oh, nostalgia. [standalone.]
July 2004.
They’re sixteen and naive.
They’ve known each other for four years now, dated for two. They’re going steady, going strong; Jack and Alex, and Alex and Jack.
But that doesn’t make it any easier for Alex when his palms sweat and his muscles tense when he tells Jack that ‘I’m pregnant.’
Jack’s expression falters for the tiniest of moments and then he embraces Alex, tells him everything will be okay and that he will support him and their baby no matter what.
They tell their parents, and Alex’s mother is just thrilled to be grandmother when she had thought the window of opportunity had already closed, whereas Jack’s choose only to berate their youngest child for everything he’s done thus far in his short life, up to and including the pregnancy of his boyfriend.
But ultimately, everyone warms to the idea, and Jack’s older sister immediately demands that, should the baby be a girl, it is named after her.
Zack and Rian find out from their parents, who find out from Alex and Jack’s parents, and so at school the next day, both boys are presented with a variety of old and new baby clothes, in an array of suitably placid and pale colours.
Jack finds himself reaching over to touch Alex’s stomach gently during classes where they sit together.
September 2004.
Alex is almost seventeen. He’s also two and a half months pregnant, only a vaguely visible bump beneath his regular clothes.
Jack knows from the moment Alex arrives at his home in tears at three in the morning that something has happened.
Jack embraces him carefully, guides him to take a seat on his bed and coaxes the information from the mind of his tearful better half.
September is the month Alex loses the baby.
March 2005.
Jack is approaching seventeen, and the end of junior year is creeping ever nearer.
They’ve talked, since Alex lost the baby, but not as much as they used to. They’re hanging on, but only just. That baby broke them. It held them together, then it broke them apart all over again.
Alex had even started thinking of names. Jack knows. In the spare cupboard in Alex’s room is a box full of baby clothes, shoes, blankets and other tiny items now destined to never be used, there’s a baby name book. A few names are highlighted; Lola, Justin, Dillon, Alyssa, Patrick. His favourites have smiley faces and tiny, ball point pen hearts around them.
They haven’t talked about the baby, or what kind of a future they might be able to salvage. Not once, not since that night when everything was broken.
June 2006.
Jack is eighteen in two weeks and three days. They’re graduating today, which is often slated as the best day of any teenagers life, but all Alex can think about is that, were they still here, their little boy or girl would be nearly a year and a half old by now.
But they’re not. They died before they even stood a chance.
He’s sitting between Jack and Zack, and the dark haired boy is holding his hand as someone gives a speech. Alex isn’t listening. The last words he really heard were, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Gaskarth, you’ve miscarried your baby.’
Jack gives Alex a promise ring after the ceremony. Alex cried throughout, pretending he was upset at the prospect of never having to see almost all of these people ever again, when he was actually upsetting himself with thoughts of the child he never had.
Jack promises to never leave him, and to always look after him and to support him in everything does.
Alex looks up promise rings online that night, and discovers they are often used as pre-engagement rings.
He smiles, bigger than he has since that September almost two years ago.
August 2008.
They’re twenty now, and have been apart since they both started college.
Alex lives in New York now, has new friends, but held on to the important ones -namely Zack, and only Zack. He attends Brooklyn College and is happier than he’s been in a long time.
Jack lives in Las Vegas with new friends and more importantly, a new girlfriend -because apparently Alex isn’t even worth the distance any more.
Jack lied.
It wasn’t the first time.
Alex lives with one of the girls in one of his classes; her name’s Hayley, she’s tiny and pale and has brightly coloured hair cut to her shoulders. Everyone thinks they’re dating, but she has a boyfriend and Alex is less than interested in anyone who is of the opposite sex.
They share a room, but there are two single beds. They have a window each, with a ledge to fill with random items.
Alex’s has a photograph of him, Jack, Zack and Rian from graduation, and the empty box that held the promise ring that still sits on his right hand ring finger. He never had the heart to take it off.
Hayley found out she was pregnant last month. Alex is infinitely jealous, but only until Hayley sits him down, holds one of his hands and cups his cheek with the other, and asks if he’d like to come to all the sonogram appointments with her.
Alex says yes.
Jack finds out from Zack what Alex is doing, and he feels himself sadden at the thought that they could’ve had this. If only he’d tried to pull his nerve together, he and Alex could’ve had everything.
