Chapter 5.4 – Clearing the Dust

India and Izzy were turned over to the custody of Esme and Alfie.  It was only right considering the circumstances surrounding their birth.  There was no trial for the abandonment and after getting the clear bill of health, Georgia was discharged from hospital, released free to face up to what she had done.

By the time she got home she was still in a daze.  Having twins at her age would have been shocking for any teenager, but having twins by herself whilst denying the entire pregnancy still lay like a blanket of dust over Georgia – little did she realise all she needed to do was blow it all away.

At first India and Izzy slept in Esme and Alfie’s room.  They did most of the childcare encouraging Georgia all the time to pitch in and bond. 

But there was nothing.  Looking at her girls made her feel empty, numb! So she retreated back into her room to slip deeper into her comatosed state of mind. 

Time slipped by and the twins grew – so did Georgia.  The detachment could have broken Georgia. It would have done if August the 3^rd hadn’t have happened. It had been a hot sticky summer and as usual Georgia was lying by the pool.  She had been steadily working on her tan all summer long and she was suitably crisped up.  Just another hour, she told herself laying her head back against the lounger and letting herself drift away. 

She was not sure if had actually slept or whether she had just dozed off, but she was ripped out of her slumber by an almighty cry.  Jumping from the chair she froze scanning the vista for where the sound had come from. 

She nearly gave up looking. She would have done if she hadn’t have seen the drops of water flying from the surface of the pool.  Running to the edge she was struck with a sight she had never imagined to see – India flaying around in the water.  Drowning!

“Muuuuuuummmmmmm,”Georgia shrieked looking around frantically for Esme but not seeing her. There was no time.  She dived into the cool water of the pool and had not even coming up for air by the time she reached India who was slowly disappearing under the water. 

She pushed her up through the surface and pulled both of them from the pool collapsing onto the warm stone side.  Mother and baby looked at each other.  There was a moment of complete stillness where their eyes locked and an unspoken love drifted between them. 

“Oh my god,” Georgia gasped realising what almost had happened.  She scooped India into her arms who had started to wail violently and cradled her like she had never done before.  “My poor baby,” she said over and over again clasping hold of her daughter for dear life.  She could not fathom what would have happened if she had not been around and in that second she realised how much her little girls needed her!

“What’s going on,” Esme cried dashing from the house.  “Is that India?  Oh my goodness what happened. She is soaking wet??” 

“She fell in the pool mum,” Georgia snapped. “Where were you?”

“Oh my god!  I just turned my back for a minute.  The cake was burning you see and Mrs Stanthom needs it delivered today. When I turned back India was gone.”

“She could have drowned mum!”

“I know. Oh my. Here give her to me, I will take her in and dry her off.”  Esme reached out for India but Georgia instinctively pulled back. 

“No,” she snapped.  “I will dry her off.” She cradled India and stormed into the house leaving Esme by the pool opened mouth. 

“Come on Izzy,” Georgia said when she got back into the house.  Izzy was busy playing with her doll until Georgia stormed into the house.  She looked up at Georgia; almost a stranger to her but still pulled herself to her feet and bounded up the corridor after her mother. She had been the first to learn to walk out of her and her sister.

In her bedroom, Georgia settled Izzy in the corner with one of her fashion magazines and pulled India’s damp clothes from her body.  “Who’s a good girl letting mummy change you,” Georgia said tickling India’s belly. 

“Now let’s get some dry clothes on you then how about mummy gets your guys some dinner?” 

“Yum Yum,” Izzy sang not tearing her eyes from her mother’s magazine. 

“Yes yum yum food,” Georgia repeated looking from India to Izzy. The dust had finally cleared; she was in love!

It was a huge relief to Esme that Georgia was finally taking ownership of her children.  It had been a long arduous battle taking care of twins, starting up her cookery business and dealing with the Georgia’s post natal depression.  She watched Georgia interact with Izzy and India and it was like the last year had never happened.

The twins soaked up their mother’s attention like a sponge relishing in the attention she was finally giving them. Even though the last year had been hard for everyone, it had all been worth it in the end.  Especially for India and Izzy.  Georgia did her best to make up for lost time. She took the girls to the park every day and set about teaching them everything she could, from practising their walking and talking. They were still a bit too young to be potty trained.

Awaking from her nightmare had given Georgia a new lease on life.  For the first time in a long time she picked up her pencil’s and started to sketch again.  Her designs took on a whole new life. She fell in love with the simplicity of romantic designs and tailoring and even created a babywear range – with Izzy and India as the models. 

