Too much love will kill you

Chapter 68

Alicia's POV:

"Who needs an alarm clock when you've got a two year old" I muttered to myself as Skye babbled to herself in the cot at the end of mine and Ethan's bed. I climbed out of bed and pulled on my chunky knit pink cardigan and quietly made my way downstairs to heat up her morning bottle, I tiptoed between the air mattresses and pulled blankets into place here and there and nearly broke my neck tripping over backpacks and that was even before getting halfway across the room. I made it into the kitchen and shut the kitchen door so the noise of the bottle warmer didn't disturb any of the girls, I added the correct amount of formula to water and placed it into the warmer flicking on the switch listening as it roared into life.
"Morning Alicia" Faith walked into the kitchen behind me and pulled two mugs out of the cupboard
"Jesus faith give me a heart attack creeping up on me like that. Good morning sweetheart did you and Emma sleep okay?" I kissed my not so little sisters forehead "You're nearly as tall as me what are they feeding you at that school" I joked
"We slept well thanks apart from the fact that Emma had her feet in my face all night and her feet are worse than mine " She laughed and poured boiling water into the two mugs.
"Why are you up so early anyway, I would have thought you'd be making the most of the two days you don't have to get up early?" I asked squirting milk onto the inside of my wrist to check the temperature wasn't too hot or cold.
"I guess my body clock is going to take another day to adjust to not having to be up at this time. Plus Emma's snoring woke me up" She laughed and picked up the two mugs and carried them carefully up the back stairs to hers and Rachel's normally shared bedroom.
I carefully tiptoed back through the maze of inflatable mattresses and overnight bags and pulled the living room door shut once again before lightly running up the stairs into my bedroom handing Skye her bottle before climbing back into bed and shrugging off my cardigan I snuggled back down into my still surprisingly warm bed and dozed off again for a few hours.
When I woke up again Ethan was sat up in bed reading a story to both our girls who were listening intently to every word their precious daddy had to say to them.
"Morning Sunshine" Ethan leaned across and quickly planted a soft kiss on my lips before returning to the story he was reading to our babies.
There was a coffee on the bedside table and just a sniff of it had me running to the toilet across the landing to throw up. I vomited my guts into the toilet and leaned against the bath tub "Well I guess we know what that means" I whispered to myself placing my hands on my still flat stomach.
"Alright babe? Not being sick were you?" Ethan asked looking at me concerned
"No of course not" I laughed a little "I was just bursting for a wee that was all, that's what having three kids does to your pelvic floor" I forced myself to laugh at my slightly pathetic joke
"You do look a bit peaky. Why don't you get yourself back into bed and get some more sleep. I can take care of these two little monkeys" He kissed my head again as I climbed back into bed and I reached out to take Skye who was slowly crawling across the bed towards me . I cuddled my little girl and tucked her into the duvet with me and slowly drifted off into a much needed slumber.
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"Shhh! You'll wake her up!" I heard voices outside my door but in my sleepy haze I couldn't quite work out who they belonged to
"Stop being so bossy.  You're not in charge Mam said so!" I heard another voice cry out
I laughed "It's alright guys I'm awake you can come in" I called out and In entered Faith carrying a breakfast tray closely followed by Hannah, Grace , Emma and Sadie
I pushed myself up in bed and Faith placed the tray down across my lap and all the girls crowded onto the bed around me. Faith lifted Sadie up and she shuffled into place next to me, she giggled at Emma who let her crutches clatter loudly to the floor before hopping across the room onto the bed . "Ethan said you weren't feeling too good this morning so we thought we'd bring you breakfast in bed" Grace said tickling Sadie who curled into my side giggling her little head off
"I'm fine honestly guys. I'm just tired, that's what having two kids under 5 and working twelve hour shifts in a busy emergency department does to you" I chuckled
"Rachel sends her love but she's been dragged to an emergency doctors appointment by Mam" Grace explained she then turned to Faith who was looking confused "Rachel got in two fights yesterday, one with me and one with her Arch enemy Kelly and Mam thinks she broke her nose and then she had a serious asthma attack and got sent home"
"So just a stereotypical day for Rachel then" Faith chuckled , she lifted Sadie into her lap and started playing peekaboo with her.
"Alright kiddos leave Alicia to eat her breakfast in peace " Chelsea poked her head around the bedroom door. She handed Emma her crutches who left the room with Faith loudly discussing their plans to teach a community dance class once their exams were over and Emma's leg was healed. Grace carried Sadie out of the bedroom and I heard her carry her next door into her bedroom to help her get dressed and Hannah went off walking upside down on her hands practicing for her gymnastics meet.
Chelsea came in and sat on the bed next to me "Ethan told me you weren't feeling too good. You're not pregnant are you " She asked seriously
"What pfftt no!" I laughed unconvincingly
"Alicia I know when you're lying. Have you taken a test?" She looked at me grinning "I could be an auntie again"
"Shh! Ethan doesn't know anything yet. Keep your voice down rent-a-gob!" I exclaimed
"Who are you calling rent-a-gob! You're the one with a massive gob!" She shoved me and soon enough we were wrestling around on the bed and suddenly my breakfast tray tipped  off the bed and with a loud crash that brought my Dad running up from the second floor "Dad Chelsea said I have a massive gob!" I screeched
"You called me rent a gob first !" Chelsea exclaimed affronted
"Really girls you're 29 years old. Can't you just try and get on with each other " Dad shook his head at us both "Alicia seeing as you're obviously feeling well enough to fight with your sister, you can take Grace and Hannah shopping , they've both grown out of their school uniforms and need new ones and Chelsea as a punishment you can go with her and you can take Jack and Emily with you as well they need new school shoes and I've got to go to work" He left the room and we both looked at each other in mock horror.
"Dad! We're 29 you can't punish us anymore!" I called as he left the room
"I just did!" He called back "My credit card is on the side in the living room"
I groaned "That's 8 kids we've got to drag round the shopping centre. That's 2 6 year olds, 2 7 year olds , 2 2 year olds , a 4 year old and an 11 year old. That's 1 double buggy and a single buggy, how do we fit everyone in one car, I'm not on the insurance to drive the minivan"
"We could get a taxi?" Chelsea suggested "That way we haven't got to split everyone between two cars"
"Chelsea that's the best idea you've had all morning. And anyway do you ever spend any time at your own house. You've been over most days this week" I laughed and started to strip the sheets from my bed that were covered in orange juice and milk "How do I tell Ethan if I'm pregnant again Chelsea, it's been two years since I've done this. I've had three kids and I'm not even 30 , we're crammed into this house as it is how are we going to manage with 9 kids and 4 adults"
"You don't even know you're pregnant yet so stop stressing about it" She said reassuringly
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Faith's POV:
"Right you two can go off and do your own shopping but meet us back at the food court at 12:30 exactly " Alicia instructed trying to juggle the double pram which had Taylor- Jai and Skye in and Sadie who was wearing Emily and Jacks Old reins and currently trying to run off towards the Disney store
( for those of you who don't know what reins are, they're like a harness used to stop little children from running around in busy areas I'll link a picture below)