Chapter 24

Katie and Belle climbed off Poppy, Jenny laughed when she saw Belle’s pyjamas.

“What?” Belle said with a scowl.

“Nothing,” Jenny replied, trying to suppress her giggles, “they’re, err, very colourful.”

“They’re comfy, and warm, and Poppy likes them.”

“Which is all that matters, now how about you all get dressed and we can have a chat in the kitchen.”

“You may as well get dressed to go for dinner,” I said, “you can leave the pyjamas on if you want to wear them in Pizza Hut,’ I added with a smirk.

Belle gave me a very black look, “you oldies just don’t understand style,” she muttered as she walked past.

Ten minutes later we were sitting around the kitchen table, I’d made a pot of coffee and we all drank it while Jenny spoke.

“Ok, so I don’t need to tell you that none of this leaves this room.”

We all nodded gravely.

“I know I didn’t need to say that, but with my job, I just have to be careful. Right, Jeremy was true to his word, he sent some people to speak to a few of the girls I found when checking into the allegations made against Belle’s Uncle Liam.”

Belle gasped when she heard his name, “sorry honey, don’t you want me to say his name?”

“It’s ok,” Belle replied, “so long as I’m staying here I don’t mind.”

“Spoiler alert, you’re staying,” Jenny said with a grin, “so, the guys took video evidence from a couple of the girls who were willing to talk. They confronted Liam with these videos. Jeremy said it took some persuasion, and Liam does need some medical attention, but they have a legally binding document signed by Liam to say he relinquishes all claims to you, and he will never contact you at any point in the future.”

Belle sat in silence for a while, cradling her coffee mug in both hands.

“Sorry,” she said after the longest time, “I’m just trying to let it sink in, does that mean you can adopt me now?”

“It does,” Jenny replied.

“And Poppy will be my sister, and Katie?”

“Yes, very soon we will be one big happy family, all nice and legal.”

“I can’t quite take it all in,” Belle said, shaking her head, “you must think I’m dense or something, but this is like a dream come true. I wanted Poppy to come and rescue me, and she did. I wanted to have a loving family, and I’ve got one. Dreams aren’t meant to come true like this.”

Poppy turned to Belle, she tenderly touched her cheek, turning Belle to face her, “look at me Belle, you see me, I’m here in this room with you.”

“Yes, you are.” Belle replied, earnestly.

“And we’re here, together, in this lovely warm kitchen, with these fantastic people.”

Belle looked around, her eyes wide, taking in the whole scene as if for the first time.

“It’s all true Belle, your dreams are reality now.”

“I’ve got one more dream,” Belle said so quietly we barely heard her, “I hope that one comes true one day.”

“What’s that?” Jenny asked.

“I want to be Poppy’s wife...” Belle replied even more quietly.

Poppy gasped, “oh my god!”

“It’s ok,” Katie said, “you asked me before, we never knew you’d find Belle again, I completely understand, our engagement couldn’t ever be legal anyway.”

Belle moved her head back and forth between her two girlfriends, she put an arm around each of them and brought them together, “err, I just want to be able to call Poppy my wife, I’m not really bothered if it’s legal or not, if we both want to ‘marry’ her, that’s fine by me. Like Helen said, I’m the little scamp, I’m not made for following the rules.”

Katie and Poppy leaned in and they both kissed one of Belle’s cheeks each.

Jenny leaned forwards, looking at each of our daughters, “ok, it’s early days, things change, but when the time comes, if you all still love each other, there is something you can do semi-officially to prove your love for each other.”

“What’s that?” they asked in unison.

“So, in the UK, and most of the world to be honest, only two people can legally marry, be they two women, two men, or a man and a woman, a marriage is between two people. There is something called a Commitment Ceremony though, you get to have a wedding, you can all wear wedding dresses, you can invite people and have a big party, just like a traditional wedding, there’s just no legally binding vows, and no marriage certificate.”

