‘It’s a good blooming job,’ Brian said. ‘I don’t imagine you’re cut out for parenthood.’
Forced to agree with him, I doubted Gideon was built for it either. Sat with a glassy stare, that evening’s experience had clearly traumatised him. He looked like he’d checked out of reality.
‘I don’t think any of us will forget tonight in a hurry.’ Alex gave me a playful nudge. ‘What are the odds we’ll be telling our grandchildren about this one day?’
My eyes widened in mock surprise. ‘Well that’s a bit presumptuous.’
Alex’s cheeks reddened. ‘I’m not suggesting the two of us will… What I mean is… You know… You telling yours and me telling…’
I grinned.
Alex shook his head. ‘You knew exactly what I was saying, didn’t you?’
Martha reached into her bag and taking out a pen and piece of scrap of paper, wrote something down. ‘Our contact details,’ she said to Jake and Lexi. ‘So you can keep in touch.’ She turned to the rest of us. ‘I think we’d all like to know how these three get on, wouldn’t we?’ She passed the pen and paper to Alex, who wrote on it and handed it to me.
Scribbling down my name and email address, without thinking I tried to give the pen to Gideon and Julia. Julia shook her head and grimaced, while Gideon stared at me as if in a trance. Shrugging, I passed the scrap of paper back to Martha, who, in turn, folded it and gave it to Jake.
‘You keep that safe,’ she said. ‘And remember, we want regular updates.’
Jake duly tucked it into his trouser pocket. ‘You can count on them.’
‘Have you decided on a name yet?’ Brian asked, curious.
Lexi looked to Jake, her eyes full of anticipation.
He discreetly nodded.
‘We were thinking, that’s if you don’t mind, Alex, we might call him after you?’
‘Really?’ Alex’s face broke into a smile and holding his chin high, he puffed his chest out. ‘I’d be honoured.’
The train slowed, signalling the end of our evening excitement.
‘Looks like this is us,’ Jake said. He looked from Alex to me to Martha and Brian and rising to his feet gave each of us a hug. ‘I honestly can’t thank you all enough. We couldn’t have got through this without you.’
Lexi handed him their baby so she could button herself up in readiness of their departure.
‘Why don’t we help you with your things,’ I said.
Giving Lexi her privacy Alex, Martha, Brian and I got to our feet to gather the new parents’ belongings.
I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye when the train came to a standstill and the exit doors opened enabling two paramedics wearing Christmas hats to step on board.
The first one smiled at the scene that met him. ‘I bet none of you expected this tonight, eh?’
His colleague, jump bag at the ready, immediately checked over Lexi and the baby.
Alex leaned in and I heard him say something about the placenta.
The paramedic checked his watch. ‘Any moment now, I’d say.’ He smiled at Lexi. ‘Time to let these people get on with their Christmases, don’t you think?’
Julia scoffed. ‘I’m not sure some of us can, after that experience.’
‘I think it’s been marvellous,’ Gideon said, as if waking up from a wonderful dream.
Seeing Gideon’s mental state, the second paramedic chuckled. ‘Came as a bit of a shock, did it?’
Alex smirked. ‘Something like that.’
