A Time in the Future
Chapter 1
“Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Ashleigh, Benji and Winter,
Happy Birthday to you!”
The chorus of voices rung out into the air, three excited young children each having a cake placed before them, four candles flickering upon each one. Smoke soon rose into the air as in synchronisation they blew the candles out, applause bursting into the air.
Shiny, multi-coloured wrapping paper lay scattered upon the floor, an excessive pile being placed in the darkest corner of the room. Red, purple and blue balloons decorated the room, having been strategically placed to make the yellowy cream room seem that little bit more exciting.
Numerous boxes lay opened upon the pale carpet, mixed between countless cuddly toys and the occasional doll, the odd toy car lying here and there.
“Did you get everything you wanted?” Came the voice of an obviously tired nineteen year old, who happened to be knelt to one side of the triplets, catching their attention for just moments as people began to swarm around them.
A couple of nods were his only reply before each child disappeared to play with some of their friends or got swept up by other members of the family. The blonde male simply rose to his feet, heading off into the kitchen to collapse at the table, his head resting down against the cool wood. He’d spent most of the last couple of days dashing back and forth to buy presents for the three of them, getting decorations and finishing the final preparations. Their fourth birthday just seemed like the right sort of time to celebrate; after all he’d denied celebration for the other three years.
A ring broke throughout the house, Sean just deciding it was a friend who’d not been able to make it on time come for the last hour of the party. Padding down the hall, the front door was pulled open confusion etching across his features. Instead of a group of people or even just one person as he’d expected, three parcels lay in front of the door way. One wrapped in shiny silver paper, another in vibrant purple and the final hot glittery pink. Benji was written upon the first, Ashleigh on the second and Winter on the last. Suspicion was the first thing that hit him, something just didn’t seem right; it wasn’t the thing that happened every day.
***
Exhausted children lay silently in their rooms above, Ashleigh and Winter sharing one whilst Benji had ended up in the same room as Sean, Gavin and Rhys in the third. Not an eyelid was battered at the creaking floorboards below, all too worn out to hear the noise sure to sleep throughout the night.
Sean sat once more at the kitchen table, the three birthday presents he’d discovered at the door sitting on the table before him, they hadn’t been given to the triplets he wasn’t sure if they were safe.
Slowly the paper became unwrapped, a single bear being within each box, one message in scripted upon the back of each.
Happy fourth birthday
Lots of Love
Daddy
xxx
The old teenager froze, his fingers slipping on the bear he’d been holding, a gasp of surprise escaping from him as tears filled up within his shocked orbs. He only wished that it had been from Rhys and Gavin having arranged for them to be delivered as a present from him, yet wouldn’t they have told him?
Sean’s *pov*
It can’t be, it just isn’t possible, Daddy and Dad must just have forgotten to tell me about it... They must have done, that’s all they’ll see them on the table and tell me it was them...
I couldn’t help that sigh escape from me, they just look so innocent sleeping, all curled up beneath the sheets. A shock of blonde hair spreading across the pillow from Ashleigh, whilst dark chocolaty hair surrounds Winter’s face like a halo. I don’t know what I’d do without them now; they’ve become my life no matter how much I didn’t want them at first. Without them my life would be empty, I’d be hollow, I wouldn’t have much point to me, but I’m their dad... They need me; nothing’s going to change that... I’ll always be here for them. No matter whether he is or not.
I still feel that tug on my heart strings whenever I look at Benji though, he hasn’t grown out of looking like Ian, everyday he resembles him more. It hurts so much to think about what could have been if I’d forgiven him, that one stupid night of mistake with James... I wish I’d forgiven him. At least I don’t get that when I look at Ashleigh, she still looks exactly like me, just a vision of female. Winter... It depends; sometimes I feel the tug, sometimes I don’t. It all depends on the angle I catch her at; she’d just the perfect mixture. I have one of each.
All the hard work is worth it for them, they hardly have the easiest and best of lives, and all the work in the world was worth it to see their smiles today. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them that happy, it makes my heart flutter. They are my everything; nothing will ever take that away.
Happy fourth birthday
Lots of Love
Daddy
xxx
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Ashleigh, Benji and Winter,
Happy Birthday to you!”
