For You, I Would Risk it All

~Chapter 3~

They hadn't had a Saturday like this one for a very long time. It was blissful. Nothing to do, no one to keep up appearances for. It was just a sweet and harmonious day for adjusting to now being a family of five.

"You want cereal or something else?" Rachel smirked at Mike who was stood in the kitchen attempting to prepare breakfast. She stumbled in wearing her pyjamas, a tank top and some jersey shorts, baring James in her arms.

"I think cereal will suffice. Where's Rosalie?" She questioned, eyeing up Zach in the motor swing positioned just so Mike can see him.

"In the backyard. She wanted to play in her sandpit, and I told her as long as she was quiet and didn't wake the neighbours up, she could go." Rachel smiled and peered out of the closed bi-folding doors.

"She's still in her pyjamas?" She questioned, and Mike took a glance too.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" They both laughed quietly, and Rachel made her way to the bouncer that was next to the swing, strapping James in to be free of him for a while.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong," She restrained her caution and was just happy that Rosalie was having fun, "But she'll have to come in in a second for cereal. What are we going to do today?"

"I don't know, what do you want? I'm setting the grounds at we're not leaving here because you birthed those two cuties less than a week ago, and I'm not letting you go anywhere."

"Excuse me? What do you mean, I'm fine?" Rachel folded her arms and stood a little taller.

"Come on Rach. Don't tell me you don't hurt like hell."

"It hurts, but you don't have to treat me like I'm made of glass. I can do things you know."

"I know. But I also know that you'll push yourself even when your body is telling you to stop. I'm just asking you to listen to your body. Plus, I know you better than you know yourself, and you're playing it down."

"What if I am playing it down?"

"Then I'd say stop and sit down, because strained pain can do some horrible things. Especially when you're still working so hard in breastfeeding the two of them, and their sleep patterns aren't established."

"Why are you so worried about this?" Rachel relaxed slightly, but still walked around to collect a bowl and the boxes of cereal.

"Because I love you, and I can't watch you do this. I just think you don't have to worry about looking like you're not perfect. But for the record, you look perfect no matter what."

"Well maybe I just don't like sitting around and doing nothing."

"I know you don't. But it's what you have to do for a bit whilst your body heals. You're not doing nothing, you can do lots of things, just from the sofa."

"Okay fine," Rachel turned away back towards the doors, opening them slightly, "Rosalie baby, come in and have your breakfast please." The little girl looked up from her bucket and spade and stood up, scampering into the house at Rachel's request.

"What are we doing today then Rosy?" Mike kissed the top of her head handing her a beaker of orange juice.

"Go to the park!" She squealed, shovelling another spoonful of cheerios into her mouth.

"Um, baby I don't think mommy is feeling good enough for that. I have an idea though." Mike watched a face of guilt sat in the corner trying to calm one of the twins down.

"What?" Rosalie seemed to forget about her ideas as the thought of one of her dad's ideas clouded her judgement.

"I think we can make you a cool little den in the living room? You can have all your favourite toys in there, and it'll be really cool."

"Yeah!" Her hands flew to the air, a smile emerging on both her and her mother's face.

"Mike. I'm going to nurse Zach, he's getting fussy. You finish your cereal bubba and when I come back down after sorting your brother and getting dressed, I'll bring down all the blankets I can find." Rachel left the room and found herself sat in the rocking chair in the twins' nursery. She watched her little baby whilst contemplating what Mike had said, and reluctantly reasoning that he was probably right.

**********

"Oookay! Here's all the blankets and throws I have found! It looks like you've got the cushions, now we just need something to hold them all up." Rachel dropped the massive pile of fluff onto the cleared floor in the living room.

"Yes. I have just the thing." Mike ran out of the room and pummelled the stairs. He came back hauling one of the hanger racks that he used to keep his blazers hung up on.

"Where did you put all the coat hangers?" Rachel questioned, laughing as Mike attempted to take it down the last couple of stairs.

"There's three of these. We will only be using two!" He joked, pushing it through, then pivoting to go and get the other one.

**********

"Is this a good way to spend the day? Better than the park?" Rachel asked, led in their comfortable abode. She and Mike were led on the outer sides of the three small children, two of which were asleep.

"Way better!" Rosalie sighed, hugging Rachel tightly. They were inside the draped blankets, on top of the sofa cushions and the pile of old throws. Rachel had crafted a snack tray with different fruit, and they'd been watching Snow White whilst building their fort.

"I love you so much you know that." Rachel sighed and tickled Rosalie's stomach playfully.

"I love you too mommy. And daddy, and my babies!" Rosalie giggled pointing at everyone led in the hazed tent.

"Come on then, you wanna play a game or watch a film?" Mike asked tilting his head to his right.

"Film!"

"You are your daddy's girl, aren't you?" Rachel grinned at her daughters love for films.

"I want to show babies Cinderella!"

"Okay then, are you sure you don't want to watch something different. Maybe... Finding Nemo?"

"What's that?"

"You'll see, come on, it's good." Mike reassured and breathed a sigh of relief knowing he wouldn't have to watch Cinderella again.

"After can we play picnics?"

"Yes, after we can play picnics." Rachel twirled her little curls in one finger and checked the two boys next to Mike.

"Yay! We watch Nemo!"

"You're going to love it." They all grinned as Mike set up the TV, Rosalie wriggling around in excitement.

"Are you comfortable? You need more cushions?"

"Very comfortable mommy. Thank you." Rachel smiled at her precious little girl cuddled up to her three favourite boys.