Chapter 60

'YUUURRGH!' grunted Max, his eyes stinging with sweat and his fingers aching with the effort of gripping Takao's hand. Right, okay, here it came again . . .

'Push, Max, push,' urged the midwife, crouching like a wicketkeeper at the foot of the bed.

Honestly, what does she think I'm trying to do – suck it back in?

'Nearly there,' Takao murmured in his ear. 'Come on, you can do it.'

The last midwife had gone off shift twenty minutes ago. This new one, charging in to replace her, was middle aged and extremely brisk. Not having had time to peruse Max's notes at leisure, she was also under the impression that Takao was the proud father-to-be.

Well, Max had to admit as Takao wrung out the cold sponge and pressed it to Max's forehead, it was the kind of mistake anyone could make.

'Right, all ready now for the final push,' warned the midwife, flexing her fingers in preparation for the all-important catch.

Breathlessly, Max gathered himself. It was like being an Olympic weightlifter, psyching yourself up . . . ooh . . . except they had the option of walking away . . . aargh . . .

'Push right down, dear, as hard as you can.'

'I'm puh-pushing.' What does it look like I'm doing, you stupid old witch? Knitting a bobble hat?

'Come on, Max, you're doing it,' shouted Takao as the midwife went into a one-woman scrum at the foot of the bed.

'Ouch.' Max winced as his fingers went numb. 'Takao . . . I'm supposed to be squeezing you're hand.'

'God, I'm sorry! Don't talk! Push, Max, just PUSH PUSH PUSH!'

Obediently Max pushed. The baby slithered out. Max gasped, 'Oh!' and burst into tears.

'It's a girl.' Takao's voice broke as he said it. He still hand one arm around Max, supporting his shoulders. Max turned and gazed up at him, lost for words.

'Let me just clean this wee one up a bit, then you can have her back.' The midwife, expertly snipping the cord, whisked the baby over to a waiting trolley.

Takao squeezed Max's trembling hand. When he spoke at last, he said huskily, 'I love you.'

And Max, flushed with a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration, smiled up at him and said, 'I know.'

To Max's great surprise, he wasn't surprised at all. It was as if, deep down, he had known all along.

Takao bent down and kissed him, months and months of pent up emotion compressed into two seconds worth of kiss.

Max tasted salt on his upper lip and whispered, 'I love you too.'

Then the midwife was back, brandishing the wrapped=up baby like a raffle prize.

'Here we are then, a beautiful daughter, seven pounds twelve ounces,' she announced proudly. 'Now, who wants to hold her first?'

Max took the baby into his arms and together they examined her.

'She's amazing,' said Takao. 'The whole thing's amazing. One minute she was a lump in there,' he pointed at Max's stomach, 'and the next minute she's a person out here.'

'Ahem.' Max glanced up at the clock. 'It took a bit longer than a minute.'

'I want to marry you,' Takao blurted out suddenly. 'I know it's too soon to be saying this, but I mean it. I'm serious, I want us to be a proper family. And that means marriage.'

Beneath the celebrity-hairdresser-single-man-about-town, Max realised with a rush of love, there beat the heart of an old-fashioned traditionalist. Astonishing but true.

And absolutely blissful to discover.

'Just a little prick,' the midwife announced, plunging a hypodermic needle into Max's thigh.

'Actually,' said Takao, 'that's not true.'

'In that case, I'd love to marry you.' Max searched Takao's face. 'If you really mean it.'

'I've never been more sure of anything in my life.'

Was it possible to be happier than this? Max leaned back against Takao, his daughter in his arms, his eyes filling up with fresh tears of elation.

Marriage, excellent. The stern midwife, who disapproved mightily of couples living in sin, relented and patted Max's just-injected thigh.

'Very sensible, dear. Glad to hear it. Let the Good Lord bless your union, and you'll be so much happier.' She broke into an indulgent smile. 'I must say, it cheers me no end to hear a man repent his former sins.'

'Me too.' Max tilted his head back and gazed lovingly up at Takao. 'And he's not even the father.'

The midwives eyebrows shot up.

'You mean . . . ?'

'I'm not the father,' Takao said again, helpfully.

'but you've just asked him to marry you!'

Takao looked down at the baby girl he fully intended to bring up as his own. Already hopelessly besotted, he held out an index finger, and four tiny, almost translucent finger instantly grasped it. Takao marvelled at her strength. He didn't understand how he could feel such an instantaneous rush of love for a baby, but he did.

He wasn't paying the midwife the least bit of attention. Perplexed, she turned back to Max.

'He just asked you to marry him!'

'I know, isn't it incredible?' Max shot her a dazzling smile. 'I don't know what my husband's going to say when he finds out.'

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The cutting was finished. The blow-drying was done. As Ray got busy with the hairspray, a phone began to ring somewhere in the room.

'Not mine,' said Magdalena, patting her silent handbag.

'It's Takao's.' Recognising the tone of the ring and peering over his shoulder, Ray located the phone on the marble work surface behind him, half hidden beneath a pile of towels. As he moved towards it, the ringing stopped. 'Oh well, they'll have to leave a message.'

'It might be Takao. Calling to find out where he's left his phone,' said Magdalena. 'That's what I do when I forget where I've put mine.'

'There, all done.' Ray finished spraying and stepped back, pleased with what he had achieved. 'Now be honest, are you happy with this?'

'I am, I love it.' Magdalena sounded distracted. 'But what if it's Takao, ringing with news about your friend's baby? Aren't you just bursting to know?'

The door swung open and Bev rushed in.

'Takao just called from the hospital. Max's had it!' She looked at Magdalena in surprise. 'Wow, your hair looks great.'

Ray gaped at Bev. 'Really? He's had it already?'

'Father and baby are doing fine,' Bev said importantly.

'Boy or girl?'

'Girl.'

'Name?' Magdalena and Ray chorused simultaneously.

'He didn't say. But you can go and see them right away.' Bev waved a tenner at Ray. 'And Takao must be in a really good mood,' she went on. 'He told me to take this out of the till to pay for your taxi.'

'Well then, what are you waiting for?' demanded Magdalena, when Ray dithered. 'We're finished here, aren't we? Get on over to that hospital and tell your friend congratulations from me.'

'He's had the baby.' Ray realised he was beaming like an idiot. 'Isn't that just incredible?'

'Here.' Magdalena picked up Takao's mobile and lobbed it at Ray. 'Don't forget to give him his phone.'