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“Ready to talk about it?”
Penelope, fiddling with the stem of the full champagne flute in front of her, gave her closest friend a tight closed lipped smile before sighing with a murmured, “No.”
“Ok,” Eloise nodded in understanding and took a sip of champagne. She put her flute glass on the table and then folded her arms comfortably as she sat back in her chair. A moment passed. “How about now?”
Pen rolled her eyes and sighed at her best friend, “El…”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she held her hands up in mock surrender, “It’s just I have so many questions. I mean…when? Where?” She gasped and reached out and grabbed Pen’s arm, “Who’s the father?!”
“Would you keep your voice down?!” Pen whisper-yelled, her eyes then darting around to see if anyone nearby had overheard.
“Is it Alfie? It is isn’t it?” Eloise nodded to convince herself it was Pen’s ex-boyfriend before then gasping again, “Oh my god. It’s that guy from that news agency you went on a date with last month!”
Pen rolled her eyes and took both of Eloise’s hands in her own, “Look, El. I haven’t told the father yet so…until I do, I don’t think I should tell anybody else.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. That’s fair.” Eloise nodded before her eyes narrowed. “I’m right though aren’t I? It is Alfie.”
Pen dropped her best friend’s hands in defeat and took a swig of champagne. Her eyes widened at her impulse action and she quickly spit the liquid back into the glass. Eloise wrinkled her nose as she watched her, half in amusement and half in disgust.
“Congratulations!” Kate sidled up to the spare chair next to Penelope as Penelope dabbed her mouth with the back of her hand.
Kate, who was absolutely radiant on any given day, was an absolutely stunning bride. Now at the reception, she had changed from her traditional Indian garments which she’d worn at the ceremony and slipped into a flowing white strapless gown. Strands of her dark, glossy hair framed her cheeks as she wore her hair up in a soft bun.
“Umm…Kate, it’s your wedding. Aren’t we meant to be saying that to you?” Penelope smiled teasingly.
Kate rolled her eyes before giving Pen a side hug, “I’ve just heard you’re going to be an aunt again. You must be delighted!”
Pen’s eyes followed over to where one of her sisters stood, on the edge of the dance floor, next to her husband, Chris. “Yes of course, I’m really pleased for Prue,” Pen responded, “I think that James is going to be a great big brother.” She added in reference to her sister Prudence’s step-son, from Chris’ previous marriage.
Kate sighed wistfully, “It is lovely news. It’s going to be a big adjustment for her though isn’t it?”
Eloise cocked her head, “What do you mean? Besides the obvious y’know little human shooting out of her.”
Pen shot her friend with a narrowed side eye glance.
“Well Prue has never shied away from putting her career above all else and she’s been successful because of it. Just unfortunate that her success is probably going to stall now because she and her husband have decided to add to their family.”
Pen’s mouth started to feel a bit dry from Kate’s words. “What?” She croaked out.
Kate caught Penelope’s horrified look and immediately began to rectify it, “Oh, Pen. You know I don’t mean it like that . You know full well I’m talking about the double standards us women face in the workplace. It’s simply not fair that as soon as one of us decides to have a child it is deemed that our careers, and career progression, no longer matter.”
“I mean…I’d not really…I mean of course I’ve seen, well I…haven’t given much thought to the context of…” Pen stuttered out, her bottom lip trembling.
Penelope’s thoughts began to run away from her. She loved her job. She’d worked damn hard to get where she was now. She was able to support herself financially as a writer. Many writers could not say the same. With a couple of bumps along the way, she had secured herself a publisher who understood her writing style. They were supportive, pushing her and putting her under pressure to get the best out of her, whilst being respectful of her boundaries. Her most successful books so far had been a young adult fiction and its sequel, ‘The Whistledown Diaries’. The stories were based on a young teenage girl, named Julia, who aspires to be a detective and by skimming the walls of society events and picking up clues, is able to assist detectives in solving crimes. The publishers had secured an advance for Penelope with the third book of the series due to be released the following year.
“Her husband is very supportive.” Eloise chirped up, breaking Penelope from her thoughts.
Kate nodded, “Oh absolutely. And fortunately for them, he has a well paid job. They’re going to need it with how much raising a child costs nowadays. I read this article that - Pen, are you crying? ”
Pen dabbed at the underside of her eyes, “I’m just…” she waved her hand in front of her face, “Just thinking about Prue…poor, knocked up, going to lose her career prospects but at least she’s not single , Prue…”
Kate’s brow furrowed.
