Just A Kiss Goodnight

Chapter Fifty-Nine

"Welcome home darling."

"It's just as well you carried me over the threshold when we came back in June, Tom – Baby Hiddles and I are a lot heavier now."

"Mm, I'm pretty sure I can still do it though." And with that, he put one arm around my waist and another behind my knees and I was suddenly lifted into his arms.

"Tom, put me down! You'll do yourself an injury!"

"You're not that heavy sweetheart. Besides, it's my job as alpha male to care and provide for my family."

"Alpha male hmm? I knew I should have stopped you watching those National Geographic shows on the flight."

He put me down carefully in the middle of the lounge room and looked at me with a cheeky grin on his face. "I had to do something to drown out the sound of your snoring my love."

"Oh! You rat! I do not snore!" His infectious giggle had its usual effect on me and we both ended up chuckling, wrapped in each other's arms. "Have I told you lately how incorrigible you are Thomas?"

"Not in the last twelve hours, so I must be due for another reminder."

---

Over the next couple of days we unpacked the luggage we had brought with us and the boxes we had sent on from LA, which had arrived the day after we did. Tom's piano was installed in a corner of the lounge; baby things went for now into the spare room. Max called as promised and she and I met one afternoon when she wasn't working, seeing Nick's latest movie and catching a bite to eat.

Tom began rehearsals for his play, which would have a limited run of six weeks, then he would be free for a couple of months before his next project. A large group of family and friends had tickets for opening night and plans for dinner beforehand.

I rang a decorator to arrange for the painting of the room that was to be the nursery and once that was done invited Diana to come down to help me shop for the essential furniture items. After researching online we spent a happy few hours the first day choosing a bassinet and changing table to go in our room and a cot bed, dresser and nursing chair for baby's room. The next day we picked out bedding and wall décor in our chosen theme along with a few room accessories such as lamp, mobile, nappy stacker and rugs. When everything had been delivered into the newly painted room – sporting fluffy white clouds in a soft blue sky – we began to unpack and find places for the many gifts we had been given plus the items we had bought in LA. By the end of Diana's visit the nursery was ready and I was definitely getting the nesting feeling I had heard so much about from other mums.

My pregnancy records had all been sent to my local OB/GYN and I was seeing her fortnightly for check ups now that I was entering my eighth month. I had a flu shot as winter was approaching, got a booster vaccine for whooping cough and made regular note of baby's movements during the day and night, alert for any changes that might signal preterm labour or preeclampsia.

"It's time for us to decide on our birth plan," I told Tom after my week 32 visit. He knew already that I was booked in at a midwife-led birthing unit that was housed within a hospital, useful in case any problems were encountered during delivery. We talked about the various birthing methods and positions and the subject of pain relief.

"I'd like to keep it as natural as possible," I said, "so listening to music, moving about, massage and warm water are apparently all helpful."

"Some Metallica for you then?" he asked cheekily, raising a smile from me.

"Not if you want to make it out of there alive Hiddles!" I warned him with a laugh. We picked some favourite songs and made sure Tom knew where to find them on my iPod and I made a mental note to buy some massage oils. He assured me he would make sure my wishes were carried out in case I wasn't in a position to express them and that he would be only too happy to perform any massage needed – he accompanied that with a mock lecherous grin and I laughed again at his silliness.