“Only one of them?” He’s joking, and I’m glad that he can joke around. Heartache is a bitch, but I know Owen, and he’s going to find someone.
“Yeah, Si’s another and so is Richie.” Just saying Richie’s name makes my heart hurt. I haven’t heard from him since, and neither has Owen. I just hope that he’s okay.
“Yeah, Si really is. Come on you, we’d better go back into the sitting room before Emme starts looking for you.”
He walks ahead of me and into the sitting room. Ugh, I wish there was something I could do to help him. He’s come so far since getting out of prison. He’s really turned over a new leaf. He's even working part-time as a bouncer at The Pleasure Palace. Thankfully, he never works when I do, as he still works part-time in the community centre as well. He works two days a week, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and I have gone down to four days. It's working well as we're both getting decent wages and he helps pay the bills.
I hear Emme shriek, walk to the doorway of the sitting room and watch as the boys jump on Owen and of course, Emme can’t be left out. She jumps on top of them all – crushing them even with her lightweight. It’s weird seeing the boys talking, especially after everything that has happened between them, but here they are, messing around like normal teenagers.
I walk into the sitting room and sit on the sofa when Tony says, “Lewis, want to play PlayStation after dinner?” I know that he’s only going to play one game and that’s Grand Theft Auto. They take it in turns to do missions and stuff.
I watch as Lewis eyes light up at being asked to play and not for the first time do I think how amazing my brothers really are. “Yeah, I’d love too.”
"Dinners here," Hunter shouts, and I can smell the pizza already. The aroma of pepperoni and melted cheese wafts through the air, and I doubt that Hunter needed to shout. The smell is so good that my mouth starts to water.
We sit in the sitting room, everyone on the sofas. Hunter has an L-shaped sofa and a recliner sofa. When he told me that he was getting them, I wasn't sure if they would match the room. The sitting room has cream walls and gold curtains, it looks pretty and classy. The sofas he got aren't cream or gold, they're brown, but they make the room look homely, and there’s plenty of room for everyone to sit. The Christmas tree looks funny, but I love it. The boys helped Emme decorate it, its decorated loads at the bottom but very scarce on the top. I was going to fix it, but Hunter said to leave it, that his princess spent a lot of time decorating it and it wasn't going to change.
Hunter's taken so many pictures of us all, almost if he's afraid we'll leave and he won't see us again. That's never going to happen, we've never been happier, and that's because of Hunter being in our lives. "Mummy, can we open one present?" Emme asks with her mouth full of pizza.
"Just before bed, you can. We're waiting for Stef to come." Hunter invited her to spend Christmas with us, and she wasn't really sure if she should or not, but when Hunter extended that invitation to James as well, she bit his hand off. Stef's happy that she gets to spend Christmas with us and James. We met James, and he seems really nice, he's making Stef happy and that in turn makes me happy.
"When is she meant to be here?" Hunter asks as he sits down beside me, pulling me closer to him. We have grown closer; we still haven't gone further than groping and kissing. He hasn't pressured me, and for that, I'm grateful. He's giving us the time to get to know each other again and for me to feel one hundred percent comfortable around each other.
"She'll be here soon, she texted me about twenty minutes ago saying she was leaving soon." It's already shaping up to be one of the best Christmas' ever. I will have everyone I love under one roof.
Stef arrives about an hour later, and I'm glad she's here, it's almost nine at night and Emme's still awake, waiting to open one of her presents. All the kids gather around the tree as soon as Stef and James sit, making Hunter and Owen chuckle.
"Mummy, what present can I open?" Emme asks looking at all the presents under the tree, and there's even more put under and around it since I put ours under there this morning.
"You can open one that I got you. You all can open one that I got you." Getting up off the sofa and start sifting through the presents, until I come across a pile that I had set aside for this very reason. Looking at the name tags I start handing them out, one for Si, Tony, Emme and one for Lewis who has a shocked look on his face.
"Thank you, Jess." He says really quietly and the poor thing, probably thought that I wasn't getting him anything.
