Roxy raced across the Square, pulling a jacket over her pyjamas as she did so. "Ron!" She hissed, repeatedly pounding the knocker on Ronnie's door. "Ronnie! Let me in!"
Ronnie groaned as she lifted her head from her pillow. Definitely should've waited until the afternoon to send that text. She thought to herself, dragging her exhausted body from the bed and making her way towards the front door.
"Well?" Roxy asked meaningfully once Ronnie had let her in.
"Roxy, it's five in the morning-"
"Yes, and I've been up since yesterday morning!" Roxy exclaimed, flouncing onto the sofa.
Ronnie sighed and sank down next to her sister, resting her on Roxy's shoulder. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Ronnie – what happened? What did Jack say? Is he here?" A moment of silence passed. "Ron?"
"Just . . . let me . . ." Her words trailed off and Roxy looked out of the corner of her eye to see that Ronnie's were closed. Leaning back onto the sofa, Roxy pulled Ronnie's body into hers and let her sister lie against her.
"Ronnie," Roxy whispered. "You're gonna have to tell me. And I know you're tired, but it's better to do it now so you can fall asleep and I can silently rant and rave next to you. Or would you rather listen to me shouting whilst wide awake?"
"Good point," Ronnie replied, a small smile kissing her lips and sitting up straight.
"So? What happened? Did you see him?"
Ronnie nodded.
"And?"
"And nothing."
"What?" Roxy shouted.
"Alright Rox, calm down-"
"No, I won't calm down!" She exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa and pacing the living room floor, hands on her hips. "What did he say?"
"The usual. He's in love with Tanya, his life's in France, he's happy-"
"Happy? Happy? Well, he won't be for much longer once I've castrated him!" Roxy paused to suck in a sharp breath of air. "And what about the baby? What did he say when you told him you were pregnant with his baby?"
Ronnie shrugged. "That'll he'll send money every month and see her as much as possible, but he's not coming back to Walford."
"Bastard! Actual, complete fucktard! Spineless weasel!" Roxy ranted, her pacing increasing in speed until Ronnie caught hold of her arm. She instantly stopped and looked into her older sister's face. The delicate beauty marred by a lifetime's worth of anguish. "Ron?"
"Can you just hold me for a minute? Until I catch my breath?"