Charlotte, Part 19 free porn video

"So... Yeah," I say as the professional make-up artist applies a layer of adhesive to the tops of my ears. "Why, exactly, again?" "It's his favourite show," Charlotte explains. "He's done so much for us over the years, it's only fair we throw him a party for once." "And he's 55 this year, it's as good a time as any," Hannah says. "And the show's celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, it just makes sense, really." "Oh, I get that," I say as the make-up artist applies latex prosthetics to the tops of my ears and begins the process of blending the make-up to match my natural skin tone. "I just want to know why it's me who has to have the damned pointed ears..." "Because you're the only one without piercings in them," Krystie giggles. "Or a massive allergy to the adhesive they use!" "As long as the adhesive isn't smeared over her tits, anyway," Charlotte says, reminding me of the discomfort I endured in my pre- breast implant days. "First thing I'm doing after Joshua's party is getting my ear tops pierced," I say, sticking my tongue out at the other girls before standing up, smoothing my ultra-short blue dress and posing with one hand on my hip and the other raised in the world-famous salute. "Live long and prosper, Commander Jamock!" Hannah giggles, returning my salute. "Hang on," Viks says, retrieving her phone from the cleavage of her own blue dress. "GOT to get a photo of this..." I sigh as I hold my salute- fortunately, the character I'm emulating isn't known for smiling a lot, so my frown only adds to the photos that are being uploaded to Instagram. "I'd save space on your phone if I were you," Hannah giggles. "You'll need them tonight, Miss 'I'm only going to be called 'miss' for another twenty-four hours' Brooks!" My frown cracks into a giggle as Viks blushes, and her cheeks only redden as she gets swamped by a group hug. Today is Friday the 26th of February- and tomorrow is the day Viks marries the guy of her dreams. ...And yet, while I should be happy for my friend, all I feel is envy. Sure, it's not like I'm alone- I do have my own fianc?, a man I love more than life itself- but in the months since we set a date for our wedding, our life has grown more and more... Frustrating. Not least because the date of our wedding has been pushed back not once, but twice, to accommodate filming for the next season of our reality show- a season we're not even sure will be produced, thanks to declining ratings. Our dream summer August wedding is now going to be a chilly November wedding, and whilst I am grateful to Joshua for agreeing to pay for everything, there's a part of me that wants my wedding to be... Well, 'mine'. And as our wedding date gets pushed further and further back, my desire to have my own family just grows and grows, especially as I see all my friends settling down into their own family units. Ever since Keith and Charlotte reconciled, the two of them have been inseparable- or rather, the three of them have been inseparable. Keith's spent more time with his son in the past two months than he did in the whole of the time before he and Charlotte got back together. Hell, he's probably spent more time with his son in the past two DAYS than in the whole of the time before he and Charlotte got back together. He's truly stepped up to the challenge of being a father, and it's easy to tell from his eyes that he treasures every second he spends with his son. ...Even though this means that Stuart and I- despite being the boy's godparents and (in my case) living under the same roof as him- barely spend any time with him anymore. Admittedly, there are reasons- Stuart went into hospital a couple of weeks ago for the second stage of his SRS (connecting his urethra) and is still off his feet, and obviously I want to spend as much time as I can caring for him. But still, I miss the days when I'd wander downstairs, cuddle the boy in my arms and smile as he giggled at me. However, the one positive about our lives is that we're still young, and we still have time on our side. I'm only 24, Stuart will be 26 in a couple of days... Most people don't become parents until they're in their very late twenties, but even that 'deadline' draws closer with every passing day. For tonight, however, I can allow myself to relax and have fun. Tomorrow is the day we celebrate Viks and Jonathan's love for each other, which means that tonight is the night we celebrate Viks's last night as a single woman- and that, of course, means it's her Hen Night! "Here comes the bride!" Hannah- Viks's maid of honour- yells as Viks descends the stairs of her home in her dress- not her wedding dress, but a short, tight black clubbing dress with skyscraper heels, thick make-up and fake tan and extra-long black fingernails. On her head is an extravagant silver tiara, and draped across her torso is a gold- coloured sash that reads 'Bride to Be'. I- and the other five Angels- are all wearing similar dresses, shoes and make-up, only we have no tiaras on our heads and our sashes read 'Bridesmaid' (or 'Maid of Honour' in Hannah's case). "Aww, you girls..." Viks says, blushing as she's dragged into yet another group hug, which Hannah captures for posterity in an overhead selfie. "This is so amazing..." "I think you're meant to say that about the wedding, not the Hen Night!" Mary giggles. "The voice of experience!" Krystie giggles, giving her BFF a tight cuddle. "Though there'll be plenty more 'experience' to go round soon, won't there, Miss Burke?" "When we're allowed to get married, anyway!" I laugh. "Assuming Mikey doesn't pop the question and you decide to queue-jump..." "Who says HE's going to pop the question?" Krystie says, making me giggle. "Besides, who's to say that after Mrs Victoria Benedict, we won't be celebrating the marriage of Mrs Charlotte Hartley next?" "Give me a chance, we've only been back together for two months!" Charlotte laughs exasperatedly. "And tonight is all about the future Mrs Victoria Benedict, as far as the world is concerned, we're all six young, sexy, successful, famous, rich women enjoying the fact that we are- well, what I just said. Right?" "Right!" I and the other girls cheer. Once again, Charlotte is the voice of wisdom. Who cares if I don't have a family yet? I AM young. I AM sexy, successful, rich and famous... And tonight, I'm going to put all my anxieties behind me and party like I was nineteen again. "So let's drink, drink and be merry!" I say, earning more cheers. "Well..." Mary says, silencing the six of us. "I can certainly provide the 'merry', but I'm afraid 'drink' is out of the question tonight..." The five of us look at the short Irishwoman in confusion, before our confusion turns to shock as she gently pats her slender belly. "Wh- what?" Krystie asks, her jaw plummeting. "Mary!? Again!?" "Yep!" Mary giggles. "I didn't want to say until after the wedding- I didn't want to upstage Viks- but I also don't want the baby to get drunk before she's even been born-" "You are more than welcome to upstage me, this is awesome news!" Viks laughs, giving the pregnant woman a gentle hug. "So cool!" Charlotte squeaks. "Keith junior's getting another cousin! When, exactly, will he-" "September," Mary laughs. "So it'll be easy enough to keep under wraps until I'm ready to tell the rest of the world- right now it's just you girls, Dan and our families who know." "Our lips are sealed," Hannah says. "We are SO going to throw you a party to celebrate... But first, we have to get my BFF married off, and that means that we have to get her as drunk as possible, right?" "Right!" We all cheer, though deep down inside, I feel my heart sink. Tonight, I'd hoped to forget all about my anxieties- and even though I'm happy for Mary, the fact is that she's brought them crashing straight back. All throughout the night, every time I try to relax, all I can think about is Mary and her future life with her husband and