Let Them Eat Cake !

Hello Dad!

Ten years to the day they met Nick and Steve were busy in the workroom finishing up their work, it was Friday evening and they were getting together with their families, for a celebration dinner.

5.45pm and a heavily pregnant Sasha popped her head round the door.

"Hey you two, jeez I need to rest my feet", she heaved herself onto a chair and plonked down, "aaaah bloody hell if I'd known it was this much effort being pregnant I'd have chopped Jases whatnot off".

Steve and Nick laughed loudly as the woman groaned and complained, probably murmuring threats of imminent pain to her poor husband Jason.

She really hadn't changed at all from the day Nick met her, the day she'd started work for him at 18, she was still the feisty character that they loved, still the little sister they would do anything for.

"Poor Jase", Nick laughed, "give him a break", "yeah give the guy a break Sash", Steve exclaimed, "he's been running after you since day one, I've never seen anyone as attentive as him, he's like a man possessed, honestly he'll run himself into the ground soon".

Steve chuckled and sat back in his chair stretching his arms out towards his husband, who instantly left his chair and took him in his arms, "we're gonna be amazing uncles again, right Nick?".

"You know it handsome". Nick pecked him on the nose, then flung off his apron and hung it up.

"Sasha you go get ready we'll close up the shop and meet you at the pub ok?", Nick grinned as he wandered over to help the woman to her feet.

"Sure sure, if I can get my poor feet to move", sighing heavily letting go of his hand she straightened herself up and waddled over to the stairs to the flat, "Jase will be back soon, we'll see you there".

****

The evening was great, everyone was there, Nicks parents, Hugo and Mary, Corinne and Frank, Sasha and Jase, Claire and her boyfriend Tom, and Chloe, Zak and the children, and of course the stars of the show themselves, Nick and Steve.

As everyone laughed and joked, chatted and drank Steve stood up, tapping his glass with a spoon.

"Hey, hey, shut it you lot", he half yelled over the noise, "cheeky sod" said Nick, "but hey yeah pipe down everyone, the master is about to speak", he stood up and gave a theatrical bow, "please do impart your knowledge oh wise one", he sniggered and smirked.

"Fucks sake Nick, jeez you're such a git sometimes", Steve laughed at his husbands smirk as Nick sat back down looking satisfied with himself.

Steve cleared his throat.

"I just want to say a few things, if you don't want to listen the toilets are that way!", he grinned pointing towards the back of the pub.

Looking around he grinned again as no one moved, "right seeing as no one's moved I'll take it you're all listening yeah?", he grinned at the eyerolls and the sighs.

"Like we have a choice", Chloe laughed, "get on with it".

Throwing his sister a glare Steve began.

" I just really want to say.....thanks everyone for being here and for being in our lives".

"To my sisters Chloe and Sasha for the wonderful niece and nephew, and upcoming newbie".

"To Claire and Tom for being excellent friends, and keeping the shop running for us when these old feet get tired".

"Zak and Jase for being awesome brothers in law, and keeping these two crazy women in line".

"To our parents for supporting us, it's been rocky but we've got there".

"And last but in no way the least, to my wonderful husband Nick without you I would be nothing, "that's true", Nick winked as Steve huffed and shook his head.

" Okay, I'll shut up now, but.....I love you all".

Through the smattering of light applause, Sasha could be heard once again muttering to herself, "Bloody cheek", and Chloe replying, "I know right?!".

Sasha and Chloe looked at each other.

"Crazy women indeed, humph, I'll give you bloody crazy, I'll put laxatives in your coffee one day, and I'll eat all the bloody jaffa cakes, I'll give you bloody crazy", Sasha grumbled.

Realising she was mumbling a little too loud while everyone was looking at her she turned beetroot red and giggled.

"You do know I'd never do that right"? she laughed.

"What put laxatives in the coffee?, I should bloody hope not" said Nick looking amused.

"Nooooo, eat all the jaffa cakes! Hahaha!", laughed the girl as Jase just rolled his eyes and chuckled.

****

Saturday morning was always a busy one and this one was no different.

Sasha, banished to the flat was very near due date and Steve and Nick didn't fancy the baby arriving on the shop floor, and Jase running around frantically following the girls every step was starting to drive them nuts.

Claire was on hand to take over the counter, Tom was just kind of hanging about waiting for her to finish.

Tom was a quiet lad, Claire had met him through Jase, one of his pub mates, a nice lad, studious, laid back and a little nervy.

He'd taken a while to adjust to the mad dynamic of the families and friends and had found it a bit odd that Claires boss was married to a man.
He'd taken his time to get his head around that but eventually he'd become part of the group.

1.30 came, half an hour until closing time and Steve was cleaning the counter as the others cleared up in the back.

Whistling a tune Nick came through from the workroom just as the shop door opened and in walked a lad, around 18 or so, looking very very nervous.

Steve looked up and stopped what he was doing for a moment studying the young man, Nick by his side.

He seemed somehow familiar, Nick saw it too, around 6ft, oval faced, darker honey hair sticking up in all directions, dark honey brown eyes, with freckles dusting over his nose, slim built but stocky in the shoulders.

Except for the darker eyes he was Steve, a teenage Steve.

"Hello......D-d-dad".