Car Share: The Sweetest Thing
Chapter 10
"Oi Mandy they're in here!" Steve calls to Mandy who is presumably further down the corridor. The sound of the motorbike enthusiast's voice echoing throughout the walls of the corridors and surroundings wards . God knows why she wasn't establishing her presence straight away because the first-time parents were expecting to see her being the first family member dashing into the room.. In the meantime John now sporting a joyful smile on his face, waves to Paul, who already seems to have taken a shine to new addition to the Redmond family through the glass window.
John beckons his brother to enter the room by sending him a quick text, which reads "Come in Paul Redmond are you there? Paul Redmond, Reckless Redmond insists you get your arse in here now." The happy parents soon see Paul reading the text. The look on his face suggested/read as 'Captain Redmond? Haha very funny. Alright alright I'm coming in ' From nowhere Mandy sidestepped her way past him and entered the room along with Steve, Paul came in and went over to give John a massive 'Congratulations' hug and a pat on the back.
"Oh he's so adorable Kayleigh" Mandy says the moment she sets her eyes on and dotes over her nephew, who is now in a blissful sleep in his mother's arms. John thinks it might be better to put their son in the hospital baby cot to the right hand side of the bed, so the little fella could sleep well. He places a kiss on top of his son's head. This fatherly moment is witnessed by Mandy, Steve and Paul, whose hearts look like they've just melted by seeing how well John is taking to becoming a parent.
"I'm really happy for you two, you know. I hope you're ready for sleepless nights." Paul thinks the workload for his brother might get in the way of him spending time with his family. He hopes John will tell that knobhead boss of his to lay off with the paperwork for a good while. So he can take on the responsibilities of being a father and supporting Kayleigh through the first 3-6 months as best as he possibly can.
"Ready as I'll ever be" John answers. He already has come up with a very good plan for this. One which he could not wait to try out.
"Good to hear you sounding confident John. Steve couldn't get any sleep at all after I had Alfie. You should have heard him when he was a baby he couldn't stop crying. I think we knew back then that Alfie would turn into a right troublemaker."Mandy had never doubted John for one second since the day Kayleigh announced that the two of them were expecting their first child. She can tell the couple will learn a whole lot more from each other as the years going on.
"Parents instincts isn't it Mandy? You two will be going through that experience soon with this little fella." After paying attention to what his wife had said, Steve describes what this feeling had felt like from his perspective, the first time he became a father. He just wants to pass this knowledge on to John and Kayleigh. They would learn themselves when they should expect to catch a glimpse of how smart or cheeky their son might become as he's growing up.
"Really?" Kayleigh asks. She still looks shattered after giving birth, so she understandably is a bit slow to understand what Steve means. At least he wasn't behaving unbearably and trying to deliberately distract John with classic motorbike chat for a change. Mandy has probably issued him with a formal warning because this would certainly explain why he was acting differently today.
"Yeah. Trust your instincts that's all I'm saying Kayleigh. You and John shouldn't need to feel worried. Hey who knows may be little Matthew over there might show signs he wants to be a footballer or something else someday soon"
"Matthew?" John and Kayleigh both more or less end up questioning this random name at the same time as each other.
"Oh sorry it's the name my mam and dad considered calling me before they eventually agreed on calling me Steve instead." John and Kayleigh both exchange smiles with one another before focusing their attention on an oblivious Steve "Care to explain why you two are looking at me as if I've suddenly come to your rescue?" Steve's own gut instincts tell him it may be to do with what he had just told them.
"Steve...I think you might have just helped us out there bud." John's benevolent smile said everything that needed to be said, as he held Kayleigh's hand in his and then looked up at Paul, who gave a nod of approval. There was a bit of a height difference between the two brothers. Paul was the youngest and the tallest brother.
"You want to call your son James." Steve suddenly feels privileged to have benefited towards helping John and Kayleigh with naming their son. Mandy feels touched to see the man she married finally saying the right things for once in his life.
"Me and Kayleigh think it's a perfect name..."John pauses for a few moments. He has something else in mind as hi eyes meet Kayleigh's. He therefore takes a deep breath before he then starts to reveal what he wants to share with the two families. "How does Matthew Peter Redmond sound?"
"Dad's name." Paul says as if a light-bulb has just clicked above his head. He quickly sheds a tear just thinking about how mum will react when she hears John has decided to put Peter down as Matthew middle name when he and Kayleigh register for his birth certificate.
