The contented coos of her charming two-month-old daughter was what roused Mary pleasantly from her deep slumber as the early morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the thin drapes that hung in the windows, a small smile appearing upon her deep red lips as she lay in the arms of her husband and her eyes fluttered open before they focused upon Florence as she lay happily in her cot. Slipping the hand that wasn't held by Bert's through the bars of her cot, she stroked the side of her index finger softly along her warm cheek in order to coax her to turn her head toward her. She felt her heart swell with the deep love that she possessed for her beautiful baby girl when Florence turned her head to meet her gaze with her own, a gummy smile forming upon her lips when Mary stroked her fingertips delicately against her soft tufts of dark brown hair. 'Hello, you.' Mary whispered as her cherry-red lips curled up into their own sleepy smile and her blue eyes glistened lovingly as she slipped her finger carefully into her tiny hand. 'My angel.'

She knew that it wouldn't be long until the bedroom door would open with a quiet click once her six-year-old, Martha, had woken, since she'd told her the previous evening that they needed to get up earlier than usual if they wanted to have everything ready for Daddy. It was finally Father's Day and Martha'd been looking forward to it for the last three weeks since she had chosen her present for her father, a shiny pocket watch which Mary had allowed the word "Daddy" to be engraved upon at her daughter's pleading. Joseph, her charming five-year old, had used all of his pocket money to purchase his father a tie that Mary had deemed rather dashing, and Mary'd managed to find out something that she knew her husband would like. It wasn't long until Florence began grizzling gently beside her mother, Mary sighing lovingly as she knew that she was after her morning feed.

She reluctantly unlaced her fingers from Bert's as his strong arm was still lovingly wrapped around her slight waist and his face was buried in the crook of her neck as he snored gently, his toned chest pressed firmly against her back whilst his warm breath felt rather soothing against her milky skin. Once she'd succeeded in slowly extracting herself from her husband's embrace she gave a gentle sigh of relief when he rolled over with a faint humph. Sitting up slowly, she couldn't help but smile lovingly down at the charming man who had made all her dreams a reality. He was everything to her and their children and she was going to make him see that if it was the last thing she did. 'I love you so much, my angel.' She murmured into her husband's ear when she leaned down toward him, pressing her lips gently to the soft skin just beneath his jaw before rubbing his arm gently.

Leaning into her daughter's chest in order to bring Florence slowly into her arms and cradle her protectively against her chest, she couldn't help but leave a tender kiss upon the warm skin of her forehead as she smiled up at her and gripped her nightgown with her tiny fist. 'My sweet girl.' She nuzzled the tip of her pointed nose tenderly against her own before reaching back to untie the ribbon at her shoulder, allowing one side of her nightgown to fall away from her chest before she brought Florence towards her exposed breast and aided her in latching on. As her fragile hand came up to cup the soft swell of her breast in its palm and she started to suck eagerly upon her nipple, she settled back against her pillow and gazed down at her with a warm smile upon her lips. The bedroom door opened slowly a few moments later, revealing a sleepy Martha as she held her teddy bear.

'Mummy?' She rubbed her eye slowly with the heel of her free palm as she made her way quietly across the room after closing the door behind herself, Mary smiling softly over at her as she cradled the back of Florence's head gently and brushed her thumb against the chocolate brown hair beneath her hand. 'Are we going to be making Daddy's special breakfast soon?' Martha clambered up onto the bed of her parents before slowly crawling to sit between the two of them, resting her head down upon her mother's arm in order to watch her feed her baby sister. 'Is Flossy having her breakfast, Mummy?' She smiled. Mary nodded quietly as she drew her eyes away from her two-month-old and nuzzled a kiss against Martha's warm brow, her daughter leaning into her with a perfect sigh of satisfaction before she curled herself into the curve of her side with a charming little smile.

'She is, angel.' Mary replied before cradling Florence in one arm and wrapping her free one around Martha's shoulders, allowing her to settle against her chest as Bert continued to snore gently beside them. 'Is Joseph still sleeping?' She felt her little girl nod against her chest as she stroked her small fingertips against her sister's warm cheek, a beautiful giggle escaping Mary's lips as she trailed her hand along the smooth skin of her daughter's arm. 'Why don't you go and wake him up and tell him that we'll all go down to make a start on Daddy's breakfast after Florence has finished her own, hmm?' The excitement was evident in Martha's stormy blue eyes when she looked up at her mother and placed a soft kiss upon her cheek before she moved out from in between her parents and slipped carefully off of their bed.

