Dawning (Dysmorphia Series #3)

Here's To Moving On

Florence had never thought so much love could be inside her, she felt like at one prick she would burst like a bubble and just float through the sky on her cloud nine.

She had a daughter.

She'd had a daughter for two weeks and still couldn't get over the fact that not only did she now have the best husband in the world, but the most adorable daughter to love and hold forever, she kept staring at her, every detail of her tiny face was a miracle to Florence, that something so pure and beautiful had been formed, had been living inside her this whole time never ceased to amaze her.

Elise Roberts was the name the two of them had both decided on only two days before she was born, it hadn't been a long process, they'd picked one boy name and one girl name.

Yes, they'd barely got any sleep since she was born, and yes they'd been bombarded by reporters after they'd left the hospital, and Florence had become a hygiene freak since they'd left the hospital always thinking of new ways Elise could possibly hurt herself, always worrying that she wasn't hungry or sleeping in a position that would cause her growth to be stunted. But against the backdrop of worry and fright there was a deep satisfaction with her life, she had everything she had ever wanted.

Elise opened her eyes and peered up at her Mother, they were looking like they were going to be Cole's brown and Florence was happy about that, it made her remember that a daughter was something the two of them shared, something to connect them over the years that could never be broken.

"Annie's here!" came Cole's call from downstairs and Florence sat up in bed expectantly.

She couldn't believe that Annie had only become a part of her life four months ago, she felt like she'd known her for as long as she'd known Cooper, Annie was the most eccentric and outgoing person she'd ever met, Cole with a wig  had been her joke when she saw Annie for the first time, then she'd opened her mouth and her Australian accent combined with her flamboyant speeches had proved she was as different from either of her brother's as chalk and cheese.

"Florence!" Annie burst in through the room, her tanned legs only visible as she approached the bed.

Annie's face became visible, gold dusted lids and maroon lips greeted Florence as she was kissed on both cheeks.

"Hey Annie" she replied already feeling less drained and more energetic at the sound of her sister-in law's voice.

"Oh my little darling" Annie cooed, bending down to look at Elise in her cot.

"She is an angel, an absolute angel"

Florence smiled at her reaction, Elise was with her cherub like looks.

Annie picked her daughter up gingerly cradling her head and then sitting down beside Florence on the bed gently.

"How are you lovey, you look much better, more like yourself I hope Cole's pulling his weight around the place"

"I'm great Annie, really great, Mum's been sending round casseroles almost every single day of the week and Cole's been great running out to get nappies and dealing with my random doughnut cravings at inconvenient times, he's not going into work for a month yet, so we're good, how was Malibu? I saw your pictures online and it looked amazing"

Annie grinned.

"It was, I got really tan, but truth be told most of the time I was wishing I could be here in Phillipson with you guys, it's strange but this place has really grown on me"

Florence raised an eyebrow at her sceptically, she may have given birth herself two weeks ago but she hadn't been born yesterday.

"Mhmm you missed Phillipson did you? Or a certain Andrew who asked me a total of five times where you were this week"

Annie went bright-red and then began spluttering.

"Are you mad? No, no not at all, you two almost got married... I would never, your my sister-in law, never Flo"

Florence laughed even though it made her stomach hurt.

"Annie it's fine, I'm totally cool with you guys making puppy dog eyes at each other, just because Andrew wasn't right for me it doesn't mean he's not right for you, I'm really happy where I am right now and feel nothing towards him except friendship, life's too short to stick around and if there's anything Chase taught me it's that you shouldn't let the good things in life get away"

Annie squeezed her hand.

"I wish I'd known him, I'm so happy you and Cole are part of my lives but sometimes I just feel like something is missing, like I missed out on a relationship really worth having" she looked down at Elise in her lap, like she was drinking in her appearance.

"Chase would have loved getting to know you too, you all look practically identical, obviously your feminine but you all have an air of kindness and good spirit, he could always make me laugh even when I really didn't want to"

Annie smiled tearfully and then wiped at her eyes, adopting a more cheerful tone.

"Did you know there was a reporter behind the bins asking me how you were when I tried coming in today? You really need to report them for harassment, imagine the nerve of him shoving a microphone in my face, I didn't answer him just shoved past and came inside"

This was a downside to having treatment at a private hospital, everyone had known where she'd been, in a public hospital it was easy to get lost in the hordes of people there.

"I know" she sighed.

"Cole's called the press office again and again asking for privacy, but it doesn't help that Dawning is being released in exactly two weeks, they're like wolves these journalists"

Annie seemed to have ignored everything she'd said except the book release part, she had read both books in one sitting and insisted that she would wait to read the final part of the Dysmorphia series, which was both silly and so Annie at the same time.

"Two weeks!" she squealed.

Florence had to smile, but still shot an anxious look at Elise's precarious position.

"Sorry"

Annie readjusted her niece.

Cole came to the door looking absolutely shattered yet still devastatingly handsome.

"Whats all the squealing about Annie, I actually nodded off in the armchair downstairs before I was brought up her by your squeals I thought something had happened to Elise"

They both shook their heads.

Cole handed them both glasses filled with fruit punch.

"Here's to moving on ladies, and to my beautiful daughter"

"And to happy endings" Florence added.

They clinked glasses.