She stood teetering on the small ladder reaching the last of the streamers. Harry and Peter doing the heavy lifting and rubbish runs, her mother and her taking down streamers, mopping and cleaning top to bottom.

"So, they came, got drunk and took off back to London" Her mother muttered as she sprayed window cleaner on the main café window, rubbing circles furiously to get it sparking. "If you ask me it's bloody ridiculous"

"Mother, they have recordings scheduled"

"No honeymoon, no help. He's a bloody ratbag that Lennon, whatever made you...."

"Ma please it's hard enough for me, let alone trying to keep you placated" Louise took a load of streamers out the back door to the bin. Taking the chance to fill her lungs with air she grimaced to herself, leaning heavily against the wall rubbing her eyes wildly to keep them from gushing rivers.

"It's the hormones luv"

"What now Ma" Louise turned groaning and just let it all go, tears falling in a stream her anger, fears, regrets, pain all deciding to make one giant river that her mother now tried to abate with a thin tissues pulled magically out of the sleeve of her cardigan and warm motherly cuddles, kisses placed on the top of her head... Which was pretty hard when your daughter stands slightly taller than you!

"When you're pregnant everything is sensitive luv, your body, your heart, your soul. You can't hold the tide and you certainly can't hold your emotions back. If need be lock yourself in your room and have a good cry, things afterwards just seem to feel much easier afterwards.... better even"

Ma pulled Louise away from her chest and looked over her daughter "And eat girl, this is not the time to be eating lettuce leaves!"

They returned inside fixing the place to better than it was before it was.... sparkling windows, squeaky clean floors and tables, carefully filled sugar bowls, salt and pepper topped up to full.  One of her Ma's golden rules leave everything better than before. 

Left sat on the kitchen bench was flowers, small box of Roses chocolates and thank-you card for the use of the cafe for the reception. They would also pop round shortly to the owners at home but the small gesture left in the cafe kitchen would be a nice surprise too.

******************

The days fled and Lou learned to sew baby's clothes and fixed old bed sheets into cot sized ones. She worked at the office three days a week and shopped at the local Red Cross Op shop for babies clothing most weekends. She saved the rest of her small wage, squirreling it away for when she would be living at Johns. She would try desperately not to live off him anymore than she had to.

Telephone calls became infrequent, short and impersonal, although before all this they weren't much better, but now it seemed the fun that Lou and John would banter with each other was lost a little, not knowing where the other stood.

One scared of the other.

********************

Doctor Nate glanced over the midwifery notes~ blood pressure, weights, tummy parameters. "Well you certainly are progressing well, bub is growing nicely"

As Louise struggled to get up Nate gave her a boost, taking her elbow, lifting with her to a sitting position on the examination table.

"This will be my last visit with you unfortunately Louise" Nate sat back at his desk and signed off on a few things, ordering a blood test for sugars and any abnormalities. "Off to the big smoke!"

"Oh wow, congratulations!?"

"Yes! taking up a spot in a private practice in London, neonatal and gynaecology. Very exciting..... although I'll miss this hospital and my patients" Nate smiled pointedly at Louie as she sat back down across from him. "You make sure to take care now"

"Do you have a card?"

"For London?"

"Yes"

Doctor Nate rummaged around in his brief case for the brand-new box of personalised business cards he had had printed just a few days prior. "Do you have family in London?"

"No, but I'm moving down in a few weeks. Would.... Would it be terribly expensive?"

"No" The doctor smiled broadly, then patted the corner of the card Louie held "Not for favourite patients. Call up and tell them you're my patient when you're settled in"

Nate helped Louie up, her belly swollen and prominent, she lay a hand on the bump and patted softly "Def all good?"

The doctor squeezed her shoulder as they made the door "Louise, we have been over this a dozen times but one more for you! You have done everything right, the circumstances in the beginning of creation don't bear on the baby's health or birth"

"Thank-you, you're absolutely right of course, whatever the baby is,or becomes, is nature's way" Louie stepped into the corridor, the handsome doctor stood in the hall with her, hands shoved deep in his regulation white lab coat pockets "Ill see you in London then"

"Yes, looking forward to it! Take care now Louise" He watched her walk away, encouraged by her changes to becoming a mother, she would excel he was sure of it.