Our lives since that day had been filled with love, light and complete and utter chaos, and I wouldn’t swap it for the world. Our boys and Kiks were the absolute image of their Daddy, right down to their mannerisms; although, George would sometimes look at me a certain way and it was like looking at myself, despite the difference in our eye colour. Lulah was the only one of my children who resembled me, and when I say resembled, she was a clone, not only in looks, but in her mannerisms and nature, too. Our eldest three were pretty easy going, but our Lu was strong willed, defiant, bad tempered and was scared of no one. She was the smallest and yet the bravest, and I am sure her father had already shaken his head at her more times in her short life than he had at me in all the years we had known each other.
*
We are here in Florida now, holidaying with our entire family, including all of my brothers and their wives and kids, my parents, plus Benny and Marian.
Marian had moved in with us as our housekeeper, and she also helped out with the kids on the rare occasion I ever left them on their own.
It turned out that Marian was originally from Scotland and had been Cam’s mum’s best friend. They had moved to the bright lights of London together as innocent sixteen-year-olds and both ended up marrying Londoners.
I look down at Cam as he bites on my nipple, his eyes still looking up at me.
“Ouch, that hurts, I thought we had to get up?” I complain.
He kisses where he just bit me. “We do, but I think we need a quick fuck first. What d’ya reckon?”
“I reckon you should’ve left me to sleep for another half an hour or at least brought me coffee.” He grinds his hips and his hard on into me.
“I’ve got something much better than coffee for you, Kitten, and this comes with a double shot and extra cream.” He winks as he smiles his sexiest smile. I don’t know at what age men are supposed to lose their libido, but at forty-eight, Cam most definitely hadn’t got that memo and I don’t mind in the least that he is still my Martini man; any time, any place, anywhere.
Our bedroom door flies open and Tallulah storms in. Cam rolls off me and pulls the quilt to cover us both up.
“Shit,” he hisses quietly.
“It was an accident. I didn’t mean to do it and now they’re all shouting at me.”
She’s wearing her Tinkerbell costume, complete with wings and a pair of pink and silver Converse, and for a not yet five-year-old, she’s totally rocking the look.
She looks up at Cam with her big blue eyes as he sits himself up in bed and holds his arms out for her. Sucker. I know that look. It’s one I’ve used on the men in my life since I was a bit younger than my daughter is now and I know as sure as shit that whatever it is she’s saying she didn’t do; she did it. I’d bet my last pound on it.
“What happened, princess. Who’s shouting at you?” Cam asks her as she climbs on the bed and into his lap.
“Daddy, don’t be daft. I’m Tink not a princess. Kiks is a princess. She’s got her Aurororora dress on.” Cam winks at me as we both try not to smile at her mispronunciation of Aurora.
Harry and George come through the door next, both wearing swim shorts that are dripping wet.
“Boys, stop right there. What are you doing in the house while you’re all wet like that?” They both come to a halt. For anyone who didn’t know our family history, you would assume Harry, George and Kiki were triplets. They are all the absolute image of Cam. “Why were you in the pool? You know the rule. No pool unless there’s an adult with you.”
Before the boys can defend themselves, Marley walks in carrying a soaking wet and sobbing Kiki, still kitted out in her pink Sleeping Beauty dress and tiara and I’m now absolutely certain that Lulah is behind the chaos.
“What happened?” I ask Marley, who, I notice is also fully clothed and dripping wet.
The boys start to speak, but Cam points his finger and they both fall silent, their big brown eyes looking from me to their dad.
“Your daughters had a difference of opinion and one of them ended up in the pool.” All eyes turn to Lu.
“Well,” she says, turning her baby blues and all her charm to Cam, “it was like this, Daddy. Kiks had orange flip flops on with her pink Aurororora dress and I said they looked ugly together and she pushed me and I pushed her back and she fell in the pool and the boys jumped in to save her and then Uncle Marls jumped in to save them all, but I didn’t mean it, Daddy, and she pushed me first.” Her eyes fill with tears as the boys and Kiki start to all talk at once.