Forget Me Not

Chapter Thirteen

Nancy and Arthur tried to talk her out of it, tried to sway her decision but Victoria was determined. She called her parents and told them of the paperwork and the decision she had made. Sienna and Jude supported her full heartedly. Victoria sent the paperwork to Timothy's lawyer firm directly two days after she had got it.

Victoria felt she had done right for Nathan. He could be happy now. She missed him, she still loved him. She loved him enough to let him go.

She wished Nathan loved his family enough to try but he couldn't. He wouldn't. She wished Nathan wouldn't lose his children and his children deserved to know their father but Nathan wasn't there. Victoria's new priority was ensuring her children grew up happy and healthy.

She continued going to her appointments, her breathing classes. She changed her birthing plan to have Nancy and Sienna there instead. She took Aurora out on Saturdays to the zoo, to a play gym. Nancy joined her with Daisy and Tiffany and sometimes Arthur when he was there.

Months went past. Months that Victoria took time to recover and get to the idea of never being with her husband again. Her ex-husband. She hadn't bumped into him and she didn't plan to either (although secretly, maybe she did a bit). She presumed he was happy with his new life and new wife.

As she got bigger, Victoria, Nancy and Arthur helped to turn the spare bedroom in a nursery. It was beautiful, painted pastel blue with a pale wood cot, floorboards and rocking chair to match. Sienna had made the new baby his own blanket, a blue knitted wool blanket which was tucked at the end of the cot. Even Aurora helped by giving the baby one of her pink teddies, now placed on a wooden shelf of storybooks. Victoria was excited for the new arrival.

Aurora celebrated her birthday when Victoria was eight months pregnant. It was a joint affair that Nancy had planned with Victoria. Nancy and Victoria invited all of the children at the nursery and they planned it at the Miller house so the new nursery in the Carter house would be untouched by messy toddlers.

The morning of the birthday, Victoria washed and cleaned herself and Aurora. She dressed in a light blue summer dress which was floaty and airy to allow room for her big bump. She added some natural make-up and some blue and silver bangles. Aurora finally was dressed in a black glittery top with silk purple skirt. Finally, a purple hair bow tied into her curled hair. Aurora had wriggled and complained as Victoria used a child-friendly hair curler but eventually they were ready to go. Victoria grabbed up her handbag and the pair left the house. As Victoria was locking up, the postman arrived.

"Sorry ma'am, got some things for you." The postman stopped her. He rifled through his big red bag and handed over a handful of letters tied together with an elastic band plus a brown box.

"Thank you." Victoria quickly went through them. Several were addressed to Aurora and the rest were bills so Victoria posted the bills through the door and picked up the remaining present and letters.

They went to the Miller house. Nancy and Arthur were still in the middle of decorating. The living room sofas had been pushed to the sides of the room. Next to one wall was two tables. One table had a label saying 'Daisy' and the other said 'Aurora'. Both had presents and cards on already, no doubt from the Miller family. The walls were decorated in paper streamers, balloons and tinsel of pink, purple and silver. A stereo was in front of the living room window, playing party tunes softly. A huge space in the middle of the room allowed for dancing and party games. Arthur was standing on a chair, pinning up a banner saying 'Happy Birthday!'. Arthur looked very familiar now. His tan had been washed off over time and his hair dye had gone out too, leaving him with his pale skin with freckles and his red hair again. It had been a relief to see him back to normal. Tiffany was beside him with her hair plaited and wearing a long-sleeved dress printed with yellow and blue flowers. She looked quite miserable to be wearing a dress, Tiffany wasn't really a girlie-girl. No doubt Nancy had fought this one and had clearly won. Arthur wasn't dressed yet, he was still in his pyjamas.