49
"Where were you today?" Jack asked as he watched Ianto enter the living room to flop into his chair with a huff of annoyance.
"Primrose is preggers, Stone is unsure if he is ready to be a Da and Connor might just shoot him anyway" Into sighed.
"Winston? Really? But he is so… so…."
"Yeah. Not what you imagine on her arm" Ianto agreed "But who can say what love is for someone else. Skidmark is not sure if he wants to be a Granddad yet… keeps asking if it's a joke. Sasha might bottle him soon."
"Oh shit. She is… what… twenty now? Oh shit. Hang on… she's older than some are… she's not a teenage unwed mother or something… I mean… in this day and age it's not a big deal, is it?" Jack asked as he watched Ianto scrub at his face with the heels of his hands. Tired.
"I don't know Cariad" came the soft reply as Ianto closed his eyes and sat there morosely.
"Well… Fen has his pizza oven on the go and the kids are all fed, more coming out… come with me darling, let's go eat pizza, drink a beer and forget about things beyond our control eh" Jack offered his hand and Ianto smiled softly as he accepted it.
They went out to the shared back yard and Ianto settled on the large swing seat he loved, something Jack maintained religiously for him, and accepted a plate with a slice of meatlovers on it. He ate silently, watching the kids rampage, the adults both trying to corral them and equally rampaging at times. Wonderful.
He knew she would be OK, he knew once Connor calmed down and stopped threatening harm he would get used to the idea. Em already excited quietly on the edge of the madness. Bethy and Babs begin so possessive of their twins, she knew this one might be easier to snatch sometimes. Had to imagine all those years ago, meeting Sasha at the antenatal classes with Em, introducing her to Skidmark… the eight… yes… eight kids that followed Winston's birth … wow. Sasha was eager to begin the baby love again.
Time moves far too quickly ya know … Ianto can still vividly remember when the twins were born, so small and defenseless. So damned cute. Ivy is now a huge man like his Dad, full of cuddles and warmth. Prim a delicate thing like her mama. Bethy in her features along with Connor's deep eyes.
"You thinking of that baby?" Jack asked softly as he rocked the seat beside him.
"Thinking of the twins and young Stone… the antenatal classes that brought them together like fate or something, looking around and wondering where the time went I guess" Ianto admitted "I still feel in me thirties most days… when the body lets me. I look at the next generation now getting ready soon to become parents too… I mean… scary. I mean… Ben. Another four… five years? Then he will make us great-grandparents if he does not learn how to use a rubber?"
"Oh god… stop that. Hey… I am still getting used to being Grampy… Great-Grampy? No… cut that shit out right now mister! I AM still only in my thirties, barely old enough to be a Daddy!" Jack spluttered with fake horror as Ianto laughed.
"Well… you are only as old as the man you are feeling… so … I guess we both have a lot more in us yet" Ianto giggled, leaning over to kiss Jack and pretend he didn't feel one of the dogs seizing the pizza crust off his plate.
Plenty more to come.