her children, watching them grow up... Unsurprisingly, Mary leaves the hen night early, and I also bow out shortly after she does, claiming that I need to return home to check on Stuart when in reality Mary's news has left me in a mood where I don't feel much like celebrating. I arrive home- at Charlotte's house- just after 11pm to find Stuart already in bed, reading his Kindle. "Hey," my fianc? says as I greet him with a kiss. "You're back early, is everything alright?" "Yeah," I sigh as I strip naked and climb under the sheets next to Stuart, taking care not to disturb his still-catheterised 'area'. "It's- it's Mary." "What's happened?" Stuart asked. "Is she pregnant again?" "...How did you know?" I ask, casting a suspicious gaze at my fianc?. "Lucky guess," Stuart shrugs. "Figured it had to be something big to put that size of frown on your face." I sigh again as Stuart gives me a kiss, before wrapping one of his strong arms around me. "We will get there, I promise. Everyone we've spoken to from the adoption agency has said that we'd make great parents." "Great parents EVENTUALLY," I retort. "Same difference," Stuart says, switching off his kindle and giving me a kiss. "Get some sleep, babe. You'll need your strength for tomorrow!" I smile as I return Stuart's kiss and lay my head down on my pillow, but as hard as I try, my mind is filled with thoughts of my friends and their families... And me without one. I must have eventually drifted off, though, as I'm woken by the alarm on my phone at 7am and confronted by the sight of Stuart slowly easing his smart suit on over his catheter. "Hey," I whisper, holding out Stuart's trousers for him. "Let me give you a hand." "Thanks," Stuart whispers. "Really gutted I couldn't make it to the stag last night... I guess there'll be another one before too long." "Yeah- yours!" I giggle. "Besides, weddings aren't about stag nights, they're about two people who adore each other, making a commitment to adore each other until the end of time..." "GIRL!" Stuart yells, making me giggle harder. "WOMAN," I retort. "Unless you want to be a BOY?" "Chance'd be a fine thing," Stuart sighs, making me chuckle sadly. We've often discussed how different our lives would be if we hadn't made the change- though obviously I haven't told him all the details surrounding the start of 'Jamie-Lee'- and we often wonder if 'James' and 'Claire' would be as close as 'Jamie-Lee' and 'Stuart' are. Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter- Jamie-Lee and Stuart are who we are, and Jamie-Lee and Stuart are madly in love, and always will be. "Well you're a MAN now," I say, giving Stuart a gentle hug. "So do up your tie." "Put on a proper suit and sing the national anthem," Stuart says, making me snort with laughter. I pull on a simple knee-length dress and a pair of black tights- my bridesmaid's dress is obviously waiting for me at Viks's- before heading downstairs with Stuart, giggling at the sound of happy laughter coming from the kitchen. "Aww," Stuart laughs as we enter the kitchen. "Little Keith likes his first ever suit, doesn't he?" "Yep," Keith senior- who is also wearing a smart suit- says with a proud grin on his face. "Sleep well, mate?" "Not bad," Stuart says. "Pain's getting better every day." I smile as Keith and Stuart chat over their breakfast like the old friends they are, even if they were bitter enemies up until recently. Keith's reconciliation with Charlotte improved the lives of more than just those two. "Hey Charlie!" I say, greeting my BFF with a tight hug. "Hey Jay!" Charlotte says with a happy giggle. "Big day today! ...And are you really wearing that to Viks's?" "Get back together with Keith and it's like it's 2011 again!" I say, making Charlotte blush. "Okay, okay," Charlotte snorts. "You're gorgeous, fashionable and ultra-girly!" "Better," I say, doing a quick twirl in my dress. "You okay? Get much sleep last night?" "Keith junior needed a feed," Charlotte shrugs. "I'm fine. Keith senior's doing all the driving today anyway, hehe!" "Can you believe it about Mary, though?" I ask. "I know," Charlotte sighs. "I'm so jealous, I never had a little brother or sister, I know you didn't either, that's why you're so close to Nikki and Steph..." "Don't rush into giving Keith junior a little brother or sister," I say, recognising the tell-tale signs of Charlotte's volatile mood. "No, I won't," Charlotte says, before letting out a long sigh. "You know, after Mary's wedding, I was convinced it'd be me next... Now we're at best third in the queue. Fourth, if you count Nikki and Sarah." "But you ARE in the queue," I say. "Yeah, Keith hasn't proposed yet, but you know he will... And you'll always have that little one." "Yeah..." Charlotte says, the smile returning to her face. "We'd better get going, don't want Hannah yelling at us for being late, hehe!" I smile as the boys (all three of them) take the hint and lead us out to Keith's car. After dropping Keith junior off at Keith senior's parents, we arrive at Viks's parents' house, where preparation for the wedding is already in full swing. "Come in, come in!" Hannah- clad in a big, fluffy bathrobe with her face smothered in fake tan and her hair in a hairnet- urges us. "Get stripped down to your underwear then get into the living room, we need to get you two tanned!" "Do you remember the time when Viks loathed fake tan?" I ask the tall blonde girl. "Remember it? It was about eight years of her life," Hannah chuckles. "Fortunately, like another amazing girly girl I know, she saw the light and realised that all things feminine were also all things awesome, including fake tan!" I giggle as Charlotte gives me a tight cuddle, before we both strip down to our underwear and are both liberally blasted by Hannah's fake tan spray gun. After we're bronzed, Charlotte and I are led into the kitchen, which has been turned into a makeshift salon for the day, and our hair is thoroughly washed and primped into tight, elaborate updos, while our faces are treated and made-up to perfection with subtle eye shadow, mascara and dark red lipstick. After our nails are repainted in a dark red colour (to match our lipstick), we're led upstairs, where we swap our own underwear for a set of extremely fancy silk lingerie in a deep black colour. The set includes a thong, a tight strapless bra, a suspender belt and a pair of exquisite silk stockings, and feel amazing once they're on my body. Next comes the dress- a strapless, dark mauve chiffon gown with a tight bodice and a highly ruffled skirt, with matching shoes that have a 5 inch stiletto heel. It's my second time being a bridesmaid, and I feel just as beautiful now as I did when I was Mary's bridesmaid two years ago, even when I'm reunited with the other four identically-dressed bridesmaids (all of us even have our hair done in the same style and colour). "Here comes the bride!" Hannah squeaks as the door to Viks's bedroom opens. I gasp as I see the dark-haired girl descend the stairs- when I first met her, almost three years ago, she was a painfully shy girl who always hid herself away in the background, almost as though she was ashamed of her looks. Today, though, there isn't a trace of shame on her face- and rightfully so. Viks's dress is, of course, a pure white colour, contrasting her tanned skin and dark brown hair. Like our bridesmaids' dresses, it's strapless, but is much tighter laced and shows off a lot more of her amazing cleavage and enhances her now-famous curves. Her skirt is wide, multi-layered and swishes with every step she takes, and her perfectly made-up face is covered by a transparent white veil. She looks truly, utterly beautiful, and all five of us bridesmaids are welling up... Even though my main thought is 'I wonder what my wedding dress will look like?'