The Illusion

Epilogue - Part 2

I slowly closed the front door behind me, greeted with what is quite possibly the only evidence I need to get Brielle a new tutor. She was losing her temper with him pressing the wrong keys. The kid was less than a year older than her but it was beyond clear she was going to be in control of her cousins. She might be the second oldest but that didn't mean shit to her. 4 years old and running riot. Pretty sure giving her Alara as a middle name will be the death of me.

"SCOUT. STOP IT. IT'S NOT FUNNY." I snickered quietly, tip toeing past them both, towards the laughter in the kitchen. "SCOUTTT! POPS TELL HIM!" God it's like looking through a looking glass. Dad came running out of the kitchen, almost knocking me out as he did.

"JESUS-" I put a finger over my lips, dad laughing that I was sneaking around my daughter just so I could have 5 minutes of adult interactions. "I guess I'll sort your daughter out then?"

"Hey, whilst she's here she's your granddaughter." I held my hand up, kissing his cheek quickly. "Leo here?"

"With the boys in the kitchen." I nodded. "What's wrong Bri?" He sauntered off down towards the kids, Scout now shouting at Bri, Bri screaming at him back. God I love not dealing with this when I'm here. That's one of the many pros to living 5 minutes from my parents and 10 minutes from the boys. As much as we get dumped with Scout a lot, they're also close for babysitting duties whenever they please.

"Here we go- Freya settle something for us."

"Lord no." I shook my head, making from Leo and collapsing, exhausted into his lap.

"Come on Freya you don't even know what we're arguing about." Isaac pleaded from the other side of the Island. I looked at Lili who's eyes were glaring into whatever she was baking today. She was sick of maternity leave already and she still had 2 weeks to go before baby would be making an appearance. She looked up at me and shook her head with a smirk.

"I honestly cannot think about anything worse than settling one of your three's petty arguments."

"4." Leo whispered and I scowled.

"Not you too. I've told you not to get involved with this."

"I couldn't help it. Milo is chatting the biggest pile of shit."

"I AM NOT." The difference between an adult conversation and the argument down the hall was non-existent. Apparently the 5 minutes of adult conversation I was supposed to be having was still settling arguments between my brothers who acted like children. Milo started ranting at us all, Isaac joining in against us and suddenly the kitchen was filled with so much shouting I couldn't help but chuckle.

"We need to get Bri another piano tutor. Lord knows what that one's doing but she's been with them 3 months now and she still can't play anything." Leo rolled his eyes.

"3 months is nothing Rey. Let her have fun with it."

"She can have fun-"

"Freya." He raised an eyebrow. "She likes the tutor. You keep firing them love and she's going to learn nothing. I know you want what's best for her but give her some time. She's 4. She's not going to be amazing at everything the first try." I laid my head back on his shoulder. "How'd it go?" Leo whispered

"All booked in. 3 weeks to go." I whispered. He squeezed my hips. "Want to tell them now?"

"So bad." I nodded slowly, lifting my head up and clearing my throat until everyone shut up.

"Where's Mum and Isla?"

"Here! Sorry, we were putting Thea down."

"Dad, can you come in here?"

"Mummy?" Oh god. I climbed off Leo, waiting for the inevitable attack about to take place on my legs. I scooped her up as she came bounding in, groaning and dumping her onto her dad's lap. "Where did you come from?"

"Outer space." I smirked. "I'm an alien. Come to destroy the planet."

"NO, YOU'RE NOT, DADDY TELL HER SHE'S NOT!"

"Lara. Can you go play with Scout for me baby? Adults need to talk." She knitted her eyebrows together. Brielle hadn't really taken certain features from either side of the family that anyone could tell. Everyone says she looks like me but I don't see it. The one thing I can see, it her dad in her eyes. That sea green I'd fallen in love with years ago the he passed down to her. "Want to start a new book tonight?" She nodded. "Then go play. Behave, no arguing. Understand?"

"Yes mummy." I pulled her feet down onto the floor, watching her and scout leave the room, heading towards dad's old office which he'd converted into their playroom.

How I'd gotten away with hiding this for this long I had no idea. I guess it being winter helped, baggy jumpers and thick coats whenever we dropped Bri at someone's house. We haven't told Brielle either. We just wanted to be sure this time. After the last 3 losses, we were keeping this one close to our chest until it was becoming impossible. Every 10 days I was at the doctors checking everything was okay and so far everything was okay.

I tugged on the sleeves of Leo's oversized hoodie, somehow feeling more nervous about this than anything else I've ever had to tell them. I think the thing that had sucked the most this time around, was being pregnant at the exact same time as Lil and I couldn't enjoy it with her. I was watching her rant on about being pregnant and then apologise to me in case it had upset me but I was cursing the same problems in my head. I'd laughed and said it was fine, I remembered it too well from Brielle.

"Okay here goes- nothing- um." I dropped my hands to my side. "We're pregnant." Everyone's eyebrows rose, Lili dropping the wooden spoon into the bowl.

"Are you sure?"

"How far?"

"Freya-" I smiled, lifting the hoodie and jabbing at the giant bump gently.

"I'm 4 weeks behind Lil. 34 weeks today"

"WHAT?"

"YOU ARE FUCKING SHITTING ME?!" Isla stumbled. "Can I?"

"Sure thing, he's kicking like crazy." Suddenly I had hands all over me, Leo holding onto my shoulders.

"He?" I looked up at my dad, nodding.

"I booked in the C-Section before coming over, that's why I'm a little late. They don't want to risk anything."

"Wait what date?"

"Pip's birthday." Everyone looked up. "It's okay. Pip and Mimi sent him specifically for us. They brought me Leo and now they've brought us Ezra."

"Ezra." Isla stood up, clasping her hands together.

"Oh god here we go, come on babe-" James pulled her into a tight hug, shaking his head at me. Her hormones were still settling. Been there.

"Wait guys, if peanut comes on time, Thea, Ezra and bump could be less than 2 months apart." We all turned to look at dad and mum who looked like they were going to have a panic attack.

"Looks like we're gonna need a few more spare kids rooms then huh?"