His Heart

Chapter fourteen: Lizzie

I ran into the school.

"Sorry, sorry." I said, as the kids ran up to me, pulling them all into a hug. "I had a car problem. How was school?"

The kids all started chatting at once as I counted heads and they filed into the car one by one, pulling out art projects and homework. I checked everyone was strapped in before pulling out the parking lot.

Lucy bounced in her seat next to me, excitedly.

"We're having a sleepover!" She said, turning to me.

"Yeah. Daddy dropped your bags off this morning. They have your clothes and toothbrushes in. I think he packed some toys and treats as well." I smiled.

The girls cheered and my boys giggled. I looked in the rearview mirror to see Luke cuddling Sophie, while Liam and Grace played a clapping game.

"We can go to the park when we get home." I added. "We just need to drop your bags off and I need to check the fridge to see what we have for tea. We may need to go to the shops."

The kids weren't listening and I chuckled to myself.

"Mummy, can we watch a movie this evening?" Luke asked.

"Of course we can. When we get home from the park, I was thinking we could have a picnic tea and play in the garden for a while. Then we can have a late night tonight and watch a couple of movies, what do you think?"

The kids nodded and I smiled.

"When is Daddy picking us up?" Liam asked.

"Tomorrow morning." I told him. "I'm going to pack your bags tonight whilst you watch a movie."

"What will Gracie, Sophie and Lucy do?" He asked.

"I'm going to look after them until Uncle Archer comes to pick them up in the afternoon." I said. "I'm going to take them shopping in the morning and we can do a craft activity or something."

"Ooh." The girls said, Lucy still bouncing up and down in her seat.

I pulled up in the drive and opened the doors for the kids to tumble out. They ran into the house and threw their bags onto the ground, spinning around in a giddy circle whilst I checked the fridge.

"I have cheesy pasta, sausages, chicken curry or spaghetti bolognese." I told them. "What do you want?"

The kids all shouted answers at once and I held up a hand.

"Let me write them down." I said. "And you can tick next to your choice."

I got a piece of paper and wrote down the options before leaving it on the table for the children to decide.

Liam handed me the paper and I looked down at the options. Sausages and cheesy pasta. I could work with that.

I got the children a snack and a drink and watched them as they chattered happily.

"Who wants to go to the park?" I asked.

All the kids raised their hands and I grinned.

"Go and get changed then."

The kids ran upstairs and I could hear them laughing and chattering as they got changed whilst I got the ingredients out for dinner and left them on the side.

I looked at the kids who stood in a cluster at my feet.

"Ready?" I asked. "Come on then."

I took Luke and Lucy's hands and the others walked in front of us, holding hands. I smiled as I watched Liam in the middle, skipping happily, talking to the girls at a mile a minute. He was such a ladies man. He would be breaking hearts by the time he was in his teens.