Rock a bye baby

Both parents had agreed to tell Charlie before bed, now they'd wished they'd done it this morning.

This morning before all the well wishers gave their thoughts to the happy parents-to-be again, before the collective Shelby family was told and before dinner had ended.

They'd heard it all but the most consistent thing they were being told outside of the standard congratulation was this...

"He won't be happy about it. He's been an only child for several years." Several older family members had loved saying this over and over to both expectant parents.

"Don't expect him to like the baby when it comes. He'll be jealous."

"Our kids got so upset when we told them another baby was coming." John and Esme had laughed, not catching Grace's tight smile. They already had a small army. This was different for her and Tommy. They'd been trying for a few years now and every month she bleed was a mounting disappointment.

Now if they both admitted it out loud they were nervous.

They had sent their last guest off for the night and turned to one another embracing before they walked upstairs. Neither one wanted to tell their child the news now.

They'd found him playing upstairs. His cousin Karl had left with his mum. Charlie was playing on the floor in his bedroom with a wooden race track from his birthday. Little metal horses raced around as he made horse noises. Tommy had bought it for his fourth birthday a few months back. Charlie played with it nonstop.

They nodded to each other, steeling up their resolve as a unit and walked hand in hand.

"Is your horse winning? Charlie." Tommy asked, causing his son to look up at him as the little windup horses continued to race without the child's interference. Sometimes Charlies liked to push his favorite one to ensure its victory. Tommy was always proud of that little detail.

"I fixed it da." He said beaming up at his father, his chubby cheeks flush from the night's activities of running with John and Ada's pack of wild gypsy children.

"So yes, you're winning then?" Grace smiled up at Tommy and shook her head. He was very clearly proud of his son.

"Charlie, we have something to tell you." Grace said, hoping he'd continuing listening.

"What, now, I'm playing." he said, clearly annoyed. That was until he saw his fathers stern expression. A smile grew from Charlie's face as he looked at his parents now. He was as cheeky as his father.

"Charlie, it's important and you'll show respect to ya mum, ya?" Tommy said leaving no room for an argument but it had been said gently enough the boy nodded and blushed at his folly.

"Yes." Charlie said. Grace laughed knowing Charlie's favorite person was his father. She didn't mind. He was one of her favorite people too.

"Charlie, you're going to be a big brother soon. Mummy is going to have a baby." Grace patted her stomach gently and grinned down at Charlie, her eldest child.

" Oh, okay." Charlie said plainly and turned back to winding up his horses for yet another race.

Grace looked at her husband clearly dismayed by his small reaction but Tommy shrugged and kissed her head.

"He didn't yell or scream Grace, give him time." Tommy led his wife out so Charlie could play in peace and he could comfort Grace.

_______________________________________________________________

They came back upstairs after a few drinks together and saw the light under the nursery shining onto the platform. The door cracked open and they could hear a little voice softly singing.

Grace practically ran once she realized Charlie was singing an Irish lullaby she often sang to him even now. She bent by the crack of the door and peaked in motioning Tommy to do the same. He smiled and followed suit chuckling softly when he saw Charlie.

He stood perched on a stool over a baby bassinet and gently rocked his teddy bear back and forth while singing little bits of the song his mother had taught him.

"Okay baby, you go night night now. I love you." Grace had to cover her mouth as she smothered the noise that was about to come out. The scene before the two parents was so sweet it left soft glistening tears in their eyes.

Charlie leaned over and kissed his teddy. He went to turn and hop off the stool . Both parents scattered by the stairs as if they were just coming up to not alert Charlie to what they'd seen. He smiled and went into his room, a big boy now not wanting baby kisses himself at night.

At least that's what he'd told his mum the night before. She'd snuck in later to pepper his face with kisses.

"See Grace, he is excited. You just needed to let him think a bit." Tommy said as he kissed her face and she leaned her head into his shoulder.

He was excited after all to be a big brother.