"Options... I've ran out of Options..." (Book 3)

Chapter 22 - "Weekend with Men..."

Chapter 22 - "Weekend with Men..."

Clara's PoV

'Right. I think everyone is in bed other than Henry' I hummed as we sat in the lounge and I watched Henry play with his Lego.

It was only the afternoon but everyone's else was feeling so shit that it was easier to just put them to bed.

'We'll be fine. Stop worrying. Anyone would think that I hadn't looked after kids before' John scoffed rolling his eyes.

'It's not that. It's just that you and Richard will be alone with 5 kids without mine nor Lilly's help' I whined.

'Enjoy your hen get away. It's the last proper time of craziness you can have before your a married woman' he chuckled as I kissed Henry on the forehead.

'Be good for Daddy and Uncle Richard' I said subtly trying to see if he had a temperature. 'Why hasn't he got them yet?' I scoffed whispering in John's ear.

'Avia hasn't got them yet either. People get them at their own pace' John chuckled as I pushed my suitcase to the car.

Lilly, I and a few other girlfriends were headed into central London for the weekend - three nights - for my hen weekend. We were going to the theatre, the spa and shopping.

It was supposed to be fun but I had a feeling I'd be spending the weekend worrying about the kids.

- - -

'Right. Mount the trolley' John smirked as he lifted Henry and Ollie into the trolley at Tescos.

John had ran out to get some provisions and the few bits that Evie had demanded - plus how Poppy was really chesty so John knew a trip to the tesco pharmacy was needed.

He had been left with both boys which John was excited about. He felt like he spent so much time with pre teen hormonal girls these days that he was forgetting what life looked like without makeup.

He popped Henry in the seat because he was still skinny enough that he would fit and put Ollie in the trolley section then pushed them into the shop.

It wasn't long before John was down the toys isle and being roped into Star Wars toys.

'Do you really need another Darth Vader? You have lots of them' John scoffed ruffling Henry's hair who had taken a liking to it and wasn't putting it down.

John now couldn't wait for Henry's birthday where he had planned on buying some Star Wars Lego that the two of them could build together.

He was thankful however that Henry had Ollie to play with. Because John thinks about what poor Henry would be like if he was stuck with three older sisters and no boys to play with.

It was times like these that he was pretty glad about Clara being in his life because if she wasn't he wasn't sure how on earth he would be controlling those girls.

'Daddy. I need to pee' Henry announced making John squirm. He wasn't an expert at peeing instructions and it was just so much harder to explain to a boy.

'Right... Okay. You'll both have to come in then' John mumbled having not dealt with the peeing situation as of yet.

Ollie was fully potty trained months ago. Somehow he picked it up very quickly - whereas John got lazy and put it off.

He lifted Ollie into his arms and motioned Henry to the bathroom where it was a crisis from the off.

Ollie was running around like a little monster squeezing all the soap everywhere, and Henry was just not hitting aim of the toilet.

John wasn't encouraging him to stand... But it was just easier for him to hover, because Henry was afraid that the toilet might eat him alive.

'Seriously guys?' John scoffed as he lifted Ollie onto the toilet because once one has to go - it's inevitable that they would both have to go.

John then sifted both boys coats off their backs and spotted - ironically some spots on Ollie's back.

John smirked more than glad of that but was concerned at Henry's lack of spots.

They only had a few weeks until the wedding and John did not want him contracting the pox before the wedding. That would be a crisis that the pair of them were just not ready for.

'Right. Let's get on with this shopping' John said with a huff.

- - -

'I've had three daughters... And never have I known such an exhausting afternoon' John mumbled.

'Yeah well your telling me. I've had a son and these girls have been killing me. "I want juice" , "I need to pee" the demands haven't stopped rolling in all afternoon' Richard scoffed.

'In some good news - Ollie has joined the chicken pox party' John sighed.

'Brilliant' Richard said excitedly as Ollie ran into his Dad's arms. 'My little monkey man has the chicken pox. Let's go and get you in pyjamas' Richard grinned.

John had never seen anyone so excited about an illness.

'I've been eaten by chickens' Ollie grinned

- - -

The Friday night was no fun at all. With Clara gone for the weekend it meant that John's bed was open for business which meant that when he woke up at 3am for a wee - he had not just Poppy in the bed curled up next to him - but Evie was on the floor wrapped up in her duvet.

Henry of course was at the bottom of the bed and somehow even the damn dog was in the bed with them. That was only because Evie was in the room - because otherwise the dog sleeps on Evie's bed of by her bed.

'Ugh. Guys. Do you all have to be here?' John whined as he fished his way out of the bed and when he came back he decided that now was possibly a good time to check all the temperatures.

Out of interest he checked Henry's to see if he was contagious but nothing. Poppy's temperature had dropped but he was concerned about Evie's.

'Daddy. It's still nighttime' Evie whined as he pushed her down the stairs at three in the morning, and made her sit at the kitchen table.

'I know. You just need to take this for me' John hummed holding the yellow medicine out for her.

'Blugh. That stuff tastes gross'

'Better than a fit?'