Chapter 2

Meeting his son properly for the first time was quite something. he finally got to give him the teddy bear. He had picked it up from some charity shop on his way home. He must have been here for hours as he and Sharon had a lot to talk about as well. By now, the square was up as people were going about their day outside. An angry sounding knock was on the door. They knew who it was too. Karen was here because she knew this would be the only place he would go.

"She's gonna give me away" Keanu groaned; finally pulling himself away from the bedroom (which is where he's been all this time, meeting Albie and having a long chat).

"I'll go" Sharon told him with a sigh. She still wasn't dressed as she still had her dressing gown on.

The others were currently out for they all thought the three of them needed space. Of cause that was only going to last for so long. Sharon breathed in before opening the door to an angry Karen.

"Is he here?!" Karen yelled at her; pointing her finger as she did so.

"Keep your voice down but yes...yes he is" Sharon answered in a hushed tone.

Karen barged right past once she remembered why he was keeping on the down-low. She calmed down once she saw her son as he came out with Albie in his arms. He seemed much more relaxed here but that only annoyed Karen. She didn't want him living with Sharon in this house, she thought he could do better. Besides, the age gap was always an issue; she didn't want him with a woman the same age as she is.

"Wouldn't go round until you spoke to me first you said" Karen hissed slightly.

"You're not my keeper, mum. Besides, I couldn't wait to meet him. I know by the way...About you not sending Sharon any of my messages. That wasn't right, mum"

"What's not right is you being scared to be seen on the square in broad daylight because of her psycho ex and his son"

"We spoke about this. It's going to be okay...I will talk to Kathy and she will calm the situation down I'm sure" Sharon spoke up.

Making Karen just laugh as she yelled...

"As if Kathy will do anything!"

No, Karen wasn't having this. She calmed down again due to her grandson being here. As she gave him a little wave with a fake big smile. Keanu putting his son down to let him walk around. Besides, he didn't want to argue with his mother with him in his arms, did he?

"Kathy is Ben's mum and so she will tell him to back off" Keanu insisted.

"You have all gone mad, you know that? Well if you're so sure, then go out...go out now. Walk hand in hand together down the square. See what happens. I dare ya" Karen replied.

Albie had walked over towards his grandmother by this point. Making her give him another smile as she picked him up. He was getting heavier these days. He was now two after all.

"You're being silly, Karen. Anyway, Keanu wasn't the one in the wrong. Phil and Ben must understand that by now, it was partly my fault too" Sharon spoke up again.

"I know and you know that but they don't care about that"

"Look mum, the bottom line is me and Sharon wanna make this work. With or without your blessing. I will take whatever crap Ben or Phil wanna throw at me. I'm done being afraid of them" Keanu told her firmly.

...

"Let's just go to the pub, get it over with. I can't hide in here forever. I mean, what's the worse that's gonna happen? I didn't come back to hide away" Keanu was now saying to Sharon.

She was now dressed at last by this point. Karen had gone home hours ago because she had her grandchildren Mia and Mackenzie to look after as their father Gray was in hospital.

"The pub?"

"Yeah...the pub. Come on, we just go in and act casual. We might get some stares and questions. Well not might, we just will. I just need to get my face out there again"

"Okay, you're right; you can't hide away forever. Let's just go then I guess. Get it over with"

Keanu was very nervous about bumping into the Mitchell's but it had to be done. As he put his hood and trainers back on. Sharon settling Albie into his pram. The family unit was here now but not many people are going to be happy or care. No, they were very much alone.

"Is Albie short for Albert by the way?" Keanu asked; he hasn't really asked before.

"Yes"

"Okay...named him after the square, did ya?"

"No! I just liked the name...I couldn't leave his name as Kayden. Albie is much more Watts. Besides, there are too many K names in your family"

"Mum was bitter about the name change"

"Well...what isn't she bitter about with regards to me? Anyway, come on. Let's rip it off like a plaster"

With that, she opened her house door as she pushed pram across. Keanu shutting the door shut. He was thus out in the open again in the square and he felt very nervous again. As he stayed by Sharon and the pram and walked towards the pub with them. They did get some stares as expected but they could cope with that. Martin was at his stall while Keegan was selling his sandwiches.

"Well look who it is. Out in the open" Keegan spoke up. Looking at his older brother as if he escaped from the madhouse.

"Yeah well, I'm here to stay. We are heading to the pub if you wanna join us?"

"Nah, I got too much on here but be careful, alright?"

...

Now in the pub, the two of them had ordered a drink from Mick Carter. He was alright with them at least. Albie was sat on Keanu's knee for he naturally didn't want to let him son go after being away for so long. Sharon seemed quite content as she had finally got a family unit for Albie. Though a lot of the locals saw this scene and thought Keanu was sort of using his son like a human shield right now. The tension was up again when Kathy Beale walked in and looked right towards them in the corner. She walked right over there...

"Sharon...Are you kidding?" Kathy asked with a scowl.

"What?" Sharon asked back as if she didn't know.

"What do you mean what? You are sitting in here with Keanu as if the last two years didn't happen. Do you how angry he made Ben after what he did to Callum?"

"I am here you know" Keanu spoke up.

"Yeah I know...That's the problem!" Kathy snapped.

"If you knew half the stuff Ben did that got me to that point. You would understand where I was coming from. Now please go, we are having a nice peaceful drink"

Kathy just scoffed with disbelief. Who did he think he was? He got Sharon back already and now he's got Albie sitting on his lap as if nothing had gone on at all. He put Callum through Hell but Kathy knew Ben was no angel himself. Still, she was going to be on her son's side regardless.

"Sharon...Come on, I've known you since you were a kid. You understand what I'm saying" Kathy said, turning her attention back to her.

"Yeah I know, Kathy. Keanu made a big mistake back then but it wasn't like him at all. He wouldn't have done it unless severely provoked. You know Ben held me at gunpoint as well?"

"He wouldn't have done anything, he only did it to try and get Callum's location from him. And what about Phil? Do you think he's gonna just roll over and accept him back?"

"He's moved on with Kat. It doesn't matter what he thinks"

"Sharon, you're not that naive. Look I'll try and calm the situation down but I can't stop them from doing anything stupid. As for you Keanu, you're a bigger fool then I thought"

He just stared back without a verbal response but his eyes said it all. As he kept his arms around Albie. She just left after this, not wanting to be their company right now. He could see how worried Sharon suddenly looked as he put his hand over her hand.

"It be alright" Keanu insisted; keeping a tight hold onto her hand now.

...

TBC