Sing For Me

What would you like from Father Christmas

"Riley what would you like for breakfast darling?" he sits at the table with his finger on his chin very thoughtful 

"Jammie dodgers please Mummy" Ben laughs out loud 

"Sounds good to me" I give him a disapproving glance 

"Please don't encourage him" he pokes his tongue out me and taps me on the bum.

"We'll try cereal shall we" I suggest to him he folds his arms and gives me a sulk. 

"I tell you what matey if you eat your cereal then you can have a jammie dodger" Ben tells him 

"OK Daddy" Riley answers. It's still strange hearing them call Ben Daddy, well Ellie calls him Dada, I doubt she remembers Matt at all as she was only a baby when he left.

It was just two weeks left until Christmas Ben was all moved in, moving in the very day after I'd asked him not wanting to waste any time, plus he had put his house on the market. We had built a cosy little home at the flat. Ben's things around the house pleased me his clothes in the wardrobe, his aftershave on the dressing table and Humphrey his teddy bear taking his place quite happily on the chair in our bedroom next to Bunty. The children loved it and so did I, I had got to the point where I'd do anything to avoid a family life again but Ben made it all so special and so easy. We would have little disagreements but never anything major just who's turn was it to load the dishwasher or why are there clothes on the floor rather than the washing basket.

"Mummy can we put the Christmas tree up today please?" we had promised he could have it today. 

"We need to go and buy one first darling" I tell him 

"I want a big big one mummy bigger than Daddy" so six feet plus then 

"Is that right?" Ben asks him. 

"Yes one that goes up and up and up" he answers

We manage to pick one up at the garden centre and lights that flashed and twinkled and decorations too. 

"A fairy Mummy" Ellie points out 

"Would you like that Ellie?" Ben asks her and she nods but insists she must carry it when Ben tries to put it in the basket. With it all paid for Ben loads it in the car.

"Look Mummy it's Father Christmas" calls Riley, they have a grotto in the centre grounds "Can we go and see him mummy please" in all the rush we hadn't taken the children to see him although he had come to nursery for their party.

I think that's a great idea" says Ben 

"Yeah" shouts Riley dragging Ben off by the hand. There's a small queue to see him but the grotto is enough distraction with lights and music a proper winter wonderland all decked out in white and silver the lights are dim causing everything to twinkle I see the reflection in the eyes of our two little angels their faces beaming they were so happy. 

Ben was like a little boy too "So what would you like off Father Christmas sweetheart?" he asks 

"I told you I already have it" I answer and smiles wrapping his arm round me and kissing me on the head.

We get to the front of the queue and one of Santa's elves comes up to the children asking them to come through. Riley runs up straight up to him but Ellie is a little unsure and holds back "It's OK Princess" says Ben placing his hand on her back encouraging her. 

"Well now young man, what's your name?" Santa asks him "I'm Riley and this is my little sister Ellie" he tells him, they both pop and sit on his knee, Ellie still wanting Ben close so he crouches down beside them.

"Well Ellie" Santa says gently he senses she is nervous 

"What would you like for Christmas?" she looks at him not sure what to say she looks down and plays with her fingers and whispers 

" A Pony" I hope she means a toy one I laugh to myself taking a photo. 

"A Pony well I will see what I can do" he tells her. 

"And what about you Riley" he asks 

"I'd like mummy to have a baby in her tummy" he says Ben and I look at each other where did that come from he's even thrown poor old Santa!

"Oh and some more trains please" he says like both are such simple requests. I'm lost for words but Ben is just smiling, is this what he wants the look in his eyes makes me feel giddy. Santa hands the children a present each and we thank him and head off.

We take the children for lunch McDonald's being their choice and I can't refuse I'm still in shock I think. Ben doesn't mention it he just keeps smiling at me holding my hand at the table, touching my knee in the car on the way home he's not going to say anything he wants me to respond.

We get back to the flat and Riley is desperate to get this tree up so Ben unpacks everything. The tree is huge bigger than Ben even just as Riley wanted it. We decorated it bit by bit the children had their own decorations with their names on to put at the top. Ben hands me a little red stocking with my name on "Go on then Mummy" he says I hadn't spotted him putting this in the basket or at the till sneaky I think. He had one for himself too one for all of us. He's still smiling at me love him I just don't know what to say.

Ben heads to dim the living room light to see the fairy lights in their full glory "Wow" says Riley 

"Pretty lights" says Ellie making me giggle. We all stand admiring at a job well done.

The children don't take long getting to bed they were worn out Ben and I cuddle on the sofa I rest my back on his chest, just the fairy lights on, carols playing in the background. Ben pulls me in close breathing into me making my skin tingle. "Well?" he says gently 

"Well what?" I say nervously knowing full well what he means. 

"Are you going to say anything about Riley's choice of Christmas present?" I smile quietly to myself, the butterflies pop up to say hello. 

"What do you think?" I ask him 

"That's cheating" he says to me grinning. "I think you know what I think" he says as he plants small soft kisses down my cheek "Have my baby sweetheart, our baby" his words flow straight to my heart, this is what he wants and as nervous as I am I want to give this to him. I turn to him he's eager yet nervous. "I love you Lisa, you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me but what would make you even more beautiful still, is to see you carry my child" how can I refuse that, how can I? 

"Yes" I say laughing at him "Yes" as he pulls me in even closer. A baby to complete our little family. You don't get anymore Christmassy than that surely.