18

Clyde the Bigfoot had visited, glad to see Ianto home along with a basket of fresh fruit and was melting into the trees when Coon ratted up in his beat-up truck that backfired so loudly that the dog screamed with horror before barking up a storm to cover his embarrassment at the show of fear. Maybe a little fart too. Who knows.

"Howdy" he called as he slid out and shot around to open the other door, the sheriff huffing with surprise as he jammed his hat on his head and slid his feet into his boots waiting on the stoop.

"Brian? Who does he have with him?" Ianto asked softly as the sheriff started to move for the steps of the decking, his face one of shock and delight.

"Sally?" the sheriff called out with glee, "Girl, look at you!"

The elderly woman looked so frail she might blow away and Ianto moved to the steps as he saw now why the sheriff had moved to the bottom of them, she was limping. Crabbing. One side not working properly. A stroke?

"Well now!" Jack was there in a second, his smile wide and inviting, "Coon! Most bring us cakes and blankets. You bring us a pretty lady? Well I am overcome."

The old lady stopped walking and looked up from the focused movements to see the young man bouncing energetically towards her, his arms open wide, "Look at the lovely knitting, that jacket looks sublime. Tell me young lady, did you do that yourself? Wow, they don't make things like this anymore. Everyone so bent on buying machine made crap. Oh, soft too. What sized needles did you use? I am knitting a little matinee jacket at the moment."

Jack had seized her with an arm around her and half lifted her up the steps and then settled her on the solid decking, "Look sweetie. A lady has come calling, I am putting the kettle on and getting out the good china."

Ianto smiled and offered his arm, the lovely old lady accepting it with a smile and they meandered in to the sunroom where the cradle sat in the half light of the afternoon. Waiting. Ready,

They sat and Ianto noticed the bag Coon had carried in and he patently sat waiting to see what they needed, his hand still clasping one of the lovely lady's while Brian helped Jack in the kitchen. For someone leaving when the truck had arrived, Brian seemed to be getting comfortable again.

"So. Sally is it?" Ianto said gently, "Jack is right. Lovely workmanship there."

"Me wife. She made ya something" Coon blurted, "I told her you was preggers so she made ya a…a…coat thing."

"Coat thing?" Ianto asked as he canted his head.

Coon lifted the woollen thing out of the bag and Ianto found himself gaping as Jack's Great Coat made of red and orange wool stared at him. Splotches of so many different shades it all melted together.

"Told her about his big coat thing yer wearing everywhere to hide the bump. She thought red was your colour like." He shrugged and Ianto rose to accept it.

"Oh wow. Like it's a sunset" Ianto crooned, enamoured with the coat as he shrugged it on and found it wrapped around him to touch each hip, "Oh gods. Even when Kai is huge it will still do up in the front. Oh wow, just perfect for the cooler weather. Cariad, look. My house coat. When he's here he can hide in it with me, cuddled in a big blankie."

Jack entered and placed the tray of food down to look at Ianto with wonderment, "Oh love. You look so warm!"

"It is" Ianto gushed, "It's wonderful. Oh Sally, how lovely."

Ianto sat and burst into tears, immediately horrified as Jack rushed to cuddle him. Kara had already left for the city and he was on edge, now this small act of kindness overflowed the hormonal emotion cup.

"Sorry" Ianto said as he tried to control himself, "I love it so much. My wee boy is so cosy."

"Boy?" she spoke for the first time, a guttural bark that had Ianto looking at her closer.

"Yes. I will call him Kai" he smiled as the old Werebear reached out to pat his stomach with interest, "I am so glad to meet you. He needs strong women in his life, you will be such a loving aunt."

"Lovely" she nodded.

"Yes" Ianto sighed happily as he snuggled back in the lovely gift for his unborn, "Perfect really."

Turns out Sally liked Jack's chocolate chip biscuits that had been cooling as well.

Win, win.

Lovely.