Taylor's POV
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Tall grass, there isn't too much of it directly around our farmhouse, everything is well kept. However just a short walk a little further out and you're swamped. It almost reaches Henry's shoulder blades as his legs crash through it.
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"Dadda" he calls stopping briefly as I place my hands under bump and pull my hat over my head to shield me from the sun. We rarely run into any locals and I fasten the straps of my red bikini tighter. My ecru cotton skirt hanging from my hips and my hair trailing down to my waist.
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"Yes Henry it's a flower" Jay nods along as I smile watching him clasp the flower within his small hands and bound over to me with it.
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"Baby" he garbles and I smile down at my kind boy taking the small wildflower from him and tucking it in my hair behind my ear.
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"For your baby sister" I tell him.
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"But it's your birthday Henry you deserve all of the presents" I smile down at him as he bounds off excited by the walk we're having as a family.
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"Ohh" I say pausing and clutching onto bump, Jay's head pricks up instantly and he smiles.
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"Okay mama" he asks softly picking Henry up and carrying him over to me. He giggles and I nod watching him.
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"All okay" I smile reassuringly as he takes my hand and guides us back over to the farmhouse. Passing daisies and scatterings of wild flowers before we see the familiar fences. Separated by a wooden locked gate as we pass through, heading towards the vineyards where he places Henry down and he runs ahead of us. Toddling as he goes.
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"You think" he says as I pant slightly.
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"It's a contraction" he finishes watching me slowly and placing his hand over my bare tummy. The heat bares down on me and I smile up at him, feeling utterly relaxed at the prospect of birthing baby number two. I've opted for a home birth, frankly anything will beat giving birth on my kitchen floor. We have an on call midwife and doctor that can fly out should we need them in a hurry. The large wet room and the indoor pool we have is my destination for birth this time and so I'm wearing my bikini. I've named it my birthing bikini and Jay had chuckled saying it was the sexiest birthing attire he could possibly ever imagine.
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"If it is we've got this" I smile, everybody is on speed dial, our midwife Valeria is an older woman who knows her stuff. She has assured me throughout the latter stages of my pregnancy that our little girl will be fine, healthy and utterly adorable.
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"The nursery is ready. The birth pool is ready. The speed dial works. Baby makes an appearance and I'll push, you call for Valeria" I smirk and he chuckles rubbing my bare tummy. We had painted the nursery a pale lemon, the windows are all arched letting in tons of light and offering window seats that look out over the vineyards. Henry is now sleeping in his own jungle inspired bedroom and so we will be keeping our littlest baby in with us at night.
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"You're a natural" he smiles and I giggle following him into the farmhouse kitchen.
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"Tato" Henry giggles and before we know it Jay is baking potato and cheese shapes and I am lounging back in my bikini as the party organisers, aka Rachel and Christopher sort through decorations before me and my large round bump.
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"Auntie ra ra" Henry smiles grabbing her leg as she giggles picking him up and placing him on her knees just in front of her small bump. Christopher's eyes twinkling as he looks upon her.
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"Bunting here yes!?" She explains as Christopher begins assembling the paper bunting up and Jay assists him.
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"Bouncy castle will look amazing just outside" she smiles looking through the glass doors.
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"Oh Ross is coming" I blurt out and she smiles shocked.
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"He called, he's on his way" I explain sipping my tea and watching Jays bare back as he stands and hangs up the paper dinosaurs.
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"I'll do the balloons man" Christopher says to him as he plates up Henry's potatoes with a side of salsa, some fresh tomatoes. He kisses my lips slowly before assembling a salad and fixing me another tea. The sun streams through the blinds and I look over at Henry grappling with the potatoes.
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"Any news from Matty" she asks and I purse my lips. It's utterly my own secret that I've been messaging his sister, he's ignored me for months and that's a positive thing. He's getting on with his life. I rub bump and gaze at Henry who looks up and smiles.
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"Not at all" I say clipped.
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"Some godparent he is" Rachel sighs and I laugh standing up slowly and helping Jay out with the salad. All fresh produce sourced locally, it makes a difference to the taste. I lean on his side and he chuckles, holding onto bump and making sure I'm supported.
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"I want this baby out" I say somewhat peeved as Rachel laughs and Jay strokes my hair back.
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"It's hot and heavy. And not in a good way" I say as he guides me back to my chair carrying the salad with his other hand.
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"Here I'll make some fresh pasta too" he whispers and I kiss him.
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"Make it spicy, it can induce labour" Rachel announces, she's suddenly an expert on all things birth despite never having been through it.
