I'm not going to be returning. No one reads this and I have too much else to do. Bye.
It wasn't long before Luz started showing the signs of her pregnancy. She grew from an average size to massively pregnant almost overnight. She was clearly pleased with her baby bump and insisted on making everyone feel it and speak to it. Harry came around to the idea of becoming a Dad but he was still annoyed that Luz had gone against his will. Months flew past and soon Luz looked like she might burst, but it was still a while until her due date. That was when we found out, there would be twins joining our household.
I'm going to be taking a break from writing my legacy for a while. I don't know how long it will be for but I WILL come back to it sometime. You may have noticed that I've not been updating as much recently, that's because my life is chaotic at the moment. There is so much going on, you wouldn't believe! Not that there's anyone following this story anyway, I just thought it would be polite to let you know, in case anyone is reading this.
Oh, and just a little heads up, when I come back, there's going to be BIG drama in the Rainfall household. With Luz's move to our house, we had a little money to spare. A small basement has been added to the house with a view to extend it in the future. For now it houses Harry's exercise bar. He spends a lot of time doing pull ups at the moment which is helping him advance in his career at a speedy pace. Not much else has been going on here for a while. Kathleen has been growing bigger and bigger, and I'm preparing to deliver my second baby. I'm better prepared this time and hopefully I'll be of more use to poor Kath. This pregnancy wasn't the same for Kathleen as the last, she said the wonder had gone out of it. It didn't help that she got terrible sickness and was always so tired but I hoped that her feelings would change when she saw her baby. I didn't have to wait long to put my skills into action, Kathleen went into labour one morning, a week after her due date. I remained calm and helped her a lot more than before. The process took hours longer than it had done with Lee and I began to get worried. Kath was insistent that it was al ok and there was no need to phone a midwife. She said this was how long it normally took, Lee's had been a very quick birth, especially for a first baby. So I kept calm and patently helped Kathleen through the birth. It was over twelve hours since her labour had begun when I delivered a beautiful baby girl! Kathleen's face lit up when I handed baby Aubrey to her. My worries had been over nothing after all. We'd already chosen the name Aubrey before the baby was born, seeing as it can be a boys or girls name. Kathleen was exhausted and fell straight into bed. I was to excited to sleep and stayed up all night with my new daughter. I cleaned up the floor without a fuss and generally did a whole lot better than before. As I watched my new baby girl sleep, I reflected how wonderful it had been to play a crucial part in the birth of both my children. I would have to thank Kath for the opportunity to make such special and long lasting memories. I'm sure a lot of women wouldn't trust their partners to deliver their babies. As usual, Luz couldn't resist cuddling Aubrey. I didn't mind her cuddling and making a fuss over Aubrey, but I didn't like the way she did things as if me and Kath were somehow not capable of doing them right. I began to see what Kath had mentioned about her being broody. Of course, Harry didn't see it. Love is blind as the saying goes and he was too busy fooling around. I wanted to speak to him about my concerns but I never found the right moment, it didn't feel like my place to do so. He and Luz were never apart, except when she was playing with my children. I didn't want to break the two of them up with my paranoid concerns, it was the first time Harry had been really happy. It was over breakfast one morning, that I overheard a worrying conversation between them. "Your nephew and niece are very cute." Luz said suggestively. "Hmm, they are." Harry laughed a little laugh. "Ever thought about having some of our own?" the question from Luz sounded too casual. "Not yet. I don't think it's the right time now. We need to settle more first." Harry's tone had a tough edge to it, I concluded this wasn't the first time she'd hinted at her desires. It clearly angered her and she hit back with a sharp comment. "As far as you know, I could already be pregnant!" She was almost shouting. "It's not like you're the most careful lover!" This