. "Oh my god, you guys..." Viks squeaks as we all give her gentle, careful hugs (so as not to crinkle any of our dresses). "You truly are the most beautiful girl on the planet," Viks's father says, bringing tears to his daughter's eyes as he leads her down to the waiting car. Viks's career choice- and her subsequent independence- had caused a rift between herself and her parents in the past, but the smile on her father's face shows that all has long since been forgiven. Viks gets in the lead car with her father, her two brothers (who are acting as page boys for today, despite the fact that they're 17 and 14) and Maid of Honour Hannah, whilst Charlotte, Krystie, Mary and I climb into the second car- where the discussion quickly turns to one topic, and one topic only. "So," Krystie says with a devilish grin. "Picked out any names yet?" "I only found out a few days ago, give me a damn break!" Mary sighs. "Language," Charlotte giggles, patting Mary's belly. "There ARE children present..." "'Children', as in the plural?" Krystie asks. "Are you trying to tell us something as well, Miss Hutchinson?" "GOD no!" Charlotte giggles. "Quite happy with one for now, which is more than can be said for Mrs Carter!" "Give me a break, it's not like this one was planned either," Mary snorts. "Shh, she'll hear you!" Krystie giggles. "And yes, I said 'she'! Girl rays!" The three of us all giggle as we beam our 'girl rays' into Mary's belly, but deep down inside, I simply can't shake off my jealous feelings- feelings that get worse as we arrive at the church through a gaggle of paparazzi (which doesn't impress Viks's father at all, though her brother's don't seem to mind too much), all of whom are focussing their cameras onto Viks. I try to remind myself that I'll get the same treatment and the same level of attention when it's my turn to get married, and it IS my turn after Viks... Even if that 'turn' seems to be slipping further and further into the future. The wedding, of course, goes perfectly. Viks and Jonathan prepared their own vows, which brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the church, even the ultra-macho boys (I especially giggled at the sight of Stuart and Keith sat next to each other with tears in both of their eyes). After the wedding, despite the cold, we're all ushered outside for the traditional throwing of the bouquet and the garter- which, of course, get thrown straight at myself and Stuart respectively, earning good-natured boos from the rest of the crowd! After about a thousand photographs are taken of the happy couple and family, friends and groomsmen and bridesmaids, we're ushered back into our cars, soon finding ourselves at the vast events hall (much bigger than the room we usually use in Charlotte's house) that Joshua has hired for the wedding reception. After the usual speeches and a very rich, very filling meal, I spend the rest of the evening dancing happily with all the other guests. Stuart's recovery means that he's only up for one dance, but I find willing dance partners in Viks's youngest brother Phil (who has apparently just split up with his girlfriend so was very grateful for the attention), and in Hannah, which earns a lot of raised eyebrows from everyone! The reception eventually dissipates after 8pm, at which point the happy couple are driven away to start their honeymoon (two weeks in Penang, the lucky so-and-sos) and the rest of us disperse, us bridesmaids heading back to Viks's home first to change out of our dresses (and our gorgeous, albeit very much 'worn' lingerie) before all five of us head back to Charlotte's house for one last drink. For obvious reasons, the usual Saturday night 'girls' night in' isn't happening tonight, but that doesn't mean that the five of us can't celebrate the happiness of our friend. "Two down, four to go," Mary says with a smug smile as she downs her glass of lemonade (champagne having been denied to her due to her condition). "And we all know who's next, don't we?" Hannah asks, giving me a quick cuddle. "You are going to be SO beautiful as a blushing bride..." "She's certainly got the 'blush' down!" Mary giggles, causing my cheeks to redden further. "Stop it," I moan. "Thought we were supposed to be celebrating Viks's wedding, not planning mine?" "You're right," Hannah says. "To Viks!" "To Viks!" The five of us all toast. "Sure, it won't be long before she's baking, too," Mary says, rubbing her belly. "I know Joshua's talked about wanting to be a grandfather, or great-uncle in his case, I suppose." "'Angels: The Next Generation' is going to have a huge cast list at this rate!" Krystie giggles. "Little Keith is going to have his pick of all the girls he wants..." "He's going to marry Kristina-Leigh whether he likes it or not!" Mary retorts. "Unless he prefers number two, of course..." "You have GOT to have picked out SOME names, surely?" Krystie asks, making Mary sigh. "We know we want a name that begins with an 'N'," Mary sighs, making Krystie and Hannah squeak excitedly. "Probably Nathan for a boy, Natalie or Natasha for a girl." "Aww, 'Nat Carter', I love it already!" Hannah giggles. "She sounds like a superhero!" "Stuart's always said that if we have a girl, he'd want to name her 'Olivia', after his grandmother," I say, briefly silencing the room. "...What?" "It- it's nothing," Krystie says, shaking her head. "No, go on, please," I say. "It's just-" Mary says. "It- it's just we never really pictured you as a mother, that's all." "Says the woman who picked me as her daughter's god mother!" I retort, making Mary hold up her hands in mock-surrender. "GODmother, yes," Mary says. "It's just- obviously, you'd never be able to, you know, get pregnant..." "Thank you for the reminder," I say, making Mary lower her head in shame. "Oh- Mary, I'm sorry..." I sigh, before giving the tiny Irishwoman a gentle hug. "No, no, I'm sorry," Mary sighs. "You're right, I wouldn't have picked you as godmother if I didn't think you'd also be a good mother full stop." "And you know how great Stu is with kids," Krystie says. "He'd have made an amazing mother, and you know he'll make an amazing father too, just like Dan, just like Keith." "And just like Jon, inevitably," Hannah interjects. "God, look at us," Mary sighs. "Talking about weddings and kids... We're five successful, sexy women in our early twenties and it's Saturday night, we shouldn't be sat around a table gossiping like a bunch of old women." "I dunno," Charlotte says, speaking up for the first time in ages. "I kinda like the idea that when we ARE older, we'll still be friends, still be able to gossip like this..." "Oh, ABSOLUTELY!" Hannah laughs. "Even if we don't get a fourth series, we'll all be Angels forever!" "Sisters forever!" I toast. "Sisters forever!" The other four girls cheer. "And cousins forever!" Krystie toasts, pointing at Mary's belly. "Cousins forever!" I and the other girls cheer. Krystie, Mary and Hannah depart after another drink, leaving me to clean away the glasses with Charlotte, who is still as quiet as she was during the drink. "Hey, Charlie," I say softly. "You okay? You seemed kinda quiet all day..." "Yeah, I'm fine," Charlotte sighs. "Just- still kinda expected me to be next in the queue, you know?" "I know, I know," I sigh, giving Charlotte a tight hug. "And it won't be long before Keith proposes, you know that, right? Two, three years tops." "If I can wait that long," Charlotte sighs. "You waited over a year to get him back," I say. "That shows how mature you've become, especially when you think back to when we first met. Remember that red catsuit?" "God above," Charlotte laughs as she remembers the torturously tight garment she got me for Christmas in 2011. "Wouldn't even TRY to get into that nowadays..." "That's probably for the best," I giggle. "And you know, if you do want to get married, it IS February 29th on Monday, you could always be the one getting down on one knee..." "Ehh... Not my style," Charlotte laughs. "I want to be swept off my feet, you know? Look at my hands, are these the nails of a woman who does the sweeping?" "They're the nails of a