"It's not much, these are just the presents I hand out today. You'll get your proper present tomorrow," I say with a smile, but his face pales. "What's wrong Lewis?" I say as I bend down, so I'm face to face with him.
"I didn't get you a present. I didn't get anyone a present." He whispers, and I know that he's ashamed.
"I didn't expect you too, and neither does anyone else. So, cheer up and open your present and if you don't like it, blame your brother." I say smiling at him. I give him a wink and Emme comes over to him, sitting on his lap she opens her present first.
I got them all books, it's something that I've done since Emme was born. The boys love it, as they enjoy reading. Emme loves it as long as there's a princess involved. I was worried about how Lewis would feel about getting a book for Christmas.
"Open yours now Lew Lew." I still have to smile at Emme calling him that. The first day he saw her, Hunter, being Hunter, was messing and introduced him as Lew Lew and the name has stuck. Lewis does as his niece asks him and opens the present, his eyes widen when he sees The tales of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Hunter told me that he had read it in the library and loved it.
"Thank you, Jess. How did you know this was my favourite book?" I want to slap that bitch of a mother of his, his voice is disbelieving, almost as if no one knows what he likes.
"You have a big brother, who knows you pretty well." I wink at Hunter.
I get up and make myself comfortable on the sofa next to Hunter, as soon as I reach him he pulls me onto his lap. "You sure know how to put a smile on us O'Shea men don’t you?"
"Ewww, that sounded dirtier than I think you intended." Stef inputs and I groan, no peace around this lot at all.
"Daddy, is it time for mummy to have her present?" My little monkey asks with a smile on her face holding up a small square present.
"Yeah baby, give your mum her present," Hunter says in his soft voice, that makes me melt.
She runs over to us, and I go to get up off Hunter's lap, but he grips my hips, so I don't go anywhere. Settling back into him, I rip open the wrapping paper and come to a box. Lifting the lid off it, I see a key. I look at it confused. Why would he be giving me a key?
"Mummy, daddy wants us to live with him." Emme screeches, and everyone is smiling. Shit, this isn't the time to bring this up. God, Emme is so happy, how do I tell my baby that I can't, that I have the boys to think about too? That they have friends and their school? That it's uprooting them?
"Jess, Hunter asked us if we were willing to live with him too, and both of us agreed. We want you to be happy. You’ve sacrificed so much to keep us all together, to keep us all safe, that it's the least we can do. Plus, Tony has no friends, and I'm not exactly Mr Popular." Si tells me and that sneaky little bugger, Hunter, asked them first? He shouldn't have put them in that situation. "Jess, are you going to say something?" Hunter asks, and everyone is looking at me expectantly, except Stef, she sees straight through me.
"Maybe, give her time to think," Stef tells them, and finally, they realise that it's not that straightforward.
"But mummy." Emme starts to whine.
"But mummy nothing, it's time for your bed. Say goodnight to everyone. You have to hurry; you don't want Santa seeing you. Then you'll get no presents, so chop – chop." Hoping to change the subject and it works, she makes her way around the room saying goodnight. Walking up to her room with Hunter in tow, we tuck her in and say goodnight. I give her a kiss on her head and leave her room only
to see that Hunter is waiting for me.
"I overstepped asking them didn't I?"
"It's not that, it's you should have asked me first. That way I would have been prepared in case the boys had any problems or if there was something we could have done to have them stay in the same school." I realise that while he asked them when he should have asked me first, he was sweet enough to ask them first. Wanting to make sure they're okay with it before asking me.
"I'm sorry Jess; I really did think I was doing the right thing."
I close the distance between us and wrap my hands around him, "You did and can I give you my answer in a few days?"
"Babe, you can give me your answer whenever, as long as we're okay." Reaching up I place a kiss on his lips. It's a promise of what's to come.
We're lying in bed, and I spoke to both Tony and Si individually. Tony really wants this move, he's hoping a fresh start will help him gain more confidence. Si, well he wants us all happy, and he wouldn't tell me differently when he knows everyone else is going to move. I'll find a way of getting him to the school even if we have to leave at five am. If that's what he wants, it's what we will do. He’s only got a few months left until he does his GCSE’s.
