Saturday 20th October 2018 - Mia 8 days and counting
Charles James awoke suddenly, somewhere in his subconscious it registering that he was cold and that his position on the very edge of the king size bed was in fact not the most comfortable. He fumbled around in the darkness feeling for the alarm clock on the bedside chest, groaning slightly when he found it and noted the time. 7am. He mentally calculated he'd been asleep a grand total of four hours since accompanying Molly to bed at 9pm the night before. Still, it was an improvement on the previous night - that had been three and half hours max.
His fingers groped for the light switch, flicking it on and immediately dimming it so as not to wake the other two occupants of the bed - his wife and the high-performance, sleep-deprivation device she'd given birth to some eight days before. He sat up rubbing his eyes and noting the crick in his neck. He rolled his head around in circles trying to relieve it before glancing over at Molly. She was lying curled up in a foetal position, half way down the bed again, as far over as she could be without falling out - although she had the added luxury of the empty cot rammed up against her side which would prevent such an eventuality. Something Charles had not had the pleasure of, as he recalled falling out of the bed in the early hours. Something he hadn't done since being a young child unless of course you counted being inebriated in his late teens. On this occasion he'd hit his head on Mia's car seat. The latter having been dumped there after returning from a desperate drive at 1 am to try and get Mia back off to sleep when all else had failed.
Turning his attention to his daughter, he noted with some envy that she was flat out in the middle of the bed, sleeping peacefully in her sleeping bag, her lips raised in the hint of a smile, apparently oblivious to another night of hell that she'd put her parents through. To be completely fair though, once her parents had finally succumbed to the temptation to leave her in their bed after she'd dropped off to sleep on Molly's breast following a feed at 2 am, she hadn't woken again until 5am for another one before drifting off again to sleep. It wasn't her fault then that sleep hadn't come quite so easily to either Charles or Molly between the times - both of them paranoid that they'd either roll on Mia in their sleep or make her overheated. Hence, their awkward sleeping positions and the fact that the duvet had ended up in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the bed, covering neither of them.
Charles moved closer to Mia lifting her into his arms and holding her against his chest, taking care not to wake her. He swung his legs out of bed and stood up yawning, his precious bundle still in his arms, and padded slowly around to the other side of the bed, pausing by the bedroom window. He tweaked back the curtain slightly, looking out. There were no signs of life in the cul-de-sac, not suprising since their immediate neighbours had teenagers well versed in the art of lying-in at the weekend until midday or beyond. Right now, he envied them too. He cuddled his daughter to him whispering in her ear. "Congratulations Miss Mia James it's only taken you a week to worm your way into the matrimonial bed." A faint smile tugged at his lips as she sighed contentedly in her sleep as if in response. He kissed her briefly before laying her down gently on her back in the cot. Leaning in, he reached down to stroke her face, "Just so you know though baby girl, you may have won the first battle but you haven't won the war!" This time she smiled in her sleep and he grinned at her apparent impudence, before backing away from the cot relieved that she'd stayed asleep at least for the time being.
He got back into bed, gently shaking Molly by the shoulder, noting with concern that she was shivering, the temperature having dropped sharply in the last couple of days. She woke with a start, turning over looking for Mia, her hand wandering frantically across the bedsheet in panic, her first thoughts that she'd hurt her. "What? Where's Mia?" she mumbled, her eyes squinting in the dimmed light.
"Shush, it's ok. She's back in the cot," Charles reassured her, pulling her gently towards him. He reached out for the duvet dragging it over them both, before slumping flat back down on the bed. Molly instantly rolled on her side nestling into him already half asleep again and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, before kissing the top of her head gently. Within minutes he, like his wife, was sound asleep.
...
8.30am
Nearly an hour and half later, Charles awoke again to find Molly sitting up in bed feeding Mia on the nursing cushion. He rubbed the corners of his eyes and blinked a few times, before rolling on to his side and propping his head up with his hand, his elbow on the mattress. He noted with relief that some colour had returned to her cheeks.
"Hey," Molly said softly, glancing at him.
"Hey yourself," he replied, his voice husky and heavy with sleep.
"Come here," she offered him a tentative smile patting the space beside her. He did as she asked, plumping his pillow up against the head board and sitting up, pleasantly surprised when she immediately reached out to touch his face with her hand, her fingers tracing his stubled jawline. He automatically turned his face towards her and her eyes held his, silently apologising. "I love you," she murmured, remembering in that moment that she hadn't told him for a while, lost in a dense fog of the baby blues, that looked, this morning at least, like it had lifted. Despite another night of sleep deprivation, she felt better than she had done in days. He nodded in acknowledgement of her words and took her hand in his own kissing it gently before letting go and pulling the duvet up around them again.
