Ros was sat with Rachel in the lounge of Number Four.

 

‘Oh, he’s gorgeous, Rachel,’ Ros cooed, looking into the carry cot.

 

‘Thanks, the baby’s not bad either!’ Richard laughed, bringing both of them a cold drink. Alborford was still going through a hot spell.

 

‘Oh, groan!’ Rachel laughed, picking up the baby as he began to cry.

 

‘Aww, you hungry little fella. Mummy better give you another feed, eh?’

 

Ros couldn’t believe how well they were taking to parenthood.

 

‘Any ideas on names yet?’ Ros asked.

 

‘We think we like Harry, don’t we?’ Rachel looked over to Richard and he nodded, busy clearing away nappies.

 

‘That sounds great,’ Ros replied.

 

‘In fact, Richard, why don’t we confirm it here and now? Harry Curtis is the new man on Rex Road!’

 

 

***

 

Next door, Josie was chatting to Max in the garden. Once again, people were making the most of a sunny weekend.

 

‘I popped in earlier today, oh he’s adorable. Inherited his mother’s good looks. Mind you, Richard’s not a bad looking bloke is he? Six pounds and two

 

ounces, that’s exactly what your brother weighed. Although, I had an easy time of it in comparison,’ Josie was rambling now, thought Max.

 

‘Yes, mum, can I have another beer please?’

 

‘In a minute...poor girl nearly had an emergency operation, but things suddenly moved quickly..let’s hope things will work out well for them now…’

 

 

***

 

 

Laura knocked on the door of Number Six. She’d been keeping an eye out, and saw Kris leave, giving her the chance to speak to Nathan.

 

Jo answered the door.

 

‘Hello Laura,’ she smiled, but it wasn’t a totally friendly smile, more of a sly one.

 

‘Er, hi Jo...is Nathan in?’

 

‘No, sorry, he’s managed to get a bit of work in a club in Norwich, so he’s helping them set up...not that I need to be telling you any of this of course,’ she laughed.

 

‘Oh, of course,’ Laura snapped back.

 

‘So, if you wouldn’t mind getting lost now. Bye!’

 

With that, Jo slammed the door in her face.

 

 

***

 

Still in the garden chatting to his mother, Max decided to tackle a long overdue discussion.

 

‘Mum, I’ve been thinking...I really ought to get my own place soon…’

 

Josie handed him another beer, wiping her brow in the heat.

 

‘Well yes, you boys can’t stay her forever...I’ll miss the board money, we were going to ask for another increase,’ she laughed.

 

‘But...I thought you….well, I didn’t think you’d be OK about it like this,’ Max sat up in shock.

 

‘Well, of course we’re going to miss you, Max, but I’m not a totally clinging mother you know...time to cut those apron strings!’

 

The pair were silent for a moment in the summer heat—Max in shock and his mother deep in thought about what to do with his bedroom. Was it the heat that was making Josie so laid back? Maybe she’d wail and cry when he actually left, thought Max. Or wasn’t she that bothered about him leaving? Was Sam the only one who could have that effect on her?

 

 

***

 

 

Laura opened a letter from Alborford College of Higher Education. She’d already been rejected by the University of East Anglia in Norwich (well, more or less, her predicted grades weren’t high enough) and was expecting the same again.

 

Not so. She’d been accepted, dependent on her predictions.

 

Alone, she started to cry...how would she

 

go to college and cope with a baby at the same time?

 

She had to find Nathan and talk to him, she needed his support now...after all, he’d promised her that she was his girl, that Kris was just a convenience for living arrangements, and that he wouldn’t be with her for much longer…

 

 

***

 

 

Richard and Rachel were on the lounge sofa, both starting to fall asleep, as baby Harry had finally dropped off a few minutes before.

 

‘I’m so knackered,’ sighed Rachel. She couldn’t believe that things had changed so much. Not so long ago, the only thing that would have mattered to her was getting the next modelling job, or working the next shift at the Magnolia Beauty Salon.

 

Now, it was all baby, nappies, sleep if they were lucky...but she was much happier than ever before. All of their problems just faded away now.

 

Suddenly, Harry woke up and started crying again.

 

‘Awww, no,’ Rachel whined.

 

‘It’s alright, I’ll go.’

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura got on the next bus to Norwich, she had a pretty good idea which club Nathan was at, he’d mentioned it once or twice.

 

She looked out of the window as Alborford was left behind and the bus pulled onto the familiar A11 main road. He’d said they would go out this week, but they hadn’t, so she’d track him down and make him listen this time.

 

 

***

 

 

‘Is he asleep again?’ Rachel asked.

 

‘Yeah, he just suddenly woke up for a dew seconds and then went off again, must have sensed that we were about to go to sleep ourselves!’

 

‘Yeah, the little bugger,’ Rachel laughed.

 

They cuddled up on the sofa again and tried to sleep for a bit, both of them feeling secure in their little family unit. Richard started to think about marriage again, but didn’t think he should bring the subject up right now!

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Laura walked into the club and spotted Nathan standing at the bar on one side of the dancefloor.

 

‘Hey! Where did you spring from?’ He was shocked to see her, wondering how she’d tracked him down.

 

‘Jo told me you were here,’ she started to feel upset, at the way he was always casual about everything.

 

‘Look, I’m meant to be working and...well, Kris could turn up soon,’ he shrugged.

 

She started to cry.

 

‘You’re going to pay attention for once, Nathan! This is important...I’m pregnant.’

© 2010 Danny Alborough / DJA Publications
All characters, names and situations are fictitious.
Any similarities to places or people, living or dead, are purely coincidental.