"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.
"How about i take Joey too?" I suggest and she looks gobsmacked by my offer. "Cheryl is at home and she will give me a hand. If i have the kids you can get some rest because it looks like you need it"
"Are you sure?" I nod my head and kiss her baby's soft hair. Whitney jumps at the offer and does not need any convincing at all. She gets up to get her large nappy bag and she puts it over my shoulder. "Kim, you're a God sent. Everything he needs is in that bag, his carseat is in the front room and his pram is in the garden, if you need it"
"I will bring them back later on tonight, i will text you but don't worry they are in safe hands" I tell her although i doubt she would worry anyway. I think this woman would palm her kids off on anyone, strangers included if it meant that she could get some peace.
When i have all of the children ready to go i start to chuckle at the thought of Cheryl's face when i walk through the door with not three children in tow but five. Cheryl loves kids and we have always talked about having a big family of our own so this could be a bit of practice. I am not even out of the front garden when i notice the upstairs window of next door's house opens and an old, grey headed woman sticks her head out of it.
"I should've known she'd have her nose pressed against the window, trying to see who my visitors are. Only moved in a few months ago and she already likes sticking her nose into everyone's business, she doesn't even try to hide it!" Whitney says in a loud voice so the woman next door can hear her.
"Aint you that woman from all of those magazines?" The woman says to me while pulling her cigarette from between her thin lips.
"I don't know what you mean" I laugh and Alaina looks up at the window. I am trying to get all 5 kids to the car in one piece and Junie has already legged it down the street once so i am in no mood to have this tedious conversation. Whitney's neighbour starts to ask more questions and i ignore her, putting one kid in the car at a time. Lilly and Paisley can't stop smiling with anticipation of spending the day together and Alaina feels like a big girl sat with her giggling sister and her best friend. She is trying to join in with their silly conversations and even sillier games and for now they are letting her which makes me happy.
Whitney loves a good argument and from what i have heard she can not stand this lady so she looks up at her window and holds a hand to her hip. "Never mind who she is. Aint you got anything better to do than watch who comes in and out of my house, you nosey old cow?"
"Whitney!" I gasp and the old woman flicks away her cigarette, letting it fall to the concrete beneath her. I ignore the two of them throwing insults to and fro and finish fastening Junie's seatbelt. Once all of the kids are in the car i can finally breathe. They were running a mock just minutes ago but i am sure that once i get them home and they have toys and games to keep them entertained they will be no bother at all, or at least that is what i am hoping.
*
The look on Cheryl's face was priceless when she opened the door and Paisley, Alaina, Junie and Lilly ran passed her like a tornado and when i lifted baby Joey out of the car she could not believe her eyes. We now have a houseful and as chaotic as it is Cheryl is loving every minute of doting on the children and running around after them all. It would be raining today of all days so the kids will be couped up in the house all day long but after burning off all of their energy they have calmed down and are playing nicely in the living room.
I am sat on the sofa with Alaina watching Paisley and her best friend playing with all of the barbies that Paisley brought down from her bedroom. Seeing all of the Barbies that Paisley has scattered all over the living room floor makes me realise that she has far too many but she loves them like i did when i was her age. They all have different names that Paisley has given to them herself. The Barbies have everything from horses and cars to jewellery and outfits for all occasions, it is ridiculous. Lilly is bursting with excitement as she looks from doll to doll, i don't think she has ever seen so many in her life.
"You have loads of Barbies, Paisley" Lilly says. Paisley smiles with pride as she shows her the growing collection. "How do you have so many?"
Paisley shrugs her shoulders. "I got some off my Mummy and Mammy, my Nana Joan and my aunties... i have a lot of aunties and they always buy me dolls" She giggles into her hand.
"I love Barbies but i only have two. One only had one leg and Junie cut the hair off the other one so now she looks scary" Lilly giggles now and as they are surrounded by a countless amount of dolls Paisley picks out 7 of them and gives them to her best friend.
"You can take them home with you" She tells her and i feel so proud as she gives Lilly some outfits and hair accessories to go with them. Lilly hugs my daughter and i grin from ear to ear. Paisley might be a handful at times but she really is a lovely child with a good heart and this has just proven how generous and thoughtful she can be. I am so happy that Paisley finally has a really good friend and i hope they get to grow up together and be friends for life- just like me and Sarah.
Cheryl comes into the living room and is rocking a sleeping Joey in her arms, she smiles at the kids and sits beside me on the sofa. "He's fast asleep now, bless him" She says and leans down to kiss his head. I tried to get him to sleep for an hour until Cheryl took over. She literally cuddled him and sang to him for 5 minutes and he knocked out which resulted in a smug smile from her. I always did call her the baby whisperer but now i am starting to think that there is some truth behind the joke.
