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Adam burst through the hospital entrance doors and headed straight for the nurses station, “Can I help you vicar” the nursed asked staring at the fully robed slightly out of breath Adam standing in front of her
“ Yes, please, my wife’s in labour and she was just brought in” Adam answered
“what's her name?” the nurse asked him
“ Alexandra Smallbone”
the nurse proceeded to check her paperwork “ ah yes, she’s here, let me take you”
Adam hurriedly followed the nurse down the hallway
“She’s already had the baby, I’m afraid, you missed the whole show” the nurse informed him as she stopped outside a door and motioned for him go in
“Yes, right, ok” Adam replied deflated
“Mummy and baby are doing quite well and resting”
“Thank you”
The nurse walked away and Adam took a deep breath before pushing opening the door, the sight before him was such perfection it stopped him in his tracks, Alex asleep on the bed with the sweetest little baby asleep on her chest. In that moment Adam had decided he had never seen anything more beautiful. Walking quietly to the bed not wanting to wake mother or child he gently placed a kiss on Alex’s forehead which of course woke her up.
“Adam” she whispered his name her face exhausted but beaming “meet your daughter”
“A girl” Adam answered the words getting caught in his throat as tears glistened in his eyes “She’s perfect, and every bit as beautiful as her mother, I’m sorry I missed the whole thing but I’m so proud of you”
“The archdeacon delivered her in the taxi”
“Right….I’ll never hear the end of it now” he chuckled softly stroking his daughters cheek
“ do you want to hold her?”
“Yes...yes I do, though I’m afraid I might drop her”
“You’ll be fine I promise” Alex said as she gently placed the sleeping baby in his arms.
Adam stared down in amazement at his beautiful daughter asleep in his arms with her tiny mouth in a little pout. “She's so peaceful” he declared
“Don’t let her fool you, she’s got a pair of lungs on her, its a miracle I've still got my ear drums in tact”
“Like mother like daughter “ he teased as he sat down on the chair his eyes not leaving his little girls face.
“Dear Lord”, he thought “Thank you for blessing us with this perfect child and thank you for Alex who brought her into the world…and I suppose I should say thank you for Archdeacon Robert who was there to help while I was busy doing YOUR work Lord but I promise to make it up to her in everyway I can…” the baby started squirming and letting out soft moans that immediately started to build to a soft wail , Adam with panic written all over his face looked up at Alex “what's happening now?”, Alex let out a chuckle “Relax Adam, she’s only asking to be fed, here give her to me” Alex instructed as she sat up in the bed and placed pillows behind her back for support. Adam carefully handed their daughter back to his wife and watched in wonder as Alex prepared to nurse her looking like she’d done it everyday for a thousand years, Adam marveled at his wife. Alex gave a tiny wince which panicked him
“Are you alright??” he asked concern pinching his voice
“Yes, it just hurts a bit when she latches” Alex assured him.
For the next few minutes Adam watched in amazement as Alex fed their daughter who was now quiet and suckling softly at her mothers breast, he watched as she raised her tiny hand and placed it on Alex’s chest a sign of contentment and ownership.
“God Alex, look what we’ve created” he murmured stroking the fine hairs on the baby’s head
“ I know I cant believe she’s finally here”
“I really am so very proud of you my darling” Adam praised her before dropping his head and placing a kiss on her lips “ well done”
“thanks “ Alex answered grinning sheepishly.
“ I guess the next step is naming her, any ideas?”
“ well there was only one name we both really liked and could agree on”
“yes”
Alex smiled at her daughter “Katie Smallbone it is”
“and I thought Sophie and Isobel as middle names for our mothers”
Alex looked at Adam with tears glistening her eyes, touched at his sentimentally “ oh Adam, I think that’s a lovely idea”
Adam watched her gently remove newly named Katie from her breast and hold her as she started to wind her.
“I should probably call your dad and Jemma to tell them our happy news”
“do it in a minute, lets just enjoy this bubble with only the three of us a little longer”
Adam nodded in agreement with a crooked smile, he knows how much Alex values their time together without outside distraction.
For the next few minutes they sat in silence staring at their daughter, each lost in their own thoughts, Adam marveling at the sight of pure perfection before him and Alex exhausted but with a heart exploding at the sight of their much longed for child and her gorgeous sometimes stupid husband ridiculously dressed in cassock and stole the sunlight highlighting his lopsided grin as he watched her cradle Katie.
Their bubble of solitude was interrupted by the nurse entering the room
“how are we all doing in here”
“yeah good thanks” Adam answered “she’s just been fed”
“good, have we given her name yet?”
“yes,” Alex smiled at Adam “Katie”
“ ah that’s a lovely name” the nurse proceeded to check the charts at the foot of the bed “well Mrs. Smallbone, everything looks good here so when you’re ready, you’re free to take little Katie home with you”
“Thank you”
“Vicar there are just some forms you need to sign but you can do that as you’re leaving” the nurse smiled at the new little family as she left the room.
“I’ll have to go home and get the car” Adam said getting up form his chair
“what?”
“I don’t have the car here, I ran here from the church”
“you ran all this way?”
“well yes, when I got the message I just sort of bolted”
“oh Adam” Alex chuckled shaking her head “what am I going to do with you?”
He smiled at her “ I’ll only be a minute, you get yourself and Katie ready and I’ll be back with the car and the car seat and out of these clothes “ he said tugging uncomfortably at his dog collar.
“ok” Alex nodded “ please don’t take too long I’m dying to just get home” she added for emphasis all too aware that Adam was easily distracted by people when he was out and about walking in his parish.
“I won't, I promise” he dropped a kiss to her forehead “I’ll be back for you in a few minutes my little darling “ he said dropping a kiss to Katie's forehead.
45 minuets later Adam opened the front door of the vicarage and ushered Alex and baby Katie asleep in her car seat inside. After making sure no one had seen them -he knows the last thing Alex wants now is visitors- he closed the front and walked toward the dining room where Alex had placed the car seat on the table and was busy taking Katie out.
“ welcome home my little love” he said to Katie stroking her cheek as she slept soundly in her mothers arms.
“shall I put the kettle on” he asked
“in a minuet lets go and put her in her room”
Adam obliged and followed Alex up the stairs towards the guest bedroom they had converted into a nursery for their baby.
“welcome to your room little girl” Alex cooed as she placed her daughter in her cot. Alex and Adam stood with their arms around each other staring down at their sleeping daughter, Alex rested her head on his shoulder.
“a new chapter for the Smallbones” he said placing a kiss on the top of his wifes head
“yes….we’ll have to add some pink to the nursery now we know it’s a girl”
“yes we will….but first tea and a foot rub how does that sound?”
“like heaven” Alex smiled at him before kissing him.
“come on then” he smiled grabbing her hand leading her out of the door making sure to grab the baby monitor on his way out.