"Would you look at those two?" said Katie in disgust, "it makes me wanna hurl" she said indicating to where Louise and Darren were cuddling up.
It was the town's yearly festival, and Louise and Darren were lying together on the grass. Darren was lying on the grass, Louise next to him resting her head on his chest. Ben was in his pram, awake for a change, gurgling. Jack and Kyle were playing close by. They looked like a family from a TV special.
"It's cute, look how sweet are they?" gushed Lirlyn, "And they have a new baby"
"Yeah we know it's cute, us single people are just jealous," said Craig.
"I know I'm going to be single for the rest of my life," moaned Katie.
----------------------
"Oh I think he's dropping off," Louise whispered looking over to where Ben was in his pram.
"Is he? He's not due for another nap for another half hour," said Darren looking at his watch.
"It's alright, the midwife said it takes a few weeks for a baby to get into a proper routine," said Louise.
"I know but he has been pretty consistent with his naps"
"Listen to us, we sound like an old pair of boring parents," said Louise dramatically.
"Honey, we are"
"I'm not boring," Louise insisted, "and I'm not old"
"But we are parents"
"Fine but I'm not old and boring."
"Okay," said Darren lowering his head to kiss the top of Louise's.
"Louise," Jack shouted
"Uh huh"
"Kyle says he's Ben's uncle, but he's my little brother," said Jack
"I am his uncle," Kyle protested
"Jack he is. You know how Kyle's mum is mum…"
"Yeah"
"And Kyle is my little brother"
"Yeah but you're a lot older than he is, you're my second mummy"
"Yeah," said Louise sitting up, "Because my mummy had me when she was really young, but Kyle is still my little brother"
"So… he is Ben's uncle?"
"Yes"
"Oh so he's…"
"Your step uncle," said Darren
"That's weird," Jack concluded before going off to play with Kyle once again
"He's right, it is a little weird that my step son's best friend is his step uncle," said Louise.
"Yeah, but your just dysfunctional in all ways," said Darren
"I resent that"
"Love you"
"I applaude your timing so I won't kill you"
"Good. I still love you"
"Love you too"
"This is nice," said Darren
"Hmmm I know, I could fall asleep right here"
"Don't! I can't carry you, Ben and Jack all the way home"
"Oh okay, just carry me. Jack and Ben can fend for themselves"
"You're are so maternal at times"
"I know, but I'm so tired. First thing in the morning I'm investing in a breast pump and you can do the night time feeds. I need my beauty sleep," said Louise cuddling into Darren again.
"What's a… pump thingy"
"It takes the milk from me and puts it in a bottle"
"Why couldn't you do that weeks ago?"
"Well it's hard for baby's to adjust to the bottle but my breasts are killing me," said Louise.
"We could have done it weeks ago," grumbled Darren, "I loved feeding Jack"
"Fine I'll order one tonight you can give him lunch tomorrow," snapped Louise
"Are we having an argument, while everyone in town is looking at us and thinking 'aawwww don't they look sweet'?"
"Not an argument just a heated discussion"
"Okay," said Darren simply
Louise had never felt so comfortable, just lying on the grass with her head resting on the love of her life, well if you didn't include Ben and Jack. He would argue with her, (Rick's one definite flaw), but he wouldn't let things spiral out of control when she got herself worked up about something trivial. He was always there when she needed him even when she was in the city, when she had a problem and she couldn't talk to him she would sit down and imagine she was telling him everything and imagine what he would say. He knew how to handle her and her mood swings, he knew her better than anyone. She was so comfortable with him, she didn't have to pretend to be anything she wasn't or put on make up in case she met him in the kitchen. But what amazed her the most was that she could be completely comfortable, but they weren't an old married couple, Darren could still send shivers down her spine and butterflies in her stomach, he just had a way of touching her or looking at her. Darren was the best father she could have ever imagined, he was always there for all the important things and it was so sweet how proud he was of Jack and Ben. He carried pictures of them both and showed them off whenever he could.
She suddenly sat up and leaned down and kissed Darren on lips just letting him know how much she loved and appreciated him.
"Ewww PDA, Public Display of Affection," said Katie, "Really not necessary and in front of impressionable young children"
"It's alright, I'm used to it," said Jack, "they do it all the time"
Louise couldn't help but laugh at what Jack had said especially since he was a 5 year old and he sounded like a 50 year old.
"That is so not true," said Louise
"It is," Jack insisted
"It's not PDA if it's in the privacy of our own home," said Darren, "and anyway we don't care," then he proceeded to kiss Louise again.
"See," said Jack.
"He's right," Louise whispered to Darren
"So I love my wife, and I still want to…."
"I think I know what you still want to do," laughed Louise
"Isn't it a good thing"
"Well I'm not complaining," said Louise then she leaned into Darren and whispered, "And I still think my husband is the sexiest guy in town"
"Ugh will you two please stop rubbing it us single people's faces," said Katie.
"Sorry," said Louise sitting up, then she smelt it, "Who's turn is it to change the nappy?"
"Yours," said Darren
"Awwww but I just did it"
"I did it before we left"
"Honey will you please do it again? I gave birth, I went through 7 hours of labour to give you another son…"
"Alright, alright I'll do it," said Darren picking up Ben and the diaper bag.
"You've got him wrapped round your little finger," said Craig
"Oh please she's been able to get him to do anything for her since she was 6," said Katie.
"What can I say? He just does as he is told," said Louise.