Junie of course has no interest in dolls or any of the other girly toys in the girls' bedrooms. He is boisterous and would rather be kicking a football around the garden. Paisley must have told him that we have a pool because he asked me if he could go swimming as soon as he jumped out of the car and i said that he could but then it started to rain which put a hammer in the works. He was disappointed at first but he soon forgot all about it once he clapped eyes on the size of our telly in the front room. He plonked himself down in the leather armchair, Cheryl brought him in some snacks and he has been glued to his favourite cartoons since. He has asked me to turn the channel over for him though because a football match is about to start. I have no idea who is playing today, i don't have any interest in the sport but Junie is a fanatic and has been waiting for this match to start all day so he is full of anticipation as it gets closer and closer to kick off.
As i admire the sight of Cheryl and a baby sleeping in her arms Lilly pulls me from my thoughts as she says my name. "Kim, How are your ceilings so high?" She asks looking up at the light fixtures. I can't help but smile. Ever since i picked her up she has been asking none stop questions. On our way here i spent the whole journey trying to explain to her why camels have humps on their backs and then why Kangaroos have pouches. Now she is in awe of our house. She has never seen anything like this before and she has already asked to move in 5 times. "How is your house so big? How do i get nice hair like you, Cheryl? Can i stay here forever?" Lilly asks without even waiting for the first question to be answered.
I move along the sofa so Lilly can squeeze herself between Cheryl and i and Cheryl ruffles her dark hair. "You have beautiful hair, I wish i had hair like you and you don't want to live here forever. You would miss your Mummy and brothers"
"No i wouldn't" She insists "My Mum always shouts but she says it's because she is stressed"
The word "stressed" coming out of her young mouth makes me and Cheryl laugh. It is clear that Lilly and Paisley get on so well because they near enough have the same personality and if they go through school together i can see them being friends for a very long time and upsetting a lot of teachers in the process.
"All Mummies get stressed and shout sometimes
"Do you and Cheryl shout at Paisley?"
"They do!" Paisley says in a voice so loud i am afraid she will wake Joey up but Whitney told me that he could sleep through a earthquake because he is used to being surrounded by so much noise. "When my Mammy gets really angry she starts talking really funny and says made up words"
"I've told you, Pai. That's just your Mam's accent" I laugh. Cheryl's accent really does come out when she is annoyed and the words she uses often leaves our children baffled.
"So you and Cheryl are both Paisley's mums?"
"That's right"
"Does she have a dad?" She asks and Cheryl quickly changes the subject. Paisley heard her friend's question but doesn't say a thing. Lilly didn't mean anything by it, she is just a child and that is a perfectly acceptable question for a young child to have but we avoid talking about him at all costs.
"Do you want another drink?" Cheryl asks the young girl and she shakes her head.
"Do you love Kim? Are you going to get married? If you get married can i be a bridesmaid? My Mum said that 2 girls can get married and 2 boys can get married but Junie doesn't want to marry a boy, he wants to marry Katy Perry"
"Shut up, i can't hear the TV and they're about to come out!" Junie screams at his sister then turns back to the television. The way he spoke to Lilly takes Cheryl by surprise but that is nothing compared to how i have seen him behave for poor Whitney.
Happy that Junie is back glued to the TV Cheryl answers Lilly's many questions. "Yeah one day if Kim is lucky i might just marry her" She says with a wink to me.
"And can i be bridesmaid?"
"We'll have to see about that one. Go and get your Barbies, Paisley has finished setting the house up"
"I want to be like your Mummy and Mammy when i grow up. My mum is never as nice as your mums are to you and she never has money to buy us the nice things that you have"
"She'll shout at you if she hears you say that again" Junie butts in and Lilly shrugs.
"Good job she aint here then aint it?" She retorts in her fiery little accent.
Its lucky that we still have Alaina's old crib in tact because when i put Alaina down for her nap Cheryl puts Joey in the old crib and we return downstairs with the baby monitor in hand. In front of the TV Junie is holding his head and shouting at the players running around on the screen and it is only when Cheryl and i sit ourselves back down on the sofa that she realises that one of the teams playing is Chelsea FC. Little blue shirts run up and down a green field and it is clear by Junie's screeches that Chelsea is the team he is rooting for. Ashley, Cheryl's ex husband still plays for the team so he is probably on that pitch somewhere. We rarely mention him and Cheryl has told me before that she never even thinks of him. It is almost like she has erased all of those years that she spent with him from her memory but still it must be strange seeing your ex husband on TV, i know it is weird for me knowing that the man was once married to the mother of my children.
