Brothers

"Happy birthday Tommy!" David jumps excitedly.

"Happy birthday, Major." I kiss Tommy's cheek and see his face glow.

"Thanks mum and dad-" Tommy realises what he's just said and all our faces turn to pure shock.

Ziggy, surprisingly, looks the most relaxed about this. All Ziggy wanted was for us to be a proper family, and maybe, by Tommy calling David his dad, was a way for that to begin.

"I'm sorry, David." Tommy mutters.

"No, no." David whispers. "Don't you dare be sorry, Tommy. It's an honour to be even considered a father figure in your eyes!"

Tommy blushes, and I'm warmed by David's words. David grabs my waist, and my hand stretches round his neck. I gazed into his eyes that came to life once his met mine, I can't help but smile and he kisses my forehead. "I love you my darling." He hushes to me.

I hadn't heard him say it for what felt like forever, things were finally falling back into place! I was going to make Ziggy happy again, I was going to make Tommy's birthday memorable, filled with love and happiness and of course, David's beautiful singing voice.

"I love you too." I finally get out, the boys look at us and I feel my cheeks turn a sunset red and Ziggy smiles wider.

Without Ziggy even saying anything to me, he could see I was happy, and in return I could tell he was happy... Or at least happier than he was.

"Shall we open presents?" I ask Tommy who sits patiently.

He nods cheerfully, trying to contain his excitement. David and I place bags of presents on the table in front of my 8-year-old son. He bursts in happiness and dives into the presents, tearing the paper right off. Each present, more thankful than he was for the last. David bought him so much, too much. But Tommy knew how lucky he was. David's main present to Tommy was a plane ticket to America; as well as tickets for me and Ziggy, he said he had news for us all once we were there. Of course, the boys were ecstatic to fly over to the States, to where David had lived for many years.

Once the presents were done, I turned the lights out and David lights the candles and begins to sing the words:

"My Mamma said, to get things done, you better not mess with Major Tom..."

I feel my body shiver, the song, Ashes to Ashes, had such bad memories for me, but David's voice soothes the pain of that day when I nearly burned to death. David carries the cake, singing the same line over and over again, the candle lights make David's perfect face glow sunrise orange, a warm orange and I couldn't have felt more complete watching him walk slowly towards the birthday boy.

"Make a wish Tommy." I purr and Tommy huffs a large breath out to blow his 8 candles.

Two attempts later, we're clapping in darkness, cheering. My hands stumbling over the bumps in my wall to finally find the switch and lightness floods the house again.

David already starts to cut into the cake, and then suddenly I heard 3 loud bangs on my front door. Both mine and David's head whips around to the sound.

Uncertain who it was, I eagerly head for the door. Maybe it was El dropping off Tommy's present, or the postman wanting a signature for a parcel David had ordered, or-

"Angie...?" I can barely catch my breath, the woman was vile, I didn't want her anywhere near my house! She still looked model-like, still had an edge of glamour, however still had bleached blonde hair and a face plastered in makeup. I then noticed, stood tall next to her was a young teenager, his hair, not as honey coloured as Ziggy's, in fact, he looked rather normal to be a child of Bowie's. "Zowie?"

Zowie's eyes glance up to me, and they soften once he realised its me, the girl who loved him so much as a young toddler.

Angie's eyes, still firmly gripped onto my face. Her jaw cracks side to side, clearly angry. "Let me see him." She growls.

"I can't-" I start but Angie just pushes me out of the way and storms into my hallway.

Zowie says nothing, but instead, hugs me tightly. Shocked by the faces I hadn't seen for 10 years, I hug him back and kiss his head. "I've missed you Ros." Zowie says under his breath.

I lead Zowie into the kitchen where Angie had clearly sprinted to, David already standing in front of the boys possessively protecting them. Anger streams through David's blood, and I could tell this was all going to get messy too quickly.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" David's voice thunders through the house. "Get out!"

Angie just smirks and then eyes up my children, suddenly I feel overly protective of them too, and feel even more worried, she was judging my kids! "Aren't you a pretty one." She slivers towards Ziggy and tries to touch his face, she was corrupting everything!

Instant reaction, David slaps her hand away and growls at her. "Leave be!" David barks.

"Don't touch him!" I hiss at her.

"Oh yes, the offspring of you and David." She smiles at me then at Ziggy who clearly looks frightened. "What about this one?" She looks to the side of Ziggy, and looks straight into the eyes of Tommy who looked even more startled then his brother.

"None of your business!" I scream at her. "What do you want here?!"

"David's taken my life, so I've come for a bit of it back." Angie says cooly. "I have no money, Zowie - who insists on being called Duncan now - isn't happy living with me and-"

"I want nothing to do with you! I can't stand to look at you!" Zowie howls to his mother.

"Oh Ros, I really do wish you knew the real David. Did he tell you he cheated more times then I can remember? He turned to drugs when I wasn't around? He can't-"

"Enough!" David bellows, and I'm overwhelmed at how angry David can actually get.

The facts hit hard, I knew he cheated, obviously. But how often?

"I want money David, I haven't got enough to keep myself going!"

"Let's discuss this in private, shall we Angie?" David says much more calmly but still full of rage.

David and his ex wife exit the room, leaving the boys and I.

Ziggy's eyes are drawn to Zowie, Tommy can't help but stare. "So, are you Duncan or Zowie?"

"Zowie to family - for now."

"I can't believe how grown up you are." I smile and place my hand on his cheek.

"Mum?" Tommy questions me puzzled.

"Boys, this is Zowie, David's eldest son. Ziggy, this is your half brother..." I mutter and see both Ziggy and Zowie's mouths drop open.

"Brother?" Zowie questions. "I have a brother?"

"David and I, we had Ziggy in 1975."

"Dad cheated on mum." Zowie says without question. "It's not surprising..."

The boys study each other, Tommy clearly feeling left out. Ziggy stands up, and approaches Zowie carefully. "Wow, you look so much like dad." Zowie coos astonished.

Tommy stands too and follows Ziggy. "And you are...?" Zowie asks looking behind Ziggy.

"Tommy, Ziggy's half brother... So technically, if my mum and your dad marry, we'd be step brothers."

"As in, Major Tom?" Zowie asks and Tommy just nods.

"You really were inspired by dads lyrics weren't you Ros?" Zowie smiles to me and I just blush.

"It's good to see you, and it's good for you to meet your secret family, at last." I place my hands gently on Zowie's shoulders.

"I just wish dad had come back for you sooner." Zowie mutters under his breath.