“Another champagne?” The three women looked up as a waiter with a tray full of champagne flutes stopped by their table.
“Yeah, yep, thank you,” Pen reached out for a glass with a shaky hand before taking a large sip.
Eloise winced as she caught Kate’s horrified look as once again Pen lowered her lips to the glass and returned the liquid to the glass.
Pen audibly moaned in disappointment as she watched Kate’s look of horror turn to one of realisation.
-o-
“You’re pregnant?” Daphne asked in a whisper.
Several of the females from the Bridgerton family had now joined Eloise, Kate and Penelope. They had relocated to the garden of the stately manor, Aubrey Hall, which Kate and Anthony had chosen for their wedding celebrations. Penelope sat on the steps looking out towards the grand water foundation, music from the reception floating from the open doors behind him, as the other women sat around her.
“How do you feel?” Hyacinth placed a comforting hand on Pen’s arm.
“I don’t know, I don’t know…” Pen muttered, “It’s all happening so fast and I’m having to think about decisions that I don’t even want to think about making and,” she took another sip of champagne flute still in her hand before spitting it out and back into the glass once again, “oh - for Christ sake, just someone take this away from me!”
“Ok, ok, ok, just calm down,” Eloise pulled the flute away from her and chucked it over her shoulder onto the grass.
“I mean how sure are you?”
“Eight pregnancy tests sure.” Pen muttered into her hands which she now had covering her face.
Daphne snorted, “You took eight pregnancy tests?”
“How much water did you drink to pee on that many sticks?”
Kate rolled her eyes at Hyacinth’s question before encouraging Pen’s hands away from her face and intertwining their fingers, “Pen. I know you’ve got a lot to think about. But just know that whatever you decide. You’ve got us, ok? We’ll support you. No matter what.”
“Ladies,” They all froze at the sound of Benedict’s voice. “Is there a reason that you’re all out here?” He asked curiously.
Eloise looked up at her brother from her perch on the steps, “Escaping from insistent singletons again?”
“Them and their mothers,” Benedict muttered and shoved his hands in the trouser pockets of his tux. “I was rather hoping I could steal one of you away for a dance.”
“As a shield?” Kate quipped back with a chuckle.
“More like a distraction.”
“I could do with that for a short while,” Pen murmured before standing up, leveraging herself back into her heels, “Let’s go, Ben.”
Benedict smiled and wrapped Pen’s arm around his as he led her back up the building. “You look lovely today,” he commented softly as they entered through the doors. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier but the colour of your dress really suits you,” he added as he led her over the dance floor.
Penelope was wearing a moss green floor length dress. The halter neck style left the top of her back exposed, whilst the plunging neckline extenuated her chest, dipping in at the waistline to flatter her figure before the rest of the material floated down, skimming over her hips.
“If you continue to charm me like that, I’m most definitely going to cry,” Pen warned with a smile as Ben guided her to stand opposite him and adjusted their stance for a slow dance. “Either that or snog you silly.”
Ben barked out a laugh, causing people to turn heads at the commotion, as he began to lead them around the floor, “Well someone has to fill in for the compliments my brother Colin would be giving you right now.”
Pen rolled her eyes as she soon fell into a comfortable rhythm with Benedict, “He’s a good friend.” At her words, Ben pulled a dubious look, before she continued, “I can’t believe he’s missing Kate and Anthony’s wedding.”
Ben sighed, “He’s bloody gutted. He FaceTimed them earlier but wasn’t going to be able to watch the ceremony live because of scheduled meetings.”
Penelope hummed in acknowledgement. She knew how busy Colin was when he was away working. He had the fortune to be able to travel as his career - creating blogs, vlogs and content for all the popular social media channels. As soon as Pen and Eloise had cemented their friendship, Pen had become friends with her brother Colin. They would often message one another back and forth whilst he was away travelling. Their friendship was as easy as breathing.
“He’ll be back in a couple of weeks. And I’m sure he’ll then bore us to tears about his adventures on the Gold Coast before jetting off again,” Benedict jibed.
Pen giggled and then let out a shriek of surprise as Ben tipped her into an unexpected dip.
