Suzanne Wright - From Rags

“Alright, I’ll try not to snarl.”

Dane chuckled. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up if I were you, Jaxx.”

Connor looked at him, brows raised. “You’ll have to remind me when it was that I said you could call her Jaxx.”

“Oh for God’s sake, Connor,” she groaned.

He twirled her around, pulled her tight against him and spoke against her lips, “You’re my Jaxx, no one else’s.” It was definitely a mistake aligning her body to his but he doubted it was a mistake he’d learn from.

“Why not just pee in a circle right around me.”

“I might have to, actually, just to stop Ferrari from doing it anymore.” At the sound of the doorbell and the puppy barking – Bronty still didn’t bother with barking – Connor had to swallow back a sigh. “Go on, go let them in.”

The second she opened the front door Riley dashed in and hugged her legs. “Aunty Jaxxon!”

She scooped him up and kissed his cheek. “You’re getting so big.”

“I know, I’m the biggest boy ever,” he added as he spread out his arms.

“Hi,” Jaxxon said to Leah and her husband Alan – who was very geeky – as she gestured for them to follow her inside. “How was the flight?” And then she heard a squeal. “Oh bugger, what’s she done?” Jaxxon raced to the garden to find Isabel laughing hysterically on the ground.

“She tried to ride Bronty again,” said Connor with a sigh. The dog had bucked all over the place like a rodeo bull, just as Isabel had known he would. He held his daughter up high above his head and tickled her sides, wrenching delighted squeals of laughter from her. “You. Have. To. Stop. Giving. Me. Heart. Attacks.”

“So she’s still got no fear then,” giggled Leah.

“None,” confirmed Jaxxon.

Leah nodded at Connor. “Alright Connor.” He simply nodded back and gave a similar greeting to Alan. Jaxxon rolled her eyes while Leah hid a smile at his attempt at civility. She doubted he’d ever forgive her for the fact that Jaxxon had spent eight years of her life despising him, and Leah could understand that. That was why although Jaxxon’s home – and what a gorgeous home it was; spacious but modest and cozy – had room for them to stay, Leah, Alan and Riley always stayed in a hotel when they came to London. She didn’t think it would be fair to make Connor feel uncomfortable in his own home. She preferred that Connor was so protective of her sister; that was the way it should be. Looking at them both now, cuddling – though it was obvious that Connor was making lewd suggestions down Jaxxon’s ear – she didn’t think she’d seen a couple so well-suited.

After giving Isabel a big cuddle and kiss, Leah approached Jaxxon and handed her a little gift wrapped box. “I know you didn’t want us to bring you anything, but there was no way I couldn’t get my baby sister a present.”

“I told you not to,” groaned Jaxxon.

“Actually,” said Anna, “we did too. I stashed it in the living room.”

“So did we,” admitted Dane.

Ollie, Louisa, Richie, Tony, Lily and Ant all nodded guiltily.

Jaxxon gawped and shook her head. “I said the only way I was having a birthday party was if it was nothing big and fancy, if there were only a few people, and if there were no gifts.”

Connor had to smile at the look on her face. She’d always felt awkward accepting presents from anyone. She was great at giving them, just not receiving them; it made her feel uncomfortable. He was just relieved that she was actually celebrating her birthday properly again. Although he’d been able to get her to privately celebrate her birthday over the past few years she hadn’t had an actual party before now and if she had thought about Matthew at all today, she’d never once shown it.

“We don’t have you a secret birthday present upstairs hiding under my bed wrapped in silver paper, Mummy,” declared Isabel, shaking her head.

Connor groaned at the little girl balanced on his arm.

“We don’t have an even bigger secret one hidden under yours and Daddy’s bed either.”

“Alright, Iz, you can stop now before that big vein in Mummy’s head bursts.”

“And we didn’t buy you a big, massive secret cake either.”

As Connor watched Jaxx’s face slowly become a disturbing shade of purple, he didn’t know whether to laugh or wince.

“And it’s not a secret chocolate cake, Mummy, I promise.”

Jaxxon raised a brow. “Chocolate?”

He nodded. “But if you don’t want the chocolate cake -”

“Let’s not be unreasonable,” said Jaxxon, “you’ve obviously gone to a lot of trouble getting me a cake so I don’t see why -” His tight, one-armed hug and firm kiss cut her off.

Isabel’s face scrunched up. “Yuck.”

“I love you, you mental bitch,” he whispered in Jaxx’s ear.

“And I love you, you dick,” she whispered back.

“Shall we sing ‘Happy Birthday’ then,” called out Lily as she brought out the huge cake lit with candles.

“No, no singing!” insisted Jaxxon. But they sang. Bloody sods.