Jess woke up with a lurch in her stomach. Though she quickly realised that it was Saturday and all of the mock exams had finished. The tightness she had originally felt passed away and she settled back down into her duvet. She looked down at her stomach and couldn't help but smiling. At seventeen weeks her bump was becoming more round. It made Jess feel as though she was starting to look pregnant instead of a bit fat. She ran her hands down and rubbed them in circular motions over her bump in the same way her bump did to calm her down. She lay there thinking about when her baby was born...she knew that her Mum and Rob were going to be there, but it didn't stop her being scared about it. She wanted to be the best Mum she could, and the breakdown of her relationship with her Dad seemed to have made her even more determined to make the most of her baby. She never wanted them to feel the same way about her that she felt about Charlie. Eventually she settled down and feel back to sleep with her hands still resting protectively over her bump.
...
Rob pulled the car up outside the house. He saw Karen pull her car up behind him. The kids were split up between the cars. Slowly they all got out and stood looking at the house behind the for sale sign. The newly built detached house sat separate from the other houses on the site. The brick work was new and the windows still white. Rob turned his head and looked at Karen. "Let's do this then." He reached out and took her hand and they all walked towards the estate agent standing in front of the door.
"Hi I'm Martin." The bored looking man held out his hand and shook Rob's. He then turned and opened the door. "The house layout is quite simple." Rob nodded and led Karen through the door after him.
Harry and Aiden went next. They had been in the car with Rob on the way over and had been discussing the latest film they were planning on seeing at the cinema. Despite Aiden being a couple of years older the boys were getting on better than either would have expected. Harry knew that Aiden cared about Jess and that was important. Along with that Harry had an older brother for the first time and he was able to discuss things with him that he could never have spoken to his parents about. Aiden was happy giving Harry advice, he could remember quite clearly what is had been like plucking up the courage to ask out girls.
Watching Aiden and Harry walk into the house Jess hung back. Looking at the house in front of her had made her realise what a huge thing was being done for her.
"Well all want this you know Jess...even if you weren't having a baby we would have needed a bigger house with Rob and Aiden." Bex walked over to her younger sister and slipped an arm through hers.
Jess nodded. "Maybe...it just feels like I've forced everything. I dunno..." She shrugged and looked at Bex. "It just suddenly feels more real." She smiled at her older sister.
Bex nodded. "Mmm I guess." She looked down towards Jess' bump. "I know I haven't been great Jess...I just needed to get my head round you being pregnant...and then everything with Dad and Maria, and then Chris." It had been quite clear that the relationship between Bex and Jess had been strained for the past months. While before they had been almost inseperable Bex had been keeping her distance.
"I don't blame you...everything involving me seems to be a mess." Jess wiped a tear away. While everything was so much better there was still so much to think about and sort out, the custody hearing had only just started. "I never wanted you not to see Dad Bex...not because of me."
Bex shook her head. "Whatever me and Harry have decided is nothing to do with you...well maybe slightly, but Dad made his decision to stand by Maria, and we're making ours to stand by you." She pulled Jess towards her for a hug. "I love you Jess...and I can't wait to be an auntie." When they pulled apart she put two hands around Jess' stomach. "Trust you to have a perfect bump." She smiled as she ran her hands over it.
Jess laughed. "I don't think you'll be saying that in a couple of months when I'm waddling round Rochdale." She looked at her sister and felt a sense of relief flow over her. She wasn't sure that she would have coped if she had lost Bex that would have been too much.
"Come on then...lets go and have a look." She linked arms with Jess again and the two girls walked into the house.
...
"It almost seems too perfect Rob." Karen stood by the window in the master bedroom looking out at the surrounding area. The development had been placed so the backs of the houses overlooked areas that weren't built on.
Rob walked behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. "Maybe we deserved something to go right?" He gently kissed her neck before turning her round to face him. "You do want this Karen?" He looked into her eyes trying to read how she was feeling. There was nothing he wanted more than to make her happy, he just needed to make sure that this was her decision as well.
Karen reached up a hand to stroke the side of his face. "You don't need to question me Rob...I love you." She lent towards him and kissed him gently. His arms moved up her back and pulled her closer. "I'm not sure there's anything I've wanted more."
Rob felt himself sniff as a single tear rolled down his face. Karen noticed and pulled back to look at him. "What's wrong?" She wiped the tear away with her thumb.
"I can't believe that I've got you...and whenever I've been this happy, or even close to this happy before..." He broke off.
Karen understood. "I'm not going anywhere. We're not going anywhere. I love you Rob Scotcher more that I have ever loved anyone. My kids think you're great and Jess loves you like you were her own father." She kissed him again. "You're my soulmate, my lover and my best friend. I could never ask for anything else."
Rob looked at her before suddenly picking her up and spinning her round. "Let's buy it Karen...it's got the right number of rooms. I heard Jess picking out the best room for the nursery. It feels like this is meant to be our house." He put her down before kissing her again as she nodded at him.
"Yes..." She smiled at him again. "Say it again Rob."
"What?"
"Say that it's going to be our house." She smiled as she said the words. The realisation of the next step of their journey making her grin.
"This is going be our house Karen. You me and the kids, and in a couple of months time Jess' baby...all in our house." He kissed her again and spun her around as it felt that everything was falling into place.
