The next morning, George and I were awoken as the twins jumped up and down on the bed, screaming and shouting.
"It's Christmas! Wake up it's Christmas!" Liam screamed, throwing a pillow at George's head.
"Liam... stop harassing your father." I yawned as I heard George groan.
Amelia tripped on the duvet, landing on me and with a groan, I pulled her over my body and let her slide safely onto the floor.
"Mummy." She whispered, tapping her tiny fingers against my cheek. "It's Christmas. We have to open the presents now."
"I know baby." I smiled weakly. "Run downstairs, will you? I'm sure grandma would like your help with something."
"Okay." She giggled before she ran out of the bedroom.
"I wanna help grandma too!" Liam shouted and jumped off the bed with a bang, then set off after Mia.
With a chuckle, I rolled onto my back as I had been sleeping on my side. I couldn't sleep on my stomach due to my thirty-four week pregnant belly.
"George." I said and reached out to shove him.
He grunted in responses, removing the pillow from his head to look at me.
"Why are you smiling?" He asked.
"Geez... why are you so grumpy?" I asked. "Didn't you have one glass last night?"
"I had three."
"You had three?" I asked. "You were drunk last night? Jesus Christ, George."
"I wouldn't say drunk." He chuckled. "More like... tipsy."
I rolled my eyes and shoved him again before getting off the bed, walking over to pull on a pair of sweatpants which was the only pants I really fit in.
"Get up." I told him as I looked at myself in the mirror while brushing my hands through my hair. "If we aren't downstairs within the next five minutes, I'm sure Liam will grab a knife from the kitchen and stab us."
George laughed into his pillow.
"I'll see you downstairs." I said, walking towards the door.
"Save me a seat." He yawned and I smiled at him before leaving the room.
Downstairs, most people were up. All the kids sat in the living room, close to the tree and as I walked downstairs, Molly approached me.
"I let Charley out, I hope you don't mind." She said. "He's just running around, enjoying the fresh air."
I forced a smile at her, still terrified about her treating me so nicely.
"No, yeah that's fine."
We had obviously brought Charley with us as we couldn't leave him at home for two days and Inez and Dove don't really have experience with dogs.
"Is George coming down?"
"I told him to get dressed." I answered. "He should be down in a minute."
"Okay." She smiled at me, placing a hand on my arm just like yesterday before walking over to the living room to ask the kids if they wanted some tea.
"Are you okay?" Fred laughed as he approached me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Your mother is being nice to me." I said, confusion showing in my voice. "Am I dying without knowing it or something?"
Fred laughed as he leaned against the railing of the stairs.
"Maybe she's—"
"Do not say she's finally realised how wonderful of a person I am. George tried that on me and it's bullshit." I said. "Next month, I have known George for ten years and your mother has always hated me. I swear she's going to poison me or something."
"Mum may be many things but she is not a murderer." He grinned before nudging me with his elbow. "Happy Christmas by the way."
I smiled.
"Happy Christmas." I answered, looking towards the living room as Elsie laughed about something with Roxanne.
Molly was struggling with keeping Liam and Sebastian away from the presents. The two boys were way too impatient.
"It's been like that every year since Sebastian's birth." Fred said. "His first Christmas, he crawled over to grab some presents, his second Christmas, he grabbed one and ran away to hide so he could open it without being caught..."
I laughed.
"It's the Weasley genes." I said. "I didn't imagine having children with a Weasley would give me children that is so chaotic. Liam and his behaviour, Mia and her clumsiness."
"Nah, she's got that clumsiness from you." Fred said. "That's definitely a Willows thing. I remember how Nadine always tripped over this, dropped things or got injured."
"What are we talking about?" Eloise smiled as she approached, wrapping her arms around Fred's waist and he lifted one to wrap it around her shoulders.
"The clumsiness of my family, apparently." I chuckled. "My sister... me... my daughter."
"Oh, how is Nadine?" Eloise asked, and I shrugged.
"She's... Nadine." I sighed. "I haven't seen her for a few weeks actually. The last time I saw her was very brief and the time before that, she tried to give me relationship advice which I think we all know isn't her specialty."
"Not to offend you or anything, but I really hate your sister." Eloise said, and a small smile spread on my face.
"Most people do."
"I mean... when I met Fred, he was devastated. Mostly because he thought George was dead but also because Nadine had fucked the entire family over."
Fred shrugged.
"I've forgiven her for that if I gotta be honest."
"You have?" I asked in surprise.
"Yeah. Not for her sake though." He said. "I forgave her so I could move one."
Then he looked at me with a faint smile.
"It's like I told you. You need to find forgiveness for your parents and everyone who did you wrong. That's the only way you'll truly move on and be happy."
I hummed.
"The question though is; how do I do that?"
Fred shrugged.
"That's what you gotta figure out." He said and I let out a small chuckle.
"You should be a fucking therapist."
I heard a gasp and my eyes landed on Amelia who stood facing us.
"Mummy you said a bad word!"
Fred and Eloise laughed and I held out my hand as Amelia reached for it.
"I know. I'm sorry darling." I said as I let her drag me into the living room with her.
"You have to sit next to me!" She ordered and sat down in the floor.
"Baby, if I sit on the floor, I don't think I'll be able to get back up."
"That's okay." She shrugged. "Daddy can carry you."
George can carry me...
