"One last kick around and then we'll head home," Louis said to Jamie, throwing the ball to him. They'd been in the park for a good couple of hours while his mom and Charlotte's were visiting the baby. So far, both women hadn't got over the novelty for having a new grandchild and their steady stream of visits was becoming suffocating.

"Do you think the grandmas' will have gone yet?" Jamie asked holding the ball to his chest.

Louis crossed his fingers. "Hopefully, then we can all have a bit of peace."

"Until the baby starts crying," Jamie said, and Louis was not sure if he heard a hint of resentment in his voice.

"He'll save that for the middle of the night," he said jovially. "Once we're all asleep the wailing will start."

"It's okay," Jamie said with a half-smile. "He doesn't wake me up, or not for long anyway."

"That's good, at least one of us is getting a decent night's sleep." He and Charlotte were treading extra carefully with Jamie; they were well aware he might feel insecure, especially when they had no idea what Nick might be whispering in his ear.

"Lou?"

"Yeah?"

Jamie looked up at him with a serious expression on his face. "Are you and mommy gonna get married?"

Louis shoved his hands into his pockets, playing for time. "It's funny you should ask that." He contemplated the boy, mindful that the past few months had to be pretty confusing for him. "Would you like us to?"

Jamie bobbed his head. "Well you are living together and you have a baby, and Junior was saying..." His face went red.

"I dread to think what Junior was saying." He chuckled under his breath, "Whatever it was, don't repeat it to your mom."

"I won't, pinkie promise." He looked up at Louis again, pushing his wavy brown hair out of his eyes. "But are you going to get married?"

"I'd like to." However, convincing Charlotte was another matter so he'd dropped the subject when they'd had more pressing things to deal with. "Would you be happy if we did? I know one thing for certain, your mom wouldn't marry me if you were dead set against it." Okay, he hadn't planned on asking Jamie for his permission but it probably wouldn't hurt to.

Jamie grinned. "I think you should get married, and not just cos Junior...I think it's a good idea. I think mommy will be happy if you ask her."

"I hope so." Silently, they walked out of the park while Louis mulled over popping the question to Charlotte.

"So will you ask mommy when we get home?" Jamie suddenly said, his voice brimming with excitement. "Have you got her a ring yet."

"I have, as it happens." 

"So are you gonna ask her today?"

Louis cleared his throat. "I think I should plan it properly and wait for the right time."

Jamie looked up at him, disappointment etched on his face. "But you said you've already got her a ring. Why are you waiting unless you don't want to get married and you're scared to tell me the truth?"

"It's not that," Louis said quickly. 

"So why not ask her now?"

Why not indeed, Louis thought as Jamie eagerly awaited his answer. He'd waited for the right time once before, and he'd spent years regretting it. There would never be the perfect moment. "Okay then," he said putting Jamie out of his misery. "Let's hope your mom says yes."

"She will, I just know it! It's not like anyone else is gonna ask her."

Louis gave him a mock stern look. "And that's something else you're not to repeat to her."

                                                                              ~~~

Charlotte looked pointedly at the clock as her mother showed no signs of leaving. For good effect, she let out a long, exaggerated yawn.

"Are you tired?" her mom asked, taking her eyes off the baby who had been sleeping for the past hour and doing nothing of any interest. 

"Yes, I am." She let out another yawn, this one for real. "I was up three times during the night."

"You should sleep when the baby does."

The chance to would be a fine thing! "That's what everyone says but it's not so easy when I have visitors all the time."

Her mother frowned slightly. "Yes, I was quite surprised to see Mrs Kinsella here again but at least she didn't stay too long."

"No, she doesn't tend to." Thankfully, she was getting along with Louis's mom far better than she ever had, both of them being careful not to step on each other's toes. Her own mother was a different story. Having missed out on Jamie's early years, she was determined to spend as much time as possible with her new grandchild.

"So would you like me to stay and make dinner," her mother asked interrupting her thoughts. "Since you're so tired?"

"No! I mean no, it's fine," Charlotte said, forcing herself to sound grateful. "I can manage."

"I won't stay then." Her mother gave her a disappointed look but she refused to relent.

"I'll see you out." She rose to her feet, but before she could show her mother out Jamie came bounding into the room, Louis following behind him.

"Mommy, Lou has something to ask you?"

"No, I don't. I mean, not yet anyway," Louis said hushing Jamie. "Hi, Mrs Harper." He nodded at Charlotte's mom and she responded in kind, their relationship cordial rather than warm. "I'm just going to find something, I won't be a moment."

Charlotte watched him curiously as he left the room, Jamie standing beside her giggling. 

"Well, I guess I should go now," her mom said finally standing up. She hugged Jamie and gave the baby a long lingering look. "Tell Louis I said goodbye."

"I will," Charlotte said breathing a sigh of relief as she ushered her out of the door. Once she'd gone she went back in the living room and began to tidy up the cups and plates they'd been using, now and then glancing at Andrew who was still sleeping.

"Can you leave that for now," Louis said as he stepped into the room. "I'll clear them away in a minute."

She paused, something in his voice piquing her interest. "What's going on?" she asked looking from him to Jamie. They were definitely up to something.

"I think you should sit down."

She frowned but did as he asked, and Jamie sat down beside her. "I hope this isn't going to be bad news," she said but she knew it couldn't be or he'd have asked Jamie to leave the room.

"No, it isn't bad news, at least I hope it's not." Louis cleared his throat as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "This isn't exactly how I planned to do this but I think we've gone way past the hearts and flowers stage." 

She nodded, her mouth suddenly dry. "Go on."

"Okay, we've been living together for a while and that's been going pretty well but we did kinda drift into it. What with my lease not being renewed and the baby coming along. The thing is, I don't want to feel like we're little more than accidental room-mates." He looked at Jamie who was almost bouncing in his seat. "I want this to be permanent. I want us, all of us, to have a life together."

"So do I," she said thinking that was the direction they were heading in and his face broke into a smile.

"Right." He reached into his pocket and then dropped down onto one knee. "Charlotte, will you marry me."

She gasped as he held out the ring he'd bought all those years ago. "Oh, Louis I..."

"I can get you a different ring if you want, I don't mind if you want to pick something yourself."

She shook her head, her eyes welling up. "No, it's perfect." Tentatively she tried it on for the first time, admiring how it looked on her hand.

"So is that a yes?" Louis asked, still on one knee in front of her. "You haven't actually answered."

"Say yes, mommy," Jamie urged leaning over to look at the ring.

"Yes," she said, smiling broadly. "Yes, of course, it's a yes." She reached over to Louis and hugged him; she felt him let out a deep breath as he hugged her back. Beside them, Jamie squealed and the baby began to murmur.

"Sorry," he said when Andrew started full-on crying.

"It's fine," she said getting to her feet. She reached into the cot and settled the baby in her arms, quietly soothing him. She turned to look at Jamie and Louis, her heart bursting. "I couldn't be any happier than I am right now. With you, my family."

                                                                           ~~~

                                                                       The end.

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