Voyage of Discovery (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Sixteen

Nine months later

The phone rang. Bobby looked at the clock. 1:00am. He wasn't impressed. They'd just fallen asleep.

"Manning," he mumbled. Sleep vanished instantly as he heard his voice. "No problem, mate. We're on our way." Gently, he woke the woman he married very secretly a few weeks earlier, so they could keep working together. "Honey, we have to go. Sue is in labour and Jack is waiting for us to take her to the hospital."

They drove to Jack's place in a record time.

"Jay is asleep," Sue told them between contractions.

"Don't worry, sheila. It's not the first time Uncle Bobby and Auntie Tara take care of her."

"Thank you," said Jack. "Come on, sweetheart."

After checking on Jay, he and Tara went back to bed in the guestroom.

They were having an animated breakfast when Jack called.

'It was your daddy,' Tara signed and spoke. 'You have a baby sister.'

'Go see baby,' signed Jay, excitedly pushing her bowl of cereal away.

Tara and Bobby exchanged a look. Heck, they were not hungry anymore, either.

'Go get dressed,' signed Tara. And today, Jay didn't need to be told twice.

They found Jay in the baby's room. Jack had kept it yellow, only adding some baby blue to it. When Bobby asked him if he expected a boy, Jack had answered he had no idea, but that the baby was bound to like either yellow or soft baby blue. And Jack had a sparkle in his eyes when he said that, leaving Bobby guessing why Jack liked those two colours so much.

Jay was leaning over the crib railing, reaching inside for something. She then jumped down with a smile holding a yellow teddy bear.

'Baby's bear,' she signed, before running into her own room for her blue teddy bear.

***

Sue was in a private room. Tara and Bobby stayed in the doorway with Levi as Jay entered the room.

"Daddy, mommy," she said approaching slowly. Uncle Bobby and auntie Tara had reminded her not to run in a hospital before they entered the building.

A dishevelled Jack smiled as he saw his little girl. He got up from his chair and picked her up, sitting her on the bed beside her mom. Sue kissed her oldest daughter before unwrapping the little bundle she was holding in her hands.

Jay smiled when she saw the baby. Her hand timidly reached for the newborn. She stroked the baby's hair. "Baby," she said in a clear voice, placing the yellow teddy bear beside her. The baby opened her eyes and Jay gasped. Big brown eyes were staring right back at her. 'Baby sister looks like Jay,' she signed in amazement.

Sue and Jack laughed. With her fine blond hair and Jack's eyes, her little sister did look just like her.

Jack lifted his daughter's chin. 'Want to hold her?' he signed.

She nodded. Jack comfortably sat on the bed, placing Jay's back against his chest. He then took her blue bear and sat it with yellow bear by Sue's. He placed Jay's arms in the right position as Sue lowered the infant. Jay stood still, too afraid to move as the baby wiggled in her arms. The infant grabbed hold of Jay's shirt and tightly closed her little fist on it. Jay's eyes opened wide. Sue turned her daughter's head in her direction.

'Baby loves you,' her mother signed.

Jay smiled proudly. "Jay... love... baby," Jay said unevenly, before placing a wet kiss on her sister's cheek, under the loving gaze of her parents and godparents.

FIN