Public Property

by Mandy Baggot

  ‘I was. All I will say is “puncture wounds”.’ Emma pulled a face.

  ‘Bottles and teats. Add it to our list,’ Freya said, directing it at Nicholas.

  ‘Added. Hey, what are you doing out of bed?’ he asked her.

  ‘You used to say that to me so often when we first got together. It’s nice romance is still such a big part of our relationship.’

  ‘Feeling better?’ Nicholas asked.

  ‘Much better now Emma’s here with Chinese food. Em, the plates are in the cupboard over there,’ Freya directed.

  ‘By the way, this package arrived for you earlier. It’s from Josie. She said she found them while she was cat-sitting and we were at the hospital. She said something about Willis scratching around the back of the sofa and then she said she’d laundered them. Does any of that make any sense to you?’ Nicholas asked her. He indicated a brown paper bag on the countertop.

  ‘Not a bit. Let’s see...Oh! How embarrassing!’ Freya exclaimed, looking into the bag.

  ‘What is it?’ Emma asked.

  ‘Remember those undergarments I told you went missing. The ones I was sure would end up on EBay.’

  ‘Wild Wednesday?’

  ‘Wild Wednesday! I can’t believe one of my neighbours has had to handle a pair of my pants.’

  Nicholas laughed and Yiannis looked completely bemused.

  ‘Come on, Yiannis, help me serve up this food,’ Emma said, taking plates to the breakfast bar.

  ‘Melly’s beautiful isn’t she?’ Nicholas remarked to Freya.

  Freya put her little finger into the tiny hand of the baby and smiled as Melissa tightened her grip around it.

  ‘Yes she is. She has her mother’s good looks and her father’s brooding Greek eyes.’

  ‘I wonder what our baby’s going to look like.’

  ‘Hopefully he or she will have their father’s good looks and restraint when it comes to food and their mother’s dynamic wit and sparkling personality.’

  ‘And lots of health and happiness,’ Nicholas added.

  ‘And some normality. Please, God, a shed load of normality,’ Freya begged.

  ‘Let’s toast that thought with one of Bruce’s chicken balls,’ Nicholas suggested.

  ‘One? I’ve been out of proper eating action for a week. I hope Emma ordered big.’