APOV

"Charlie, where are you hiding little man," I heard Christian say before our giggling son appeared behind me gripping my legs.

"Are you hiding from daddy?" I asked, running my fingers through his little curls.

"Charlie…. Mommy, I think Charlie has gone, he's disappeared."

"Boo," Charlie said, stepping from behind me before he was scooped up into his father's arms.

"Where have you been hiding," Christian asked, before kissing all over his face.

"Ben bed."

"No wonder you couldn't find him then. Ben's in there snoring his head off, he must have hidden behind him" I said, looking over to our Labrador.

"Come on, let's leave Mommy to finish off in here and go and see what Emily and Elliot are doing. Your grandparents will be back soon."

"Fish."

"Not today, we'll go fishing another day. We're having burgers and fireworks" he said as they disappeared out of the door.

I watched as Christian put Charlie down, who ran to see what his brother and sister were doing over by the pond.

Charlie came to us just like Christian came to Grace and Carrick. Although he didn't have the physical abuse that my husband had, he still suffered.

He was left, abandoned in the hospital car park when he must have been only days old. He spent a long time in the hospital, longer even than the twins as he was weaned off the drugs that his birth mother had passed onto him. A letter was with him, apologising because she couldn't give him the life he deserved. We gave him that life.

We had been through all the training, the paperwork for adoption, fostering too as we knew that would also be an option if adopting took a while. Grace told us about Charlie after all avenues were closed off trying to find his mother or any other members of his family. When he left the hospital eventually, he came to live with us.

Charles José Grey, my little ray of sunshine. The twins love him to bits, having been nearly four when he finally came home. They were quick to take him under their wing. When he cries which is rare, it's the two of them who reach him first. As a parent, I know what a cry means and apart from when he was in the hospital, obviously in pain, I haven't heard a cry like that since. Giggles that's what I associate with Charlie, giggles and laughter.

"Mommy can I have a drink," Emily asked, walking in through the front door.

"Of course, sweetheart…. What have you been doing, preparing for Glastonbury."

"What's Glastonbury," she asked. I know I should've chosen my words wisely as she will want to know everything about it now.

"Never mind that now. How, when you went outside thirty minutes ago in your pretty dress do you now look like you've been rolling in the mud," I asked as Ben got up from his bed to investigate the mass of mud that is my daughter.

"Ben stop, that tickles" she laughed as he started to sniff around her stomach. "Elliot and I wanted to be pigs, they roll in the mud," she told me, her hands on her hips as if I should know that answer already.

"Does your brother look like you then?" I asked.

"No, of course not, he's a boy. He doesn't have a dress on."

I shut up, fixing her drink while I tried not to laugh. I love my life, the crazy kids too.

"Go on, out miss," I told her once I had given her, her drink. I followed her out with a drink for Elliot and Charlie's sippy cup.

True to form, my son was as dirty as his sister and our guests were not even here yet.

As has been customary on the fourth of July in the past, everyone comes here and this year will be no different.

Jose and Philippe, my dad, Sky, Elliot and their kids too. Grace and Carrick were staying the weekend with us as well, having gone out to get some supplies. When everyone gets here, the party can begin.

"Where do you want this Ana," my mum asked, bringing my tea out onto the porch which had been forgotten about with my giggling son and dirty daughter.

"Thanks, mum, I would forget my head if it was loose. How's Bob."

"He has a cold so obviously it's the worst man flu imaginable," she told me, making me laugh.

My mum and Bob had arrived two days ago, although I have hardly seen Bob. He was staying away from me, hoping that I don't catch a cold, having already spent the past two weeks with one.

"He will be fine mum. He can't blame me for catching it though as he had it before you got here."

"No, he can't sweetheart" she laughed. "How are you."

"I'm fine mum. It would be nice to be like the children, sick one day and then running around the next, but.."

"But you've never been like that."

"No, I have to fight a bit harder, but I get through it," I told her, resting my head on her shoulder as we watched Christian chase the children around, getting just as mucky as them.

Our attention turned towards the gate when we heard it opening and the cars started coming through. First José being quickly followed by Elliot and then Grace and Carrick coming up the rear.

"Did you all have a meeting somewhere, arriving together?" Christian asked as everyone started to get out of the cars.

"Yes brother, we decided to meet up and plan how to sabotage your barbecue. If I knew there was mud wrestling here though, we might have gotten here quicker" Elliot told him as he watched Christian try and wipe the mud from his face that Charlie had put there with his mucky hands. Elliot turned back to the car then, getting his impatient sons out.

