Page 103 of Awakened Desires

"Aye. Mam used to say that the first few months of my life passed in the blink of an eye. Before she knew it, I was crawling, walking, and then talking. She said the first day of school came too fast. She wasn't ready for me to grow up and turn into a little man." I stop when I realise that Niamh is crying softly.

She wipes the tears from her cheeks and sniffs. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying. Take care of him."

"I will. Do you want to arrange a day for me to bring him back?"

She shakes her head.

"Just call me when you're ready.”

She nods.

"What about registering his birth?" I ask.

"You can do that."

"Don't you have to be there?"

"You're his dad, aren't you? I'll give you the paperwork from the hospital. Surely that's all you'll need?"

"I don't know. I've never done this before."

"Nor have I."

"You said we had forty days or so to register the birth.”

She nods. "About that. I can't remember exactly."

"Then that gives us plenty of time. We can do it together when you're ready to take him back."

She stares at me for a long time. "Okay."

I lean forward and squeeze her hand. "Everything will be okay, Niamh. Take as much time as you need. Get the help you need. I'll bring Aidan home when you're ready."

She sniffs. "You're being amazing about this."

"I love Aidan. I know we're not together anymore, but part of me still loves you too."

"I love you too, as a friend."

"We'll always be friends," I promise. "And I'll always be here for you and Aidan."

Her chin trembles. “Thank you."

* * *

There's chaos when I get back to the house. Aidan is asleep in the carrier, and I have bags in each hand. There are boxes in the hall and lots of noise coming from upstairs.

"What's going on?" I ask Hendrix as he jogs down the stairs.

"We’re getting a room ready for you and the baby." He grins at me. "And these are presents for you from the landlord."

"The landlord?" I blink stupidly. “For me?”

“Well, for Aidan, really.” Hendrix pats the biggest box. "This is a pram. That one's a highchair, and the cot is already upstairs."

“What?” I shake my head. “I only called Rory a few hours ago. How did they get things here so fast? Why would they do that? I don’t know them.” It makes no sense.

Hendrix grins, but his jaw is tight. He lifts his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug, raising his hands, palms up, simultaneously. “I don’t know. Maybe he likes being generous.”