Richard and Rachel popped to Number Ten to see Ros. As she opened the door, in her dressing gown before work, Val Lucas spotted them from the other side of Rex Road.

 

‘We can’t stop long, Ros…’ Rachel began. Val noticed the women squealing with delight and hugging each other.

 

‘Hmmm, wonder what that’s all about?’

 

 

***

 

 

Nathan was getting ready to go back to the club for another day’s work. If he played his cards right, they may keep him on permanently. He got out of bed and Kris rolled over.

 

‘I s’pose I’d better get up too,’ she sighed, ‘got a lecture this morning.’

 

He didn’t answer. All he could think about was Laura and his unborn child.

 

‘What’s wrong?’ Kris asked.

 

‘Nothing, just tired...I’ll have a shower.’

 

Kris already knew him better than that, and besides, she seemed to have a sixth sense when someone was troubled and they were keeping it to themselves. Something was wrong, and she was going to find out what it was!

 

Max was scouring the paper for flats to rent, walking along the High Street, when he spotted Richard and Rachel (who was carrying baby Harry) coming out of the Magnolia Beauty Salon.

 

‘Hi, arranging going back to work already?’ Max asked Rachel, laughing.

 

‘Ha! You must be joking, just showing Harry off to my workmates.’

 

‘He’s a top little fella, aren’t you?!’ Max started to go a bit mushy over his friends’ boy.

 

‘Actually, Max, glad we’ve seen you, we’ve got something to ask you,’ announced Richard.

 

‘Sounds ominous! Go on…’

 

 

***

 

 

Laura was studying in her room. Luckily, she only had one A level exam left, because she couldn’t concentrate on breathing properly, never mind studying!

 

‘Hello love, how are you getting on?’ Val appeared with a snack for her.

 

‘OK, I suppose,’ she sighed.

 

‘Don’t worry, you’ll do brilliantly!’ Val squealed. Easy for you to say, thought Laura. Her mother probably wouldn’t even notice if anything was wrong, she was too busy keeping her dad on the wagon...and they were keeping a close eye on Rhys

 

since the bullying– and he had GCSEs to go through. They weren’t worried about her problems surely?!

 

 

***

 

 

Val was cleaning the windows by the front door later, when Ros rushed past her, all dressed up.

 

‘Hello, goodness you look glam, off anywhere nice?’ Val asked.

 

‘Sorry, can’t stop, I’m in a hurry!’ It was obvious, from the look on her face, that Ros wasn’t going to give anything away to Val of all people.

 

 

***

 

 

Phil had met Nathan in The Headless Pint during his lunch hour.

 

‘So it’s going well at this club?’ Phil asked.

 

‘Sure, hopefully they’re going to keep me on now they’re open, I’m making myself pretty indispensable!’ He laughed, ever the cocky lad. But Phil could tell that something was bothering him, he was putting on even more of a front than usual.

 

‘What’s up then?’ He thought he may as well come straight out with it!

 

‘What do you mean?’

 

‘Come on, I know you better than that!

You look like you’ve had a massive shock or something?!’

 

Well, yeah, I guess I have,’ Nathan braced himself, by taking another long swig from his pint.

 

‘It’s Laura…’

 

Phil interrupted ‘You can’t leave it, can you? After everything that happened, you’re seeing her again I suppose?!’

 

‘Worse than that. She’s gonna have my kid,’ Nathan looked down, totally the shamed younger brother now.

 

‘Oh no,’ sighed Phil, ‘how do you manage to create such a mess? I give you a roof over your head and look what you do?!’

 

Nathan panicked, frightened of what Phil was going to say next.

 

‘Please, don’t send me back to Mum and Dad, and don’t tell them about this…’

 

He could tell that Phil wasn’t agreeing to anything just yet.

 

‘Is Laura going to have it?’ He asked.

 

‘Erm...dunno. She told me and then ran off, because Kris was about to walk in…’

 

‘Jeez! Well, you’d better speak to Laura, hadn’t you?!’

 

 

***

 

 

Meanwhile, Laura was going to visit her friend Natalie on the new housing estate. Just as she got level with the park on Hamborough Road, she realised that Kris

was walking towards her.

 

‘Hi,’ Laura said timidly, trying to walk on, but Kris had other ideas.

 

‘Fancy seeing you! D’ya know, I was thinking about you earlier,’ Kris hissed.

 

‘Really?’

 

‘Yes, something’s bothering my boyfriend, and I wondered if you’d been hassling him?’

 

Laura suddenly felt a rage well up inside her, and she couldn’t control herself.

 

‘He doesn’t want you, Kris! We’re going to be together!’

 

‘Oh, is that right? Grow up, you stupid little girl!’ Kris grabbed her arm.

 

‘It’s true, and we’ll be together for sure when our baby is born!’ Laura regretted those words the moment they left her mouth.

 

‘What?’ Kris was struck dumb….but not for long.

 

‘You little sl*g!’ She slapped Laura hard, making her lose balance and fall into the park’s flower beds. Laura screamed and quickly got up on her knees, pulled Kris to the ground, and a full catfight ensued!

***

 

 

At about noon, Hamborough Registry Office had just finished a wedding, when some Alborford faces piled in: Richard, Rachel, Ros carrying baby Harry, Max, Jack and a few others.

 

‘Are you OK with him?’ Rachel asked Ros.

 

‘Sure, he’s a little angel,’ Ros kissed Harry on the head, as he gurgled loudly.

 

‘You look fantastic, Rach,’ Richard said, stroking her hair.

 

‘Thanks, so do you! Let’s do it then, let’s get married!’

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