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Paige was already sat next to Alfie on a barstool, her hand on the back of his stool and they were chatting away, Alfie with a huge grin on his face, and actually Paige’s smile wasn’t that far off either. Which for Paige was saying a lot.
‘Alf, this is my mate Sophie.’ Paige nodded her head towards Sophie.
‘How do you do?’ Sophie asked, hand outstretched.
Paige frowned and quickly shook her head at Sophie. ‘He’s not a prince, Sophie, just be normal.’
‘I am being normal,’ Sophie replied, blushing furiously, as she placed her coat on the side.
Melanie was at a loss.
‘So Alf, Sophie here wants to learn what it’s like hanging out with kids. I told her you were the best kid to hang out with. So here we are. We also thought we could help watch you tonight if that’s OK with Auntie Mel, so she can get some of her super important work done. What do you think?’
‘You’re pretty,’ Alfie said to Sophie. ‘Do you really not know any other kids?’
Sophie shook her head.
‘Not even Jacob in my class at school? He told me he knows everyone.’
Sophie shook her head again. ‘Erm no. I don’t think I know Jacob.’
Melanie made her way around the kitchen island, pausing on the other side of Paige.
‘You want to practice being around kids by using my nephew?’ Melanie whispered towards Paige.
‘Sophie does, yeah. But I figured we could help out with some babysitting. You can sit at the island and do some work? Would that be OK? You’d be really helping us out, and you’d be here the whole time.’
Random, but how could she say no to that? They needed her help, well more precisely they needed Alfie’s help. ‘Alfie, can Paige and Sophie hang out with us tonight?’
Alfie nodded and carried on eating his food. ‘I missed you today, Pwaige.’
Melanie saw Paige’s shoulders tense up and her eyes widen with shock. ‘You did?’
‘Yeah. I’m glad you’re here now.’
Paige clearly had no idea what to do with that. Sophie looked like she might cry. Melanie had no idea what was going on so she walked back around the island towards Sophie.
‘Why do you need Alfie’s help?’ Melanie asked quietly.
‘Well, Marcus and I are wondering whether or not to stop using contraception. We’re not sure either of us are ready, or if it’s the right time work wise. We don’t have any friends in our groups with kids, and we’ve none of us really been around babies, and honestly, I thought Paige was going to be the worst with kids. You know how grumpy she can be. But I guess I was wrong.’
Melanie was shocked and knew it must show on her face. She couldn’t believe Sophie Bowman, the Sophie Bowman, had just confessed to maybe thinking about starting a family. Melanie could still not get to grips with the idea that she was maybe sort of friends with a celebrity. It continued to blow her mind.
But she was going to be chill. She wasn’t going to fan girl.
‘Cool.’
Too chill. Now she just sounded odd.
‘So . . . what’s the plan, does he have a routine?’ Sophie asked.
‘Yeah, normally after dinner we read his school books.’ Melanie looked over and saw Paige and Alfie were once again in serious conversation. ‘Then it’s bath, milk, more books and bed. But tonight, I guess, I’ll do his bath, get his PJs on then you guys can do the rest. Or try to.’ Melanie looked over at Paige.
‘Oh, don’t worry. Paige will totally take the lead. I have no idea what I’m doing.’
Melanie was not full of confidence, but she’d be here if there were any problems, and Alfie seemed happy, and if she got the forecasting done tonight, then that meant when she got home later she could do some planning for the art project. She looked up and saw Paige frowning at her.
‘What?’
