Chapter Sixty Nine

Back downstairs and sitting in the breakfast nook, Steph Jessie and Jake came in together, they had been in the back yard bouncing around a volley ball, Jake was whining that the other two hit the ball to high over the net so he could not play and had spent the whole time just jumping up and down trying.
"You are not fun, your mean..."
"Jake, lil man you just have to jump higher, that's all" Jessie was teasing him and Steph helped too.
"Yeah, we punched loads low for you, but you missed them, so not our fault little bro..." they were both eyeing each other as they used the term little. I saw Jakes face fall.... and interrupted...
"now, you two stop teasing your brother, you want some hot chocolate Jakey?"
with a forlorn face he came over to me and nodded his head.
"You want mallows and cream too Jake?"
immediately he brightened up, "Yeah...." with a beaming face he stood by Mara as she prepared him his favourite drink. Steph and Jessie sat at the breakfast bar.
Looking at Mara I indicated the look, shall we tell them now, she nodded her head gently while stirring the milk for Jakes hot chocolate.
"Kids," all three sets of eyes looked toward me. "Tomorrow, how you all feel about a family day together?"
All three nodded there heads, but not enthusiastically, laughing I asked, "Don't look so excited will you?"
Steph answered first, "well its not that we are not excited dad, but, well I dunno..." I finished her sentence, "its not cool hanging with your old man right?"
"daddy we love you but I guess it depends what you have planned, right Jessie?"
Jake pulled on my jeans, "I'm happy and excited Daddy..." I stroke his head, I know you are son."
Mara finished making Jake his chocolate and he sat at the breakfast bar either side his bother and sister and quietly drank his drink and spooned out the mallows and cream first...
the older siblings still looked pretty stiff about spending the day with us. Mara winked at me before taking the lead....
"Guy's look it really wont be that bad, after all, we are going to a theme park"
Immediately there faces broke into electric smiles, if we had given them each a new four by four they could not have looked as pleased.
Steph spoke first..." really, well I think I could manage some family time at a theme park... your gonna ride with us though right dad?" laughing I nodded my head, "Yeah, no standing waiting and waving like loons at us guys as we go round or something lame.... that is so not cool..."
"thanks Jessie, I feel heaps younger now.."
"You know what I mean dad"
"Sure, your embarrassed by your old man..." I tried to keep a straight face but failed. he saw and laughed too, "So what time we leaving then tomorrow, we wanna have a whole day right?"
"Yeah that's all planned too, we are planning to leave at 8am... that ok with you Steph?"
"Oh right pick on my cause I'm the girl..... well it so happens I will be ready before you all, you'll see." pouting she looked out of the window with her head in the air.
The banter and noise in the kitchen was music to my ears, I had everything I could want, three wonderful kids, all growing up normal and a beautiful fiancée, and when the house was sold we could go looking for a new family home together. It seemed like an eternity but at last things we beginning to go right.
Mara joined my side, and draped her hand round my back and slid her hand in to my jeans back pocket and gently squeezed my butt, as I looked at her she smiled back at me.
"So tonight then kids, eat in, or out, and where, lets hear it?"
in a milli second all shouted in chorus, "out and Pizza Express."
I looked to Mara," you ok with that?"
"Fine, I'm happy, well as long as I can have a Hawaiian deep cheese filled crust large all to myself , no sharing ok  Bongiovi?"
for someone so slim it was amazing how much of an appetite Mara had, and how much she could eat.... " Not even one slice? Miss Goodward that's mean..."
"no not even one slice.... "
it didn't help we both had the same taste, and I never wanted Hawaiian until Mara had it, and for some reason eating her's always tasted better.
"I'm waiting?" with a cold look in her eye's she stood looking at me, "well?"
"Ok, ok, you got it, you can pig out on a large all to yourself.... " smiling, playfully she smacked my butt as she went to get her jacket, checking the time 8pm, it was time we made a move or we would be to late getting home and that would mean tomorrows plans would be scuppered, Jake put his cup in the sink, and wiped his mouth over his hand, Jessie and Steph were talking I interrupted them " right you three lets get moving,   go get your coats..." All three marched out together and in a minute all three were ready and stood waiting, taking my keys from the worktop, and with Mara's hand in mine we headed out to the car, all on board and buckled up we set off for a lovely family evening.