"How's she doing?" he asked, dropping a tender kiss down on to her shoulder.
"She's good."
"And you?"
"Better, though they're still sore," she gestured to her breasts.
"Good...I mean not good that they're still sore but that at least you're not..." he hesitated unsure whether to continue.
"What not screaming at you like some mad woman possessed?" she smiled at him sheepishly, her thoughts recalling the last few days.
"Well I wasn't going to say that but ..." he shrugged his shoulders, "if you say so then yes."
They both laughed before she dropped her gaze still full of remorse, the reality of her behaviour hitting home.
"I'm sorry I know I've been really awful to you these last few days and I..." her voice faltered, "Well it beats me why you ain't buggered off to your parents or something."
He tilted her chin up and leaned in pressing his forehead against hers briefly. "Molly James, why the hell would I do that?" he murmured, lifting his head, his eyes meeting hers.
"Because two nights ago I threw the bleedin' breast pump at you?"
"So?"
"Well, you've still got a red mark between your eyebrows where it hit you."
"It'll go and anyway I've got to hand it to you it was a bloody good aim. Anyone would think you were in the army," he winked.
"I ...I didn't think it would actually hit you, I thought you'd duck," she murmured feebly.
"I know. But it was 3am and I was kind of comatose."
She bit on her lip, mumbling an apology, before offering up another of her sins, her face blushing bright red in the process. "And since then I've threatened to cut off your bits and boil them."
He lifted up the duvet, his hand moving to his groin area to check they were still there. "But you haven't have you, they're still attached."
She sneaked a glance at him and he smiled, his eyes telling her that it didn't matter, that she was forgiven. She continued, nonetheless, feeling the need to get things of her chest. "Yeah well you've had to sit through countless episodes of 'One Born Every Minute' with me crying my eyes out..." She put her hand up to stop him interrupting, "And don't even try and tell me now that you didn't mind."
He let out a deep sigh. "Actually, yep you're right, that was absolute hell, worse thing you've ever done in fact... So if you don't mind I think I will be off for a bit of respite." He shifted his position, turning his back on her, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Molly giggled too, grabbing hold of his arm with her free hand and pulling him back to face her.
"Charles stop! Please..." she managed to contain her laughter, knowing she wasn't finished. "This is serious." Her voice was almost inaudible as she uttered her absolute worst sin, "You've told me over and over again since Mia was born how brilliantly I'm doing and how much you love me and I ain't told you anywhere near enough and for that I'm really sorry." A lone tear rolled down her check and Charles cupped her head in his hands, brushing the moisture away with his thumb.
He leaned in to kiss her, pausing to murmur against her lips, "You've told me twice actually, but if you count just now then three times. Though you can tell me again if you're feeling bad about it."
She did just that before surrendering her lips to his.
...
Ten minutes later Charles pushed the bedroom door open with his hip. After sharing a kiss and a cuddle with Molly, he'd been downstairs to make them both a hot drink, returning with a mug of tea for her and a mug of coffee for himself. He placed his mug on his bedside chest before leaning across Molly and placing her mug on hers. Having done so, he sat back down next to her on the bed.
"Thanks," she mouthed, before easing Mia off her left breast and moving her around so that she could latch on to the other. She bit on her lip as Mia did so, her right nipple slightly more sore than her left.
Once Mia was settled, Molly reached out for her mug and picked it up, noticing the property details of the cottage underneath a book she'd abandoned. She took a sip of her tea, before looking at Charles pensively.
"Is that ok?" He gestured to her mug.
"Yeah it's fine thanks. Just wondering...when was that viewing for the cottage?"
"Today at 11.30. Why? Have you changed your mind, d'you want to take a look?"
"Yes but didn't you cancel the appointment?"
He shook his head, smirking,"Nope. Why would I? You're female, I knew you'd change your mind."
"Good," she ignored his jibe and put her mug down. Picking up the details, she began to scan over them.
"Actually... before you get stuck into those... there's something else we need to talk about ...last night," Charles mumbled between sipping his coffee.
Molly looked over at him in alarm, her face growing paler by the second as she stammered over her words, "Why? ... What? Did...did...I do something else to you in my sleep?" Fear rising in her that heaven forbid she might actually have lashed out at him or something.
