When Boyd came down over half an hour later he was greeted by the smell of food. He followed the smell through the house and entered a well lit spacious kitchen. The small two seater table was laid with cutlery, two glasses and bottle of non alcoholic wine was sat between them. He wasn't sure what was the most shocking, the fact that he was stood in just a t-shirt and jeans in Frankie kitchen or that fact Frankie was stood cooking. She wasn't using a microwave, even though she had one, but using actual pans and what looked like fresh ingredients.
"What the hell have you done with the Frankie Wharton I knew and loved?" The last few words slipping out before he could stop himself.
"She still in here somewhere. Unfortunately she's had to take a back seat now she's got a baby to grow. Growing a tiny human takes more than microwaves apparently." Choosing to ignore the last few words of his question.
She gave the noodles and vegetables annother quick flip and stir before lifting the wok up and carrying it to the plates she had laid out on the bench. Sharing out the food she put the wok in the sink and turned to see Boyd still stood smirking, leaning casually against the doorframe like he belonged there. She needed to keep pushing these random thoughts away, she was already so conflict over how she felt about him, her raging hormones not helping one bit.
"Here, take a seat, the door and wall can keep themselves upright without your help." Holding out a plate for him to take.
Boyd took the plate and put it on the table, taking a seat just as she had instructed. He watched as she sat down, shifting around until both herself and the bump were comfortable.
"It's not going to kill you, promise. I have kept myself alive long enough, and the baby too with my cooking." Picking up her own fork and starting to eat.
He didn't doubt for one minute it was going to be nice, but he was pleasantly surprised just how nice it was. His first cautious mouthful was followed by him nearly tipping the contents of the plate down his throat. She was only half way through her own when he finished, placing his fork on the empty plate and leaning back in the chair.
"Wow, yet again I'm most definitely pleasantly surprised. Your skills have no ends. Cooking, both food and a baby. I said that right didn't I?" Seeing Frankie laugh at his words. "Moving house, decorating a nursery, holding down a job. Did you do all this by yourself?" Indicating the kitchen and the house in general.
"God no, my brother helped since I asked him so nicely. He helped my move in here, put everything where I wanted it. The nursery I did myself though, just took my time, did a bit each day." Seeing the concern on his face when she said she did the nursery herself.
Frankie opened the wine bottle and poured out two glasses full.
"The best I have I'm afraid." Sliding a glass towards Boyd. "And being teetotal sucks by the way, just if you ever wanted to try it, it's so overrated." Taking a drink from her own glass as she watched Boyd drink from his own.
"I'm driving so this works for me. Plus the bang on the head may not work well with alcohol." Placing his glass back on the table and looking at Frankie.
"How is your head anyway? You need anything for it? I'm sure I have some of the decent stuff in the back of the cupboard behind the stuff you can take with extreme caution when I'm in my condition." Standing up and waddling her way over the one of the cupboards, her hand pressed against her back as she walked.
"Now you mention it I could do with something before this headache ramps up to full force." Standing up himself and walking over to where Frankie was digging around in the cupboard.
She finally found some decent pain killers as she called them and gave him two, nearly gagging as he swallowed them dry.
"How about we go sit somewhere a bit more comfortable, you look like your back is giving you some grief there." Picking up both wine glasses and inclining his head towards the door.
Frankie just nodded her head and moved past him, Boyd following close behind her. When they entered the living room she flicked on the lamp before sitting down. Boyd placed the wine glasses on the coffee table and sat beside her, seeing her manage to toe off her shoes and lean back so she could put her feet up on the cushion that was already placed on the coffee table. After arranging the cushions behind her back she finally sat back sighing as she closed her eyes. Boyd couldn't help just looking at her, watching how she placed her hands either side of her bump as she relaxed, how she shifted every few seconds trying to get comfortable.
"You can talk, Boyd. I can still answer while I'm sat this like. I'm sure you have a million and one questions buzzing around in the head of yours." Turning her head and opening her eyes so she could see him.
"I do, it's just, you look knackered, Frankie. Maybe we should leave this until another night, let you get get some rest." Picking up his wine glass and downing the remaining content.
"Boyd! You never were subtle were you. Thanks for that nice compliment there. You'd be bloody knackered as you so kindly put it if your were six months pregnant and carrying around a few extra pounds attached to your front. Add to that this child is going through a very active phase, and will only get more active as she grows. Here, give me you hand." Holding her hand out for his.
Boyd shuffled along the settee and Frankie took his hand, managing to push her top up and place his hand and her warm skin. She kept her hand on top of his, let him feel the small ripples of their child moving inside her. She moved his hand after a minute or so, dragging it lower and under her bump. Again she kept her hand on his, felt his fingers open as hers slipped between them. He had his hand moved several times to various places on her bump, each time feeling the different movements of the child within.
"That has got to be one of the weirdest feelings ever, and it's not even my body." His hand still on her bump as she shifted her back a little.
"It takes some getting used to, but you know she's okay when she's moving about so can't really complain. My back can, and does, but I don't." Her free hand sliding around to her back as she tried to massage away the niggle.
"Want you need is a soak in the bath and good back rub and foot rub." Stroking his fingers back on forth on her bump.
"I would kill for a bath but I might get stuck. The back and foot rub sounds like heaven though." Shifting again as she tried to ease the pain.
"Okay, come on then. I have six months to make up for, might as well start now." Standing up and holding his hand out to her.
"You've got to be kidding right?" Looking down at her uncovered bump then back at his hand.
