Page 36 of Nick & Nora Martinis

I put his cup on the worktop. “Rob has some good news, are you going to tell Jayne?”

“What's that then, or you want me to guess?” She looks between us.

Rob stands up straight, and his hand gestures to me, “Smithy, if you'd like to say.”

A big smile crosses my face as I tell her his good news.

“Oh wow, that's amazing!” Jayne walks over to him, pulling him in for a hug. She lets him go and walks over to me. “I'm so proud and happy for you both, double celebration tonight then,” she says as she hugs me.

“Not tonight, but we will,” I say.

Rob finishes his tea, and grabs his jacket from the back of the sofa. I stand by the door. “I'll walk you down.”

“It's ok, I'll see myself out, go back to bed.” He kisses me with so much passion, my body tingles. “I love you. Are you coming back tonight?” I ask him as he continues to kiss me.

He pulls away. “It will be late, maybe midnight, so probably not.”

My heart sinks at the thought of him not coming back. What the hell? I've never been this clingy. I'm not this person.

I look down, “Ok,” Is all I can manage as I fight the tears back.

“Hey, what's this,” he asks me. “I only said no because it will be late.”

“I no, I'm just, oh I don't know. Take no notice of me. I'll be alright. Go on, go, I'll see you tomorrow night for your shift,” I say, trying to sound confident and strong. But blowing hot and cold. Hormones playing havoc with me.

He looks real deep into my eyes. Smiling, he kisses me one more time, then turns and walks out the door. I stand with the door open listening to him go down the stairs. When I hear the front door close I shut this one. I walk over to the sofa and plonk myself down.

“Are you okay?” I hear Jayne ask.

“Yeah, no, I don't know. I really wanted him to come back tonight. Is this how it's going to be when the baby's here, him going home every night leaving me to do all? Just ignore me, I'm feeling sorry for myself and a bit insecure due to feeling fat and frumpy.”

“You'll be ok, don't forget this is all new to him as well, and you're far from fat and frumpy” Jay tells me sniggering. “And besides, you won't be alone, you have me.”

Epilogue

“Istill can't believe you have this bundle of joy here at home,” Jayne says, as she changes Alice's nappy.

I smile at them both. “Nor me, the last six months have flown by. I still have to pinch myself, you know, to make sure I'm not dreaming. I never knew I could love like this, she just makes my heart melt.” I pass Jay the bottle of milk that I expressed this morning.

“Oh trust me, I feel that too. But in a different way to you. I'd lay down my life for her.”

I start to laugh at Jayne. “I can actually see you running down the road after whoever hurt her, but you'd have to get in line.”

“I can run faster than you,” she counters, as we both giggle.

“Maybe, but not her dad or uncle Owen, or any of the others that are in the bar,” I say as I stand up and walk into the kitchen with my bowl. I lean against the sink looking at Jay feeding Alice and a warm fuzzy feeling envelops me. My emotions are still all over the place, baby blues they tell me. Six months on and I still can't believe that she's mine, that I have a baby. I turn back to the sink and start to wash the bottles out, getting them ready to refill with milk for the day.

“Morning Smithy,” Rob says as he wraps his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. “Leave that, go sit down, I told you I'd do the bottles.”

“It's okay, I want to do them.” I turn to face him. “Thank you for offering, though.” I reach up, giving him a peck. I wipe my hands, looking over at Jay. I can see that Alice is now up on her shoulder. I walk over to Jay so that I can take my daughter from her and put her down in her cot.

“I'll be back in a minute.” I go into my bedroom, placing Alice into her cot. I sit on the edge of the bed just watching her sleep, she's so beautiful and peaceful.

“In another four hours she will be christened,” I hear Rob say.

I turn to look at him smiling, then turn back to look at Alice. He comes and sits down at my side. “Thoughts for them,” as he bumps my arm with his.

“I'm alright, I was just thinking about my parents and how they would have spoiled her rotten.They would have loved today.” A tear escapes, rolling down my cheek as I think about them. Rob takes my hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it as we sit in silence for a few minutes. I’m lost in my own thoughts for a few moments before saying, “It has come round fast that's for sure, it only seems like yesterday when I booked it up. And I'm excited to see family and friends. Will you watch her while I go downstairs to the bar and make sure Mary is okay with everything.”

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