59

Ianto had Angel and Ton at the baby store looking at cribs. Angel was taken with a little swinging one that looked like it belonged in a doll's house with the organza and lace all over it, her hands moving to tuck the little doll into it she had been carrying.

"Lovely" Ianto said softly "Maybe if we get it with both coloured ribbons? Or do we want to pick a colour for baby of our own?" Ianto asked as he touched the little pink ribbons on the edging.

"I don't know. I don't like the pink" Ton said flatly, looking away to inspect some mobiles.

"Oh hello there dear, is it a baby girl or baby boy?" the sales woman asked as she leaned over to croon at the baby doll.

"That is just a doll" angel informed her calmly "I brought it so I had the right measurements to make sure my baby will fit when I have it. The doll is gender neutral, like most are. I think Grace called it Clara so it is likely a girl one."

The woman blinked, then looked down at the small bump now visible as Angel had stopped hiding it. "Oh."

Ianto waited, watching Ton as he slowly turned to stare at the woman and stare as well. The woman was totally embarrassed and Ianto felt sorry for her as clearly DS customers are a rarity "My Son and Daughter-in-law are going to have their first soon. Angel is almost ix months along so entering her final trimester."

"Oh, lovely. What a special time, can you feel baby move?" the woman was off now Ianto had given her some control once more and Angel smiled as he told the lady about the flutters and little things she was sure was hiccups.

"My oldest, Brian… he was terrible for those. I worked out that it was my pickles in my sandwich that did it and I changed to some homemade stuff. I think is must have been something in the preservatives" she told Angel with a motherly smile.

"Taddy makes ours, don't you Taddy" Angel tined to gush at Ianto "Taddy is the bested cook in the world. Ton, my husband… makes cakes."

"I own my own shop" Ton told her happily as he opened his phone to show her some of his creations and the woman's face changed as she saw the mastery on display "See? This one was for my nephew… he got an A in a maths test and it was his first EVER A so I made him a A cake. See? All things starting with A."

Apples, Apricots, Apes, Angels (of course), Aliens, an alligator and Ton pointed "the anaconda was fun to make, see I had him eating an apple? I don't know is snakes really eat fruit, but I could not find an animal right for it and it is a child's cake."

"Wow" she said softly as she looked at the phone again "Do you have a business card?"

"Taddy?"

Ianto opened his wallet and removed one of the cake shop cards as he said softly "Ton has a business partner who is also a baker. Mel. Ton does the cakes, she does other catering."

"Well now… this is lovely. You know, I might have some customers coming your way if you can send me some pictures of baby christening or by showers cakes?" she asked as she offered her own to Ton and Ianto nodded his approval as she did not cut him out of his own job there. She addressed Ton, not Ianto.

"Sure, got some at home. I will email them though" Ton said as he canted his head to look at that floating crib some more "If you want that one darling, sure. When our little bean grows too big the girls can have it for their dollies… we might have a girl ourselves that can play with it later."

And they chose their first nursery item.