Among the Stars ✔️ [Completed] [book three]

Chapter 43

Glancing at my watch, I realise that I have been sat at my laptop for the last five hours. "OK, Mommy is done for the day." I say to my babies while I lovingly rub my stomach. "Let's get a drink." Standing up, I clutch my lower back to stretch out the cramped muscles, sighing with relief.

Before I step away from the laptop for the day, I make sure to send the latest media designs to Harrison. I cannot keep the grin off my face when I click the send button, knowing that Harrison will love it. Almost done, I internally congratulate myself.

Once I've made a cup of tea, my phone begins to ring. I see Caroline's name on the screen. My heart pounds wondering whether she is in labour or if there is a problem. "Hey... everything OK?" I rush to ask, almost stumbling over my words.

"Still fucking pregnant!" She exclaims with a dramatic groan. "Just checking in on you while Daniel is away."

"All good here. So, there's no rumbles in the jungle at all?" I smirk, wondering how long their little girl is going to make them wait beyond her due date.

"Nothing, other than a few twinges. But, I think I might kill Jeremy before this baby arrives!" She mutters.

I fight the urge to laugh because I know she is not joking, and I really feel for Jeremy. "You don't mean that."

"I bloody do! He's all over me, all the time, asking if I'm OK! He's driving me insane!" She whines down the phone, and I'm glad she can't see me when I dramatically roll my eyes.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry... but you're being unreasonable! You know that, right? Jeremy loves you, and he's worried about you and your baby girl. Just let him look after you." I try to reason with her, imaging Jeremy cowering in a corner somewhere.

"I know, I know! I'm just a grumpy bitch!" She immediately concedes to my relief that she hasn't bitten my head off too.

"Well there is no denying that!" I chuckle loudly to lighten her mood. "It'll all be over soon, and she will be in your arms..."

"I can't wait to see her, I bet you feel the same about the twins don't you?" Caroline's tone has now completely flipped and is full of excitement.

"Yeah, but I need them to stay in as long as they can. Doctor is still saying the aim is to get me to thirty-six weeks, so four to go!" I nibble my thumb nail, recalling his stern words.

"How's Daniel coping being away for so long?" Caroline asks nervously.

"He's not, at all! If I don't respond to a message immediately, he's on the phone thinking something is wrong, or I've gone into labour!" I laugh humourlessly, worried about the fact that my husband does not seem to be coping with his work commitments.

"Sounds like he and Jeremy are taking the same tonic!" She laughs.

"I think Daniel will be better once he's home, but that's not meant to be for another three weeks!"

"Ha! He won't last that long away from you!" Caroline responds swiftly.

Just as I'm about to agree with Caroline, the front door chimes. I walk across to the camera to see Detective Phillips standing at our front door, dressed in his usual navy suit complete with tie. The sight of him after all this time makes the palms of my hands tingle with nerves. "I'm going to have to call you back, Detective Phillips is at our front door!"

"What? Shit! Call me back once he's gone." She practically shouts down the phone.

"Will do." I answer swiftly, ending the call while I don't take my eyes off his stern face on the camera before me. I'm frozen for a few seconds, flooded with a thousand different scenarios about why he could be here.