Chapter Twenty Six – Serena
“This... this is your Mom?” I sit up straighter in the bed, or as much as I can manage with my baby in my arms. “Here? Now?” I don’t want to be rude, but this is a massive shock.
“I’m sorry, I know you probably don’t want me here right now, but you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment. I want to meet my grand children, is that okay?”
I glance at Ben who’s got a bright smile on his face. I guess this is his mother. “Do you want to hold little Rose here?” I ask while extending my arms to her. “I could use a little moment to collect myself anyway.”
“My name is Iris, by the way.” She takes Rose from me and hugs her to her chest, breathing in my daughter’s youthful smell. “It’s lovely to meet you, Serena. I’m sorry it’s taken so long. I kept asking Ben to introduce us so I could help you through the pregnancy but he wouldn’t. He kept saying that you both were fallen out, his fault I assume.”
I can’t help but laugh at her, she’s a wonderful woman. Already she seems so caring, so trusting, so loving of her son. I can already see that she would do anything for him, even if she didn’t like his actions... nothing like my judgemental parents. They were sickened by my choices, they hated every moment of me being there as a disappointment. It wouldn’t surprise me if they never came to see my babies.
But my baby brother has been my rock.
“Do you two mind standing close together so I can get a picture for my brother? He really wants to see the babies?”
They do as I ask and I grab my phone. Once the picture is taken I caption it with who it is and send it off to him. Moments later I get a reply.
‘Yay! So the asshole finally came to his senses and he’s there. His Mom looks nice too. I’ll come up and visit soon, I promise. Love you, E xxx’
I smile at his words, glad to finally have some good news for him. It’s been difficult up until now and he knows that much well. Now he can see that finally things are coming together and that maybe things might work out between me and Ben. And not just for the babies, but for me and Ben too.
‘I love you, Ethan. Thank you xxx’
“So Rose and Brandon, they are both such lovely names. How did you come up with them?”
“We did it together.” I smile at Ben, feeling all the emotions washing over me again. “I chose Brandon and Ben chose Rose.”
Iris looks between us as if she’s trying to work out what’s going on between us now, which is something I’m currently trying to figure out myself. Ben is offering me everything, the whole world, again it feels like I’m on a movie set and that my fairy tale is finally coming true, but if I do this, I need to do so in a much more cautious way. I need to be smart, wise, this isn’t just about me anymore. I have two children that are depending on me for everything.
“Well, I just have to say that I’m very glad to see you both in the same room again. I’m sure it’s been a very long time.” Iris looks at me gratefully. “I know it must have taken a lot for you to call Ben when you went into labour after everything that you’ve been through, so it’s very nice that you did this.”
“Was it you who text me once?” I feel compelled to ask. “If so then I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you, I just...”
“I know, you needed time.”
“Wait.” Ben spins his gaze between us both. “Wait a minute, you text Serena?”
“From your cell phone, yes, in a moment of desperation.” Iris looks like she actually feels guilty which is silly. “I could see how hard you were working to improve yourself and I just wanted to help... I can see now that I didn’t, but I had to try.”
Rose starts fussing in Iris’s arms, which tugs at my heart strings. “I think she might need feeding,” I insist with my arms held out to grab her again. “Do you mind?”
“Oh no, I want a hug with Brandon too. Do you mind if I walk him up and down the hallways a bit? I know babies like the lights on the ceiling.”
“Of course not. That will be lovely.” Me and Ben need a moment together anyway if we’re going to decide what to do next. He asked me a question that I never got to answer and I really think it’s time that I do so. “Thank you.”
I struggle for a moment to get Rose latched on, but soon enough she just about manages it. I watch her suck for a while with happy tears shining in my eyes, before I look up to address Ben once more.
“So, you asked me a question earlier.” His back straightens, I can see him brace for whatever is about to come next. I almost want to laugh at how comical he looks. “And I didn’t get to answer it because your Mom came in.”
“Yeah, I am sorry about that,” he interrupts. “I honestly didn’t know she was going to come. I probably shouldn’t have messaged her, if I thought for one second...”
“No, trust me, it’s nice that she came. When I told my parents about the baby they went mad.” When Ben gives me a look I feel the need to explain. “Oh, I come from one of those towns that no one ever leaves and everyone gets married before they even think about getting pregnant.”
“Urgh.” Ben rolls his eyes in a mocking way. “That sounds awful. But if the picture wasn’t for your parents, then who was it for?”
“My brother, Ethan.” I smile again. “He’s been great. He should be leaving the town soon so if he comes anywhere near here I’ll get to see him more.”