woman who changes nappies multiple times a day," I retort. "Touch?," Charlotte giggles. "And I never knew you were so broody... Are you and Stuart really thinking about kids already? I mean, I know you can adopt, but-" "We've looked into it," I say, making Charlotte sigh sadly. "It really changes your life," Charlotte says. "Though I guess if anyone knows about having their life dramatically changed overnight with zero warning..." This time, it's my turn to sigh sadly as I remember the circumstances of our first meeting. "God, I can't believe it's almost been five years," I whisper. "I know," Charlotte whispers. "And you've- you've never had any regrets, no resentment towards me for what I did?" "None," I say with a warm smile. "In fact, and this may sound silly, but recently, I've been feeling that the whole, you know, switcheroo... Did me a lot more good than it did you." "Despite the fact you had your genitals, well, you know?" Charlotte asks. "I did that entirely of my own accord," I say proudly as I subtly rub my thighs together, sighing at the sensations the action produces. "Though if I knew then how I felt now about wanting to become a mother..." "I did offer to pay for some sperm to be frozen," Charlotte reminds me, making me sigh. "Weird as it is thinking about you being on the 'giving' end of sperm..." "Heh, I know what you mean," I laugh. "Wouldn't have been any point anyway, Stuart didn't freeze any eggs... And yes, I know how weird it is to think about him 'laying eggs'!" "I'd have happily given you eggs," Charlotte shrugs, making me gasp. "R-really?" I ask. "And- and would you have-" "'Baked it'?" Charlotte asks. "...Not immediately. But now that I've already 'baked' once... Sure." I blink back tears as I give my BFF a long, tight hug. "This... Really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" "Yeah," I sigh, prompting a twinkle in Charlotte's eyes. "You know..." Charlotte says with a sly grin. "Keith and I ARE going on holiday next week..." "Yes...?" I ask. "And Keith junior's staying with his grandparents for a week." "But the point is," Charlotte says, "he doesn't HAVE to. Why don't you and Stuart look after him instead? Prove everyone wrong who says that you wouldn't be a good mother." "Umm... Are you sure?" I ask. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't," Charlotte says. "So... Are you up for it?" I blink twice, shocked by the offer- Charlotte's always been protective of her son to the extent that when she and Keith were separated, she wouldn't even let him have him for long periods of times, so for her to make an offer like this isn't just surprising, it's unprecedented. "I'll, um, I'll have to ask Stuart," I mumble. "He's still laid up so he might not be up for it, you know..." "He's better and better every day," Charlotte retorts. "But you're right, talk it over with him, let me know by Monday whether or not you'll be up for the challenge. And yes, I just referred to my own son as a 'challenge', but you'll see, it gets less and less 'challenging' and more and more rewarding as the week goes on. That's certainly the way my life's felt, ever since he was born." "I can tell," I say with a quiet giggle. "Both Keiths are easily the best things that ever happened to you." "I dunno," Charlotte says. "They do have competition..." I giggle again as Charlotte gives me a long, tight hug, before leaving the rest of the washing-up on the side of the sink. "It's getting late, you'd better get to bed, AUNTIE Jamie!" "Whatever you say, MUM!" I reply, giving Charlotte another hug before heading upstairs, texting Stuart (who's staying at his parents' home tonight) and getting into my vast, plush bed. My teeth chatter as I stand at the school gates, my long, blonde hair blowing in the wind and my feet jiggling nervously in my high-heeled shoes. "Stop being so nervous," Stuart admonishes me. "She'll be fine, you know she will." "I know, I know," I say, getting more and more nervous until the bell finally rings and a gaggle of five year old girls approaches me, each dressed in the same uniform of a red cardigan, a white blouse, a grey skirt and white knee-high socks. My heart races as I desperately search for one particular girl in the crowd, before I suddenly find myself face to face with the smiling, child-like face I feel I've known my whole life. "Hey there, Olivia!" I say, giving the tiny girl a tight hug. "Hi mummy!" Olivia says in her tiny, adorable voice that makes my heart melt. "Did you enjoy your first day at school?" I ask, giggling as Olivia nods. "Jamie," Stuart says. "Your alarm's going off." "I'll be there in a second," I say as I give Olivia another hug. "Did you make any friends?" I giggle as Olivia nods yet again, before sighing as Stuart places a firm hand on my shoulder. "Jamie," Stuart says firmly. "Your alarm IS going off." I look up at my husband with confusion as the ringing noise in my ears gets louder and louder, until it dominates my entire being... I slowly open my eyes and reach across the bed for my phone, silencing my alarm before laying back down. As I slowly readjust to reality, I feel a momentary sense of panic, wondering where Olivia is, before remembering that she's not real- just a figment of my imagination. And yet, the way I felt when she smiled at me, the love I held for her, they felt so, so real... As I'm visiting my parents today, I dress conservatively after showering and applying my make-up. I pull on a comfortable, short- sleeved white bodysuit and shiny, opaque black tights, followed by a tight purple turtleneck and a comfortable knee-length black pencil skirt. I wear heeled shoes as per usual, but shoes with a (comparatively) low thick 2 inch heel and a cute buckle across the top. After bidding farewell to Charlotte (and the two Keiths, who arrived here early), I get into my town car, a very plain light blue Renault Scenic, and head to Stuart's home. When I arrive, I sigh sadly at the sight of the other 'guest' car in the vast driveway. The car belongs to Emma, Stuart's older sister, which inevitably means that she'll be here with her own son- a boy almost as adorable as Keith junior himself. Sure enough, when I let myself into the posh home, the hall is filled with the sound of the baby's laughter. "Hey, Jamie!" Stuart says, slowly hobbling toward me from the breakfast room. "As you can probably hear, we've got guests, hehe!" "Ah yes, the second cutest boy of the Milton family!" I giggle, giving my fianc? a slow, deep kiss. "Don't let Ray hear you say that," Stuart giggles. "By which I mean my nephew OR my dad!" I giggle again, before following Stuart back to the breakfast room, where we spend the next twenty minutes fussing over the baby before heading back out to my car. "He is SO cute," I sigh as I help Stuart with his seatbelt. "Okay, he is," Stuart laughs. "And before you say anything, which I know you will, any child we eventually raise will be just as cute." "Indeed," I whisper. "And... And that date may be sooner than you think." I smirk as Stuart blinks twice, trying to process the information I'd just given him. "Right..." Stuart says. "Obviously you're not pregnant, and obviously I'm not either..." "Even if you are overdoing the pizza a bit during your recovery!" I laugh, playfully patting Stuart's belly. "But- you know how Charlotte and Keith are off on holiday tomorrow?" "Yes..." Stuart says. "And they're leaving Keith junior with his parents, aren't they?" "Charlotte's said that if we want, we can look after him," I say. "I've got nothing booked for next week work-wise... I think it'd be good for us." "I'm still going to be at work a lot," Stuart says. "The band go on tour next week, it's not something we can simply ignore. Are you prepared to be a housewife for the next week?" "I've got a poodle dress, I can do my hair into a fifties style," I shrug, making Stuart laugh. "...Bit more to it than that," Stuart chuckles. "And Eilish is back from Ireland