first_in_time | This Can Hardly Wait

Barbara glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. Ian's break time had just started. She knew because he sometimes called her instead of going into the staff room and eating with everyone else. Today, however, she wasn't going to give him the chance to eat for the moment, not with such important news.

The dial tone ws loud and clear as Barbara picked up their telephone, and each number she punched in had it's own sound to make. When she heard the ringing on the other end, her heart sped up and almost leapt from her mouth when a secretary answered.

"Yes, hello. I'd like to speak to Ian Chesterton please. This is his wife."

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From:

first_in_time

Barbara happily took John then kissed Harry on the cheek. "Thank you for coming," she said in all seriousness, "it feels as though we've barely seen you these past few months."

"You haven't. That's the problem with jobs and babies and girlfriends. They all take up so much time."

"But we love them," Barbara added and hugged John a little tighter.

From:

splendid_roman

John grizzled a bit, but mostly calmed down, now he was being hugged by his mother.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, smiling a bit. "I'll come and visit again sometime when you're not in hospital and I'm not going on a date."

"We'd all love to see you again," Ian said.

Once Harry left Ian heard him say, "Hello Mum, got to dash, bye," and Ian frowned, hoping that wasn't Joan Harry was talking to.

From:

first_in_time

Unfortunately that was Joan. She glanced at Harry as he made his quick getaway, then turned to frown at Ian.

"I don't understand why Harry is always in a rush to get places," she said and took off her cardigan to lay it neatly over the end of the bed, "he's barely been home this last little while but look at you!"

Joan gave John a rare smile and reached down to pick him up for a cuddle. Barbara glanced at Ian, looking a little worried.

"We weren't expecting you," she said truthfully, "I'd say that Harry wasn't either otherwise he'd have put more tine aside for you."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian kept quiet, thinking that Joan might just ignore him and be distracted with John.

Joan sighed. "He's always rushing about. I don't know how he expects to get married and have children if he goes from one girl to another." Then she turned her attention to John. "You're such a good baby," she said to him in a baby voice.

John had gone quiet, staring up at her, appearing to be fascinated by her.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara reached out for Ian's hand while Joan was preoccupied with their child. "One day he'll get tired of it and slow down or he'll find Simone who will make him want to slow down. You just have to be patient," she told Joan.

Joan pointedly looked down her nose at Ian. "Yes. Well, we'll see."

From:

splendid_roman

Clearly John wasn't distracting enough. "I'm going to get a coffee," he said, standing up. "Would either of you like anything?"

From:

first_in_time

Joan shook her head and Barbara gave Ian's hand a squeeze before dropping it. "I would love some tea, please."

Barbara smiled at her husband until she couldn't she him any more then turned on Joan; "I know what you're trying to do. Could you please stop?"

From:

splendid_roman

"I'm not 'trying' to do anything," Joan protested, her expression one of innocence as she looked up from John. "I just want you and Harry to be happy."

From:

first_in_time

"When Harry marries - if Harry marries - are you going to make his wife feel so uncomfortable she has to leave the room, too?" Barbara asked and folded her arms.

From:

splendid_roman

She sniffed. "If Ian feels uncomfortable it's his doing, not mine."

From:

first_in_time

"No, you're pointedly trying to make him feel uncomfortable. You always do. If you wanted to have some time with just John and myself, you could have called the hospital first. I wouldn't have minded and Ian does understand."

From:

splendid_roman

Joan sighed, but said, "Perhaps I will do that," because she did want some time with just John and Barbara. "So tell me how John is doing," she said, changing the subject.

From:

first_in_time

"Well," Barbara replied happily and smiled at him, "we had no problems getting him to feed and he has already put on half a pound." It was t a lot but Barbara was happy. Very happy. "He has Ian's eyes and the nurses think he'll have my hair."

From:

splendid_roman

"That is very good. I'm very glad to hear you're putting on weight," she added to John, who wriggled. "He's certainly very active."

From:

first_in_time

"For a newborn, yes," Barbara replied, "and he loves his grandmother already by the looks of things."

From:

splendid_roman

"Of course he does." Joan smiled fondly down at John. "You know I'll babysit as often as you like."

From:

first_in_time

"I know and I'm sure that you'll have a lot of chances to babysit for us. We do like to go out every once in a while and the headmaster has dinner parties at the end of terms." Barbara just had to ensure that Ian was alright with the idea.

From:

splendid_roman

"I'll have to make the most of being a grandmother." She bounced John a little, who waved his arms in time with the bounces.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara watched from the bed, content for the moment. "I think you'll be a good grandmother," just not mother in law, "and Harry has already told me off for stealing all the thunder. He is under the impression that you won't be as interested in any children he has because I went first," Barbara chuckled.

From:

splendid_roman

Joan chuckled too. "Of course I'll be interested in all my grandchildren. I'm hoping to have more than just the one." She gave Barbara a look that told her she was expecting more than one from Barbara.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara looked back coolly. "You have two children. If we each have one baby that will give you more than one grandchild in total."

From:

splendid_roman

Joan wasn't fazed. "But you want to have more than one child. John will want a little companion."

From:

first_in_time

"Whether Johnny wants a little companion or not, we may not want to have another child. Right now I never want to give birth again." After a day she still couldn't walk properly or without hurting, and she still had the feeling of having been partially ripped in two.

From:

splendid_roman

"You'll forget how bad it was in a few years," Joan said dismissively. "And he is worth all the pain. Aren't you?" she asked John, who grunted in response.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara had stitches in a place she never thought she'd ever have stitches. There was no way she'd forget about it any time soon.

"He's certainly worth it but it isn't just my decision, it's also Ian's. He might decide that he can't handle a second baby and so we won't have one," she said and shrugged a little, "besides I'm quite content with this little one for the moment."