My boy Jimbo
Max was sat alone in the Queen Vic looking worse for wear. "You okay Max?" a female voice brought the lonely insurance salesman out of his stupor, Max looked up into the concerned face of Ronnie Mitchell who seemed to see Max's unease as she observed him sat at the end of the Vic's bar nursing a whiskey. "Hello Ronnie care to join a grandad-to-be?" Max offered the silent blonde bombshell. Ronnie walked behind the bar and joined Max with a gin and tonic.
The two drank in silence as the clock above the bar slowly chimed towards midnight. "What day is it tomorrow?" Max asked no-one obvious. "New Years Max" Ronnie said brightly. This didn't seem to cheer Max up, it made tears appear in his eyes. "I'm a crap dad Ronnie" he croaked, Ronnie patted his shoulder softly with her free hand Max continued his reflection on his parenting skills. "I mean my dad didn't abandon us he stayed though he hated my mum, but I left my boys cos I couldn't keep it in my...what?" he asked a clearly confused Ronnie, "You said boys I thought you and your ex just had Bradley". Max laughed dryly. "I'm surprised my dear brother hasn't told you, he always hated the fact me and Rachel left little Jimbo with our cousin Gordon up north" Max explained to a surprisingly understanding Ronnie. Max took his wallet out of his jacket pocket and took a photograph out of it. It showed a younger Max holding a red-headed baby boy, Ronnie smiled at a two-year old Bradley clinging to his father's leg looking slightly confused. Ronnie looked at the back of the photo it read "Max and Bradley with new arrival James Archibald Branning 4/09/1989".
"He looks adorable, you named him after your dad?" Ronnie asked. Max nodded, Ronnie looked at the locket around her neck and smiled softly. "Ronnie?" Max asked smiling back. "I have a daughter Max, she would be the same age as your Jimbo but a few months older". "Ah you're a mother, Ronnie Mitchell a mama" Max cooed into his whiskey. "Seriously Max I was fourteen and I was forced to give my...l..little...angel..." Ronnie began to break down Max took her face in his hands. "Ronnie listen to me I believe you, honest" Max said calmly as he held Ronnie's face as she sobbed over over her lost child.
A while later Max and Ronnie were quietly reflecting on the conversation they had revealed their regrets on the children whom were missing from their lives. Max grunted and looked at the picture of him, Bradley and Jimbo. "Max?" Ronnie asked somewhat timidly, Max gazed at her with sympathy. Ronnie had tear lines down her face she looked like a tragic heroine. While Max looked like a tramp in comparison. "Yeah Ron?" Max asked softy. "Are you going to try to contact Jimbo?" Ronnie's question hit Max with surprise. "I dunno Ron, its been nearly nineteen years I don't think he would react well"he mused. Ronnie nodded in understanding.
An new day and year dawned on Albert Square and people awoke, cars started and Fat Elvis snuck out of the Slaters, Roxy Mitchell came down to the bar and saw a sleeping Max on the couch. She saw the photo in his left hand and his mobile phone in his right hand. "Happy New Year Rox" Ronnie said softly behind her. Roxy looked at her older sister with a grin. "He looks so peaceful, never thought I'll say that about Max Branning" Roxy giggled quietly. Max mumbled in his sleep "Mum...Jack's being a...dick" Ronnie burst out laughing jolting Max awake. "Huh wha'" Max mumbled as he began to realise were he was and the sight of a hysterical Ronnie Mitchell. he put the photo and his phone on the table in front of him and stumbled towards the bar. "Morning Max" Roxy said to him while Max picked up his wallet from the bar and gave a bemused smile at the laughing wreck which was Ronnie. There was a knocking on the Vic's door. "Max? Are you in there?" another female voice called. Max groggily went and opened the doors, his wife Tanya gave him a stern look before embracing him. "Morning Grandpa" she said jokingly. She looked over at the bar and smiled at the still laughing Ronnie.
An hour later over at the Branning house, Max was washed and made presentable on Tanya's orders. Max was sat in the living room again looking at Jimbo's picture, he sat back and thought about what he had done the previous night. Tanya came in with a cup of tea for him. She sat down next to him. "Tan..." Max said quietly Tanya put Max's cup on the coffee table and waited. "I've talked to cousin Gordon, I want Jimbo to live with us, with Bradley and Stacey expecting..." "You want James home here with you" Tanya finished for him. Max nodded.
Little did they know that young Jimbo was heading to Walford with intent and a few surprises up his sleeves.
