The Winner Takes It All

<19>

"Let me show you my pony!" Olivia excitedly said as she dragged me by my wrist towards the back garden of Christians countryside home.

Its massive, and expensive looking, just like i had imagined but it also felt homely. The pictures on the mantlepiece, the drawings of family and blue skies stuck on the fridge with magnets from different holidays. To think this was the home of a family on the brink of falling apart was surprising to say the least.

It was always dirty clothes everywhere and washing up left on the side for days before anyone even dared to do anything. The fire was never lit and the sofas weren't snuggable. No pictures were stuck on the fridge, instead they would be in the bin, scrunched up. That is the house of a family falling apart, not this.

"Look, look. This is my pony but I don't know what to call her yet." Olivia let go of my hand as we reached the small pony so she could stroke her.

"She's a very pretty pony, so she deserves a very pretty name." I smiled at her, crouching down to her height, "what about Gertrude?" I joked.

She giggled and shook her head, "no, no, no silly. Thats an old persons name."

"Well i tried." I shrugged and stroked the mane of the pony, "have you riden her yet or is she not big enough?" I asked

"Nope im too small, but mummy said as soon as my next birthday comes i will be big enough." She smiled and reached out her hand to me, "want to go play with my dollies, they are in the playroom?"

"Of course miss Olivia, lead the way" i stood up and she led me back through the house, almost bumping into Christian who i told to go sleep as it seemed he needed it. I can look after two kids easy right?

Olivia and i played dolls until she fell asleep literally on my lap, but by that time we was sat on the sofa so i slipped away and left her to nap. I manoeuvred through the many dolls towards the kitchen and poured myself a cup of water.

When I turned around Geri was stood there and it scared the shit out of me, so much so that i almost dropped my glass.

"I didn't mean to scare you there." She said placing an empty mug on the side by the sink.

"No you are fine." I sighed and leant against the island looking at the photos on the wall, there was one of the 5 of them that caught my eye, a happy family.

"You looking at the photos?" Geri said over her shoulder as she washed her mug up and placed in in the drying board.

"Ye. Your family is just beautiful, i would have loved it when i was little. A dream." I chuckled and Geri turned round drying her hands on a tea towel, giving me a sympathetic smile.

"Im pretty sure Olivia has adopted you freely into this house, so dream come true?" She raised her shoulders and walked over to me, leaning against the counter too, "I couldn't imagine not being there for my kids you know. They are my life." She sighed.

I placed an arm around her shoulder and squeezed it, "You just can't leave them." I turned to face her and she was just surprised i knew.

"I know you want to know why I'm leaving Christian, you don't have to make small talk to avoid it." She smiled at me and got up to pick up one of the photographs on the side table, "i love him, i really do. We just don't work like we used to. I've turned into a stay at home mum and he's off at work constantly, i know he tries to come home but work is always the excuse."

"He does really try. He misses you all like mad, I don't hear enough of it apparently-"

"Hear enough of what?" A tired Christian wandered into the room and Geri quickly placed the frame back down on the side.