statement didn't seem like Harry. If he didn't want something to happen, he would do anything to stop it. He'd been a very stubborn child and I knew he'd always been careful and meticulous in everything. I was almost certain, lust wouldn't change his ways. This statement had shocked him too and he got up to leave the table. Most of that day, Harry had been upset and spent a lot of time working out in the basement. I went to see him late in the day and he expressed his feelings of anger. I told him mine and Kathleen' concerns and he broke down in tears. "I'm not ready yet, Ben, nowhere near. I still feel like a kid myself sometimes, like I grew up too soon. If she's done something to make this happen, I'll...I'll" and he screamed so loud and it echoed in the hollow and empty basement. I hugged him close but I didn't have anything to say. Eventually Harry continued. "I've always been careful, Ben. Always. If she is pregnant, it's her own doing. She's done something to make it happen. I wouldn't take a risk like that. You know me. You know I wouldn't." I listened while he finished speaking and came to his last tear. "I can't speak to her at the moment, I'm too angry and upset." He said as he nestled his head into my chest. I tried to comfort him, as I had done so many times over the years. "We don't know if she's actually pregnant yet. I'll talk to her, we'll sort all this out. I'll always be here for you, and Kathleen too. It'll be ok. I promise." Harry snuffled a bit and then whispered into my t-shirt. "I know it will, you always make things okay." And in that moment, I realised how much my support had meant to my little brother over all these tough years. And as I held him close, he felt like a child. Frail and vulnerable, I was his protector. I did speak to Luz. She insisted she was pregnant and it was all Harry's fault. I didn't believe her. Over time Harry and Luz rekindled their relationship and Harry moved back into the room with Luz. They were still close, but not as close as before. We still had no actual proof of the pregnancy, Luz showed none of the signs Kathleen had. Harry clung to a glimmer of hope that maybe she'd been lying all along.
Two years whizzed past in an instant and suddenly Lee was a toddler. He grew up so fast and neither Kathleen or I could see where the years had gone. It wouldn't be long before we got to do it all again though, Kathleen was pregnant with our second child. I knew there would be a 'next time' Kath liked cooing over Lee too much to not want anymore babies. And so we set about teaching Lee all his essential skills. He was a fast learner and had grasped the art of walking without a problem. He had a little more difficulty with speech but he liked to express himself in music. He had a talent for the xylophone and I wondered if he would grow up to be a musician like his mum. He was very interested in the box of shapes but he couldn't grasp how to do it properly. I showed him how and he soon got the idea. It became his second favourite toy. Whilst we were busy with Lee, Harry was busy with something else. He'd found himself a girlfriend, Luz Butler, her name was. Apparently she'd been following his blog for some time and they'd got talking and decide to meet up. Things went well when they met up and Harry described it as love at first sight. They went out most evenings for a couple of months and then Harry invited her back to our house to stay the night. She never really went home after that. Harry went to work that day and came back to find she was still here. He invited her to stay another night which she did. And then another night...and then another... and so on. She basically moved herself in. Harry didn't mind and I didn't mind really, though I thought it very rude, and so she stayed. Harry officially asked her to move in and she brought over all of her stuff. She was a nice enough person and I made friends with her quickly. From what I could gather, she was the flirty sort and I found it incredibly awkward when she tried it on with me one day. I set her straight but from then on in, I was suspicious of her. I didn't like the way she interfered with Lee constantly, even when he was asleep she would go and wake him. I knew she wanted kids, Harry had told me once, and I didn't mind her interacting with Lee, I just didn't like the way she was always in there. Kathleen didn't like it either and she became suspicious too. Kath was less fond of Luz than me, I don't think she liked her very much. One evening when we were relaxing in bed she expressed her thoughts.
