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."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

splendid_roman

"You should have him on a routine," Joan said, as she handed John over. "So he eats at particular times, then you'll know if he's hungry."

Ian stayed out of the way and drunk his coffee. There was nothing he could say that would help.

From:

first_in_time

"He's a day old. We're still pulling the routine together," Barbara argued and arranged herself to feed John which made him happy enough to stop crying. "He's actually meant to be asleep but Harry decided that cuddles were better."

From:

splendid_roman

"Hmm." Joan didn't sound impressed by that. "You'll have to make sure Harry knows what he can and can't do with the baby."

From:

first_in_time

"It's under control," Barbara told Joan tiredly and sat back.

"And you've quit the armed forces I hear," Joan said to Ian once it was clear that Barbara had nothing more to say. "Why?"

From:

splendid_roman

"I didn't want to spend time away from John," Ian said, and sipped his coffee, hoping Joan would understand that reasoning.

From:

first_in_time

"But it's your duty to provide," Joan frowned.

Barbara sighed and carefully rubbed at her forehead so that she didn't unsettle John (who was by that time falling asleep at Barbara's breast). "Ian is providing. He has a teaching qualification and scientific knowledge, so he's teaching science in a high school."

From:

splendid_roman

"It's not as good a job, though, is it?" Joan said, looking over at Ian.

"It's good enough," Ian said. "It'll earn me enough money to keep us all."

From:

first_in_time

"I think it's a noble profession," Barbara said confidently and smiled at Ian. Joan sighed and sat on the side of the bed.

"Well I don't think so. It doesn't pay well and the hours are dreadful. At least you're out of it now," she said to Barbara then added to Ian: "and after a month on one teacher's wages you'll realise that you we far better off in Her Majesty's service."

Barbara hadn't noticed that John had fallen asleep, leaving her somewhat exposed. "I'm returning to work as soon as I'm able and we've got savings which will last us for a while yet."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian had smiled back at Barbara, but suppressed a sigh at Joan's continued complaint. She hadn't been happy when he was in the army, so he couldn't imagine that going back would make much difference.

"You can't do that!" Joan sounded horrified. "John needs you at home."

Ian let Barbara answer that. If she wanted to go back to work he wasn't going to complain (and could hardly stop her).

From:

first_in_time

"I'm going back part time. Maybe two days at first and then increase it to three or four until John is old enough to go to school himself." It was perfectly reasonable to Barbara and it had been discussed between herself and Ian. Audrey didn't really have much of a say in it.

From:

splendid_roman

"You'll change your mind at wanting to leave John," was all Joan said.

"We can think about that when the time comes," Ian said.

From:

first_in_time

"We can," Barbara agreed and after a moment of sitting quietly, she raised that John was asleep. She fixed herself and held the baby out to Ian; "could you put him in the bassonet, please?"

From:

splendid_roman

Ian put his coffee down and took John gently and put him in his bassinet, without waking him up. He used the excuse to stay there, looking down at him and not talking to Joan.

"I suppose I should go," Joan said, picking up her cardigan. "I can't come tomorrow, but I may visit again the day after."

From:

first_in_time

"If you call first I can make sure that Harry stays long enough to talk with you," Barbara said conversationally. Calling first would also be a good warning for Ian.

"I'll do that if I remember," she said and kissed Barbara's cheek then went to kiss John's forehead. Her only acknowledgement of Ian was to look down her nose at him once again before turning and walking out the door.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian sighed when she'd gone, but reminded himself he didn't want to wake John up. "I thought she'd at least be too interested in John to lecture us," he said, returning to his coffee.

From:

first_in_time

"Never." Barbara watched him for a moment. She hated the way Joan always tried to make Ian feel as though he wasn't good enough at anything. She was meant to be her mother; shouldn't she be happy Over Barbara being happy?

Carefully she shuffled to the other side of the bed and then patted the space beside her. "Come and sit here. I think I could do with a cuddle."

From:

splendid_roman

He kicked off his shoes first, then put his coffee down, before getting up on the bed beside Barbara. He put his arms round her and comforted himself with his face in her hair for a moment. "How's John been today?" John was a far better topic of conversation than Joan.

From:

first_in_time

"Hungry," Barbara replied and turned herself a little so that she might rest her head against his shoulder. "He's becoming a little more active and his skin is taking on a nicer colour - did you notice? And nurse are telling me how beautiful he is all the time." She smiled up at Ian and kissed his cheek.

From:

splendid_roman

"I have noticed. And he is beautiful," he agreed, smiling back. "Although we'll have to change that to handsome sometime, or he'll start to wonder if we think he's a girl."