"No, not kidding. I can give a good back and foot rub, or so I've been told." His hand still in midair for her to take.
She just shook her head as she pulled her top down and went to stand up, her bump sticking up in the air at one point as she got up from the seat. Boyd walked beside her as they climbed the stairs, his hand resting on the pressure point on the small of her back. When they reached her bedroom he turned down the bed and turned to look at Frankie.
"Let's do you feet first. Sit-up here, and I'll sit down there." Collecting all the pillows together and placing them at the head of the bed.
Frankie managed to get herself comfortable as Boyd climbed on the bed and sat with her feet between his open legs. He picked up her left foot first, starting at the heel then working his way up to her toes. She moaned and groaned a few times, which did nothing for his equilibrium. Changing feet he slowly massaged the other foot, giving it the same care and attention as the first one. He placed her foot on the bed and went to stand up, seeing her open her eyes and consider complaining at him for stopping.
"Back next, do you have a side you prefer to lie on? And I don't mean bed sides, I mean body sides?" His hand on his hips as she watched her considering her options. "Before you lie down, maybe you should change into some nightwear or something a bit more comfortable." Letting the suggestion hang in the air between them.
Frankie moved to the edge of he bed and stood up, hooking her fingers in the elastic waistband of her jeans and pushing them down. She kicked them off and reached for her top, going to pull it up and off.
"I'll wait outside, let me know when your ready and I'll come back in." Boyds voice very squeaky and flustered.
"That is a joke, right. You can't seriously expect to leave the room just because I'm in my underwear." Her top coming off in one quick pulling action.
"I just don't want you to think that I'm drooling over you. Even though that's quite obviously want I'm doing." Looking Frankie over as she stood there in her red knickers and black bra. "You look hot." His eyes roaming over every inch of her body as she turned the same shade of red as her knickers.
"That bang on the head must have done more damage than we thought. How in your wildest dreams can you stand there and say I look hot? I am the size of bus, have huge stretch marks, my feet seem to have grown a full size, and let's not even get me started on these huge bloody things." Giving her breasts a quick poke for good measure.
"Frankie, your body is doing something amazing. It's growing new life. The stretch marks are you earning your stripes as a mum. You are not huge, you are having a baby, that makes you beautiful not huge. Your feet, well them poor things are doing all the carrying, and you should put them up more often. As for them huge things," quickly pointing at her cleavage and then looking away. "I'm glad my jeans are rooming because I would be embarrassing myself by now if they weren't. They are preparing to take over when your give birth. They will do the job your body had been doing for nine months, nurturing and feeding our daughter to help her grow up big, strong and healthy just like her mum. So, less of the this talk. Now lie down so I can see about helping relieve some of the pressure in your back." Giving the crotch of his jeans a tug before he climbed on the bed.
Frankie lay on her side facing the wall, Boyd kneeling behind her as he placed his hands on her back and started to gently squeeze and press certain points on her back.
"Christ, I may never let you now. Sweet Jesus, Boyd, where did you learn to do this?" Frankie's continued small moans and groans making Boyd smile.
"Jen made me do parenting classes with her, hoped it would help us bound. More like she hoped it would be the sticking plasters that patched up our marriage." Hearing Frankie groan loudly when he hit a particularly hard knot at the top of Frankie's back as he talked.
"At least I have something to thank your ex wife for, this is amazing." Her whole body seeming to relax as he worked.
Boyd felt as Frankie relaxed, her body becoming supple under his hands. Soon all the knots and tense muscles in her back were gone, and she was lying snoring lightly on her side. Without to much fuss he managed to climb off the bed without waking Frankie. With a little bit of difficulty he picked up all his clothes and his bag, along with Frankie's jeans and top. Placing all his stuff in the bag, he placed Frankie's clothes on the dressing table as he had no idea what else to do with them. Boyd was glad he had pulled the quilt back, at least now he could cover Frankie up. As gently as he could he tucked her in, bending down to place a kiss on her cheek before he left. Picking up his bag and turning the light off he left her sleeping, sleep she most definitely needed.
Going into the kitchen he looked around for a piece of paper and a pen, or anything he could write a note on. Finding nothing he went into the living and looked by the phone, finding a small note pad which would have to do. He quickly scribbled a note, using two pieces of paper. Tearing them out the notepad he went and placed them beside the kettle, coffee or not she needed a hot drink when she woke up. He cleaned up as quietly as he could, stacking the dishes and leaving them on the drainer to dry. He made sure everywhere was spotless before he turned out the lights and went to the front door. Her keys were on the hall table, which he was pleased to see wass set well back from the door. The doormat was thick so would catch the keys and cushion some of the noise for when he put them through the letterbox after locking the door on the way out. When he was sure he had everything he opened the door and stepped outside, the cold wind biting at his exposed arms and face. He locked the door quickly and posted the keys back through the letterbox, hearing them fall with a thud on the mat.
Getting in his car he started the engine and switched the heating on, it was freezing with no jacket or coat on. He drove home slowly, snippets of conversation floating back to him. Frankie was having his baby. A little girl, a perfect mini version of her mother. He was pleased, more pleased than he ever expected to be. Even though he had a gut feeling the child was his, it was nice to have it confirmed. When he parked outside his house he didn't bother picking the bag up, just got out the car and locked it before making a mad dash to his house. Once he was tucked up safely in his own home he went and made himself coffee, and then took the cup up to bed with him. He didn't get to finish the coffee, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Images of a brown haired, brown eyed little girl filling his dreams.