tomorrow," I say. "If I need any help, she knows Keith junior better than anyone except his parents." "Well... Okay then," Stuart says. "But only if it's you and Eilish, okay?" "Me," I retort, "with assistance from Eilish only- ONLY- if I need it. Deal?" "Okay," Stuart sighs. "Deal!" I smile as we head onward to my parents' house, who as always greet us with tight hugs (for me) and a firm handshake (from my dad to Stuart). "You two look exhausted after yesterday!" Mum laughs as we sit down. "I saw the photos online, it looked like such a good day. And of course, we all know who's next..." "Yes, yes," I sigh. "Oh, come on," dad laughs. "What girl isn't excited by the thought of her dream wedding?" "Oh, I'm excited," I say. "It's just... I'm more excited by the marriage than the wedding." Dad chuckles as I link my fingers with Stuart, whilst mum sighs happily. "You two are going to be SO good together," mum laughs. "And I really hope that you do end up adopting, you'd make great parents as well!" "If you say so, grandma!" I retort, making mum giggle even as I inwardly moan at the fact that everywhere I turn- even my childhood home, where I'M supposed to be the child- I'm confronted by tales of the joys of being a parent. "And if you do adopt..." Dad says, before letting out a long sigh. "Make sure you don't make the same mistakes we did." "I turned out alright," I mumble. "Despite us, rather than because of us," dad sighs. "That's the thing about kids, eventually they become teenagers... And that's where we sort-of failed." "Like I said, I turned out alright," I say- even though I know my dad isn't wrong in accepting blame for the turmoil I suffered throughout my teenage years. "But nothing like we expected," mum says. "Which is no excuse for kicking you out the way we did. If you have children, both of you, for the love of god, stand by them through thick and thin, regardless of what they've done. If we only teach you one thing about parenting, let it be that." "Okay," I whisper, smiling sadly as Stuart squeezes my hand. "You know," my fianc? whispers, "we might be getting 'practice' there sooner than expected..." "Go on," mum asks, the smile returning to her face as we detail our upcoming week. Stuart and I stay at my parents' house until late into the evening, during which mum and dad both give their blessing to Charlotte's plan and offer their support throughout the week in case we need it. When we arrive back at Charlotte's house, we're unsurprised to find several packed suitcases in the entrance hall, along with bags and bags of baby supplies piled up alongside them. "Hey Jay!" Charlotte giggles, giving me a tight hug. "I am SO getting those shoes when I get back from holiday!" "Hey Charlie!" I say, returning my BFF's hug. "I see you're all packed and ready, then?" "Yep!" Charlotte laughs. "Keith junior's just got down for the night... Hope he recognises me when I get back with a nice, golden tan!" "All boys know who their mothers are," Stuart says, making Charlotte giggle even louder. "Ooh, before we go, though," Charlotte says. "Krystie called, and said that as all the Angels have the week off, she's going to have the proper, 'full' ballet lesson tomorrow morning instead of Wednesday." "Bit short notice?" I reply. "What about Nikki's gang?" "They'll be all busy with uni work, wouldn't be able to come on Wednesday anyway," Charlotte shrugs. "Hope your leo's all washed and ready!" "All sixty of them," Stuart jokes, earning a playful (and very gentle) shove from me. "If you're going to be dancing tomorrow, we should probably get an early night." "Especially as you're going to be dancing then 'mumming' all day!" Charlotte giggles. "Come on, Keith's got dinner cooking, we've got more than enough for the two of you as well." I smile as I follow Charlotte into the kitchen, where we're greeted both by Keith's smile and the delicious aroma of his cooking. After eating, we spend the rest of the evening on the sofa watching TV and getting 'coaching' on how to be Keith junior's parents for the following week. Stuart and I head to bed just after 10pm, and after sharing a quick kiss and cuddle, soon fall asleep in each other's arms. "God, I don't know why I'm so nervous," I say, fidgeting in my chair. "It's not like it's me up there..." "She'll be fine," Stuart says, squeezing my hand for support. "She'll be perfect, and beautiful. Just like her mother." I smile happily, but my nerves return in full as the lights in the hall lower and the curtain rises, revealing an elaborately-decorated stage. Almost immediately, two lines of young girls, each dressed identically in baby pink tutus, dance onto the stage before posing for the crowd. I, of course, immediately pick out Olivia and flash her my widest, proudest smile as she poses in her tiny, adorable costume. The music starts to play again, and I find my attention wandering as the music is steadily drowned out by the noise of a shrill sound, like an alarm... I moan as my eyes slowly open and I find myself staring at Stuart's slumbering, stubbly face. I giggle briefly as I hold my phone- which is still blaring its alarm- next to his ear, startling him back to awareness. "Morning, sexy," I purr, kissing Stuart on his coarse cheek. "Morning, beautiful," Stuart says with a tired yawn, before returning my kiss. "You want the shower first?" "I'm not the one who needs to shave," I giggle, rubbing Stuart's cheek. "I'll be the judge of that," Stuart chuckles, gently stroking my arms and my legs. "Hmm... Nope, seems you're right, you're not the one who needs to shave. Unless..." I twitch slightly as Stuart's slender fingers draw a vertical line down my chest, sending lightning bolts of pleasure through my body as they gently dance over my clitoris... "Stop that!" I giggle, taking several deep breaths to compose myself. "Get shaved and dressed, we've got a long day ahead of us!" "A long WEEK," Stuart corrects me as he heads to my en-suite. I lay in bed as Stuart shaves, pondering my latest dream and my parents' words of wisdom. They are, of course, correct in saying that there's no guarantee that any child we raise will turn out the way we hope. God knows Stuart and I have enough experience on being on the other end of that scenario. 'Olivia' might hate ballet and prefer football. Or, if the child turns out to be named 'Oliver', he might hate cars and football and prefer ballet instead. All I know is that regardless of what my child likes or dislikes, regardless of what choices they make, I will love them unconditionally, and I refuse to make the same mistakes my parents made- or allow my child to make the same mistakes I made. After swapping places with Stuart and taking a long, cleansing shower, I check my nail polish and fix my make-up for the day before pulling on a new pair of soft pink tights and a tight black long-sleeved leotard, smirking at the feeling of going to ballet on a Monday for the first time in what feels like ages. I cover up with a knee-length denim pencil skirt and a fashionable patterned over shirt, though the skirt and the shirt quickly get stripped off once we arrive at the dance studio. After kissing goodbye to Stuart (who has to head to the hospital for one of his regular post-SRS check-ups), I head over to where Krystie is sat behind her desk with her new employee, a young Frenchwoman named Zoe. "Bonjour, mes filles!" I giggle as I approach the two women. "Bonjour!" Zoe shyly replies. "Good morning," Krystie says with an exaggerated Received Pronunciation accent (which is a far cry from her normal thick London accent). "And I am SO getting that leo when I get home, can't believe how cold it is!" "Sleeves for the win," I reply, snapping the stretchy material covering my arms. "Why the lesson today instead of Wednesday?" "I have my reasons," Krystie says with a smile. "Besides, with people on holiday, busy with university work or 'being a national singer' work, it was going to be