Third In Line

Chapter Nineteen - Unpacking

The battered old door to their bedroom creaked as she gently pushed it open, but the sound wasn't new to her at all. Kate had claimed the room the first time they visited her parents new house, and had stayed in the very same room for every single visit up until now. They loved the large windows that almost stretched across the whole room, giving them a lovely view of the farmland and forests that surrounded the home. They loved the queen size bed that seemed to get more comfortable with age, and the cupboards that somehow held all of her favourite clothes but still had space for more.

But most of all, the one thing they loved about the room more than anything else, was staying in it together.

Her husband lay on the bed, his head propped up with pillows as he browsed one of the newspapers that they'd brought with them. Their multiple suitcases were still half unpacked and dotted around the room, but Will didn't seem to notice them when Kate came in, and apparently hadn't noticed them in the last half hour as well.

"Willy..." she announced his name as she closed the door behind her.

Her husband's eyes blinked a few times before he raised his glance from the newspaper to her, "Oh, hey honey. I was just-"

"Just unpacking the suitcases, were you?" she interrupted him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Suitcases?" he asked, and she nodded insistently back at him. "I asked you to get us unpacked"

Will folded up his paper and swung himself off the bed, "I know... I'm sorry dear, I just got distracted" he picked up two suitcases and moved towards the cupboards, giving her a light peck on the cheek as he passed her.

Kate playfully patted his bum in return as she went to pick up her own suitcase from the bed, casually glancing at the newspaper that Will had left behind. "Interesting article?" she asked.

"No darling, it's silly really" Will's voice echoed from around the corner as he stored things away in the bathroom.

"Well what is it?" her curiosity peaked, she abandoned the stuck zipper of her suitcase and picked up the newspaper instead. When she flipped it open, Ellie and Alex's photos were plastered over the front page, along with a selection of photos of other celebrities. "It's about the girls"

"The Daily Mail is already playing matchmaker" Will poked his head through the open door to the bathroom, a sarcastic grin on his face, "We should start planning a double wedding, Kate"

Her eyes scanned through the list of boys that the paper had matched up with her daughters, "Oh, so many handsome bachelors" she said, her voice filled with fake adoration as she gazed at the pictures.

Will's voice turned serious when he heard her, "You know I was joking right?" he asked has he sat back down on the bed next to her.

"I know. I was joking too" she grinned at him and gently patted his leg before gazing at the paper again. "Since when do you read the Mail?"

"Since I asked the staff to keep track of any stories about the family, including the latest pretty boys being lined up to marry my daughters" he wrapped his arm around her and leaned closer, inspecting the paper once again. "It might be fun to ask them if they like any of these boys"

"You think they're old enough to like boys?" she asked. She was disgusted by boys at that age, but Ellie and Alex were more mature than most girls their age. At least most of the time they were.

"Of course not" he said, calming her with his soft and gentle touch, "I dislike this as much as you do, trust me"

She scanned through the list of boys that were odds on favourites to marry the girls, already knowing that not one of them would ever be putting a ring on either of her daughter's fingers. The names were all familiar, sons of celebrities and millionaires, but none of them were ever likely to meet the girls in person.