The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
A few weeks had passed, and with Nicky ready to meet Piper and Alex at a little coffee shop a few miles from her home, Red caught her on her way out of the front door. Parker hung off of her hip and her phone was clutched in her other hand. Nicky tickled under Parker's chin as Red pushed her phone under Nicky's nose.
"Look, Nicky," Red said, bouncing Parker excitedly. As the baby giggled, Nicky couldn't help but smile. "Isn't this a cute idea?"
"Ma, no," Nicky said, throwing her head back as Red showed her yet another webpage full of first birthday party ideas. Although her own excitement was building about the party, it was still a couple of months away yet, and besides, she was sure Red had shown her every first birthday party idea under the sun already. It certainly felt like it.
Parker copied her mama by throwing her own head back, arching her back in Red's arms. Red caught her as she threw herself backwards, throwing her up in the air gently. Both women laughed, and then Nicky relented, bending down to look at the newest fad for one year olds.
"A one year old doesn't need…" Nicky squinted at the screen. She frowned. "A smash cake? What is that?"
"It's a birthday cake you give to the baby to...well, smash," Red said, her eyes shining. "It's a photoshoot idea. Isn't it adorable?"
Nicky rolled her eyes. "You give them a whole cake?"
"Well, they don't eat it," Red said, a little v forming between her eyebrows. "They just smash it. It's sweet, take a look."
"Looks messy," Nicky remarked, as she looked at the rows of photos showing babies covered in cake. It was a little cute, she had to admit, but she cringed at the thought of cleaning it all up. Mostly cleaning it out of Parker's curls. "Mm. I don't even know if I'm going to get her a cake."
Red's face clouded over. "You're not serious!"
Nicky shrugged. "I've been reading, and some studies say that it's not good for babies to get a taste for sweet things. I don't want her to become like those little brats on Toddlers and Tiaras, hopped up on sugar and pixie sticks. It's not like she'll know anyways, is it?"
"But you'll know!" Red said, astonished. "You know, if you don't get her a cake, you'll look back at her first birthday photos in twenty years time when she's the reason for your gray hairs and wonder what the hell you were thinking."
Nicky pushed the phone down. "I haven't made my mind up yet."
"Most of it will end up in her hair anyway," Red said, raising her eyebrows. "You've seen her eating...well, anything. Half makes the floor, half makes her mouth."
"Goodbye, Ma," Nicky said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her coat from the hook. Planting a kiss on Parker's face, she said, "Be good for babushka." She her nose gently. Then she kissed Red's cheek. "And you stay off of the internet!"
A bell chimed above Nicky's head as she pushed open the door to the coffee shop. Her eyes scanned the room and eventually settled upon two familiar faces sitting in the far corner. A smile tugging her lips upward, Nicky ran over to the pair of them.
"Nicky!" Alex cried, jumping up from her seat on the little loveseat by the window, "It's been way too long!"
"Hasn't it?!" Nicky agreed, drawing Piper into a hug too. "Time flies, right?"
Alex nodded quickly. "My mom always said it did, but I guess I'm only feeling it now I'm getting older."
"Before I forget, congratulations!" Nicky grinned, sitting down across from them. "Are you gonna keep me waiting? Let me see those rocks!"
Piper stuck her hand out to show a modest but beautiful engagement ring. "Alex picked it out for me in the city," she explained, a blush sweeping her cheeks. "I was too busy looking at the earrings to even notice she'd sneaked away!"
Alex held out her own hand to show a much simpler band. "I didn't want anything flashy. I think I've left my days of diamonds and champagne behind me," she confessed, shrugging. "I just want a simple life. Plus, with my job down at the bar, I didn't want to be robbed. We don't have anything worth stealing anyway," she admitted, blushing. "Things have been kind of tight."
"I get ya," Nicky said, nodding. She flagged down a waitress who was walking by. "Could you get me a flat white please?"
"Sure thing," the waitress said agreeably. "You can pay when you leave."
"Thanks," Nicky smiled, turning back to Piper and Alex. "So, when's the wedding? Or are you saving up first? I wanna be drunk as Soso that one time, so I'm hoping for a paid bar." She grinned.
"We haven't set a date," Piper admitted, sipping from her mug of coffee. She sighed, leaning back onto Alex. "It's been such a weird few years, we thought it would be best if we just were...together, you know? No-one else, nothing to distract us, just us. We're planning to book a date once the parole ends. Dad always said he'd pay for my wedding, but I'm not so sure anymore…" she trailed away.
"That sounds good anyway," Nicky said, and she meant it. Though she hadn't expected the pair to last, she was pleased that they had. She stared at them across the seat. They looked loved up, she had to admit, and though things obviously hadn't been easy, they'd found a way through it.
"We hope you'll be there," Alex interjected, clutching Piper's hand in her own and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Red too, of course. And we'll be needing a flower girl," she said, grinning. "No amount of money could mean as much as everyone being there, right, Pipes?"
Piper swallowed hard. She'd had an idea of her wedding in her mind ever since she was a little girl, and she wanted nothing more than to make her parents proud as they gave her away, but she loved Alex more. If she had to sacrifice what she'd dreamt of, that was okay. Alex would make it okay. She nodded bravely. "Of course."
"Well, I don't know that they make those dresses in my size," Nicky said dryly, breaking a piece of Piper's cookie from her saucer on the table, "But I'll do my best to throw the petals as evenly as I can."
"We were hoping Parker could come," Piper said, her eyes bright. "My brother and Neri just had a baby, Goodall-"
Nicky wrinkled her nose at the name.
"I know," Piper said, pulling a face. "But she can't walk yet, obviously."