-o-
“Where the hell did you get that, El?” Pen looked at the item El had pulled out of her handbag. She had a leather bound travel portfolio clutched between her hands.
It had been a few weeks since Kate and Anthony’s wedding and Eloise had coerced Pen into grabbing an early coffee with her on a Saturday morning. They’d been walking down their favourite market street when El had paused on the pavement.
“From your coffee table.” Eloise announced proudly, despite her statement giving away that she’d been rummaging through her best friend’s apartment without permission. “And am I right in thinking that this belongs to the father of your baby?”
Pen crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance, “Would it even matter if I denied it?”
Eloise smirked triumphantly before pointing to the coffee shop alongside them, “And speaking of said baby-daddy , he’s in there.”
Pen’s eyes widened comically and squeaked out in alarm, “What?”
“It’s time to get it out in the open,” Eloise marched over to the door of the coffee shop and opened it with flare, dragging Penelope by the arm behind her.
“Eloise, listen - let me explain-“ Pen stammered as she pulled her in between tables of customers.
“Ah, hello!”
“Alfie?” Pen asked in confusion, stumbling into Eloise’s side as she looked at the man sitting at the table in front of them. It had been about a year since she’d last seen him.
“Pen,” her ex-boyfriend, Alfred (or Alfie) Debling, said in return with his easy-going smile. His bright blue eyes still had that attractive shine and his styled blonde hair still accented his angular face.
“And I’m Eloise,” she said with sarcasm, riding high on her wave of success. “Pen has something she needs to speak with you about Debbers, but first I believe this is your travel journal.” She held out the leather bound portfolio towards Alfie Debling.
His brow furrowed and he reached down towards his satchel which was slung over the chair he sat on. “No…this is my journal,” he held out the darker coloured leather bound binder towards her in his hand.
“Oh no,” Eloise muttered in embarrassment.
Pen pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I’m just going to - yeah. Not much else I can say in this sort of situation so err - bye.” Eloise clapped the travel journal with her hand and made a beeline towards the door.
Pen muttered under her breath as she watched Eloise walk out of the cafe before pivoting on her foot and looking at Alfie. A tense moment passed with the sounds of the bustling coffee shop surrounding them.
“So err…what’s going on with you, Pen?”
Pen flashed him an apologetic smile before taking the empty seat opposite him, “Oh y’know…nothing. El just, made a mistake, so sorry for the err - confusion and weirdness.”
Alfie laughed, “It’s ok. Really.” He then cleared his throat and softened his voice, “Listen, I…I was actually really glad when Eloise called me.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, yeah I was. Look I-“ he paused and then reached over and took one of Pen’s hands in between his, “I know we broke up because of the amount of time I was away travelling and the long distance got too much but I… I really miss you.”
“Oh… oh …” Pen sighed as she realised what was happening.
“And I’ve been offered this new research role which would mean that I travel mostly back and forth to Europe, so the time spent away from one another would be-“
“I’m having a baby.”
Alfie dropped Pen’s hand quickly from his, his eyes wide and unblinking.
Several moments of silence passed.
Pen swallowed, nodded to herself and then gestured towards the door, “You can go.” She then watched in mild amusement as Alfie almost tripped over his own two feet and got tangled with his satchel strap in his haste to escape.
-o-
Eloise toed off her shoes as she shut the front door behind him. “Hello?” She shouted as she wandered through to the kitchen, following the sound of familiar voices.
“In here, sweetheart,” she heard her mother call back to her.
“Ah! Finally, does that mean we can eat?” Gregory said eagerly.
As Eloise entered the kitchen, she smiled at the sight of her family all sitting around the large table with various brunch foods and drinks littered down the centre. She tossed her handbag, the elusive travel journal and her jacket onto the kitchen island before joining her siblings at the table.
“Sorry, I’m late. Just had to see Penelope quickly on the way.” El apologised as she started to pour herself a cup of tea.
“She ok?”
El paused briefly from reaching over for the jug of milk at Colin’s question, “Yeah, she’s fine. Why?”
Colin shrugged and continued to reach and grab various food for his plate - pastries, fruit, toast - as he responded, “No reason. Just the way you said it - you had to see her.”
El shook it off and continued to prepare her tea, “Oh. Well she’s fine.”
“She seemed quiet at the wedding.” Anthony commented as he spread cream cheese on his bagel.