"That girl is broody." She remarked with a smirk. "Broody as a hen on eggs. The way she looks at Lee, I don't reckon it'll be long before she's pregnant with her own." "Harry doesn't want kids yet, she'll have to wait for him to be ready too." I replied with a sharp edge to my voice. "He'd better watch out and be careful in the bedroom, I wouldn't put it past her to trick him into it. She seems the persistent sort who wouldn't mind lying to get what she wants." "You reckon?" I asked shaking my head slowly. Kathleen looked at me with one of her beautiful, knowing looks that made my brain scramble. "Trust me. I know women." She concluded and turned over to sleep. Soon Harry's eighteenth birthday was upon us and we celebrated with a cake. Kath had suggested a party but we had no one to invite and she didn't need the effort being so heavily pregnant. On Harry's birthday, her due date was less than a week away. We were all on tenterhooks as waited for the new arrival to make its grand entrance. Anyway, Harry was pleased with the cake and we got to celebrating in our own quiet way. As Harry blew out the candles and I watched my little bro age into a man, I felt emotional. He hadn't had an easy life so far and I hoped his future would be bright. My thoughts turned to future parties, how would I feel when I saw my own children grow into adults? Since Harry was now an adult, he moved in to Dad's old room. He settled into the room just fine. I had wondered whether it would upset him being in Dad's room, but it didn't seem to bother him. I told myself that now Harry was in there with his things, I had to stop calling it Dad's room. The next day, Harry graduated from high school with highest honours and made us all proud. I went to the ceremony where he was crowned 'most likely to be a sports star' which is exactly what he wants to do in life. I guess his classmates had seen that in him. Recently Harry had taken to blogging, it seemed to be an outlet for his feelings and people gave him advice online. I was glad to see him talking to people, even if it was only over the internet. He was on his phone all the time, writing posts and streaming video's. In all fairness to him though, he didn't just sit around all day, he went out and got a job at the sports stadium and he started working out at the gym to improve his chances of getting a promotion. After he came home from the gym one evening, he reported an awkward incident where he met his ex girlfriend, Joni. They were not on good terms and had perhaps tried too hard to avoid each other. He asked for some fitness equipment for his birthday to avoid future interactions and I said he could have some as soon as we had enough money. With a young baby on its way, he may be waiting a while. Kathleen and I however were not waiting long for our present! Kathleen went into labour the day before her due date in our art studio. She'd insisted on a home birth and we'd been on training so I was able to deliver the baby. I was panicking and a little grossed out to be honest with you and made sure I had the midwife's number on hand. But all went well, and I delivered a healthy baby boy on the floor of our studio that evening. I was in complete shock and was not of much help to poor Kathleen who took control and settled baby Lee in his cot. She was exhausted and annoyed with me for not knowing what to do but I was still living in a blur, trying to clean up the floor. It was literally the most disgusting thing ever and I wished I'd been better with the baby so Kathleen could have done it like we planned. Once I was done cleaning and I'd built up the courage I quietly went upstairs to meet my new son properly. I was ever so quiet so as not to wake Kathleen but Harry came in to see me. I had a concerned look on my face, it was eighteen years since I'd held a baby. My little brother was the only baby I'd ever really met. I was the first of all my friends to have children. Harry sensed my uncertainty and reassured me. "I know you'll be an excellent Dad." He said with a knowing look in his eyes. "You did a god job finishing me off, after..." His voice trailed off and I looked at him as he stared at his feet. "Thanks." I concluded, not knowing what else to say in reaction to Harry's heart-warming statement. It's strange how the little things affect us in a big way. What Harry said that night really gave me confidence with Lee. Kath and I had chosen the name Lee together, there was no history in it, we just liked the name. Only time will tell if it suits our little boy. The morning after Lee's birth, I was woken by the sound of Kathleen cooing over him. We hadn't really spoken much last night as Kath had been so tired so I went in to see her. "Isn't he just perfect?" I said softly, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I can't believe I created him. And without really having to do anything." She turned to look at me and hesitantly drew her eyes away from Lee. "I'm so proud of you." I added. "You did so brilliantly last night, and all I could do was panic and say 'Keep going, you're nearly there!' I promise I'll do better next time." "Next time?" Questioned Kathleen as a surprised smile crept across her face. I didn't have time to answer her before her arms were round me and her lips were on mine. "You did fine." She finished as she sauntered out of the room elegantly. The first few nights with a new born baby, were hard, as I'd fully expected them to be. Harry helped us a lot. If he heard Lee cry in the night, he would often get up to pacify him whilst Kath and I argued over who's turn it was to get up. Sometimes I'd get to the nursery and find Harry had it all under control. He was amazing and Lee took a real shine to his Uncle. I began to see what Kathleen had said about Harry being the perfect husband one day. He also seemed to be a great cook. He just had a natural talent for it. One morning he got up and decided he wanted waffles, so he made them. He'd never coked before in his life but they were delicious, perfect even. I remember my first attempt at waffles was not quite as successful. So since that morning, Harry has been doing a lot of cooking in our new kitchen. He really enjoys it and the food he makes is divine. If he doesn't do well in sports, he'll certainly get a career in cooking!