"Is the ref blind?" Junie asks nobody in particular and throws himself back onto the sofa when those 45 minutes are up and it has gone to half time. Sunderland are winning 1-0 and the boy in front of us is not happy about it at all. "They're playing like idiots"
"One day it could be you on that field, Junie if you work hard enough"
"You think?" He asks, his eyes lighting up at the compliment by Cheryl and Cheryl nods her head.
"I've saw you kicking your football around the school playground and you're good. Are you part of a team?"
Junie shakes his head. "My Mum can't afford it, it's too much money"
"I see" Cheryl simply says but i can tell by the look on her face that she is hatching up a plan. "So Chelsea is your favourite team, i take it?"
"Yeah, they're the best team ever!"
"Nar, i think you'll find Newcastle United is"
Junie starts to laugh and he and Cheryl have a playful debate on which of their favourite teams is the best. I have never had any interest in football. The only time i will watch a match is if i am in Newcastle and Cheryl takes us to a game at St James' park. Other than that i will not watch it. When Cheryl asks Junie who his favourite player is Junie shrugs off his tracksuit jacket to reveal his bright blue Chelsea shirt and on the back is "Cole 3" Cheryl is forcing a smile onto her face now as Junie brags about how good of a player he is. Surprisingly he is oblivious to the fact that his idol was once married to the woman he is chatting to right now.
"I want to be just like Ashley Cole when i'm older"
"Who is Ashley Cole?" Paisley asks with her face screwed up. Hearing his name come out of her mouth is a little strange, i have to admit. "Can i have an Ashley Cole top like Junie? I like the colour blue"
"No you cant" Cheryl tells her firmly. "He's just a footballer and not a very good one at that"
"Do you know him? Is that why people call you Cheryl Cole when that isn't your name?"
Changing the subject for the second time today Cheryl grins at Junie. "So tell me about your name,Junie. It's unusual but i like it. Do you know where your Mum got it from"
"My real name is Johnny junior. My Mum named me after my dad but she says he's a waste of space so she started to call me Junie when i was a baby and now everyone does... Baby Joey's real name is Joey Junior, he was named after his dad too but now Mum doesn't like him either-"
"I'm not named after my dad because my Mum said she doesn't know his name" Lilly says and i almost burst when holding in my laughter. I know that it is not funny but the way Whitney is so straight forward with her kids is hilarious to me. It does make me wonder though what the new addition to the Jackson family will be called. Cheryl's eyes are wide and when she turns and sees my amusement she fails to hold hers in and starts to laugh. She disguises it with a coughing fit though but it does not fool Paisley who is up onto her feet in seconds.
"What's so funny? You don't know my dad's name"
"Yes i do-"
"So how come when i ask you what it is you don't tell me?"
"Who wants pizza?" I shout when Cheryl starts to stutter. The mention of pizza makes Paisley drop the conversation and i see the relief wash off Cheryl's face.
"Can we sleep here tonight? I have never had a sleepover before and i don't want to go home. I like it here, it's really fun" Junie says and he sits down beside Cheryl.
"Your mum might want you home"
"No, she wont. Please can we sleep over?" Lilly whines and her puppy dog eyes have Cheryl in the palm of her tiny hand and without even discussing it with me she is nodding her head and Lilly and Junie start jumping up and down and punching the air with their fists.
"You better get on the phone to Whitney and pick some bits and pieces up for the bairns. Let her know that we'll keep Joey and all" She tells me and i can't even argue with her because the kids are excited now and she has made a promise to them that she won't break.
*
I have to say that i have enjoyed having a houseful more than i thought i would and the children were all well behaved which surprised me as they can all be tiny terrorways at times. Joey had barely made a peep all day and i put that down to the teething gel i rubbed on his gums earlier but all good things must come to an end and now he is screaming in Cheryl's arms and the kids are running havoc in and out of all of the bedrooms. It is almost midnight and i have been trying to get them to settle down since 9 o'clock but i have given up now and so has Cheryl so we are letting them wear themselves out because then they will fall asleep. Unlike the hyper children on the landing Cheryl and i are exhausted and we are ready to let our heads hit our pillows but we cant go to sleep when the kids are still up and even if we wanted to it would be impossible with the noise that Joey is making.
The kids are back in Paisley's room when i walk up the stairs. I have just went down to the let the dogs out and get Alaina some juice and Joey another bottle of milk. "Shh, it's alright" I hear Cheryl say as i approach our bedroom with the two bottles in my hands. Laney wants to sleep in our bed tonight and we are letting her because she is tired and there is no chance of her being able to sleep in her own room with Paisley and her friends practically bouncing off the walls.