Mary knew that she had a messy morning ahead of her, but she didn't care in the slightest. To her, it wasn't that they were making more mess for her to have to clean up later.

They were making memories.


It was later that morning when Mary was stood at the stove as she continued to turn the bacon over in the frying pan and Martha and Joseph were setting the table behind her, Florence content to just lay in her bassinet beside the table as they went about getting everything ready before Bert woke and came downstairs. She knew it was silly, but Mary found herself feeling as though she was more excited for Father's Day than her husband. Well, she did have quite a justifiable reason for being so excited about her gift for him.

'Daddy!' Martha's excited giggle made Mary turn slightly in place and notice her husband as he made his way into the kitchen, the two of them sharing a warm smile as he lifted their daughter onto his hip and ruffled Joseph's hair affectionately. 'Happy Father's Day, Daddy!' Bert pressed his lips tenderly to Martha's cheek before he caught her in a warm embrace, her head coming to settle upon his shoulder. 'Mummy made me, Joseph and Flossy get up early this morning so that we could get your breakfast ready.' Bert beamed over at his lovely wife at Martha's words, trailing his hand along his daughter's back as Mary had her back to them. 'We wrapped up all of your presents too and I helped Joseph to write your card! Flossy got you a present too, but she's too young to know what to write in a card for you.' Bert shook his head good-naturedly as he chuckled warmly at her.

'Martha, my angel, would you take Joseph upstairs and help him to find Flossy's present for Daddy?' Mary asked lovingly once she'd turned off the stove and made her way over to her family. 'You remember where Mummy hid it, don't you?' Martha nodded with a smile as Bert set her down and she took her little brother's hand, leading him slowly out of the kitchen and up the staircase. 'I think I've bought us a little bit of time before they come back down, darling, so I think we had better make the most of it. Don't you?' A light smile formed upon Bert's lips as he gazed down at her with pure love and devotion in his eyes before he pulled her against his chest, capturing her in his arms as she slowly slid her own around his neck and pressed her soft lips against his own. Their kiss was warm and deep as he ran his strong hand through her brown hair, Mary humming in response.

She allowed her hands to cup the sides of his neck as their lips caressed tenderly before she dropped one hand to his chest and gripped his nightshirt tightly in her palm, pulling him close before his loving chuckle vibrated against her deep red lips. 'Mrs. Alfred.' He sighed into her mouth as he ran his hands along the curves of her sides through her thin nightgown, Mary rising up onto her tiptoes to better the angle of their mouths. 'I can't believe 'ow lucky I am.' He breathed when they parted a short while later and he pressed his forehead against hers, his strong hands resting possessively upon her hips as she ran her hands along the front of his chest. 'I've got a beautiful supportive wife,' He planted a lingering kiss upon her hairline before bringing her flush against him. 'Three incredible children 'oo mean the 'ole world to me, and I couldn't feel more blessed or more 'appy.'

'We love you so much.' She reassured him when their eyes met and her gentle blue eyes sparkled beautifully, their lips meeting in a slow and chaste kiss as he cupped the silky curve of her cheek in his palm. 'You're my world, you know that? You love me unconditionally, you protect me, you defend my honour and you never gave up hope that we'd be able to have a child of our own even though we were told that I was infertile. Now we've got three beautiful children who I love more than anything else in the world and it's all because you never let me give up hope.' Bert smiled lovingly as he nuzzled the tip of his nose against her temple, his daughter's soft grizzles causing him to pull away from her.

''ey, 'ey, 'ey,' He chuckled gently as he made his way over to Florence's bassinet before he leaned down to bring his daughter carefully into his arms and cradle her protectively against his chest, Florence settling down as soon as Bert stroked his knuckles along her warm cheek. 'That's my girl.' He pressed his lips to his little girl's forehead in a lingering kiss as Mary went back to the stove in order to put her husband's breakfast onto a plate. The sound of her children bounding down the staircase as they giggled gently together made her heart swell with love for her little family, something finally beginning to dawn on her as she turned around to her four favourite people.

Her life was truly perfect.


Mary couldn't help but sigh softly as she was settled in her husband's lap once the children had insisted that he opened their presents and he had kissed them both on the head, her head cushioned upon his shoulder as his arm was wrapped tightly around her middle and they watched Martha and Joseph play together on the floor before them. Florence, after twenty minutes of Mary humming into her ear as she had paced back and forth with her in her arms, was now sleeping peacefully in her bassinet that Bert had carried into the living room. 'Don't tell me that you of all people have forgotten to buy me a present, Mrs. Alfred.' He chuckled before nibbling on her neck and earning himself a halfhearted smack on the chest as she turned to him with a glint in her beautiful blue eyes; a radiant smile upon her lips as she brushed her thumb against his chest through his nightshirt.

