Page 73 of Maybe Baby
Two chaotic hours later, the new grandparents and more than a bit besotted new uncle had gone home. Lisa had hugged Winnie, said goodbye to Florian and thanked Dom many times for his amazing help – as well as making him promise that all foof memories were indeed erased. Lisa hugged Felicity– she was the last of her visitors to leave. Overwhelmedby the events of the day, and feeling grateful for all her friend had done, Lisa gave her an extra squeeze. ‘Thank you so much for today, for everything.’
‘I’m just a phone call away, any time, just call, and I’ll be here,’ Felicity affirmed. ‘Unless I’m chasing a rabbit of course!’
Lisa giggled. ‘Oh Flick, I didn’t even ask about Doc—’
‘Don’t you dare. I don’t want you worrying aboutany of it. Though you might have to explain to your editor about the misuse of the box of goodies she sent.’ Felicity grimaced. ‘But honestly, I can be The Purrfect Pet Sitter for a while. I’ve had the best teacher.’
‘Aww, thanks.’
‘No I meant Fred, he’s brilliant with animals.’ Felicity laughed. ‘I’m encouraging it; can you imagine me having a doctor and a vet in the family?’
Lisalaughed, thanking Felicity again before she opened the door.
‘Ah Miss Lisa, Mr Martin, he tell me you have baby now.’
Lisa and Felicity jumped at the sight of Mr Chung before Lisa offered him a big smile and took in what he had said. ‘Of course, he did.’Who needs Facebook to make announcements when your parents have Harold Martin as a neighbour?Lisa thought, amused at how quickly wordhad got around. ‘Do you want to see the baby, Mr Chung?’
‘No. No. Miss Lisa must rest, but I want to give you this ... for baby.’ The elderly gentleman placed a small square of material in Lisa’s hand.
Lisa looked at him confused.
Felicity looked at it, realisation dawning in her expression. ‘It’s for a quilt. I saw one at Jiggle and Sing. It’s for a hundred good wishes quilt. It’sa Chinese tradition,’ she offered, looking at Mr Chung for confirmation.
Mr Chung nodded enthusiastically.
Lisa looked at Felicity, still none the wiser.
‘You collect a square of material and a wish from each of your friends and family. Then you put them together to make a quilt, giving the baby a hundred good wishes,’ Felicity explained.
Lisa welcomed the lovely gesture, thankingMr Chung for his kindness, as she imagined the completed quilt. Returning to her hometown, less than a year ago, Lisa had felt lost and alone, now she not only had Nathan Baker back in her life to stay, a baby and a new home, she had friends and family around her – enough to make creating a hundred good wishes quilt for her baby seem possible.
Before Mr Chung said his goodbyes, he looked atLisa. ‘You be very happy now, Miss Lisa, boyfriend and baby, make your heart grow big.’
With Mr Chung’s kind words still in her mind, Lisa snuggled into the comfort of the sofa, Nathan by her side as he held their baby girl. Both still a little shocked from the speed of her early arrival and the mayhem of having so many visitors, they welcomed being alone at last.
Lisa looked at her daughter’sprecious features: her button nose, her full head of dark hair, the dusting of fine hair on her forehead, her pink lips, pale eyelashes and the gentle rise and fall of her chest in her baby-gro. Testing the name they had decided to give her, Lisa spoke, ‘Bliss. I think it really suits her. She’s beautiful, do you think it’s OK for me to say that?’ Lisa smiled.
‘I think it’s OK because it’strue.’ Nathan held Bliss’s hand, stroking her smooth skin with his thumb.
Taking in the sight of her family, Lisa felt happier and more in love than she had ever thought possible – with Nathan, with their baby nestled in his arms,and with her life.She knew how lucky she was.
Nathan took a breath and wiped the corner of his eye. ‘This is perfect. The three of—’
‘Four with Uno,’ Lisaadded, pointing to the cat sauntering through the lounge door after waiting to make an appearance until everybody had gone.
Nathan laughed. ‘OK, the four of us here now – Uno, me, you and our beautiful Bliss. This is perfect.’
‘Our perfect moment,’ Lisa affirmed, before lifting the baby to kiss her on her chubby cheeks.
When Nathan slipped a new charm on to her bracelet just days later,Lisa felt a swell of happiness. The heart, encrusted with a small single pink stone and engraved with the wordBliss, shone in the early morning light. She thanked him with a kiss and welcomed his arms around her. Her bracelet was made to fill with their memories, it already represented so much that was precious to her, and this was just the beginning.
* The End *
