Baby Deyes: A Zalfie Fanfiction

Week Twenty Two: Birthdays and Baby Saccone Joly

"Haaaaa...ppy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."
Alfie's voice drifted into my sleepy ear and ricocheted off each corner of my brain.
"Happy birthday dear Zozeebo... Happy birthday to you!"
It was my 25th birthday. Our parents were coming, as well as Poppy, Sean, Joe, his fiancee Kate, Louise, Darcy, Tanya, Jim, the Saccone Joly family, Caspar and his new girlfriend Jessie.
As I gave a sleepy stretch, Alfie rolled over and kissed the bump, which we'd already decided was a thing in itself. Little Kelsey kicked him furiously.
"You're already too uncool for her, Alf." I laughed, fiddling with his hair.
"What are you doing?" Alfie asked curiously. His hand went to the crown of his head and felt around. I'd tied two of the longer curly bits in a bow and it made him look like a little present.
"You've made me into a birthday present!" Alfie said, desperately trying to untangle his new hairstyle.
"Come here." I quickly twisted his hair before he had time to complain. He did anyway.
"That hurt!"
"Oh, don't be a baby, you should feel THIS little one kicking me to bits."
I pottered about in the kitchen for forty five minutes, making cupcakes and little sandwiches. Alfie called me into our room at around 10 and handed me a present from him and Kelsey, which I ripped open.
"Oh, Alfie!"
He'd bought me a new camera and tripod, as my old one was ageing, a white shawl with I'm A Mummy Too Now stitched into the corner, and some giant letters on ribbons - one that spelt out "ZOE", one that spelt "ALFIE" and one that spelt "KELSEY". There was even a mini one for Nala!
"I thought it could become a tradition. Every time a baby is born it gets its name in these letters."
"What makes you think we'll be having any more?!" I joked. "Kelsey isn't even born yet."
"I'd like at least one of each."
"Me too." I snuggled up to him, wrapped up in my new shawl.
After I'd extracted myself from the depths of the shawl I showered and picked out a pale pink off the shoulder top and maternity skinny jeans - I adored the stretchy fabrics that held the bump in position. It was warming up but I still fastened my shawl around me and the bump.
As everyone streamed in, handing me and Alfie hugs and parcels, I noticed Anna's bump. At thirty eight weeks she was nearly popping, and I could see her struggle to hold Eduardo and Emilia's hands. The two toddlers were running around with Nala and Darcy in minutes.
"Sorry about that..." Jonathan sighed apologetically.
"It's ok. I know how much rest you need while pregnant! You two sit down."
I opened all my presents, giving the ribbons to the excited little ones, until Emilia nearly entangled herself in one. It was mainly maternity wear, chocolates and flowers, with a couple of babygros and the cat whiskers one from Dan and Phil. Everyone laughed when I unwrapped it, as it included a little lion toy that was obviously especially from Phil.
Lunch was spent in the lounge and everyone was heading out mid afternoon when Anna stopped trying to pick up Eduardo and groaned.
"Oh my God... Jonathan... I think I've just gone into labour."
Jonathan raced over.
"Zoe, Alfie, would you mind taking care of the little ones? I'll drop a case over later with their nightwear round later. I need to get Anna home and we can go to the hospital."
"Of course we will! You take care now. Say goodbye, guys!" Alfie waved Eduardo's hand at Anna and Jonathan.
After the case had been dropped off we spent an anxious night waiting for texts. At eight thirty a.m. Jonathan rang to say that Anna was around 9 cm dilated and could we continue to look after Emilia and Eduardo? We responded positively and at ten o'clock we were rewarded with a text saying that Anna had given birth to a healthy baby girl that they were calling Elara Jayde.
"Emilia, Eduardo, look! You've got a baby sister!"
"Wha she caaaalled?" Emilia chattered excitedly.
"She's called Elara Jayde." I said, tracing the words on my screen. Emilia flung herself at the bump and giggled.
"Are you having baby girl?"
"Yes I am." I explained patiently. "She's called Kelsey Willow Grace, and she's going to be born in about four months."
We took them to meet Elara later, and they talked happily away to her in her little plastic crib.
When we were all restored to our rightful homes a few days after, we'd had them for four days in all.
"You're going to be an amazing mummy, Zozeebo." Alfie mused, pressing his cheek to the top of my head.
"And you're going to be an amazing daddy, Alf."
He leant down to kiss me.
"Are we going to be cool parents?" I asked.
"We're going to be FANTASTIC parents, just you wait. And your anxiety seems a lot better. Maybe it's all the hormones changing your mood around."
"I love you, Alf."
"Love you Zo."

Come on... 7K reads is so close I can almost touch it... And don't forget you have until the next part is published to send in any names for our reading community. There haven't been any yet, um, at all, but I'm confident!
Keep sharing this story between friends!