"I'm ALREADY a grandad?" Max squeaked. Jimbo nodded. "So is it a boy or girl?" Max asked desperate for information on his grandchild. "He's a boy. Eddie Maxwell Branning, he'll be four this year" Jimbo looked the part of a proud father, while Max began to cry into his drink. Jimbo put his arm around his father, and said "Pull yourself together Dad c'mon now that's it". Ronnie entered the bar and saw Jimbo rocking Max back and forth. Jack looked at her questioning look. "He's just found out he's already got a grandkid" he stated. Ronnie gave Jimbo a small smile which he returned. "Well what occurred upstairs Miss Mitchell?" he asked. "Oh Roxy overfilled the bath" Ronnie answered. Jimbo chucked "That'll be your sister then?" Jimbo asked. Ronnie smiled, she looked Jimbo over he looked an awful lot like Max, he wore a battered leather jacket, his shirt collar was still messed up from the fight with the market trader, his jeans were worn and fading. "So Bradders whats this I hear about your missus expecting?" Jimbo asked his brother grinning. "Yep me and Stacey just found out!" Bradley beamed. "Hey Miss Mitchell...". "Call me Ronnie, James" Ronnie cut him off. "Well get us all some scotch Ronnie, even cry-baby here" Jimbo gestured to Max "Oh and call me Jimbo!" he grinned at her.
After toasting to a new member of the Branning clan, Max and Bradley decided it was time for Jimbo to be introduced to their respective wives and took their leave, leaving Jack with Ronnie. "So what do you think of Jimbo?" Jack asked her. "Well one's things for sure...he knows how to make his mark" Ronnie mused. Jack smiled wryly as he swirled the remains of his scotch. "He sure lives up to his name, I remember when Carol got pregnant with Bianca, Dad went mental..." Jack trailed off as he fondly remembered the fateful winter day in 1976 in which Jim in his prime had put seven year-old Max and his four year-old self in the family car along with their older brother Derek and driven to the home of David Wicks. But Reenie their mother sent Jim's younger brother Graham after them.
But Graham was too late. Jim had forced his way in into the Wicks' house with Derek and young Max behind him, leaving a terrified Jack in the car. Derek came out of the house with David Wicks in a headlock Max came running after them. "This is what you get for messing with my SISTER!" Derek roared and David was helpless as Derek broke his arm... "Jack?...Jack?" Ronnie waved her hand in front of him. "Uh sorry Ron...just remembering Dad" Jack sighed mournfully.
Walking towards Number 5 Albert Square Bradley, Max and Jimbo were singing "Danny Boy" a old Branning family favourite loudly and with pride. Stacey and Tanya were standing on the steps of Number 5 arms crossed and lips pursed. They looked almost identical, apart from Stacey's black hair and her money bag around her waist. "Well WHO is this?"Tanya quizzed Max and Bradley. "This my love is Jimbo..." Stacey and Tanya looked stunned.
"So you're Stacey, Bradders told me all about you" Jimbo said quietly as Tanya gave him a cup of tea. The family were sat around the dining table in the front room of Number 5. "Well Bradley has mentioned you in passing" Stacey confessed. Jimbo chuckled dryly. Tanya broke the silence which followed. "So James what are you intending to do here in Walford?" she asked. "Well first get jobs for me and my girlfriend Danielle, we've got a son to feed, secondly get our own flat and finally and most importantly get to know my family properly again" Jimbo finished his plan proudly. Max and Bradley looked surprised. "You're moving here? Since when?" Bradley looked shellshocked. "Well things back home have gone sour I've been on the road since November thats why I didn't come to your wedding, Dani and Eddie have been in Telford since then with her adoptive dad" Jimbo looked slightly ashamed. "How sour?" Max asked. "Pretty bad, an old friend Jimmy Lockwood came out of the woodwork a few months back and caused havoc, Me, Dani, her brother Gareth and few other buddies of ours got the hell of Hull as quick as we could..." the family looked at Jimbo with shock. "...Gordon didn't kick me out, I left because I knew as long as Jimmy was there Gordon's lot would be in danger and I couldn't put them through that again, and before you think Jimmy'll come here, he won't" Jimbo finished with a definite stern look.
Jack and Ronnie were still in the Vic. "Well I better go to Max's" Jack said. "Why?" Ronnie asked. "Well I want to hear what Jimbo's plans are, he'll be staying put here the family need him" Jack put down his glass. "Wait I'll come with you" Ronnie followed Jack out of the Vic.
Jimbo was now sat on the doorstep of Number 5 holding a can of beer, the door opened and Bradley joined him. "So what's the verdict bruv?" he asked dryly. "Looks like you've on the couch for as long as you need..." Jimbo cut Bradley off. "Hey bruv, have a look at this" he pointed towards the gardens, Jack and Ronnie were walking towards them arm in arm. "Oi Jackie Boy! Got the girl I see" Bradley laughed at the expression on his uncle's face at his brother's yell. Jimbo's mobile phone rang, and he answered it. Jack and Ronnie were both blushing. "So is he staying Bradley?" Ronnie asked as Jack was too embarrassed to talk. Bradley nodded. "OK see you soon Dani, give Eddie a kiss for me...love ya sweetheart" Jimbo put his phone back in his jacket pocket. "Well Jackie Boy, you better get in there, Dad's cracked open the beers" Jimbo grinned. Jack let go of Ronnie who kissed him on the cheek. Jack and Bradley entered Number 5 leaving Ronnie with Jimbo. "Well I better get back to Roxy..." Jimbo nodded but before Ronnie turned around to head to the Vic he said. "Don't give up trying to get together with my uncle, want my advice?". "Which is?" Ronnie asked. Jimbo took a swig from his beer can. "Jack plays hard to get with women he really likes, so all you've gotta do is show 'im what he's missing..." Jimbo went a tad red in the face. "...and in my humble opinion he's missing one attractive lady" he finished shyly. Ronnie beamed and kissed him on the forehead.
As he watched Ronnie walk back to the Vic, Jimbo smiled to himself. "Yep I really like this place" he said as he drank from the can and watched the sun set on Albert Square.