The chorus of voices rung out into the air, three excited young children each having a cake placed before them, four candles flickering upon each one. Smoke soon rose into the air as in synchronisation they blew the candles out, applause bursting into the air.
Shiny, multi-coloured wrapping paper lay scattered upon the floor, an excessive pile being placed in the darkest corner of the room. Red, purple and blue balloons decorated the room, having been strategically placed to make the yellowy cream room seem that little bit more exciting.
Numerous boxes lay opened upon the pale carpet, mixed between countless cuddly toys and the occasional doll, the odd toy car lying here and there.
“Did you get everything you wanted?” Came the voice of an obviously tired nineteen year old, who happened to be knelt to one side of the triplets, catching their attention for just moments as people began to swarm around them.
A couple of nods were his only reply before each child disappeared to play with some of their friends or got swept up by other members of the family. The blonde male simply rose to his feet, heading off into the kitchen to collapse at the table, his head resting down against the cool wood. He’d spent most of the last couple of days dashing back and forth to buy presents for the three of them, getting decorations and finishing the final preparations. Their fourth birthday just seemed like the right sort of time to celebrate; after all he’d denied celebration for the other three years.
A ring broke throughout the house, Sean just deciding it was a friend who’d not been able to make it on time come for the last hour of the party. Padding down the hall, the front door was pulled open confusion etching across his features. Instead of a group of people or even just one person as he’d expected, three parcels lay in front of the door way. One wrapped in shiny silver paper, another in vibrant purple and the final hot glittery pink. Benji was written upon the first, Ashleigh on the second and Winter on the last. Suspicion was the first thing that hit him, something just didn’t seem right; it wasn’t the thing that happened every day.
***
Exhausted children lay silently in their rooms above, Ashleigh and Winter sharing one whilst Benji had ended up in the same room as Sean, Gavin and Rhys in the third. Not an eyelid was battered at the creaking floorboards below, all too worn out to hear the noise sure to sleep throughout the night.
Sean sat once more at the kitchen table, the three birthday presents he’d discovered at the door sitting on the table before him, they hadn’t been given to the triplets he wasn’t sure if they were safe.
Slowly the paper became unwrapped, a single bear being within each box, one message in scripted upon the back of each.
Happy fourth birthday
Lots of Love
Daddy
xxx
The old teenager froze, his fingers slipping on the bear he’d been holding, a gasp of surprise escaping from him as tears filled up within his shocked orbs. He only wished that it had been from Rhys and Gavin having arranged for them to be delivered as a present from him, yet wouldn’t they have told him?
Sean’s *pov*
It can’t be, it just isn’t possible, Daddy and Dad must just have forgotten to tell me about it... They must have done, that’s all they’ll see them on the table and tell me it was them...
I couldn’t help that sigh escape from me, they just look so innocent sleeping, all curled up beneath the sheets. A shock of blonde hair spreading across the pillow from Ashleigh, whilst dark chocolaty hair surrounds Winter’s face like a halo. I don’t know what I’d do without them now; they’ve become my life no matter how much I didn’t want them at first. Without them my life would be empty, I’d be hollow, I wouldn’t have much point to me, but I’m their dad... They need me; nothing’s going to change that... I’ll always be here for them. No matter whether he is or not.
I still feel that tug on my heart strings whenever I look at Benji though, he hasn’t grown out of looking like Ian, everyday he resembles him more. It hurts so much to think about what could have been if I’d forgiven him, that one stupid night of mistake with James... I wish I’d forgiven him. At least I don’t get that when I look at Ashleigh, she still looks exactly like me, just a vision of female. Winter... It depends; sometimes I feel the tug, sometimes I don’t. It all depends on the angle I catch her at; she’d just the perfect mixture. I have one of each.
All the hard work is worth it for them, they hardly have the easiest and best of lives, and all the work in the world was worth it to see their smiles today. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them that happy, it makes my heart flutter. They are my everything; nothing will ever take that away.
Happy fourth birthday
Lots of Love
Daddy
xxx
♠ ♠ ♠
I was in a good mood when I wrote this so I decided to post it. = ]Updates should be pretty regular, I really do enjoy writing this story.
xox