“Did she?” Violet enquired with slight concern, “I didn’t even get the chance to see her I don’t think…” she trailed off in thought.
“You girls were having a good chat with her though,” Benedict waved his knife to gesture towards Daphne, Kate and Hyacinth with a look of curiosity.
“Nothing suspicious, Ben. Just girl talk.” Hyacinth shrugged as she sipped on her orange juice.
“Well, like I said - she’s fine.” Eloise chirped back with a smile. “So tell me brother,” she turned her gaze to Colin, “How was Australia?”
-o-
“Gregory, do you still need to get new spikes?” Benedict asked as he continued to help his mother load the dishwasher.
“Yes, I’ve got a track meet on Tuesday.” Gregory called back as he didn’t look up at his older brother’s question and continued typing rapidly on his phone.
“Ok, come on,” Benedict responded and grabbed his keys off the counter, “I’ll take you into town to get those sorted.”
“Thanks, dear,” Violet murmured appreciatively as Ben winked back at her in return.
Violet had felt so very fortunate to have had the support of her children after the passing of her husband and their father, Edmund, ten years ago. She knew that she had become lost in grief for far too long and her children, some of them too young to have taken on such responsibilities, had been left with no choice but to step up. Her eldest sons, Anthony and Benedict, had become father figures to her youngest, for example. It was strange how such an event, steeped in such utter sorrow, could both cause heartbreak and strengthen heart bonds.
“I should be making a move as well,” Colin commented, “I’ve got two travel vlogs which need completing before I start my induction over at the broadcasting house.”
“Will I see you at the fundraiser on Wednesday evening?” Violet wondered.
“Of course,” Colin smiled and then gave his mother the obligatory kiss on her cheek as he did each time they said goodbye. “Oh!” His eye caught the familiar leather binding of a previous travel journal. “I’ve been looking for this. Must have left it here,” he commented as he grabbed it off the kitchen island.
“Must have,” his mum echoed back with a smile enjoying the sight of seeing Colin amongst his family, something which had been far too rare the past few years with his travelling but soon would become far more familiar given his job offer acceptance. “See you Wednesday.”
“Bye,” he waved, with the travel journal grasped securely in hand, as he walked out the room.
Eloise remained unmoving at her seat at the table, staring at the kitchen island where the travel journal had just been picked up by the father of Penelope’s baby.
-o-
“My brother?!”
“El, I-“
“Are you quite serious?” El fumed as she stepped fully into Pen’s apartment.
“Eloise please, just - let me explain,”
“I don’t want to know the details!” Eloise cried out in horror.
“But how I else am I to-“
“Does he know?”
Pen swallowed, the lump in her throat seemed to be growing and despite trying to swallow it down, it remained lodged there. “No, no…not yet,” she croaked out.
“But you are going to tell him?” Eloise pressed.
“O-of course, I just-“ Pen broke off her words. “I just-“ She brought her hand to her mouth.
“Pen?” Eloise asked in concern.
Eloise then watched as Pen bolted back and away from her and towards her bathroom. Eloise followed soon after in concern, pausing outside the ajar door as the sound of Penelope retching and vomiting could be heard.
After a few moments, Pen felt fingers pulling her hair back and away from her face and the sound of a glass of water being placed on the tiled floor nearby. She groaned as she reached up and pressed the flush of the toilet before slumping back and to the side so she sat back against the bath panel.
Continuing to kneel, Eloise reached to the sink and ran a flannel under the water before passing it to Pen. Pen whispered her thanks before wiping her face and dabbing her neck.
Eloise sighed and went to sit alongside Pen, resting against the bath panel. After a few quiet minutes, she asked, “There was never a guy from a news agency, was there?”
Pen quirked her eyebrow before arguing the toss (seeing as Colin had just accepted a job offer to front the travel and lifestyle section of a national broadcaster), “Well he is…now…technically.”
“On a technicality? Really?” Eloise mocked with amusement in her voice.
Pen shrugged her shoulders.
A few moments passed before Eloise muttered, “I can’t believe that you and Colin are having a baby..”
Pen sighed before muttering, “Neither can I.”
-o-
Hey! Hope you’ve finally managed to shake off the jet lag from the land down under. Can I catch up with you at some point?
“I can’t tell whether he’s had good news or bad news.” Benedict commented to Anthony as they both watched Colin’s gaze fixed at his phone screen.
