
"Can I watch a DVD?" she asked me hopefully. I groaned, knowing what it would be, but nodded my head anyway.
She smiled, and clambered of the sofa, and walked up to the DVD cabinet. I know more and more people are upgrading their technology to Netflix and Sky, but to be honest, I love using the good old DVD disks. Mabel finally found the one she wanted, and passed it over for me to put in the DVD player underneath the TV.
"You always watch the Charlie and Lola collection! What about something different? We have Sleeping Beauty" I told her.
"No!" she said, grabbing the DVD, and holding it close.
"Fine, but don't wake me up if I fall asleep" I sighed, taking the DVD back, and sliding it into the slot.
"K" she said, launching herself on top of me, and settling down to watch.
The familiar theme tune started playing, and Lola's annoying laugh rang through the living room, making me cringe.
'Pick an episode! I luuuuurve watching Movies Charlie!'
"Hmm, what shall I pick" Mabel said under her breath, "I know, all of them!"
She clicked the 'play all' option, and the TV screen went to pink. I watched the first 5 minutes of it, before I got bored, and closed my eyes, the comforting weight on Mabel lulling me into sleep.
"It finished! Aww" I distinctly heard Mabel yell, causing me to wake up. She saw me open my eyes, and quickly started bouncing up and down on my chest.
"Oomph." I loudly exclaimed, and she stopped, but giggled.
"Can I watch another movie?" she asked excitedly. I realised that it must be nearly time to collect Liam, because the whole running of the DVD lasted just over 2 and a half hours. I glanced at my watch, and saw it was 10 to 3, not really enough time to watch another movie.
"Not enough time" I said, handing her the remote, and flicking through to CBeebies again.
"In the Night Garden?" she asked, confused, "But it's not night time"
"Sometimes they play things at different times" I said, getting up from the sofa, and moving into the kitchen.
"Yes my name is Igglepiggle!" I heard from the living room, and I grinned to myself, knowing Mabel was content.
After the programme ended, I opened the door, and called Mabel to get into the car. I jumped out my skin when I unexpectedly walked into Robert, who had his key almost in the lock.
"Sheesh, Rob! Tell me when you come home early" I exclaimed, hugging him, and giving him a quick kiss.
"Sorry, it slipped my mind" he grinned, trying to dodge past me and enter the house.
"Actually, you might as well come and collet Liam with me and Mabel" I said, grabbing his arm, and steering him towards the bigger Ford Galaxy.
"Daddy!" I heard Mabel yell from behind me, and before I knew it, Mabel had come running out with one shoe on, before leaping into Robert's arms.
"Hiya munchie!" he laughed, kissing her forehead.
"I watched Charlie 'n Lola today! 'n I did two bum plops! Are you proud?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I'm very proud, you'll be good on Saturday then" he said, carrying her too the car.
"I'll be 'mazing" she grinned, letting him strap her in her seat.
I turned around to lock the door, and then I proceeded to get in the passenger side, whilst Robert got in the driver's seat.
"What did you do today, Katie" Rob asked me, as he pulled out of our house, and started to drive down the lane towards Liam's school.
"Nothing." I said, turning on the music.
"Good for you" He muttered, and I slapped him lightly.
The journey was smooth, and we got to school in good time. Rob pulled up, and got Mabel out, so I started walking through the gates to wait for Liam.
Robert wasn't too far behind me, and he ran to catch up with me, Mabel squealing in his arms. We walked together and settled in my usual place in the playground. We caught up on each other's days, before I saw a sight I didn't I would see. Harry was walking towards me, holding Lily, and looking tired, but more or less alive. Ginny was with him, and I noticed that she seemed to be standing closer to him then usual. Harry waved a little when he saw us, and stopped to chat.
"Hiya Katie, you well?" he asked, sounding miserable.
"I'm ok, I guess. What about you?"
"I guess I'm ok too. What about you, Robert?" he asked my husband, turning his gaze towards him instead.
"Yeah, I'm fine. You don't look all too good" Robert said unhelpfully. I stood on his foot, but Harry grinned.
"I only got back from Sheffield an hour ago, and I haven't had time too catch up on everything" he explained, adjusting Lily in his arms, "Apparently Lily was extremely difficult last night"
"She was, she just wouldn't settle" Ginny said, picking up Al, who had been standing next to his parents.
"I'm sorry Gin, I didn't realise I wouldn't be back until this afternoon" he said, turning to look her. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and lifted her chin up to kiss him, lightly.
"I was terrified, Harry. I didn't even have a note. For all I knew, you could have been dead! You haven't had a situation like this since before James was born!" she said, pulling away.
"You would know If I was dead, Ginny. And you should trust me, you know. You can't get rid of me that easily" he smiled sadly.
"I don't want to get rid of you at all" Ginny murmured, hugging him.
"I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Robert said suddenly, an expression of upmost confusion.
"You've heard od the murders up north, am I right?" Harry said, turning back to us. Robert nodded, so Harry continued, "Well, I've been put in charge of solving it, and its incredibly hard"
"Oh, I didn't realise" Robert said grimly.
"It's fine" Harry said, looking at his watch, "James should be out in a second, then I'm afraid we've got to dash. We're going out for dinner" Something in that sentence made me remember what I wanted to ask.
"Sure. About tomorrow, is there anything we ought to know about the boys? I mean allergies or something" I said, after seeing their blank faces.
"Not that we know of, though James is very fussy with what he eats" Harry said, grinning at Ginny.
"I know what you're thinking of, Harry, and I'm not fussy. You're just comparing me with Ron, and he eats everything" Ginny replied, poking Harry in the side.
"Don't poke me when I'm holding Lily, Gin" Harry said, grinning.
"Excuses, excuses" Ginny muttered, switching Al onto her other hip, and grinning.
The doors suddenly flew open, and all the children suddenly ran out.
"DADDY!" I heard James yell, and I saw his black hair collide into Harry.
"Hi Jamie, how was school?" Harry asked laughing.
"I missed you!" James said, still hugging Harry's legs.
"I missed you too, but that wasn't my question"
"School was fun! Me and Liam made cress sheep!" James cried out in joy. The expression on Ginny's face made me laugh, obviously she had no idea what James was on about.
"That's pretty cool, James" Harry said, turning to look at Ginny.
"Harry, what on earth is a 'Cress Sheep'?" she asked him.
"This!" James said, holding up the small cotton ball sheep, with small seeds embedded on its back, "SEEDS grow from his back"
"Why the hell do they let kids do that?" I heard Ginny mutter into Harry's ear. He smirked, and shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, as we've said, we have to dash!" Harry said, putting Lily so she was resting on his shoulder, and picking up James' bag from the floor.
"Bye James!" Liam called, and waved.
"Bye! See ya tomorrow!" James yelled back, walking behind his parents.
"Pleasant aren't they?" Robert said, smiling, and leading me back to our own car.