"Don't tell me you're crying. You'll have me crying next."John isn't one to express his emotions much. Keeping emotions in check had never really been a doddle for him, especially that time where he was crying over the lyrics to Richard Marx's Hazard.
"Give him a minute and he will be." Paul turns to tell Mandy. He was a right bloody joker when he wanted to be. He never did really care what people think of him and his half-cheeky behaviour.
"John that's a very lovely thing of you to do. If this is what you really want then I have no problem with that. Oh...you've got me crying now..." Kayleigh can't argue with him over this. She knows his dad meant the world to him and she thought this was a lovely tribute of him to do.
"Don't tell me you're crying too... you're unbelievable you are Kayleigh" John can't believe the amount of crying she's doing. He doesn't want too much of a fuss being made about his decision.
"What?! It's the sweetest thing I've seen you say." She was proper welling up now. She squeezes his hand as if she's willing him on to get some off his chest.
"You really think so. I guess I just wanted to honour my dad's memory that's all. If he was still alive today, I know how much he'd be chuffed, that I'm named his grandson's middle name after him" John felt tears emerging in the corner of his eyes.
"Are you crying John?" Mandy asks. She could see his chin quivering away and his nose wiggling. She thinks if he is, then he's making very good progress with showing his emotions. She is also pretty convinced there will be hundreds if not thousands of moments where he and Kayleigh will be having a cry after Matthew and brothers/sisters will make them proud when the start to achieve things at school and as young adults. She knows she and Steve still have this to come with Alfie and Chloe as soon as they become teenagers. God forbid.
"Maybe." John answers as he cranes his neck away and tries to shy away potential eye contact.
"See told you" Paul happily reminded the sisters.
"Alright I'm admit I do cry like a big baby sometimes when I think about how my dad would have reacted to becoming a grandad again." John finally comes clean. His teary eyed flushed face is actually quite cute to look at that exact moment.
"Aww John... don't say it like that" Kayleigh sympathizes with him. She leans in and embraces him with the lightest of hugs. She cherishes every time she hugs the man she loves/who is also now the father of her child. She has seen how completely reassured he looks once they've hugged.
Mandy feels her, Steve and Paul should give the couple some alone time, seeing as the two of them clearly look pretty tired after experiencing the delivery together.
"Steve, Paul why don't the three of us go and get something to eat from that cafe down the corridor. I could do with grabbing a sandwich and getting some fresh air outside." Mandy does what she can to usher both of them out the room. Paul gets the message loud and clear. He goes over to embrace his brother once Kayleigh's done with hugging him.
"What is this hug John Redmond day all of a sudden?" John jokes through the remainder of his tears. The three laugh at John's comment.
"But we've only got here Mandy. Can't we hang around in here for another half an hour" Steve can't understand why she wants to leave 20 minutes after arriving.
"Stephen Price one more word of complaint from you and I'll personally see to it those bikes of yours don't see daylight ever again...do you understand?" Mandy was a woman not to be messed with or underestimated and who also had her sister's best interests at heart. She sees Steve has made himself too comfortable in the room much to her annoyance. She had threatened to have the bikes sold without his knowledge once before.
"I'll give mum a ring and tell her the good news." Paul says before whipping his phone out from his right coat pocket. Paul hadn't told her yet that John and Kayleigh were at the hospital. Things were bound to get emotional
Paul quietly popped outside to make the call while Mandy eventually succeeded in getting Steve to come with her to the cafe. The mere mention of Bike magazines being available of the newspaper/magazine stands managed to win him over. Now finding themselves alone John lifts himself up from the armchair and goes to sit on the edge of the bed. He allows Kayleigh to place her arm around him. He can't help but smile to himself as soon as he senses how her hand has conspicuously rested itself on his right bum cheek.
"Mmmm this feels nice..." Kayleigh makes it perfectly clear she's savoring this precious moment which they're sharing. She feels her heart start to pound the moment the two of them lock eyes while they're smiling lovingly at each other. If there was no nurses or doctors constantly walking past the door and if she had made a full recovery by now, she knows she would definitely seduce him right there and then.
"Sounds to me, you've got much more in mind than another hug Kayleigh." John whispers, his eyes are keeping a close lookout for who may enter the room unannounced.
"You betcha." Kayleigh confirms his suspicions, with a suggestive wink.
