Fireworks

January

Chapter Eight

I spent the first week of January (#33) in bed with David at my side. Dr. Schulich had come every week to check up on the triplets, and they were all doing well. She did reaction tests with noises and vibrations on my stomach, and they all responded very quickly, meaning that I was probably going to have very alert and energetic children.

My birthday came and went rather uneventfully. David gave me a beautiful necklace and he baked me a cake, but we couldn't really properly celebrate. The important thing was that I was a legal adult, and I had a lovely day with David.

I was feeling somewhat well and much less sad about Grammy when we had an unexpected visitor one day. David went downstairs to open the door while I heaved myself to my feet and pulled on a dressing gown to go downstairs. My back ached with the effort of standing and I grimaced.

I slowly made my way down the stairs, one step at a time, making sure I was firmly planted before moving on. David rushed to the staircase when he heard me coming down, and he helped me the rest of the way down.

He leaned into my ear and whispered, "It's Luke's mother."

My eyes widened as I rounded the corner to see a very proper woman standing there, her grey-streaked hair tucked back in a bun.

"Charlotte," she said, nodding at me. Her brow knitted with concern when she saw my stomach.

"Hi, Mrs. Henry. Sorry about my attire, but I haven't been very active for the past few weeks," I apologized, gesturing at my pyjamas.

She shook her head, holding up a hand to me. "Not at all, Charlotte. I just came to offer my apologies for my son's behaviour and to... how shall I put this... try to amend the situation as best I can."

"No amendments needed, Mrs. Henry," I said awkwardly. "Would you like to come in?" I asked, leading her to the living room and sitting down heavily in one of the armchairs with David's help.

"I would like to help you with the baby," she said, staring at me straight in the eyes. I saw pity deep within them.

"Babies," I corrected abashedly. "I'm having triplets."

"Good God!" she cried, a hand over her mouth. "Well, I did wonder, seeing as how your stomach is...."

I grinned.

"Anyway, as I was saying," she began again, "I know that you have been preparing for University for some time now, and I would like to help make that happen by providing you with a nanny for four years of school. You can find the nanny, and I'll pay the wages."

"Mrs. Henry, that's too kind," I said, shaking my head.

She raised a hand to stop me. "I understand that my son would not be an appropriate father, but my family must do something for you. I will not take no for an answer. Please call me when you have found a suitable nanny and I will make it happen. Here's my phone number," she passed me a business card and stood up. "The best of luck to you."

She left without another word and left David and I dumbstruck.

"Well," David said a few moments later.

"Couldn't have put it better myself," I agreed.

***

Week 34

"So... how's this? I will wait another year and apply for University once the babies are at least one year old. Then I can go in the fall of 2015. That's a very long time with the kids," I said.

David and I were making a game plan. In Grammy's saving account lay hundreds of thousands of dollars that was, first and foremost, for David and my education. David was entering school this fall, having been accepted to Western, and he was getting an accelerated special 2-year course in History that was perfect - it would get him out of school with a proper degree in no time. There would only be one year in which the two of us would be at school, and that's where the nanny came in.