The Time Traveller

I'm travelling through time. My eyes closed. My breathing steady. It's 11.04pm, 31st October 2022.

It's also the year 2006. We've been out in Edinburgh celebrating buying our house in Broxburn. That night as we turn the corner at the bottom of the cul-de-sac, we have a little excited childish moment of joy; holding hands as we jump up and down with a little dance, and we look at our new little semi-detached house.

It's also 15 years ago, on this very day, we're in New York and I've just proposed to Laura with the ring that I designed for her. It's so cold that we are practically wearing all the clothes we brought with us. We loved NY. 

Then we're lying on her sofa in her bright sunny council flat in Gilesgate. We've only been seeing each other a few weeks. We are watching telly. We are happy. 

We are in maternity. Laura has just delivered our baby boy by C-section. Fall At Your Feet by Crowded House is playing in the background. I have made the decision that his name will be Aden Brady Lenaghan as Laura is being indecisive again. The naming is also an attempt to distract Laura, and to calm my nerves, as our baby hasn't made a sound yet. In the background the staff are working feverishly on him. Seconds seem like minutes, minutes like hours. He then starts crying. And we do too. 

It's Laura's 30th birthday and we're in the beautiful Maldives. I've pretended to go to the toilet after dinner when I've actually sprinted back to our villa to get the Gucci watch that I've bought her as a gift. 

Then it's 2005. Laura has thrown a sicky from work and we are going to Keswick for the night. I'm there for work, expenses paid. I do the bare minimum and we spend time being happy in a place where no one knows us. 

It's 2012, we're in Paris on our 2nd anniversary, eating the world's most expensive croque monsieur on the Champs-Elysees. 

Then I'm in the bathroom, I can hear Laura reading the kids a bedtime story. It's Cops and Robbers by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. She's reading it in the voice that she only used for reading to the kids. It's her unique reading to the kids voice. I'm wishing I recorded it. I stay and listen for a while.

It's 2016 and we are having our first child free night out-out in ages. We go into Durham and have a curry. One drink later we decide to go home to our child-free house and chill on the sofa. We are home before 10pm. 

We decide to find out what sex our second child is. We get the scan at Mothercare in Team Valley. Aden is with us. It's a girl. He's excited, as are we. There are many names. We decide on Hallie Willow a week before she is born. 

We're "in between houses", so had to move into the flat above The Market Tavern. I'm in the office and Laura is in the living room of the flat directly above me. I hear her whooping and come running downstairs to tell me we've got the first choice school for the kids. 

It's 2010, we're on the first part of our honeymoon in Vegas watching Phantom Of The Opera in The Venetian. It is spectacular. We are both fighting jetlag. Laura watches the show with her head on my shoulder. 

We've driven 100s of miles looking at wedding venues only to find that there's a perfect place two minutes round the corner from where we live. It's exactly what she wanted. 

Then it's New Year 2022 and we are in Ramside Golf Club. Laura looks amazing given the year she has had. The kids are with us, we are surrounded by friends and having a great night. We bring in The Bells with the usual hopes, dreams and wishes. We tell each other that this will be a better year and have a four-way hug with the kids. 

We're back in 2005 and we are with staff and former staff on a night out in Durham. No-one knows that we are seeing each other. Laura is sitting at the table across from me. I decide to send her a sneaky text. Her phone audibly pings. I look at her. She looks at me. We try not to laugh. Everyone else looks at us. I think the secret may be out. 

I get home from work and Laura tells me she's pregnant again. I give her a hug and tell her to go sit down while I put the kettle on. We wanted them close together. Hallie is born 1 year and 11 months after Aden. 

It's the 31st of October,11.52pm, 2022. I'm in bed between Aden and Hallie. They are gently snoring. My heart is so full of love for them as I watch them peacefully sleep. Tonight, I will hold Hallies hand while I go to sleep as it was Adens turn last night. They are blissfully unaware of this alternating habit. I turn to face her, take hold of her warm little hand and give her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

I then close my eyes, keep my breathing steady and go time travelling with Laura once again.