“…either of those, or he’s trying to work out a maths problem?” Anthony suggested. At his brother’s continued stare, he gave him a shove with his foot, making contact with his leg as they sat in a booth at their favourite pub, “Col? You with us?”
Broken from his fixation, Colin cleared his throat and muttered, “Yeah, fine. What were you saying?” He locked his phone and turned it over, screen side down, onto the table.
“Who was that?”
“Who was who?” Colin asked as he took a swig of his beer.
Anthony rolled his eyes and leaned forward to rest on his folded forearms, “Col, don’t play games. Who’s got you thinking so pensively from just one message?”
Colin sighed, fiddling with the label of his beer which was lifting from the condensation, “It’s Pen.”
Benedict mockingly put his hand to his chest with an “aw” to which Colin rolled his eyes.
Anthony smirked, “And…what about her?”
Colin looked away, clenching his jaw for a moment before shaking his head, taking another large swip of his beer and slamming it on the table, “We slept together.”
Benedict started choking on his beer as Anthony raised his eyebrows.
“We met up before I went to Australia, had a few too many drinks, things got… intimate , and the next morning we agreed that it was easier to stay friends. A one time thing. And now she’s messaging that she wants to ‘catch up’,” Colin carded his fingers through his hair and breathed out in exasperation.
“Well maybe she does just want to catch up?”
Anthony shook his finger at Benedict, “Hmm, no. By catch up she clearly means catch up . Right?”
Colin looked at his brothers in exasperation, “What do I do?”
“Well it’s obvious. You catch up with her.”
“What?”
“Message her back and say you’ll catch up with her.”
Colin sighed forlornly, “But what if she-“
“For God’s sake, Colin.” Anthony had his head in his hands from exasperation. “I’m going to need a stronger drink.”
Benedict laughed out loud at the tension before turning pensive. “Colin, what was the reason that you and Penelope decided it was only a one time thing?”
“B-because we’re friends, we-“
“No…” Benedict practically sang.
“It was easier to,” Colin muttered.
“And let me tell you this then, brother. In life, what you really want, will never come easy.”
Both Anthony and Colin stared at their brother for several moments.
“That was decidedly profound. Just how many drinks have you had?” Anthony enquired.
-o-
“Pen,” Colin greeted with a wide smile as he opened the door to his house to the sight of her standing on his doorstep.
“Colin,” Pen smiled back before nervously fiddling with her bag.
“Come in,” he gestured, stepping back and welcoming her into his townhouse.
Colin had inherited a semi detached townhouse from an uncle who had passed away some years ago, however with his travelling he never really used it to its full potential, only keeping the essentials for when he used it as a bedsit between travels. During his many journeys he had collected keepsakes and had accumulated some furniture pieces but for the sake of keeping their condition, had kept them in storage, until now.
“You’ve been unpacking your stuff from storage,” Pen commented as she took in the sight of various cardboard boxes dotted around the living area and through to the kitchen area of the large open plan living space.
“Yeah,” Colin shrugged, “well I’ve just signed a contract which keeps me close to home for at least the next eighteen months so I might as well make the place more like home.”
“Yeah,” Pen whispered as she looked around the place. Her eyes drifted to the photo frames which had been placed on the mantle of the fireplace. She smiled as her eyes travelled over the smiling faces of the Bridgertons at various points of their lives, from school graduations to family holidays. Her heart skipped a beat as in the centre of the mantle was a photo of her and Colin from their early twenties. It was at Daphne’s engagement party. Pen stood in front of Colin, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. His gaze was solely focused on Pen’s joyful face as she had tipped her head back in laughter at something Eloise had said, his sister’s profile visible from the foreground of the photo.
Penelope turned and realised that Colin was looking at her. As her eyes met his, he cleared his throat, “Can I get you a drink? Coffee?”
“Err…just water is fine.”
“It’s really no trouble, Pen. I can make you your favourite? Latte with almond milk?”
“Seriously, just water is fine,” Pen mumbled and tucked her hair behind her ears in nerves.
Colin tipped his head slightly, “Is everything ok, Pen?”
Time to get it out in the open. Pen wrung her hands together, “Actually, can we sit?”
“Err, yeah, sure.” Colin agreed and followed her to the sofa.
