I WAKE UP TO the smell of cooking bacon and the sound of two tiny feet coming towards me, before I feel a tiny body jump on top of me.

"Wake up big sis!" Ellie squeals, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.

"Hey little sis," I squeal, my voice muffled by the duvet. "Gosh, you're full of beans this morning. Is Mark cooking breakfast?"

She nods. "Yup! Come on Tessie!" She shouts in my ear before pulling at my arm as she jumps down off the bed. I really do envy the amount of energy two-to-three year olds have.

"Okay I'm coming, I'm coming," I laugh as I trip over my own feet going out the door.

I scoop Ellie up before she pulls me headlong down the stairs and I'm met with an excited bark from Bruce as well as the sight of a Full English breakfast on my place at the table.

"Oh my gosh, you should have woken me up to help."

"We tried!" Mark says, laughing. "We managed to wake Bruce but you were dead to the world asleep."

"Mouth open, snoring and everything..." Mum adds and I laugh, knowing it wasn't true. I was lucky I didn't take after her snore, snoring like a freight train. "Very attractive."

Ellie slides her plate over to me and climbs onto my lap. I hold her carefully with one arm whilst tucking into my own plate, and help her with her tiny version of my own. She picks at the bacon but devours her sausages, allowing me to take the bits she didn't want.

"So what we thinking for today?" Mum asks.

"Well, I was thinking of going to the zoo?" I say, leaning my head around Ellie's shoulder to capture her gleeful expression.

She bounces up and down on my lap so I know she's fully on board with the idea.

"Can we see the penguins?" She asks.

"We sure can! What about Rhinos?" She nods. "Lions?" She nods even more, her tiny little head nodding in a blur. "What other animals do you know?"

She starts listing animals, including ones I expect she's made up herself, but I love that she's excited. A little kid's excitement is always at a high level, and I don't think I can ever remember being this excited for a day trip. Then again, I always followed whatever Archie and Matt were doing, so I suppose Ellie has to make her own fun at home.

My little sister is a little socialite at school though. On the few occasions I've been able to surprise her by picking her up, she's always surrounded by other children, all hanging off her every word. She will be a ball buster when she's older. I pity all the boys that try to vie for her affections, because she knows exactly what she wants. Anyone who isn't what she wants is just left wondering what just happened.

"Ellie can you go up and get dressed, please? Pick an outfit?"

She nods and taps my knee, getting me to spin so I could let her down. I do so and she giggles as she heads up the stairs to her room.

"She is so cute you guys." I squeal internally as I hear Ellie mumbling about outfits on the landing, wondering if pink would go with meerkats.

Mark smiles and Mum caresses her belly.

"I hope her sister is just like her."

I smile back. "She will be. Especially if Ellie has anything to say about it. Carbon copies."

Mum laughs at that. "Ha! She definitely will!"

I hear Ellie call something from upstairs, telling me to hurry up.

"I suppose that's my cue. What are you guys up to today?"

"I am just going to sleep," Mum laughs. "I don't know about you, honey, but sleep is all I need." She pats Mark's stomach as he puts an arm around her.

"I don't need to be asked twice when it comes to extra sleep." I remember the bags under his eyes yesterday. Even though Ellie was now nearly three, a handful could definitely be used to describe her. "We could go out for a pub lunch or something after our nap?" He laughs.

"I want a nap too," I joke.

"You just woke up!" he complains.

"So!" I giggle. "Are you telling her about my other little sister when we get back?" I ask.

"That's the plan." Mum's face suddenly looks worried. "God, I hope she's okay with it. I don't know what I'll do if she isn't."

"She'll be fine. She's already been begging you for a little sister, same as me when I was little," I smile.

"That's true, and we can always use you as a yardstick," Mark jokes. "You were okay with Ellie."

"Hey, if that helps, that's why I'm here. She'll be f-" I'm cut off by a yell from Ellie upstairs, telling me to stop talking and hurry up. "Well that told me. I'll be back in a sec."

An hour later, Ellie and I are all buckled into my car, Ellie dressed in a tiger print pair of leggings and a white t-shirt, me dressed in my usual jeans and t-shirt combo, both waving out the window at Mum and Mark, on our way to the zoo.

"What music we choosin', Ellie?"

"Frozen!" She shouts without hesitation.

I pump my fist. "Yes!"

One of the best things about having a little sister is that I can play Disney tunes all day long and no one in the world can judge me for it.

***

WHEN WE GET HOME, laden with every single stuffed animal Ellie could get her hands on, Mum and Mark are nowhere to be seen.

I call out as I open the door, but when I see the car is gone through the kitchen window, I realise they must be out getting some bits for dinner.