December 2008.
Both Alex and Jack are home for Christmas. Alex just turned twenty one yesterday.
He’s sitting at home, holding his mother’s new puppy -he’s a Papillion, she’s thinking of calling him Sebastian- when the doorbell rings. Making sure the puppy is secure in his arms, he opens the door and blinks slowly.
Jack is standing on his doorstep with his fingers locked with the petite, tanned hand of a girl Alex assumes to be his girlfriend. She’s tiny, skinny, with bleach blonde hair, and short -shorter than Alex, even. But she’s pretty. Prettier than Alex.
Jack says his name and the newly twenty one year old snaps his attention back to him. He reluctantly invites them inside, and the girl smiles at him. It’s oddly welcoming.
Jack had forgotten how into Christmas Alex’s family are, and so when his mother comes bustling out of the kitchen with cookies and cakes, he is somewhat taken aback, but takes one anyway. She exclaims loudly that she hasn’t seen Jack around in years, and he smiles weakly and nods, not even attempting to explain.
He asks Alex how he’s been, and the older boy responds only with ‘good’, before he pulls his phone from his pocket and begins to type furiously. Not fast enough, Jack has noticed his phone’s wallpaper. It’s a photograph of one of Hayley’s sonogram images.
Jack asks what it is, and Alex explains it is his best friend’s baby; his future god-child. Jack notices the muted sadness on Alex’s face, and he knows that he’s thinking of what happened in their past.
His girlfriend takes this as an opportunity to introduce herself. Her name’s Holly, and as much as Alex wants to hate her more than anything in this world, he can’t. She’s too nice, too pretty, too much of a sweetheart to be hated. And really, she’s done nothing wrong. It was all Jack.
Jack asks him if he’s dating. Alex says no; it’s hard to when you’re hung up on the fact that you lost a child at sixteen. No one wants someone with that baggage. Jack swallows hard.
He asks if he’s still singing, still writing his own songs. Alex says yes, with a bigger smile than what is normal as of late. He explains that he’s studying performing arts, and that’s how he met Hayley.
Jack can’t help but wish he’d been with Alex for all of it.
May 2009.
Jack is back in the area again. Alex has a production on at college. Zack had told him about it, and so he and Rian were coming up from Vegas and Florida respectively to come and see it. Rian has brought his girlfriend; Cassadee ‘call me Cass’ Pope. Jack has Holly with him too, more so that he feels less alone, not that he wants her company.
Holly makes her way backstage to speak to Alex when Jack disappears off in time for Rian to introduce Cass to everyone.
Holly finds Alex in the dressing room, playing with his hair and trying to attach his microphone properly. She asks if he’d like a hand. He says yes, if she doesn’t mind. She takes the plaster tape from him and cuts a section.
She asks him about what happened in his and Jack’s past, because Jack refuses to talk about it. Alex laughs, but only slightly, because it’s so typical Jack to be like that. She asks what’s so funny. He says it’s nothing, just that Jack hasn’t changed at all since he was twelve.
Holly says that Jack told her that he’d lost his first pregnancy, and Alex says he did. Holly says that must’ve taken a toll on him.
Alex replies that yes, it did, but it took more of a toll on Jack. Holly asks why. He asks, ‘did Jack never tell you?’ She says no.
Alex swallows, tucks his bangs behind his ear and says simply, ‘it was Jack’s baby.’
July 2009.
Jack turned twenty one last month. Alex didn’t celebrate though. He was too busy celebrating the fact that he and Holly broke up.
He is currently sitting on the couch in his and Hayley’s apartment with her baby, Sophie, cuddled up on his lap. She’s cute. Zack is over, somewhere, and Hayley is at the airport to pick up her boyfriend, who just flew in from Nashville.
Zack re-emerges from the kitchen, forces his phone back into his pocket and takes a seat beside Alex. He says that Jack is coming home for summer soon. Alex nods, not thoroughly sure how he is supposed to respond. Zack asks if they’re going to see each other. Alex says no, probably not.
Zack’s knowing smirk makes Alex uneasy.
August 2009.
Alex is in Baltimore again. He’s sitting with Zack, Rian and Cass, on a bench outside of the local pizza takeout place. He doesn’t know what they’re waiting for. He realizes, though, when Jack’s car (that he clearly kept from his teenage years) pulls up in front of them and the window rolls down. Zack exchanges a glance with Rian.
