Frankie sat on the settee, her legs tucked up under her as she looked at the small black and white images in her hands. Even with the pictures it didn't seem real. She was definitely there when the midwife used the wand to press down on her abdomen, she saw with her own two eyes as the black and white image appeared on the screen above the bed. She had the heard with her own two ears the rapid beating of the baby's heart. The pictures showed different images of the baby, everything from a full body image to just a head, or an arm and leg. Frankie stopped at the two that showed the full baby, one with what looked the baby looking at the camera, the other a full side profile. She placed the rest on the table, letting her finger stroke over the images from the top of the baby's head all the way down to the end of the legs. She was still in awe of the whole thing.
When Boyd entered the living room he stopped in the doorway, watching Frankie as she looked at the scan pictures again. She stroked her fingers over the small black and white images, a look of complete love and awe on her face as she did.
"Here, I've made tea, and brought biscuits." Making his presence known as he stepped into the room fully.
Frankie looked up at him and smiled, the scan photos still held in her hand. When he sat down beside her she shifted her legs and sat properly on the settee, leaning against his side as she sat back.
"Thanks. I was just thinking, now we've passed the twelve week mark maybe we should start telling people, starting with the Mum, and the home office." Smiling as Boyd reached out and took the pictures from her hands.
She watched him look at the images, his face closed off as he took in pictures.
"It's really happening, I'm going to be a dad again." Looking at Frankie as he spoke.
"You are, and I know you'll be great at it." Sitting up and turning to face him.
"I wasn't," but stopped talking when Frankie placed her finger on his lips.
"Don't you dare say what you were going to say. Don't ever let let me hear you comparing the future with the past. I knew when I first kissed you all them years ago what I was doing, who I was kissing, what type of man you were. The only things that changed is the fact you've got older, we both have. Whatever mistakes you think you made with Luke, whatever you think you did or didn't do, forget it. This," taking the pictures from his hand and holding them for them both to see, "is our baby. It's not Luke, it's not Matt, it's our child. It's a completely different set of rules, a whole new set of parameters. We decide how this plays out, you and me, no one else. Well, Grace, Spencer and Mel as well of course. You know they will want to be part of the first cold case units baby's life." Smiling as she pictured the team with a baby.
"You need to keep reminding me of that. I just don't want to screw this up again, Frankie." The hurt in his voice evident.
"You won't, I won't let you, and neither will Grace, Spence and Mel." Placing the pictures on the table with the others and then turning back to Boyd. "Now, how about we have have this cup of tea," Pulling a face at the prospect of drinking tea, "then we can go see my Mum, tell her the good news first." Seeing Boyd shudder at the mention of her mum.
"If you can drink a cup of tea instead of coffee, I can deal with you Mum for an hour, or thereabouts." Feeling Frankie thump his arm before passing him his cup of tea. "What was that for? I compromised didn't I. I could have said just go see her yourself. Actually that's not a bad idea." This time reaching for Frankie's hand before she could thump him. "I'm not your mums favourite person, Frankie. We both know that. I think she'd rather you were single than with me. She doesn't like the age gap between us now, she going to hate it even more when she finds out I got her daughter pregnant." Sighing as he mentally pictured how things would go when they told her.
"Please, Boyd, for me. I want you there when I tell her, it's your baby too." Frankie grovelled, batting her eyes at him for extra effect.
"Fine, just please, let's not stay too long. Then we can go tell the others, at least they won't hate me." Knowing the rest of the team would at least be happy for them both.
"Deal, let's just hope they aren't busy." Boyd finally smiling again when Frankie agreed.
The drive over to Frankie's mums house seem to take forever, or it did for Boyd anyway. When Frankie parked the car on her mums drive Boyd sat motionless, staring up at the perfectly ordinary terrace house.
Frankie turned to look at him and laughed,
"You're not facing the firing squad, Boyd, it's just my mum." Undoing her seatbelt and picking her bag up from beside Boyds feet.
