One More Time | ✓

Epilogue

It's my younger sister's fifth birthday party, and my boyfriend won't stop grabbing my ass.

Turning to Theo in irritation after the third time, I give him the stink-eye. "Stop it."

He just flashes me a cheeky grin, not looking remorseful in the slightest. "Sorry, baby."

I narrow my eyes even more. "No, you're not. Get yourself together, Theo. We're in public, literally at a child's birthday party."

Theo looks a little sheepish, but reaches for me to plant a quick kiss on my lips anyway.

We're in the kitchen, while most of Chrissy's birthday party is going on in the living area, which is adjoined to the kitchen in Dad and Debra's house. Thankfully, the cupboards are blocking any view of Theo's hands on me.

"You're the one that got out of bed early this morning, even though it's the weekend," he grumbles lowly in my ear, eyeing me balefully.

I'm normally awake before Theo and during the week, I get up much earlier than him so that I can go for a run before I go to work. He's always a little grumpy about that, but the compromise is that I don't do that over the weekends, so we can have the morning sex he loves so much. I mean, fair enough, I love it too.

This morning, though, I had so much to prepare for Chrissy's birthday party that I got up before he was awake so that I could wrap presents, which I'd left to the last minute.

"I'll be on my best behaviour if you promise we can have lots of sex when we get home," he bargains, a hand settling on my hip, squeezing.

I roll my eyes at him. It does happen every now and again if we're too tired or too drunk, but it's rare for one of us to turn the other down. "Yeah, baby. I promise," I appease him.

He just looks smug, kissing me again quickly before heading back in my sister's direction.

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since Chrissy was born. So much happened that Christmas time, and this one is set to be an eventful one, too.

Mavis has just given birth to her and Felix's third child, and Greta is coming home in a couple of days with her partner Siobhan to announce Siobhan's pregnancy with their first child. The only person they've told so far is me and keeping it under my hat that I'm going to have a niece or nephew has been excruciating.

Having Greta still living away in North Carolina is tough, but I'm so grateful for my support system here and, of course, my baby sister. Not that she's such a baby anymore, at five years old. She doesn't say much, but is always full of laughter and hugs.

My heart thudding softly, I watch as Theo is on the receiving end of her affection now.

Quickly, I finish filling up the platter of sausage rolls that I was in charge of replenishing after Felix and Theo ate plenty of them each, before making my way back to the party.

I settle down next to Mavis, who looks exhausted, but was determined to be here for Chrissy, and for her children, who are good friends with my sister.

"You can always go and have a nap upstairs if you need, Mav," I whisper quietly.

She chuckles, shaking her head. "No, I'm good. I got it. Thanks, though, Sabrina. It's a great party and the boys are really enjoying themselves so far."

Their two boys are so good with Chrissy, even though they don't really understand everything that Chrissy does, or the fact she doesn't speak much. Still, all they ever show her is love. I'm sure their baby sister will do the same once she's grown up a little.

I rest my head on her shoulder briefly, not wanting to complain about tiredness around the mother of a new-born, but planning this party has genuinely taken it out of me.