Life Swap

All Girls Together

Sixteen hours later, I woke up in another strange bed, in another unfamiliar room, but at least it actually belonged to Olivia Montague. I rolled over onto my stiff back, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and almost squashed Grace, who was curled up against me, whilst Chloe moved with an arm around me, still asleep but automatically trying to cuddle up to me some more. To say that the twins were pleased to have me home the night before would be an understatement of monumental proportions, and they had also missed their mummy, so their resulting welcome was enthusiastic, to say the least. I found it all just a bit overwhelming if I am honest, but also sweet, although I was still feeling the effects of all the drugs I had been given, and the unsettling encounter with my real mother. So, by the time things had calmed down enough for Caroline to thank Mrs Blackstone, and Felicity, who had brought the girls home from school and waited for us to get back, I was already wilting. But I lasted through tea, just about, and the return of Charles to the family home, who got a pretty similar welcome to me from the twins, and then Caroline calmly announced that it was time to get me ready for bed, because she thought that I was struggling to keep my eyes open, quite rightly. It was barely six o'clock, but I did not object to the idea at all, which was when I got my first brief look at the large bedroom Olivia shared with the twins. However, my eyes really were drooping and I did not take in any details properly, as I was asleep long before my head hit the soft pillows.

I was not entirely sure when the twins joined me, but it turned out that the cabin beds we all had built into the walls of our room were big enough to hold all three of us. Just about. I shifted about a little, under the warm duvet, putting one arm around Grace and the other around Chloe so that I could prop myself up a bit and have a first look at my surroundings. There was quite a lot of wooden furniture, painted white. There were four cabin beds, one for guests, built into a corner of what looked like the loft space, because of the sloping ceilings and roof windows above us, with drawers beneath them, and cupboards between them. Then there were wardrobes and chest of drawers, with bookshelves above them, stretching down towards a play area, where I could see a big table with four chairs around it, and two sofas. It was a large, long room, with lots of space. The carpet, I noted, was pink.

"You talked a lot in your sleep?" Chloe informed me, her head popping up all of a sudden as if someone had turned her on like a light.

"Did I? What did I say?" I asked, as she squeezed up to put her head on the soft pillow beside mine, her long hair all over the place.

"Something about Kelly? Who is Kelly?" She asked, nuzzling into me.

"Not sure...oh, wait...remember Mrs Blackstone told you about the girl who came to ask if I was all right after the accident? Her name was Kelly, I think?" I replied, trying not to make a big thing of it. I did not want to discuss Kelly with anyone.

"Oh...were you having a bad dream?"

"Don't think so...but it was all quite scary...I don't like to think about it?" I suggested, still staring at our room, imagining myself living there. It had to be bigger than our entire flat in Redhill and I wondered what was in all the cupboards and wardrobes. "When did you two join me in here?"

"We waited until Mummy went to bed...you know she always checks on us before she goes to sleep...you don't mind, do you? I know you don't always like it, but we thought you would want a cuddle after being in hospital for so long?"

"No...I don't mind...but I don't want you getting told off?"

"Well, it's not a school night...and it's normally you who gets told off...but you are different since the accident...Daddy says it's because you had a fright." She informed me, sleepily.

"Different how?"

"Cuddlier." She purred, kissing my neck, and I laughed, as Grace started to stir.

"Still early." She moaned, curling her leg over mine. I seemed to be wearing a white cotton nightie, and the girls were wearing the same. But no nappies for them, of course. I sighed and cuddled both of them, enjoying the closeness. Being an only child, I had always wanted to have siblings. I had always wondered what it would be like. It felt nice. They both smelled of soap and baby shampoo.