"Firing squad does seem like a good idea right about now." Undoing his seatbelt before looking at Frankie.
Frankie got out the car and came around to where Boyd had reluctantly got out as well. She slid her hand in his and squeezed it, he wasn't getting out of this. Just then the front door opened revealing Frankie's Mum, who stood looking out at them both, her facing changing instantly when she saw Boyd there. When she took in the fact they were also hand in hand her mood darkened even more if that was possible.
"Frankie, dear." Her mother called out, "Come on in, it's getting cold out there."
Frankie tugged on Boyds hand as she started to walk towards the house, nearly dragging him behind her as she reached the front door. Frankie noticed the fact her mum hadn't even acknowledged Boyd being there, and that was not acceptable.
"Mum, you remember Peter don't you? We thought we'd just pop in and see how you were." Trying to involve Boyd in the conversation.
"Hello, Mrs Wharton. How are you?" Trying to be as polite as he could be.
"I remember who he is, I'm not going gaga in my old age you know." Directing the last part of her sentence at Boyd.
He squeezed Frankie's hand, mostly to remind himself why he was there. This wasn't about him, this was about her, her and the baby. When they stepped inside the house he closed the door behind him, still holding Frankie's hand so she didn't leave him to face her mother alone.
"How about we go in the kitchen and I make some tea, then we can all sit and talk." Frankie suggested, not giving anyone room to answer as she all but dragged Boyd behind her.
Frankie set about making tea while Boyd and her mother sat in complete silence. When Frankie placed the tea tray on the table she looked at them both individually and shook her head.
"So, how's things going Mum? Done anything since I last spoke to you." Hoping to break the ice between them.
"You know I don't get out much now, but I was at lunch with Olga last week. Have you seen her lately? She's still your doctor isn't she?" The question causing Frankie to stop mid way through pouring the tea from the bright green teapot.
"Funny you should mention her, I have seen her recently actually. And yes, she's still my doctor." Finishing pouring out the tea and passing her mother and Boyd their cups.
Frankie sat between her mum and Boyd, one hand instinctively reaching for Boyds as she steeled herself ready to break the news. Frankie picked her bag up from the floor and opened the small front pocket, pulling out the envelope containing the scan pictures. Boyd tightened his grip on Frankie's hand, his body going rigid beside her.
"Mum, I've got, I mean we've got, something to tell you." Passing the envelope to her mum as she watched her take the envelope.
The tension in the kitchen seemed to rise several notches as Frankie's mum opened the envelope and removed the pictures. Frankie was shaking slightly, Boyds thumb brushing back and forth over her knuckles as he tried to calm her. Frankie's mum looked through all the pictures, her face staying neutral as she placed them back on the table and looked at Frankie.
"How far along are you?" She asked, seeing Frankie swallow hard before answering.
"Just over thirteen weeks. We wanted to wait until we knew everything was okay. You're the first person we've told." The nervousness creeping through in voice as she replied.
"So that's why you saw Olga. I take it your keeping it then?" Her mother's usual brisk tone cutting Frankie to the core as Boyd sat forward.
"Yes, Mrs Wharton, we are keeping it. Frankie's going to be a great mum, and I'll be there with her every step of the way. " Boyds tone hard and unyielding.
"Like you were there for her all those years ago! Dropped her once you'd had your fun, went scurrying back to your wife and cast her aside." The really reason for Frankie's mums dislike of Boyd coming out.
"Mum, please. It's different now. I thought you'd be happy for us, for me." Tears brimming in Frankie's eyes as she fought to stay in control.
"I am dear, I know you'll be a great mum. I just don't want to see you get hurt again, you've been through enough." The true meaning of her words left unspoken.
