Love story

59

*Author note: Sorry about the weird time scale- I like to jump around a bit!*

"So where's the birthday boy!?" Aria asked, gazing at the small pile of presents on the living room floor. Each wrapped in pale blue wrapping paper and white ribbon.
"He's sleeping at the moment," I smiled,
"He's sleeping at his own birthday party? I had to get out of bed for this!" Hanna laughed. Poppy was playing with some Lego on the carpet with Hanna and Caleb's twins, Emma and Alfie. All of them were laughing and trying to build a tower.

"You're right actually! Toby can you wake Jake?" I shouted, Toby broke from his conversation with Ezra and Caleb and nodded at me. His crystal blue eyes penetrated mine from across the room.

A few minutes later he returned holding Jake in his muscular arms, everyone crowded around him tickling Jake and making faces. I watched from a few feet away happiness mingling inside me with a faint tiredness from a full week of work.

The rest of the day consisted of a few board games and snacks, it was nice to see everybody.

At 9:00pm that evening, the children had all gone to bed, Emma and Alfie were having a sleepover with Poppy.

Ezra, Aria, Hanna, Caleb, Emily, Alison, Toby and I were sat around the fire in the living room. We'd all had a bit to drink and were feeling a little tipsy- apart from Aria who was four months pregnant.

"I miss this," Aria sighed, "We used to hang out together all the time!"

Everyone mumbled in agreement.

"I remember when I first told you guys I was dating Toby," I smiled, resting my head on his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart, "You all thought I was out of my mind, I bet you wouldn't have guessed that 10 years later we'd be married with two children,"

He kissed the top of my head,
"Two beautiful, healthy, happy children," he smiled, "Although poppy has been acting a little funny, I think she might be coming down with something."

They all laughed a little, but Toby was right, poppy had seemed a little strange recently.

"I love you," he whispered, so that only I could hear, I burrowed my head further into his chest and inhaled his scent. He smelt of wood chippings and musky cologne.

I love that smell.