Golden Luckenbooth

She

I followed my friend Arran's ridiculous advice, even though I felt completely silly doing it. Leaving the hospital after kissing my gorgeous baby and her exhausted mother, I absconded with one of Nina's swaddling blankets.

"Trust me," Arran had said. I didn't entirely, but he's a veterinarian intern, and I figured he had a unique perspective on introducing a new human to a household pet. I hid the blanket under my coat, feeling like a thief, and snuck out to my car for the drive home.

Arriving back at the clinic—with our house attached behind it—I unlocked the kitchen door. The first thing I saw was Shortbread, her ears back and a low growl rumbling in her chest.

"What the fuck?" I murmured, before realizing my beanie was pulled low over my head. "It's me, you ninny," I said in my normal voice. She instantly recognized me and wiggled her whole body in a joyous, butt-waggling greeting. As she approached me for head pats, I tossed the beanie onto the kitchen table and encouraged her to follow me into the living room.

Settling on the sofa, I patted the space next to me. She immediately jumped up, nudging her head under my hand in the universal sign for 'love me.' "You're such a sweet girl," I told her, my hands sinking into her soft, golden fur. I recalled what a wonderful, empathetic companion she is, a dog who can sense the emotions of everyone around her.

"I know you miss your mum," I murmured, "but she'll be home tomorrow. In the meantime..." I drew the baby blanket from under my coat. Shortbread's ears perked up, her nose twitching. I held it out to her, and she sniffed it cautiously at first, then more deeply, her tail giving a tentative wag. She took her time, smelling every inch of the fabric, sensing not only Anna's scent but a new, completely foreign scent as well. I watched as her body relaxed and she gently nudged the blanket with her nose. Finally, she buried her entire head in the soft, worn cloth, taking a long, deep breath.

"I know, girl, this is the weirdest thing ever, but your Uncle Arran swears by it," I whispered, patting her head. "And I'm going to listen to him on this since your mum is a bit distracted these days."

The gesture seemed to work. A positive sign.

"Come on, you can bring it upstairs," I said, getting up. "I need to make sure your sister's room is ready for her."

The retriever stared at me as if I'd grown a second head. I started to climb the stairs, and she reluctantly followed. "No, no. Grab the blanket," I reminded her, pointing. She slinked back to the sofa, grabbed it in her teeth and carried it awkwardly upstairs behind me. "Good girl," I praised, and I swear she glared at me as if to say, "I know what you're doing, and I don't like it."

In the nursery, I mentally checked through my list, and then pulled out my phone to physically check off the final items. Cloth nappies from the service? Check. Cloth wipes in the clean box of liquid to keep them soft and hygienic, as well as the empty box for dirty ones? Check. Specially lined container for dirty nappies? Check.

Under the changing table, I made sure we had a stash of disposable nappies too. It had been my mum's suggestion, and I always try to listen to her advice. "There will be times when the frustration of cloth will overwhelm you both. You'll need an emergency supply," she'd cautioned. So what if I had to sneak them in to skirt Anna's rules? I was sure she'd find out eventually and be thrilled. Or completely pissed off.

With one final glance around the nursery, I knew we were ready. As if anyone could ever be truly ready for a change this enormous. It's like my audition at the X Factor when my life went from boring to superstardom in the span of a few days, never returning to my pre-show self. This moment, bringing home our first child, would forever change everything.

I wiped away a tear, the silvery liquid a mixture of fear, hope, and pure love. A new life. Wow. I glanced at myself in the mirror where my hairline was already receding like my grandfather's had, and I winced. Am I too young to be this old? Too late now.

A knock on the door downstairs sounded, startling me. I rushed down to find out who might be calling at this hour when everyone knew we were in the hospital with the baby. Except, of course, I wasn't. Twisting the knob, I came face to face with our security guard, Paddy.

"Oh, it's you," he said, smiling. "We knew someone had come into the house, but we couldn't get good facial recognition."

"I'm not recognizable?" I said, a slow grin spreading across my face. I'd heard a lot of things in my life, but that was a first. It was almost a relief.

Author's Note:

Thank you for your incredible support for Golden Luckenbooth. Your enthusiasm for Harry and Anna's story is the reason I keep writing, and I'm so excited to announce that the sequel, "She," is officially being published one chapter at a time, with a new one released each week.

As I was writing, I originally crafted this scene to open the book, but as the story evolved, it didn't quite fit the mood I wanted for the beginning. Rather than let it go unseen, I wanted to share it exclusively with you. It's a special glimpse into Harry's first moments as a father and something I didn't get to explore as fully as I wanted to in their original story.

This story is all about the next stage of their lives and the new ways they'll grow as a family. I hope this sneak peek gets you as excited as I am. Thank you for reading and for being part of this creative journey with me.

Happy reading,

Whoops