"Aunt Ana" Cameron and Lewis called out. They ran past Christian, hi-fiving their uncle as they rushed to get to me.

"Hello boys, are you being good."

"Yes, Mommy said we're too much like daddy though. She shooed us out of the kitchen while she baked some pies."

"Maybe she wanted them to last long enough to get here. There are cookies on the kitchen counter if you're hungry, one each" I told them before they rushed past me and into the house. "One remember, I know how many there is."

"Yes, Aunt Ana" I heard one of them say.

"Hello, Ana," Sky said, coming over to my side, holding Petal in her arms.

"Hi Sky, how's this little one."

"Perfect as always, the boys are."

"Just like their father," we both said together, making us laugh.

Elliot and Sky adopted Cameron and Lewis, a year after they were married. They had been planning on it for a while but being asked to be foster parents to them first, they were happy to say yes. The boys stayed with them close to a month before they were reunited with their mother. The social worker finding them living in squalor weeks later, with a mother who was so drunk she was barely conscious had them moving back with Sky and Elliot for good this time. They were all heartbroken when they had to go back originally as a bond had grown between them all. They have the home they deserve now, the love that they needed, Petal too.

"How many cookies have you had," Sky asked the boys as they emerged from the house with my son Elliot.

"Just one Mommy."

"Really, you have a mouth full of cookie but the one you have in your hand is a perfect circle, how can that be."

"Magic Mommy," Lewis declared, making his older brother laugh.

"Go on you lot, go and annoy your dads, they will be in the barn," I told them.

They all ran off in the direction of the barn where all the men seemed to be congregating at the moment. The only one who wasn't was my oldest son who was sat on the bench by the pond throwing corn to the ducks with my dad. Most missed the pond as his arm couldn't throw that far, the ducks didn't mind though, coming close to pick up the corn.

"How's Jordan settling in," Sky asked as we joined my mum and Grace on the porch, watching all the big strong men, move the barbecue from the garage.

"Like a dream," I told them, smiling when I heard his laughter.

Jordan had only been with us a few months, our one and only foster child. That's what he started as anyway. We were happy at the time settling for the three children we had but a call from the agency, needing a placement for a child quickly, had us both acting fast. He was terrified at the time, of Christian more than anyone but he soon came around with the help we gave him. Time, space and a lot of love. He has special needs, although unless you knew him you wouldn't know it. Some people see a disability as something physical when a lot of the time it can be in their mind. His father thought that, thought he could beat it out of him when he wasn't physically able to do what he wanted, as quickly as he demanded. He's Christian's best friend now though, although he loves spending time with my dad too. Jordan Samuel was a Jones but he's now a Grey.

"I never asked as everything moved so quickly especially with the two family lawyers on side, how old is he," Grace asked.

"Just coming up to eleven, August 6th."

"It's nice to see him out and about," my mum said, having spent a bit of time in Jordan's room yesterday getting to know her new grandson.

"I know, he likes the peace and quiet of his room. Jordan didn't want to miss out on the fun though. Dad got him some ear muffs for when the fireworks go off as he's not keen on the loud screeching noise."

"Barbecues on, do you ladies need anything from the kitchen" Christian asked on his way into the house.

"A kiss," I told him, receiving just that.

"You two are still in the honeymoon phase six years later" Sky laughed.

Tell me about it. When we're alone, we can't keep our hands off each other.

Despite saying we were fine, Christian emerged from the house with a tray containing a pot of tea and cups. My husband knows us so well. He disappeared back into the kitchen after another kiss of thanks and went out with a tray that contained beer and drinks for the children.

"You have him well trained" Grace laughed.

"No, that's just how Christian is. Making sure everyone has all that they can need. He was raised a gentleman" I told her.

"So was Elliot but I think he would've been more at home with the apes" She laughed at her eldest son who was bouncing around with the children pretending to be monkeys.

"Charlie has left a present," José announced, coming over with my son in his arms.

"You know where everything is Uncle José," I told him, smiling at my best friend, not wanting to move from my spot.

"It's a good job I love you, you too little stinker," he told Charlie, blowing a raspberry on his neck before they went inside the house.

Our attention turned away from José and Charlie when we heard a splash from the pond. I thought one of the ducks had landed heavily but seeing my brother-in-law's head sticking out of the water, a lily pad on top of his head nearly had me choking on my tea.

"Oh my god, what have you done now," Sky asked, laughing at her husband.

"Lewis threw the ball in and I was trying to reach it," he spluttered, wading towards the edge and hauling himself out.

