Symphony

A Night on the Town

two weeks later it's new years eve, Jack and Nikki have been given the night off from work and also parenting duties as Josephine is having the girls overnight. Nikki has just finished applying her makeup and curling her hair, Jack, on the other hand, is already dressed after a quick shower and shave followed by getting dressed and applying some aftershave. 
Jack walks over to Nikki while she remains seated at the dressing table and brushes her hair from her neck, "Mmm, you smell amazing" He mumbles as he kisses her neck. 

"Thank you" She smiles as she raises her left hand and runs her fingers through his hair.
"Are you alright ready to go out?" He quizzes.
Nikki nods and applies her lipstick, "Jack could you zip me up please" She smiles as she moves her hair out the way so Jack has access to her dress zip.
Jack zips up her dress and smiles at her, "What's wrong with you face?" he speaks noticing she keeps sighing. 

"I feel bad for leaving Freya..." She mutters.
"Oh... and what about Poppy and Maddison?" Jack questions. 

Nikki looks up at him before standing up and kissing his cheek, "I miss them too, but I've never left Freya before now," She speaks.
"Freya is eight weeks old, it's about time you left her and let your hair down, you work hard to bring the girls up and work a full-time job when you're not on maternity" He smiles as he picks up the small tumbler off the side of the dressing table and sips the content which is inside. "Here have a sip, it's gin" He smirks. 

She smiles and sips the gin before downing the rest and smiling at Jack, "I shall call for a taxi, we're meeting Clarissa, Harry, and Thomas in town." 

Nikki quickly goes to the toilet before sorting herself out and getting her heels ready for when the taxi comes. 
Twenty minutes later the taxi arrives and takes Jack and Nikki into town, they get out of the taxi once they arrive in the bustling high street. Nikki steps up onto the pavement and puts her jacket on while she waits for Jack to pay the driver. 

He soon joins her on the pavement and takes hold of her hand as they walk towards the bar they have planned to meet Clarissa, Harry, and Thomas in. Since it's new year the bar is by pre-paid tickets which Jack had booked months ago, after showing the tickets on his phone to the doorman they entre the bar and go and find Clarissa, Harry, and Thomas who are sat in the corner of the bar in a booth. Nikki takes a seat beside Harry and Jack removes his jacket and places it on the empty space beside Nikki, "What does everyone want to drink?" Jack questions everyone at the table as he gets his wallet out and checks for money. 

"Gin and Lemonade" Nikki smiles as she gets herself comfortable. 
Jack takes everyone else order and Thomas joins him at the bar in order to help him carry the drinks back. "Where are the girls tonight then?" Clarissa questions Nikki. 

"They're with Jack's Mum for the night..." She smiles.
"...So Jack and his Mum are getting on now?" Harry quizzes.
"Yeah, they're getting there. They've become a little bit closer since she helped deliver Freya," Nikki explains. 

"Oh gosh, I forgot she was an ex-midwife... I also can't get over you gave birth on the floor in your lounge" Clarissa replies with a smile. 

Nikki laughs awkwardly and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear before looking back up at her colleagues. "I know, sometimes I sit in the lounge and look at the spot, it's just surreal" She smiles. 

"You'll have to reenact it every year on her birthday, just lay her between your legs, take a photo and frame it" Harry chuckles and Nikki's mouth drops open. 
"Oh yeah, Harry... smart idea... I'm sure Nikki would love to do that... imagine 18-year-old Freya having to be embarrassed every year by that tradition" Clarissa smirks as she finishes off the drink she already has in front of her. 

Thomas and Jack return to the table to see the three of them laughing, "What's funny? What we missed now?" Jack quizzes as he passes the drinks out to everyone before sitting down beside his wife and placing his hand on her knee as he watches her sip her gin and lemonade. 

"Nikki was just telling us about giving birth to Freya on the floor in the lounge" Harry responds as he sips the new pint in front of him. 
"Really? Once again without pain relief, starting to think she's a sociopath!" Jack smirks. 

"That's insane Nikki, I was drugged up to my eyeballs on pain relief when I had my wisdom tooth removed, I know it's nowhere near the pain of childbirth... but three times without pain relief Nikki, you're some kind of wonder woman" Harry speaks. 

"No more now though, Freya took it out of me," Nikki speaks as she sips her drink again and looks at Jack.
"And I bet she didn't tell me she was on her hands and kneels crying into my chest telling me to make the pain go away, I reckon if we'd of made it to hospital, she would have been on any drug going" Jack smirks and Nikki shoots him a look, He gently squeezes her knee and then picks up his pint.