Romeo And Juliet Part III

Chapter 5

"You're pregnant? Again?" John said as he sat on the sofa with Evelyn.

"Yes, three months along the doctor says! I'm surprised I haven't noticed till now."

"Well this is wonderful my dear." he caressed her face.

"Ah, there you two are." Evelyn said as Mary Anne and Edward wandered in.

"We have something exciting to tell you two." she helped them onto the sofa.

"What is it mummy?" Mary Anne looked inquisitively to her mother.

"I'm having a baby."

"I bet it's a boy!" Edward said to his sister.

"No it's a girl!" she retorted.

"You don't know that!" he shoved her.

"Now now you two." John said.

"Aren't you excited to have a little brother or sister?" John lifted Edward onto his lap.

"Yeah." they said in unison.

"Daddy?" Mary Anne asked.

"What is it dear?"

"How are babies made?"

Evelyn grinned as she watched John's eyes fill with horror.

"I'll tell you when your older."

****

"I can never get over this part." John held back his tears as Evelyn cried out.

Six months had passed and the baby was ready to be born. John made sure Mary Anne and Edward waited in another room so they didn't have to endure their mother's screams. She let out a final groan before a baby's cry reverberated through the house.

"Mr Merrick, you have a healthy little girl." the midwife peered around the door.

Evelyn smiled at her daughter as she held her gently in her arms. She had warm brown eyes and hair like John.

"She's wonderful." John kissed Evelyn's cheek.

"What do you want to call her?" he asked.

"Well, I had been thinking, Isabella?"

"Beautiful. Isabella Merrick."

"We want to see!" Mary Anne and Edward came racing in.

"Meet your little sister, Isabella."

"I told you it would be a girl!" Mary Anne stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"Come on you two." John lifted them onto the bed to get a closer look at Isabella.

The three of them spent the next half hour huddled around the baby, the happiest a family could be.

****

"It always feels like you're starting over again and erasing all your hard work after each child is born." Evelyn joked as she held the two month old Isabella.

"I know dear but before we know it this little one will be grown up too." he gently stroked Isabella's soft hair.

She placed her back in her cot before sitting down to undo her hair.

"You know I've been thinking, Edward is three years old now and we should really start thinking about his schooling." John said.

"What made you think of that John?"

"It just hit me earlier today and I've been thinking about it."

"Well, I don't think I'd want him going away to another part of the country for his schooling."

"But don't you want him to get the best education possible? Don't you want to give him the best start in life and get him into university?" John sat next to her.

"I do but I don't want to send my little boy away."

"I know it's hard but think of his future. It's hard to get a place at Eton so we'd best start thinking about it now."

"I don't want him to grow up hardly ever seeing us. I want him to be at home with his family, loved and nurtured."

"I do too but think about it dear."

"There are plenty of fine private schools in London, like Harrow. And he'll be able to come home each day."

"I hadn't thought of Harrow. Well that's an option too."

"Harrow is every bit as fine as Eton. It's certainly expensive too."

"Well, why don't we sleep on it and decide tomorrow?"

"Very well dear, but I am quite unshakable." she went to put on her nightdress.

****

"I don't want to go to school!" the five year old Edward protested as Evelyn tied his tie.

"I know you don't but you have to go. Who knows, you might enjoy it, and you can make some new friends. Now let's go downstairs." she held his hand and walked him down the stairs.

"Don't you look smart in your uniform!" John managed a smile.

"Aren't you coming Daddy?" Edward looked up to John, wide eyed.

"No I'm afraid not dear." he grew suddenly melancholy.

"Mummy, tell Daddy to come!" he tugged at her dress.

"He can't dear, it's for the best." she sighed, stroking his hair.

"It's not fair!" he pouted in disappointment.

"I know." she exchanged a disheartened glance with John.

"I tell you what," she bent down to his height, "if you do well today I'll let you have some chocolate this evening."

"Yes! Ok Mummy." his mood was instantly revived.

"Let's go then dear."

"Goodbye Daddy."

"Goodbye Edward."

"Harrow School please." she said to the cab driver before they jolted into action.

After fifteen minutes they had had arrived at the gates of the school.

"Mummy I'm scared."

"Everything's going to be fine dear."

A sharply dressed man with a long moustache walked out of the grand wooden doors, ringing a bell.

"On you go dear, I'll be back at one o'clock."

"No Mummy, don't leave!" he grew teary, tightly embracing her.

"It'll be over before you know it." she gave a smile of reassurance before beckoning him to the teacher.

"See you later darling! I love you!" she called after him as he went inside.