Chapter 35 – Daddies

After Mor' told me the news, I sat down on our sofa, open-mouthed with surprise. "Louisa's… gonna have a baby as well?"

"Seems so," Morwenna answered.

"So, I guess the Doc... uhm…" My hands waved in the air on their own.

"Louisa too!" she chortled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to laugh at them. I mean, these things happen. Look at us."

I nodded. "Right."

"But there were tryin' she told me."

"Even more surprisin' that the Doc would agree to tat. He's not exactly keen on children, is he?"

Morwenna sat on the arm of the sofa to lean against me. "But you've seen how the Doc cares for James Henry. So, attentive."

I shook my head. "Mostly to keep him healthy, I imagine. The Doc won't ever be a dad like mine, will he?" I had to laugh. "Not like Bert. Not ever."

Morwenna bent over to kiss my cheek. "I suppose every father has to find their way. Seems to me that James is doing right well, and the Doc certainly isn't as stuffy as he used to be. After all, if he was?"

I nodded. "You said it! No woman would let him get inside ten feet of her, that is, unless it was in his surgery." I sighed. "I just hope I'm up to the job."

Morwenna took my hand and held it against her belly. "Al Large you've done fine so far."

"Makin' a baby can't be quite like raisin' a baby, can it?"

She rubbed the back of my hand. "The makin' part is the fun bit. But oh, Al, come on."

I sighed. "Just thinkin' about crying babies at one in the a.m. will not be fun."

She nodded in agreement. "Or the pushin' 'em through my pelvis either."

I winced. "But there's drugs right? To help the mother, uhm, you."

"There is that." She stood up. "Dinner?"

"Uh, yeah. I thought we could just go to the chippy. What about your parents?"

"Busy, mum told me."

"Ah."

She shrugged. "Doesn't sound very healthy."

"The Doc's been rubbin' off on you."

She held up thumb and finger about an eighth of an inch apart. "Teeny bit." She slapped my shoulder. "Al, not the chippy. The Anchor."

"The Anchor?" I'd feel funny eating in a pub that I didn't manage.

"Sure. The next few nights will be packed with our wedding stuff. So, come on. Take me out."

"I suppose that would work." I'd have to get Pauly to fill in behind the bar. "Sure."

"I'll use the loo and then we'll go."

While she was getting ready, I reached Pauly Chambers and asked him to hold the fort at the pub. He was reluctant, until I offered him extra money.

Soon enough we'd made our way out of the house and down the hill, when the Doc's car stopped as we crossed in front of it. I could see the James, and Louisa were with the Doc.

Louisa waved to us and rolled down the window. "We're are you two bound?"

"Dinner," Morwenna told her. "The Anchor."

Louisa faced Martin and said something to him. His expression turned to a frown (but didn't he usually look grumpy?). She shook her head at him, and then said, "Come with us? We're going to the new place. Up at the top of the road."

That was an expensive place and I mentally felt the thinness of my billfold. "Bit pricy, ain't it?"

But my lame protest did not deter Louisa one bit. "Our treat! Oh, do join us. You can ride in the back with James."

I heard the car doors unlock, so I suppose we were committed. At least my wallet would get relief, but us having dinner with the Ellinghams? I whispered to Morwenna, "Oh, this will be fun."

"Shush," she responded to me. "Right!" she answered Louisa. "Come on Al. Don't be a spoilsport!"

Nervously, I got into the Doc's car behind the man himself. "Doc," I mumbled.

"Al," Martin answered.

Louisa smiled back at us. "Now, isn't this nice?"

Suddenly, I was more nervous than any moment of my life.