The Baby Albums (Those Three Little Words sequel)

Part 97

"James! Felix! What are you doing!?" I shouted, seeing my two boys and the dog across the road, "we can-" Jimmy started but I shook my head, "no. Stay there" I said firmly and crossed the road when there was nothing coming and took the lead from my son, "don't you ever do that again. Imagine if you got run over by a car? You-don't you laugh" I said, pointing at Felix who had started to smirk.

"Being run over is serious. I don't care if there was nothing coming, there are some real idiots in this world and they don't care about rules or anything. They can come from anywhere and run you over. I want you to stay right next to me for the rest of the walk and you're going straight upstairs when we get home" I said and the two of them started whining but I just shut them out and started walking.

I let Louisa run about with Daisy, getting them both a bit of exercise, and had the boys sit on the bench with me. Call me overprotective but they had to understand that it was dangerous what they did. "Can we go and play, Dad?" Felix asked and I shook my head, "no, I don't know if you're going to run off or not. You stay with me"

"Lou, come on. Time to go home" I shouted and she came back, Daisy following her, and I got the dog back on her lead. I got a few sloppy kisses from the pup and stroked her head to thank her before I took all of the kids and her home.

We got home and I found a woman standing outside of our door with a basket and some paperwork in her hands, "uh, excuse me? Are you alright?" I asked and she turned around with a little smile on her face, "hi, um, do you live here?" She asked and I nodded, "I have a special delivery for you. Um, do you mind if I come in?" She asked and I shook my head, unlocking the door and letting the kids go in first before she helped me get the pram inside.

"Come and sit down, my, uh, my wife's asleep upstairs so she couldn't answer, sorry" I said and she smiled as I led her into the living room and got Jimmy to get Rory out of the pram, "it's okay... you're Brian, aren't you?" The woman asked and I nodded as she set down her basket. There was a squeak from somewhere and her cheeks flushed pink before she started talking, "so, um, I was told that you'd be here and there's a woman called Christine who had this for you. And by the way, you don't have to say your wife"

I paused for a second then smiled in relief as she passed me the basket. It was heavy but light at the same time, I expected something heavier to be in there, "can I-I see what it is?" I asked and she nodded so I rested it on my knees and pulled back the blanket that was covering it and saw a little pink face looking at me, "oh my god... oh, you're beautiful" I cooed and picked the baby out of the basket and held it to my chest.

"Is it a girl?" I asked and the woman nodded, "yeah... a healthy nine pound baby girl" she said and I started crying into the baby's fluffy head, "I didn't think you'd make it... god, all ten fingers and all ten toes. You're beautiful" I sobbed and held her head close to me as she made a grunting noise, "I love you already, too" I smiled and kissed her head then looked at the woman.

"Do you want to get him down here?" She asked and I nodded before I stood up slowly and supported the baby then made my way upstairs and into our bedroom. I opened the door and saw my fiancée still in the position I left him in, tucked under the covers, "Rog... wake up. I've got something for you" I cooed, sitting near him, then I placed the baby by his head and gently shook him.

He woke up and looked at me, "Brian, what are you doing?" He croaked and I pointed at the baby girl next to him, "is-where did this come from?" He asked, sitting up quickly and looking at the baby, "who's is this?" He asked and I picked the little one up and cradled her in my arms, "she's ours... this is Emily" I said and a tear ran down his face as he got up and looked at his daughter's face.

"She's beautiful" he whispered and put his finger in her palm which made her fingers close and she held it, "I love her already" he smiled and I giggled before the two of us made our way downstairs. The woman had her paperwork over her lap and both of us sat on the sofa with her and sorted out the birth certificate and made sure she was going to be safe with us before she left.

We sat on the sofa with our new baby and just watched her sleep, neither of us could quite believe it that she was actually here. And she was beautiful.

— half an hour later —

"She's boring" Roger said and I giggled, "shes a baby, she can't do much" I said and he smiled then looked at me, "um, remember you wanted me to quit smoking?" He asked and I nodded, "well, um, I think I'm gonna have a try... starting today" he said and I nodded again, "can I help you?" I asked and he nodded, "I was reading a book about it and it said that taking down cravings and, um, behavioural issues might help. Maybe you could help me out with that"

"I have a spare notebook if you want to use that" I said and he nodded, "that would be amazing. I, well I don't know if this is true but I'll tell you anyway... people say that it's best for you to stay inside if you're trying to quit. Would you mind if I did that?" He asked and I smiled as I rubbed his head, "whatever you need to do, you can do"

He kissed my hand then stood up and found the empty notebook and opened it up to the first page and wrote 'I'm quitting' on the very first page then handed it to me, "it starts now... for you and for her" he said and tickled our daughter's foot before he snuggled into me and started falling asleep again.

"You're gonna do it, don't worry" I said and he smiled with his eyes still closed, "I'm already doing it"