(Mia's POV)
I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of the twins giggling next door. Char's cuddled up into me, her eyes opening slowly. "Mia did you hear that?" "Mmm," I grumble tiredly. "I think they're awake, I'll come and check on them." I kiss the top of Char's head gently before getting out of bed. "You go back to sleep sweetheart, I'll be back in a minute." I rub my eyes, trying to wake myself up as I creep next door to the twins' room. As I put my hand on the doorknob their babbles and giggles get louder.
"Fray-Fray," I hear Cece whisper loudly. "Mamma here! Pwetend leep!" I can hear Fraya still giggling away as Cece wiggles through her blankets. "Otay," Fraya whispers. Cece shushes her and I try and control my laughs as I step inside to see both of them pretending to be asleep. "Are you ok girls?" I whisper. "I hope you're sleeping nicely it's night time." They don't respond but I notice Cece open one of her eyes a little to see if I'm still here. "Goodnight then little ones," I whisper before leaving and going back to bed.
"Are they asleep now?" Char mumbles as I wrap my arms back around her waist. "They're pretending to be... they should fall asleep eventually I'll check on them in a minute," I hum giving the edge of her ear a kiss. "Anyway you're meant to be asleep as well love." "Ditto," she mutters. I kiss her forehead gently before cuddling her as she closes her eyes and falls back to sleep again. I fight to keep my eyes open, praying the girls have fallen asleep now so I don't need to get up again. Sure enough, ten minutes later I hear them giggling again.
I sigh as I get back up, being careful not to disturb Char, and come back in again. "Fray-Fray Mamma coming," Cece whispers loudly. "Fray-Fray shhh..." I open the door and look around to see them both pretending to be asleep, Fraya giggling into her pillow. "Do I hear little giggles?" I ask playfully walking over to Fraya's crib. She's laughing even more now, kicking her little feet as she sees me. "It's sleepy time now pumpkin ok?" "Stowy," she frowns. "Me want stowy." "It's not story time now darling it's sleepy time," I tell her. "You need your sleep so you have enough energy for nursery in the morning."
"Stowy mamma stowy," she repeats. Her eyes are slightly pink and tired as she looks up at me hopefully. I let out a yawn, trying my best not to drift off to sleep myself. "It's not story time darling it's bed time." "Fray-Fray shush now me want leep," Cece protests trying to fall back asleep. "What about if we have some cuddle time for a little bit until you fall asleep because you both look tired and you need to sleep so you become big strong girls." "Stwong like pandasuras," Cece pipes. "Exactly Cece," I laugh quietly. "Strong like a pandasauras." I pick them both up onto my hip and carry them to our bedroom where I find Char still wide awake.
"Hello girls," Char yawns. "Are we coming to sleep in this bed now?" "Just until they fall asleep," I whisper. "I know I shouldn't but they're my babies and they need their mummies." I get back into bed, both the girls laying on my lap. I lean over and give Char a kiss on the forehead. "You go back to sleep now baby I'll take care of this." "It's fine," she yawns. "I can stay up until they.." "No baby," I interrupt. "You've got work tomorrow morning and you've been losing enough sleep as it is."
"Why do you always have to be right?" Char grumbles before lying back down and shutting her eyes. I rock the twins gently in my arms to try and soothe them to sleep. I give Char's back a quick rub each time she tries to wake up again to get her back to sleep. The twins finally start to settle after about an hour, my own eyes starting to get sore and heavy from soothing them. I sing them a soft lullaby as their little eyelids finally start to shut. "Me and my teddy bears. Got no worries and we've got no cares. I love my teddy bears. We play and play all day." By the time the song is over, they're both fast asleep in my arms. I look over at Char who's also fallen asleep.
"Goodnight sweetheart," I whisper kissing Char's forehead gently. I carry the girls back to their cribs, tucking them in and kissing both of them goodnight. "Night night panda, night night pumpkin." I stay for a couple of minutes until I'm sure they're going to stay asleep before finally getting back into my own bed. I wrap my arms around Char, seeing how she starts to smile in her sleep when she senses my presence. "I love you gorgeous," I whisper in her ear before I drift off to sleep.
In the morning, Char wakes me up with a kiss already dressed for work. "Morning beautiful," she smiles as I half open eyes. "Morning," I yawn. She strokes my cheek softly with her thumb. "You look shattered bless you, I wish I could cuddle you all day." "Why do you have to go to work?" I grumble reaching out for her hand. "It's not fair." She gives my knuckles a soft kiss. "I know sweetheart I'd really rather stay with you all day but I've got to go soon." I pull her wrist down so she flops back onto the bed, wrapping her in my arms and planting a thousand kisses all over her face. "You smell so good," I smile as I get the scent of her perfume from her neck. It's her usual perfume but it will never stop smelling amazingly comforting to me. She turns around and kisses my cheek, leaving a perfectly shaped lipstick stain behind. "Goodbye my love I'll see you later."
She breaks free from the hug and gets back out of bed, planting one last kiss in the centre forehead before leaving. "I miss you already," I call after her. I decide to throw some slippers on quickly to see her out the door, watching in the doorway as she gets into the car and drives off. I get a text from Char about ten minutes later once she's arrived at work. "Have a good day baby, I love you xxx." "I love you too sweetheart xx." I text her back.