'That is for me to know and for you to find out, Mr. Alfred, but if you don't start behaving yourself then I'm just going to make you wait longer.' She leaned forwards and caught him in a long and warm kiss as she cupped his jaw lovingly in her palm, his hand lovingly gripping the soft fabric of her dress as they sank into one another yet kept their kisses chaste in front of the children. 'Eww...Mummy, Daddy!' Martha exclaimed gently as she covered her eyes with her small hands, Joseph doing the same in order to copy his older sister as he giggled and their parents turned to them with smiles upon their lips. Mary couldn't help but sigh as she snuggled into her husband, smiling as he kissed her hairline.

The last couple of months had been tiring and stressful, what with the two of them moving into a larger house with their children and then welcoming Florence into their family, but neither Bert or his wife could find it in them to bear a grudge. Not when they had been blessed with all the things that they had ever dreamed of. Florence was such an easy baby to tend to and everyone had fallen in love with her instantly on the day of her birth, but Bert knew that his wife was completely besotted with their little girl. Mary found it hard to put her down once she had her in her arms and it was clear to see that Florence was going to grow up to be a Mummy's girl. The two of them had an unbreakable bond, that was for sure, and Bert was glad to see Mary finally settling into family life now that she'd stopped working as a Nanny. Ever since Florence had arrived she'd been so calm.

They had had so many worries throughout her pregnancy with Florence, what with her threatened miscarriage and her lengthy stay in hospital where she had witnessed another woman lose her baby, but they had managed to remain strong and support one another through any trials that they had encountered together, and they had gotten through it.

They had come out stronger.


'I think I've waited long enough now.' Mary smiled lovingly as she was stood at the sink later that evening and she continued to wash the dishes from the family's supper, Bert's strong arms wrapping around her waist from behind as he spoke gently into her ear. 'I may sound like Martha and Joseph on Christmas morning, but I 'onestly don't think I can wait a moment longer to find out what you've been 'iding from me all day.' She sighed lovingly as she dried her hands on a tea-towel and turned in his arms before allowing her hands to settle upon his torso, taking a deep breath before she smiled lovingly up at him and brushed her thumb against the thin material of his shirt as he smiled down at her.

'I wasn't going to tell you yet because we clearly didn't plan this and we've hardly settled into Flossy's routine, but I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer and you obviously have a right to know.' He furrowed his brow slightly as he gazed down at her and she took his large hand slowly into her small one, bringing it to settle upon her lower abdomen through her dress before his eyes widened and all she saw was pure love and joy sparkling in his stormy blue eyes. 'It would seem that we've done it again.' She giggled gently, drawing her lower lip through her teeth and smiling up at him as he brushed his thumb against the slight roundness that he felt through her dress. 'I missed my last cycle and I just had an inkling, so I sent off a pregnancy test and it came back positive. I know that women are more fertile after having a baby, but Flossy is only two months of age!'

'We'll manage.' He reassured her as he cupped her face in his hands and locked gazes with her, tears sparkling in her eyes as she trembled and a breathtaking smile appeared on her lips. 'But before we do anything else,' His thumbs brushed against the chocolate brown hair at the sides of her head. 'Come 'ere.' He brought her close to him then and caught her in a long and deep kiss, her arms slipping around his middle as she stepped closer to him. ''Ow far along are you?' He murmured into her mouth as he cupped the sides of her neck lovingly and she stroked her thumbs slowly against the small of his back.

'A little over a month.' She rose up onto her tiptoes as she threaded her fingers through his thick hair and he pulled her flush against him, a smile forming upon his lips as she raked her nails along his scalp. 'I'll take that kiss as a sign that you're happy?' She giggled when they parted and he pressed a slow kiss to her hairline, her deep red lips swollen when he took her hands in his own and fixed his gaze upon her.

''appy is an understatement, my incredible girl.' He brought her into his arms and allowed her to lay her head down on his chest, his arms slipping around her waist as he left a tender kiss to the crown of her head. 'I'm ecstatic.'

'I'm glad.' She nuzzled slowly into his chest and gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed. 'Happy Father's Day, my darling.'

'Thank you, sweet'eart.' He murmured into her hair as he stroked the warmth of her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

It truly had been the best Father's Day that Bert had ever celebrated.


Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it because I really am quite proud of this, and rather a lot of effort went into it. Please leave a review if you have the time, it would mean so much to me! Thank you!