Forked Roads Back

38 - TESSA

WHEN WE ARRIVE, WHICH isn't too late thanks to Jamie convincing me we didn't need to stop, a crying Ellie is thrust straight into my arms.

I sit with her in the corner of the room as the adults talk, playing with her, wiping the drool off her chin every now and again, booping her cute little button nose and marvelling at how awesome she is already at only five months.

Even though she's still so tiny, she's such an amazing little human already, and she's so lucky to have Mum and Mark, who are literally smitten with her. Every few minutes or so, I notice their eyes flitting in our direction, keeping an eye, constantly looking at her, not able to keep their eyes off her.

After an hour or so, she falls asleep in my arms, so I follow Mark upstairs to put her down for the night, leaving Mum and Jamie talking about photography.

Her thumb is in her mouth, her other hand covering her eyes, her tufty blonde hair sticking up in all directions after smoothing her head against my arm for the last hour. I put her down gently and she yawns but her eyes remain shut as she snuffles once.

"I know I keep saying this, but I love her. I love her more than anything."

Mark chuckles as he puts his arm around my shoulders, both watching her sleep. He doesn't say anything, but he knows what I mean. His eyes are full of love, absolutely brimming with it as we watch her breathe, her little mouth forming a tiny O.

"I could watch her all day," he whispers, but then moves towards the door after grabbing the baby monitor from the side.

"So good to have you home kid," Mum says as I hug her before settling down next to Jamie. He kisses the side of my head and takes my hand, running his thumb along my knuckles.

"So good to be home. I can't wait to do absolutely nothing all summer," I laugh.

This year had been busier than I expected. Being with Jamie and having a healthy social life compared to last year has actually left me kind of exhausted, but a good kind of exhausted. But I was looking forward to the next eight weeks of me being at home, seeing friends from home, relaxing and recuperating before a busy term year next year.

"Do you actually plan to do nothing?" Mum laughs.

"Might do some things, but nothing major. I think there's a trip to Thorpe Park or Alton Towers planned with the gang, and then me and this one are up in Scotland for two weeks in August climbing some hills," I poke Jamie in his side gently and he smiles.

"Yeah, part of me is regretting booking in for this internship. Whilst you're off enjoying yourself, I'll be elbow deep in spreadsheets, no doubt." He groans as we both sink lower into Mum's marshmallow-like sofa. "But at least we have those two weeks."

I nod back enthusiastically. We were flying up to his rather than driving, and we had fourteen Munros planned for fourteen days and I was excited. The plan was to do it all with Ellis and Sophie, but for obvious reasons it would mostly be us two.

"Our legs are going to be dead by the end," I laugh. It had been part of the reason why we'd decided to fly instead of drive. "Hey, did Dad tell you when he's getting here?" I ask.

"Soon, I think. In fact..." We all see a pair of headlights pulling down their drive and I jump up and run towards the front door.

I open it and Millie screams and sprints towards me whilst Greg follows with a large Tupperware box. She slams into me, almost sending me flying, and tears prick my eyes at how amazing it is to see her. It had been way too long. February was too long ago, and a weekend was nowhere near enough time. And Greg! I hadn't seen Greg since last summer, and when I had seen him, he was never stopping.

"Tess, you look amazing! See this is what happens when I don't see you." She looks me up and down.

"Me? What about you? Mils, your hair looks amazing. I see you finally went for the side shave."

She scratches at it, unable to take a compliment, same as me. Millie has the most amazing brown, curly hair, that works in any style she tries, but her edgy and cool personality is now echoed in her edgy and awesomely cool hair cut. Millie could be a model without even trying.

"And what about me?" Dad says, rolling in a bag.

"Hi Dad!" I say as he puts his arms around me, enveloping me in the greatest hug ever. I have missed Dad's hugs. I'm sure every person feels the same when they get a hug from their dad. I hug him and I'm home. He smells like home.

"Oi, stop those tears." He tells me off as we step further inside. "You'll set me off."

I laugh as I close the door behind him before we all have a group reunion, catching up before we all order the food we'd come here for.

"Tony's, I assume?" Mum says and we all nod, as Tony's does the best pizzas around.

***

ALL FULL FROM DINNER, after a movie with Greg and Millie, Jamie and I settle in our room.

"Your mum is awesome. How come we haven't been here more often?" Jamie asks. They'd been talking photography all night, so no doubt he'd be snapping away when we were in Scotland.

"Yeah she's pretty great, as far as mums go. She's coming down to Dad's next week so we can have a proper catch up. Ellie has her check-up."

"That'll be nice. Girl time. Why don't you take her down to Bath? Have a proper girlie weekend. Leave Ellie with Mark for the weekend..."

"I'll certainly try," I laugh. "But Ellie may have to come, because of me more than Mum or Mark. She is too cute, you should have seen her sleeping, oh my god."

After I brush my teeth and get into my pyjamas, I join him in bed, pulling myself as close to him as I can, resting my cheek on his chest.

"I was watching you with her, though. You're great with her."

I had been making stupid faces the entire time to try and elicit a giggle from, because her baby giggles are the most beautiful sounds in the world. I hadn't realised he'd been watching me do it.

"Really?"

He looks down at me weirdly, giving him a double chin, but his face is covered in a smile.

"Yeah, she loves you. Even at six months you can tell."

I lean up to kiss his jaw before kissing his lips, moving to straddle him under the covers, grinding forward against him.

"Tess," he mumbles through my kiss, making no move to stop me from grinding again. "Tess, your parents are like right next door."

I kiss and nibble at his ear as he grips the skin at my hips.

"I can be quiet," I whisper before peppering kisses across his chest, gradually moving them back up to his lips.

And apparently that's all he needed, because the next thing I know, he's kissing me passionately, pushing me over that edge again, same as last night.

"I love you, Tess," he whispers in my ear as he falls asleep and I smile, finally feeling wholly loved in his arms as sleep takes me too.