The girls looked at each other, “I’m in!” they cried together.

“Not before me and your dad have got married though.”

Poppy turned back to us, “you’re getting married!” she cried.

“She’s not asked me yet.” I replied.

“I will, one day, when you least expect it.”

We all laughed, I kissed Jenny, the girls kissed, the tears from earlier a distant memory.

“I’m starving,” Belle said after a few minutes of laughs and kisses, “I thought someone mentioned pizza.”

“Oh yes, pizza!” Poppy echoed.

“Ok, let me get changed out of my work clothes,” Jenny said, “I’ll be a couple of minutes.”

“How far is it to Pizza Hut,” Belle asked.

“About a 15 minute walk,” I answered.

“Mmm, maybe I won’t walk all that way in my pyjamas, I’ll get changed. Can I wear my new shoes?”

“Of course you can,” I said.

“Oh, you’ll probably want to put plasters on your heels,” Poppy advised her, “the backs are really stiff. I’ll come help you.”

Katie collected up the empty mugs as Poppy left with Belle, “I love them both so much, and it’s so odd, because I’ve never liked anyone quite so instantly as this. Like, it was absolutely instant with Poppy. I saw her on her first day and we just clicked,” she clicked her fingers, “just like that, I knew right then she was going to be my best friend. It was pretty much the same with Belle, I saw her asleep on the floor in the station and my heart went out to her, she looked so beautiful.”

“I’m much the same, Poppy had been in the house only a few minutes and we were chatting like we’d known each other for years.”

“So you see why I can’t lose either of them, they’re my life now, and I’m still a bit bewildered by it all, but what I do know is I love them both a crazy amount.”

“And Poppy loves you just as much, so does Belle, she told me the other night she hoped you liked her as much as she likes you.”

“I guess I’m a little insecure because they’re so close, but that’s a bond built from surviving together, I can’t ever forge a bond like that, can I?”

“No, but they love you all the same,” I assured her.

We heard loud footsteps as Belle clattered down the stairs and ran into the kitchen, “Look Katie, are these the shiniest shoes you’ve ever seen.”

We could practically see our reflections in Belle’s patent leather Mary Janes.

“They look great, Poppy’s aren’t that shiny.”

“No, I’m annoyed they didn’t have the patent ones in my size, I’m glad Belle got some though, so she looks extra special.”

“Do you like my jeans? They’re from Gap, they’re boys’ jeans, but I’ve only got a boy sized bum, so they fit ok.”

“Are you saying we’ve got big bums?” Poppy laughed.

“Well, you’ve got big boobs, so you have to have a big bum or you’d over-balance.”

“Well saved Belle,” Jenny laughed as she joined us, “although that does mean my bum must be huge to keep me in balance.”

“I’m saying nothing,” I said, “I’ll go get my coat while Belle digs herself out of that hole.”

Monday nights are never busy, so we were given a big table in the middle of the restaurant, close to both the salad bar and the unlimited soft drinks machine.

Poppy and Belle piled their plates with salad, dressings and breadsticks, and helped themselves to Pepsi, Katie was more restrained, just having a little salad, leaving room for pizza.

“What do you want to order?” Jenny asked the girls.

“Whatever, it’s pizza, I’ll eat any of them,” Poppy said through a mouthful of potato salad.

Belle whispered into Poppy’s ear, she got a nod in reply, “just order two of the big ones, something meaty and something veggie, we don’t mind, this is the food of the gods, it’s all good.”

Jenny laughed as Belle shovelled a forkful of lettuce and coleslaw just as the waitress arrived, “sorry, they’ve not eaten all day,” Jenny said.

“Don’t apologise,” the waitress replied, “it’s good to see girls enjoying their food, too many don’t eat enough.”

“Quite, so in that vein, we’ll have a large Supreme and a large Veggie Feast please,” turning to the girls, “do you want the stuffed crust?”

“That’s more cheese isn’t it?” Belle asked.