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Heidi eased into the couch and released a sigh of relief as her muscles relaxed into the cushions. God bless Trixie for insisting that she have a baby shower at her place. Her nice, big, well furnished place.
The Rescue boys had been less than impressed upon learning that this baby shower business was a girls only event – seeing, they declared, they were obviously part of Heidi's family, albeit her Rescue family – and so she had organised for a small get together at the office when they finished for the week two days ago. A special 'man's' baby shower just for them.
She hadn't expected much but was pleasantly surprised by them. Dean handed over a wrapped present, and impressed with the good wrapping, she complimented him as she began to peel back the paper. Dean was sheepish as he explained that Lara had wrapped it for him, but he was quick to point out that he was the one who had bought the present. And it was a beautiful present too; a soft, plush teddy bear with a purple ribbon around its neck.
Chase's present was still in the plastic purchase wrapper, but he'd taken great joy in opening it for her and revealing a yellow one-piece jumpsuit. He had been proud as punch as he held it up for show against his chest, showing off to his colleagues. But when Jordan had remarked that the colour suited his eyes, Chase pulled the jumpsuit away as if it burned as all laughed at his expense.
She'd hugged both Gallaghers for their presents and was then confused to find that Vince and Jordan had suddenly gone missing. The question on the tip of her tongue had been answered when there was a sound of hushed mutters before Jordan and Vince appeared moving up the stairs carrying a bulky wooden structure between them. Her mouth went dry and she forgot to breathe as she realised just what they were carrying.
A cot. It was a bloody cot. Number one on her "need to buy when I can save up enough" list.
She struggled to find words as her baby's bed made from a beautiful deep brown, varnished wood was placed down on the floor. She looked from Jordan to Vince to Jordan then back to Vince again as she remained speechless. "Thanks," she finally managed, her voice sounding strangled.
Vince raised his hands as she included him in her gratitude. "Nothing to do with me Heidi Ho. I just did the heavy lifting." He jerked a finger in Jordan's direction. "This bloke here did all the hard work making it."
"You made it?" she whispered in shock. Jordan looked a little sheepish as he nodded. "Yeah."
Heidi surprised even herself when she threw her arms around him and firmly kissed him on the lips. "Thanks."
Vince's cough brought them back to earth as he looked unusually nervous, holding a material of sorts in his hand. "This is for you." Vince's present wasn't wrapped either and he looked a little nervous as he handed over a worn blanket. She unwrapped the soft fabric and it revealed a square with a teddy bear stitched into the middle, now worn with age. She'd turned to him and questioned him wordlessly through her eyes as this was clearly a present that had some history. "All my kids used that blanket," muttered Vince. "So I thought your kid could, you know use it. Like a next generation thing."
Already emotional after the cot, she'd barely managed to avoid a full blown waterfall as she hugged Vince for his gesture and then hugged Dean and Chase again and then found herself standing next to Jordan as the tears that threatened to run, did. She laughed as she brushed them away, Jordan's steady arm wrapping around her shoulder as the men looked slightly alarmed. "It's okay," she tried to reassure them. "I'm just to happy. And thankful. This baby will be lucky to have you as an adopted family."
This of course had turned the baby shower into a full blown discussion about the various familial roles they planned on taking. Both Dean and Chase declared themselves honorary uncles whilst Jordan had been strangely quiet. She smiled as she remembered Vince's indignation at being allocated the 'grandfather' tag. He'd retaliated by threatening to put whoever said it next on report writing duty for the next month.
Shaking herself from her memories, Heidi spared a glance around the lounge room of her childhood friend. It was a weird group present, an assortment of females from the various strings of her life.
Two of her ex-housemates were there. Lara was there, with Michelle promising to pop by later if she had a chance. A good friend from high school was there, plus the new next door neighbour she'd met two weeks earlier. Trixie, of course, plus her favourite aunt and cousin. She was thankful that her mother wasn't here: dealing with the impending sister would be more than enough.