Charles knew more or less what she was thinking,"No!" he sought to reassure her before teasing, putting his own spin on her words, "Actually the chance would be a fine thing, anytime you do feel like touching me in my sleep then be my guest."
She raised her eyebrows at him and he grinned at her, "Just joking Molls honest."
"What then?"
"Well..." he hesitated, wondering if what he was about to say would land him in trouble. He rushed the words out. "I don't think, no matter how desperate we get, we should make a habit of having Mia in bed with us.
"Yeah you're right. Neither do I."
"Really?" Charles frowned as much in surprise as anything. "Come on Molls, at least argue the toss with me."
"No you're right. We were both paranoid we were gonna squash her. You even fell out of the bleedin' bed ..." He began to shake his head in denial, clearly embarrassed, but she immediately pulled him up on it. "Don't deny it - I heard you swearing like a trooper as you hit your head on that bleedin' car seat. And you've now got another red mark here," She touched his right temple and it registered with him that the spot was quite tender.
He was about to speak but she continued, "Oh and in my desperation to keep away from her, I bashed my head on the cot an' all. Right..." She paused as she lifted his fingers to her crown and he could feel a small lump, "here."
"Ouch!" he grimaced in sympathy, before looking down at Mia in Molly's hold. She was sucking happily at Molly's breast and he stroked her tiny hand gently. "Take a look at her. Whoever said appearances can be deceptive got it spot on. She looks so angelic doesn't she. No-one would believe she's managed to cause us both actual bodily harm in the space of one night without even trying." A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Still, like I said Molls, she's you through and through!"
...
Charles parked the Audi up on a patch of rough ground just past the cottage at 11.50am; the Jameses fashionably late as usual when not in work mode. A combination, on this occasion, of Mia wanting to be fed and then them getting lost. The sat nav having given up the ghost a few miles back. It was situated in a tiny hamlet at the end of a single track lane with only an old farmhouse and a couple of other cottages for neighbours. About as far removed from Molly's childhood haunt of East Ham as possible and as Dave Dawes would so eloquently put it 'at the arse end of nowhere.'
Molly craned her head past Charles to look out the window. "It's a bit out in the sticks innit ?"
"Oh I wouldn't say that. We're only a few miles off the A303 and there's a country pub out on the main road half a mile back. If you ask me the location's perfect!
"Main road," Molly snorted, "That's stretching it a bit! Well you gonna get out then and take a look? That poor bugger's probably been waiting a good half an hour I expect." She motioned to the estate agent who was leaning against the five bar gate to the side of the property holding his mobile up in the air trying to get a signal.
"You sure you don't want to come with me?"
"No, you go and do your height test thingy and if it passes come and get me. There's no point in getting Mia out of the car if it's a non-starter..." Molly paused, sighing wistfully, then murmured quietly, "It looks really lovely."
Charles leaned over slightly towards Molly, pecking her on the cheek, one hand on the door handle. "Ok if you're sure?" he hesitated, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah I'm positive. I don't want to go in, fall in love with it, only for you to bash your nut on the beams as we go round and tell me it's no good."
He nodded, opened the car door and crossed the lane walking towards the agent. Molly watched the two men shake hands and Charles follow the agent inside the property.
...
Same Day - 3.00pm
Charles strolled into the lounge carrying a glass of water for Molly and a mug of coffee for himself. He put both drinks down on the coffee table, before checking on Mia. She was fast asleep in the Moses basket having recently been fed. Charles plonked himself down on the sofa next to Molly, lifting her legs into his lap as she adjusted her position slightly. "You finished?" he asked, gesturing to the pen and paper in her hand.
"Nearly, just give us another minute." Molly mumbled, a pen lid in her mouth as she scribbled another note down onto the paper.
He leaned forward and picked up the mug of coffee, blowing on it briefly before taking a sip. Putting it back down on the table, he proceeded to pick up another piece of paper full of his own jottings. "You've not sneaked a peek at my list have you?"
"No!" Molly recapped the pen, before throwing it onto the coffee table. "I'm more than capable of making me own thanks."
"Ok. Ready?"
"Yep. What d'you want first a pro or a con?"
"Either."
"Ok. I'll start with a pro - it's really beautiful from the outside."
"Agreed..." Charles ticked a note off on his list. I've got that one as well. Give me another."
"There's a log burner in the lounge."
"Yep - got that one too. How about a con then?"
