“We’d better get going,” Carl said. “Table’s booked for half-one, we’ll be cutting it fine.”
“They can entertain themselves if we’re late.” I let out laugh. “Just as long as Olivia doesn’t laser Mum to death with her evil eyes.”
“I’m sure they’ll draw a truce for one day,” Carl said.
“You’re the birthday girl.” Rick kissed my cheek. “We’re on your timetable.”
“Yes,” I said. “Quite rightly so.AndI’m expecting birthday favours.” I grinned. “Butlers in the buff when we get home tonight, I expect to be hand fed chocolates and showered with rose petals.”
But fate it seemed had other plans.
I’d only managed a couple of steps across the school, three at most, when I felt the gush of fluid down my legs.
“Oh shit,” I said. “Oh God, oh my God.” I looked at Carl and Rick and they were looking at me, eyes wide. “It’s happening, it’s really happening.”
They smiled, they really smiled, and I did, too.
My heart pounded, and I couldn’t hold back the giggles, laughing to myself as Rick and Carl dithered with phones and car keys.
They cancelled lunch before I was in even back in the Range, changed our destination in the Sat Nav, like we needed it. Like we didn’t know exactly where we were headed. We’d driven it a hundred times, just to make sure, just to practice.
I put my hand on Carl’s wrist before he turned the key in the ignition, took one last breath before our final journey as a family of three.
“This is it,” I said. “This is really it, I hope you’re ready.”
“We’re ready,” Carl said. “We’ve been ready since the moment we met.”
“Are we ever fucking ready?” Rick added. “We couldn’t be more ready.”
And so was I, I was ready, too.
Ready to meet our little girl.
THE END