Pen breathed out shakily as she sat on the edge of the sofa, mirroring Colin’s position to face her, their knees almost touching, “Colin, I…I need to tell you something and it’s…I’m worried it’s going to ruin what we have between us and…”
Swallowing his own nerves, Colin reached out and placed a hand on her shaking knee, which was bouncing up and down, “Pen, we need to talk about what happened between us, before I went to the Gold Coast.”
Penelope gulped in a breath of air as she nodded jerkily, “Yes, I agree. We do, we do need to talk about that.”
“It’s all I’ve been thinking about.”
Penelope’s breath escaped her in a whoosh of air at Colin’s words.
Colin swallowed nervously before taking Penelope’s hands in his own, their legs now brushing against one another as they continued to perch on the sofa. “You've always been there for me, probably more than I deserve. But you’ve been a constant, Pen. When I look back, you’ve always been there for me. By my side. One of my closest friends. But for a while now, I’ve not seen you as my friend - no, that’s not true, I have . It’s just, I’ve seen you as more than that. So that night, when we were together , it was like nothing I’d ever imagined. Because it was you.”
“Colin,” Pen whispered almost inaudibly.
“And I know we said that we’d stay friends. I know we did. And we are. We are friends, Pen. But, we’re so much more than that. Please tell me you’ve felt that too. Because it’s you. It’s always been you. ”
“Colin, I…” Pen whimpered.
“So,” Colin sighed and shook his head, “I know we said, that morning, that it would be easier to stay as friends. And yeah, it might be. But knowing now how it feels when you and I are together…and the idea that we won’t be again, I don’t think that’s easier , Pen. It would be like torture, knowing what it feels like to be with you, to kiss you, to touch you…and not be able to. So…I think we should give this a shot. You and me. Together. As in dating, a relationship, being together.”
Pen stared at him, her mouth open in shock.
“Pen? Are you going to say something? Anything? Or you just going to-“
“Colin, I…I’m pregnant.” Pen murmured. “I’m having a baby.”
Colin stared at her, his mouth open in shock.
“Oh and you’re the father by the way, but you probably got that so…I should actually say we are having a baby,” Pen couldn’t help her words from breaking off into nervous giggles before biting her lip in awkwardness.
A beat passed before Colin couldn’t stop the laugh escaping his lips at her words, his eyes wide in shock. They both looked at each other and couldn’t help but then laugh together at the incredulity of the situation, their mouths smiling widely and their eyes creased as their giggles continued.
As Pen caught her breath and her eyes flitted between nervously his, she asked breathlessly, “So?”
Colin shook his head in shock, but the wide smile did not leave his lips as he lifted his hand from hers and cupped the side of her face, and then leaned forward to connect his lips to hers.
-o-
“Well we have some news,” Colin began and squeezed Penelope’s hand as they stood side by side, at the head of the dining table, “we’re having a baby.”
“Oh!” Violet gasped in delight and immediately stood up to hug Penelope.
The rest of the family's cheers and claps of excitement could be heard as Violet first embraced Penelope and then hugged Colin.
“Congratulations,” Anthony stood up and clapped Colin on his back before giving Penelope a kiss on her cheek.
“I’m going to be an auntie!” Francesca squealed.
“Wow. Wow. That is…that is so unexpected. I mean, I did not see that coming. The two of you? I mean! And then the two of you having a baby? That is just-“
“Hyacinth drop the act, it’s obvious that Eloise told you who the father was,” Penelope sighed with a roll of her eyes at her lackluster attempt to play it off cool.
Eloise shrugged as if to say ‘what you going to do? ’ before beaming at Penelope.
“Wait, so you all knew?” Violet asked incredulously, looking around her family.
“That Pen was pregnant or that Pen and Colin finally got down to business?”
Colin glared at Gregory.
“Well it doesn’t matter now,” Violet murmured before turning back to Colin and Penelope, “I’m so delighted for you both.”
“How are you feeling, Pen?”
Pen blushed at Benedict’s question, “Oh umm - well to be quite honest, morning sickness is kicking my arse so, haven’t been feeling all that well.” Colin pressed a soft kiss to her forehead in response.
“Is there anything they can give you for that, dear?” Violet asked in concern.
Pen shook her head and then rubbed her stomach where a small bump had begun to show the last couple of weeks, “Just have to make sure I stay as dehydrated as possible. The usual drink and eat when you can. Worst thing that can happen is I go to hospital and go on a drip for a few days.”