Jack leans out of the window and asks Alex if he’d like to come with him. Alex hesitates for a moment. Zack elbows him in the side and pushes the small of his back. He stands, opens the passenger door and fastens his seatbelt. Jack gives Zack a thankful look that only Alex misses.
The boys sit in silence as Jack drives. Alex doesn’t know where they’re going, nor does he care to find out.
He doesn’t notice that the car has stopped until Jack opens the passenger side door and holds out his hand for Alex to take. The older boy shakes his head.
Jack asks him what’s wrong as they walk along in no given direction; just whichever way Jack’s feet decide to take them. Alex shrugs as a response, but in his head he says, ‘I am still not over you.’
November 2009.
Jack is back again. He’s alone. Holly doesn’t care anymore and no one knows where, exactly, Alex is.
Mr. and Mrs Gaskarth find him sitting on their doorstep, waiting. For what, exactly, they can’t decipher, but they let him inside and explain that Alex went out with some of his friends from college and he should be back soon.
Alex returns an hour later, almost exactly. He’s holding the hand of a boy named Paul, Jack later discovers.
Paul looks a lot like Jack but is a little more emotional, and that’s why Alex enjoys his company. It’s like the old days without the problems.
Or at least, it was, until Alex notices Jack sitting on the sidewalk outside of his home.
He releases Paul’s hand and moves, crouches down in front of the younger boy. Neither of them says a word; Paul knows where he’s not wanted and skulks off. Jack looks up, and brown eyes lock.
Jack says he’s sorry. Alex asks what for. Jack says everything.
February 2010.
Both boys are back in Baltimore -for good this time.
Alex is sick of trying and Jack is sick of hiding.
They don’t mean to run into each other the first time that they do, but Zack and Rian have engineered the whole sorry event so that they will.
Alex is leaving Starbucks at precisely 3.02pm, like he does every Tuesday, and Jack just so happens to be crossing the street to go inside. Perfectly planned.
Alex says hello first. Jack nods.
Alex looks at the two coffees in his hands. One is his, and the other is Zack’s, even though he knows that it isn’t his favourite. He’d know this order anywhere. It’s obnoxiously long and totally irrelevant to life unless one is ordering coffee for Jack Barakat. Which he wasn’t, until he hands the coffee over to the darker haired boy.
Jack thanks him quietly. Alex asks him what’s wrong, resting a gentle hand on his upper arm. Jack just says, ‘loss, constant loss.’
Alex hugs him around the waist, shifting his arms awkwardly.
It’s not heartfelt, nor is it beautiful.
But it’s a start.
April 2010.
They’re going slowly.
They’re taking their time and appreciating all that they have.
Jack asks Alex out at least every week; they go to the same restaurant, sit at the same table and eat the same food but learn different things from the other. Alex asks Jack to the movies at least twice a month; be it a drive in or a theatre or even his bedroom with the lights off under the covers.
They’re falling in love all over again.
December 2010.
Today is Alex’s twenty third birthday. Jack is nervous.
The weight of a rounded edged box sits heavy in his jacket pocket.
He’s waiting outside the Gaskarth home for the older boy; they’re going on one of their traditional, weekly dates. Except tonight is different. Same Alex, same Jack, same food, same place.
But the night ends differently; with Jack down on one knee, the box from his jacket opened and waiting for Alex’s answer.
Alex’s expression falters, but only for a second. Then he’s crying, hot tears clinging to his eyelashes as he says, ‘yes!’
Jack grins, watches as Alex pulls the ring from the casing and slides it onto his left hand ring finger.
This is the best thing he could’ve ever done.
July 2014.
They’re twenty six.
Alex is in hospital. Jack is sitting next to him, holding one of his hands loosely. Resting on his chest is the sleeping, snuffling form of a baby girl. Their baby girl. Lola. Lola May Barakat.
Jack leans in to Alex and tells him he’s amazing. Alex laughs. Lola sniffles gently.
Jack kisses the top of her head and picks her up carefully. He holds her against his chest and knocks his head against Alex’s. The older boy laughs and closes his eyes; he’s tired, but she was worth it.
Jack kisses Lola on the forehead, kisses Alex on the lips before they both look down at their daughter, who is wriggling and squirming in her father’s arms.
Jack smiles, and says, ‘she’s the best thing we’ve ever done.’
