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Vera ushered them into a spacious, painted bedroom of fairy-tale pink and specially placed decorations that were carefully chosen. By closer admiration, Franky and Bridget would be able to realise and appreciate that some were even handcrafted. Vera wouldn’t point it out ‘just because’, but she sure had a flicker of hope burning within her that they just might notice. In the far corner of the room was a dotted pink shelf, home to quite the collection of plush toys and dolls. The wardrobe right beside it had two small decals of a robin and magpie sitting at each corner. To the left of it was a simplistic framed photo of a swooping Forster’s Tern with a colourful garland of fabric hanging below it.
The new mother placed her hands on her hips and let her eyes rove around the nursery to admire her achieved efforts. It was hard to keep a hold of the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth as Franky and Bridget looked around. This leave was quite possibly the most relaxed and liberated she had felt in months. Years.
In the centre of the room was a crib with an attached mobile of little pink teddy bears on the far side. In the crib, bundled in a blanket, laid three-week-old Grace, peaceful in a snug hat and tiny, grey boots with bunny ears. Vera attended to her and grinned while she broke into a gentle wave. Her child was content, safe and most importantly, she was healthy.
“This is amazing,” Bridget smiled, complimenting her friend’s work. The effort put into the nursery was very apparent and obvious to both her and Franky. Instantly, Vera felt rewarded.
“Oh, thanks, Bridget,” She chuckled lightly before carefully scooping up her daughter. Little noises began to escape from the child as she was removed from her crib.
“Hey,” Franky prolonged in a soft voice. “Looks like we just woke her up, reckon she’s thinking ‘God, who are these funny-lookin’ things you’ve brought into my bedroom.’
Vera laughed heartily as the baby awoke fully and stared at the two new figures looking down at her. Bridget cooed and brought her hand to rest on Franky’s shoulder.
“She’s beautiful, Vera,” The blonde said. The mother hummed in agreement.
“She certainly doesn’t have my height,” Vera laughed, in reference to how Grace had grown rather tall for a prematurely delivered baby only a few weeks old. She cocked her head back to Franky and offered a hold.
“Me?”
“Yeah, course,” Vera said, wearing a friendly smile.
“No offence, but I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a furious mother rightfully out to kill me after I’ve just dropped her child.”
“You won’t drop her!” The new mum remarked, a large grin replacing her smile.
“Go onnn,” Bridget encouraged, giving her a gentle pat on the lower back.
The brunette shrugged as Vera began to bring Grace closer. “Arms out, like that. You got it. There you go.”
Grace gurgled and eyed Franky as she adjusted to the stranger’s arms. “Think she likes you,” Said Vera, bringing a hand to her chest while she let out a laugh.
“Maybe she’s just fascinated by your weird choice of clothing, Franky,” Bridget humorously pointed out; observing closely beside her partner’s shoulder. She gently rested a hand on Grace’s head.
“Nuh way!” Franky argued – a wild grin lifting her cheeks before she brought her head closer to Bridget’s.
“Yeah, I was actually going to ask, is it cold out?” The mother interjected, regarding the number of mismatched layers Franky had on.
“Nup. Franky’s behind in the washing agaaain,” Bridget quietly sung in a jested jab towards her lover.
“You were so waiting to bring that up, weren’t you?”
Closely watching over Grace in admiration, Vera interrupted the couple’s playful quarrel with a “Right, I really fancy a cuppa. Don’t suppose either of you do?” She offered.
“Oh, that’d be great, thanks,” Bridget said, then added, “I’ll come and give you a hand in a minute.”
Vera thanked her with a smile before slipping out from the room.
Tenderly, Franky rocked Grace side to side in a careful sway.
“Look at you,” The blonde started in observation. “A natural already.” A laugh came from Franky because maybe Bridget wasn’t entirely wrong there. And it was painfully obvious that the sight flooded the blonde’s chest with an infectious warmth.
“Hope this isn’t making you broody, Gidget. Babysitting Tess is strenuous enough.”
“I think that’s something we both agree on,” She chuckled.
“I wonder what she’s thinking,” Bridget pondered, smiling lightly down at Grace who continued to gurgle.
“I’ll bet something like ‘Yeah, alright. They’ll do for aunts, I suppose. Could be worse.’ But I’m the best, aren’t I?” Franky cooed to Grace in a hushed voice. Her girlfriend rolled her eyes playfully.
“We’ll see about that,” Bridget joked.
Amused, Franky gasped. “See, she’s jealous,” She said, grinning at the tiny person blinking in her arms.
After a moment passed, Bridget squeezed Franky’s shoulder and quietly said: “I’m gonna go give Vera a hand, darling.”
“Mm, okay,” Franky responded, leaving a loving kiss to the blonde’s lips before she left the room.
Smiling back at Grace, a sense of happiness overcame the brunette. “Hey, can I tell you a secret?” She murmured. “You’ve got a pretty stellar person of a mum. You’re gonna have a great life, kid."