Molly cast her eyes up and down the list. "Here's one - it's really isolated. Miles from a Starbucks, Top Shop and even a Tesco Express."
"Really...that's a con?" Charles raised his eyebrows in disbelief, "I've got that down as a pro. Ok...give me another one then."
"Er...another pro...it's got one of them stable door thingys at the back."
"So?"
"Well it's kinda cute."
"Cute?" Charles rolled his eyes. "Next?"
"There's a horseshoe above the front door."
"And?"
"Well they're lucky ain't they? I reckon it's a sign."
"What d'you mean a sign?"
"That we should make an offer. You're a great believer in lady luck and all that stuff."
"Molls we're not gonna make an offer just because it's got a lucky horseshoe above the front door. We've got to weigh it all up - pros and cons. What else have you got?"
"The name - Apple Tree Cott..."
"Molls!" He interrupted this time, clearly exasperated. "When I suggested we write up a list of pros and cons I meant things like whether it looked structurally sound, whether it needed a lot of work doing to it and whether the rooms were a decent size. That kind of thing."
"Well pardon me Kevin McCloud!" Charles' eyes widened and she pouted. "Yes I do know who he is!" She grabbed his list taking a quick peek, before he swiped it back off her laughing as she droned on in a bored and monotonous voice ."It looks structurally sound, the rooms are a decent size and there's no signs of any damp." She paused, then continued, her voice normal again. "It's got a garden full of fruit trees and a vegetable patch."
"Since when did you ever do any gardening?"
"I weed thanks very much!" Molly glared at Charles, "Anyway those fruit trees will come in handy later on when your daughter has started on solids. I can purée to my heart's content."
"Ok fair enough. Next?"
"A con. The kitchen"
"What's wrong with the kitchen? It's a great size. I've got that down as a pro."
"It's not the size, it's the units. It's all a bit late 80s innit?"
"How the hell would you know you weren't even born then?"
"Alright grandad, keep your hair on, give me one from your list then."
"Ok...er..." Charles glanced down his list, "a pro - it's got a satellite dish."
Molly's mouth dropped open, feinging indignation, and she whacked him playfully with her piece of paper. "Charles James - you bleedin' hypocrite! That's hardly essential!"
"Come on Molls - how can you say that? I need my Skysports as much as the next man!"
"Yeah well in that case I'll need a new kitchen!"
"We'll see," Charles admitted grudgingly. "Ok give me another con."
"Hang on," Molly paused, her eyes scanning her list again. "Oh yeah. Here's one. It's a biggy - actually the more I think about it, the more I reckon it might even be a deal breaker for me."
"What?" Charles glanced over at her nervously. If the truth be told, he was more than a little in love with the place and desperately hoping she felt the same. Only his military training forcing him to hold back and engage in this particular exercise.
"The ceiling and beams in the master bed..."
"What's wrong with them?" Charles smiled, relaxing slightly, knowing exactly what she was getting at.
"They're not low enough - they give your nut ample clearance."
"And your point is?" he continued to feign ignorance, playing along with her game.
"Well I ain't gonna be able to banish you to that outbuilding at night."
Without warning, Charles grabbed Molly's hands, pulling them up behind her head and holding them in place one-handed. He began to tickle her relentlessly, "Really? he grinned, "And that's a con? D'you want to reconsider that?"
"No...stop...absolutely not..." she squealed between laughter, struggling to free herself. "Charles, please... Ouch," she yelped, as her body reminded her that she'd recently given birth.
He stopped immediately, his face filled with regret as he realised he'd hurt her. "Shit sorry Molls." He let go of her hands, moving to cup her face gently with his own. "You ok?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. She nodded and he bent his head to kiss her briefly, before pulling away slightly to look at her. "Ok so tell me what you really think...about the cottage I mean." His eyes searched hers, anxious to know what she really thought.
"I ...I love it," she said honestly, "You?"
He breathed a sigh of relief, "Me too."
...
A/N many thanks for your kind reviews on this story. I'm glad it wasn't just me who had a bra full of cabbage leaves in the early days. Please tell me that myself and OH were not the only ones who'd said we wouldn't have baby in our bed, then proceeded to do just that out of sheer desperation, then getting no sleep anyway for fear of rolling on our dear offspring!
I've faffed around with this chapter for too long but if I don't press publish now I never will. I wanted to get back to a happier vibe whilst still trying to give a flavour of how Molly's been feeling coping with a newborn and the horrible baby blues.