"Yeah. He has a better set of lungs than me though, have you heard him?!"
"I think a 80 year old coal miner has a better set of lungs than you considering how much you smoke" I joke and she laughs.
"Oh shut up and pass me that blanket"
I do as i am told and after a very loud 10 minutes Joey finally stops crying and starts falling asleep. Not wanting to chance him starting to cry again by putting him down Cheryl keeps a hold of him while carefully getting into bed beside Alaina. Alaina moves so she is under Cheryl's arm and she rests her head on her chest.
"Do you want to take him?" Cheryl asks noticing me looking at her.
"No, you're fine" I am smiling and Cheryl again smiles back. She has had a constant smile on her face since her eyes landed on the chubby bundle of joy she is cradling right now. Cheryl has always loved babies and has always been so good with them. If there is anything in this world that can cheer her up it is the sight of a baby or a puppy and everyone close to her knows it.
Deciding to get into bed as well i make myself comfortable against my propped up pillows. We talk about how we have enjoyed this day and we soon start laughing as we reminisce on all of the funny moments that we have had raising our own babies. "Do you remember that time Laney projectile vomited all over your dad? He didn't seem to mind until your mam started windin' him up"
"She was just a tiny little thing then, wasn't she? Her nappy once leaked all over his new jeans and i thought it was the funniest thing ever but unfortunately for my dad he did not see the funny side" I laugh at the memories but notice a sad look in Cheryl's eyes even as she laughs with me. I can read her mind as she looks at Alaina who seems to be massive all of a sudden in comparison to the baby Cheryl is holding. "Now don't start getting all down in the dumps. I love the toddler years she is going into and i am sure that one day we will have a newborn again"
"You think?"
I nod my head. "I mean if you still want more kids? I know we always joke about being like the Von Trapps but is that really what you want?"
"In an ideal world i'd have as many kids as me mam, if not more but not at the minute though, i don't think we're ready to be adding to our brood anytime soon but every time i get near a baby i just get so broody"
"I can tell" I grin at her and lean over a sleeping Alaina to kiss Cheryl's forehead. "I don't think i could cope with as many kids as your Mum, babe. We have two and i can barely cope as it is, especially when Paisley goes through her funny moods"
"That's just her age though and that's why i said i don't think we're ready for another baby at the minute but one day when the girls are a bit older we will be and they would love a baby brother or sister. Can you imagine Laney as a big sister?"
"I can't actually. She's the baby-"
There is a light tap on the bedroom door and Paisley peaks her head around it once she has pushed it open a little. It is not like her to knock, normally she just barges her way in like bull in a china shop and dives onto our bed regardless if we are awake or not. "Can i come into bed with you?" She asks and Cheryl frowns at me.
"Why are you asking?" She asks Paisley and she shrugs her shoulders. The noise seems to have settled down a lot so i am assuming Junie and Lillly have finally crashed out. As Paisley stands at the foot of our bed i cant help but think that she seems quite subdued which is not like her at all. Paisley shrugs her shoulders and in an attempt to cheer our sulky looking child up Cheryl shuffles along the bed and holds the duvet up for her to climb under. "Is something wrong?"
Ignoring the question Paisley looks down at the sleeping baby and then back at Cheryl. "Can i hold him?"
"Erm... okay then but be very careful because he has only just fallen asleep"
"Put your arms out" I tell our daughter and Cheryl gently places the baby on Paisley's lap and Paisley happily wraps her arms around his little but chubby body. Joey will be one next month and is a big baby, he is quite heavy but Paisley does not mind.
"Isn't he so cute?" She smiles running her finger over his cheek. "I wish he was my baby brother"
"Maybe one day you will have a baby brother just like him"
"Will he have a dad or will he have no dad like me and Laney?" She asks innocently but her eyes are shining with curiosity as she looks between Cheryl and i. "Am i really special because i have a Mummy and a Mammy?"
"Of course you are. We tell you that all of the time, don't we?" I say and Cheryl has averted her eyes away from our child. She hates whenever these conversations arise so luckily for her they hardly ever do.
"You do but nobody else at school has two mummies"
"That's because you're very special" I remind her. I know that this must be on her mind because it is not like her to just bring this up out of the blue.
"Why do i not have a daddy?"
Cheryl puts her hand on my knee and gives it squeeze as if she is telling me that she will take it from here which i have to say is surprising. This conversation is always a difficult one and the last time we had it Paisley was quite young so i doubt that she remembers any of it, just like she does not remember Jason or the 5 minutes he was around before fleeting like the lowlife that he is. "The thing is Paisley, you do have a dad-" Cheryl begins and Paisley is giving her every bit of her attention now. "But, he is not a real dad and he does not live around here anymore"
"Did he go on holiday?"