Both girls loved playing dress up with their mother.  They were both so similar. So friendly and so giggly – girly girls through and through. “Come on India, try this on for mummy,” Georgia said scooping her daughter up.

“Izzy mummy, Izzy,” she giggled. Georgia had gotten her daughters mixed up again!  Will she ever tell them apart!!!

It was all very well for Esme and Alfie to support Georgia with her daughters.  In fact they loved helping out and spending time with their grandchildren, but one thing they did insist on was that Georgia had to make her own money. It was not because they could not afford to keep them all – very much the opposite. But Georgia was still so young and they wanted to ensure she was able to make her own way in life – to achieve things. Plus they knew how much she loved fashion so it was only right she used her passions for the better.

Because of having the girls, she had never finished high-school.  In fact she never even set foot back in the building after giving birth. She had never seen any of her old friends again – to them she had disappeared like a ghost. So getting a job without a high-school diploma was always going to be real hard.  She fired off letters and emails to all the fashion houses in Bridgeport but either they did not get back to her or just ignored her completely. 

She was getting more and more frustrated until one day there was a knock on the door.  “I’ll get it she called,” happy to get away from trawling the web.  When she swung the door open she did not expect to see who was standing on the other side – it was Amy. 

“C come in,” Georgia stuttered widening the doorway and letting Amy walk through. She too had aged in the last couple of years and had turned into a real beauty.  A pang of sadness filled Georgia and she wondered how she had ever let things get this bad. 

“Your probably wondering what I am doing here,” Amy said seriously. 

“Err no…”  Georgia answered, but she was. 

“I wasn’t going to come.  I told myself we would probably never see each other again. I was happy with that for a long time.”

She walked across the room and sat down.  Georgia followed her and sat down across from her.  “I know you had a baby,” Amy continued. 

“Twins,” Georgia corrected.  “I had twin girls.  Izzy and India.” 

“Twins sorry, I did know that. Mum told me.  Mum told me as soon as is happened.  I was angry with you Georgia. I was so angry that you had not told me that I couldn’t even see straight!” 

“I’m sorry,” Georgia whispered.

“So am I,” Amy replied.

“You’re what,” Georgia gasped.  Had Amy just said she was sorry? 

“I’m sorry too,” Amy said louder. “I should have been there for you and I am sorry for that. But what I don’t understand is why you cut me out like that.  Why you did not feel you could come to me. You were my best friend Georgia.  And you threw away our friendship like a piece of rubbish!” 

Georgia looked down at her hands ashamed.  She had done all of the things Amy was accusing her. It was time to come clean. She rose from her seat. 

“Where are you going,” Amy asked. 

“Hold on I want to show you something,” Georgia said.  She went into the next room where her dad was watching the girls, scooped one up and called for the other to follow.  She took the girls into the next room and settled them on the rug next to Amy giving them a toy each to keep them occupied. 

“Amy I would like you to meet my girls.  Izzy is the one in pink and India is in green.” 

“Hello,” Amy said moving closer.  “Aren’t you gorgeous?”

Georgia watched as Amy stroked their heads and looked deep into their eyes. Then it happened.  The look of realisation swept across Amy’s face. 

“Their Luke’s children,” she gasped. 

“Yes,” Georgia answered totally ashamed. 

“This is why you kept it from me.  Because you were carrying Luke’s children and you thought I wouldn’t understand.”

“Yes,” Georgia said again a single tear running down her cheek. She did not know what else to say. How could she defend what she had done? 

“Oh Georgia,” Amy cried running over to her and wrapping her arms around her. “I don’t care their Luke’s.” 

“Wha what,” Georgia stuttered trying to control her crying. 

“Well off course I’m pissed that you slept with my boyfriend but you are so much more important to me than some stupid boy I went out with for all of two weeks.” 

“Really?”

“Yes.  Now come here, I’ve missed you.” This was all Georgia could bare.  She collapsed into Amy’s arms and sobbed until she had no more tears and then she cried some more.  Amy forgave her.  Amy really forgave her.  It was like the weight of the world had finally been lifted off her shoulders and she was free!

Eventually Amy pulled back and asked the question Georgia had been waiting for.  “Does he know? Does Luke know?”

“No,” Georgia replied.  “I tried to tell him once about a year ago.  I wrote him a letter but it got returned to me with a note saying he had been sent overseas with the army.  I never tried again.  I had no idea where to start looking.”

“Georgia, Luke is here!”

“What do you mean?”

“Luke is here in Bridgeport.  I bumped into him the other day. He’s back from the army!”

Georgia’s mouth dropped open.  Luke was back. India and Izzy’s dad was back!  Things were about to get a whole lot trickier!