His Heart

Chapter sixteen: Lizzie

My alarm buzzed and I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. It hardly felt like I had been asleep for five minutes. I stumbled to my feet and listened for the kids. There was nothing but silence so I slipped into the shower and got dressed quickly before they woke.

I went downstairs and opened the cupboards, wondering what to make for breakfast. I decided to put out a range of cereal, fruit and French toast so the children had a choice. I looked at the message from Josh and realised I would have to wake the boys up soon and give them breakfast and make sure they had everything in their bags. I suppose I could tell Josh to feed them, he could take them out to eat with his new girlfriend and I could just make sure the girls were fed.

I started frying some bread, assuming the smell would bring the kids downstairs and opened the back door so they could go outside to play for a while. I put the radio on and prepared some fruit, listening for the sound of little feet padding downstairs.

Whilst the bread was frying, I double checked the twins' bags were ready and filled the dishwasher with the pots I had let pile up last night.

"Mummy!" Luke said, as he bounced downstairs.

"Hey baby. Where's your brother?"

"Cuddling Grace." He said.

"Are they awake?"

"Yes. But Sophie and Lucy are still asleep." He said. "Is it breakfast time?"

"Nearly, let's wait for the others to wake up." I said as if I hadn't quaffed two slices before he came downstairs.

There was the sound of more running feet and the kids ran into the kitchen.

"Breakfast time." I told them, placing the plate on the table.

"Daddy will be here soon. Do you have your toys?" I asked the twins who nodded.

I went to check their bags again before remembering the swimming costumes and water guns I was supposed to pack. Running upstairs, I fished their swimming costumes out of their drawer and rummaged through the box in the bathroom to find the water guns they got last summer.

The doorbell rang and I ran to go and answer it.

"Hey, sorry. The kids are just having breakfast. Come on in."

I stepped out of the way as Josh and a beautiful, willowy woman stepped in.

"Hi, you must be Tessa." I said, holding my hand out.

"Please, call me Tess." She replied with a beautiful smile. "I can't tell you how excited I am to meet you and the boys."

"Likewise. Please, come and sit down, would you like a cup of coffee? The boys are still eating so we have a bit of time."

"That would be lovely." She said.

She was drop dead gorgeous with short, dark, wavy hair and long long legs and brown eyes that I was sure sparkled even in the dark.

I led the way through to the kitchen and gestured for them to have a seat. The boys looked up at Josh with beaming smiles they saved just for their daddy.

"Daddy?" The boys said, jumping up and leaping into Josh's arms.

"Hey boys." Josh laughed, hugging his sons for a minute.

The boys stepped back and stared at the woman next to him as Josh put an arm around her reassuringly.

"Boys, this is Tess. She's a close friend of mine. Remember I've told you about her before." He explained carefully. "Would you like to say hi?"

"Hi." Liam said.

"This is Liam." He said, patting his son on his head. "And over there is Luke."

He looked over at me to confirm and I nodded, giving a small smile.