"Kayleigh me and you are not having sex in this room" John times his comment wrong, just as a different nurse is entering the room, to check to see how they're all doing.
The nurse tries her best to remain thoroughly professional even though her face suggests she's desperate to laugh out loud. "Miss Kitson the doctor should be in to see you tonight." The nurse gave them the good news that they might be able to go home first thing in the morning after Kayleigh and Matthew have been assessed and given the thumbs up to start preparing their belongings for leaving the hospital following the assessments.
She took away Kayleigh's pillows and said she would return with two fresh pillows for her. Kayleigh sat up with her legs now stretched out on the bed.
"Still can't believe we're parents Kayleigh. Feels like the best feeling in the world you know, knowing we created this beautiful baby." John describe his feelings more in-depth. He's learned ever since they started courting that he can bare his heart and soul more to Kayleigh. Love really did make you feel automatically connected to your partner in more ways than one.
"Oh John, now don't be going all Mister Sentimental on me will you because you'll be getting blamed for making me flood this room with my tears in the next minute or two if you carry on talking like this." Kayleigh rubbed in it, trying to make the conversation somewhat light-hearted.
The two sigh contentedly and enjoy ten minutes of uninterrupted silence. John and Kayleigh both can't take her eyes off the hospital cot. During this duration the nurse returns with the two pillows and places them on the headboard behind Kayleigh. She leaves again shortly afterwards.
"I really would like it if we could try for more children" Kayleigh believes they should wait another 12-18 months before they should try again for a second child.
"Eh get you! You've got it all worked out you haven't ya?" John grins at her. Nothing she says anymore literally surprises him because he knows fate has done a deal with him and blessed with having this amazing woman in his life.
"Of course I have silly, what do you expect. I want us to have two sisters for Matthew. Four or five kids would be too much for me to handle" Kayleigh's endearing giggle soon warms the cockles of his heart.
"Us, for us to handle" John politely corrects her on this mistake after he quickly acknowledges she's talking more about how she's going to mind the the baby but has failed to mention his contribution. It soon crosses his mind this isn't the first time in which she has accidentally made this very mistake. She's just naturally someone who forgets certain things or people whenever she feels incredibly excited. He knows he would most likely behaving the same way too, if he wasn't thinking straight and that he would probably get a playfully punch in the bicep from her as a result.
"Sorry I got carried with myself." Kayleigh blushes with bright pink cheeks.
"No surprise there eh" John chuckles. He gets up and goes to check on baby Matthew. He doesn't move an inch as he starts to focus on watching his son sleeping peacefully. Becoming a parent did really make your life feel that extra more complete. Preparing for fatherhood had made him feel a bag of nerves consciously because he thought he wouldn't be good enough when came to changing nappies, let alone being a 'dad of the year' candidate. While attending the maternity classes within the last two months of Kayleigh's pregnancy, John's mind was rightfully changed forever one evening in June when Paul had begged him to mind Ben and Sophie on a school night.
Sophie was so excited at the prospect of getting to meet another cousin. She gave a little poetry speech which left John on the brink of tears. He was so glad that her words had thankfully clicked with him and made realise him how much of a complete 'shithouse' he was himself look, for ever doubting himself. He would be there for Kayleigh as her rock, her knight in shining armour or her Prince Charming...well maybe not Prince Charming as he felt resembled Friar Tuck more.
"John what are you doing?" As ever and perfectly, Kayleigh's voice snapped him out of his reflective thoughts.
"Eh?" John asks. He seems clueless as to how long he has been standing there rooted to the spot. From Kayleigh's viewpoint, she caught a glimpse of him grinning widely and mouthing 'Thank You' to himself.
"Johnathan you've been standing the same position for approximately 10 minutes." He doesn't half love it when she uses the longer version of his name. "Why am I get the impression you were having another of one of your daydreams again. Oh I hope it was me you were daydreaming about and not whatshername off Good Morning Britain."
"Susanna Reid?" John doesn't see there being no problem here whatsoever. Kayleigh herself has admitted in the past to him that she often daydreams about that fella who plays Magic Mike. He told her he wasn't jealous but Kayleigh on the other hand had made it quite clear of how jealous and slightly frustrated she gets of hearing John bringing Susanna Reid up in his sleep.
