Chapter Twenty

                                    

                                          


                          
"Hiya mate. Come on in. I'll just get my stuff."
                          
Joe opened the door for Caspar, who stepped into the house. 
                          
"Hey Caspar!" Dianne said from the kitchen. "How are you?"
                          
Caspar walked into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of his best friend's red-haired girlfriend sat at the breakfast table with a little girl and a newborn baby. He never would have imagined Joe's life looking like this- at least not for a few more years- but he could tell how happy these girls made him. 
                          
"I'm fine. How are you? After the, ah, the baby?"
                          
Dianne smiled. "I'm all good. Do you want to say hi? You haven't met her yet, have you?"
                          
Caspar shook his head. "No I've only seen pictures." He walked closer. Ruby was in a comfy-looking baby seat attached to a high chair. "She's so tiny!"
                          
"I know. She's almost three weeks old now, so she's grown loads. She was so much tinier when she first came home. Anyway, do you want to hold her? I don't know if you're a baby person or not."
                          
Joe walked into the kitchen to see Caspar sat at the table holding Ruby, smiling at her. He turned to Joe. 
                          
"Mate, she's so cute! I can't believe you made her."
                          
Joe smiled. "Tell me about it. I can't believe it either. Luckily, her mum is fit, so it weighs out my ugly."
                          
Emelia giggled from her seat, where she was eating toast in her school uniform. 
                          
"Oh. Oh, OK. I think she wants her mum." Caspar looked uncomfortable as Ruby began to fuss. Dianne took her back, holding her against her body and moving to try and calm her. 
                          
Dianne turned to Joe. "She probably needs a feed. I'll say goodbye now, so you can get Caspar out of the house before I whip a tit out."
                          
Joe shook his head. "You're so crass."
                          
Dianne grinned. "I'd be offended, but I don't know what that word means. Anyway," she walked towards Joe, Ruby in her arms, and kissed him. "Have a safe flight. Call me whenever you land- you know I'll be awake. I love you."
                          
Joe smiled. "I love you too." He kissed Ruby's head. "And you." Walking over to Emelia, he gave her a hug and kissed her too. "And you. Be good for Mama, yeah? And remember that she doesn't have to do this by herself. Nana Tracey and Auntie Zoe have both offered to help out. If you think your mum is being stubborn" he looked pointedly at Dianne, "use your iPad to facetime them or message them and tell them to come over. I'll be back before you know it."
                          
"OK Dad, I will."
                          
"Good girl. Right, I'll get going. Love you, girls!"
                          
///
                          
"Here you go, mate. Cheers."
                          
Joe clinked his wine glass against Caspar's bottle of beer. 
                          
"Cheers. To New York."
                          
Caspar shook his head. "To you, bro. You're a dad now! Congratulations!"
                          
Joe smiled, taking a drink. "Thanks. Did you notice that Emelia called me Dad as well?"
                          
"I did. Mini Dianne is so cute."
                          
Joe nodded. "She is. All my girls are cute."
                          
"They are."
                          
"And did I tell you that she's changed her name? Emelia's added 'Sugg' to her surname. She asked Dianne to fill in the paperwork. Isn't that adorable?"