Page 66 of The 3am Shattered Mums' Club

‘Oh, come on, Aisha. It’s sweet. I bet they’re in there now reminiscing.’ Charley gave Aisha’s finger a little peck. ‘There you go, boo boo, all better.’

Aisha didn’t smile. She was royally pissed off, but she couldn’t say so, otherwise she would appear churlish. But then Jon had been here having dinner with her, and Martina had, well, she had basically barged in. Aisha hadn’t had any contact with her own father for twenty years, and Martina had barely been able to bring herself to mention him over the years. Now here she was, all glammed up and laughing as though not a minute had passed.

‘I mean, it’s kind of romantic, wouldn’t you say?’ Charley put her arms around Aisha’s waist and brought her closer to her. ‘All these years later and they have so much to say to one another.’

Aisha dared not say that she had been thinking the exact same thing. She wanted to stay pissed off with her mother. Meeting with her father after so many years had been a shock, and Aisha was still trying to deal with that bombshell.

‘I think,’ Charley said, swaying her hips against Aisha’s, ‘that your mum never stopped loving him. Things were tough for her back then with five of you, but I don’t think she ever fell out of love with him. I think she just put you lot first. Imagine how different your life would have been if Jon had stuck around? They were, what, twenty when they got together and started having kids? That’s ten years younger than you, Aisha! Maybe now is their time?’

Aisha felt like the words were all coming at her too fast. She’d barely had time to get used to having a dad, and now she was supposed to get used to a mum and a dad, who were together.

‘I don’t know, Charley. It all feels so weird.’

‘I know, I know,’ Charley said soothingly, as though she were talking to one of the twins. ‘There’s been a lot of changes in your life recently. But maybe this could be a good thing? Two grandparents to babysit is better than one, and they are both still young enough to run around with the boys. Let’s face it, we’re gonna need all the help we can get,’ Charley said with a nervous laugh, and Aisha couldn’t help but smile.

‘I know, it takes a village to raise a child, right?’

‘Exactly.’ Charley laid her lips softly on Aisha’s and then nuzzled into her neck.

‘Oh sorry, I came to get another ounce of milk for Otis – he’s a hungry one, that one!’ Martina scooted past Charley and Aisha to the kitchen side and poured some cooled boiled water into a fresh bottle. Aisha released herself from Charley’s arms and went over to Martina’s side. She reached up and took down the formula milk powder and opened the box and pushed it towards Martina.

‘Thanks, Mum,’ Aisha said quietly, and Martina laid her hand briefly on hers, a mere moment that said more than the two women could ever have articulated with words.

30

SOPHY

Sophy opened the door, and there, on the other side, stood Niall. Her stomach had been doing somersaults all day in anticipation of his arrival, and now it seemed to finally settle.

‘O’Connor Builders at your service, ma’am.’ Niall did a funny little bow with one hand, his toolkit in the other, and Sophy felt her stomach flutter. How was it possible for this man to make her feel this way just by speaking?

Sophy did her usual enthusiastic laugh and stood back to let him in.

‘Ooo, this is nice,’ Niall said as he walked along the hallway.

‘You don’t have to say that.’ Sophy stopped behind him in the doorway to the lounge.

Max was sat up in his bouncing chair in the middle of the floor.

‘And there’s the wee man.’ Niall bent down next to Max. ‘Look at him sitting up now.’

‘Well, with the help of his chair – he can’t sit up alone just yet.’

‘Ah, well, give him time. He’s getting there.’

‘I know.’ Sophy leant on the door frame. ‘I can’t believe five months has gone so fast. It was literally a minute ago when I was giving birth.’ Sophy realised what she’d said and then said, ‘Sorry, I’m sure you didn’t want to hear that.’ She felt the heat rising in her cheeks. ‘And I’m sorry I didn’t call before, you know when you first offered. It’s just been a bit hectic, what with the move and sorting things out with Jeff. Pictures were sort of the last thing on my mind. Well, not the last thing, I mean, I did think about you, I just wanted to make sure… I don’t know what I’m trying to say, actually.’

Niall turned and smiled a wholesome smile, and Sophy felt another piece of her heart melt away.

He stood up and walked over to her, and stopped a mere few feet away.

‘Listen, I understand. Life is full of complications. But art is important. You made a good decision to get these beauties up. Now where would madam like this one?’ Niall touched the largest picture that was leaning between the wall and the sofa.

‘Well, I was thinking one just above the fireplace there, and then the other three in the hallway?’

‘No problem.’ Niall opened his toolbox and began pulling out screws and a hammer and a power drill.

Sophy pulled Max closer to the sofa and sat down, wondering what it was exactly about a man with such an extensive toolbox that made her feel all unnecessary. Niall worked away quietly, measuring the space either side of the fireplace to get the exact central point, he took a pencil from his pocket and made a small mark on the wall before he began drilling a small hole, then putting in the Rawlplug and screw.

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