"Please tell me you're not going to go and run off with her." Kayleigh suddenly feels nervous that John might consider walking away from her and Matthew. She had opened up to Mandy about this bad feeling, her sister thought she was just being ridiculous and had ended up telling her how being pregnancy makes you feel insecure and how messes with your emotions.
John very nearly falls over on his arse laughing, as he responds to Kayleigh's comment. He knows all too well she loves him just as much as he loves her but it did surely amuse him hearing Kayleigh thinking she has competition for his affections. She should know him by now; how she is the keeper of his heart and will remain the love of his life.
"Don't be daft. I love you Kayleigh. I'm only ever going to daydream about you...naked of course and wiggling yourself at me. Susanna Reid is a billion times less the woman you are. You know I have to bloody keep pinching myself, to make sure I'm not dreaming all of this..." John goes over to her and lifts her hand up to his lips. He holds up her hand for a minute or two before he then tenderly places a kiss on the palms of her right and left hand as well as her fingertips.
"Is this your way of trying to get yourself into my good books Johnathan? or " Kayleigh cheekily poses the question of what John's game plan is here.
"Cheeky bitch! Christ can't a man royally treat his girlfriend...the mother of his child the way she wants to be treated." John chuckled softly as his eyes lock themselves with hers. He thinks she's got a right bloody cheek questioning him but as he feels his heart pounding for the second time in the space of three hours, he puts those thoughts aside for the time being and concentrates on pouring his heart out. Settling her worries once and for all. "You know I really think the world of you Kayleigh Kitson..."
"You've said that and all to me before as well" Kayleigh says, interrupting him in such a sassy manner, from what else he had obviously been planning to tell her.
"Kayleigh." John says quietly as he finds himself more and more drawn those brown sparkling eyes of hers.
"Hmmm" Kayleigh's attention has drifted off unsurprisingly. After a year of courting John had come to learn how absent-minded she can often be.
"Kayleigh I'm no pushover you know" John shakes his head in disbelief. She also knows him far too well by now, as if he were assembled furniture from IKEA.
"Johnathan! that's no way to speak to your girlfriend." She snorted with laughter and jiggles her feet about energetically. Once the laughter between the had two eventually died down. They soon found themselves on the cusp of taking the next step of moving in for a much sought after kiss. Fortunately the kiss could only be brief as Paul re-entered the room and they pulled away.
"Woah, woah, woah. Don't tell me you two are considering trying for another baby already." Paul feels he has ask, given that he had just walked in as things looked likely to be getting sexually frisky between his brother and his girlfriend while they were snogging on the edge of her bed.
"One more word out of you and have you'll have Mandy and Steve dashing back in here with celebration banners." John came to the realisation of the fact - your family god bless them and all that but one or two of them really did drive you up the wall even at the best of times.
"So is that a yes?" Paul asks excitedly.
"Steady on will ya. Me and Kayleigh... we're still undecided yet." John tries to throw his brother off the scent because he knows how quickly Paul loves to jump at the chance of spilling the beans to the rest of the family most of the work stuff he's told him about firsthand. John is willingly prepared to fool his brother, two can play that game he thought.
"Me own brother thinks I'm a gossiper...terrific..." Paul doesn't wish to intrude of his brother happiness with his new family. He starts to wonder if whether perhaps his newfound excitement of becoming an uncle has gone to his head and is making him look a right idiot.
"I've heard that said before elsewhere. You and the person who said it would be a right match made in heaven." John says, referring to Elsie. it soon dawns on Kayleigh, the person who John is alluding to is Elsie. The look of horror on her face is received loud and clear by John. He mouths No...no...no' to her. He's verifying with her, just so she knows, he doesn't intend to set up Paul and Elsie on a date or anything. Kayleigh breathes a sigh of relief.
"So anyway how did mum react to the fact that she's become a grandmother for a third time? She's not mad at me for not phoning her is she?" John feels a bit guilty for not calling her when he did. He'll apologize as soon as he sees her next.
"She was in her art and craft class wasn't she. Oh, you should have heard her swearing...pretty loudly I might add. Only went and got herself kicked out the class as a result of her swearing." John and Paul's mum had a notorious and hilarious history of swearing. For eight years she had kept her potty mouth under control however this F word slip according to Paul had landed her in trouble at the age of 62.
"For swearing? World's gone mad. Mum hasn't sworn in years. Well not since that night she called that baldy presenter off MasterChef...an overinflated..sshi..." John tries to replicate the exact swearword his mother had used to calll Gregg Wallace not to incase Matthew's first word may turn out to be a sweary one.
