Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Chapter 33

A few weeks later the new family of four had moved into the house two doors down from Allie and Daniel and apart from lacking sleep, everything was going well. It was a week before Christmas and although it was sunny the weather had cooled. Max had called that morning to ask if they should move breakfast to inside. Allie had laughed riotously, her response making him smile at the phone, "Seventy-three degrees in the sunshine would be considered practically tropical in England in the middle of summer, let alone in December. Get a sweater on Max you Californian softie, the fresh air will do the kids good." Dan, Allie and the girls called at the house two doors down to collect Jeremy and Robyn, but Jeremy met them at the door, lifting Jack over the threshold where he took Emmie's hand. Daniel helped him lift the stroller carrying baby Aiden over the step and Jeremy said, "Robyn's gone back to bed. The baby's kept her up half the night so she's expressed some milk and I said I'd take him with us, so she can catch up on some zeds." Allie rubbed Jeremy's arm and peered in at the three and a half week old baby, "Awww look how peaceful he looks now."

They set off for the park watching the children carefully in case Jack decided to make a break for freedom, and chatting about things Robyn and Jeremy still needed to do to settle into the house. Rose was excitedly chattering to Emmie and Jack about Christmas, and Allie caught up with them bending down and saying to Rose, "Hey careful with Jack, remember he only has little legs, don't pull him yeah, he might fall over." Rose looked annoyed and said, "I'm not!" Allie gave her a warning look and said, "Remember Santa is watching." The almost five year old bit her lip and slowed down." Daniel winked at his wife and grinned at a smirking Jeremy who said, "What you gonna use in January?" Allie rolled her eyes, but her lips turned up with amusement and she said, "I'll think of something." He used one hand to push the stroller and pulled her into a side hug with his other arm laughing.

They arrived at the park just as Susan and John got there, seeing Tom, Nathan, Jess and Chris already on the grass. Everyone was cooing over the sleeping baby when Max and Margie arrived. Now the stroller had stopped moving Aiden stirred and began making noises of discontent. While John and Max went to get everyone's breakfast, Susan and Margie walked the stroller around until he settled again. Chris took the children to play and Allie said to Jess, "So Robyn said you guys met Melanie's new arrival yesterday." Jess smiled, "Awww yeah, he was so damn cute. She seems really happy, it was actually nice." Allie moved over to hug her, "So it wasn't as awkward as you thought?" Jess shook her head, "No, I really liked her, and I realised it didn't make me feel insecure like I thought it would. Actually Melanie said one of her friends has a real problem with her seeing Chris, but she told her she was doing it anyway. Struck me as kinda brave." Allie gave her another squeeze, "He loves you Jess." Allie looked over at Tom and Nathan and asked, "So what day are you guys heading to Sacramento? Tom glanced at Nathan smiling and came to sit next to his sister, lunchtime Christmas Eve when Jess here gets off her shift. You gonna miss us Allie?" Allie smiled, "Always, so when are you back? Boxing Day?" Tom pulled a face at the others, "What the heck is Boxing Day?" Jeremy and Daniel bent over laughing as Allie shook her head in mock annoyance, "Let me educate you American people, it's the day after Christmas Day, always a Bank Holiday in the UK. Apparently it's called that because back in the olden days that was the day people opened presents, in boxes." Daniel slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her as Tom relented laughing and said, "Yeah day after we'll be back. We're all in work on the twenty-seventh apart from Chris, so we're making him cook us dinner that night." John and Max returned with the breakfast and Daniel went to shout the children.

Across town Jeff and Penny Klein got into the packed car and Jeff said, "What if they're not there? It's winter, getting colder." Penny looked irritated, "We've been over it. The girl who contacted us said that woman insists on going because she's from some god forsaken part of England where it rains all the time, and she's obsessed about enjoying the outside. Just get there, get our granddaughter and leave. We'll be in Canada before they work out what's happened since she says they don't watch them. Jeff was nervous but glancing at his wife she seemed excited, euphoric almost.