a quiet week anyway. Figured I'd get it 'over and done with', you know?" "Aww, don't say the traditional lessons are coming to an end?" I ask. Even though all of us are getting older- 'too old to pretend to be ballerinas', to quote some particularly unflattering tabloid newspapers- Krystie's always managed to make the lessons a lot of fun, and they're often the only chances I have all week to catch up with people like Nikki's friends, or the members of Out of Heaven. "Hell no!" Zoe giggles. "Even if I have to teach them myself!" "They'll just be scaled back a bit, at least until after Easter," Krystie says. "Think just about everyone's here..." "Umm... It's just me, you two, Hannah, Mary and Nikki," I say, before noticing Krystie's boyfriend standing off to one side. "Unless Mikey's got a leotard on underneath his jeans?" "No, no no no," Krystie giggles. "Not in public, anyway!" I giggle as I follow Krystie and Zoe into the dance studio where- after Nikki and I have our buns tied, of course- I spend the next two hours dancing and exercising. Toward the end of the lesson, however, the studio begins to fill, first with Charlotte and the two Keiths, then Stuart (accompanied by Eilish and most of his male friends), then all five members of Out of Heaven, the missing members of Nikki's gang, and- most surprisingly- Krystie and Mikey's families- even Krystie's older sister Megan, with whom Krystie herself barely has any contact. Joshua even shows up with a camera crew in tow. "...Good crowd," I say as I skip over to Charlotte in my pointe shoes. "Yep," Charlotte says with a smug smile. Before I can ask any further questions- as my BFF clearly knows something that I don't- Krystie clears her throat, silencing the room. "Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls... And Riley and Marley, wherever you two are," Krystie says, giggling as her two younger brothers blush from her playful insult. "If you caught the end of the lesson, you'd have seen the four beautiful young women doing a lot of leaping. Which is appropriate, as it IS February 29th today, the leap day itself. To some people, it's just another day of the week. Especially as it's a Monday, the suckiest day of the week!" I, and the rest of the crowd, giggle at the talented public speaker's joke. "However," Krystie continues, "to other people, February 29th means much, much more. Whilst, as we all know, men and women are now equal- or at least, we girls are expected to treat men as our equals- February 29th was always a special day for us girls for one special reason..." I- and most of the rest of the crowd- gasp as Krystie coolly strides over to Mikey and slowly falls to one knee in front of the stunned young man. "Michael Eric Dawson," Krystie says in a nervous voice. "Will you please marry me?" "...Yes," Mikey says with a shocked yet happy voice, earning cheers from the crowd and a tight hug and a long kiss from his new fianc?e. "Oh my god oh my god!" Mary squeaks, bouncing over and giving the new couple a tight hug. "This is so awesome!" "I know!" Krystie squeaks. "And yes, you're maid of honour!" Mary lets out an incoherent excited squeak, which is only silenced when Krystie whispers in her ear. "Thank you for permission to 'rain on your parade'," Mary laughs as a TV camera zooms in on her. "Krystie isn't the only one with big news today..." The entire crowd gasps again as Mary gently rubs her belly through her leotard, eliciting yet more gasps from the crowd. "The Angel family is growing and growing!" Joshua booms, giving Krystie and Mary a big hug each. "Congratulations to both of you!" A group hug soon follows, along with what feels like an eternity of people fawning over and taking photos of both Krystie and Mary. A party is organised- for after Viks returns from honeymoon, of course- and it's almost 1pm by the time the crowd disperses, leaving me, Krystie, Mary and Charlotte alone with our respective husbands/fianc?s/boyfriends and (where applicable) children. "Sure, you couldn't have even hinted to me that you were going to propose?" Mary asks her BFF, who giggles bashfully. "You couldn't have hinted at having another bun in the oven?" Krystie asks. "Well don't rush into THAT, whatever you do!" Mary laughs. "Why not?" Krystie asks, earning quizzical stares from everyone present- even her new fianc?. "I'm serious. I've seen how happy Kristina-Leigh made you two, now you've got another one on the way... I want that happiness. I've already got the perfect man- well, as close to perfect as men get, anyway- aren't I allowed to be happy?" "Of course you are," Mikey says, giving Krystie a long, slow kiss on her cheek. "But- can we celebrate being engaged before thinking about kids? Hell, can we get MARRIED before thinking about kids, please?" "Of course we can!" Krystie giggles. "We've got the rest of our lives, after all... But I SO want to see the day when Keith junior goes to school with the newest member of the Carter clan AND the oldest member of clan Dawson-Fullerton..." ...And Olivia, I think to myself. "You two are quiet," Mary says, snapping both myself and Charlotte out of our funks. "Hmm?" Charlotte asks. "Oh... Just can't wait to get away on holiday, that's all!" "Ah, the not-quite honeymoon," Krystie giggles. "You two go on, get out of here. You too Jamie, or should I say Miss mum-for-a-week?" I giggle as Stuart and I follow Charlotte and the Keiths out of the office and my BFF and I head to the changing room, where I pull my skirt, shirt and heels back on. "Are you still okay with looking after Keith junior for the week?" Charlotte asks as she slumps down onto one of the room's benches. "Okay with it?" I ask. "I'm really looking forward to it!" "Good," Charlotte giggles. "And we've got yet another wedding to look forward to... Another one that isn't my own." "Oh god, Charlie..." I sigh, giving my BFF a tight hug as she lets out a tearful sniffle. "You WILL get there, I promise! You're about to spend a whole week with Keith, aren't you?" "Well- yes," Charlotte sighs. "I know, I'm in a much better place than I was this time last year..." "So enjoy it," I say, hugging Charlotte again. "And think of it this way- if you are the last of us to get married, your wedding will be the best of the lot!" "True," Charlotte giggles as we head back out into the reception area, where the boys are waiting with Eilish and Hannah. "Hey, Jamie!" Eilish says. "Understand I've got some overtime heading my way this week?" "You have indeed," I say with a smile. "Han, you need a lift home?" "Only to yours," Hannah replies, earning a quizzical stare. "What? Everyone's on holiday this week, it's not like I've got anyone to be on holiday with, might as well spend it with the people who mean the most to me!" "Well- the more the merrier, I guess!" I say as Charlotte picks up Keith junior in his car seat and gently hands him to me as though she were handing me the crown jewels- though they, of course, aren't nearly as precious as the tiny sleeping infant. "Everything you need is in the bags I packed at home. I've got his feeding schedule pinned to the fridge, there's plenty of, well, 'me milk' in there, there's plenty of nappies too, I'll keep my phone on just in case you need to get in touch with me, I'll-" "Charlie!" I giggle, silencing the near-panicked young mother. "We know what we're doing. Enjoy your holiday!" Charlotte nods nervously and follows Keith out to his car, staring at me- or rather, the infant I'm carrying- all the way as her car gradually disappears out of sight. "Okay then," Hannah says. "Guess it's just 'three women and a baby' for the next week!" "Yep," I reply, though as I load Keith junior into the back seat of my town car, it suddenly hits me that for all of my excitement and anticipation, now that the time is here and the baby is finally in my care, all I feel is nerves... And fear. After dropping Stuart off at his work, we 'three women and a baby' arrive back at