"Umm, Elliot," I said, giving up on containing my laughter. "What's that," I asked, pointing to the long stick which my husband had crafted a net onto the end. Balls ending up in the pond were a daily occurrence around here, no one but Elliot had found themselves in though.

"I thought it was a nice day for a dip. A bit cold and slimy though."

"Don't even think of stepping into the house in those wet clothes," Christian told him. "Barn now and I will get some of my clothes for you."

"You want me to get butt naked in the barn, Ben stop sniffing me," he told my dog before taking his wife's hand who dragged him to the barn.

"One day, one time we can have a normal family gathering," my dad said, in hysterics now.

"Not in this family dad, you should know that," I told him.

Christian collected some clothes from the laundry room, some old ones that he kept for working outside. He gave poor José the job of taking them to Elliot while he took a tired Charlie up to his room for a nap. José re-emerged from the barn minutes later in fits of laughter.

"You're a bit shrivelled up down there" José called out before being told to fuck off.

"Daddy swore, daddy swore, timeout daddy" Cameron and Lewis sang as they waited for their dad to emerge from the barn.

"Mom" I heard, turning to see Jordan.

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Is it ok if I go and sit in my room."

"Of course, you don't have to ask Jordan, it's your room. I might come and join you if this lot gets any crazier."

"Bring your book."

"Now you're talking," I told him, seeing his smile appear. "Go and enjoy the peace and I will bring you up some food when it's all done. If it doesn't smell like pond water that is."

I watched him go inside, feeling a hand rest on my shoulder.

"You're such a good mother sweetheart," my mum said, kissing my cheek.

"It's what I was born to be. Don't get me wrong I love writing but the excitement I get here with Christian and our children, writing just can't compare."

"Mommy Aunt Mia's here" Emily shouted gaining our attention as she rushed towards the car as it approached.

"Emily Rose Grey, freeze that little bottom where it is until the car has stopped."

"Sorry, Mommy. Has Aunt Mia had the baby yet."

"I don't think she would be here if she was having the baby now," I told Emily, holding her hand until Sean had helped his heavily pregnant wife out of the car.

"I don't envy you," I said, hugging my sister in law before I gently patted her stomach.

"I don't envy how you used to be. I have two weeks to go, you were seven months and I think you still had half a belly on me."

"Twins will do that," I told her before we were interrupted by my daughter.

"When is Alice coming out, it must be boring for her in there. We have a doll waiting for her" Emily complained.

"Soon enough, although it will be a while until she can play with a doll," Mia told her, brushing my daughter's curls from her forehead when she rested her face against Mia's stomach, shouting hurry up.

"Come on, Miss Impatient, come and help me bring some food out while we wait for Alice to arrive."

We all walked back up to the porch, Mia taking my seat while I took Emily inside and passed her the lightest bowl which contained potato chips for her to take out.

"What's the chance that when we get out there, there will be any left" Christian asked me, coming down the stairs.

"About zero, it keeps her busy though. How're the boys."

"One is sleeping, another is reading about dragons and knights. The third if he's still with his uncle, is probably covered in mud again."

"I hope not because Elliot Snr that is, is supposed to be helping your dad at the barbecue."

"I had better go and control the madness then," He told me, kissing my lips before he headed out of the door.

….

Jordan ate his burger in his bedroom, although he came down to join us for the fireworks. He had his ear defenders on and like the rest of us, felt some of the bangs but he laughed and clapped enjoying them, even holding his youngest brother in his arms at one point joining in his excitement.

The excitement in this family is contagious, the laughter and giggles too. I had my family now, one that once upon a time was just a dream for me. I had to learn to live before I could get there, fight my health and beat whatever illness was put in my way. I will fight forever if I have to because I don't want to miss a moment of this.

Christian, Elliot, Emily, Charlie and Jordan. Our families too. They were all a beautiful gift that was given to me and forever they will be all mine.

**The end**

Thank you for reading and reviewing and joining them on this journey which was partly mine.

Even though Kate was dealt with in the last chapter, some were asking for more detail on why she did what she did. I was going to put something in this chapter, but she didn't belong here anywhere. The simple answer is greed. She had known the name Grey through her parents no doubt so when her friends mentioned that name, she was straight over there. She got the wrong brother though. She set her sights on Christian and thought she could worm her way into his life with Elliot unknowing offering her the perfect way in, obviously getting rid of Elliot when her plan worked. It failed though as Christian couldn't stand her and she underestimated the bond between the brothers, so her plan to trap him came next. She failed at everything except finding herself in a prison cell.

Until next time, take care

Caroline.