I wiped my hands on a wet wipe and returned Maddy to my shoulder where I felt I could protect her from the big bad world. Angie sat on the bed and tapped it for Freddy, he joined her and I took to the armchair, we sat there for ages nattering and making plans, all of a sudden everything seemed so different now and we certainly didn't expect to be returning home as a family of four.
This chapter contains some unexpected and not recommended sexual content, your author interviewed a married couple for advise, the description and timing is loosely based on their replies.
================================== Chapter 11 ==================================
Six o'clock arrived and so did Angie's dinner, I reluctantly laid a sleeping Madeline in the clear plastic crib, just as reluctantly I kissed Angie goodnight and Freddy did the same, deposited our rubbish in the bins and on the way out returned the empty mug to Costa.
"What shall we have for dinner tonight Freddy?"
"Pizza please."
"You have been so good I think that is a very good idea."
I had no idea what the place was like but just along from the hotel was an Italian restaurant so I parked the car at the hotel and we walked, the very pretty Italian waitress chatted us up for a few minutes as we decided on Hawaiian thin crust, tomato and green salad, apple juice and a pint of beer. I rejected chips. When the food arrived I discovered the napkins are the real thing and effectively a large bib to defend against spaghetti and securely tied one round Freddy using the included tails. It was good and so much better than most of the British versions of a pizza house, it was listed as twelve inch but I'm sure it was bigger and the copious toppings ran very close to the edge. Freddy ate much more than I expected but it beat me, I couldn't finish it. There is a limit to how much lovely food I can force in and I'd seen what was in the chilled display on the way in.
Dessert just had to be the Strawberry and grape Tiramisu and of course Freddy opted for ice cream, looking at the selection in the freezer he chose banana, I asked for some dark chocolate ice cream on my dessert too.
The short walk back to the hotel, showering and bedding Freddy was easy and for most of it he really opened up about his sister, until then there hadn't been much of an interest. I read 'The Red Tractor' and as is often the case he listened to the end, wiggled and went to sleep.
I did most of the packing, showered and watched a little television, ten o'clock news and weather and turned in.
Ten to seven I heard "Uncle Terry."
"Hello Freddy."
"When can Mannydin play with me?"
"Mannydin? Our baby is called Madeline." I repeated the name several times, "but most of the time we will say Maddy, it sounds a little bit like your name, Maddy."
"Maddylean."
"That's very good Freddy. Shall we get dressed and get breakfast?"
"Yeaahh."
And we were off; stripped, quick wash, dressed, hair brushed and we were in the restaurant right on seven-thirty when it opened. I don't know where he put it all but unusually Freddy chose hot food and when he'd cleared the plate, which was more that I expected him to eat, he then asked for more.
"Hello Mister Brown."
"Oh hello," I stood, "Thank you so much for the other night, I can't believe how quickly you managed to make it look like new."
"Hmm, I get plenty of practice. How is your wife and your little girl?"
"They are, doing really well. Hopefully we'll go home today."
"Oh that's nice, have you got a name yet?"
"No not yet, we're still thinking about names."
"Give her my best wishes please."
"Thank you, yes of course I will."
"Have a good day."
Another customer took Madeline's attention.
I didn't want to tell her we had decided to use her name.
After breakfast we cleaned teeth and washed away evidence of breakfast, I packed and checked I'd missed nothing and we went to reception.
"Hello Mister Brown, how are Mother and baby?"
"Good morning. They are both doing well and we are expecting to go home today. I need to check-out but just in case we have to stay another night is it possible to reserve the room until this afternoon please?"
"Your booking is for another two nights so yes that will be fine."
"The next thing is we would like to return here with our daughter and say thank you to Madeline with flowers if she's on duty."
The receptionist looked at the computer screen. Madeline is in the restaurant this morning until ten then with housekeeping until four.
"That is perfect thanks."
"Madeline doesn't like lilies or roses."
"Oh, oh thanks for that."
I completed paying and handed over the key.
"Hold on to that for the car park later... I don't know what your plans are but there's a florist just behind the hotel, they will drop them in for free and we have a cool storage area if it helps."
"That is most helpful thanks."
"Have a nice day mister Brown."
"Thanks we'll see you later, one way or another."
I put the bags in the car and headed to the florist, explained the situation I may need them today or tomorrow, agreed to give them an hours notice and paid. Then purchased a 'Thank You' card in the shop a couple along from the florist.
On the way to the zoo for a second visit, as Freddy had been talking about the animals so much, we phoned Angie for a chat. She was in good spirits and looking forward to leaving, she promised to call us when the doctor had been and told Freddy to be good for me. An hour and a half later she called to say her discharge is planned for immediately after lunch and I called the florist.
Freddy asked for the sausage roll again so I steered us in that direction as we continued looking at animals and after eating we headed to our girls.
Of course I made the regular purchases at Costa and received the usual response from Angie, her hands reached out to the mug way before there was any recognition of us. She took a sip and placed it beside her lunch, we kissed and I moved on to look at Maddy.
We chatted as Angie ate her lunch and various people arrived to do their bit for the discharge, the final thing we waited for was the prescription, of course then Maddy decided it was time for a feed and by the time I changed her again it had delayed us for more than a half hour. While I put the little red dress on her Angie wrote in the card and we put a decent tip in before sealing it. Putting Maddy in the carry seat and adjusting straps took a while and our final goodbyes found us heading for the main entrance with Angie in a wheelchair being pushed by a porter.
In the hotel reception the same receptionist was still on duty and promptly made a big fuss of the girls and the duty manageress came out to join in then the waitress from the lounge bar.
The receptionist brought out the bouquet, which I must say looked quite impressive, and I carefully placed the card inside the cellophane where it wasn't obvious. She called for Madeline on the walkie talkie and instructed her to report to reception as quickly as possible and make sure she was clean. It sounded very officious almost like a bollocking.
When she arrived it looked like she had washed her face and changed her uniform and she looked worried, the look on her face changed to smiling as she turned the corner and saw us.
I was holding Maddy as she walked over.
Angie spoke; "We wanted to say sorry for the mess and a proper thank you for cleaning it in the middle of the night, Terry tells me it was perfect. So these are for you."
"Thank you, they are beautiful but not as beautiful as this one," she pointed to Maddy, "you are so gorgeous."
"We'd like to call her Madeline after you, if you don't mind."
She shook her head, "After me, really?"
"It's a lovely name and it will always remind us what you did for us."
"I was only doing my job sir."
"Would you like a little hug?"
"Oh may I?" I passed Maddy over and she promptly farted.
Everyone laughed.
"Is this going to be another mess to clean up?"
Everyone laughed again.
We chatted for a little while and several other members of staff stopped as they passed. Reluctantly Madeline released Maddy as I took her to put her into the seat and we bade goodbyes, three followed us to the car park and waved us off, we were on our way home two days early.
We'd gone five miles before Freddy said; "Cor poo, that's smelly." and Maddy started crying. I changed her in the boot of the car in a car park, after that it was plain sailing and next stop was Elainer who flapped around us like a demented mother hen who insisted we stopped for a drink in the hope Maddy would wake, she did an hour later and promptly cried for dinner. After feeding, Elainer cuddled her for a while until she cried for a nappy change then we headed home.
We'd been home less than half hour when the telephone rang, I was busy with Freddy and only heard Angies side of the conversation, even that was from the other bedroom but it sounded like someone was coming to see us. It must have been ten minutes before I found Angie in our room with Maddy plugged into her left breast. She said it was Danni on the phone and she was coming to see us.
My phone rang from an unknown number; "Terry speaking."
