Page 55 of Spiralling Skywards: Fading
“Okay. For you, I’ll try.”
“Good girl. How ya feeling anyway?”
“Fed up. Midwife came this morning and said that my BP’s still at the higher end of normal, so I’m allowed out of bed, but only as far as the sofa. At least the twinsies are doing fine. Heartbeats are strong and healthy, and I think I’m starting to feel them move.”
I heard what sounded like a smothered yawn.
“Sorry, Luke, am I boring you?”
“No, sorry. Just tired.”
“Well, it’d be really cool if you and my husband could get home at a reasonable time today and eat dinner when the rest of us do.”
“We will, I promise. I’m actually gonna knock off soonish and go get my laundry for Nan. I’ll make sure Del leaves early, too.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then but can you just talk to the little man before you go.”
“Sure can, put him on.”
I hand the phone to my son, who holds it to his ear and paces like a professional, while chatting to my brother.
***
My afternoon was spent lying flat on my back while Carter played with his Batman figures on my belly.
“Why don’t you let Mummy have a sleep, Carter, why are you playing on her belly like that anyway?” Nan asked him.
“Coz I’m teaching my brothers about Batman and how to play with me.”
“Your brothers? How’d you know they’re brothers in there? They might be sisters.”
“Noooo. Silly, Nanna. My dad told me they were brothers. He said we can have a sister next time.”
“Next time my arse,” I said quietly from my prone position on the floor.
“Actually, that wouldn’t be a bad idea, love, at least then you wouldn’t get pregnant.”
“Nan!” I screeched. “Little ears are listening.”
“Oh, he has no clue what we’re talking about, do you, mate?”
“My brothers,” Carter told her, still almost entirely focused on his action figures.
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Nan, seriously. I’m not having this convo with you in front of my child.”
“What convo?” My brother asked as he came through the front door.
“Uncle Luke!” Carter abandoned his toys and launched himself at Luke.
“Anal,” Nan stated loudly, which made Luke’s eyebrows shoot up. The look he gave me was both horrified and amused at the same time.
“Oh yeah? Obviously not something Sunshine’s into, otherwise she wouldn’t keep getting knocked up.”
“That’s exactly what I told her.”
I looked between my nan and my brother, who was swinging my screaming, child upside down by his ankles.