"Looks like it's just us for now, El," I say, turning around, but she's nowhere to be seen either.

Following the sound of her voice upstairs, I peek at her organising her new toys, registering them in like they were in a classroom. Deciding to leave her to it, I see the package I ordered yesterday has arrived, so I go off in search of Bruce.

I find him on my bed, fast asleep. I take a quick picture before he wakes up, and when he does, he jumps up but quickly rolls back over and barking excitedly.

"Come here, boy. We're taking some photos okay?"

He follows me down the stairs and dutifully sits still as I pull the blue 'Happy Birthday' t-shirt I had ordered out of the Amazon packet and push it over his head.

The first photo I take, he's just sitting, staring directly at the camera, probably just a bit confused as to what I'm subjecting him to. The second I get him to roll over, taking one of him cocking his head to the side, following me. The third he does a sort of high five, before he decides to cover his face, as if he was embarrassed, all by himself. I grab a shot of that before he starts playing. He goes into downward dog and sneezes before bouncing up and down.

I sit down next time as he rolls on his back next to me, surveying the photos before I call up to Ellie. Bruce knocks my elbow and pushes underneath so I rub a hand up and down his chest.

"El, can you help me with something?"

No response. I call her again, a bit louder, and she hears me.

"Okay! Can I bring a toy?" She asks as she appears at the top of the stairs.

"Of course you can. Can you bring me one?"

She nods enthusiastically and disappears, reappearing a few moments later before carefully walking down the stairs, holding the banister. She's got a monkey in one hand and her favourite horse plushie, and she trots up to me and hands me the monkey.

"He's very cute."

"She," she corrects me.

"She. What's her name?"

"Jane."

I raise my eyebrows at the name. Either it's a complete coincidence, or she's just that smart, and she knows about the connection between Tarzan and Jane. I smile, thinking I'm going to go with the latter.

"Can we hold up Jane and Horsey for a photo?" I ask, holding up my phone so she can see our reflection.

Ellie was born to selfie, and she smiles on cue, tipping her head to the side, looking even cuter than I could ever hope.

"Now can I get one of us in our new t-shirts?"I hold up an identical shirt to the one I was already wearing.

She giggles as she puts her arms up for me to help her replace her shirt with the new one. Bruce licks her face as I pull it down over her tummy and she giggles again, playfully pushing him away.

"Right everybody smile!" I say, putting my arm around Bruce's shoulder as his tongue lolls lower, his mouth opening wider. I take a couple, smiling wider as Ellie breaks away from my lap and takes control of my phone.

I don't know how many she takes, but when she finally gives it back to me, I have about a hundred of her looking cheeky and confused at the same time.

Not even ten minutes later, Ellie has got bored and headed back up to her room, so I scratch Bruce's ears, his head in my lap, sending Archie the first message.

Happy birthday Archie

It sounds so formal and ridiculous, but I want him to laugh more at the photos I'm about to send.

I wait a few minutes, staring intently at the screen, ignoring how my butt is starting to go to sleep from sitting on the hard floor. I can see he's read it, and after a few minutes I'm starting to lose hope in him replying.

It had been a few weeks since I'd messaged him. Because Jamie and I are now living together, I feel like I shouldn't. It's not the say that I couldn't, as there are still plenty of opportunities when Jamie is out at work and I have the house to myself, but I still feel like I shouldn't. I had been complaining that Jamie had been distant, when I think I had been just as bad, talking to Archie instead of him. I'd been good, with no slips, but seeing as today is his birthday I figure I would make an exception.

Finally, after another ten minutes, I get a reply.

Thanks

I snort and roll my eyes, showing my phone to Bruce, who does nothing. He's sending something just as formal back, probably not knowing how to respond.

"Right, let's see how he responds to your photo shoot, shall we Brucie?"

I sound crazy, talking to the dog, but I didn't care.

The first one I send is my favourite: Bruce sat up, looking all strong and handsome, staring down the camera, knowing how to look adorable, pouty and ridiculously cute all at the same time.

Archie sees the message straight away, so I start sending picture after picture, sending about twelve of Bruce before I get to the ones of Ellie and me. I hesitate for a moment, but then I figure I may as well send them. We have the t-shirts after all.

I search through the hundreds I have, including the ones Ellie took of herself, and choose one of the three of us. Ellie is tipping her head to the side, I'm laughing at her and Bruce is gearing up to lick my cheek.

He replies back with three laughing emojis, but I decide to send him one more picture.

I get the camera and line up the shot of Bruce in my lap, before I lean down and put my head next to his. As I take the picture, he licks my cheek gently and I smile.