Sure enough, Lexie Wilson made her arrival known shortly after.
Heidi had her back to the hall, but she could have heard the bellowing voice of her younger sister from a mile away. "Hold the applause, I am here!" She figured that she should probably rise and greet her, but she was too darn comfortable and she'd have to ask someone to grab a crowbar to pry her out first.
"Hey sis," crowed Lexie when she rounded the couch. Heidi grinned as she nodded her head in return. Lexie Wilson was very much larger than life. "You're looking huge."
"Lex," she said deadpan. "Come here."
Her sister obliged and Heidi whacked her on the shoulder. "Call me that again and you'll be sleeping outside."
"Is that the way to treat your birthing partner?" admonished the blonde haired woman with faux hurt.
"You're just lucky I even let you in this state," Heidi shot back.
"Oh pfft," scoffed the younger Wilson. "You love me." As Lexie turned away, Heidi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sure, she loved her sister. Sometimes.
Lara snatched her attention next dangling a ring on the end of a necklace above her swollen belly. There was a small crowd gathered around her calling out 'boy', 'girl', 'twins' (god forbid) before one person even said 'dead' as the ring twisted and turned on the chain. Heidi snorted as she tapped her taut belly, all eight months worth of it, and received a firm double kick in response. "Nope, very much alive and kicking," she advised her cousin Annetoinette.
Further discussions were sidelined when Lexie whistled appreciatively. Even being ten years since they'd lived in the same house, Heidi knew exactly what that particular tone and length whistle meant. Hot... tie Alert.
She snapped her head around and saw Jordan standing like a deer stuck in headlights in the face of so many women looking at him, single and married alike. She could have sworn he was blushing at all the attention he was receiving.
She saw him swallow visibly before his eyes sought out hers. She knew the moment he found her, her head straining over the couch back, as his face turned to relief. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded to the large box in his hands. "I, uh, brought the box you wanted," he said. "Where do you want it?"
Heidi smirked as Trixie rose to assist and Lexie flew after her. Her eyes narrowed as she mentally warned her sister of Jordan. Mine.
She had no time to think about her sudden internal declaration of possession as the box was quickly placed on the kitchen table and Jordan, regaining his confidence, made his way over to her. He kissed the top of her head before he backed away. "Behave," he ordered, pointing at her.
"Likewise," she managed to throw back at him before he disappeared from view and she damned her red cheeks as every person in the room turned their eyes on her.
Standing at the bottom of the Rescue stairs the next day, Heidi puffed her cheeks and realised that she really should speak to Michelle about putting a lift into this place. She snorted as she nixed her own idea. The Minister would love that.
She belatedly covered her mouth as she yawned. Her sister had dashed away from the baby shower to a party somewhere and returned home at some god awful hour. She was determined to get a second key cut today. Or maybe she could just leave the door unlocked and risk the unsavoury types to the benefit of not needing to rise. Frankly, the only reason Lexie was still alive today was because she had knocked when Mother Nature called.
Determined, Heidi sucked in a deep breath and gripped the hand rail. Raising her foot onto the first step, she prepared to pull her weight up but was surprised to find herself airborne. Hands automatically going around her saviour's neck, she realised it was Jordan. She protested that she was too heavy as he took the stairs up, but he ignored her.
Nearing the top they could hear Vince's voice carrying over to the stairwell. Both grinned when they could understand his words. "Whoever wrote 'Gramps' on this piece of paper and stuck it onto my chair is going to pay. Now 'fess up."
Heidi was still laughing when she was gently placed to the ground and her phone rang. Her euphoria slipped away abruptly as she noted caller id. Stepping away from her teasing workmates, she answered the phone. "Heidi speaking." Crossing her arms over her belly in an unconscious defence move, she heard a reply.
"This is Rohan Sloane, Edie Coulson's personal assistant. Please hold."
Next Chapter: Heidi meets Amanda Sydney.