“We’ll cross that bridge if it comes to it,” Colin murmured reassuringly and pressed another kiss to the top of her head.
“Would you like to try a cup of tea?” Kate asked with an encouraging smile.
“Black with -“
“- a squeeze of honey.”
Pen giggled as Colin’s and her words spoke over one another.
“Oh they’re going to be even more nauseating now aren’t they?” Benedict groaned theatrically.
-o-
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Oh, hey!” Pen looked over her shoulder and chirped out her greeting at the sight of Colin standing in the doorway.
Colin dropped his backpack and the grocery bags he had in his hands before quickly striding into the kitchen. “Pen, seriously. Get down.”
Pen rolled her eyes at his fussing and continued to fiddle with the light fitting above the kitchen island, “It’s fine. You can help me get down in a second.”
“It is not fine and I will help you get down now .” Colin felt as if his heart was about to beat right out of his chest at the sight of the mother of his child standing on the kitchen island, seven months pregnant.
Four months of being officially together. And just over a month of living together. Things had gone quickly in their relationship, however, when they’d known each other like they had, it didn’t seem so quick after all.
“Just a moment and…there,” Pen pushed the spotlight back into place, having successfully changed the bulb. “Right, now you can help me,” she agreed cheerily.
“Right,” Colin grumbled. “Carefully,” he instructed as she lowered herself onto her knees before scooting backwards to the edge of the counter. “Are you seriously trying to kill me?” He shook his head in exasperation.
“No,” Pen sighed as she flipped over slowly, manoeuvred herself over the edge and onto the floor, Colin’s hands resting on her hips as she did so, so that her enlarged bump came between them. “I need you to pass me sweeties when I’m in labour,” she joked with a smile.
Colin rolled his eyes before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her lips, “Good evening.”
“Hi,” Pen whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and stroked her baby bump.
“See me on TV today?” Colin asked in a teasing smile as he wandered back over to collect the grocery bags from the floor and brought them to the counter.
“Hmm…no, I don’t think so. There was this one guy they had talking about the weather or something but I didn’t pay much attention,” Pen mused as she mimicked his teasing tone.
“Ha, ha,” Colin said sarcastically as he opened up the fridge and started loading in various groceries from the bag. “I’ll have you know that the extreme unseasonal weather currently being experienced in Europe is making a huge impact on their expected tourism revenue which in turn-“
Penelope stifled a yawn, putting her hand over her mouth as she paused from loading up the fruit bowl with bananas and apples.
Knowing the difference between her real yawns and ones she would do for comic effect, Colin’s brow puckered in concern. “Pen, leave that,” he instructed softly and closed the fridge shut before ushering her away from the counter.
“What? No, I can-“ Penelope protested softly but soon gave in from Colin’s steady arm at her back as he led her over to the armchair in the sitting area of their open plan living space. “I’m fine, Colin. Really I’m just a bit tired,” she whispered as he fussed over her.
“Well that means you need to rest,” he counter argued as he swivelled her around and helped lower her into the chair.
Pen sighed as he bent down and adjusted the cushion behind her back. “I haven’t told you,” she said after a further yawn, “I finished.”
Colin drew back and squatted down in front of her, resting his hands on her bump, “You did?”
“Mm-hmm,” Pen hummed with a smile as she nodded her head.
She had finally done it. She had finalised the revisions required by the editors and sent the final manuscript for the third instalment of ‘The Whistledown Diaries’ back to the publishers this afternoon.
Colin smiled widely at her achievement, “As if I needed anymore reasons to admire you.” He then leant forward and pressed a firm kiss on her bump.
-o-
“Oh…oh my…oh…” Violet’s eyes began to water with emotion as soon as she caught sight of them as she entered the room.
“Mum,” Colin whispered as he stood up carefully from the side of Penelope’s hospital bed, cradling his new-born son tenderly in his arms, “I’d like you to meet your grandson.”
Violet couldn’t help the sob that erupted from her throat as Colin met her at the base of Penelope’s hospital bed and she gazed down at her grandson for the first time. “Oh, he’s…” she cried, her eyes welling up with tears, “He’s so, so precious.”
