Page 16 of Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House (Ghosts of Rowan Vale #3)

‘I’m going to have to go into town tomorrow,’ I announced, putting the ironing board away after working my way through what felt like every item of clothing we owned.

Jack, who was unloading the dishwasher, raised an eyebrow. ‘Town? You mean Much Melton?’

‘May as well,’ I said. ‘I need to make a start on the shopping.’

His face brightened. ‘For the baby?’

‘Shh!’ I gave him a stricken look. ‘The boys are only upstairs! And no, not for the baby. In case it had escaped your notice it’s only a fortnight to Christmas, and we haven’t bought a thing for the kids yet.’

‘Not true,’ Jack said, shutting the dishwasher door and straightening. ‘I’ve ordered them all Liverpool football shirts online. They’ll be arriving any day now.’

‘Liverpool football shirts?’ I rolled my eyes. ‘Why?’

‘Why not? Liverpool’s our team. Stands to reason the boys will want their latest strips.’

‘Liverpool’s your team,’ I pointed out. ‘Though I have no idea why. You’ve never even been to Liverpool.’

He looked aghast. ‘What’s that got to do with it? Anyway, you’re wrong. I’ve been to Anfield twice.’

‘I stand corrected,’ I said sarkily. ‘Doesn’t mean the boys are remotely interested.’

‘Ashton’s a proper fan these days,’ he assured me. ‘And it won’t be long until Declan’s just the same. And I can’t leave Freddie out, can I? Besides, think how cute they’ll look in them.’

‘Liverpool wear red, don’t they? It will clash with their hair,’ I groaned. ‘Honestly, the price of them, too. Couldn’t you have bought them something more sensible?’

‘It’s Christmas! Sensible doesn’t come into it. Besides, I’d already ordered them before I knew about… Anyway, when it comes to football, money’s no object.’ He put his arm around me. ‘Hey, you look done in. Come and sit down. I want to talk to you.’

‘What about?’ I asked suspiciously. ‘If you want a Liverpool football shirt, too, you can whistle for it. I’m not made of money.’

‘It’s not about Christmas,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s about the baby.’

‘Oh, Jack! Not again.’ I ran a hand through my hair, sick of hearing it all. ‘What else is there to say? It’s done now and I’m just going to have to live with it.’

‘We haven’t even scraped the surface,’ he said. ‘I’m worried about you, Clara.’

‘You should be,’ I told him. ‘I’m forty-one and knackered, and I’m about to push something the size of a beach ball out of my body when I haven’t even got the energy to take a shower some mornings. I’ll tell you one thing; it’s a vasectomy for you or you’re never touching me again.’

‘I’m serious,’ he said.

I glared at him. ‘You think I’m not?’

‘I think it’s time we told the boys.’

‘No way.’ I shook my head and strode into the living room. I wasn’t having this conversation again.

Jack, however, was clearly not going to give up so easily this time.

‘It makes no sense not to,’ he said, sounding snappy for the first time.

‘Think about it.’ He waved a hand at me and said, ‘The baby’s due in just a few weeks.

It’s becoming more obvious by the day, and it’s only a matter of time before one of them notices.

And they have a right to know.’ He hesitated. ‘Especially since even Callie knows.’

I knew it was a sore subject. He’d not reacted well when I’d admitted Callie had come with me to the doctor’s and the scan. In fact, he’d been quite annoyed and obviously hurt.

‘She won’t say anything. I’ll bet even Brodie doesn’t know,’ I mumbled.

‘That’s not the bloody point! For God’s sake, what’s the problem?’

‘Are you honestly asking me that? I mean, where do I even start?’

‘I mean with telling the boys. Oh!’ Jack threw up his hands in frustration. ‘I don’t know how to get through to you. You’re so bloody stubborn!’

‘Fine!’ I glared at him as I plonked myself in an armchair and folded my arms over my bump. ‘Whatever. Have it your way.’

I’d honestly expected him to back down, but to my horror he went straight into the hallway and yelled up the stairs. ‘Boys! Come down here. We’ve got something to tell you.’

‘Now?’ I said, panicked. ‘They’ve been at school all day. It’s not fair to?—’

‘Coming!’

There was the sound of heavy footsteps as three boys raced down the stairs. Three expectant faces turned to us.