Charlotte's house, where we quickly familiarise ourselves with Keith junior's routine. The first few hours pass smoothly- the tiny baby takes his feed on time and sleeps all the way through his scheduled naptime. His final feed of the day is slightly more troublesome- he clearly misses his mother and resists any attempt I make to feed him his bottle, but once he's in the arms of Eilish, he calms down and takes his feed without any drama, even giggling as she changes his (extremely disgusting) nappy. Eilish also takes charge of putting Keith junior to bed for the night, though all three of us take turns in gently kissing the tiny boy on his forehead as he wriggles about before finally falling asleep. "I have absolutely no idea how you do it," Hannah says, pouring hard- earned glasses of wine for all three of us. "I mean yes, spending all day with cute babies is one thing, but how do you change a nappy without passing out?" "A LOT of practice," Eilish laughs. "I've got two younger sisters and loads of younger cousins, I've spent my whole life around babies." "And yet you're not interested in any of your own?" I ask, briefly silencing the flame-haired Irishwoman. "When I find the right guy," Eilish eventually shrugs. "Hear hear," Hannah laughs. "Says the woman who can have her pick of literally anyone in the country!" I laugh, making the tall girl blush. "That's part of the problem," Hannah sighs. "Like, when everyone wants you, there's nothing to be gained by wanting THEM... Do you know, I've actually had another offer of representation from Spencer & Hall?" "Again?" I ask. "Thought you only ever get one shot with them?" "You do," Eilish teases. "Unless, of course, you're the Strictly champion..." "You have no idea how much money they offered me to do the tour," Hannah laughs. "But some things- like my best-ever friend's wedding- are more important!" "Sure, I'd have done it for you," Eilish says, making myself and Hannah laugh. "I still can't get over how humble you are, all six of you. I took this job expecting to hardly ever see you or Charlotte but here I am, crashed on your sofa, drinking your wine..." "Think working for Joshua must've rubbed off on me," I say. "He's always treated his employees like family or friends." "It's a major reason why we're all so loyal to him," Hannah says. "He's less a 'boss' and more an 'uncle'. Though god help you if you screw up!" "OR lie to him," I say. "That really is his trigger point..." "Much like going behind Charlotte's back was to her," Eilish says, remembering how her dalliance with Keith at Christmas time had nearly cost her her job. "Okay!" Hannah giggles. "So... Let's have a game of 'personality Room 101'." "...Rules?" I ask. "We each name the one personality trait that irritates us more than anything," Hannah explains. "Then we decide which one is the most irritating of all, and whoever nominated it, wins!" "Sounds fun!" Eilish giggles. "Okay then, Miss O'Connell, you just volunteered to go first!" Hannah says, making Eilish giggle. "Mine would have to be..." Eilish begins. "...Stereotyping. People hear me speak and they immediately assume 'dumb Irishwoman', like I'm someone from Father Ted or something. They look at me in my work clothes and they think 'tomboy', when in reality, I'd give absolutely anything to be as girly as you and the other girls..." "Oh, we are SO giving you a makeover tomorrow after the baby's gone to bed!" Hannah says, making Eilish giggle nervously. "But yeah," Eilish laughs. "I guess I'm saying 'never judge a book by its cover'." "Cool," Hannah says. "Jamie?" "I'm..." I say, pondering my answer. "Going to say... Not giving people second chances. This rigid belief that people are incapable of changing... I gave my parents a second chance after they yelled at me when I came out to them, I gave Charlotte a second chance, I gave Stuart a second chance, and he gave me one too..." "Cheeky," Hannah giggles, interrupting my train of thought. "Go on then, Han," I say. "You get the deciding vote..." "Mine..." Hannah says. "Is a mixture of both." Hannah cringes as Eilish and I both groan at her indecision. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! But... Not giving people second chances is a real bugbear of mine. But judging people before you've even met them... Yeah, that's probably my real anger source." "I humbly accept defeat," I say, giggling as Eilish smugly nods her head. "Though I don't think I've ever really seen you angry." "I don't like being angry," Hannah says. "Though some things... Yeah, some things don't really leave me with much choice. And prejudice like that really drives me round the bend." A silence falls over the room that's only broken by the sound of Keith junior's crying coming over the baby monitor. "I'll see to him," I say, standing up only for Eilish to jump up before me. "Oh, no no no," the pretty Irishwoman giggles. "I won the game, that means that I get to check on him!" I smile as I sit back down, but my smile fades when I realise from Hannah's facial expression that what we were talking about really struck a nerve with her. "...Han?" I ask. "You okay?" "Hmm?" Hannah asks. "Oh, yeah I'm fine, just a little tired, heh!" "You just seem a little bummed out, that's all," I say. "Is- is it because, you know, all the rest of us have got partners, and kids, that sort of thing?" "Hey, like you said, if I wanted..." Hannah says, making me smile. "It's just this talk of 'prejudice' and 'not judging a book by its cover'... Kinda takes me back to my school days." "Let me guess," I say. "Everyone wondering why someone who looks the way you do would hang out with someone like Viks...?" I ask, tailing off as Hannah's withering stare makes me realise just how catty I'm being to one of my very best friends. "Utterly, completely, one hundred per cent WRONG," Hannah says, making me cringe further. "If anything, people wondered why I hung out with HER..." "Really?" I ask. "Um, don't go into detail if you don't want to, I wouldn't want to intrude-" "No, it's okay," Hannah sighs. "You've told me all about your crappy school days, after all." "'Crappy' barely begins to cover it," I snort as I remember all the pot-addled meatheads who used to use 'James' as a thing, rather than a friend. "I'm not going to say I had it worse," Hannah sighs. "But it wasn't really THAT much better." "You've never spoken about this before," I whisper. "Why now?" "Because I need to get it off my chest sooner or later," Hannah moans. "Because I've tried my hardest to keep my early life private from everyone, especially the sidebar of shame, at the expense of shutting out my friends..." "I don't feel shut out," I say. "And if you value your privacy so much, maybe you shouldn't..." "It's okay," Hannah says. "My counsellor says it's good to open up, anyway." "You- you see a counsellor?" I ask. "Since when?" "Since our faces got plastered all over everywhere," Hannah chuckles. "Believe it or not, I never wanted to be a SUPERmodel, I was happy the way I was." "...Sorry," I say, making Hannah giggle. "Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade this for the world, but-" the tall girl says, before sighing. "Right. My school days. I reckon you think that I was the popular kid, dating the captain of the football team, having a gaggle of girls hanging off my every word..." "In fairness, people probably think that about ME," I laugh. "Well, right up until they find out about my 'dark secret'." "The truth? Viks was the more popular kid. By light years," Hannah says. "She's the one from the rich family, she's the really smart one who speaks three languages, she got all As in her GCSEs, she was deputy head girl, captain of the netball team..." "You had to have been popular though, right?" I ask. "Only because I hung out with Viks," Hannah says. "Kinda reminds me of me and Charlotte," I say, making Hannah snort with laughter. "At least, at first." "I guess," Hannah says. "I was HUGELY