The Impatience of Rosie Bailey
Genre: Family; Friendship; mild Humour; FUTURE FIC
Pairings: Rosie and Julian, Greg and Molly
Main characters: Greg, Julian, Rosie, Molly, Ennie mentioned
"Come ON, Uncle Greg," Rosie pressed impatiently. "There's no time to lose. Ennie NEEDS me. NOW," she asserted, dragging him along towards the door.
"Equine labour isn't…" Greg began, but then stopped. This was a Watson married to a Bailey he was talking to. It was nothing short of a pure waste of time and breath.
"UNCLE GREG," she said firmly, "I've given birth. You haven't. Move your sodding ass. NOW."
Molly, standing by, grinned crookedly. "Uncle has just been told, methinks," she said, kissing her husband on the cheek. "Sir, Cayenne and her impending foal await. Now move your sodding ass…"
Julian, just arriving home from an errand down the street, and getting the gist of the situation, stifled his chuckle with a cough and a knowing look to Molly.
"I can drive, if you need?" Julian offered, and not lightly.
"Oh Laddie… yeah that may be best," Greg admitted, with relief. "Seems your wife has little patience…"
"Oh, PISS OFF Uncle," Rosie scolded. "I've no more or less patience than you will have when Josie is in labour. Ennie barely scraped by a near mortal injury. She's survived to carry her line. This foal is no less important to me than a grandchild would be."
"Drinks on me when we get back, Mr. Greg," Julian whispered conspiratorially. "God help me when Riley is making us grandparents… Rosa's bad now, Uncle… shit fire. Can't bloody WAIT."
Greg snorted a laugh, much to Rosie's disgust. He levelled a glance at her, in both warning, and apology.
"Ennie knows what she's doing, Little Lass," Greg finally said. "This may be her first foal but horses in general know what the hell they're doing, and besides, her vet is on standby, and don't forget she's the best equine vet in London. There's plenty of time to get to the stables. You worry too bloody much…"
"But this is ENNIE, Uncle Greg," Rosie insisted. "She's been through SO MUCH…"
"Rosa," Julian soothed, "when all is said and done, she's STILL just a mum like you are. She'll be fine. And you've lots of time to arrive to witness the blessed event…"
Rosie glared at her husband. "Pure jackasses, the both of you," she finally stated, sneering back and forth between Julian and Greg.
"That may be, but you know what sort of stock Ennie is made of, Lass. She's come a long way. She'll be okay. But you realize the longer we stand here arguing…"
"I'm not arguing, you bloody git!" Rosie stated, thoroughly exasperated.
"You ARE arguing, my love," Julian said patiently. "You're the one with the keys to my car and you're blocking the bloody doorway…"
"Oh…" Rosie suddenly said, as she took a deep breath and looked around. "Well, SHIT."
"Have you let the stables know we're en route, Uncle?" Julian asked, matter of factly.
"A full 15 minutes ago, yes. By my watch, we're running late…"
"Oh, speak for yourself, Uncle. I'm driving. We'll just bloody SEE who's running late…" Rosie said, as she headed towards the car.
"Uh UH, Rosa. You are most decidedly NOT driving, not in the state you're in," Julian said firmly, as he whirled in front of her and reached his hand to catch hers. Swiftly reaching down, he retrieved the keys from her hand, as she sighed with exasperation, unresisting. "Besides, a civilian such as yourself has no business behind the wheel of a police car. I'm going to promise, even with me driving we'll be at least an hour early, yeah?" Julian stated casually.
"No less than," Greg nodded. "Well you're the one with the warrant card Laddie. And the sirens. And the lights… Just sayin'."
"Sir? I could possibly, of course… well, there won't be time wasted. I don't do it often. Well… never, really, seems a touch inappropriate... But in this case you're saying I might make an exception?"
"If I weren't retired, I'd make it an order, Detective Sergeant Bailey…" Greg said, with a half smirk to the younger man, and a subtle gesturing with his eyes towards Rosie.
Rosie shook her head, as she fastened her seatbelt. "Very well then Jules, you know the way."
"Yes, he certainly does," Greg remarked, with a pointed look and a wink towards Julian. "Come on then, Julian," he said, as he pulled out his phone. "I'm informing the stables that we're finally en route. Sirens and lights at will, Sergeant. We've a foal to meet…"
Rosie sat back and sighed, closing her eyes with relief. Briefly, she felt bad for being so brusque with both her husband and her uncle. Then, she heard the siren turn on, and she looked over to Julian. Quickly, he glanced towards her with a grin and a wink.
Yes, soon. Very soon. Ennie was in good hands at the stables, she knew. And she was in good hands as well.