Behind The Church

XIX

Christina

It all feels so final.

I've bought boxes, furniture and decorations. I've gotten photos printed and books to go in a study.

Now all I have to do is move my stuff and the girls things. They chose to share a room, so they have the biggest room on the bottom floor and I let them choose their bed frames. Zoey chose a bunk bed that has a desk underneath and a convertible sofa bed, the girls likes to climb so there's no surprise their. Ruth chose a standard wooden bed frame.

However, what I did do was get them both double beds because I know that they like their space when they sleep and then they can grow into them as they grow up. That, and they look so adorably tiny on these great big beds.

I have the upstairs master bedroom and every other room are for future children. The kitchen is quite small for such a big house, but I'm sure we'll manage.

I'm in Kate's room, packing up what's left of our stuff. I just want make sure everything is ready before tomorrow, the 19th of February, my eighteenth. There's news of a sickness, COVID-19. There's talk of a two week isolation period and I want to make sure that everything is done before we have to isolate.

Dammit, 2020.

"Hey, are you nearly done in here? Mammy wants you down for dinner." I hear Kate say from the door.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute." I answer, throwing some of my neatly folded clothes into a box and then my hoodies. Kate leaves I decide to quickly sneak one of her shirts into my box, leaving a shirt of mine in its place. Finally, my soft blanket fits into the top of the box and I'm done. The girls are also packed up and ready to go to.

I lift the box, take it downstairs and leave it by the front door. Ready for me to put in the car after dinner.

I see everyone in the kitchen, grabbing a plate and taking it to the other room, where the dining table is. I go to get mine but all of the plates are gone.

"Yours is already in there." Kat tells me with a wink.

I head into the dining room where everyone is, smiling at me with their bittersweet smiles. I know they're sad, but it's life.

I see that Kat made bangers and mash, one of my faves.

"And for dessert is Pice ar y maen." she tells me with a grin, knowing it'll get a good reaction out of me. For those of you who don't know what Pice ar y maen is, it's Welsh cakes in Welsh. I love Welsh Cakes, they're my favourite treat. Just the perfect amount of sweet and you can get a variety of flavours and fillings and toppings. They're so awesome.

After dinner and dessert, I get hugs and kisses from everyone, and they all tell me how much they'll miss me.

"Guys, I'm not going away forever, you know? I'll visit and I'll still be with Kate. We're always going to be family. I love you all." I remind them. They come to me for one last group hug and I get kisses from Ana and Xand, Amos sticks to a fist bump and our secret handshake. I promise him that we could play online games together when I'm settled in, to which he was appreciative, to say the least.

I load the car with that final box I had packed and lock it, feeling that sense of finality again.

I decide to spend some time out in the back yard, just watching the sun go down, as it does at four o'clock in February. It's a sight to behold, that's for sure.

"Hey." Kat says.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask her.

"Sure. Can I sit?" she questions, gesturing to the spot next to me.

"Go for it." I shrug.

"I love you, Christina. I've raised you as my own and now you're leaving me. I know you're not my daughter but you might as well be! I'm gonna miss you, and my two grand babies."

"We're gonna miss you, too." I nod.

"Do you have to leave?" she whines.

"Yes. I can't have the girls sleeping on the floor all the time. They deserve their own beds, their own rooms."

"Surely, they don't mind."

"Maybe they don't, but they need their own space sometimes. Especially as they grow older. I know you don't want me to leave, but I promise, it's for the better." I explain.

"But-"

"Kat." I warn.

"Am I being too motherly?"

"Just a little bit." I chuckle.

"I'm sorry." she admits, pulling me into her arms.

"It's okay. I get it."

"I love you so much, Tina."

"I love you, too, Mammy."

She pulled back and smiled at me, a smile that said it all. She was happy that I had called her that, I think it feels right. She's been great to me and the best mother, apart from my own, ever.

"Let's get inside, spud. It's getting cold." Mammy shivers.

"Okay."

We all decided to watch a movie before bed, we decided on Frozen II. We're all loving it and I love spending time with my family like this. Even if I am moving about fifteen minutes down the road.