"Pregnant!" Cried one woman.
Toby was sweeping and waiting on customers. He couldn't help overhearing the conversation between the gaggle of girls at the table. Although the shop was as crowded as ever, the girls were louder.
One of them—she looked to be in her early twenties, they all did—was blushing, but she looked quite pleased.
"Yes," she smiled, "for about three months now. I'm due in April." The girls shrieked with joy.
Toby tried to ignore them, but it was difficult. "I feel so elated and in love," the pregnant girl gushed. "Timothy has been an absolute dear. He's terribly excited as well."
The other girls cooed in admiration. "Gosh, I wish I could fall in love like that," one of them sighed. The others murmured and muttered in agreement.
"Love is a wonderful thing," one of the girls said wisely. It took a moment or two for Toby to realize that, although she couldn't have been much older than the other girls, she had a baby bundled in her arms.
"And your daughter is so lovely!" The pregnant girl squealed. "She's so congenial and sweet. Oh, waiter!" She cried suddenly.
It took several moments for Toby to realize she was talking to him. He came over to the group looking embarrassed, trying and failing to look as though he hadn't been listening in on their conversation. "Yes'm?" He asked politely.
The girls all squealed with delight. "So polite!" One cried.
"He's darling!" Another sighed.
Toby felt his cheeks flush. The pregnant girl smiled at him. "You are lovely. May I ask your name?"
Toby nodded reluctantly. "It's Toby," he said. She continued to smile at him.
"Toby, could I request two of your meat pies to go?"
Toby nodded fervently. "Yes'm."
"You are polite," she giggled. "I hope my child is exactly like you when he—or she—grows up."
Toby played dumb well. "Are you expecting, miss?" He asked.
She giggled. "Yes. I'm due in April." Toby smiled awkwardly. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to respond to a statement like that.
"That's wonderful!" He said, grinning weakly.
She sighed happily and smiled up at him again. "Isn't love grand?" She asked.
It was rhetoric, of course. But Toby didn't know that.
"I dunno," He whispered, making a mental note to ask Mrs. Lovett when he got the chance.