I gulped.

‘Sit down,’ Jack said quietly. ‘Your mum and I have something important to say.’

‘Are you getting a divorce?’ Ashton asked, not sounding too worried about the possibility.

‘What’s a divorce?’ enquired Freddie.

‘When a mum and dad decide they hate each other’s guts and split up,’ Declan explained. ‘There are a few people in my class whose parents are divorced. They get trips out every weekend and double Christmas presents.’

‘Would we get double Christmas presents?’ Freddie asked, clearly interested.

‘We’re not getting divorced,’ Jack said hastily. ‘Far from it, in fact. This family isn’t splitting up. It’s er…’

He looked at me, but I said nothing. I merely returned his look with cold indifference.

‘Getting bigger,’ he said lamely.

‘Like me,’ I added bitterly.

‘What do you mean?’ Declan asked. ‘How is it getting bigger?’ His face brightened. ‘Are we getting a puppy for Christmas?’

‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas,’ Ashton pointed out primly.

‘Are you kidding me?’ I gasped. ‘Don’t you think we’ve got enough to do with Toby?’ I glanced over to where our Bernese mountain dog was lying on the rug, nose on paws, snoring like an old man.

‘It would be nice for him to have a friend,’ Declan said.

‘ I want a puppy!’ Freddie announced. ‘Can I have a puppy for Christmas?’

‘No, you blooming can’t,’ Jack said. ‘This isn’t about a puppy. It’s…’

He swallowed and Ashton groaned.

‘Oh no! Don’t tell me. Not again! You’re not having another kid, are you?’

I realised my face was burning with embarrassment. Ashton was old enough to know how babies were made. He’d never look at me and his dad in the same way again.

‘Yes,’ Jack said. ‘We are.’

There was a stunned silence.

‘That,’ Ashton said at last, ‘is truly disgusting.’

‘Thanks for that,’ I said.

‘Nothing disgusting about it,’ Jack said sternly. He smiled at Freddie. ‘What do you think? A baby brother or sister!’

‘I’d rather have a puppy,’ Freddie said. ‘Can we swap it?’

‘Afraid it doesn’t work like that,’ I told him.

‘How am I ever going to show my face at school now?’ Ashton groaned. ‘They’re going to kill themselves laughing at me.’

‘I don’t see why,’ Jack said indignantly.

‘Are you joking? You’re old . Now they’ll know my parents still do it. At your age! It’s gross.’

‘Do what?’ Declan asked.

‘Put orders in with the stork,’ Jack said.

‘What stork?’

‘Look, can we concentrate on what’s important here?’ Jack pleaded. ‘Your mum and I are going to have a baby in January. You’ll have a new brother or sister and?—’

‘January?’ Ashton cried. ‘Whoa! Took your time telling us, didn’t you?’

‘We didn’t know,’ I admitted. ‘We’ve only just found out ourselves. I just thought I was getting fat.’

‘Yeah, I thought you were getting fat, too,’ Declan agreed. ‘So that’s a baby in there?’ He stared at my bump with interest. ‘And you don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl?’

‘No. It will be a nice surprise,’ I said, trying to sound as if I meant it.

‘Where’s it going to sleep?’ Ashton said suspiciously. ‘We only have four bedrooms. One each. I’m not giving my room up for it.’

‘It can sleep in my room with me,’ Freddie offered excitedly.

‘I don’t think that’s such a good idea,’ Jack told him. Knowing how boisterous and impulsive Freddie could be, I dreaded to think what would happen if we left a helpless baby within his grasp all night.

‘While it’s very little it will sleep in a cot in our room,’ I explained.

God, wouldn’t it just. All those sleepless nights.

I could feel my wrinkles deepening and my eye bags swelling just at the thought of it.

‘After that, we’ll probably put it in its own room for a while. Two of you will have to share.’

‘Which two?’ Ashton asked immediately. ‘I can’t give up my room. I’m at high school! It would be humiliating to share a room with my kid brother.’

‘I’m not a kid,’ Declan said angrily. ‘I’m nine!’

‘That’s what I said. A kid. You can share with Freddie.’

‘That’s not fair!’ Declan protested. ‘Either I’ll have to share with Freddie, or I’ll have to share with Ashton. No matter who you pick I lose my bedroom, don’t I?’

