What’s and Extra Stone or Two?

Ashley had dozed off on the sofa. Lachlan lovingly covered her with a soft rug before tidying up a bit. He thought it would be nice if he made supper tonight but when he went to check the fridge it was like Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.

He was torn between leaving her alone and waking her to do the shopping with him but he opted to just let her sleep. Lachlan tucked her in and left a note that he’d be back shortly. It was part of his plan to cook for her tonight.

So off he went to Braddock’s grocery with his hand scrawled list. He added a few things which would entail stopping at the garden center for a dozen red roses and at Barrett’s for another surprise. He’d seen some baby supplies in there and he thought it would be great to pick up the baby’s first layette set. Not that he knew much about them but he was sure that nice young lady he’d met at the New Years Eve party could help him. She had a kid.

Arriving at the grocery first, he nabbed on of the small trolly’s and started down the firs aisle. Into it went crisps, pretzels, dip and some salted cashews. In the next aisle he bought beer, Pepsi, two bottles of wine (not thinking) and a pack of that bottled water that Ashley seemed to like.

Staples were next, bread, butter, eggs, some of that strippy bacon that the American’s brought in and whole milk. None of that skimmed stuff that Ashley wanted, no way. Not now that she was eating for two.

"Oh, Gorilla Munch!" he hummed to himself. It was his favorite cereal so he got two boxes of that and a jar of vegemite too. Ashley would love it.

By the time all was said and done at the grocery he’d managed to buy every single thing a good bachelor would. Tons of junk food and beer for sure but he didn’t forget the pickles and ice cream. That’s what pregnant women were supposed to like, right?

For tonight’s meal he chose two frozen beef pasties with peas, carrots and potatoes. He didn’t forget the red and the brown sauce and for afters, raspberry lamingtons. Damn it was good to be home in Australia where he could get all of this wonderful healthy food.

Off he went to the garden center after that. It was nice to Ahnna again. She vanished early from the party and he and Ashley barely got to say anything to her.

Luckily they had some roses in stock and Ahnna picked out a dozen of the loveliest long stem reds that Lachlan had ever seen. She seemed like a really nice girl to Lachlan but there was something about her that bothered him, some kind of underlying sadness that she was battling with. Maybe working at the greenhouse was just the thing to cheer her up. He sure hoped so.

With the roses secure he was off to Barrett’s to get something for the soon to be little person who’d come into their lives. The very thought of holding his and Ashley’s child sent waves of happiness and anticipation through him. By the time he walked into the door of the dry goods store he was whistling like a budgie.

Now what was that girls name, the clerk? Mindy, Bindie? Cindy! That was it!

They exchanged a smile and when he told her he was looking for a gift for a new baby she asked if it was a boy or a girl. He just shrugged. Smart woman that she was, she helped him pick out a receiving set that was a wonderful shade of green called sweet pea.

He loved the sound of that. He, Ashley and their little sweet pea made three.

Finally, with everything packed into the car he started for home but on a last thought he stopped by the newspaper office to put an announcement in. It was about time the entire community knew that he and Ashley were going to be parents.

Colleen handled it for him. She copied a picture that he had of Ashley and him on their wedding day to put in the paper with the announcement. Brilliant.

When he arrived home, Ashley was still asleep so he crept around; placing the roses in a vase first then he put the new layette set on the coffee table in front of the sofa so she would see it when she woke up.

Right after that he put the groceries away and then he started supper. If the smell of those meat pasties cooking didn’t wake her up, nothing would.

It probably wouldn’t be too long before he learned what certain smells would do to a pregnant woman. He’d put on a few daddy pounds too like most men do. Maybe even a stone or two.

It surprised him that Ashley was still asleep after all was said and done. He pondered waking her and decided that it was best he did. She had to eat, right? If she slept all day she’d be up all night, right?

Holding the vase in front of him he knelt down and cocked his head sideways to see around the long stems of the roses. Whispering at first as not to frighten her he spoke her name.

"Ashley. Ashley, love." he paused the spoke just a bit louder. "Missus Curry, wakie wakie. Tucker’s ready and I’ve got a surprise for you."

TBC