M-O

Part 6

"Mummy, I'm hungy, I'm hungy mummy," I heard Maia whisper into my ear. As usual Maia is my alarm clock and generally, like her mother, she is looking for food. I smiled as I woke up, I stretched and put my hair into a messy bun on top of my head. I stood up off the bed and threw on one of Brad's hoodies, he won't mind I'm sure.

"Come on then," I said as I held my arms out for her to jump into. I carried her down the stairs balancing her on my hip and she played with my hair as she went. As I walked into the kitchen I saw some familiar red hair, Nat.

"AHHHHHH ITS AUNTIE NATAWIE!!" Maia shouted making Nat turn round with a smile on her face.

"Come here MO," Nat said as I put Maia on the floor so she could run to Nat. Nat got down on her knees and held her arms out which Maia ran straight into. I smiled as they cuddled. I love it when people call her Mo, Brad made it up apparently but I always just find it funny because all of the lads call her it and now all the family do too.

"Cup of tea love?" Anne asked. I nodded and made my way over to Nat who had just let go of Maia so that she could chose her breakfast with her nanny.

"Eek! Leah it's been too long come here," she said as she pulled me into a hug.

"Aww I know! You need to come up and stay with us some time, you're always welcome," I said.

"Well if mum gets her way you and Maia would be moving back down here to live with Brad again," Nat laughed and I giggled along at how eager Anne was for us to get back together. "Have you spoken to him yet?"

"Nope not since he walked out and left me 5 months pregnant, 2 years ago," I laughed trying to make a joke out of the fact that I was completely heartbroken.

"Don't blame you, twat," she said making me laugh. Her and Brad had always been close, though they tried to hide it. After he left me, Nat refused to have anything to do with him which made me feel completely responsible. It took me almost a year to convince her to speak to him again. She still holds a grudge against him for how he treated me but we try to joke about it all the time.

"Natalie will you not use that language around Maia please," Anne scolded as she put my tea down in front of me. Which made us both burst out laughing.

"So what's with Maia's new top and your new hoodie?" Nat said smirking as she admired Maia showing it off to her grandad.

"She misses her dad. Simple as. So, I put his top on her and sprayed it with his cologne, just so that she could have the feeling he was there and when I got out of bed this morning I was cold," I said sipping my tea.

"I'm sorry but that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard, oh and that photo you tweeted last night had my heart melting. Her little smile just got me in the heart and apparently it got everyone in the world of social media in the heart as well," she said and I looked at her with a confused look.

"What you talking about Nat?" I asked.

"Have you not seen? Brad quote retweeted the tweet adding 'soon baby' to it and his fans went mad, they love the idea of Brad and you having a family," she explained, I was stunned, I feel like I'm the only thing stopping this 'little family' and it's really going to effect Maia.

"Leah can I have a quick word please?" Anne asked. I nodded before picking up my tea and following her outside.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well it's about last night, are you sure you're ready to see Brad again and spend some time with him," she asked, I sighed and nodded.

"The thing is Anne, I've realised that now that Maia's getting older she understands things a lot more and like you've seen, she does miss her dad and it's all kind of hit me since last night that I need to stop being selfish and grow up. My main priority now is no longer my feelings but Maia and Maia's well-being. Maia needs to see Brad more often whether I like it or not," I said and she smiled.

"I will ring him now and see if he can come down maybe tomorrow?" She asked and I nodded, the sooner the better.