As the last few guesst arrived, the party got into full swing. Music was playing on the patio as everyone settled around the pool, sipping cool drinks and enjoying the last of the afternoon sun. The children all disappeared to the play area at the bottom of the garden, their happy laughter drifting over every so often, to boost everyone's good mood.

…

Bianca made her way across the lawn, taking an opportunity to check on the kids. She had to smile how content they were, all split off into their own little groups. The three older girls, Miranda, Emma and Kathy had commandeered the three swings and were having a competition over who could swing the highest. Trevor and Ian seemed to be having a whale of a time with Amanda in the sand pit. The older boys, Spike and AJ, were being daredevils, taking turns at climbing the wrong way up the slide. Gabby, Jenny and Ayesha were playing house under the climbing frame, picnicing on some of the leftover sandwiches. Reggie was watching over them from the bench beside the tree house. Bianca took a seat beside him.

"Are they behaving themselves?" she asked.

"Don't they always." said Reggie with a grin.

Bianca gave him a thoughtful look.

"You know." she said slowly. "There is something I want to talk to you about."

Reggie raised his eyebrow at her serious expression.

"Is it something good?" he asked.

"That all depends on your answer." said Bianca.

…

Marissa found a moment for a brief escape; she had a feeling she had forgotten something in the Pool House and wanted to take one last look just to make sure. She excused herself from her guests and nipped in to find Camilla already inside looking around the lounge.

"Hi." said Marissa, surprised to see her. "Are you hiding out?"

"I was actually looking for a bathroom. I had no idea this place was so roomy."

"Yeah." said Marissa, patting the arm of the couch. "And as crazy as it sounds, I'm gonna miss this place."

"I guess you've made a few happy memories here with AJ."

"And Bianca…" said Marissa distractedly, smoothing the arm of the couch as her thoughts drifted to the night her girlfriend had come back from L.A.

Marissa's felt her cheeks pinking a little, when she noticed Camilla's knowing smile.

"Sorry." she said."um…the Bathroom is just through the door there."

"Thanks." said Camilla, tripping swiftly in the direction Marissa was pointing.

…

Bianca had wanted to speak to Reggie for a while but had never found the right moment; now seemed the perfect opportunity.

"The thing is…" began Bianca.

But she was interrupted by a shout from AJ.

"Binks!" he called, "Watch this."

Happily showing off, he scrabbled his way up the slippery metal of the slide. When he got the top he made to drop on his belly and slide back down. Or at least that was his intention. Instead he misjudged his footing; slipped and hit his knee on the metal edge with a loud clunk before flailing sideway as he slipped to the bottom of the slide and landed in a heap.

"Ouch." said Bianca in sympathy.

Reggie leaped to his feet and hurried to AJ's side. Bianca followed as quickly as she could

"That didn't go to plan did it?" said Reggie, helping AJ sit up.

"I'm okay." said AJ trying to brush away the attention and clamber to his feet.

"Let me be the judge." said Reggie, "That was quite a whack."

He bent down to examine AJ's now red left knee.

"Are you alright?" Bianca asked.

AJ looked doubly embarrassed when she joined them.

"I'm fine." said AJ, stepping away from Reggie with a slight hobble.

"You'll live." confirmed Reggie, dusting the AJ down. "Nothings broken, but you are going to have a bruise. Maybe play a little less action man in future."

"We could always make a den in the tree house." suggested Spike who had been a silent observer during the whole incident.

"Sounds fun." said Bianca smiling.

"Yeah," agreed AJ.

"Yeah." said Spike excitedly. "We could make it boys only."

"Reggie, you want to come?" AJ asked, "Binks can't because of her leg anyway but…"

"Tell you what, Buddy." said Reggie, interrupting his eager flow. "Bianca and I will finish our conversation and then I'll come and give you a hand."

"Right." said AJ "It will be the best den ever, you'll see!" Then he raced after Spike to the tree house, with only a slight limp from his banged up knee.

"You are so great with the kids." said Bianca smiling.

"They make it easy." He said and they walked back towards the bench. "So what did you want to ask me?"

…

Camilla came back from the bathroom to find Marissa going through the kitchen cupboards.

"Making sure you haven't forgotten anything." She asked.

Marissa grinned, straightening up.

"I just had visions of food being left in here and us not realising until months later."

"But you haven't found anything?"

"Only the kettle and a mug."

The kettle was still sitting forgotten on the hob and there was a single mug upside-down on the drainer.

"Well I must say that's an amazing bathroom." said Camilla, slightly changing the subject. She was now looking admiringly around the well-appointed kitchen. "Do you know what you are going to do with this place now it's empty? It seems such a waste."

"We have some ideas." said Marissa.

"That's good." said Camilla, but she felt suddenly deflated. She was beginning to think how perfect this little house would have been for her and Reggie and Ayesha.

Marissa put a hand on Camilla's arm.

"This place is the perfect space for a small family." said the red head as if reading her thoughts. "And we happen to know a couple looking to move to a place of their own."

"Well, they are going to be very lucky." said Camilla longingly.

Marissa gave her a playful shove.

"I'm talking about you, dummy."

…

"Reggie." said Bianca giving him a nervous smile. "Marissa and I have had many a conversation about how hard it is going to be for AJ growing up in a house full of women."

"Are you kidding he's going to love it!" said Reggie with a laugh. "He'll be spoilt rotten."

"Nevertheless." said Bianca. "We discussed the option of employing a male nanny… and after all the craziness that's been going on of late, maybe one that could also double was a body guard."

"That makes sense."

"And the more we thought about it, the more we realised that you would be the perfect candidate."

"ME?" cried Reggie in surprise.

Bianca laughed at his astonished expression.

"Yeah, I'd like to offer you a job. The pay is much better than you are currently earning at the Miranda centre and we both know you were destined for much greater things than cleaning toilets and changing light bulbs."

"But don't you need… like… nanny qualifications."

"I am happy to cover the cost of any training and we can start employing you simply as a sitter if necessary. You will also get accommodation thrown in."

"The nanny flat." said Reggie unenthusiastically. He really didn't want to leave Erica's simply to end up living in the home of another relative.

"No." said Bianca. "The Pool House is much better suited for a family; spacious lounge and kitchen, great bathroom; two bedrooms…"

"The Pool House?"

"You will rarely have to work weekends, only watch the kids after school, and some evenings. And maybe be responsible for getting the kids up and ready one or two mornings a week." Bianca was looking earnestly at him. "So what do you say? Are you too proud to work for your soon-to-be sister-in-law?"

Reggie was silent for a moment a look of serious contemplation on his face before giving Bianca a broad grin.

"I say, I need to talk to Camilla about this." And then he laughed. "Me, a nanny! Who'd have thought! But yeah, I enjoy spending time with the kids… So I will definitely think about it."

Bianca grinned back.

"You know you have just made my day!"

…