Enthusiastic applause rang out from the crowd around him, the happiest face of all that of his beloved wife, who was leaning against his father’s wheelchair, tapping her thigh with one hand rather than clapping with both. Her other hand was holding the base of her enormous belly that strained against the maternity dress she wore.
Passing the scissors to the manager Charley had appointed to run this centre, he hurried over to her side, scooping up two-year-old Sofia on his way. Sofia’s face was covered in chocolate. He dug a tissue out of his pocket and wiped it as best he could.
It made him laugh to think that three years ago he would have been horrified to have a child so messy.
Marta had an arm around Charley’s waist.
Charley grinned at him but there was a pained expression in her eyes. ‘You know I said this morning I felt fit to burst?’
He felt his eyes widen. ‘Is it time?’
She nodded.
‘Give me my granddaughter,’ his mother said, bustling through and tugging Sofia from his arms. She held her up in the air and made silly clucking noises at her. Raul debated for all of a second about telling his mother of the chocolate Sofia had been caught scoffing with the little gang of friends she’d made that morning, before wickedly deciding against it.
‘Can Sofia go home with you?’ he asked, taking Charley’s hand. She squeezed it so hard he winced and he swore he could feel the contraction run through her. ‘It looks like grandchild number two is on its way.’
His mother’s eyes lit up. ‘Of course.’ Keeping a firm hold on Sofia, who was screaming to be put down, she kissed them both, rubbing a hand over Charley’s belly as she did so. Marta looked as if she were about to go into shock with excitement, while Raul’s father’s eyes were wide with emotion.
Since their talk on the cruise ship, Raul’s relationship with his parents had changed greatly and all for the better. Sofia’s birth had cemented the new bond between them. His father loved nothing more than having his wriggling granddaughter placed on his lap so she could smother him with sloppy kisses.
‘Call my mother,’ Charley said, her words coming in little pants. She managed a pained smile. ‘I think this one’s in a hurry.’
* * *
Exactly one hour and thirty-eight minutes later, Mateo Eduardo Cazorla arrived safely into the world. His mother was tired but delirious with happiness. His father was just delirious, unable to decide who to kiss the most—his beautiful wife or his beautiful son. His big sister was fast asleep after crashing with exhaustion from her chocolate overload. Her dreams were filled with all the happiness she’d known since her own birth.