The Evil Wife - Alana
Mary Sue and I had never had much in common. She was a goody two shoes, to be completely honest, a workaholic who thought her job saving lives at the hospital was far more important than organising an international crime syndicate. I always had to resist the temptation to point out that she was the lowest of the low in her job, donating organs, and I was at the top, the Empress of Evil. But that would have been petty, and petty isn't worth anyone's time.
She dealt with the news of my pregnancy better than Seb did, however. While Seb ran away (under the guise of athletic training, but I'm not stupid), Mary Sue gave me advice.
And gushed.
“Who's a gorgeous little baby? Aunty Mary will get you a teddy for a present when we meet you!”
“Well, we sort of have a teddy for him already.”
“Who's going to be a gorgeous little man?”
“We don't know the gender yet, we're not finding out.”
This is why I hang out with men, I remember that now. Though she was a lot warmer to me after I told her about the baby, and it made it more fun at home when Seb and Daniel were out on one of their drinking trips. They've been out a lot lately. I trust Seb, but I don't think Mary Sue trusts Daniel.
They've been out so much that I haven't seen Daniel sleep for days. He goes out with Seb in the evening, they stumble in in the early hours, and then he tries to pretend to Mary that he's been up with one of the twins and that he did sleep some of the night next to her, and then he spends all day ignoring her by the sculpting station and the cycle sort of repeats from there. We all know he can barely pick up the twins, so the idea he's been up all night caring for them is laughable. Nobody says it though. Mary Sue can't seem to and neither Seb or I dare. Eggshell walking is putting it mildly.
Mostly we go about our business. I've been trying to stay as healthy as I can. When I had Leilani pregnancy was easier, but I'm older now. Seb worries, not that he'd admit that, so I take it easy when he's around.
I miss Leilani. She hasn't answered my calls, and I don't expect my dear ex-husband encouraged her to. He's a grudge holder at the best of times. I've tried everything. Even waiting outside her school, and she ignored me even when one of her friends pointed me out to her. I don't really know where we go from here.
Seb has taken up writing novels. Something about indoctrination and hating the idea of constantly working out. And he's stuck at it, which I'm surprised by. Most of his other interests in skills have been so fleeting we were practically selling his equipment before he bought it. He's good at it, too, but I'm not so surprised by that.
And he used the profits from his first bestselling book to buy a stake in the grocery store. Taking over the world starts slowly, I guess. One day I have no doubt he'll surpass me in Evil, but for now I'm enjoying helping him start out.
Another thing about pregnancy in later life is that labour hurts more. With Leilani it was almost fun. This time it was like hell, not helped by the fact that everyone around me panicked rather than helping me get to the hospital. Mary Sue is a braver soul than I am; hospitals were invented for a reason and I'm going to use all the support I can get.
It's such a cliché, but it was all worth it when I saw my son. You think people exaggerate that rush of love, until you experience it for yourself. You feel the weight of them in your arms, and it makes it so real you might burst.
Seb followed me round, staring. He didn't say anything the whole taxi ride home, or until we walked into the house. Mary Sue fussed round, wanting to hold the baby and make me a cup of tea and unpack the hospital bag for me, all at the same time. Daniel made some generic congratulations speech and wandered off back to his sculpting station. I'm sure more happened that first evening, but I was too dazed to remember.
It was only late that night, once we'd gone to bed, that Seb said anything at all.
“I love him. How can I, when I don't know who he is?”
“I remember this with Leilani. My mother told me I did know who she was; that she was my daughter.”
“My son. It's strange even saying that.”
“I know.”
“Zane. My son.”
Mary Sue and Daniel left us to it the next day to get used to our new status as parents together. I don't know what happened between them, but I saw them actually spending time together when I looked out the window. Doing different activities, yes, but spending time together. Coupled with Seb showing his soppy side, I'll admit to having a quick look for any flying pigs.
Angela and Lilith's birthday followed on quickly. Cake for all, even if they were still too young to appreciate the wonder that is cake. And when I say all, I mean myself, Seb and Mary Sue, because Daniel was nowhere to be seen. Back to normal, then.
Angela went first, as the eldest twin, and unfortunately grew up bald.
We think she's going to be a female version of Daniel. She's got his facial structure, as well as his hair and his eyes.
If nothing of his personality. Whereas Daniel takes every opportunity he can to avoid us all, except Seb, Angela can't get enough of us being there.
And she gets all the attention she could want and more, even if we do have two other babies to contend with.
Lilith became an official toddler second, and on the floor of the nursery before we could get her to blow out the candles on her cake.
We thought she had dark hair at first, and she certainly wasn't as much of a fan of people as her twin sister. Maybe she's going to have her dad's personality. I'd hope not, for her sake.
Turns out she's a little ginger too, although with much more of her mum's looks about her. She's going to be stunning when she grows up.
I don't know quite what to make of them growing up. They're not even my children, I shouldn't get sad at their ever increasing age! Maybe it's just the knowledge that Zane will too.
Maybe it's the knowledge that soon they'll all be children and then teens, and I don't know if I'd want two teen girls and a teen boy together in the house.
