Chapter 12 - Gen 1 - Toby

"Hey you!!"

"What?"

"You did it - I can't believe you actually did it!!"

"Yeah I swear I am still dreaming!!"

"Apple I need to talk to you about Pear."

"What about Pear?"

"I think maybe you should go and see that he is ok."

"Why?"

"Yesterday he was there in the wedding chapel, he tried to stop us from getting married, he argued with Jade for ages and was in pieces when he left."

"I thought it was over between them."

"Not as far as Pear is concerned, I actually felt sorry for him, he did everything but beg her not to marry me."

"I can not believe you are worrying over Pear after all he has said and done to you!!"

"You would worry too if you had seen him."

"I'll go see him but I doubt there is nothing I can do to help him, it is still rocky between us."

"So no chance of you moving back in with your Dad?"

"Not yet, I don't trust Pear not to be nasty to Tia."

"Jade how long has Pear worked at the same place as you have?"

"Ages, he started there not long after I did."

"Why didn't you tell me you worked together."

"Well technically we don't - we work in different parts of the kitchen its not often we actually cross paths, anyway I thought you knew"

"Not until Apple mentioned it no."

"I'm sorry, I honestly thought you knew!!"

"It doesn't bother you does it?"

"Well, yes a little I would be lying if I said I didn't."

"I'll leave if you want to - maybe I could get a job at the Bistro instead."

"It would make me happier but if you are happy there don't change jobs just for me."

"I'll see what I can do."

"What are they squealing about?"

"I think Tia is pregnant."

"Oh."

"I'm hungry, you coming

"In a minute."

I had a feeling Tia being pregnant was going to set Jade off again, I was just waiting for it.  At the moment I really had no wish for any children of my own - I was going to have to think up a reason for stalling.  Not that I really needed a reason when really this house with another baby would be full to bursting there seriously was not any room for me and Jade to have a baby.

"Jade is doing my head in, she wants a baby and I told her not until we were married and now Tia is pregnant its set her off again."

"You sound like you don't want one."

"Well I don't really not yet!!"

"You know if it is  because of the space me and Tia have decided after the baby is born we are going to move in with Dad."

"Have you made up with Pear then?"

"Well not exactly, I think he has given up the will to live and he certainly doesn't have the energy to fight, he has actually been pretty pleasant the last few times we have been round and we can not stall forever, if he starts we are just going to get a place of our own, we have saved up enough for a small place and our stay at Dads might only be short lived anyway because we kind of like the idea of our own space."

"Toby we need to talk - you know I want a baby, why do you keep dodging the subject."

"Come out side and we will talk, while we watch the stars the sky is really clear tonight"

"Your acting like you don't want a baby!!"

"I do but just not yet - I don't feel ready for kids yet and besides this house is bursting at the seams as it is there really isn't the room for us to be having a baby. "

"Well maybe we should think of getting a place of our own then."

"No, that won't be necessary - Tia and Apple are moving out after the baby is born."

"So we can have one then?"

"I'll do you a deal, if you stop nagging me about having a baby, as soon as Apple and Tia move out we can start trying for one - ok?"

"Ok - deal"

"No more nagging mind."

"No more nagging promise."

"Good!!"

"Did you make these?"

"Yeah why?"

"I thought so - are they supposed to be waffles?"

"Yeah - they look like waffles don't they."

"Well they taste like s***!!!"

"See - I told you!!!!!!"

"Eewww"

"I hope you don't feed Mandarine, you'll kill the poor kid!!"

"I followed the recipe!"

"Well something is not right!!"

"Don't eat them if they are that bad!!"

"I think I will do the cooking from now on!!"

"Toby - my cooking its not that bad!!"

"Sorry but it is - how on earth do you keep your job?!"

Tia went into labour while Apple was at work so I volunteered to take her to the hospital.  I didn't think and went running towards the subway.  Tia followed me and we went to the hospital on the tube and she really was not very pleased with me!!!

"Remind me never to rely on you to do anything important  in future!!"

"What??!!"

"The tube - really Toby you could have called us a cab - I am in labour unless you had not noticed!!"

"Sorry sis I didn't think!!"

As Apple was already inside the hospital working - he met Tia by the front doors and I sat outside and waited - and waited what seemed like an eternity for Tia to come back out.  It was over four  hours later when she finally emerged carrying the baby.  Another boy that they have called Nectarine.

"Where is Apple?"

"I told him to stay and finish his shift he only has a few hours left."

"Come on then lets get you home."

"NOT by tube I hope!!"

"No I am calling us a taxi!!"

"Isn't it time you and Jade had a baby?"

"Not yet - Jade wants one but I don't yet!"

She left me to settle Nectarine down while she went to eat.   Maybe she thought that feeding and playing with Nectarine would make me broody because you can guarantee that Jade and Tia have had their heads together.  But broody I am not!!

"I bet you can't wait for us to leave"

"No not really - I'll miss having you around."

"I know Jade can't wait!!"

"Yeah I know - I can not stall her any more I promised we could start trying for a baby when you lot moved out - so you can take your time - I am in no hurry!!"

"I don't get it - why don't you want a baby?"

"I don't know I just don't want one yet."

"Toby there isn't a reason behind you not wanting a baby is there - something you maybe need to share."

"Not really."

"Not really means there is."

"No it doesn't"

"Come on Toby tell me."

"Ok, ok, I am just a little scared that's all - I am just being stupid, forget it!!"

"No - scared of what."

"Jade had a problem for a while, wasn't sure she could cope with an "ugly" child - I told her to sort her head out before I would even entertain carrying on with our relationship, now its my head that's messed up."

"So what is the problem exactly."

"I am worried that if we have a child that looks like me she won't cope with it still  and I don't know, she might leave me because of it or even worse, what about if it turns out like Mitch, she would never cope with that!!"

"I am sure you are worrying over nothing I don't think she would be so hell bent on having a baby if she had even the slightest doubt, and the Mitch thing that is a very rare thing that happens to 1 in a million and its not likely to happen to you."

"I don't know"

"Your stewing your head over nothing and if you don't get your act together - what about if she decides she's done waiting and finds someone else, like Pear, to have a baby with have you thought about that?"

"No I didn't."

I suppose I knew I was being stupid especially as Jade could not leave Nectarine alone for a minute, she didn't seem to have a problem with him.  We could already see the "ugly" in his face, his oversized  mouth, nose and eyes and Jade thought he was the cutest thing on this planet.

Nectarine had his birthday. He turned out to have Austin's hair and he takes after Tia and has her "ugly" features but he is still pretty cute.

As promised after Nectarines birthday the four of them moved out and in with Austin and Pear.  It is a shame really that they had to leave I was really going to miss them, especially he kids.

Kids - yes and of course, the minute they were out the door Jade was after me and there was no way for me to get away with it for any longer so the trying for a baby started.

"You know I really think you should give your job up and find something else to do, you really are not good at cooking are you!!"

"I don't understand what I do wrong?!"

"Well those pancakes only look fit for one place - the bin!!"

"I know."

"What is that smell?"

"Jade burnt pancakes again."

"Maybe I should start giving you cooking lessons Jade"

Jade suddenly ran off

"I didn't just upset her did I."

"I wouldn't have thought so!!"

I ran after her to see why she had ran off and found her in the bathroom throwing up.

"Mom didn't mean to uspet you"

"She didn't."

"So why are you being sick?"

"Your silly sometimes!!!"

"Why?"

"I am not being sick because I am upset - its because I think I am pregnant."

"Oh"

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Chapter 13

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