He was right. And it wasn’t fair.

‘I don’t know what else we can do,’ Jack said. ‘I’m sorry, Declan. The fact is, at some point this baby is going to need a bedroom of its own and two of you are going to have to share. And yes, you will be one of them.’

‘Bagsy my own room,’ Ashton said immediately. ‘He can share with Freddie, like I said. Freddie will love it.’

‘I don’t want to share with Declan,’ Freddie said. ‘Can I share with Ashton?’

‘No!’ Ashton cried, outraged. ‘Tell him, Dad! I’m too old to share a room.’

‘For God’s sake,’ Jack said. ‘Can’t you three just have a bit of consideration for your mum?

This has been a big shock to her, and it’s your mum who’s got the biggest change ahead of her.

She’s carrying this baby. She’ll have to give birth to it.

She’ll be the one looking after it more than any of us.

The last thing she needs is you three arguing and bickering about bedrooms. Stop being so selfish. ’

‘You’re the selfish one,’ Ashton said. ‘We didn’t ask you to have another baby, did we? But it’s us three who are going to have to make the sacrifices. Not to mention the embarrassment when everyone finds out at school.’

‘Don’t tell them then,’ I said bleakly.

‘Immi will tell them,’ he wailed. ‘She’ll know soon enough. You can’t keep anything a secret in Rowan Vale.’

‘You’d be surprised,’ I muttered.

‘We don’t have to decide anything just now,’ Jack said, trying to calm the situation.

‘We’ve still got weeks before the baby arrives, and then it will be another year before we have to move it into its own room.

Right now, I just want you to think about the fact that you’re going to have a new family member.

Whatever you might think right now, it’s an exciting event.

A new brother or sister! Maybe you can start to think of names for it. ’

‘How about Cuckoo?’ suggested Ashton.

‘Can we call it Bluey?’ Freddie asked.

‘Definitely not.’

‘Spiderman?’ he asked hopefully.

‘Sorry.’

‘Paddington?’

‘Why don’t you just think about it for a while,’ I suggested. ‘A long while. We’ve got ages yet.’

‘Is that it then?’ Ashton asked.

‘Yes, that’s it for now,’ Jack said. ‘We just wanted you to be aware of the situation, that’s all.’

‘Right. I’ve got homework to do,’ Ashton said. He headed back up the stairs without another word.

Declan shrugged. ‘Okay, well I’ll finish my game then.’

He followed his brother upstairs, leaving Freddie standing alone, his head tilted to one side as he considered me thoughtfully.

‘Does it hurt to grow a baby in your tummy?’ he asked at last.

‘No,’ I said. ‘Not at all.’ It’s the pushing it out that’s the killer.

‘I hope it’s a girl,’ he said.

Jack smiled. ‘Why’s that?’

‘Mummy needs a girl in the house. There are too many boys already and it’s not fair.’

I held out my arms and he climbed onto my knee, hugging me tightly and burying his face in my hair.

‘Love you,’ he mumbled, and I kissed his cheek and stroked his red hair and inhaled the scent of him.

‘I love you, too,’ I said fiercely. ‘Always and forever.’

‘Even when you have a little baby to look after?’

‘Even then. You’ll always be my baby. Even when you’re twenty-one.’

His eyes widened. ‘Twenty-one! That’s real old. I won’t be a baby then.’

‘No,’ I said sadly. ‘I suppose not. But I’ll love you just the same.’

‘If you like,’ he said, ‘it can have my room. I don’t mind sharing with Declan. Not really.’

‘You’re a good boy,’ Jack said, as I was too overcome with emotion to respond. ‘Now, it’s almost bathtime, so let’s you and I go upstairs, shall we, and I’ll run the bath, then make you some supper.’

Freddie clambered off my knee and reached for his dad’s hand.

‘I’ll make the supper,’ I began as I started to heave myself out of the chair, but Jack gently pushed me back.

‘I’ll make it. You sit there and chill out. You’ve just done the ironing. Besides, busy day for you tomorrow, remember?’

I nodded. Christmas shopping. Usually, it was something I looked forward to. Now it was just another chore. I’d never felt less Christmassy in my life.