Forever and Always

A Different Kind of Sleepover

Eventually they decided to start trying again. She wanted a baby more than anything and she wasn't going to give up without a fight.

They were staying at Hillary's for a few days so they could look after Abby and her few friends that were coming over for her birthday sleepover. Lauren wouldn't let her have a party or any kind of celebration and so Hillary had decided to organise something for her instead. Cecelia had baked her a birthday cake and iced it specially for her; Abby was thrilled with it and all her friends were envious. The chocolate cake had a circle of white swirls around the top with 'happy birthday Abby' iced in swirly pink writing in the middle. It was covered with pink flowers and edible glitter. It was amazing. Even Hillary was surprised by her culinary skills. Oscar thought about her making a birthday cake for their child's birthday and wondered if she was thinking of it too, he didn't want her to be upset. The evening flew by, the scary(ish) movies had been watched, the popcorn had been eaten and everyone was getting tired. So Hillary sent them upstairs to get ready for bed. Oscar gave Cecelia a quick glance, she gave him a smile and a wink before following the girls upstairs. He said goodnight to his parents and went upstairs to wait for her in the bedroom. The girls were safely in bed and quiet when Cecelia was brushing her teeth, Hillary came upstairs to see if they wanted a drink before she went to bed herself. She pushed open the bedroom door to see Oscar on top of the covers in just his underwear, she looked away quickly and stepped out of the room 'Mum, what are you doing?' He hissed 'do you want a hot drink?' She whispered 'no!' She went downstairs feeling embarrassed to have walked in on him like that. He heard footsteps come towards the door and braced himself to see his mother again, but breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Cecelia step round the door and close it quickly behind her. He motioned to her with his finger and she fell next to him on the bed. He ran his hand through her hair and then fingered the bottom of her night shirt, pulling it up over her stomach. She put her hands on his chest and planted a firm kiss on his lips. A few moments later, as they were beginning to get more intimate, there was a tentative knock at the door. They stopped in their tracks and she quickly pulled her shirt back on and went to open the door. The little girl looked at her oversized shirt and long legs with wide eyes, 'I feel sick' she mumbled. 'Okay' Cecelia whispered, she blew Oscar a kiss and took Betty downstairs. She sat her down in the kitchen and pulled out a hot water bottle and flicked the kettle. She put the washing up bowl on the table in case she wanted to be sick and proceeded to fill up the hot water bottle and pass it to Betty. They went and sat on the sofa, and Cecelia comforted her and rubbed her hand up and down her arm to warm her up. She wasn't sick and she soon fell asleep again in Cecelia's loving hold, she carried Betty upstairs and put her back where she was originally sleeping and left the sick bowl by her side just in case. Then she went back to her room where Oscar was waiting for her.

He woke up first the next day, and felt on top of the world. Cecelia was still asleep, resting her head on his chest with her arm draped over him. He nuzzled his face into her fluffy hair and breathed in the scent of her berry shampoo; it was her favourite smell. He heard his mum and dad in the kitchen and heard the kettle boiling, Cecelia groaned and turned to lay facing the other direction. He slid quickly out of bed and pulled his shorts on as he went quickly out the door, he pitter pattered down the stairs and entered the kitchen to get a warm gesture of congratulations from his dad. He put his cup of coffee up to his mouth and stuck two fingers up mockingly at his dad. He could hear Cecelia stirring in the bedroom above their heads so he made her a cup of coffee, shaking chocolate powder over the frothy top to make a heart shape. He went upstairs and placed the cup on the bedside table before waking her up with a kiss. 'Hi' she said, slowly opening her eyes 'hi. I made you coffee' he tapped the bedside table 'mm. Thank you' she said, pushing herself up and grabbing her night shirt from the floor and putting it on. She sat up in bed and sipped the coffee from the tiny mug, watching him as he did the same. They finished their coffee and he got up from the floor, 'I'll give you a minute to make yourself decent' he said taking her cup and going to put them downstairs. They were all sitting on the sofa when she came down in her night shirt and long jumper, she sat next to him on the sofa and pulled her knees up to her chest, holding her long jumper sleeves in the palm of her hand. Oscar sat and thought about last night, it was so disappointing last time and he didn't want to disappoint her again. It made him feel awful. Inadequate. Like he didn't deserve the amount of love he got from her. He just hoped that he could give her the baby that she so wanted.

Two days before they were due to go home, they were sitting at the table to have breakfast when she came out of the toilet, her hands clasped together, rubbing together uneasily. He looked up at her hopefully but she shook her head, he could see the pain in her face and he got up and went to her as a few tears escaped from under her strong facade. They went and stood outside for a little while while she got herself together, then they went back to eat with his parents. They stopped talking as Oscar and Cecelia came back inside and gave them sympathetic looks, they tried to overlook it a little and keep up the rapidly deflating happiness. It wasn't working.