"Mrs Wharton, I am by no means perfect, and I've made my fair share of mistakes in the past. I'm not the same man as I was all them years ago, and Frankie's not the same woman. I know I hurt her back then, but I can promise you this right here, right now. I love your daughter, more than I ever thought I could ever love anyone. She knows me better than I know myself sometimes, and knows just how to handle me. If I thought for just one second she would agree to marry me I would ask her, but that's not who Frankie is." Stopping as Frankie gasped at his words. "Your daughter deserves so much better than me, that is a fact I know we can both agree on. Yet, she chose me, wants to be me, and is having my baby. I will do my best to be a good father and a good partner. Frankie brings out the best in me, and I love her more than she'll ever know."
Frankie was crying, she couldn't help it. Boyd wasn't one for words, yet the speech he had just given her mum had reduced her to a blubbering wreck. She could always blame her pregnancy hormones for being emotional, but his speech had truly touched her. She turned in her chair to face him, and without thinking she reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she buried her face in his neck and sobbed. He held her tightly, watching her mother over her shoulder as he kissed her hair. He didn't speak, just let her cry, knowing how much telling her mum had meant to her.
Several minutes later Frankie shifted so she was sitting back up, her face all red and blotchy, with swollen bloodshot eyes. He reached up and brushed her hair back behind her ears, stroking her cheek before he heard her mum give a little cough. They both looked at Frankie's mum, Frankie going tense as she anticipated another argument.
"Frankie, are you happy?" The simple question surprising Frankie.
"Yes, Mum, I am. This," reaching for Boyds hands, "Peter, the baby, this is all I want, this is what makes me happy." Smiling at her mum as she answered honestly.
"If you're sure it's want you want, and it makes you happy, then I'm happy for you, for both of you." Placing her hand on top of Frankie's where it rested on her knee.
"Mum." Frankie managed to sputter out before bursting into tears again.
Frankie's mum held up her arms to Frankie, and Frankie went willing, burying her face against her mother chest as she cried. Boyd picked up his cup of tea and took a drink, watching as mother and daughter bonded. He wished her mother hadn't been so tough on Frankie, yet he knew now she had her reasons. He was a bastard, and he had hurt Frankie in the past. Her mother was doing what any mother would do, looking out for her only daughter. He deserved everything her mother had said, and probably more. Poor Frankie being the one who was caught in the crossfire between them.
"Thanks, Mum." He heard Frankie whisper as she looked up at her mum, her mum wiping the tears off Frankie's faces as she smiled at her daughter.
"If he hurts you again, I swear I'll kill him this time." Kissing Frankie on the forehead as she glared at Boyd.
Boyd just nodded his head in acknowledgment, fully aware the woman would actually kill him if he dared to hurt Frankie again. The rest of the visit went well all things considered, at least Frankie seemed happier now. Frankie talked her mum through the scan pictures, both women smiling as they looked at the tiny baby. When it was time to leave they all stood at the front door, Frankie hugging her mum before her mum looked her up and down.
"My daughter's finally going to be a mum." Seeing Frankie smile as she said it.
"I know, I still can't believe it either." Frankie replied, looking down at her abdomen.
"Give it a couple of weeks, then you will. My god, does that mean we'll see you in something other than jeans?" Her mother joked as they all started to laugh.
"Nah, I'll just buy bigger jeans." Frankie's answered, everyone knowing instantly Frankie was not joking.
Boyd held out his hand to Frankie's mum, and was surprised when she took it.
"Mrs Wharton. Thank you for the tea, I swear I'll keep my promise." Feeling his hand being crushed by Frankie's mums.
Frankie's mum watched them from the front door, waving as they pulled out the drive. She may not have liked her daughter's choice in boyfriends, again, but she actually believed Peter Boyd this time. There was something in the way he looked at Frankie, in the way he stepped up and spoke out, spoke up for himself and for Frankie. Frankie was happy, and that was enough. She closed the door as the car disappeared out of site. She was finally going to be a grandmother and Frankie a mother, who would have thought it. Smiling she went into the kitchen and picked up the picture Frankie had given her, taking it through to the living room and putting it on top of the mantlepiece. She turned back around and scanned the room, finally locking what she was looking. Pulling out the bag she looked at the wool and knitting needles, time to get to work.