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It’s a dream to drive. I navigate the busy streets with ease and park in the city center. I retrieve Leia’s stroller and clip her carry seat onto it, then head toward the shops.
What follows is, quite possibly, the most fun day of my life.
I spend most of it in Baby Bump, which caters for everything a new mum could ever want. The store is on three floors, and absolutely huge. I steer clear of the maternity section on the ground floor and take the elevator up to the area that sells clothing and equipment for newborns to six months.
Maddie, of course, had everything a baby could ever need, but even so, a few items that are missing that would make my life easier. I spend ages choosing them. A lighter, easier-to-handle, foldable stroller is the most expensive item I could do with. In the past, I’ve always gone for the cheapest option. This time, I look at them all. The nicest one is four hundred dollars. Will James mind? I’m sure he won’t, if he’s bought me a car that’s three hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. I take it to the desk and leave it there.
I choose more formula and muslins. A nappy disposal bin. Some infant pain relief and a thermometer. Sun lotion and more baby bath.
I’m not that keen on the baby carrier that Maddie had, so I choose another one that I’ve seen recommended online. Eek—it’s also nearly four hundred dollars! But it’s strong and easy to put on, so I decide to take the plunge.
I choose an activity center I can slot Leia into, and a larger high chair, which she’s close to being able to use. I choose a larger playmat, another bouncy chair, and a few toys in bright colors, with extremities that rustle or rattle.
I buy her an Eeyore because it’s super cute.
A few toys for the bath go in the basket. And I laugh when I find brightly colored rattles with thick Velcro straps you can put around the baby’s wrist or ankles—what a great idea!
I take it all to the desk and use James’s card to pay. Because it’s a store for mums and they know how hard it is to juggle everything with a baby, they have assistants on hand who’ll help you take your purchases back to your car, so at least I don’t have to worry about carrying it all myself.
After everything’s in, I lock the car again and head back to the shops. Leia’s fallen asleep, and I probably have over an hour to myself.
Why not treat yourself to some clothes or jewelry today. You can do a fashion show for me later!
I stop in front of a popular store and chew my bottom lip. I could do with a few new items of clothing. Screw it. He offered—he obviously expects me to use the card.
I treat myself to two new pairs of leggings, and I’m really pleased to find a deal for some cool T-shirts that are buy-one-get-one-free. I get four for the price of two. Score!
By the time I’m done, Leia is starting to grumble, so I head back to Baby Bump, and this time go through to the back of the store where they have a baby-friendly café. I change Leia in the mother-and-baby room, treat myself to a coffee, a cheese roll, and a piece of chocolate cake on James’s card, heat up Leia’s bottle in the bottle warmer they provide for mums, then eat my lunch while I feed Leia in one of the comfortable armchairs.
Afterward, I make my way to the helpdesk and pick up some leaflets with ideas for decorating the nursery. Then, happy with my purchases, I return to the car.
I drive to Hagley Park, leave the Range Rover in the car park there, strap Leia into the new baby carrier, which is much easier to do up than Maddie’s one, and take a walk through the park to Victoria Lake, where I sit and show Leia the ducks.
After that, when we’re both starting to yawn, I drive home.
On the way, I finally let myself think about my parents, and what I’m going to tell them.
James has said that he doesn’t want anyone to know the truth—that it’s not going to be a real marriage, and I’m inclined to agree. I’m not sure I want to admit to my parents that I’m marrying an almost-stranger for a million dollars.
There might be some people who would tell me to take the money and run, but my parents aren’t two of them. They’re both proud, and they would both be horrified to think I was treating the sacred covenant of marriage with such disrespect.
I squirm a bit as I think of their reaction if I told them the truth.
No, I’m going to have to pretend it’s for real, as hard as that’s going to be. They’re still going to be puzzled and hurt when I announce that James and I snuck off to tie the knot without them, but I think they’ll believe it if I say he sprung it on me as a surprise, almost as if we eloped, if you can elope in your own town.
I kind of don’t want to see them until we’ve done the deed, because I’m sure I’m going to blurt it all out. No, I’ll call her and say I’m super busy, and maybe I can lay some groundwork during the call and say how well we’re getting on, and how much I like him.
I try not to look at myself in the rearview mirror, because I know I’m blushing.
Then I’ll take James to meet them next week. After we’re married.
When we arrive home, Leia’s dozed off, so I leave her in the car and transfer all the items into the living room before bringing her in. I’m tired, so I lift her out of her seat and bring her into bed with me, and the two of us doze off for another hour, while the cool air from the open sliding doors blows over us, bringing with it the smell of mown grass.
*
James arrives home at six thirty.
He comes in, tosses his keys and wallet on the table by the door, then walks into the kitchen and stops in surprise.
