Halcyon

Frosty Reception

Half an hour of conversation between the adults passes before the children come up for some refreshments. Jack heads over to Nikki who holds her arms out to take Maddison. "She loves the mirrors!" Jack smiles as he passes Maddison over. Poppy runs over to the pair and hugs Nikki's legs.
"What's that for?" Nikki questions.
"Best party ever!" poppy squeals before running back to the table and re-joining her friends.

"Your mum was looking for you." Nikki smiles sweetly as she bounces Maddison on her hip.
"Well she can keep looking, I don't want to talk to her," Jack replies bitterly. 

Nikki notices Conor arriving and nods in his direction to acknowledge his attendance. Jack greets his dad and poppy skips over to say hello. "Look how big you're are now!" Conor smiles as he looks around the room "Someone has been spoilt rotten." He laughs.
"Granddad, I have cake for later!" poppy exclaims happily. 

"No way! I might have to eat it all up!" Conor jokes causing poppy to laugh and shake her head. Josephine heads over to them and smiles at Conor. 

Jack looks at Nikki and rolls his eyes. "I'm going to the restroom." He says before heading off. "Jack!" Nikki sighs before turning to his mother. "I'm sorry about him, I'm sure he will come round." She apologizes. 

"Don't worry love, I just wanted to check that this little one is having a good birthday." She replies as she crouches down to Poppy's level. Poppy nervously hides behind Nikki's legs.
"Poppy, come on, you aren't shy, say hello to your grandma." Nikki laughs trying to coax her from her legs.
Poppy grips Nikki's legs tighter as she tries to bury her head in her mother's knees. Jack soon returns and is surprised Nikki and Conor are still talking to Josephine.

He re-joins the group and Maddison flings her arms out for her father, "She looks just like you did as a baby, only with brown eyes." Josephine smiles trying to communicate with her son. "Poppy is the image of her mother." She adds as poppy and her friends head back to the play area. 

Jack ignores his mother's remarks. "When are we doing the cake?" he asks Nikki.
"Jack, your mum was talking to you." She frowns.
"Erm, no Nikki, my mother is dead," Jack replies before walking away and getting a drink, still holding Maddison to his hip.

"I think ill head off, let you finish the party in peace," Josephine announces. "Once he has come round we'll arrange a family dinner maybe." She suggests as she watches Jack from the other side of the room. "That would be lovely, I'm so sorry he's being like this." Nikki sighs as she hugs Jack's mother as she leaves.

Nikki heads over to Jack and stands in front of him "I thought you were going to try and be nice?" she sighs taking Maddison from his arms and placing her on the floor so she can crawl around.
"I can't Nikki. Not today." Jack sighs. "I'm sorry, I just can't find it to forgive her." He adds watching his youngest daughter exploring the room.
"Well you need to, and fast because otherwise, your daughters are going to grow up wondering why you have a bad relationship with your mother, I will have her in the girls' lives Jack, they will know their grandparents love them," Nikki replies frostily as she walks over to Maddison and scoops her up off the floor, feeling dizzy and stumbling as she did.

"Nik" Jack gasps as she sits herself down on one of the chairs.
"I'm fine." She sighs rubbing her forehead.
"Baby number three making themselves known?" one of the children's mother asks with a light laugh.
"No, two is enough!" Nikki laughs back as she stands up and straightens her top. 

"Right Maddie lets go and find your big sister." She coos as she takes Maddison from Jack.
"Don't you think you should stay here if you're not feeling well Nikki?" Jack questions worried about his girlfriend.
"I'll be fine, its nothing, just moved too fast," Nikki assures as she heads down to the soft play area to find the older children.