Howard and Emma both now took full advantage of their phone cameras to take snapshots of the new addition - plus their partner's intriguing attempts at parenthood. That had lead to it becoming a daily Mill ritual for him to show off what had happened overnight in the week since returning from paternity leave. The other staff were welcoming this as most had not yet seen the baby in real life and it was a nice change to see the practice manager so happy.

"You have meetings this morning but for some reason your afternoon ones seem very condensed." The prospect of getting to his office in a morning without the dulcet tones of their receptionist interrupting his thoughts was always somewhere in his brain but then he realised it wouldn't feel right without it.

Smiling back over his shoulder he replied, "I know, Mrs Tembe, I am taking a long lunch."

He had turned away by the time she started to speak again. "No pictures today, Mr Bellamy?"

"I thought you would like to meet the little man himself. Emma is begging to get out and see everyone so I will go pick her up, come here to see everyone and then drive them back."

"Oh, that is a lovely idea!" She said, clapping her hands together.

A few hours later it was approaching the end of the lunch period when the front door opened and Howard held it open for the other two. Mrs Tembe had clearly told the others to expect a visit as they all appeared from different rooms within seconds.

Emma was aware she probably looked exhausted but that had been the same as when she found out about the pregnancy so hopefully nobody would mention it. Before leaving the house Howard was his ever-supportive self and claimed she hadn't exuded such a radiant vibe in all the time they'd known each other. He had received a simple glare in response.

"Hiya all of you. I would like to present John Bellamy who is far too awake for an eighteen day old, aren't you?" Emma said, one arm supporting him as her finger on the other was being held in the small fist.

"Now, isn't he just the cutest thing you've laid eyes on?" Karen cooed once she had went across and tickled his stomach, receiving a gurgle in return. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking if she could have a shot of holding him which was quickly followed through with.

"We're pretty pleased with him ourselves." Emma said, leaning into Howard's side while catching his eye with a grin.

"He's on the best of behaviour today, clearly trying to get high on everybody's Christmas lists."

She nodded in agreement, grateful the crying had abated for the time being. "As usual he had a wobble when he sensed you were gone but I think the fact he then had a nap on me helped a lot."

"So is he a daddy's boy then?" Daniel asked, playing with the small soft toy that Al had produced from his office as a present

The new mother sighed, "Oh god, yes. I thought I had an ally coming along but then he swapped allegiance. I'm still hoping forced time with me will sort that glitch." She was exaggerating the bond between these two males but the younger definitely knew when one parent was missing in a room.

Niamh offered her hands to Karen who carefully passed over John in his green babygrow. "He is gorgeous."

"You've seen him practically every day, you don't have to act as though you haven't." Howard commented, shaking his head as he considered how few evenings in the past two weeks they had as only the three of them. He was not honestly annoyed by it, the company was pleasant and there was a bubble of calm brought by Niamh and Ayesha meaning he was not annoying Emma as much as possible. Luckily though, because of this visit to the centre their home would not be a passing place for the women and they could be just themselves.

"Exactly, he gets more adorable each time."

"That is a true fact."

Emma decided to speak at that moment to the group as a whole, she could gush about this baby until she sent herself to sleep and had listened to Howard and Niamh doing this exchange repeatedly, so needed to pause it. "By the way, thank you everyone for the presents although I don't recall the colour of the rug under all of them. Daniel, especially thank Joe for the handmade card, it was so sweet."

"No problem, he enjoyed doing it. Zara sends her best, however we apparently aren't offering babysitting duties until he is an awful lot older."

"She Who Must Be Obeyed has spoken," she muttered under her breath with a smirk. The two men involved with these women rolled their eyes, having grown used to this particular unique friendship.

"What are you doing for the rest of the afternoon?" Niamh enquired, not taking her eyes off the baby and more than likely not caring about the answer, only postponing their departure.

"Depending on his feelings we may be numbed by awful daytime TV or we could have a session of him being sick all over me. It's usually one, the other or both until his daddy comes home and he turns into this angel."

"That was his greeting to me last night!"

"But it was done in a loving manner." Emma said grudgingly, she knew she was being petty and not appreciating the random moments that made her heart burst with joy while Howard was at work. At that she thought of the impromptu pictures she had taken in the past few days and sent to him, grinning in spite of her outward complaints - she wouldn't have it any other way.