Leah
Baby en route, Al. Can you come home?
Alex
Your timing is impeccable my food has just arrived
Leah
Shall I cross my legs and hope for the best?
Alex
If you wouldn't mind, Le
Of course I rushed straight home, calling Amanda on the way to ask her if she could keep the other children overnight, and bolting straight upstairs to lift the hospital bag that we had packed.
"We good to go?" I asked from the hallway.
"Yeah. How was Gavin?"
"He's good!" I shouted, stuffing some sweets into my pocket.
This was so much different to the times before, it was almost like all of our practice runs had left us feeling prepared for child birth now; two professionals. Leah was calm as I slipped my arm around her back to help her up from the sofa. She stopped briefly to place a peck on my lips, squeezing my pocket as she did so and letting out a chuckle.
"I knew it."
"What? I might get hungry." I shrugged.
"You are something else." She chuckled.
As we drove, we talked about the pregnancy, speaking of how much Leah would miss being pregnant, and how much I wouldn't miss her psychopathic behaviour.
Flashback:
"Mum, can I have a snack?"
"Yeah, Theo. Grab whatever." I mumbled, too busy trying to chop up vegetables.
"This?"
"Yeah - whatever is fine."
It wasn't until after dinner that I discovered that Theo had chosen the wrong snack. Why didn't I look at what he had picked? Leah was sat on the sofa watching some new series on TV, whilst I lay across the sofa with my head resting on her lap. She was delicately stroking through my hair, telling me how much she loved me every now and again, and smiling as I chuckled along with videos on my phone. It was peaceful, we were in love.
That changed without warning though, she gently lifted me up so she could go and get something to satisfy her cravings, placing a kiss on my forehead as she left the room. Within just a few seconds, she appeared at the doorway smiling as she leaned across it.
"Al, did you put my Squashies somewhere else babe?"
"No, they're in the cupboard." I smiled.
"They aren't."
"They were earlier. Check again."
Leah disappeared again, coming back a few seconds later with an empty packet in her hand. She held it up, rustling it in front of me but without speaking.
"You found them?"
"I found the packet. Did you eat them?"
Oh fuck.
"No!"
"Who ate them then?"
"No one - wait - Theo asked for a snack earlier."
"What did he have?"
"I don't know, I didn't look up when he asked." I said sheepishly.
"But you knew these were in the cupboard? You know I need them!"
Bit dramatic, Le.
"Well you don't need them." I chuckled.
She did not find that funny.
"Are you sure it's definitely empty? Why would he put an empty packet in the cupboard? Check, there might be one or two in there that you can't feel."
"Of course it's fucking empty! I'm not stupid!" Leah raised her voice.
"I'll get you more tomorrow." I held my hands up as a plea of innocence.
"Tomorrow? Tomorrow? What's the point in getting me more tomorrow when I want them now?"
"You're being a bit dramatic, Le." I whispered.
Ffs Alex.
"Dramatic? Right - you know what - I've had it! With all of you! Selfish. That's what you are. You don't care that I'm pregnant. I have needs. Needs. I'm going to bed. Do not follow me, I can't even look at you."
With that she was gone, leaving me sat on the sofa speechless.
— — — —
"God, I actually was such a psycho that night." Leah cringed.
"I have never been as shocked as I was when I came upstairs that night." I chuckled.
"Stop! My moods were so erratic, I couldn't help it." She shook her head playfully.
Flashback:
I stayed downstairs for as long as I could, hoping that Leah would be asleep by the time I had went up. The minute I wake up I'll go get her more squashies. It didn't take me long to get ready for bed, climbing in beside her and turning to face the wall, knowing if she woke up and wanted to cuddle she could just move over slightly and put her arms around me from behind.
Much to my surprise, Leah immediately moved closer, wrapping her arm over my waist and drawing circles on my stomach, not even trying to be discreet as she pushed my top up to expose my skin.
I am so confused.
"You okay, Le?" I whispered.
"Fuck me."
"What have I done now?"
"No - not fuck me. Fuck me."
"Like - now?"
"Yes now, hurry up. I want you."
"I thought you were mad at me?"
She didn't respond, just sat up and began pulling her clothes off.
"Why're you looking at me like that?"
"Like what, Le?"
"Like you're confused? What're you confused about?"
Think carefully, Alex.
"I'm not confused, here let me help you."
I was confused, but it appeared Leah had moved onto a different emotion after her angry outburst, so I went with it.
— — — —
Leah's laughter as we recalled the story was echoing through the car, the smile on her face causing an eruption of butterflies in my stomach. Even after all of these years.
"You were actually so in the zone too when I started crying."
"Le, I was actually so confused that whole night!" I chuckled harder.
Flashback:
"Don't stop." She mumbled, putting her hand over her mouth to stifle the noises she was making as the kids slept in the next room.
Like I'd even dream of it.
"I really wanted those sweets."
Is she crying?
"Le? Are you - Le! What's wrong?"
I suddenly stopped, bringing myself back up to the pillows and wrapping her into my arms. She began to sob, and I mean sob.
"I just - I really want them, Al."
I had to bite my lip to suppress my own laughter.
"How about I go get you some?"
"It's the middle of the night." She cried.
"That's fine, the 24 hour garage will be open. You stay here, okay? I'll be back soon."
"Yeah, thank you." She sniffled.
As I drove to the shop, I couldn't help but giggle at the experience I had just had, that night really had been a complete mix of emotions. The first shop I went to had none, so I drove for an extra 10 miles to the next shop, asking the girl behind the night hatch to give me all the stock she had. I drove home quickly, the seat beside me filled with £38 worth of squashies, opening the door quietly so I didn't wake the kids and placing the sweets into a different part of the kitchen so we wouldn't have a repeat of this another night. I kept one packet to the side, heading back upstairs to Leah.
"I got you - are you? Oh for fuck sake." I whispered, unable to stop myself from smiling at the sight.
Leah was sprawled across the bed, fast asleep, without a concern in the world for the sweets that she had been crying over just 45 minutes ago. I set them on the table beside her, climbing into bed and wrapping my arms around her as best I could with her growing baby bump in the way.
"Night, Le. I love you." I whispered.
Nothing. Fast asleep.
— — — —
"How did you not kill me that night?" She sighed.
"I considered it." I nodded.
"Honestly, I think they'd have let you off in court."
"I don't think they would've believed it, Le." I chuckled as I pulled into the hospital car park.
"Here goes." She exhaled.
"I love you." I whispered, squeezing her hand.
"I love you, Al." She smiled.
Baby number four would be here soon.