“That sounds awesome.”
A thick silence clings to the air for a moment, reminding me that I started this conversation for a reason. I have something that I need to say and I think it’s time to say it. “So, about the whole moving in thing...” Ben’s eyes widen expectantly. “I think I would like to give it a try.”
“Oh my God!” he exclaims, maybe a bit too loudly. He disturbs Rose and she gets a little fussy. Luckily it doesn’t take long to get her resettled. “Oh my God,” he says again only a lot quieter. “Are you serious? You’re really willing to give this a try?”
“I am,” I confirm feeling happy and confident about my decision. “I really am. I mean, we’ll have to discuss things at some point to work out how this will work exactly, but yeah I think we should give it a go. Don’t you? I mean, our children definitely deserve for us to give it a try.”
“Yeah,” he grins at me. “I think you’re right, and of course. We do need to ensure that we’re both on the same page, and I promise I’ll be better this time.”
“How are things with your business?” I ask curiously. “Just in case that comes up again.”
“Oh, well I’ve scaled back and I now have some awesome staff to delegate too. I can see now that the company doesn’t need me, it just needs some solid management. That’s something that Mom made me see.”
Thank goodness. I don’t think I could be with someone who works all the time. I didn’t really see it last time I was with Ben because he kept avoiding work for me, but once I got out and I saw how much he gave of himself to it, I knew. It’s good that he has ambition and that makes something of himself, but giving his company everything isn’t any good for me. Especially not now.
“Good, well I’m glad to hear that you have more of a balance now. That’s awesome. You must be really happy.”
“I will be.” He leans across and kisses me on the forehead. “When you guys are with me.”
Knock, knock,
“Hmm, I wonder who that is,” Ben says questioningly. “Mom wouldn’t knock again. Not now.”
“Come in!” I call.
The door swings open and Jenny is on the other side looking weary as al hell. “I’m so sorry,” she croaks. “I fell asleep in the waiting room. Have the babies been born yet?” She opens her eyes wider and shock fills her face. “Oh my God, you’ve only got one, what happened to the other one?”
“My mom is here and she has him.” Ben smiles and takes Rose from me. “I better go and find her actually, and Rose probably needs a walk too.”
“Can you find her?” I ask as he walks towards the door. “Thank you.”
Me and Jenny smile at each other as Ben goes, tactfully leaving us alone to have a much needed conversation. If I’m going to move out then she really needs to know. It’s only right that I’m honest with her.
“So, you gave birth,” she says happily. “That must have been...”
“Well, it wasn’t fun,” I confess. “I can tell you that much, but it’s over now.”
Jenny sits by my bed and she takes my hands. “So what happens now? I know we haven’t discussed it much, but have you thought about it? It won’t be easy in our apartment with two babies.”
“I know, and I hope you don’t mind, but I really don’t think it’s possible.” My face flames, I feel terrible. “I think it might be best if I move out.”
“Where will you go?”
“Well, Ben just asked me to move back in with him...”
“Oh thank goodness.” Jenny’s head falls forward with relief. “I mean, I would have helped you, you know that much, but I don’t know if our friendship would have survived it. This isn’t just one crying, pooping baby, this is two. That’s too much to ask of anyone. I’m not a saint!”
Thank goodness. I’m so happy she isn’t upset that I’m moving out. The last thing I want is to lose Jenny right now. She’s been such an awesome friend to me, I don’t know what I’d do without her.
“So you aren’t mad?”
“Mad? Pfft no. With these music video gigs and I can easily afford the place on my own and I think you and the babies both need Ben as well.”
“Yeah, I think you might be right about that one.” I smile to myself. “It seems that he really is different now. I think he might actually have changed.”
“Well that’s good, but I will keep your room open just in case. I don’t want you to stay with him just because you don’t have any other options, okay?”
“Thank you, Jenny.”
“And if it helps, I’ll help Ben move your stuff out of ours and into his before you get out of the hospital, make sure you have nothing to do.”
To stop myself from weeping with emotion, I make a joke. “You mean apart from looking after two adorable babies that is.”
“Oh yeah, there is that.” She pats me playfully on the arm and she raises her eyebrows. “Good luck with that by the way.”
“Thanks... I think I’m going to need it.”
I’m scared, but happy too. The happiest I’ve ever been. It isn’t a traditional family, like my parents would like for me, but it’s mine, and I feel so very lucky. It might not be the way anyone else has it, but I really do have it all. Finally, I have it made.