"Nor can Parker," Nicky said, leaning forward. "But she's getting so close. I can't wait to see her first steps," Nicky admitted, unable to keep the smile from her face.
"We saw the photos on your Instagram. She's such a little doll. I can't believe she's yours!"
"Gee, thanks," Nicky said, turning to accept the coffee that the waitress brought over. "Some say she looks just like me. Well, all me but the blue eyes. Ma's real happy about those, let me tell you."
"Oh, she does," Piper said. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...isn't it weird? All that time locked up, and you never think you'll get anything from it...but you got her. And Red too, by the sounds of it."
Nicky let herself smile. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. And yeah," she continued, nodding, "Red is looking after her right now. I've even made it up with Marka. That one's a shocker, huh?"
"It is!" Alex laughed. "You finally figured it all out."
Piper sighed. "You're so lucky, Nicky."
Nicky hadn't thought of it that way, but Piper was right. She had spent so much time counting the ways she had missed out, she'd forgotten how fortunate she truly was. Did she look at Piper and Alex and see what she was missing? She would be lying if she said no, but she had something better. Her little family was all that mattered now. She missed that intimacy, that closeness...but it wasn't something she needed right now. Even when Lorna was out, she wouldn't be striking anything up with her. She loved the girl like crazy, but crazy was the problem. Parker didn't need the instability in her life that Lorna would bring, if they were together.
"Yeah," she said, Parker's face the only thing on her mind. A small smile settled on her lips. "I guess I am."
As the conversation drew to an end some hours later, Nicky grabbed Piper by the shoulder. "Look out for an invitation in the mail soon," she said. "Parker turns one soon."
Alex beamed a smile. "We'll be there."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Piper agreed.
Meanwhile, back in the apartment, Marka played with Parker in the living room. Parker squealed with delight each and every time Marka made the teddy bear dance.
Red smiled each time she heard the peals of laughter floating in from the living room - Marka's laughter included. A warm feeling spread throughout her body. Far from being resentful and jealous of Mrs Nichols, like she had anticipated, it was almost like they were a proper family now. Parker loved Red and Marka equally but in different ways, and babies were supposed to have two grandmothers, anyway. It didn't - and wouldn't - matter to Parker that their family wasn't exactly conventional; she only saw love, and there was no denying that she loved each of her grandmothers a great deal.
In the kitchen, her hands submerged in water and suds, Red heard a shriek. Dropping the dishes she'd been washing, she dashed to the living room where the scream had originated from. This shriek was different to the laughter of before.
"Mrs Nichols!" she gasped, out of breath from the quick sprint, "Are you…" she trailed off as she followed Marka's gaze, and she suddenly couldn't form words anymore. She stammered, looking to Marka. Her heart kept on thudding as she wiped her dripping hands on her apron.
"She's walking!" Marka cried, her eyes glued to Parker. Her voice was choked with emotion when she spoke again. "Look, Galina! Those are her first steps!"
She hadn't expected to feel so emotional upon seeing the milestone. Parker had been threatening to walk for some weeks now, she was cruising everywhere and reaching out for hands, but these were her first independent steps. It was only really hitting her now how much she had missed when Nicky was a baby.
Red's own eyes misted as soon as she clapped eyes on her granddaughter. "Oh, Iva! Look at you! Your mama is gonna be so proud!" She bent down as Parker stumbled over to her, landing on her bottom close to Red's feet.
Despite her joy, she felt a little stab of sadness that Nicky had missed Parker's first steps. She knew how much she'd been looking forward to it. Each time they'd passed a pair of baby shoes in the shops, Nicky had proudly said, "Parker will be needing those soon. She's so close!" Yet she'd missed it.
Outside, Nicky was turning her key in the lock. "Red," she called, as she flung the door open, "I've had a change of heart about the smash cake thing!"
She walked through to the living room as Parker was pulling herself to her feet again on the couch. Upon seeing her mom, Parker began to shriek happily. Taking off her coat and draping it over the couch closest to her, Nicky bent down to Parker's level.
As soon as she did that, Parker toddled over to her. A look of bewilderment crossed Nicky's face as her daughter fell into her arms, having walked over to her. Nicky scooped Parker up, showering her in kisses, and turned to Red and Marka.
"She just walked!" Nicky said in amazement. She blinked back tears as she held Parker close. "Those were her first steps!" The blonde spun around with Parker in her arms, closing her eyes tightly. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. I can't believe I have a baby that can walk!" Nicky's eyes snapped open, laughing and feeling deliriously happy.
How had time gone so quickly? It barely felt like yesterday she was holding her in the delivery suite, barely able to look at her because she had to give her up in a mere twenty four hours. Now she was watching her grow up before her very eyes. All her fears that Parker deserved better, that she would never be good enough, dissolved as her baby toddled towards her, a huge baby toothed grin stretched over her face.
"Her first steps! And she walked to me! Did you guys see that?"
Red and Marka exchanged a quick glance with each other. Nicky was so preoccupied by Parker that she didn't even notice the conspiratory look. Before Red could say anything, Marka laughed, tears pricking at her eyes.
"Her first steps!" Marka agreed, pulling Nicky and Parker into a tight hug. "Look at you, Parker! Walking to Mommy, no less!"
Red wiped at her own eyes, squeezing Nicky tightly as Marka pulled away. "Of course she walked to you, Nicky," she said, pulling gently on Parker's foot. "She loves you more than anything."
A/N:
Thank you for reading and thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. I'm so glad you're enjoying the fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. Please leave a review letting me know what you thought and what you'd like to see. I will definitely try and include what you ask for.
