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.
"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'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.
"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.