"Oi, Katy!" Phil shouted as Katy pushed Ruby's pram across the Square that evening. She paused and waited for him to catch up with her, arching an eyebrow questioningly as he looked around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear them. "You wanna keep an eye on Ronnie, yeah?"
"What are you on about?"
"She put Adam White in hospital today."
Katy laughed in disbelief. "You what?"
He scowled. "Well, not her, obviously. She got someone else to do it for her. But who knows what she's gonna do next. If you ain't careful she'll get you and her banged up before you know it."
"I bet you'd love that." She snapped irritably.
"Course I wouldn't." Phil replied at once. "Whatever I said, you're family, ain't ya? Mitchells look out for each other. Besides, my mum would never forgive me if I stood back and let the pair of you go down for a piece of scum like Carl White."
"Good to know."
"Just keep an eye on her, alright?"
The young woman stood and watched as he stomped away towards number 55. She was concerned about her mother, even more so now that Phil had mentioned it, but she was slightly relieved that he had retracted his threat that they were on their own. Even though Katy was sure that they would have been able to hold their own and keep themselves out of trouble, knowing that they had the Mitchells behind them made things a little easier.
Letting herself into the flat, Katy heard the tell-tale sounds of conversation in the living room and walked in with Ruby balanced on her hip to see Ronnie and Roxy curled up on the sofa with Amy between them. The younger blonde grinned at her niece and held her arms out to the toddler. Ruby almost launched herself through the air, catching Katy by surprise and almost causing her to drop her daughter.
"Can I have a word?" She asked her mother, nodding her head towards the kitchen. Ronnie nodded curtly and untangled herself from the pile of limbs on the sofa. When they were alone, the brunette arched an eyebrow. "What did you do?"
"I taught Adam White a lesson he won't forget in a hurry." Ronnie replied calmly, reaching past Katy to flick the kettle on. "I was protecting my family and I'd do it again." She turned a fierce eye on her daughter. "Don't start, Katy."
The young woman sighed. "I just don't want you to do something stupid and get yourself into trouble."
"I won't. It's over."
"Promise?"
"I promise." Ronnie agreed with a nod. Then, apparently eager to change the subject, she turned a suspicious eye on her daughter. "As I was asking earlier, is there anything you want to tell me?"
Katy frowned in confusion. "No?"
"Really? Serious weight gain, going off coffee, all that weird nausea you had in Spain?"
"You think I'm pregnant?" Katy asked with a disbelieving laugh. "Are you kidding?"
"You're not then?"
"No!"
"You're sure?"
There was a slight moment of hesitation. "Yes."
"No, you're not sure, are you?" Ronnie demanded.
"Well, I haven't done a test or anything…" Katy admitted. "But I… I'm not…"
"Who's is it?"
"Mum!"
The older woman shrugged, trying to look casual. "Tell me."
"Mum… I don't even know if… drop it, alright?"
"You're right." Ronnie agreed with a broad smile, pulling her into a hug. "It doesn't matter who the dad is. You've done brilliantly with Ruby on your own and you'll have me and Roxy to help you. They'll be so excited–"
Katy paled at the thought of other people finding out. "No! Mum, no! You can't say anything to anyone; at least until we know for sure."
"Why?"
"Because if you go around telling people I'm pregnant and I'm not, that's gonna be so embarrassing." Katy pointed out.
Ronnie sighed deeply and nodded her agreement. She chatted about how they'd have to get on to buying the house quickly so that they could be settled and have everything perfect before Katy was too far along. Leaning against the counter Katy's mind was completely focusing on panicking about the circumstances surrounding her possible pregnancy.
She hadn't even thought about it before, but now there was no denying that Ronnie could be right. The only possible father was Max and that, in itself, opened up a whole new set of problems. Not only was he her step-dad's brother, but he was also her best friend's dad. If she was pregnant, her baby would be Lauren's brother or sister.
"… it's better to know for definite."
"Huh?" The brunette looked up when she realised that Ronnie was looking directly at her.
"I was just saying that I'll take you to the doctor tomorrow to find out for definite. It's better to check it professionally… get it all sorted straight away."
"Sorted?"
"Well depending on how far along you are they can book you straight in for your scans and things."
Katy nodded distractedly. "Oh, yeah, right…"
Ronnie paused, frowning lightly at her. "You are… happy… about this, aren't you?"
"I didn't exactly plan it, Mum."
"Yeah, but… you do want this baby?"
"I… I don't know?" Katy admitted. "I'm sure I will but… at the moment, I… I just need to know for definite I guess, before…"
"This is a sign, baby." Ronnie told her, pushing her hair back behind her ears and cupping her face. "It's a sign that things are going to be fine. Better than fine. Things are going to be amazing."
She pressed a kiss to Katy's forehead before shooting her a broad smile and leaving the kitchen. The younger woman sank down at the kitchen table and buried her head in her hands, desperately hoping that her mother's hunch was wrong.
x-x
"Can you just drop it for a minute?" Katy muttered, pushing the door to the laundrette open more violently than she intended to. "Seriously, Mum, just leave it."
"But it's important."
"Yes, fine, but not right now, OK?"
"But–"
"Mum!"
Ronnie rolled her eyes and nodded, dropping the bag of washing she was carrying on the floor in the corner. Katy followed, putting down her own bag beside her mother's and leaning against the washers behind them.
"Yes, I know, Son." Dot sighed into the phone. "I know you're all very busy with that trial. But, you see, I need to know the numbers for the food to tell Ian and 'maybe' ain't good enough for him… Oh… Oh, right. Yes, I understand… bye." Hanging up the phone sadly, Dot turned and caught sight of the two Mitchells waiting for her. "You'll come, won't you, Ronnie? Katy?"
"Hmm?" Ronnie's attention was fixed on something through the open door of the laundrette and her daughter had to nudge her in the ribs to get her attention.
"Nick's funeral. You and Roxy? You'll come, won't you?"
"Can we talk later, Dot? Excuse me." The blonde asked distractedly, her eyes still fixed on the doorway. "Katy, sort the washing."
As she rushed out of the building, Katy smiled apologetically at the older woman. "Sorry, Grandma. Course we'll be there."
Unable to just shove the washing in one of the machines and escape, Katy went into the back and put the kettle on. She talked through the details of Nick's funeral and the problems that were on her mind about the organisation at the moment. Half-heartedly promising that she would help out here she could, Katy managed to excuse herself when FatBoy walked through the door.
Bianca pointed her along the road when Katy asked if the red-head had spotted Ronnie, so the young woman headed in the direction of the gym. As she descended the stairs, the sound of her mother's angry, almost hysterical voice, met her ears and she winced, wondering what had happened now.
"… I'm going to have to relive every single little detail of what he did to me. Is that what you want? You're going to have to sit there and listen to your beloved daddy be torn to shreds. But if you think you can handle that, go ahead! Call them!"
There was a long, tense silence where the two blonde stared at each other and Katy was almost too scared to breathe. Then Roxy shook her head and stalked towards the doors, jerking her shoulders in an approximation of a shrug as she walked past her niece.
"Mum, what–?"
"Not now, Katy."
"But–"
"Not now!" Ronnie snapped, striding into her office and slamming the door behind her.