The Original Taylor Daughter

Baby Boom

March 1991

Felix and Rory came over to stay for the weekend for a very special meeting, Alice is currently looking after them while Roger has gone to pick up Debbie and their new baby brother from the hospital.

With Felix in his room and Rory playing on the climbing frame in the garden, Alice washes up the dishes from lunch watching her sister from the window. It's while she's looking out the window that she catches a glimpse of her own reflection in the glass.

Lately, she's refrained from looking in the mirror because she doesn't like what she sees. Until the new year, Alice's cancer diagnosis hadn't affected her looks, just her lungs and she was grateful for that, but in January that started to change.

Her appetite is depleting, her skin is grey, no pink liveliness to it. Her once bright blue eyes are now dull and tired. Week by week her body seems to lose weight no matter how much she tries to eat and her hair has become thin.

She's a shell of her former self, the end of July hits the 22-month mark and September is the 24-month mark. Everyone is aware that Alice's time is rapidly running out and to add to it, Freddie is deteriorating at a similar rate too.

The sound of a car pulling up outside pulls Alice from her thoughts, drying her hands with the tea towel she pecks out the window by the front door and seeing her dad getting out of the car.

"Felix! Come down please, they're here," She shouts heading for the back door, "Rory! Come inside, Dad and Debbie are home."

Rory leaps off the climbing frame running inside and Felix's footsteps pound down the stairs. Alice stops them both, "Now remember, don't be too rough or loud around our baby brother, he's very little. We don't want to scare him, hurt him or wake him if he's sleeping."

It's times like this when she's giving her brother and sister warnings or guidance that she wonders what she would have been like as a mum.

Roger holds the door open for Debbie, she puts the baby carrier on the coffee table and lifts her son out.

Debbie sits on the sofa and Rory and Felix join her, "Guys, this is your new brother, Rufus."

"He's so little," Rory stares in awe holding her finger close to Rufus' hand and he grabs hold, "Can I hold him?"

"Your too little," Felix tells her before anyone else can speak.

"Doesn't mean she can't hold him," Debbie assures the two, "Rory, sit with Felix," She does as she's told sitting between Felix's legs, "Hold your arms in a cradle position and Felix, do the same but supporting Rory's arms."

As they do that, Debbie lowers Rufus into Rory's arms but Felix takes most of the weight, it makes for the cutest of photos so Alice quickly grabs her camera.

"You should be in that photo," Roger nudges her shoulder, "All my children together. Go on," He takes the camera, pointing her to the sofa. She sits beside them wrapping her arms around Felix and Rory to support Rufus.

Once Roger takes the photo, Alice wants a turn, "Right, my turn," She takes her baby brother from Rory and cradles him with ease. Rory and Felix sit on either side of her and Roger snaps another photo.

"What's his full name?" Alice asks remembering the suggestion Freddie had made when Roger brought up baby names on their last visit.

"Rufus Tiger Taylor," Roger grins.

"You took uncle Freddie's suggestion then."

"Tiger is a good name."

------