They’re sixteen and naive.
They’ve known each other for four years now, dated for two. They’re going steady, going strong; Jack and Alex, and Alex and Jack.
But that doesn’t make it any easier for Alex when his palms sweat and his muscles tense when he tells Jack that ‘I’m pregnant.’
Jack’s expression falters for the tiniest of moments and then he embraces Alex, tells him everything will be okay and that he will support him and their baby no matter what.
They tell their parents, and Alex’s mother is just thrilled to be grandmother when she had thought the window of opportunity had already closed, whereas Jack’s choose only to berate their youngest child for everything he’s done thus far in his short life, up to and including the pregnancy of his boyfriend.
But ultimately, everyone warms to the idea, and Jack’s older sister immediately demands that, should the baby be a girl, it is named after her.
Zack and Rian find out from their parents, who find out from Alex and Jack’s parents, and so at school the next day, both boys are presented with a variety of old and new baby clothes, in an array of suitably placid and pale colours.
Jack finds himself reaching over to touch Alex’s stomach gently during classes where they sit together.
September 2004.
Alex is almost seventeen. He’s also two and a half months pregnant, only a vaguely visible bump beneath his regular clothes.
Jack knows from the moment Alex arrives at his home in tears at three in the morning that something has happened.
Jack embraces him carefully, guides him to take a seat on his bed and coaxes the information from the mind of his tearful better half.
September is the month Alex loses the baby.
March 2005.
Jack is approaching seventeen, and the end of junior year is creeping ever nearer.
They’ve talked, since Alex lost the baby, but not as much as they used to. They’re hanging on, but only just. That baby broke them. It held them together, then it broke them apart all over again.
Alex had even started thinking of names. Jack knows. In the spare cupboard in Alex’s room is a box full of baby clothes, shoes, blankets and other tiny items now destined to never be used, there’s a baby name book. A few names are highlighted; Lola, Justin, Dillon, Alyssa, Patrick. His favourites have smiley faces and tiny, ball point pen hearts around them.
They haven’t talked about the baby, or what kind of a future they might be able to salvage. Not once, not since that night when everything was broken.
June 2006.
Jack is eighteen in two weeks and three days. They’re graduating today, which is often slated as the best day of any teenagers life, but all Alex can think about is that, were they still here, their little boy or girl would be nearly a year and a half old by now.
But they’re not. They died before they even stood a chance.
He’s sitting between Jack and Zack, and the dark haired boy is holding his hand as someone gives a speech. Alex isn’t listening. The last words he really heard were, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Gaskarth, you’ve miscarried your baby.’
Jack gives Alex a promise ring after the ceremony. Alex cried throughout, pretending he was upset at the prospect of never having to see almost all of these people ever again, when he was actually upsetting himself with thoughts of the child he never had.
Jack promises to never leave him, and to always look after him and to support him in everything does.
Alex looks up promise rings online that night, and discovers they are often used as pre-engagement rings.
He smiles, bigger than he has since that September almost two years ago.
August 2008.
They’re twenty now, and have been apart since they both started college.
Alex lives in New York now, has new friends, but held on to the important ones -namely Zack, and only Zack. He attends Brooklyn College and is happier than he’s been in a long time.
Jack lives in Las Vegas with new friends and more importantly, a new girlfriend -because apparently Alex isn’t even worth the distance any more.
Jack lied.
It wasn’t the first time.
Alex lives with one of the girls in one of his classes; her name’s Hayley, she’s tiny and pale and has brightly coloured hair cut to her shoulders. Everyone thinks they’re dating, but she has a boyfriend and Alex is less than interested in anyone who is of the opposite sex.
They share a room, but there are two single beds. They have a window each, with a ledge to fill with random items.
Alex’s has a photograph of him, Jack, Zack and Rian from graduation, and the empty box that held the promise ring that still sits on his right hand ring finger. He never had the heart to take it off.
Hayley found out she was pregnant last month. Alex is infinitely jealous, but only until Hayley sits him down, holds one of his hands and cups his cheek with the other, and asks if he’d like to come to all the sonogram appointments with her.
Alex says yes.
Jack finds out from Zack what Alex is doing, and he feels himself sadden at the thought that they could’ve had this. If only he’d tried to pull his nerve together, he and Alex could’ve had everything.
December 2008.
