The High Life. The final stretch

Chapter 79

Rhianne's POV

Lilly staying with Ben was good for her. When she came over the following day to take Lola for a walk, she looked very happy.

Thankfully Alice and Rob had decided that they were going to spend the rest of their trip in a hotel. The children had all cheered at this and Casper was over the moon Alice has been driving Casper mad, Casper just before Christmas asked Lilly to paint his nails a lovely shade of blue and Alice disapproved of this and had been trying for the last 2 days to get Casper to take it off and Casper had told her to stuff it. With Alice and Rob gone it meant that I could sort the spare room out because my mother was coming to stay for new year which I was really excited about. She hadn't been to stay for a while. Unfortunately, my mother's visit would overlap with Alice and Rob's last day, they hadn't be close to each other since mine and Connor's wedding nearly 20 years ago. Me and Connor had managed to make sure they were never close to each other, for fear of them trying to kill each other. However, I was staying rather calm and was going to make sure the Lilly was there if needed to take my mother away.

The dogs were settling in nicely and enjoying being round the children Evie had rather lost interest and would just get on with her day, causing mischief around the house, without real concern about them. As the weekend rolled round and Alice and Rob's visit was drawing to a close I'd decided that as my mother would be around the night before they were leaving I would cook a roast dinner for everyone, both Lilly and Ben were also coming.

The day before New Year's Eve Connor had taken Jessie, Grace, Blake and Grace along with Alice and Rob out so that I could make the soup, the roast and pudding, Casper had stayed to help and Lilly and Ben were round and were tiding the house.

"What we doing first mum?" Casper asked

"I think the soup. Want to do it?" I asked him.

"Yeah please. What shall I do?" Casper asked

"We....um need to go shopping first. There are some things I need to get. Get some bag and I'll go and tell Lilly and Ben." I said heading up stairs.

"Lilly." I said

"In here mum." She said the voice had come from Evie's room

I walked in and she was changing the sheets of Evie's new bed.

"Me and Casper are heading to the supermarket to get when we needed for dinner tonight do you need anything?" I asked

"No thanks mum. Me and Ben went shopping yesterday." She said putting Evie's pillow back on her bed.

"Okay sweet. Back in a bit." I said

"Okay. What else do you want me to do?" She asked

"Um, just hover I think. Oh and make sure that the window in mum's room is slightly open." I said

"Okay." She said

I smiled at her and headed back down stairs where Casper was waiting for me coat and shoes already on with my bag and the shopping bags in his hands.

"Ready?" I said

"Yep." He said standing and waiting for me to get my shoes and coat on.

We enjoyed a lovely mother son shopping trip to Tesco's. We even shared a terry's chocolate orange on the way home.

"We're back." I shouted as we walked back through the front door, not knowing where Lilly or Ben were but they were in the living room.

"Get everything you need?" Lilly asked

"Yeah thanks." I said

Together me and Casper got everything into the kitchen ready to cook. I got the chicken on and Casper started making the soup.