Chapter 9
We’re just packing everything up when Jess walks in, carrying a large box.
“Dr Glore said he had discharged the boys. This here is a baby box. We give them out to all new parents. This box can be used as a crib. It has a mattress and blankets inside that fit the box. There are clothes, up to the age of six months, scratch mittens, a couple of towels, and a swaddle blanket. Baby shampoo, baby wash, a sponge, and a baby thermometer. A play mat and travel changing mat, a toothbrush, a teething ring, and lots more besides. There is also a QR code inside that links to a baby music site, with calming music and music to help them sleep.”
“Oh wow, thanks, Jess,” I say.
“I figured you wouldn’t be set up for the children. This will help you until you have everything you need,” she says, putting it on the bed. “Good luck to the both of you. I can already tell you’ll be an amazing family.”
“Thanks, Jess, and thanks for your help,” Kean says.
“You’re welcome, good luck.”
We watch Jess leave.
“Can you manage Lyric and both bags if I take the box and River?” Kean asks.
“Yep. I just need to clean the bathroom.” I push my magic out, and the bathroom is now crumb-free and tidy.
As Kean gently un-swaddles River and puts him in the baby carrier, using the swaddle blanket to cover him, I make sure the bags are shut and look at Lyric. “Ready, little man?”
Lyric looks uncertain but nods. I pick him up and stand him on the bed. I put the bags on my shoulders and pick our son up.
Kean picks the box up and then the baby carrier, and we leave the children’s ward and the hospital.
We reach my car, and I'm nervous about Lyric’s reaction. Will he be able to get in the car, or will he be too scared?
Kean puts the baby box in the boot, then puts River in the car. I open the other door and put both bags in the foot well.
I look at Lyric. “Ready?”
He nods, and I put him in the car seat. I lean over and, after a few attempts of trying to figure out how the straps work, with Lyric helping, I get him strapped in, safe and secure. “Thanks, Lyric,” I say, holding my hand up.
He grins and taps my hand. “Five Tus.”
I laugh and drop a kiss on his head. I remember to give him his bear before closing the door and getting in the driver’s seat.
I see Kean walking off to the pay machine, and a few moments later, he returns. “First stop the shops,” Kean says, getting in and buckling up.
“There is a large supermarket near my flat,” I tell him. “It also has a baby shop next door.”
“Good. It might be wise to buy more nappies and stuff. Also, I know we haven’t seen the children’s furniture yet, but I thought we could hire a man and a van to deliver it home.”
I nod as I pull up by the car park barrier and wait for it to lift. A moment later, it does, and I drive away from the hospital.
“I was thinking that. You know we could ask one of your brothers to bring their large van, right?”
Kean nods. “Yeah, but that would spoil the surprise.”
“That’s true.” I concentrate on driving as Kean and Lyric chat with each other. Some of his words I don’t understand, pretty sure Kean doesn’t either, but he keeps the conversation going.
It doesn’t take long to get to the supermarket, and as I look for a space, I see a mother and toddler space free. I always got annoyed when I saw these spaces, but now, I happily park in one. “Are we all going in?”
“We are,” Kean says, grinning. “Our first family shopping trip.”
We get out, Kean collects River, and I grab Lyric.
We walk to the trolleys, and Kean picks a baby and toddler one.
“All right, little man, in you go,” I say, putting him in the seat, while Kean sorts River out.
A moment later, Kean starts pushing the trolley.
I loathe food shopping; it is literally the one chore in the world I detest, but having Kean and Lyric helps make it fun.
I don’t think my trolley has ever looked this healthy.
We have carrots and a cucumber, and little round cheeses that are apparently good for strong bones.
Lots of different fruits that can be cut up for snacks.
More juice, and anything we think will be good.
As we walk around, I internet search on what a sixteen-month-old can eat.
Pretty much everything, as long as the salt and sugar content is low.
We also pick out food for us to eat, including a hot roast chicken, stuffing and pigs in blankets.
Then, spying the cake section, I put in a lot of unhealthy treats.
I might have put a few too many in as Kean shakes his head and takes some out.
He might be right, I mean, we don’t need two whole cakes, the donuts and three packets of large cookies.
He takes the cakes out and one packet of cookies, but leaves the rest.
We get a few more baby things we think we’ll need, but we can get more next door.
After finishing the food shopping, we pop into the baby shop and get things we’ll need like a baby bottle sterilising kit, more bottles and formula, plus some toys, and then look at the children’s clothes.
We let Lyric pick a couple of outfits, and we get some for River.
How have I never realised before how cute baby boy clothes are?
I mean, because of Connie, I knew baby girl clothes were cute, but so are boy clothes.
I restrain myself, just barely. I’m sure Reggie and Doris brought baby clothes, so we can check them out tomorrow.
We finally leave the shop, and while I unload the bags into the boot, Kean gets the boys settled, happily chatting to them as he does. I knew Kean would make a brilliant father.
I return the trolley, and as I walk back to the car, I think about Kean and me getting married. We’re already engaged, but now that we have children, we should really think about setting a date. I’ll bring it up with him later.
