39
Ianto knew he had been lax as he pushed his way into the Retirement Village Common room and looked around, finding his elderly aunt sitting in a corner humming to herself as she did a jigsaw puzzle.
"Great Aunt Morwen?"
She looked up with surprise, drinking in the handsome man standing there with a soft smile and a box in one hand as a little one clutched the other with huge eyes, "Aunty, it's me. Ianto."
"Sweetie! Oh goodness, where did you come from?" she asked with delight as she moved away from the edge of the table and then looked at the little one "And who is this little star?"
"This is Caden" Ianto sat and Caden immediately scuttled into his lap to look at the old lady and smile softly as Ianto spoke softly "He is my little chick."
"Ahhhh, a little cuckoo, how sweet" she gushed happily, "Isn't he adorable."
"I am sorry I've not been for a while, things have been so crazy" Ianto sighed.
"Caden! From the storm!" she said suddenly, "I remember. And Alice, no Alice today?"
Ianto smiled as she woke up, shaking off her confusion and remembering their past visits now, usually every month but since the attacks he had been lax. He was ashamed of this and wanted to apologise, explain but as he looked at her he found himself wondering if she already knew.
"I take it the family are keeping you informed" he asked.
"The snotty little one with the stupid hair" she frowned and Ianto nodded as he recognised the apt description of his cousin Frederic. Not Fred thanks, "He comes to simper and ask about my will."
"Little shit" Ianto laughed, "He always stole the chocolates at Christmas too."
"What I will leave him in my will" she nodded.
"Well, it would serve him right, after all it's up to you. Remember that little dog you had, little Max who always hated him?" Ianto giggled "Leave it all to the Dog Rescue. That would get him the wee prick."
She roared with mirth as Ianto shook his head and clucked at the little boy, then she reached out for the box and peeked in, "OH! For me?"
"I remembered you saying you missed them and Jack found some during his last travels into the Moors. He got some for me and I decided to share. No fun if you can't share." Ianto said as he held the box down for his little boy to pick a sweet, then he handed it to her and leaned back.
"Not one for you love?" she asked with surprise, these boiled sweets a favourite within the family.
"No, morning sickness has me wary of anything not boring" Ianto sighed and an elderly man sitting nearby swung to gape, then rise from his chair.
"With child? Boy? You are with child?" he demanded and Ianto rose, pulling the tunic taught to show the bump. Now the room came to life as everyone recognised the unmistakable bump of a baby and they all wanted to see. Ianto considered and then in a rare show he lifted the tunic and let them see the taut skin as the Matron entered and froze with shock.
"A little boy" Ianto was saying happily, "We are so excited and his big sister is at home watching the new story go on the house, I couldn't watch, the fear of it falling making me twitch."
"You always did think of worst case scenarios, remember when you were sure the strangles was going to kill us all?" Morwen laughed softly, "such a morbid little boy."
"Yeah, I was wasn't I" Ianto laughed as well, settling back in the chair to watch his son walk around the room cooing at the old people and letting them stroke his hair as they revelled in a little one in their midst.
"Do you remember when you baked me that huge cake?" Ianto asked as he started to lead her through memories and her face glowed as she remembered her long since dead husband lighting the candles. Ianto left her happy and laughing as she talked animatedly with the other residents, the piano still humming from the workout as those who had enjoyed the sing along still sang softly to themselves.
"Ah, Mister Harkness-Jones they will all sleep well tonight" the Matron smiled, "And no wonder you've not been for the last few visits, a little one on board."
"Yes, part of me can't wait to get him out and the other part of me dreads another little one chirping for attention" Ianto sighed, then brightened, "But then…it is another one."
"Such a lovely boy" the Matron laughed as she saw them to the door and waved, wondering why he was so melancholy. Maybe it was the huge Transporter waiting in the courtyard and the armed guards waiting patiently.
Or the way his eyes followed the little boy like he was his lifeline.