Growing Old With You (Part of Those Three Little Words threequel)

Part 5

6th February 1998
Roger's POV
The kids had been begging to do something fun so I booked a trip to a little theme park that I thought they'd like, it had rollercoasters and all that and a teacup ride which I knew Tigs would love. For some reason she just loved to be spun around so I thought it would be perfect to take her there. I took Tigs, Rory, Ru, Em and Lou since the other two were pretty snowed under with homework and they were all buzzing to see where we were going.

I'd brought Debbie along with me as well since the kids loved her and she might be able to help me not lose them, they really were a wild bunch. You could tell they were my kids and I was proud of that.

We got there and the kids were all shouting and cheering so much that I couldn't hear the guy who was giving out the tickets but thankfully Deb quietened them down. I got the tickets and found a place to park then got out and put the little wristbands on each of them before I let them out of the car so I knew that all of them had one. Tigs still wasn't used to walking long distances so I carried her to the gate then put her down and held her hand, letting her walk between me and Debbie through the gates.

There was a bloke at the gate checking everyone had a wristband and the kids were proudly showing them off to him, making him smile and me laugh. They were a bunch of silly buggers but I loved them to death and I wouldn't change them for the world. We got in and Tigs was squealing and jumping about in excitement, "Papa! Papa! Cups!" she pointed over at the teacups and I looked at Deb, "I'll be back, its time to look the manliest I've ever looked" I laughed then let Tigs drag me over to the teacups.

We waited in the queue for a short while then I carried her onto the ride since her legs were too short to get up and let her pick a teacup. She picked a bright pink one so I put her in the seat and sat next to her, shutting the door, "you excited?" I asked and she nodded violently, almost falling out of her seat, and laughed, "yeah!" she put her arms up as the attendant came around and locked the doors.

Once everyone's doors were locked, the ride started up and Tigs started screaming with joy. I could see the rest of them watching me and Deb and Emily laughing because it must've looked like I was in there on my own and looking super depressed. Honestly, if I was seeing myself now then I'd probably laugh too. Tigs enjoyed it, though, she was screaming the whole time the ride was moving, and she wanted to go again but as soon as she saw the log flume, she didn't care about the teacups.

All of them wanted to go on the log flume so we decided that, since they were all the right age to go alone, Debbie and I would go with Ru and Tigs. We stood in the queue and waited with all the kids buzzing again and sorted out who was going together. Nobody wanted to go first so I said that me and the little ones would go first, mostly so we could get rid of the awful photo before any of them could see it and take the piss out of us.

We got to the front and I let Rufus go in the front with me behind him then Tigs behind me and Debbie right at the back. The car started moving and Rufus looked back at me, "will we get wet?" he asked and I shrugged, "I hope so, that's half the fun of it" I said and he laughed, turning back, as we turned a corner and went around a bit of a track before we got to the first drop.

It seemed to take an age as the car creaked up the incline and I heard Debbie mumbling behind me, "you are mad. Bloody mad. I can't believe you talked me into this" she said and I turned around, laughing, "cheer up! It's fine!" I

I held onto Ru as we got to the top and he was screaming as we hung for a few seconds before the drop. "Oh my god! Rog! Why did you make me do this?!" Debbie screamed as we hurtled down the hill and I just laughed at everyone screaming. We got to the bottom and I felt a smack on my back, "Roger! I can't believe you talked me into this!" She shouted and my heart started thumping in my chest for some reason.

It was just the way she was saying it... it reminded me so much of how Brian used to talk to me.

I shook that thought out of my head and tried to enjoy the rest of the ride but I just couldn't, it was in my head and all I could think about was him and what he did. I couldn't believe I let him do what he did, I should've stopped him sooner.

I didn't feel in the mood to go on anymore rides so I was just watching the kids and getting all the pictures that were taken, spending a good amount of money on them alone. They all had a great time and really wore themselves out, by the time our six hours had run out they were all knackered and I was thankful that almost all of them fell asleep on the car ride home.

We got home and I was carrying the little ones inside whilst Deb was getting them in their pyjamas and getting them into bed. Emily was the only one who actually walked into the house herself but she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I checked on Felix and Jim's rooms and saw that Jim was at Jess' house and Felix was zonked out with his head on his desk.

I just left him so I didn't wake him up, he'd been working so hard lately so I wanted him to have a rest. I went downstairs and Debbie was led out on the sofa with her shoes kicked off and her bra over the back of the sofa, "getting comfortable?" I asked and she laughed, "shut up, can't I get comfortable in my best friends house?" She asked and I chuckled, "yeah, get as comfortable as you like. Anything you want?"

"Ooh, got any biscuits?" She asked and I hummed then went out to the kitchen and got them, taking them in for her with a plate, "lovely, thank you" she smiled and opened the packet to start scoffing them down. I pinched a few here and there when she wasn't paying attention then sat down on the same sofa and let her put her head in my lap, "oh wow... now I know why you always sat like this, it's so comfy"

"Please don't" I mumbled and she looked at me, frowning, "what's wrong? You've been so... in your own world today" she put her hand up and stroked my cheek, "what's the problem, Rog?"

I sighed and started playing with her hair and looking over the pictures of the kids, "I've been thinking a lot about Brian... he's just been on my mind the whole day because he should be here" I felt my eyes starting to water as I looked at my kids, they didn't deserve this at all. "D'you know why he left?" She asked and I shook my head, "no, he just said he didn't want to be with me anymore and now he's asked for a divorce"

She sat up and took the pictures from me, setting them down on the table, then pulled me into her and stroked the back of my head, "I know you're confused, Rog, I've been through it... you just need to realise that Brian isn't your priority. Yourself and your kids come first and you can't let him ruin a good day out" she explained and I nodded into her shoulder and just let my tears come out.

I was so lucky to have a best friend like her, I knew she'd be there for me and she never thought I was strange. Even after I'd stopped crying, she got my shades for me to let my eyes relax and put the radio on which I appreciated so much, I needed something to distract me and it was so nice that she thought I'd like that.

I loved it and the whole thing was starting to confuse me because I wasn't just loving getting to talk to someone but... I think I loved her.