‘Every happiness, Rob,’ he said. ‘I won’t think of it as losing a father-in-law so much as gaining a goose.’
Rob smiled. ‘Aye, it’ll be an experience sharing a home wi’ that pet of hers. Still, she’s worth it for all her funny ways.’
Tony looked rather thrilled, which Bobby assumed had more to do with no longer having to share a home with his father-in-law than her dad’s news. He shook Rob’s hand heartily.
‘We’ll miss you, old man,’ he said.
Rob laughed. ‘Like heck you will.’ He glanced from Bobby to Lil. ‘And what do you pair have to say about it?’
‘Well, I mean… congratulations,’ Lil said, planting a bewildered kiss on his cheek. ‘Every happiness and all that. But I wish you’d told us sooner, Dad. Three weeks isn’t long to plan a wedding.’
‘Oh, it’s plenty for a couple of old fogies like us. We’ve been talking about setting up home for months, but Maim wouldn’t commit till she’d squared it with Her Ladyship. I told her I’d be ready with the licence as soon as she gave me the nod.’
Bobby finally recovered enough to smile at him. ‘You sly thing. So that’s what’s had you in a good mood the last few months, is it? I wondered what could be putting the grin on your face.’
‘You approve then?’
‘You could knock me down with a feather but yes, I’ve always liked Maimie Hobbes. Does Topsy know?’
‘Not yet. Maim’s breaking the news now.’
The rest of the family chimed in with congratulations, and Rob was beaming by the time they settled down to eat. Bobby was so knocked for six that she was halfway through her meal before she remembered that she, too, had some news to break at what was turning into a highly eventful family dinner. The thought seemed to occur to Charlie at the same time.
‘When?’ he murmured.
‘Wait till everyone’s eaten,’ she whispered back.
Bobby hoped that by the time everyone had finished their puddings, they would have recovered enough from the previous bombshells to be ready for one more.
‘Well, shall we gents go into the parlour for a smoke and leave the girls to have a gossip?’ Reg asked when everyone had cleared their plates. ‘I feel like we’ve all been too much surprised to chip in with the required amount of back-slapping and hand-shaking, but there’s plenty of time to set that right. It’s only a shame we’ve got no cigars.’
‘Happy to donate a few fags from my supply,’ Tony said.
Mary shook her head. ‘Oh no you don’t, Tony Scott. I’ve just got that ceiling clean. If you boys want to smoke those smelly Egyptian things, you can do it outside.’
Bobby nudged Charlie before the family began to disperse.
‘Yes. Right.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Um, Bobby and I are expecting a baby.’
She shook her head at him. ‘You couldn’t have built up to it a bit more?’
‘I thought there’d been enough suspense for one afternoon.’
‘Fair enough.’
This announcement didn’t seem to produce quite the shockwaves the previous two had. Lilian had been expecting it, of course, and Mary didn’t seem excessively surprised. The men looked a little dazed, perhaps. The girls, as Charlie had predicted, squealed with delight.
‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ Florrie demanded to know.
Bobby laughed. ‘Yes.’
‘I hope it’s a boy.’
‘I hope it’s a girl,’ Jessie said. ‘If it is, will she be called after me?’
‘No, she should be called after me,’ Florrie said. ‘I’m oldest.’
‘I’m committing to nothing until he or she arrives,’ Bobby said with a smile.
