This is love

TWENTY-SIX

Flo wasn’t the emotional one out of us two. She was more hard-headed with a heart of steel. When I bawled like a baby over Marley and Me, she rolled her eyes and dumped popcorn over my head. Christmas adverts on TV, or even those adverts that try to lure you into adopting a sick Donkey or abandoned Orangutan in Africa, she never batted an eyelid at where as I curled into a corner and sobbed.

So when she looks over the back of the couch and shouts to ask Paul who was at the door, the cry that escaped her throat was enough to make me cry too. She barely made it to the edge of the couch when I almost entirely tackled her and cling to her like she was some type of liferaft. 

“How? When?” She hiccups, her eyes swelling with lack of sleep and tears. “You weren’t due back to next week.” 

“She surprised us, mommy!” 

I snort back a laugh as Paul scoops Vivien up. “What she said. You didn’t think that I could stay in a different country and not rush back to see my new nephew, did you?” 

“But your contract? The Thomas’ deal?” 

“Julian has it under control.” I sniffled, pushing back my wild hair that was itchy from the aeroplane’s humidity. “Clarke was so understanding. His wife is due their baby too.” 

“I just can’t believe you’re here.” She whimpers, clenching my hands tightly. I knew, even though she didn’t say it, that she was glad I was home. Maybe slightly later than she and I both would have preferred but I made it. She cradles me into a skin tight hug and whispered in my ear. "Shit I missed you sis."

“Hey Frankie.” I heard Jason speak from behind me. “Someone wants to meet you.” 

I was a quivering mess when I turned to the sound of his voice, and if I hadn’t been sitting on the couch, there was little to no doubt I would have buckled to the floor. Snuggled in his arms was the most perfect little bundle of blue and chubbiness with the perfect little pout of his juicy lips. 

If there was anything more attractive than my husband, it was my husband holding a baby. 

He carefully slides him into my arms and doesn’t miss a beat to press a kiss against my forehead as he backs away to allow me to drink up this bubble of perfection even when the tears made a beeline for my chin and raced down my neck. 

“Good God, you two make good looking babies.” 

Paul, Flo and Jason laughed at my remark but I don’t dare tear my eyes away from the sleeping baby boy that had my heart clenched so firmly in his little chubby hands. 

“He was a whopping eight pounds-ten. Is it any wonder she waddled when she walked.” Paul joked and smiled cheekily at Flo’s devil daggers shot in his direction. “Like a gorgeous penguin.” 

“Those remarks are exactly why there will be no more leaving me.” 

“But you heard her. We make good looking babies, and this boy needs a teammate.” Paul grins. He was jousting her for fun, but if he was treading on scarily thin ice. “Don’t you agree, Jason?” 

“I'm staying out of that. I haven’t made one yet and I’d like to keep that maker in check for those purposes, thank you.” Jason utters with a sly chuckle. He stared at me, a look of complete love caressing every part of his face. 

“He’s so perfect, Flo.” I whispered after a spare beat. “So so perfect.” 

It took over an hour of taking baby Frankie hostage in an endless cuddle before I knew I had to settle him back down once Flo’s eyes began to dip with exhaustion. Uncle Jason had opted to do bedtime routine with Viv whilst Paul and Flo caught up on the dinner we rudely interrupted. Granted it was my fault by arriving over eight days early, smack-bang in the middle of the evening and demanding like some starlight diva to be taken to my sisters to smell my nephew.