Bella Osborne - Wildflower Park – Part Four

‘Will do. Bye.’ Connor waited on the steps and watched Hudson leave before knocking.

Anna opened the door with a beaming smile, which faltered for the briefest of moments. She looked past Connor. ‘Have you seen …’

‘Hudson gave me this,’ he said, handing over the washbag. ‘He had to rush off somewhere.’ Connor shrugged.

‘Did he give you my keys?’

‘Oh, yeah. Here.’ He handed them over. ‘Can I come in?’

‘I’m actually in the middle of putting Arlo to bed and I can’t leave him for one second. Sorry. Can I call you?’

Connor’s expression was unreadable. ‘Sure. You do what you need to.’

‘Thanks.’ She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and shut the door.

‘Anna! Anna!’ called Arlo urgently from upstairs.

‘Yes, Arlo?’ replied Anna already heading in his direction.

‘I’ve done a huge poo! Come and see.’ There was a long pause. ‘Please!’

Anna was feeding a breakfast of mushed Weetabix to Petal whilst simultaneously discussing the career opportunities of being a Viking with Arlo when her mobile began vibrating along the worktop.

‘Hi, Dave,’ she said, before mouthing to Arlo. ‘It’s Daddy.’

‘Hello, Daddy,’ shouted Arlo.

‘Hi, son,’ replied Dave. Anna put him on speakerphone. ‘Any news?’

‘Okay. Yes, we have news. Hey, kids, you’ve got a brand-new … baby …’ there was a long pause ‘… brother.’

‘Yay!’ shouted Arlo.

‘Ay!’ shouted Petal and she backhanded her Weetabix bowl sending it flying in spectacular fashion across the kitchen, splattering both Anna and Arlo. Arlo started to laugh.

‘Congratulations,’ said Anna, wiping the worst of the Weetabix assault off her top.

Arlo was frowning. ‘Do I have to share my toys?’

Anna flopped onto the sofa at the end of the longest day of her life. She had been babysitting for twenty-four hours straight. She had no idea how Sophie did it. She was exhausted. She’d taken them both out to the soft play centre, which thankfully had taken up most of the day. Just getting out of the house with two small children needed a project plan.

The play centre was a big eye-opener for Anna. Whilst most of the other women seemed focused on talking animatedly with friends whilst mainlining lattes, their children were running riot like crazed banshees or, as she began to realise, like children at a soft play centre. She’d planned to set herself up with Petal in the baby area while Arlo burned off some of his overflowing energy supplies, but Anna found herself scooping Petal up every other minute as high-speed sweaty children hurdled her. It was incredibly stressful.

They had spent the remainder of the afternoon in the park kicking up the autumn leaves and looking for squirrels. Oddly enough, despite Arlo shouting ‘HERE, SQUIRRELS!’ at the top of his voice, they hadn’t even seen a whisker.

Anna found her eyes were closing when a key in the door made her come to. She crept into the hall.

‘Congratulations,’ she said, meeting Dave and Sophie at the door. ‘Kids are asleep,’ she added, as they slunk inside.

‘Thanks,’ said Sophie. They all cooed over the tiny baby in the overly large car seat. He was sound asleep, his rosebud lips pouting gently.

‘He’s beautiful,’ said Anna.

Sophie angled her head towards the baby. ‘Dave thinks he looks like Churchill.’

Dave chuckled. ‘All babies look like Churchill – it’s a well-known fact. He’s still beautiful though.’

Sophie mouthed, ‘At least he doesn’t look like the Kraken.’

Anna hid her laughter by pulling her into a hug. ‘How are you?’ she asked. Sophie was pale.

‘Okay,’ she said, but her expression told a different story. ‘It was probably the easiest of the births, certainly the quickest. But still, no walk in the park. Unfortunately, they had to cut my rings off.’ She waved her bare left hand sadly.

‘Drinks machine was better this time,’ chipped in Dave and he went to get the bags from the car. Sophie rolled her eyes.

‘He kept turning the radio up to drown me out,’ she said, although Anna could tell she wasn’t really cross about it.

‘Were you being a bit shouty?’

‘You would too if you’d almost delivered your child in a wheelbarrow.’ They both laughed.

Dave reappeared. ‘I’ll put this lot upstairs. You sit down,’ whispered Dave.

‘Not after what they’ve done to my undercarriage. I may never sit down again.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ Anna cut in, keen not to hear about an episiotomy again.

‘Lovely, and you can update me on everything. Still no caffeine for me, I’m breastfeeding.’ Sophie pulled a disgruntled face and shuffled off to the living room.

Anna was struggling to remember anything before the babysitting. Was this what it was like for parents?

She took the drinks through and joined Sophie and Dave in the living room. Anna scooched herself round and peered at the scrunched-up bundle who was now being cradled by his mother. ‘Does he have a name yet?’

Sophie smiled at Dave who was eyeing the scene fondly. ‘We’re thinking of Reuben.’

‘I like it,’ said Anna, failing to hide her surprise at liking the name. She’d been expecting something more obscure.

‘Reuben David Butterworth,’ said Sophie, glancing up and giving Dave an indulgent look.

‘It was my great-grandad’s name,’ said Dave proudly.

‘It’s lovely and it suits him.’ Anna stroked the baby’s cheek and he screwed up his face and for a moment she could see what Dave meant about the Churchill resemblance.

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