"Yes," I say softly, while I'm drawing circles on his chest.
"Yes, what babe?" He asks, placing his hand over mine, the heat from it, makes me stop drawing circles and grasp it.
"Yes, we will move in with you." I don't get to finish the word you, before I'm flat on my back and Hunter's on top of me, my hands pinned above my head.
"Jess, you need to tell me now if you're not ready for this. I promise you I'll back off." His eyes hold so much lust that I'm transfixed by them.
"Hunter, don't back off. God, I need you so bad. I ache for you." He leans down and showers my lips with peppered kisses. He starts to strip me, and heat rushes through my whole body. I want this man so badly.
“Fuck, Jess. You're so god damn sexy. You're the most beautiful woman I have ever met." He takes off his pants and enters me slowly, the whole world fades as I'm lost in him
Epilogue
Christmas day was one of the best days of my life. Owen's Christmas present to me was getting mum to sign over custody of Si and Tony to me. I mean it's legit, they're now my kids. I cried so hard. Even though I'm his sister, Tony has started to call me mum. He says that I've been his mum for as long as he can remember, that I was the one who looked after him when he was sick and when he was bullied. That I stick up for him and do everything, a mum should do. He was eight when Owen was sent to prison. I had been looking after him way before that though. He asked if it was okay and I cried again. Si says that I'll always be Jess to him, but he agrees with Tony, that I am his mum.
God these boys, they're going to be great men when they grow up.
"Mummy where are we going today?" Emme asks me as I walk out of my bedroom. It's been eight months since Christmas, and the kids are on their summer holidays, well except Si, who's done his GCSE's, we’re waiting for his results in the post. I’m a nervous wreck; I can’t imagine how Si is feeling. He’s been working too; he wants to be an accountant. God knows why?
"We're waiting for the postman to come, baby. Then we're going to get ready and go see Saff..."
Today’s not just special because of Si’s results. It’s a wedding… No not mine but Saff and Damien! Yes, Damien purposed to Saff at Christmas and today's the day. Stef and I are bridesmaids, and Emme is the flower girl. I’m over the moon that they’re getting married. They’re so happy together, and they both deserve the happiness they get from each other.
"Oh yay, I'm going to look so pretty." She pretends she's holding a basket in one hand and uses her other hand to throw petals as she walks.
"And so, modest about it. You are definitely your father's daughter." I walk toward the kitchen, careful not to step on the dog that Emme so desperately wanted, and of course, she has her daddy and granddaddy wrapped around her finger, that they went out and came back with Tawny, the Yorkshire terrier.
As I dodge Tawny, I see something wet on the floor and groan. "Hunter, that bloody dog's just pissed on the floor."
I'm not cleaning it up. No way, not happening. I've cleaned up after that poxy dog more than anyone. Of course, I'm the one left to tidy it up after it.
"Can you clean it up please mum? Hunter's helping me with something." Tony shouts back, making my heart melt as it always does when he calls me mum so I reach for the kitchen towel and bend to clean the floor.
"Jess, don't... Oh for fuck's sake, Jess. You’re pregnant, you shouldn't be doing that." Hunter scowls at me; I ignore him and carry on cleaning up Tawny's piss. The man must have super sperm, I conceived sometime around Christmas and Hunter likes to think that he impregnated me on Christmas eve.
"Oh, fucking hell, are you ignoring me now?"
"How many times do I have to tell you that I am pregnant and not an invalid? Hmm, because I'm getting pissed off repeating myself." I'm in a mood, my back hurts, and I feel sick, probably due to the nervousness of waiting for Si's results. I finish cleaning up after Tawny while Hunter hands me the cleaning stuff. Thankfully it was just a wee this time.
"Is everything okay mum?" Tony asks me as Hunter helps me to my feet.
"Yeah, just waiting for the postman."
"Um, mum, the postman came while you were in the shower, Emme got the letters. Why?"
"Why? Your brother's GCSE results come out today." I tell him hysterically, ready to go and kill my daughter. I hear laughter. I turn to see Hunter in stitches and Tony not far behind him.
