Only Yours

21

'Two cots?'

'Check.'

'Baby clothes?'

'Check.'

'Nappies?'

'Check.'

'Are you even listening to me?'

'Check.'

'Do you think Anderson is clever?'

'Check.'

I throw a nappy bag at him and he sits up quickly, catching it with ease. 'What, John?'

I sigh and go back to folding baby clothes. Will and Jonty, who are both sitting on the floor, watch with blank faces.

We didn't tell the boys about the new babies until late August. By that time we had found out that we are expecting twins, one boy and one girl.

Will took it surprisingly well. He had nodded before turning around to face Jonty, doing their weird twin telepathy. Not that they are really twins, but they act like they are.

Jonty had started crying. Will had escorted him out of the room as I sat staring worriedly at them. Sherlock had been unbothered, absentmindedly twisting his ring. When I had asked him what we should do, he had said vaguely, 'William is in desperate need of a haircut. He looks like a sheepdog.'

Eventually, Will had come back into the sitting room and told us they felt like they were being replaced. I had told him that wasn't true.

Sherlock had said, 'No. We could never replace you. Well, we could. And we are. Now that you are older, you are becoming more annoying and more argumentative. You get that from John.'

Will had stared at him before walking out of the room again, slamming the door.

They had accepted the fact that it was happening, and had agreed to tolerate their new siblings as long as they were allowed to choose names.

'We each have two names. Daddy can pick the girls' name, Papa the boys'.' William said seriously.

'Very well.' Sherlock looked bored with the idea, fingers laced and glancing at the kitchen, where an experiment was set up.

'For a girl, I picked Saphira and Jonty picked Eloise.' I groan at the thought of my daughter being named after a dragon, but it is Sherlock's choice and he shoots me a smug grin. 'Saphira. Her middle name can be Eloise, if you desire.'

'I picked Hamish for a boy...' Will says and I make up my mind. I will pick whatever Jonty says. 'Jonty picked Seamus.'

My mouth drops open. Seamus is Scottish for Hamish. They did this deliberately.

As if he's reading my mind, Will says 'It was obviously your idea to expand this family. So we are punishing you.'

I hate both of those names. But, and I never thought I'd say this, I prefer Hamish to Seamus.

'Fine. I guess we have a Saphira Eloise and a Hamish Mycroft.' Sherlock sits up suddenly, glaring at me. 'I am not naming my child after my brother.'

'Saphira's middle name is my mother's name, so Hamish's should be a member of your family's.' Sherlock scowls and sits back into his chair. Will and Jonty look at each other smugly before walking out of the room, smiling at us.

It is now early December. The twins are due in February, and I am starting to feel nervous. I have never cared for a newborn before, I was absent until Will was five months old and Jonty didn't arrive until he was two, but Sherlock tells me I'm overthinking.