Perfect. I hit send, not caring. Bruce is still his dog, so he deserves updates.

The dots dance a couple of times before a reply comes through, and his message makes me smile.

Natural born model. Man, I miss that big goober!

I laugh. "Arch just called you a goober, boy."

Bruce was always Goober to Archie, never Bruce. Always Goober. He got called it so often to the point he would come back if you called it. However after four years of being called everything but that, with Ellie having every nickname under the sun for him, I expect he won't answer to it now.

I swear, as soon as I said it's Archie's birthday he just started posing himself. Nothing to do with me! :p

I be. You at your mum's?

I frown, wondering how he knew, but then I supposed he had been here before. He probably recognises the floor.

Yep. I'm here all week babysitting. Ellie and I have a fun-packed week planned without Mum and Mark

I delete the two kisses I put automatically before I send, trying to ignore the rush of my heartbeat as I feel my cheeks flush. This is why I shouldn't message him while Jamie is around. My feelings and emotions just takes over and I end up all flustered.

Such as? :)

I list off a few ideas which I'm sure Ellie will be on board with before hitting send. I'm just listing off a couple more extras when I hear a door close outside. Mum and Mark are back, which means I only have a couple more minutes.

What birthday plans have you got today? Please say Millie is there and you're not celebrating solo...

I smile and wave at Mum as she comes past the window. Hurry up and answer, Archie!

Being on your own is no way to spend your birthday!

"Hey sweetie!" Mum calls as she comes in, carrying a large bag.

I get up and take it from her as Mark comes in laden with about ten bags.

"Wow, what's all this for?" I ask.

"Well, we promised Ellie we would bake a cake tomorrow, so we have enough for whatever cakes she wants to make. Where is she anyway? It's eerily quiet in here."

I laugh. "She's upstairs with her newest contingent of toys," I tell her. She rolls her eyes at me but she knows as well as I do that Ellie's 'pretty please' eyes are extremely hard to resist. "Is there anything else to grab?" I ask Mark.

"Yeah a couple more bags," he tells me, gesturing with his head. "And I'm not even going to ask about yours and Bruce's matching shirts."

My cheeks redden as I head out the door, looking at my phone as it buzzes, with Archie sending a picture this time.

His grin is wide, and he's surrounded by people, which makes me happy.

I recognised Greg and Millie, but there are two others there with them. I can only imagine the guy is Ollie, who Millie says he'd been sharing his apartment with. I'm not sure who the girl is, but from the way she's clinging on to Ollie, I can imagine she is his girlfriend. I ignore the pang of jealousy in my chest as I wonder if she may be Archie's girlfriend, but then I squash that feeling, knowing it was none of my business if she was. Instead, I focus on the giant chocolate cake Ollie is holding, one I recognise from one of the many times she has made it for my birthday. It's one of Millie's specialties.

That cake looks incredible and delicious. A Millie creation?

Of course! Ain't nothing better...

I can feel the awkwardness in my messages, so I decide to end them there, before I'm tempted too much. Mum can read  me like a book anyway, so I didn't want her to see me with beetroot cheeks.

I'll leave you to your celebrations. Hope you have a great day!

I type it quickly and shove my phone in my pocket just as Mark comes back out to grab the last bag I'm supposed to be getting.

"Who was that?" He asks and I grimace. Busted.

"Just Jamie," I lie, although I'm not sure why I'm bothering. His smirk tells me he knows exactly who I'm messaging.

"In a happy birthday t-shirt?"

I look down at myself and feel my cheeks heat even further.

"Okay fine. I was messaging Archie. Wishing him a happy birthday. I'm sorry."

He frowns. "Tess, why are you sorry?"

If I'm honest I'm not sure why I said sorry either. I suppose it's auto pilot. Whenever anyone even mentions Archie around Jamie he goes silent and then shouts at me later when we get home. He's right to be angry, and it's not as if he's that mad anyway, but I know it can't be easy. I forget sometimes that the rest of my family don't mind the mention of him.

"Jamie gets a bit touchy sometimes that's all," I explain.

Mark puts an arm around me. "How is he?"

I smile. "It seems like he's good. He's just sent a picture of him and his friends." I show him the photo and he laughs.

"You excited to see him?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah. I know I shouldn't be admitting this, but I've missed him."

"We all have. But don't worry about Jamie anymore, Tess," he tells me, putting an arm around me as we walk back inside. "The two of you will sort it out and then Jamie will be wondering why he'd been so fussed."

I frown but Mark shakes his head.

"I want to hear all about today though," he continues.

I smile as I follow him into the kitchen, but as I see a look exchanged between him and Mum, I know there are more than a few complicated questions headed my way.