***
By late September, things were not so good. My blood pressure was high this time, and I was once again ordered on bed rest, which was impossible since I had Carter running around and a husband that worked very long hours. I couldn’t shake the perpetual fatigue, either.
My nan and grandad came to stay with us, and that took a little of the load off. Liam’s mum was coming in November and staying until after the babies were born, but for now, I was enjoying being spoiled by Nan.
“What you fancying for dinner tonight sweetheart?”
“I don’t mind, Nan. Luke said he was coming over, shall I ask him what he wants?”
My brother was still single and went through women at a rate of knots I couldn’t keep up with. We had attended several work and industry functions over the last few years, and he turned up with a different one on his arm every time. All stunning, some were girlfriend material and some not so much, but we never saw any of them again.
Sasha, meanwhile, was still attempting love long distance. Shain had asked her to move over to Australia, but she didn’t seem to be ready to commit.
She recently moved back in with her parents so that she could save money for the airfares she was constantly paying out for. I was not sure how that was going, though. Sasha’s mum was great when we were younger. She had Sasha’s older sister when she was just sixteen and Sash at eighteen so she was always the pretty, young cool mum to us. She would let us dress up in her clothes and try out her makeup. She was just good fun in general, but as she got older she got kind of bitter, often telling Sash that she wasted her life by getting pregnant so young. Her parents were still together, but I didn’t think it was the happy home I remembered from my childhood any longer.
“He’s not out with one of his fancy bits of fluff tonight?”
“Don’t think so. He said he was coming here when I spoke to him yesterday.”
“I wish he’d find a nice girl and settle down. He’s a good-looking boy, I don’t know why he has a problem holding on to a woman. If I were his age and we weren’t related, I definitely wouldn’t be in any hurry to kick him out of bed in the morning. In fact, I’d be tying him to it so that he couldn’t get away.”
I shook my head and tried to rid myself of the thought of my nan tying my brother to the bed.
“I don’t think him hanging on to them is the problem, Nan. It’s more that they can’t hang on to him. He’s just not found the right one yet, it’ll happen one day.”
“I always thought he’d end up with Sasha, ya know? They’d make a lovely couple. Just imagine how gorgeous their babies would be.”
I thought back to the conversation I’d had with Luke when I was pregnant with Carter. I still had no clue what the issue was, but I knew just by the way he looked at her that my brother was hurting and still very much had feelings for Sasha.
“I think we all thought that Nan, but she’s got Shain now.”
“Pfft, Shain. There’s something about that boy I just can’t take to and I’m not convinced he’s the one for Sasha. She never seems too enthusiastic when she talks about him and he’s nowhere near as good looking as Luke. Now him, I’d have no trouble kicking out of bed.”
I give my head another shake. “I’ll call Luke and check that he’s coming.”
“I’ll call Uncle Luke. Let meee Mummy, please.” Carter jumped up from the floor where he was playing and bounced on his toes in front of me.
“Let me talk to him first mate, then you can.”
“Don’t be long then. You always talk for a long time.”
“I won’t be long.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
I called my brother.
“Sunny girl, what can I do for you?” Luke said in way of a greeting.
“You still coming over tonight?”
“Sure am. Why’s that?”
“Nan’s cooking, as guest of honour, you get to choose what we eat.”
“Well that’s extremely civilised of you.”
“I have my moments. Oh, and she said to bring any washing and ironing you want doing with you.”
“I can most definitely do that.”
“So food? I’ve got steak, chops, or burgers?”
“Too easy then. Steak, baked potato, and some of that spicy coleslaw stuff that you make.”
“I’m on total bed rest.”
“You can’t make a coleslaw from your bed?”
“Okay. For you, I’ll try.”
“Good girl. How ya feeling anyway?”
“Fed up. Midwife came this morning and said that my BP’s still at the higher end of normal, so I’m allowed out of bed, but only as far as the sofa. At least the twinsies are doing fine. Heartbeats are strong and healthy, and I think I’m starting to feel them move.”
I heard what sounded like a smothered yawn.
“Sorry, Luke, am I boring you?”
“No, sorry. Just tired.”
“Well, it’d be really cool if you and my husband could get home at a reasonable time today and eat dinner when the rest of us do.”