"oh my God it really is you!" Kat exclaimed as she ran up to her and hugged her tight.
"I missed you," Stacey said with a smile as they broke off their hug.
"I missed you 'n all," Kat replied, who couldn't stop smiling, "your mum told us you'd be back, but I wasn't expecting you so soon!"
"Yeah I came out this afternoon… but I took a train to Brighton, I didn't know if it was best to visit you… but Ollie said mum was here so I came straight here… I couldn't wait to see Lily…" Stacey explained, wearing only a plain grey top and jeans and nothing more than a gym bag.
"Yeah she's sleeping with Tommy upstairs… I'll sneak you up, I don't want to ruin Alfie's big night," Kat told her slowly.
"Yeah was gonna ask... what's all that racket coming from the pub?" Stacey asked.
"Alfie's karaoke night… he's been planning it for days, come on let's go upstairs… he won't mind anyway, he's always going on about how I shouldn't be behind the bar in my condition!" Kat ranted.
"Yeah you're massive now… you must drop any minute!" Stacey added.
"Cheers Stac, scare me a bit more will ya!" Kat joked. Stacey let out a giggle.
Kat opened the door leading to the pub, observing the area.
"Coast is clear, hurry up, I'll be behind ya!" Kat whispered to Stacey as she made a run to the stairs. Kat followed her up slowly, until she was the first few steps up, she heard Alfie "where are you off to darling?"
Kat turned around surprised, luckily Stacey had already made it to the top, "Hey, I'm gonna have a lie down, you'll manage without me right?"
"Yeah, I'm about to draw the winning raffle ticket… I'll catch you later," Alfie winked at his wife and walked into the barrel store.
Kat made her way upstairs and met Stacey in the hall.
"Go have a look at her in there… you can sleep in the spare room with Jean and move Lilly in with you if you like," Kat whispered.
"No it's alright, I don't wanna wake her… I'll just check up on her and let her sleep the night," Stacey said before she walked into the kids' room.
"Right okay, I'll go get you some bedding," Kat told her as she approached the spare room.
Stacey later met Kat in the spare room to see two single beds.
"Your mum is gonna go mental when she walks iIn and sees you sleeping in here," Kat said smiling until it faded and she clutched her belly, "oooh…"
"Kat you alright," Stacey asked concerned.
"Yeah I've been having those false contractions all day… it's gone now," Kat said as she proceeded normally.
"Listen Kat, I don't want to be of any burden for you or Alfie…" Stacey started to explain.
"Stacey no, you rest, stay the night and we'll talk in the morning… I'm really happy to have you with us again," Kat smiled, "I'll go get you a clean set of pj's of mine… a pair I can't fit in now," she joked.
…
Kat was getting ready for bed, when Alfie walked into their bedroom.
"Hey darling… locked up everything downstairs?" Kat asked her husband as she buttoned her pj's.
"Yeah, I loaded all the glasses in the dishwasher and we'll wash 'em in the morning… I'm knackered…" Alfie said as he took his shirt and jeans off.
"Right… so who won the raffle then?" Kat asked curiously as she sat on her side of the bed.
"Denise... which is a bit ironic, aye? Considering the prize," Alfie joked, after putting on his west ham shirt, and climbed into bed.
"Right… listen Alfie I need to tell you something… but tell me you won't be mad…" Kat pleaded. She had enough of lying to him, and she wasn't going to on this one.
"sweetheart what's wrong?" Alfie asked Kat, lying against the pillows.
"It's Stacey… she's sleeping in the spare room…" Kat uttered. She thought she's just come out and say it.
"Whaatt?!" Alfie asked with a look of astonishment. He hurriedly got out of bed again.
"Alfie what are you doin'?" Kat asked him as she stood up again, "what did you expect me to, ask her to leave again?!"
"When did she turn up?!" Alfie asked, almost furiously.
"I was in the pub and went to get more beer from the barrel store, and she walked in there… she wasn't ready to face the Vic so I took her upstairs… I just told Jean when I came out of the bathroom…" Kat explained with her folded arms, "I don't see the problem, Alfie… she is my family… who else do I have left, aye? Apart from Nan? Zoe's in Spain and I haven't seen Dad or Lynne or Little Mo in ages! And what would you do if this was Spencer we're talking about?!" Kat tried to raise her voice but didn't want to wake everyone up.
"It's not that I don't want her… but you're gonna be diggin' deep in nappies soon and the last thing you need is dealing with more Stacey drama!" Alfie said in a low tone as he paced around the room.
Their door soon opened and in walked Stacey which apparently overheard everything.
"Hey sorry to barge in but I couldn't help listening… Alfie the last thing I want is to be in the way for you 'n Kat… it's just for tonight, tomorrow morning I'll go look for flats I promise…" Stacey explained as she stood in the doorway.
"Don't be daft, you don't need to do that, you can stay here as long as you like…" Kat told Stacey, then turned to Alfie, "ain't that right Alfie?"
Alfie didn't respond, "Alfie, tell her that it's okay to stay with us!" Kat told him, then turned to Stacey, "you can even have your old job at the pub back! And we can split the bills!" Kat was getting a bit over-excited.
"Alfie we're gonna need all the help we can get…" Kat tried to persuade him slowly.
"Yeah… it's alright I suppose…" Alfie uttered.
"Stacey, go to sleep yeah… we'll wake up to another day and everything will be better in the morning," Kat gestured Stacey to walk outside.
"I'm sorry Kat," Stacey added.
"You have nothing to be sorry for darling…" Kat told her cousin as she hugged her and closed the door when she left.
"You're unbelievable!" Kat uttered as she slipped into bed.
Alfie joined her on the other side, "Kat it's not that I don't want her here… but you know how she can be like…" Alfie tried to explain, looking over her shoulder.
"All she can do, is help us, yeah? Let's face it, we're gonna need all the help we can get… we can't say no to an extra pair of hands, how are we going to manage? The pub, the twins… it's too much Alfie…" Kat said as she turned to face him.
"We will find a way, for now just focus on these two yeah? A lot of stress is no good for ya…" Alfie said as he kissed her forehead.
More to come!