Baby on Board

4 Words

The table was set, the dinner was in the oven and the red wine was ready to be uncorked. Everything was almost in place but there was one thing that I needed to get rid of- Sera. Martha had said that she would look after the baby tonight so that Lottie and I could have some alone time, even going so far as to invite a friend over to help her. I could hazard a guess who the friend was but I didn't dare ask my eldest daughter about it. There are some things I don't need to know about and her 'relationship' with Sam is one of those things. Not that they're in a relationship. Or so they insist. 

"Ok, baby," I say, looking at my very disinterested daughter sitting in her high chair, staring at the kangaroo teddy that's on the table in front of her. I swear, sometimes, it's like that teddy is the only thing Sera is interested in. Sighing, I go and stand over her, brushing my hand against her fair blonde hair, enjoying how soft it was under my touch. "You need to be good for your sister tonight and then tomorrow, you and I can go to the baby group to see your friends."

Sera gurgles in reply. I've yet to work out if that noise is one of agreement or the start of her answering me back. Until she learns to formulate words, I'm interpreting that as her agreeing with me. Then again, babies pick things up very quickly and maybe having her around Martha would be a bad idea because then she really might be sassing me and I don't even know it. My eldest is a bad influence on my youngest. 

"Hi, Dad," Martha's voice shouts from the upper floor. Naturally, the second Sera hears the noise, she starts to frantically look around, looking for Martha. Her eyes light up the second Martha walks into the kitchen and starts to make a fuss over her. "Ok, missy, you and I are going to have a girly might in now that it's just the two of us."

My ears prick up. "Did Sam cancel?"

"Who said that it was Sam coming over?" Martha challenges me. She does that slow head turn she's perfected over the years and raises her eyebrows at me. "Don't jump to conclusions, old man."

"Old man?" I guffawed. I was only in my mid-thirties so I don't see how that equates to being an old man. Sensing that Martha was using this as a distraction, I make sure to bring us back on to the subject at hand. "So, it wasn't Sam that was coming over, then?"

Martha blushes. "Don't make it a thing, alright? We're still just friends."

"Friends that hold each other's hands?" I inquire. I think that this tipped her over the edge because Martha picked Sera up, grabbed the kangaroo and then walked out the patio door and across the garden to her mews house. I called after her, "Bring my baby back in one piece. Don't paint her nails."

After Martha flipped me off, I laughed and then set about checking on the dinner I was cooking. It was Lottie's favourite and I just had to hope that I wasn't screwing it up. It's something called seven-hour leg of lamb, a recipe that has been passed down the generations on the French side of the family. I think I've managed to not completely ruin it but until Lottie tastes it and gives it her seal of approval, I'm not pinning my hopes on it being a winning dish. Still, it's the thought that counts and I can't remember the last time I actually prepared a meal from scratch for us. 

Looking at the time, I try to guess when Lottie would be home. She and Emma have been out Christmas shopping all day with Sophie and Léa but her text twenty minutes ago said that she was about to leave Selfridges and that she'd be home soon. That surely meant that I'd have enough time to run upstairs, have a quick shower and get dressed before Lottie stepped through the door. 

Picking out the jeans and shirt that I was going to wear, I throw them on the bed and head for the bathroom. I must have lost track of time under the warm water as the next thing I knew, someone was sliding in behind me, their hands wrapping around my waist.