A Greek Odyssey - Jason Fic

CHAPTER 152

Over drinks at the local deli-cafe, Lexi rang both her family, Jason's family and Freya to fill them in on the results from the scan. All of them were overjoyed to hear that the news was positive. Jason then rang the lads who were at Cardington doing the finishing touches to re-mixing the songs and having a final listen. They were extremely pleased to hear that the scan had gone well. Jason offered to drive up to be with them to rehearse after lunch, but Gary would hear none of it, explaining that they would be finishing early for the weekend and that Jason should spend time with Lexi.

They spent the Saturday at Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, where they chose a pram, pushchair, cot and moses basket for the baby. All were in neutral colours, suitable for a boy or girl. On the way home they stopped at the local DIY store and chose paint for the nursery. The nursery was going to be a mixture of pale yellow with white woodwork and the cot was white too.

'So, do you know any decorators?' Lexi asked, as Jason heaved the tins of paint into the boot.

'Nah. I'm going to do it. I'm not having some stranger doing it. I've waited long enough to be a daddy and I'm going to enjoy doing this. Besides, I did a spot of decorating for people before we hit the big time, so I know what I'm doing.'

'Can I help?' Lexi asked, thinking it would be fun to do it together.

'If you want. Do you know how to decorate?' he laughed disparagingly at her, poking his tongue out at her teasingly.

'Of course!' Lexi giggled. 'How hard can it be?' she had never decorated before in her life, but she wasn't going to tell Jason that.

'Hmm.. we'll see,' Jason smiled a crooked smile at her. He could bet good money that Lexi had never picked up a paint brush or roller in her life.

The following morning they were up bright and early. Jason was in an old pair of tatty overalls which he had kept from when he used to do small decorating jobs prior to joining Take That. He'd dug out the spare pair of dungaree type overalls which he also owned, a paint and plaster spattered pair which fitted Lexi once she'd rolled the trouser legs up half a dozen times.

Jason was already in the nursery, stirring the paint with a wooden stick when Lexi walked in. He looked up, his eyes twinkling as he noted how the dungarees strained over her bump. 'Hmm...maybe I should have just given you those to wear when we went out for that meal, rather than buying you all of those new dresses.' He said, thinking she looked really cute in the outfit with her hair pulled up into a high pony-tail, her face devoid of any make-up.

'You wouldn't have dared!' Lexi giggled. She watched him stirring the yellow paint, his forehead furrowed in concentration. 'Are you sure you know what you're doing, Jay?' she teased, knowing exactly what buttons to press to wind him up.

'Course I bloody do!'he said, putting the stirrer down and pouring some paint into the paint tray. 'Now, do you know what you're doing or do you need me to show you?' he asked her, even more certain now that she hadn't a clue.

'No. I'll be fine.' Lexi picked the roller up and unceremoniously dumped it in the paint tray, a small splash landing on the dust-sheet, which covered the cream coloured carpet to keep it clean. Jason stood back, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as he saw the look of intense concentration take over her face.

'This should be fun...' he murmered under his breath, as she picked the roller up which was laden with sticky yellow paint and hit it against the wall with a resounding slapping sound.

Lexi gripped the roller with both hands, her teeth sucking at her bottom lip as she manoeuvred the roller quickly up the wall in haphazard strokes. She hadn't realised that the roller would be heavy and make her arms ache so quickly. Paint splattered every where, as she rolled the roller sharply back downwards in a wobbly line.