It was now afternoon and Bridge Street Market was heaving with buyers, Stacey Branning however was not selling a single thing she looked moody and a tad annoyed. "Alright Stace?" Minty asked as he passed through to the Arches. Stacey was too busy talking to her husband Bradley to greet him. "You what?" Stacey said surprised, Bradley was clearly happy about something. "Yeah my brother Jimbo's coming to see us..." "Finally" Stacey finished for him, Bradley nodded. "He didn't even come to our wedding Bradley but you're gonna let him waltz into your life again" Stacey implored him. Bradley sighed and kissed Stacey on the cheek he then headed to the Vic.
Max and his brother Jack were enjoying a New Years drink in the Vic, Tanya had taken Abi, Lauren and Oscar to Balham to visit his and Jack's father Jim who had suffered a stroke. "God here's to another lousy year" Max groaned as he took a swig from his beer Jack didn't always see eye-to-eye with his older brother but he did have a point the year of 2007 has been a hard one for the Branning clan with their father Jim suffering a severe stroke which made the entire family scared that he may never come home to Walford again.
Bradley entered the Vic and sat down at the table Max and Jack were at. "Bloody hell you two, try and look a bit cheerful it is New Years after all" he chirped. Roxy bought him a drink over. "So what's this I've being hearing about another Branning set to grace us with their presence" she quipped. Jack looked confused, Max whispered in his ear and Jack look positively terrified. "Oh no..." he groaned. And then all hell broke loose...
The Vic's doors were flung open as a red-haired young man was thrown into the bar itself, everyone in the pub froze as one of the market traders a large burly looking man in a leather jacket strode in and picked the young red-head up by the collar of his shirt, Bradley got out of his chair and edged over to the bar. Roxy looked petrified, the red-head however began to laugh, the trader looked perplexed as did Max and Jack. "Hey mate, could you ease your grip, this is me best shirt" the red-head said, his voice was a mix of a East London cockney accent with a northern twang. "Jimbo" Bradley hissed. Max did a double take as he looked at his second son for the first time in nineteen years. "Let my boy go you jerk" he hissed. Jimbo looked at Max shell-shocked. The trader didn't even notice Bradley standing behind him with his beer bottle raised. "Hey bub" Jimbo grinned. The trader grunted and spat in Jimbo's face.
Jimbo swore and head-butted the trader between the eyes, the trader stumbled back and Bradley smashed the beer bottle over his head. The man hit the floor with a loud thump as Jimbo got to his feet. Roxy looked at the two brothers with a look of mingled horror and admiration. Ronnie came running down from upstairs and stared at the scene before her. Max and Jack just looked at the laid out trader and laughed.
"Bradley Branning" Jimbo said with a stern look at his older brother. "Well nice to see you too James" Bradley was struggling to hold back a grin, as Jimbo stepped over the trader. Jimbo pulled Bradley into a one-armed hug. "Now what are you two doing to do about him?" Ronnie asked her arms folded. the two Branning men fell silent at her piercing stare and looked down at the knocked out trader.
"Well that was inspired James" Jack said dryly an half hour later, him, Max , Bradley and Jimbo were back in the Vic after Jimbo had dealt with the trader situation. "Uncle Jack I love, respect and care about you an'all that but you are a first-class dick" Jimbo responded. Ronnie was listening into the Branning men's conversation though she was down at the other end of the bar, and at Jimbo's speech she began to laugh. "Well nephew I am sorry you feel like that" Jack said calmly. "No biggie Unc" Jimbo said seemly to apologise. Max was just loving the situation his two eldest sons were with him. were they belonged. "Hey old man" Jimbo said to Max who looked surprised. "Yeah I mean you, nineteen bloody years you took to contact uncle Gordon over me..." Max was about to respond. "...Well you know what they say Dad better late than never" Max's face split into a smile and he got off his stool and walked to Jimbo and thrust him into a one-armed hug. "Hey, hey I'm drinkin' here Dad!" Max kissed the top of his son's head at that outburst, Ronnie couldn't help smiling as Jimbo attempted to look unemotional at this show of affection from his father. "Oh enjoy that Miss Mitchell?" Jimbo asked her. Ronnie simply smiled as the four Branning men drank quietly.
"RONNIE!" Jimbo put his hands to his ears as Roxy's yell rang through the pub, the sound of running water became louder and more obvious "RONNNNIEEEE!" Roxy bellowed, Ronnie ran upstairs while Max asked Jimbo a question. "So son, got a girlfriend?" Jimbo grinned as he answered his father. "Yep I do her name's Danielle, she's an angel and a great...". Jimbo faltered slightly Max nudged him. "...a great mum" Jimbo finished. Max and Jack stared dumbstruck while Bradley winked at Jimbo.