Both Alex and Jack are home for Christmas. Alex just turned twenty one yesterday.
He’s sitting at home, holding his mother’s new puppy -he’s a Papillion, she’s thinking of calling him Sebastian- when the doorbell rings. Making sure the puppy is secure in his arms, he opens the door and blinks slowly.
Jack is standing on his doorstep with his fingers locked with the petite, tanned hand of a girl Alex assumes to be his girlfriend. She’s tiny, skinny, with bleach blonde hair, and short -shorter than Alex, even. But she’s pretty. Prettier than Alex.
Jack says his name and the newly twenty one year old snaps his attention back to him. He reluctantly invites them inside, and the girl smiles at him. It’s oddly welcoming.
Jack had forgotten how into Christmas Alex’s family are, and so when his mother comes bustling out of the kitchen with cookies and cakes, he is somewhat taken aback, but takes one anyway. She exclaims loudly that she hasn’t seen Jack around in years, and he smiles weakly and nods, not even attempting to explain.
He asks Alex how he’s been, and the older boy responds only with ‘good’, before he pulls his phone from his pocket and begins to type furiously. Not fast enough, Jack has noticed his phone’s wallpaper. It’s a photograph of one of Hayley’s sonogram images.
Jack asks what it is, and Alex explains it is his best friend’s baby; his future god-child. Jack notices the muted sadness on Alex’s face, and he knows that he’s thinking of what happened in their past.
His girlfriend takes this as an opportunity to introduce herself. Her name’s Holly, and as much as Alex wants to hate her more than anything in this world, he can’t. She’s too nice, too pretty, too much of a sweetheart to be hated. And really, she’s done nothing wrong. It was all Jack.
Jack asks him if he’s dating. Alex says no; it’s hard to when you’re hung up on the fact that you lost a child at sixteen. No one wants someone with that baggage. Jack swallows hard.
He asks if he’s still singing, still writing his own songs. Alex says yes, with a bigger smile than what is normal as of late. He explains that he’s studying performing arts, and that’s how he met Hayley.
Jack can’t help but wish he’d been with Alex for all of it.
May 2009.
Jack is back in the area again. Alex has a production on at college. Zack had told him about it, and so he and Rian were coming up from Vegas and Florida respectively to come and see it. Rian has brought his girlfriend; Cassadee ‘call me Cass’ Pope. Jack has Holly with him too, more so that he feels less alone, not that he wants her company.
Holly makes her way backstage to speak to Alex when Jack disappears off in time for Rian to introduce Cass to everyone.
Holly finds Alex in the dressing room, playing with his hair and trying to attach his microphone properly. She asks if he’d like a hand. He says yes, if she doesn’t mind. She takes the plaster tape from him and cuts a section.
She asks him about what happened in his and Jack’s past, because Jack refuses to talk about it. Alex laughs, but only slightly, because it’s so typical Jack to be like that. She asks what’s so funny. He says it’s nothing, just that Jack hasn’t changed at all since he was twelve.
Holly says that Jack told her that he’d lost his first pregnancy, and Alex says he did. Holly says that must’ve taken a toll on him.
Alex replies that yes, it did, but it took more of a toll on Jack. Holly asks why. He asks, ‘did Jack never tell you?’ She says no.
Alex swallows, tucks his bangs behind his ear and says simply, ‘it was Jack’s baby.’
July 2009.
Jack turned twenty one last month. Alex didn’t celebrate though. He was too busy celebrating the fact that he and Holly broke up.
He is currently sitting on the couch in his and Hayley’s apartment with her baby, Sophie, cuddled up on his lap. She’s cute. Zack is over, somewhere, and Hayley is at the airport to pick up her boyfriend, who just flew in from Nashville.
Zack re-emerges from the kitchen, forces his phone back into his pocket and takes a seat beside Alex. He says that Jack is coming home for summer soon. Alex nods, not thoroughly sure how he is supposed to respond. Zack asks if they’re going to see each other. Alex says no, probably not.
Zack’s knowing smirk makes Alex uneasy.
August 2009.
Alex is in Baltimore again. He’s sitting with Zack, Rian and Cass, on a bench outside of the local pizza takeout place. He doesn’t know what they’re waiting for. He realizes, though, when Jack’s car (that he clearly kept from his teenage years) pulls up in front of them and the window rolls down. Zack exchanges a glance with Rian.
