Love's Not A Competion

The Voice

A.N. This is the second to last chapter. It had to end some time but it's been fun! Thank you all for the love and kind comments about my writing. Stay awesome!
Charlie x
...

We arranged to meet my mum half way on the drive to my parents house on the Friday before the first live show of The Voice. I would meet her at a service station car park with the babies, we'd transfer their stuff and then she 'd take them for their first weekend without us at Nana and Granddad Swan's. Me and mum agreed years ago that when I had children they weren't going to call her Grandma Swan because we would both associated the name with dad's rude mother who had never liked either of us.

The baby relay went to plan and I covered them in kisses before we parted. After the initial relief of having some peace I realised how much I missed them. By the time I got home I was crying. I sat with purring Tibby on the sofa in silence until Ricky came home.

"What's that sound?" he asked as he strode in and kicked his shoes off.

"This?" I asked, pointing to the purring cat.

"No, the silence is almost deafening." he sighed.

"Don't get used to it. It's over rated." I told him. "I cried when I realised how much I miss them."

"Oh darling!" he said and gave me a hug.

The next morning we went to Elstree studios to get ready for the live show. I wolf whistled at Ricky when he was shaking his bum at me from the stage in rehearsals.

"No babies today?" Emma asked.

"No, they're at my mum and dad's for the weekend. She said they had her up during the night a few times and dad slept straight through and missed everything. He got up this morning and said "they had a peaceful night!" to which mum gave him a hell of a shouting. He really has no idea!" I replied.

"He must sleep like a coma!" she laughed. "How much did you miss them?"

"So much! I had a little cry!" I admitted.

That night after the show we went out for a drink with the other coaches and contestants. I wore a velvet dress which everyone said they loved to hug. Of course there was one pair of hands that could stay off me. Those hands often found their way to my bottom.

"Rick! Get your hand off my bum!" I hissed at him for about the tenth time. "We're in public!"

"I'd like to take you somewhere private!" he slurred.

"You're so handsy when you're drunk." I sighed.

"I'm not that drunk!" he protested, his giggling and wandering hands said otherwise. "I just can't keep my hands off my sexy missus! Look at you!"

"Thanks! Tell me that when you're not tipsy though." I smiled and patted his chest.

When he'd sobered up a bit after a few glasses of water I was more welcoming of his advances.

"Shall we go home?" I asked.

"Yes please!" he grinned.

"Get your coat, you've pulled!" I teased.

"Yes!" he laughed. "Come on, we're going home!"

He gave me long enough to get my coat and bag and say goodbye to a few people then grabbed my hand and tried to pull me away.

"Sorry Will but I need to take my girl home and take advantage of a child free house." he said abruptly interrupting a hug.

"You're so dope dude!" Will laughed.

"I have no idea what that means." I shrugged as Ricky gave my hand another urgent tug.

During the taxi ride we hardly came up for air. By the time we got home I'd undone most of Rick's shirt buttons and suspected he was about to reach up my dress to pull my knickers off.

"When did you get so cheeky?" I asked as we thumbled our way into the dark house. "I thought I was supposed to be the one with the crazy hormones!"

I staggered around blindly in the dark for a light switch.

"Leave the lights. I'm not waiting much longer!" he sighed and headed through the house by feeling his way along the walls.

Once I found a light switch I followed him through to the sitting room and flicked lights on. He'd found the sofa and was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

"You're funny." I smiled as I sat down next to him. "And oh so handsome."

"Thanks. I do my best!" he grinned.

Although I liked the peace of not having two screaming babies I missed them. I was relieved when Ricky drove us to my parents house on Sunday afternoon. He was doing a good job of playing it cool but I knew he was looking forward to seeing the kids too. When mum opened the door to us with Georgianna in her arms his face lit up.

"There's my girl!" he grinned. "I've missed you so much! I hope you've been good."

"She's a little darling." Mum smiled and handed her over to him. "We were about to have playtime. You're just in time!"

"Playtime!" he cooed to his little girl and bounced her around.

I watched him rolling around on the floor with both babies as they played. He finally had somewhere to channel all his energy when he wasn't on stage. He had just the right amount of silliness to make him the perfect playmate for two excited children. His latest way to exhaust them was to lie on his back and "fly" one of them around above him. Sometimes this involved throwing a baby in the air a little bit and catching it. It terrified me that he'd drop them one day.

"He's going to be sick on you one day." Mum said as we watched him flying Hector around.

"Nah! He's fine!" he dismissed.

Of course less than ten minuets later what should happen? Baby vomit down his neck and the front of his tshirt. I couldn't help laughing at his horror. Well, he'd been warned and didn't listen!