“Here,” Colin murmured and very carefully transferred his son over to his mother’s arms. “There we go,” he whispered as he ensured the small beanie stayed in place, cradling the back of his head with his hand.
“He reminds me of you when you were born,” Violet admitted, looking up at her third son before losing herself again at the sight of her grandson. “Dark blue eyes, sweetheart lips…he’s just so handsome,” she murmured.
Colin sat back down on the side of Pen’s hospital bed, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead as they watched Violet hold their son in her arms.
“Oh my dear, I’m so sorry,” Violet sniffed to try and hold back some of her tears, “How are you? How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” Pen sighed, leaning fully back on the propped up pillows behind her. “So tired.”
Colin squeezed her hand, “You were incredible.”
“I have no doubt,” Violet smiled, “And a small price to pay for a lifetime of memories to come with your darling son.”
“Mother,” Colin began somewhat nervously, “We wanted to ask you something.”
“Of course,”
Colin and Pen looked at each other before Pen continued for them, “We would very much like to call our son, Edmund.”
Violet looked at them, her mouth slightly agape in shock.
“…with your permission of course,” Penelope added before swallowing nervously.
Violet exhaled shakily, another tear rolling down her cheek, “Well,” she began, “I think that would be…well, rather splendid.”
Colin and Penelope beamed at her acceptance before they were distracted by the sound of familiar voices at the door.
“Knock, knock,” Benedict singsong-ed softly.
“We’re dying to get in,” Eloise grumbled.
“Come in, come in,” Colin laughed.
Anthony, Kate, Benedict, Eloise, Hyacinth and Gregory all came in and immediately swarmed over to Violet, Colin and Penelope.
“Oh my goodness,”
“Oh look at him…”
“He’s so tiny !”
“Congratulations, you two,” Anthony patted Colin on the back and smiled widely at Pen.
“Oh, there, there,” Violet cooed as Edmund began to scrunch up his face, causing it to become very pink as he began to cry and fuss at the increased volume in the room, “You’ll soon get used to us being a big family.”
“Pen, you’re amazing,” Hyacinth gushed.
Pen laughed, causing her to wince slightly - her eyes tightening, before nodding in agreement, “I know.”
“Is labour really as painful as they say?”
“Yeah,” Pen muttered at Eloise’s question before adding in a matter of fact tone, “You won’t be able to handle it.”
“I’m so glad you guys had sex,” Kate gushed as she cooed over her nephew.
The family all laughed at Kate’s comment before Benedict asked, “So, have you guys agreed on a name?”
“Err, yes. Yes we have,” Colin cleared his throat and stood up, carefully taking his son back into his arms, Violet adjusting the blanket as she transferred him over. “Everyone, Pen and I are delighted to introduce you to our son…Edmund Elliot Bridgerton.”
A collective wistful sigh echoed in the small room before whispers and murmurs from their family commenting affirmatively on the name could be heard.
"Elliot? Is there some significance there? A Featherington family member perhaps?”
Pen smiled at Eloise’s questions as she reached out and took Edmund from Colin’s arms, pressing a soft kiss to her son’s face as she adjusted him on her nursing pillow.
“After a very significant person to me,” Pen admitted, “My closest friend.”
Eloise’s eyes felt hot and she croaked out a surprised, “Wow,” before brushing her cheek of a stray tear and adding, “Thank you.”
A content silence fell over the room before Colin cleared his throat and gestured to all of his family, “Right, well…if you could leave us to it, our son needs feeding, so.”
At his gesture to leave the room, the Bridgertons reluctantly left the room with whispered goodbyes, see you soons and more congratulations.
Noticing that Pen had already adjusted her hospital gown and was now guiding Edmund to her breast, Colin poured her a glass of water. “You good?” He murmured. At Pen’s affirmative hum he placed the water on the table next to the bed. Colin watched as Pen held their son close to her, Edmund’s little head moving slightly as he suckled from her.
“You were right,” Pen mumbled, as Colin couldn’t help but reach out and stroke the dark hairs on the back of his son’s head, having slipped his beanie off as he nursed in the comfort of his mother’s arms. “They didn’t notice.”
“Hmm,” Colin smiled with a triumphant gleam in his eyes as his finger drifted down from the back of his son’s head to the ring on Penelope’s finger. He looked up and met Penelope’s gaze, “I love you, Mrs Bridgerton.”
“I love you, Mr Bridgerton.”