He sat on the bed, taking her hands in his. ‘I’ll never forget yesterday as long as I live. And it would be easy, wouldn’t it, to say that now we’ve got the baby we don’t need more?’
‘Yes,’ she said blissfully. ‘Who needs anything else when they’ve got a baby?’
‘But darling, I don’t think it will last-not for you. You still want college, and studying. You might not think so at this moment, but that need will come back, and if you lose ground now you won’t ever recover it. Those marks for your coursework count towards your final degree-if you don’t do well you’ll regret it the rest of your life. Believe me, you will.’
‘You seem to understand me very well,’ she said tenderly. ‘Jake, it’s sweet of you to think of this, but what else can I do?’
‘Get someone else to look after little Francis while you study.’
‘Oh, no, I don’t want a stranger caring for my baby. And I don’t think we can afford it.’
‘The person I have in mind isn’t a stranger, and he comes very cheap. Free, in fact.’
They looked at each other.
‘But do you know anything about babies?’
‘I wonder you dare to ask after those parenting classes you put me through. I’ve read the same books as you. I know as much theory as you, and I have the same amount of practical experience. In other words-none.’
‘You crazy man,’ she said in wonder. ‘I think you actually mean it.’
‘Of course I mean it. “Jake Lindley, Super Hero”, is a man of many parts. Yesterday he saved the universe. Today he changes nappies-the ultimate challenge.’
‘Are you saying you’re going to change nappies?’
‘Are you saying you think I couldn’t manage it? It’ll be hard, but I’ll rise to the occasion. I’ll suffer, I’ll probably gag, but I shall overcome.’
She gave a watery chuckle. ‘But darling, there’s more than just looking after the baby.’
‘I know. I’ll look after you and Francis
He meant it. It was incredible, but he meant every word. Now she realised that she was only just beginning to understand the heart of the man. He’d been through the fire, emerging stronger and wiser. But one thing hadn’t changed. He was all hers. He always had been, if she could have seen it. But she’d been through the fire with him, and her eyes were opened.
‘It’s all right, isn’t it?’ he asked, troubled at not being able to read her face.
‘Everything’s wonderful. It’s just that I can’t see you as a house-husband.’
‘You don’t think I’ll look good in a frilly pinny?’ He smiled. “Neither do I. This is just a short-term solution. We’ll find a house and get some permanent help so that you can concentrate on your college course. But even then I’ll still do some of the chores. This is my baby too, and I don’t want to be left out. When we’ve got the routine going I’ll start work on my next book.’
‘But that could take ages, and you ought to be thinking up ideas for that now.’
‘Kelly, darling, look at what’s under your nose. I’ve just
He leaned down to the cradle and scooped his son up into his arms. The baby was so tiny, but Jake seemed to adjust instinctively, and when he’d settled the child he looked into his face, receiving back a stare as direct and challenging as his own.
‘I thought one of those books said newborn babies couldn’t focus their eyes just at first,’ he said.
‘I don’t think they can.’
‘Our son can. Look at him. He can see me and he knows who I am.’
‘Jake-’
‘No, look. He’s bright, this one. Don’t take any notice of her, my boy. Women don’t understand, but we understand each other, don’t we?’
‘Oh, really?’ she queried, watching them in a passion of tenderness.
‘We’ll do this book together, son. You’ll provide me with the raw material and I’ll write it up. If I run short of inspiration you can just poo or do something else interesting. We’ll be a great team, and I’ll give you Dolph as your share of the profits.’
‘You meanie!’ Kelly protested. ‘He’ll be doing all the hard work.’
Jake grinned at her, with more real amusement in his face than she’d seen for weeks. At last the clouds were lifting from both their lives. Now they could see the way ahead, and it was flooded with light.
Lucy Gordon