"So anyway mum says she's coming to pick the two of you up tomorrow from here. She's bringing the two bags of baby clothes she bought for Matthew with her. She went and on a secret shopping spree for them last week didn't she."
"I don't blame her. You know I spent all of my first wages on Take That shirts and a life-size cutout of Gary Barlow. Use to sing it at nighttime as if I was auditioning to be a backing singer for Take That." Kayleigh gives a little sigh of content as she reflects on the height of her love for the group's songs. Paul and John both look fairly surprised. Paul could tell how brother had found the perfect match in Kayleigh because he recalls his brother having done exactly the same himself with Dolly Parton merchandise back in the mid 1990s.
"Anyhow I best be heading off before i get overcharged for parking" Paul gives a 'See you in the next few days' wave to Kayleigh. She responds with the same action.
"I'll see you out." John hotfoots it around the bed, to see him out the door. The two clearly have something else to chat about. Kayleigh looks too tired to ponder what the two brothers are up to.
Once John and Paul step outside the room and into the less quieter corridor. Paul gets straight to the point of getting the lowdown from his brother on an important question.
"So when do you plan on popping the question to Kayleigh?" Paul reveals he knows about the engagement ring which John has secretly purchased for Kayleigh to wear on her finger, as soon as their engagement becomes official.
"Christ how do you know about that?" John half panics. He had hoped to keep his proposal under wraps for a month at least.
"I've got psychic abilities haven't I..." Paul can see that John is shitting himself and wondering what last-minute excuse or 'please don't say a word' speech he can think up, to make sure his brother promises he won't let his mouth broadcast what he knows/spoil things.
"Psychic?... what a load of bollocks..." John remembers him using this shit excuse once before.
"Alright. No I saw the ring in your jacket earlier, you idiot. I'm surprised Mandy and Steve didn't spot it themselves." Paul thinks John should have been perhaps more careful with concealing the ring from view.
"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I probably better rethink my intentions and save myself from facing humiliation. Well I'm sorry that's never going to happen because I know exactly what I want most of all... getting down on my knee and proposing that incredibly beautiful woman in the room behind. You want to know why because I've been telling myself for years after I fucked things up with Charlotte, that no woman would want know me if they knew how I broke up with Charlotte . Then Kayleigh entered my life and...my car with a bottle of her urine." John chuckles reflectively to himself. That day in question was as fresh in his mind as it had ever been "She's made me feel stuff I never knew I could ever feel for a woman before. You might say I've met my match in her. If you love someone so much you've got show you're serious about your future with the person you love. I'm serious and that's why this feels right now."
Paul couldn't even find the perfect comeback to respond with to John's summing up speech because he was now finding himself wiping the tears from his eyes with his right thumb. John had a majestic way with words when came to leaving you laughing one minute and then the next minute leaving you shedding endless tears. Also he could see that John's heart was in the right place courtesy of Kayleigh's exceptional love for him.
"Well I best not keep you waiting around out here then. Kayleigh's bound to be smart enough to suss you're hiding something from her. If I was you I'd get back in there..." Paul frogmarches his brother back to the door of the room Kayleigh and Matthew were in. John and Paul embrace for a third and final time that day.
"I'll see you tomorrow at mum's." Paul says as he's walking away from him. John mouths 'Keep your voice down ya dickhead'
John quietly re-enters the room. He sees that Kayleigh has a smile engraved across her face while she's asleep and snoring considerably loud. He also sees she's been rooting through his belongings as his jacket has been folded up and placed by the hospital cot. Much to his surprise, he sees she's wearing the engagement ring on her finger. His dream of planning the perfect proposal had got out the window.
There's a short message she has written for him on the whiteboard above the bed's metal headboard. "I'm so sorry for spoiling your surprise John. I hope you won't be mad with me. My answer is Yes,.Yes I will marry you' John sits down in the armchair and laughs quietly as his face broke into a huge soppy smile. He could hardly believe it, Kayleigh Kitson had outsmarted him while his back was turned. His eyes gazed down at her divine and tranquil facial features. He was already looking forward to some serious snogging once she wakes up. Starting a new chapter with her and their families stepping in with the wedding preparations will no doubt be absolute mayhem but wonderful and memorable at the same time. John honestly could not wait for it to all begin.
End of Chapter
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