I loved being married to Kathleen. Somehow it felt different to when we'd just been living together. She was there when I went to bed... ...and she was there when I woke up. My wife. I treated her often with flowers and generally made a fuss of her. She was an amazing wife and I just knew she would be an equally amazing mum. As Kathleen became bigger and bigger, I became prouder and prouder. She hardly complained at all like the women in her pregnancy books which she made me read intently. She bought two books at the bookstore where she gets a discount and we read them from cover to cover. They were very useful though I found the 'expecting mothers tale' a little too detailed for the male audience. Kathleen also got to studying cooking and other useful 'mumsy skills' as she called them. She was desperate to stay fit during the pregnancy so she went to the local pool most days. I joined her when I could but I was so busy painting and trying to pay the bills. Every time the mail man came I was biting my finger nails. I had been selling some of my paintings to friends but it wasn't bringing in enough to cover the bills. I considered getting a cleaning job at the hospital but Kathleen encouraged me to keep trying. I started selling paintings at the towns consignment store, they sold for more there. It was hit and miss as to whether they sold or not, but generally it brought in enough to cover the bills. I was so pleased to get my first cheque. This was my dream and I decided I would never give up in making it happen. My trips to the consignment shop were also good for picking up bargains. I managed to buy a brand new teddy for the baby at almost half the super store price! Harry had recently been thinking a lot about his future and he decided he wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps and become a sports star. He told us one day over dinner and I was very encouraging. It was nice to see Harry enthusiastic about something for once, he was usually so grumpy all the time. Grumpy may be but he was always very polite and helpful. He would often offer to do the dishes and he always says 'please' and 'thank you'. He's definitely not your average teenager which is probably why he doesn't have any friends at school. I'm hoping he'll make some once he grows up in a few days.
"He'll make a wonderful husband for someone one day." Remarked Kathleen one day as Harry washed the dishes. "He's so polite and considerate, exactly what a girl looks for." "Are you saying I'm not a perfect husband?" I joked as I tickled her tummy playfully. "I never said that... and besides, you're brothers so you're bound to be alike." She defended and then sauntered off to the bathroom. The death of both my parents in quick succession made me think about my own life. I decided that it really is important to live every day as if it's your last. So I decided then and there that I wouldn't wait any longer to marry the love of my life. I talked to Kathleen and we booked the venue and bought our outfits. She agreed with me that we shouldn't wait a moment longer. We all needed something happy to cheer us up after the past few weeks. And soon enough the day came round. I hadn't felt like having a bachelor party and my best buddy didn't push it this time. We only invited a few close friends and family to the wedding and it was quiet and intimate as we had wanted. I had even convinced Kathleen to have the wedding in the outside area. When I saw Kathleen walk down that aisle in her pure white dress, I smiled the biggest smile that could fit on my face. All eyes were on us as we gazed into each others eyes and the ceremony began. We said our vows, me with a tear in my eye, and exchanged rings. It was almost perfect, the only thing that would have made it completely perfect, was if Mum and Dad had been there. But I know they were watching from above, and it finally made me feel at peace with myself about my promise to Mum. And those words "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." couldn't come soon enough. Kathleen and I embraced and held each other under the flower arch. At that moment all I could see in the world was Kathleen. No one else. No scenery. Just my beautiful wife. After the wedding, I took Kathleen out for a fancy meal. I hadn't wanted a big reception and Kathleen had loved the idea of a quiet romantic meal. It was a wonderful evening and we got to talk about a lot of important things. Harry had gone to stay at his half-brothers house for the night. Sam had offered to look after him whilst we enjoyed our first night of marriage. Seeing as we couldn't afford a honeymoon and I didn't think it would do any harm for Harry to get to know his half brother, I took him up on his kind offer. After the meal, Kathleen and I went home and enjoyed having the house to ourselves. It was the perfect end to the best day of my life. It wasn't until a few days later that Kathleen became unwell. She started being sick every morning. I worried about her but she just palmed me off with her excuse of 'women's problems'. It went on for a while before Kathleen went to see a doctor and we received some unexpected news. Kathleen was pregnant. We hadn't been trying for a baby but I must admit, we hadn't exactly been trying too hard to prevent it either. I was speechless as Kathleen explained to me that I was going to be a Dad.