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"Chilli pasta please" I laugh.
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"Although not for Rachel" I smile as she runs me through her easy breezy time of being in the second trimester. I nod scowling and she laughs rubbing my shoulder.
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"You've got this mama" she smiles and I laugh reminding her that she will be in my position in a few months.
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***
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The bouncy castle arrives and so do the children, several toddlers from baby groups. All with names such as Lorenzo, Matteo and Alessandro. Claire, Jays mother, hugs me dearly before laying out a platter of food. Of course I thank her for the Italian cuisine. She embraces her son and I smile watching Jay with his shades on firing up the BBQ despite the pasta carbonara, lasagne and the caprese salad that the Italian mothers are devouring. Pleased with her culinary skills, Claire nods to me, explaining that she could be a chef if she so chose.
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Christopher keeps the children entertained on the bouncy castle as Rachel and I soak up the sun. The door bell chimes loudly and I pace through the kitchen and the hall over to the large glass paned door. My heart faltering as the misted glass reveals a tall dark haired male behind it, an unmistakable hue of dark chocolate to the man's hair. Olive skin and wearing a suit, in this heat.
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I push my hair back and hold the lever down taking a deep breath before swinging the door open as he looks up slowly from my bare toes, over my white trailing skirt and my bump. Eyes lingering as he sets them upon my rouge lips. I blush heavily as he silently watches me. The sound of the party seems far away, even the squealing toddler's and the music system playing baby shark.
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"Have I got the right place" he quips when I stand looking upon him wondering whether to slap him or to pull him into my embrace.
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Matthew has changed but only in ways that have matured him and made him more of a man; his stubble trimmed, his suit cut closely to his body. It's clear that his job pays well from the keys he holds to an Aston Martin parked out front. His white shirt open just the right amount and his hair trimmed and coiffed back, a few curls scattered down his forehead. His eyes falter looking into my own, green pools of desire that remind me of who he was to me. Moving from his resting position on my porch to reveal a huge wrapped box with blue bows scattered over it, all professionally wrapped. His arms pull me in and I sob instantly, all over his suit jacket which is far too expensive to be cried on.
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"Taylor" he whispers slowly and I dab my eyes with the back of my hand.
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"Matthew" I whisper slowly and he pulls me in closer until his fingers are intertwined behind my back. I breathe steadily and count in my mind as my heart thuds, so loudly that I'm sure he chuckles.
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"I hadn't realised you were coming" I say smelling the scent of his aftershave and sighing as I straighten myself up.
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"Would be an awful godparent if I didn't" he laughs looking down and into my eyes.
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"Plus I saw Kim, in London, she's working on some fashion thing. Man I really should have actually asked her what it was. But I didn't. And well long story short I realised a few things that night" he says holding onto my forearms and waiting for me to regain my composure. A small smirk crosses his lips as he runs one hand over bump and I gaze down at the eternity ring still placed upon his finger. The ring I gave him, almost a decade ago.
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"You really popped" he smirks and I laugh eyeing a second Aston Martin approaching my drive.
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"I missed you too" he smiles and I roll my eyes, realising that Kim must have informed him of my stalker tendencies.
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"I'm speechless" I whisper looking up at his face. As I gaze into his eyes I realise that I most definitely will never forget Matthew, not even in twenty years could this man stroll past me and not recognise me. Somehow I think to myself, as I remain in his arms, we will always know one another.
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"Been chasing you for miles dude" Ross laughs and his easy smile falls over his face as he embraces him solidly. I wipe my eyes looking at Ross and he smiles warmly. A slight tan to his complexion and blonde hair strewn in a casual style.
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"Here I got a bigger present than you" Ross laughs and I chuckle. He jogs over to the second black, sleek car on my drive and retrieves a large wrapped box. Casually rolling up his sleeves and hiking it up in one swift motion before setting it down next to Matthew's on the porch. Eyeing the large boxes I try to work out what might be in them.
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"Taylor" Ross whispers embracing me in an all encompassing Ross hug. His blonde hair styled and his pale blue shirt under my palms as I smile.
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"You look wonderful" he smiles before I guide both of them into the large hall, looking over my shoulder at Matthew as if he may disappear into thin air. Checking to see that I haven't imagined him turning up at my door this afternoon. He only smiles at me, his demeanour oozing confidence and charm. Something entirely new and captivating to his smile.
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"Good luck carrying that big box, Mr I got a bigger present" Matthew quips and Ross' laughs a sound that rings out through the corridor.
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