Sam had been pacing the hospital corridors, waiting for news about Ros and the baby, when something occurred to him.

 

‘Mum? Couldn’t I give my sample for the paternity test while I’m here?’

 

Josie was horrified ‘Well, yes, but why on Earth would you want to?! You’ve got much better things to worry about, surely?!’

 

‘Well, I’m just being practical, that’s all. It makes sense to me to get things sorted…’ This was Sam’s way of dealing with the stress of impending fatherhood.

 

 

***

 

 

At the hospital entrance, a couple rushed to the reception desk in the maternity department.

 

‘Could you tell us where Rosalie Robinson is please, we’re her parents?!’

 

They were shown to the waiting area, where Don, Josie and Sam greeted them.

 

‘Oh, Sam, how are things going?’ Eve Robinson asked, very flustered. All those years of her daughter’s marriage to Nick showing no sign of offspring, she wasn’t ready for this!

 

‘All’s well so far, her blood pressure’s a little high, but things are just taking a long time…’

 

 

***

 

Nathan and Laura had met up secretly in Hamborough that night, and were having a meal in an Italian restaurant.

 

‘I’m not totally happy about sharing you again, you know, but I suppose it’s better than nothing!’ Laura held his hand. She did feel a bit of a mug, but she was in love with him, and on a high about her Dad being healthy again.

 

‘It’s tricky at the moment, with Lisa still living there, but you know that I prefer your company any day?!’ Nathan smiled the usual cheesy smile again.

 

‘You said something similar about Kris Slater, I seem to remember,’ Laura replied.

 

‘Oh, they’re nothing alike at all!’ Nathan felt a little flustered that she was questioning him.

 

‘So Lisa really doesn’t mean as much to you as Kris did...or as I do?’

 

‘Ha, no of course not!’ Nathan roared, but that was a lie. He thought about them equally. He just couldn’t manage to stick to one woman!

 

 

***

 

 

At the hospital, Sam had returned from his test, when he spotted Jimmy talking to his parents in the corridor.

 

 

 

What the hell are you doing here?’ Sam growled.

 

Jimmy had always been one for causing trouble and sparking tempers.

 

‘Well, I may want to be here for the birth of my grandchild,’ he smirked.

 

‘Jimmy!’ Josie was shocked.

 

‘I think you’d better shut up,’ Don growled.

 

Jimmy laughed ‘Come on, be fair, none of us knows the truth yet, and I have certain rights if I am the grandfather!’

 

Sam punched him, and Jimmy fell back onto the floor, as Don began to smile proudly.

 

‘You’ve got no rights whatsoever! Even if it turns out that you are my father, I don’t want you to be!’ Sam shouted so loudly that a couple of nurses ran over.

 

‘Mr Reynolds, I must ask you to calm down, we’ll have to ask you to leave if you continue this!’

 

‘It’s OK, I’m sorry…’

 

 

***

 

 

Nathan returned home to find Lisa asleep on the sofa. He leaned over and kissed her, and she groaned and started to wake up…

 

 

 

Hmmm? Oh, hello! Did you have a good night out with the boys?’ Lisa asked innocently, falling for another lie.

 

‘Yeah, but I couldn’t wait to get home to you, baby,’ he smiled.

 

She got up and shuffled through to the kitchen.

 

‘Fancy a brew?’

 

‘Yeah, please. Where are Max and Fiona?’

 

‘On their way to the hospital, Ros has gone into labour, I fell asleep not long after they left…’

 

Nathan leaned back on the sofa and lit a cigarette.

 

‘Crikey, Sam’s only a couple of years older than me and will be a father tonight, what a scary thought!’

 

Lisa laughed ‘It’s a scary thought for me, and I’m his age! But the age gap between them is quite big isn’t it? She must be keener to have kids.’

 

‘Oh yeah, she’s thirty two! She needs to get a move on ha ha! Anyway, enough about that, come over here you!’

 

 

 

Back at the hospital, Jimmy had left, with a bloodied nose and looking humiliated...but maybe not feeling it, Josie knew that he’d always been a cocky devil.

 

‘Don’t worry about him son, he always was a troublemaker, I’ll make sure he never does anything like that again,’ Josie said.

 

‘That’s OK, I know it’s not your fault.’

 

Suddenly, a nurse appeared from nowhere.

 

‘You’d better go back in, Mr Reynolds, it’s nearly time.’

 

Sam went back into the delivery room. Ros was covered in sweat and getting very tired after hours of labour.

 

‘Nearly there, darling,’ he gripped her hand tightly.

 

‘Thank God, I don’t think I can hack this much longer!’ Ros cried.

 

The midwife leaned in.

 

‘OK, Ros, a few more big pushes and we should be there!’

 

 

Aggggghhhh!!!’ Ros cried, attracting Don and Josie’s attention outside, just as Max and Fiona arrived.

 

‘I take it things are happening now!’ Max laughed.

 

‘Crikey! What a noise!’ Fiona gasped.

 

Sam winced as Ros crushed his hand.

 

‘Come on Ros! One more push!’

 

The room and corridor was filled with the sound of a baby crying.

 

‘Congratulations! It’s a girl!’

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