Rob pulled the car into the parking space. They had decided to make the most of a spare Saturday and come to start looking at things for the baby. All of the kids had wanted to come and look at things with Jess. With six of them it meant that they had to bring both of the cars. "Right don't tell your Mum but I'm going to pop into the pet shop and look at things for kittens." He winked at Harry in the back of the car.
"Rather you than me." Harry laughed. "Saying that...if anyone's going to get their own way with her it would be you or Jess." He winked at him before going to get out of the car. "Rob..." Harry stopped and looked at the man who had become such a major part of their lives.
"Yes mate?" Rob looked towards Harry. The Fisher family had been through so much in the past couple of days. There was always going to be things that needed talking about.
"You're not going anywhere...right?" Harry looked up towards him. "It's just that...well you obviously make Mum happy, and we're all happy...and I don't want that to change."
"I'm not going anywhere Harry. I love your Mum more that I've ever loved anyone...and I really care about the three of you." He wanted to say that he loved them...because he thought that he did. "I'm so proud of you three...and I know your Mum is too."
Harry smiled at him. "I just wish Dad was more like you..." Harry stopped, he thought so often about what he wanted from his Dad.
"I'm sorry mate..." He smiled at him. "I wish I could change it for you." He nodded towards him.
"His loss right." Harry smiled at him. "Right...lets get baby shopping then, and maybe you can sneak off to the pet shop." Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Just warn me when you're planning on telling her...and I'll make sure that I'm out."
"Are you two coming?" Karen's voice came from just across the car park. She walked over to the car and dipped her head.
Harry jumped out of the car. He winked towards Rob. Before walking over to where the kids were standing.
...
Jess stood in front of the nursery furniture sets. She had looked around all of them and ended up back in front of the cream and brown set. Knowing that she was having a baby girl had helped her make some decisions. Of course she was going to have some pink pieces, but she didn't want to have anything stereotypical.
"Looks like you've decided." Karen walked up behind her and hooked an arm into hers. She peered into the cot that was part of the furniture set. "It's gorgeous."
Jess nodded towards her Mum. "It's pretty lush." She had walked around the furniture sets three times. She had started with the cheaper ones, and while this one wasn't the most expensive it certainly wasn't cheap.
"So this one it is then." Karen looked towards her daughter and smiled. I've already had a look and we can book a delivery date for when we are in the house and ready for it."
Jess looked towards her Mum. "It's too much...there's other stuff to get." She knew what her Mum had said, but now being in the shop and looking at the reality of what they needed to buy, she wasn't sure that she could let her Mum spend that much money.
"Jess we talked about this...besides most of this will last a while, and you never know, with a good quality cot we can store it somewhere until there's another baby that could use it." She turned Jess slightly more towards her and stroked some of the hair from her eyes. "This little one deserves spoiling." She gently stroked Jess' bump. "So does her Mum." She gently kissed Jess on the cheek. "So...we'll be having this set...now time to start having a look at buggies."
...
Standing in the pet shop Rob started talking to one of the shop assistants about everything he would need for a kitten. Soon he was loaded up and paying at the till. He had been in contact with a cat rescue centre that morning and found that they had two sets of kittens they were looking at re-homing. Little did anyone know that the centre was just round the corner and that they had an appointment with them to look at the kittens in just under an hour. Rob knew that he was being cheeky, he also knew that Karen liked the idea of having the cat, she was just worried about looking after it. However he was pretty sure that he had everything sorted. It would mean the kids popping home in some of their free lessons, but it wouldn't be long and then it was the summer holidays.
"So you have a kitten then?" The cashier was looking at all of the bits and pieces. It was quite obvious that it was a full kit out for a kitten.
"Not quite yet. We're going to pick her up this afternoon." Rob wasn't sure why he was assuming that they would pick out a girl. He was still unsure of whether they would be having one at all. However he paid for all the stuff and walked out of the shop and towards the car.
...
Karen and the kids stood by the cars. They had finished with the baby bits they were doing today. The furniture had been ordered and they had got a shortlist of the buggies Jess was looking at, now they were just waiting by the car for Rob. Suddenly she saw him coming out of the pet shop opposite with bags full of stuff. Despite them not having a pet. Karen looked round at the kids. "Did any of you lot know anything about this?" She was of course met with shaking heads and expressions of innocence. It was nothing more than she expected.
"Sorry I got waylaid." Rob opened his car and put the bags into the boot before shutting it again. He smiled at Karen.
"Err. Don't think that I didn't see that Rob...what the heck are you doing?" She stood there with hands on her hips. The kids stood around them all trying to stop themselves from laughing. They all knew that Rob was desperate for a cat, and they were all pretty sure he would get his own way.
"Well...I've booked us an appointment at a rescue centre...and I wanted to make sure that we were fully prepared." He smiled at her before wrapping an arm around her waist. "Surely it's only right...new house, new baby." With this he nodded towards Jess. "New kitten?" He smiled at her.
Karen looked at him and sighed. "Fine...we will go to this appointment, but no promises Rob." She looked at him trying to keep a stern face before getting into her car.
Rob silently cheered. He looked towards Harry and winked. It seemed that there was going to be a new addition to the Fisher/Scotcher clan sooner than anyone had anticipated.
