Dear God, why did you do this to me?!

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Two

   "Happy birthday, Ed, sweetie." I said to Ed as he woke up on his second birthday. Adam was stood behind me with his chin resting on my shoulder.

His little eyes opened wider, and he instantly jumped up and said "Birthday! Birthday! Birthday!"

"Yes, son, birthday. So, are you going to come down for your birthday breakfast?" Adam said as I felt him smile on my shoulder. Ed nodded enthusiastically and put out his arms to be lifted. He just loved being in the air. I lifted him in to my arms and hugged him tightly, running my fingers through his floppy, light blond hair. I carried him down the stairs and set him in his chair. I then put down his breakfast, I'd done him a hot breakfast and set it in the shape of a smiley face: eggs for eyes, a mushroom for a nose, bacon rashers for ears, beans for hair, a sausage for a mouth and ketchup dots for freckles. This kid just loved ketchup, he had to have it with just about every meal.

   After breakfast, I took Ed in to the lounge and sat him on my lap. Adam sat next to me and put his hand on my thigh. Ed then turned to look at me and said "Mummy, why you gettin' so fat?"

I heard the door close and Maxie shout "Happy birthday, kiddo! Aunt Maxie has come with presents." Maxie had moved out of our house and gotten a flat with Rose. They'd gotten very close over our wedding, and become the best of friends. She walked in to the lounge with a pile of presents in her arms and said "Am I interrupting?"

"No, mummy was jus' gon' tell me 'bout why she's all fat." Ed giggled, patting the seat on my other side.

She laughed out loud before saying "Isn't he just the cutest thing ever?"

I nodded and said "Adorable."

"So, mamma, dearie, why are you getting so fat?" Maxie asked me, putting the presents on the table and plopping herself down on the seat that Ed had patted for her.

"Well, mummy's getting fat because... you're going to have two baby brothers or sisters." I explained lightly. Ed stared at me confused. "Your brothers or sisters are in my tummy, sweetie." I wasn't huge, I was just... slightly round. You wouldn't notice unless you actually felt my stomach, and I was also wearing clothes to hide it. So far, only Adam, Maxie, Rose and Ed knew about it.

"Are you going to love them more than me?"

"No, exactly the same." I assured Ed.

"Wha'?! Den... why'd ya' eat dem?!" Ed seemed utterly shocked and almost a bit jealous. Maxie and Adam had just burst out laughing while I sat there, unsure how to answer the question.

"Mummy didn't eat them, the stork put them there for safe keeping, just like he did for you, Eddy." Maxie said as I pondered how to answer the question.

"Ohhhh." Ed said, nodding.

'Thank you' I mouthed to Maxie.

   "So, you going to open your presents, kiddo?" Maxie asked, breaking the silence.

"Nope. Openin' 'dem at gwan'pa's house. Mummy said dat we're dwivin' to gwan'pa's and den I'm openin' dem dere."

"Oh, that's nice, kiddo." Maxie said to Ed. She then turned to Adam and me and said "Was I not invited on this trip?"

"We were going to ask you today, we knew you'd come round." Adam explained.

"Oh, okay. So, when do we leave?"

"Half hour?" I suggested.

She nodded and Adam said "I'll go load up the car. Oh, and Max, we're staying for the weekend. Do you need to go home and get any of your stuff?"