Ronnie stood at the living room window of the Vic, peering out into the darkened Square, tinged with orange light from the street lamps. Letting the white net curtain fall back into place, she turned and surveyed the room, the debris from that day scattered everywhere.
A small smile played on her lips as Ronnie placed her hands against her baby bump. "Merry Christmas, darling," Ronnie said to her unborn child. "This time next year, you'll be in mummy's arms and Roxy and Aunty Peggy will be fussing over you, no doubt."
"Yup, we'll definitely be doing that," Roxy stated, entering the living room and sitting down on the sofa. "Man, I'm stuffed!" She exclaimed, screwing up her face slightly as she thought of the amount of food she had eaten that day.
"Aren't we both?" Ronnie replied, carefully sitting down next to her sister.
"Yeah, but there's a baby in your stomach – there's just turkey in mine."
Ronnie laughed, but suddenly sat up straighter and placed a hand on her stomach, a surprised look on her face.
"Ron? You okay?" Roxy asked, moving forward on the sofa.
"Erm, yeah. I think so . . ."
"Think so? What does that mean?" The panic was evident in Roxy's voice. "Okay, that's it. We're taking you down the hospital," she stated, jumping up from the sofa and frantically searching for her car keys. "Where the hell are my keys?"
Ronnie caught hold of her younger sister's hand and slowly guided it to her expanding stomach. "I think, I think she's got the hiccups," Ronnie whispered, as she felt a series of rapid movements. Roxy's eyes widened in surprise and a broad grin broke out on her face.
"Fairy wings," Roxy murmured.
"What?"
"That's, that's what it feels like. Wings opening up."
Ronnie reached out a hand and gently stroked Roxy's long blonde hair. "What did I do to deserve you, eh?" Her younger sister frowned. "No, Rox . . . I honestly don't know what I would've done if you weren't here, you've been . . . amazing. Every scan and hospital appointment, bringing me chocolate éclairs at the club, even working there a few nights so I didn't have to. I'm . . ." She giggled slightly. "You're gonna think I'm a right soppy cow, but . . .I'm so grateful you're my sister."
Roxy shook her head, the tears welling up in her eyes. The guilt and the knowledge of what she had done weighed heavily on her heart. She had slept with Jack and betrayed the one person in the world that loved her unconditionally and had been there for her no matter what she had done. But even as Roxy had helped Ronnie, she'd been dishonest and conniving. She'd thought that the easier and smoother Ronnie's pregnancy would go, the less she'd need Jack. But Roxy could see the dull ache in her sister's heart, the way the smiles sometimes didn't reach her eyes.
She wanted Jack. She wanted her baby's father.
"I er, I'm er . . . just repaying you for looking after me all this time. But Ron . . ." Roxy paused, the doubts of what she was about to suddenly flooding her mind. Am I really about to do this? I've tried to erase him from her life for the last couple of months and now, now I'm telling her to do the opposite? . . . She loves him. But he broke her heart. No . . .I did that. But . . .this baby needs a dad.
"Yeah?" Ronnie asked.
"Have you thought about calling Jack?"