"Mum, Si's not here, he's gone to collect his results. They only come by the post if we're not there." Oh, shit, he's right.
"Why did I think they were coming by post?"
"We were meant to go to Brighton for a few days, and Si told you that he can have the results sent as he wouldn't be able to collect them. You told him that we would go away after he received them. So, he's there now getting them, well he's probably on his way home." Hunter says wrapping his arms around me and placing his hands on my bump.
"I'm going mad. Sorry." I tell him as I've been a bitch lately. Hunter turns me around in his arms and kisses me passionately.
"Yuck, do you have to?" Tony says just as the front door opens and in walks Si.
He walks in and just stares at us, "Si, put her out of her misery, will you?" Tony tells him, and I watch as a smile creeps its way onto Si's face and I know it's good news.
"Five, 8's. One, 9 and three 7's." He tells us, and I run over and give him a big hug. He’s done so much better than he thought. 9 is the highest grade you can get, so he did bloody brilliantly, getting 7’s, 8’s and 9’s. I mean they’re the three highest grades anyone can get!
"I knew you would do it. I'm so proud of you. You've done amazing!"
"Thanks, Jess. Honestly, I couldn't have done it without you." He kisses my cheek and walks over to Hunter, and they do that stupid man hug thingy. Then Si makes his way over to Tony, who has a smirk on his face.
"So, I'm not the only geek in the family then." Tony dodges the punch aimed at him and pulls Si in for a hug.
I watch as Emme walks down the aisle, throwing petals onto the floor as she does. I see Hunter has his phone out taking pictures of her. I smile at her, she's loving the attention she's getting.
I turn around as Stef starts to walk down the aisle and I know that I don't have much time. Giving Saff a hug I whisper in her ear, "You deserve every bit of happiness, and I know that Damien will see to it that you are happy, that you are loved and cherished. I love you Saff, and just know, that even though you're getting married, I'm still here for you."
Kissing her cheek, I pull back and see that she has tears in her eyes, "No, no tears. Your makeup!"
“Oh Jess, you’re the best friend a girl could ever have. I’ve never been happier, but I’m so nervous.”
“It’s perfectly fine to be nervous. That’s my cue. See you up there” I wink at her as I
take a deep breath and walk down the aisle.
I stand beside Stef and look at Damien who has the biggest grin on his face. He looks proud, and I know that this is everything he’s hoped for. He loves Saff and just wants her to be happy.
I watch with pride as both Simon and Tony walk Saff down the aisle. She wanted them to do it, she wouldn't have anyone else, and the boys were happy to do it.
I can’t help but laugh as Si says, “You’d better look after her, or you’ll have me to deal with.”
Damien, who is trying his hardest not to laugh, shakes Si’s hand and tells him, “I promise you, she’s safe with me.”
I hear the words you may kiss the bride and wipe the tears from my eyes. It was such a beautiful ceremony, and Saff looked so gorgeous and happy. We follow them out of the church into confetti being thrown. Hunter is behind me, holding onto me when I feel a pop and the gush of water running down my leg.
"Hunter." I gasp.
Great, my waters have broken!
Looking back at Hunter, who’s staring at the puddle at my feet, his face is a grey colour, and I know that he's freaking out.
Great, just what I need.
"Hunter, for fuck's sake, will you help me please?" I ask as my stomach tightens as a contraction hits me full force.
The twat is still standing there, still staring at the puddle I have just created.
“Hunter, will you please move?”
Stef comes over with Emme. "Oh my Gosh Jess, are you okay?" Stef says calmly, and I'm thankful someone here has some sense about them.
“Yeah, but my waters have broken, and I’m stuck with this bloody twat,” I said shoving my thumb at Hunter, who still hasn’t moved.
“Mummy, why did you wee yourself?” Emme says, and of course, Stef finds it hilarious.
“I didn’t wet myself, baby. Your brother or sister is coming.” I elbow Hunter, and he just grunts as my elbow connects with his stomach.
The Secrets Of Life (The Working Girls Book 1) Page 19