Cheryl shakes her head. "No, he isn't on holiday. He just wasn't ready to be a daddy so he went away-"
"Is he Laney's dad too?"
"Yeah. Yeah he is" I croak. I hate that we are talking about this and i hate that Cheryl is not telling Paisley how it really is. He is a terrible man, a terrible person and a terrible father. Paisley though is only five years old and it would not be fair for her to hear those things because she doesn't need to and it would be too much for her little head to get around. The only thing i am worried about is that she will see him in some great light that he doesn't deserve. "Lets not call him daddy, let's call him Jason-"
"Kimba" Cheryl gives me a warning look.
"What? I can't stand hearing her call him that"
"You're going to confuse her" She whispers to me as if Paisley wouldn't be able to hear but of course she can. I get up and take the baby from Paisley so Cheryl can pull her into a cuddle and when i have put Joey into Alaina's old crib i sit on the end of the bed. "You don't need a dad, Pai. Everyone's families are different... some people have one mummy, some have one daddy, some have a mummy and daddy but others have two daddies or two mummies-"
"Like me?" Paisley asks proudly and Cheryl nods. "I don't want a daddy i was just wondering. He looks scary anyway"
"What do you mean?" I ask her and she frowns at me.
"He Is he the man with the drawing right here on his neck" She says pointing at her own neck. It seems like she remembers more about him than i thought. "I saw him the other day"
"No you didn't" I insist but she gets defensive.
"Yes i did! There was a man next to my school with a drawing on his neck! it was him!"
"Kim?" Cheryl's eyes are fearful now but there is nothing to worry about. Even if Jason wanted to see his children- which he doesn't he knows that he has no rights to the girls at all so he wouldn't have bothered. All rights he did have were terminated in court as soon as it was proven that he had not been in contact or even tried to see his children for year. He did not show up to court which made things a lot easier for us and once we won the abandonment case it was easy for Cheryl to adopt both of the girls legally.
"It couldn't have been him, Paisley. He doesn't live here anymore and a lot of people have tattoos on their necks, i'm sure a little boy in your class has a dad with a neck tattoo so it might've just been him. What did this man look like?" I inquire and Paisley thinks about it for a second.
"He was really tall and he had blonde hair"
"See, it's not him. it's nothing to worry about" I give Cheryl a reassuring smile and i see the relief on her face as i take her hand in mine. Jason has dark hair and like i told Paisley he moved away a while ago and i doubt he would ever show his face around here again. Through the grapevine i heard that he has gone off the rails once again and i know what he is like when that happens, his children he has never gave a damn about will be the last thing on his mind when he lives day to day plotting how to get his next fix. He will never resurface and i have told Cheryl that many times before but i know it is always a worry she will have. She doesn't want the girls to think that she does not love them because she loves them more than life itself and has done since day one.
"It wasn't him, Paisley. He isn't coming back and he has black hair-"
"Like Lilly?"
"Yes, like Lilly. You're a very special and very lucky little girl to have two mummies and you dont need a dad, not when you have me and Mammy"
"I know" She smiles and cuddles us both. "If he does come back i don't want to see him"
"Why?" Cheryl asks.
"Because i don't. I don't want a daddy, i just want you and Mummy" She replies sweetly and Cheryl's eyes are filling up by the second. She pulls her on top of her and holds her in her arms. With a kiss placed on top of her head Paisley smiles and pulls away. "I'm sorry i made you sad-"
"You didn't make us sad, baby. You can talk to us about anything, okay? If something is worrying or upsetting you, you can always talk to me and your mummy and we'll never get mad or upset, we just want to answer all of your questions and make you feel better"
"But when i told you about what i did at school the other day you got mad"
"That's because you told me you threw the peas from your dinner at Mr Khan every time he turned his back and you blamed poor Molly Hutton" Cheryl laughs and Paisley does too. I still feel overwhelmed from the whole conversation and it must show.
"He deserved it"
"Okay, lets not go through this again. He told you to eat your vegetables, that doesn't mean he deserved to have them launched at his head-"
"It wasn't his head, it was his back!"
"Paisley, enough" Cheryl is still laughing even though she knows that she shouldn't be. "Are you sleeping in here with me, your mum and sister tonight?"
Paisley shakes her head. "No. I'm going to go back into the den i made with Lilly and Junie. I love you Mammy and you Mummy"
"We love you too" I kiss her face and give her a hug, holding onto her until she is pulling herself away from me.