25

Babs was crowing again as she showed off the new earrings and Ianto frowned, "And who sent those?"

"Mick Jagger" she said airily, "Wants me in the next music video. I said maybe."

"Holy shit" Walter teased, "We will have to buy you a chastity belt before you get near him or Keith Richards!"

Silence.

Ianto looked at his cup of coffee intently and then Walter glanced over at Stephen, "Sorry."

"For what?" Stephen shrugged, "You were making a joke. IT was nothing to do with me or the fact I needed one too."

Babs looked between her brothers with confusion as she realized she had missed something happening within the family, yet again she had been away with the clouds while the storm brewed below.

"OK, spill" she demanded of Walter who shrugged.

"Not mine to tell Babbit" he said softly, "Nothing that you can change or fix so it's not worth dredging over. It's done and dusted. Taddy called Line."

Her eyes shot between Ianto and Stephen as she wondered what it had been then she sat bolt upright, "It's her isn't it. Carrie the Bitch. I told you she was a player the way she changed when you were not in the room. She's done it hasn't she. She's hurt you. Bitch. Knew she would."

"Babs" Ianto said softly with that tone that left no confusion as to the silence it was demanding.

Ianto tapped the table, "So. A music video? Let's hope they don't ask you to dance"

The place erupted with laughter as she roared at them all to shut up, her spastic dance referred to lovingly by the family as the 'electrocuted cat' dance. She poked her tongue at them as the mood lightened again and Stephen looked at his Tad with open affection, grateful for the interruption in what might have become a real Babs Brain Fart Moment.

"So, what's that box then?" Ianto asked pointing to one she had carried in and placed on the sideboard.

"Oh, forgot" she bounced over excitedly, "Haven't opened it it, don't worry Dad, not a bomb!"

"You know I should have a bomb detector installed just for Babs" Jack said with a wink as Ton canted his head.

"But she is a bit of an explosive device" Ton answered with that droll logic of his "Taddy called her his little Sex Bomb when she did the photo shoot as the devil."

Not only was there laughter, there was a squeal as Babs launched herself at her Tad for a cuddle and kiss.

The table shifted as the sugar bowl toppled, the milk Jug slid off the edge and more than one cup jumped off the saucer.

"See?" Ton said as he mopped up his glass of orange, "Boom."