CHIM - Life in the limelight SEQUEL

Chapter 36

"Hello?" I shout, entering Whitney's house with Paisley and Alaina in tow. I have been stood knocking on the door for 5 minutes and figuring that Whitney could not hear me knocking over the noise of her screaming children and crying baby i decided to open the door and let myself in. As i walk through the hallway Junie almost knocks me off my feet. "Junie, where's your mum?" I ask him and he points to the kitchen.

"She's in there drinking beer" He chuckles cheekily. "Come on Paisley, lets go and get Lilly!" He yells and Paisley and Alaina follow him up the steep staircase. I have been in Whitney's house once before when i dropped the kids off after picking them up from school but i am still surprised at how untidy the place is. The whole house is in need of a good decorating and the living room could do with some new furniture. The leather sofa is all torn and the TV has been smashed so that no longer works. I do think that this place would look at bit better though if Whitney kept up on her housework but then again she does have three children that run around the place like tiny little whirlwinds and Whitney is pregnant- or maybe i am just making excuses for her.

"It's just me! Sorry to let myself in but I was knocking for ages and was getting no answer" I smile, entering the kitchen where she is pacing the tiled floor with Joey in her arms.

"Don't worry about it. I can't hear myself think over the racket going on in here today let alone the door. Lilly and Junie have been up a height since they got up at the crack of dawn so i wish you luck with them, i really do. They're both ready to go and i've warned them that if they're not on their best behaviour you'll give them a good hiding" She says and i laugh awkwardly. I would do no such thing and as she refers to her two older children i realise that somewhere, somehow we must have gotten our wires crossed. I was under the impression that i would only have Lilly today but her son has his coat and shoes on too and is just as exited as Lilly is about spending the day at my house. I don't have the heart to turn him away and what is one more kid to contend with? Our house is hectic as it is so Junie may as well join the mix.

"Paisley is excited to have them over, she wants to show Lilly all of her barbies" I laugh and Joey starts to cry again. This makes Whitney roll her eyes. As always she looks shattered. Today though she has baby sick down the front of her jumper, i can tell that she has tried to wipe it off but the mark is still there and if she doesn't change into something else soon it will start to smell. "What's the matter with you today?" I ask the grumpy, red faced baby and run my finger over his tiny hand.

"He's teething" Whitney replies, trying her best to stop him from crying. His cheeks are rosy red and he keeps putting his fist in his mouth. I remember the teething days and do not miss them at all. I assume that he kept her up all night and that is why she looks so worn out at just 11am. "Not only does he keep screaming but he's spewed up all over me. This is the second top i've had on this morning. I'm knackered and haven't even had my morning fag yet"

"Come here, you little terror" I put my hands out to the baby and put a smile on my face. He falls into my hands and i jiggle him about just enough to keep him happy but not enough to make him sick again. He does have a loud wail and if he was like this all night it is no wonder that Whitney looks dead on her feet even under a thick layer of makeup. "You look done in, Whit. Sit yourself down and i'll make you a cuppa"

Whitney smiles gratefully and watches me bouncing her son in my arms as i put the kettle on and make her a coffee. We have been to enough coffee shops together for me to know just how she likes her hot drinks now. I hand her the coffee and listen to the chaos happening upstairs. The kids must be jumping off a bed or something because the ceiling light is shaking so much i am afraid that the ceiling is going to come through. Whitney though does not bat an eyelid. She is probably used to it. The whole house is scattered with toys that haven't been picked up and at the bottom of the stairs is a pile of teddies i am assuming one of her children threw down in a temper. I know that Whitey needs nothing more than a good rest. Not only is she run off her feet by her 3 children but she is carrying a baby inside her too and she has to look after herself. When Joey stops crying and lays his head on my shoulder i pat his back and give Whitney a sympathetic smile as she holds a hand to her growing stomach.