I settle back in the car and drive us to my flat. I must say I love my flat. It’s a stunning old Georgian house that has been divided into four flats, and each one is massive. I’m on the ground floor, something I am truly thankful for, especially today.
We unload the children first. I carry River while Kean carries Lyric inside.
Kean gasps. “Honey, when you said you lived in a flat, I was not expecting this. It’s stunning.”
This place really is stunning. I kept the original decor and just refreshed it.
It has William Morris paper on accent walls, and all the fixtures and fittings are in keeping with the age of the house.
The furniture is all mine, though, bought for comfort.
As I spent so much time here, I wanted the place to be comfortable.
“It is. When I started at the council, my old counterpart owned this flat. He gave me first refusal on it. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a WC, a large kitchen, dining room and separate lounge. Why don’t you and Lyric look round while I bring the shopping in? ”
“We can do that, can’t we, little man?”
Lyric nods his head. “Down Clean.”
Kean looks at me.
“Sure, pretty sure I don’t have anything breakable around.”
Kean puts Lyric down, and I leave them to their exploration as I bring the shopping in, their baby bags, the baby box and Kean’s bag.
I put everything on the dining table, except Kean’s bag and the toys, which I leave in the hall, and then start unpacking the food bags, putting everything away, before putting the coffee machine on.
I get out the new baby bits, especially the sterilising machine and read the instructions.
I put everything we need to wash before using into the sink, then I pick River up, still in his child seat, sleeping away and go and hunt Kean and Lyric down.
I find the French doors open and them outside.
I love the outside space. It was once a large garden and has now been split into four, so we all have a decent outside space.
My flat and the other ground-floor flat have gardens off our lounges.
The two top flats have the two outer gardens.
The garden has grass, a patio and flower borders.
Thankfully, I have a gardener who looks after everything.
I put River down on the coffee table and look outside. Lyric is toddling around laughing, and Kean pretends to chase him.
I grab my phone, take a couple of pictures and then video them.
Lyric falls on the grass, and Kean is there in an instant, kneeling next to him.
“Oh no! The mean grass,” he says, picking Lyric up and putting him back on his feet. Kean then points a finger at the grass. “Now listen here, bad grass. You play nice with Lyric, or I’ll pee on you.”
Lyric laughs. “Oh no,” he mimics and points to the grass. “Bad ass.”
“Grass,” Kean corrects, trying not to laugh.
Lyric nods. “Ass.”
I snort out a laugh, and Kean looks up, grinning. “You’re filming this?”
“Oh yeah. The mean ass sure knows better now,” I say, still laughing.
“Tus,” Lyric says, tottering over to me.
I pick him up one-handed. “Hey, little man.”
He points to the grass. “Bad ass.”
“Bad grass,” I correct.
Lyric nods. “Bad ass.”
“Give it up, honey, it’s now bad ass,” Kean says, walking over and dropping a kiss on Lyric’s head and my lips.
We hear a noise from inside.
“River’s waking up,” I say.
“Then let’s go and see him,” Kean replies, as we turn and walk inside.
River is making soft, disgruntled noises, so Kean takes him out of the car seat and hugs him. “Need a clean nappy, Baba?”
“His baby bag is on the dining room table,” I tell him. “I’ll get the changing mat from the baby box.”
We all walk into the dining room, and I put Lyric down and open the box and hunt through, pulling out some nappies, wipes, some cream, the changing mat and nappy sack.
“It really does have everything,” Kean says, looking inside.
“Yep. Do you want to change him here or in the bedroom?”
“The bedroom. Not sure it’s sanitary to use the dining table,” Kean says, picking up the nappies and cream.
I pick up the nappy sacks and hand them to Lyric. “Can you carry these?”
Lyric nods and takes them, while I pick up the changing mat and wipes.
We walk into my bedroom. I lay the mat down, then pick Lyric up and put him on the bed, while Kean puts River down and starts changing his nappy.
I see Lyric hold his nose.
“Yeah, little man, your brother made a stinky.”
Lyric lies on the bed and rubs his eyes.
“You tired, Lyric?” I ask him, sitting on the side of the bed.
He doesn’t answer and I realise he’s fallen asleep.
“I wish I could fall asleep that quickly,” Kean comments.
“How did he do that? One moment he’s awake, next fast asleep,” I say, shaking my head.
Kean makes quick work of changing the nappy, so while he’s redressing River, I tidy up the used bits and dirty nappy.
“He’s due his feed,” I say.
“Yep,” he picks River up. “What do you say, Baba, fancy your bottle?”
In answer, River grabs his finger.
I pull my phone out and take a picture of them both. I look at the picture I’ve just taken and I love it. That’s so going on our wall at home.
We have a lovely picture wall in our lounge. We have Kean and my baby photos, the photo from Temp’s birthday trip, our Halloween costumes and many more.
While on Temp’s birthday trip, Ernest found out that apart from him and the Stones, no one else had any baby pictures, so for Christmas, Ernest used his magic and gave us our baby pictures. I wasn’t the only one touched by that thoughtful gesture.
I take a photo of a sleeping Lyric, then stand up and pull the bed throw up and cover Lyric so he doesn’t get cold.
“I’ll get his teddy while you sort the baby,” I say.
“Sounds like a plan.”