Chapter Text
The bus window was cold against his face, reminding him of the cruel winter ahead. It had been a terrible few months, and Poe still felt bitter.
He had come so close to achieving his dreams, or if not that a decent living doing what he enjoyed. His band’s summer tour had been cut tragically short as resorts had closed. It felt ridiculous to complain even as his guitar lingered in its case.
Nonetheless the hope haunted him. Next year for sure.
He frowned at his reflection in the glass before replacing it with a well-practised smile. He might be miserable, jobless, broken hearted and just plain broke but for a few hours he had to smile. As the prudent son, he had to pretend all was well.
The bus rattled and shook as he fixed his bowtie and slicked back his hair.
He can still feel her smile over the telephone, a lightness to her voice that he thought had been lost.
His mother Leia had insisted he come home. She had been excited on the telephone but tight lipped as to the reason for an impromptu garden party. It was not her wedding anniversary, nor was it anyone’s birthday and Easter was months ago.
Once upon a time his mother had been an expert hostess.
But that had been a long time ago.
Baffled by her request but ever loyal, he finds himself in his second best suit, his second best hat resting on his knee as the bus sped towards the weary hell that was modern suburbia.
The first thing Poe noticed, pushing open the back gate was the large pram sitting in the back garden. It was a large ugly pram made of sturdy silver chrome and covered in thick navy fabric.
His empty stomach drops at the sight. His mind already assuming the worst. He had hoped to sneak in through the kitchen and grab himself a drink before hearing his mother’s exciting news. Now he’s wondering just how many month’s it has been since he last saw his mother or worse Rey.
Resisting the urge to jump into the pool and wake himself up from what must surely be a strange new nightmare, he walks over to the pram and peers underneath the large rounded hood of the baby carriage hoping that this is some strange elaborate prank.
Their family does not growing need anymore. His parents are far too old to have adopted again. And Rey would have told him if she’d been going steady with a boy. Right?
Inside the pram lie two tiny ginger haired babies in matching outfits, snuggled up against each other.
Poe’s shoulders relax at the sight. These babes must belong to one of the other guests. Perhaps a new neighbour.
Assured they are not new relations, they are adorable in their cosy pram.
He goes to touch their fluffy whisper of hair-
“Oh don’t wake them up Poe. I just got them to sleep.” Grumbles a pretty stranger from the open kitchen window.
His heart jumps at the sight. Have they found a new maid?
She quickly joins him in the back garden, her high heels clicking against the stone patio floor as she walks towards the pram, towards him. As she comes closer, he finds himself looking her over twice.
Dressed in a lovely fashionable emerald green dress, with a matching short jacket, short kimono sleeves and mandarin collar, he can tell she is no maid.
The tall wistful beauty looks at him crossly as she takes his cigarette from his hands.
“Smoke is terrible for babies.” She tells him throwing it to the ground and stomping it out.
Her doleful brown eyes and dark hair at odds with the babies’ bright red hair and sleepy blue eyes. And yet there is no doubt in his heart that she is their doting mother.
The babes in the pram and the shiny wedding ring on her finger should deter him. He knows messing with housewives tends to end in tears. But. There is something familiar about her face.
He stares at her, wondering if they have met before or if his reputation in this town proceeds him. Perhaps she had worked at his father’s store.
He flashes her his signature smile, the one that makes anyone weak in the knees.
To his surprise she laughs.