The Own Goal ✔️

Part 99

Kiera and Josh are heading home today, Kevin is getting ready to take them to the airport when he takes a call from Karen, after the initial daily Jack update his face displays several expressions ranging from confusion to concern, he quickly ducks outside.

Jack is about to say something when Mia throws herself at him "I'm going with grandad!!!" He catches her, resting her on his hip.
"Moo ya've gotta stop doin' that" she's increasingly often running at him full pelt and jumping for him to catch her, he doesn't realise it's his fault she does it.

"Tell daddy why you run and jump to him Mia moo" I coax her

"It's what you an' ya friends do when you getta goal!"

He groans  "yeah course, but moo, daddy still isn't very well an' I'm worried I'll not catch ya baby"

She laughs "dont be silly! Of course you will catch me!"
She runs her hands through his hobo beard "I like your soft beard, it's very beautiful"

We both hold our laughs in "thank you moo-moo" he kisses her.

Kevin walks back in and immediately Mia kicks to be put down. "I'm ready grandad!!"
His face falls.

"Dad?" Jack sees it in his face immediately that something has happened "dad is everyone ok?"

"Yeah, your mom's broken her wrist, she's ok. Silly cow did it last night, fell over the dog, she's been up all night in pain hoping it would magically get better!" He rubs his face, in the same way all of his children do when they are anxious.
"She's at the hospital now with Kevan, she's had the x-ray just waiting to get seen"

"Oh shit, is Hollie ok?" Jack's voice is full of worry. Funny how he immediately goes into panic mode when he's not really fully understood why we've all been so worried about him!

"Yeah she'll be at college, I'm going to have to stay home though.....you know what she's like, even with Kiera back home and Kevan round the corner......"

"Yeah nah course"

"Will you two be ok?" He looks at me

"Yeah of course"

"Shall I take the girls back? Or at least Mia?"

"Kev I'm sure we'll be fine, hopefully we'll be back ourselves in a few days. Ed is still coming in daily and I'm sure if anything happens his wife would help with the girls?"

"Yeah o'course she would" Jack adds, "but I'm feelin' loads betta now anyway"

Kevin isn't convinced "I don't know, you felt ill yesterday after just a short walk, what if you slip by the pool and bang your head?"

Jack smiles "dad that's the kinda thing ya've been tellin' me since I was little an' no ones cracked their head open at a pool yet"

"Yeah been telling ya not to run into roads since you were a toddler too, that obviously hadn't sunk in"

"Fair point" Jack scrunches his face in amusement  "but look, if anythin' did happen it's not like I don' know people on the island, half the premier league not on international break are here"

Kevin looks pleased with Jack's answer "well, let's just hope if you need them you remember their names!"

"Oh yeah, ha ha!"

"Mammy wots happening? I want to see the plane?"

We explain to Mia that now this is just a special holiday for the four of us.

-

Later, after lunch Jack and Mia go back to the pool while I settle Esme for her nap. I hear them giggling away together.
I hope he has the same bond with Esme as she grows. I confided in Karen when I was trying to deal with my feelings that I didn't think Jack could possibly love another child as much as Mia. She'd laughed and asked me if I thought any of her children where loved less or more than another.
I'd thought hard, and just come to the conclusion that no they wheren't, but it was maybe different. Each of her children had different needs and hobbies and expectations, and they were all fulfilled.