After a few (loads) of pictures were taken we were ushered into the dining room by Matt’s parents as we all took our seats with Freya at the head of the table like the princess she is with her hand-painted plates made by none other than an old family friend I hadn’t seen since Freya first arrived. “DINNER IS READY!” Amanda called as Matt got up to help bring plates through as he left multiple platters started to enter with a various selection of traditional roast dinner. I felt quite lonely with Matt’s absence even though he had only been gone a few seconds, I felt pathetic but I love him so much. “Hey baby, do you want mum to prepare a little roast dinner for Freya?” Matt whispered in my ear the familiar sound of his voice sending a warm feelings round my body.
“Well she has a pre-cooked dinner but if mum wants to tell her to please just put a Yorkshire pud, some chicken and potatoes. That will be enough as I don’t want her to go through too much trouble for our little princess Matty.” I replied softly as I took Matt’s hand in mine kissing the end of his nose lightly making his smile grow. He nodded, kissed me and walked away trailing his hand down my arm leaving a tingling feeling, I heard Freya squeal as she wasn’t receiving much attention as people started to serve their food or help others serve theirs. I looked over at her and waved goofily, making her smile as she stopped squealing afterwards I started to serve my own dinner and Matt’s. Putting a bit of everything on both our plates and making sure Matt had a lot of chicken and stuffing just as he joined my side making him smile to see I had already served his dinner to him, “thanks Joshy,” he said as he kissed my cheek in affection. He poured the gravy, basically drowning his own dinner in it then offered it to me.
Everyone dug in to the delights of what was there before us, not a word was spoken as I ate mine but tried to help Freya at the same time as she gratefully took the spoonful’s I passed her way. I felt Matt’s hand lightly trail up and down my legs calming me down as he finished. Matt rose from his seat causing me to send him a curious glace as to where he was going as he walked around to my other side to take my place in feeding Freya who all of a sudden didn’t want the roast dinner and decided she wanted to play with it instead. I continued to eat, watching Matt calm Freya down and getting a few mouthfuls in before she started to protest again, I finished as everyone else did placing my knife and fork together on my plate and taking a long sip from a glass of water served before me. Matt struggled to unclip Freya from her high-chair as she was soon passed into my arms determined to paly clap handies to everyone’s delight; she was gleaming with the attention almost in awe. I felt someone behind me as I looked up to see Matt smiling at both of us, “I love you,” I mouthed to him as he ran his hand through my hair. “I love you too,” Matt mouthed back as he took some plates around us then exiting towards the kitchen.
An hour later, I started to collect all our things together as my dad, Mike and Ian helped me to carry all of Freya’s presents to the car along with anything else we brought or needed to take back with us. “Joshua, you know Freya can always spend a night at mine and mum’s house if you two want to be alone or just need a good night’s sleep. Parenthood is a tricky but gifted task, I remember you kept us up all night screaming your head off for no apparent reason as we continued to wish for a full night’s sleep,” my dad told me like every time he did when we saw him. I smiled in gratitude as he took Freya from Ange to say ‘goodbye’ to his grand-daughter, “I know dad, thanks but honestly I think if Freya spent the night at yours we wouldn’t sleep anyway worrying about her!” I replied as he just shook his head in response as Matt joined us in the now crowded hallway. We said our goodbyes as everyone kissed each of us on the cheek except for Mike and Ian who felt the need to tackle us (without Freya in our arms), “now don’t be strangers Ramsays,” they both said separately.
“Course we won’t guys, Freya loves the attention you give her, we’ll come to visit you soon with Bennie so you can wear both Freya and her out at the same time with a long walk around Van City!” Matt announced smiling as I grabbed our jackets from the coat rail and took Matt’s free hand in mine still careful not to drop Freya. They patted our backs then we left not wanting to hit traffic on the way home. We reached the car as I placed Freya into her car seat double checking she was safely fastened Matt had walked to the driver’s side of the car as he always liked to drive home letting me have a break if I wanted to like he always did on the way there. I smiled at him as I climbed in fastening my seatbelt and taking his hand in mine for a few seconds before pulling away and letting him start the car. We pulled out the driveway as I leaned further into the car letting the hours of sleepless nights take their toll allowing me to sleep the whole drive home.