It wasn't long before my grim predictions about Dad came true. He was watching TV and wheezing away. He passed with Kathleen and me at his side. I was a slow death but not painful. Dad said no last words and made sign that he was frightened. I think he was ready to go. We were all devastated, even Kathleen, who had become close to him since moving in with us. I was sad and scared. I was now left to be the man of the house and finish bringing up my little brother. We all threw ourselves into our hobbies. I painted, Kathleen played her guitar and Harry read books all the time. When he read, he could disappear into a different world. Sometimes, he took comfort from reading on Dad's bed or sitting where Dad was when he passed. Harry had a particularly tough time in the days and weeks to follow, his girlfriend, Joni, left him, and he had no friends to talk to. I really felt for him and tried my best to comfort him, but I wasn't his Dad, and I'd never make a good enough replacement for the one he'd lost. The house fell into an awful state as we grieved for our lost family member. Kathleen tried her best to clean up the house but, she too had been hit hard by Dads passing. No one was too fussed at the state of the house, we never had any visitors to impress anyway. It was a week or so after Dad's death that I went to visit his grave. He didn't want a big fuss or even a funeral and I respected his wishes. He was buried next to mum in a quiet corner of the graveyard. I mourned for both of them and I was devastated that they wouldn't be at my wedding. It wouldn't be the same without them.
The funeral hadn't cost as much as we'd planned and so there was a bit of money left over to decorate one of the twin rooms. Harry chose the décor for the 'older boys room', as we were calling it, and moved in straight away. I like the décor but Kathleen and Dad aren't so keen on it. The day after Mum's funeral, it was Prom at Harry's school. He was going with his girlfriend, Joni Higgins, and I took a quick commemorative photo as they climbed into the limo, all dressed up. I was glad Harry had Prom to cheer him up after the recent events. Once Harry and Joni had left, Dad went out too. He said he needed some space away from the house he and Mum had built together. I could understand that and watched from a window as he slowly trudged down the road. His health was deteriorating and I worried that he wasn't taking good enough care of himself. I noticed him wheezing from time to time and encouraged him to go to the doctor. He refused to go and my mind strayed to wonder how long he had left. Mum's death had really hit him hard. I worried that he might die of a broken heart. Kathleen and I made the most of having the house to ourselves and put that double bed to good use! It was nice to spend some quality time with my fiancé, I felt as though the past week or so, I'd mostly been crying on her shoulder. We didn't spend the whole evening in bed, we talked a lot about Harry and about Dad. I wondered what the future held. "Kath, my dad isn't well, is he? He wheezes and huffs and puffs. And he can barely shuffle along on the grass without stumbling. I'm really worried about him." I admitted to Kathleen. "I know, it's worrying, but, if he won't see a doctor, there's not much we can do. You've got to remember he's a bit older than your Mum." "But what if he's dying? What about Harry, he's not grown up yet." "Ben, listen to me. Your Dad will pass when the time is right. If he needs to go, he will go. You can't stop death. And if he does go, IF, and that's a big if, we will cope. Together we can bring Harry through those last tough teenage years. We can. It wasn't long ago we were there ourselves. Everything will be okay." Her words soothed me a little but I still shed a tear or two. The prospect of loosing both parents within a month or two of each other was awful. Bad enough for a grown up, let alone Harry, still young and vulnerable inside his tough shell. It was at that moment that a very happy and carefree Harry burst through the front door. "Guess what, guess what!?" He shouted into the hall. Before anyone could guess, he exploded with his news. "I'm Prom King! And... and... Joni and I became official boyfriend and girlfriend! It was the best night of my LIFE!!" He screeched it so loudly and with such joy, that I couldn't help but be overcome with pride. I felt like a proud father and I wished Dad had been back from his walk in time to see Harry so pleased. Harry waved handfuls of photos at us, some of him dancing with Joni, others of him at the snack table. It was as if every second of that evening was special enough to him that he had torecord it.
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