Jack leans out of the window and asks Alex if he’d like to come with him. Alex hesitates for a moment. Zack elbows him in the side and pushes the small of his back. He stands, opens the passenger door and fastens his seatbelt. Jack gives Zack a thankful look that only Alex misses.
The boys sit in silence as Jack drives. Alex doesn’t know where they’re going, nor does he care to find out.
He doesn’t notice that the car has stopped until Jack opens the passenger side door and holds out his hand for Alex to take. The older boy shakes his head.
Jack asks him what’s wrong as they walk along in no given direction; just whichever way Jack’s feet decide to take them. Alex shrugs as a response, but in his head he says, ‘I am still not over you.’
November 2009.
Jack is back again. He’s alone. Holly doesn’t care anymore and no one knows where, exactly, Alex is.
Mr. and Mrs Gaskarth find him sitting on their doorstep, waiting. For what, exactly, they can’t decipher, but they let him inside and explain that Alex went out with some of his friends from college and he should be back soon.
Alex returns an hour later, almost exactly. He’s holding the hand of a boy named Paul, Jack later discovers.
Paul looks a lot like Jack but is a little more emotional, and that’s why Alex enjoys his company. It’s like the old days without the problems.
Or at least, it was, until Alex notices Jack sitting on the sidewalk outside of his home.
He releases Paul’s hand and moves, crouches down in front of the younger boy. Neither of them says a word; Paul knows where he’s not wanted and skulks off. Jack looks up, and brown eyes lock.
Jack says he’s sorry. Alex asks what for. Jack says everything.
February 2010.
Both boys are back in Baltimore -for good this time.
Alex is sick of trying and Jack is sick of hiding.
They don’t mean to run into each other the first time that they do, but Zack and Rian have engineered the whole sorry event so that they will.
Alex is leaving Starbucks at precisely 3.02pm, like he does every Tuesday, and Jack just so happens to be crossing the street to go inside. Perfectly planned.
Alex says hello first. Jack nods.
Alex looks at the two coffees in his hands. One is his, and the other is Zack’s, even though he knows that it isn’t his favourite. He’d know this order anywhere. It’s obnoxiously long and totally irrelevant to life unless one is ordering coffee for Jack Barakat. Which he wasn’t, until he hands the coffee over to the darker haired boy.
Jack thanks him quietly. Alex asks him what’s wrong, resting a gentle hand on his upper arm. Jack just says, ‘loss, constant loss.’
Alex hugs him around the waist, shifting his arms awkwardly.
It’s not heartfelt, nor is it beautiful.
But it’s a start.
April 2010.
They’re going slowly.
They’re taking their time and appreciating all that they have.
Jack asks Alex out at least every week; they go to the same restaurant, sit at the same table and eat the same food but learn different things from the other. Alex asks Jack to the movies at least twice a month; be it a drive in or a theatre or even his bedroom with the lights off under the covers.
They’re falling in love all over again.
December 2010.
Today is Alex’s twenty third birthday. Jack is nervous.
The weight of a rounded edged box sits heavy in his jacket pocket.
He’s waiting outside the Gaskarth home for the older boy; they’re going on one of their traditional, weekly dates. Except tonight is different. Same Alex, same Jack, same food, same place.
But the night ends differently; with Jack down on one knee, the box from his jacket opened and waiting for Alex’s answer.
Alex’s expression falters, but only for a second. Then he’s crying, hot tears clinging to his eyelashes as he says, ‘yes!’
Jack grins, watches as Alex pulls the ring from the casing and slides it onto his left hand ring finger.
This is the best thing he could’ve ever done.
July 2014.
They’re twenty six.
Alex is in hospital. Jack is sitting next to him, holding one of his hands loosely. Resting on his chest is the sleeping, snuffling form of a baby girl. Their baby girl. Lola. Lola May Barakat.
Jack leans in to Alex and tells him he’s amazing. Alex laughs. Lola sniffles gently.
Jack kisses the top of her head and picks her up carefully. He holds her against his chest and knocks his head against Alex’s. The older boy laughs and closes his eyes; he’s tired, but she was worth it.
Jack kisses Lola on the forehead, kisses Alex on the lips before they both look down at their daughter, who is wriggling and squirming in her father’s arms.
Jack smiles, and says, ‘she’s the best thing we’ve ever done.’