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

Chapter 67 - "New York Ice Skating..."

Chapter 67 - "New York Ice Skating..."

Clara's PoV

'Mummy? What are we doing tonight?' Avia asked knowing it was our last night here and it was her actual birthday so she deserved a dinner out somewhere special.

'Well I have an idea but I don't know how into it you'll be?' I hummed.

'Is it more shopping?' She squeaked.'because I don't mind more shopping?'

'Definitely not. We've done enough shopping thank you very much' I growled sitting up in the bed we were snuggled in and smirked. 'No. I was thinking we could go ice skating? What do you think? We could go ice skating and then hit up the rainforest cafe or something?'

'I can't ice skate very well Mummy' she scoffed.

'That doesn't matter. Neither can I. We'll be crap at it together' I laughed.

- - -

'You need to wrap up warm' I said as I wrapped my scarf around my neck and tapped on the bathroom door gently encouraging her to hurry up.

She seemed to be taking her sweet time.

'Avia. Hurry up' I said zipping up my boots and looking out over the city for a minute out of the window.

The bright lights of New York made me smile. It had been so long since I had actually chilled and honestly I was quite glad I came now. Otherwise I would have missed out on such and incredible trip.

And she can tell all her friends about it when she gets back.

'Avia come on. We need to get going' I sis opening the bathroom door as she kicked the bathroom bin over.

'Sorry Mummy. I was brushing my hair' she said apologetically.

'It doesn't matter. I'll clean it up' I said crouching down but she's so the opposite of Evie.

She is the clean one. The neat freak like myself. She likes to make sure things are clean and she really doesn't like making me angry or annoyed or even upset.

That is probably a trait she gets from John. The OCD is from me but the niceness and sweetness is definitely all John.

'Mummy what's this?' Avia asked as she held the white stick in her hand.

She was 11. She wasn't stupid. 'Why do you have a pregnancy test in the bin?'

'I-- It's nothing okay' I said trying to laugh it off but it wasn't working.

'Oh no your having another baby are you? We're not getting another brother or sister?' Avia begged.

'It's an adult thing'

'I'm and adult too. I'm 11 now' she scoffed standing up and climbing past me out of the bathroom.

Then I realised what a blabba mouth all my kids are.

'Avia. Please. Please don't tell your Dad or your sisters or in fact anyone. I really would rather nobody knew yet'

'Why?. Daddy always helps when I'm upset. If I was pregnant he'd be the first person I tell' she said.

'You'll learn Avia' I sighed. 'First up if you were to tell your Dad you was pregnant before your 30 your Dad would hit the roof. Secondly it's a lot harder for me to tell him. Poppy is so sick and we have such a stressful life at the moment I just don't know it having another baby will be good for it all. Either way for the moment let's just keep it to ourselves yeah? Our little secret?'

'Fine. But if daddy gets angry then I never knew anything about it' she said making a very good point.

'Agreed'

- - -

'Daddy. Yook' Henry said as he jumped onto John's bed and pulled at his sleeve. 'Come on Daddy' he scoffed.

'What is your problem Henry? Daddy is working' John huffed.

'But it's snowing Daddy' he yelled clapping excitedly. 'Evie's putting her wellies on. I want my wellies'

'Huh?' John hummed pushing the curtain open wider and scoffed at what was in front of him. 'Oh you are joking?'

'Do you want to build a snowman?' Poppy suddenly said as she had appeared now as well.

London weather was pretty unpredictable and it was Henrys first snow fall. And he was getting a belter because it had only been snowing 15 minutes and it had settled on all the cars.

'A snowman? It's 7 o clock at night'

'But it's snooowwwiiinnngg' Poppy whined pulling atJohn's arm angrily.

'Okay. Look I'll open the back Dior but your not going out tonight. It will still be there in the morn--' he stopped dead in his tracks seeing that Richard already had Ollie out in it.

Ollie looked a little apprehensive about the stuff which is why he was on Richards waist.

Then John realised that Evie was already out there.

'Evie? What on earth do you think your doing?' John shouted out of the window.

'Building a snowman with Dad and Ollie' she shouted back up ignoring John's angry voice.

'Chill out John, its fun' Richard shouted up as well.

'Pleaseseee?' Poppy said battering her eyelids.

- - -

'Come on Mummy. Hurry up' Avia scoffed running ahead and already giving the man her shoe size.

'Hang on. I'm just talking to your Dad' I yelled continuing our conversation on the phone.

'What are you two up too?' John asked over the phone.

'Avia wanted to go ice skating' I said.

'Well you'll never guess what over here. It's bloody snowing' John scoffed. 'And not just little specs. It's practically hoofing it down. If I end up with these kids on snow days I'll go mad' he whined.

'Snowing? Like proper snow? Shit what if we can't fly home?' I said quickly thinking about it but actually it wouldn't be too much of a catastrophe. I could use an extra shopping day.

'Don't get your hopes up' he said rolling his eyes.

'Are they our in it?'

'Yes. I couldn't stop them. Some bad influence - Richard for clarification - was out in the snow before I could even say no'

'Oh loosen up a bit tight pants. In the most OCD of them all but would still let the kids play in the snow'