unpopular when I started secondary school. If I hadn't made friends with Viks... God knows where I'd be now. Certainly not here, that's for sure. All thanks to my surname." "What, Dexter?" I ask. "What's wrong with it?" "The last two people who went to that school who used that surname," Hannah snorts. "My quote-unquote brothers." "I've heard you mention them before, but you don't really talk about them much," I say. "That's because they're arseholes," Hannah sighs. "Currently doing ten years each for drug dealing and armed robbery." "Jesus," I gasp. "Yep," Hannah says. "So I start at that school, and even though they'd both long since left, it's known I'm their sister, and it's assumed by everyone- especially the teachers- that I'm going to be just as bad as they were." "No wonder you're so anti-prejudice," I whisper. "And no wonder you haven't gone back to your school since becoming famous, either..." "It's the same headteacher there from when I started in 2004," Hannah snorts. "The same one who looked me in my eye on my first day and said in no uncertain terms that he'd be keeping an eye on me sent me a message after I won Strictly inviting me back and promising a hero's welcome." "...But you haven't forgiven him?" I ask. "He wanted to hold me up as an example of someone who used to be a bad girl, but who came good in the end," Hannah sighs. "Even though I never so much as got a detention in all my time at that school, he still can't look past my surname, even now. Once he apologises to me, THEN I'll go. He's shooting himself in the foot, as Viks has said she won't go back without me either." "My old school's never so much as called me or my parents," I say. "If I ever have kids... I really doubt I'd send them there." "Fortunately, that's something I'm not going to have to worry about for a while!" Hannah giggles, her smile widening as Eilish returns to the room. "The little one settled?" "Yeah," Eilish says as she slumps back down on the sofa. "Your fella not coming home tonight?" "Nah, he's sleeping at his house tonight," I say. "He'll be here tomorrow. Think he's looking forward to being 'dad' as much as I am being 'mum', heh." "Good," Eilish says. "So... Another round of #Room 101'?" "Think I'll pass," Hannah says quietly. "Game wasn't really as fun as I thought it was. Though I do know for a fact that Miss Hutchinson and Miss Burke have a TV that gets both Netflix AND Amazon Video, and I have a hankering to watch a movie. Maybe a comedy film, maybe something from the eighties..." "Is this movie 'Three Men and a Baby' by any chance?" I ask. "Good guess!" Hannah giggles, grabbing the remote control and snuggling deeper into the sofa. We while away the rest of the night watching the classic old film before heading to bed just after 10:30pm (Hannah and Eilish have agreed to stay overnight whilst Charlotte's away, so they're sharing Charlotte's bed). I take the opportunity to dilate before settling down for the night, though Hannah's story about her childhood is still ringing in my ears. One concern Stuart's often raised about us bringing up a child is what happens when they go to school and it's discovered that both her parents are transgendered- and with our public profile, that's something that would be unavoidable. Nikki's told me a few horror stories about girls she's supporting and the bullying they've had to endure- how could I consider myself to be a good parent if I deliberately subject a good child to that? "Hi Olivia!" I say with a warm smile as the eleven year old girl slides onto the back seat of my car, smoothing her knee-length pleated skirt over her thick grey tights before fastening her seatbelt. "Did you enjoy your first day at big school?" "It was okay," Olivia shrugs. "Only 'okay'?" I ask. "Is- is anything the matter?" "No," Olivia replies. "Okay, yes..." "What's up?" I ask. "The other kids, they- they say you're a freak, you and dad, and that I'm a freak too..." "Well you should just ignore them," I say, repeating the advice I often received from my parents whenever I faced trouble at school. "How am I meant to ignore everyone at school?" Olivia asks, and I don't need to look at her face to know that she's been reduced to tears. "I- I don't know," I say as the road ahead grows distorted, twisting back round into itself... My alarm wakes me at 7:15am and I groan, shielding my head from the noise with a pillow before sighing and getting out of bed. After showering and applying a very minimal amount of make-up (as I'm staying in all day), I dress in a pair of thick black tights and a short grey sweater dress before heading downstairs, where Eilish and Hannah- and, of course, Keith junior- are already awake and eating breakfast. "Morning, sleepyhead!" Hannah giggles, all traces of last night's angst seemingly erased. "Hey girlies," I giggle. "Well, girlies and big, strong guy, anyway!" I giggle even louder as Keith junior is placed into my arms for a cuddle- though my giggle turns into an exasperate laugh mere seconds later as the breakfast the tiny baby had just eaten comes straight back up and all over my dress. "Eww," Hannah grimaces. "Don't hand him to me!" "Oh, you pair of wimps," Eilish laughs as she takes the baby from me and cleans him up. "Hope that dress is machine-washable, Jamie!" "Think it's dry-clean only," I sigh. "It's fine, I've got loads of sweater dresses, I can afford to miss one." "I'd say so, miss 'millionaire celebrity'!" Eilish chuckles. "Hardly a millionaire," I say. "I'd better go and change..." "Please do!" Hannah says, still grimacing at the sight of the puke on my front. I quickly head upstairs and change out of the dress, doing my best to get the worst of the puke out of it before tossing it in my dry-cleaning pile and pulling on a very old- to the point that it's almost worn out- grey long-sleeved top and my tattiest denim miniskirt. That's another thing about becoming a parent- not getting to wear the designer clothing that I adore. ...Not that that's stopped Hannah from treating Eilish to the makeover she promised yesterday. Whilst I take care of Keith junior in the morning- even changing a nappy, which is a hair-raising experience- Eilish gets her hair and make-up restyled by former trainee beautician Hannah. Her normally messy, unkempt ginger hair is teased into a stylish, loose updo, whilst her face is coated with the most expensive make-up Hannah brought with her- thick eye shadow, eyeliner, false eyelashes, lipstick, the works. Eilish's nails are reshaped and coloured with a dusky red polish, and her 'transformation' is completed when she pulls on one of my old designer ball gowns, which would come down all the way to the floor on the shorter woman if she wasn't wearing a pair of my 6" platform stilettos. Even though this is the type of makeover I get on a regular basis, and I'm always being invited to events where I get to dress up in fancy clothes, I still feel jealous of Eilish, especially as I know that if I become a mother, I'm going to be spending more time in my 'slouchy' clothing than in the dress the Irishwoman is wearing. "Behold, the seventh Angel!" Hannah giggles as Eilish does an unsteady twirl in her heels. "Sure, I'd be lying if I said this WASN'T something I've dreamed of, ever since I started working for you!" Eilish laughs. "Dunno about 'seventh Angel' though..." "I dunno," Hannah teases. "Viks always said the same thing about being the 'sixth Angel'..." "I could always put in a good word with Joshua if you'd like," I tease. "Get you some work when you're not needed for baby duty..." "I don't belong within 100 feet of ANY camera!" Eilish snorts. "Babies, on the other hand..." I sigh as Keith junior starts to cry in my arms. Eilish instinctively begins to reach for the infant, before realising her mistake. "Whoops," the Irishwoman giggles. "Don't want to get puke on another one of your dresses!" "I don't mind," I say as I gently rock the crying baby. "Don't mind calm