Liz thought on what her friend had said to her and she knew it seemed like wisdom deep down. But she didn't wasn't to see Vernon. She didn't want to spend time with him.
She just wanted to worry about keeping the baby healthy and securing her place in her husband's to be heart.
They were the only things that mattered.
She was ever more grateful for the baby for if nothing else, it was a great excuse for her hormones which she was unable to control because of the baby and the worry.
Jim was more gentle with her by the day, showing all the romance and tenderness towards her he had when she had he had been seventeen. It was as if he was scared she was going to break.
Soon enough though they were saying good bye. It was time for the stag and the hen night.
"I can comeback for the night if you want me too." He said to her.
"Its bad luck," she said to him remindingly.
"We had enough of that last time to last a life time." He sighed. This were going to be a hard night with out her or his unborn child. He hated leaving her just for a moment.
"no." she said to him, putting her foot down. There was cause for bad luck on her part. She didn't want to risk it. "Go back to the flat and I will see you at the registry office." She promised him as she gave him a kiss.
"Ok, will do." he said to her. Sweeping down he kissed her stomach making her laugh.
"I'll miss you. Both of you." He promised.
-
Frankie had to go to the hen night. Not that she was comfortable with it. She had to. She had no excuse not to in her friend's eyes.
But the fact she knew she was in love with the groom. Well it made it rather awkward for her.
Maybe she should just say she was sick. That could get her out of going tomorrow too. But she wanted to.
"Ready?" she heard violet asked who was rather looking forward to the night.
"Yeah," she said to her. She had to go really. And she knew it. there was no way to get out of it.
-
The stag do was off.
Kevin, the twins, Ashley and Martin who had come down for it were all attending.
In the Weathy arms they started off.
"I propose a toast." Said Andy. "To mum and dad. May the marriage last this time," he said and every one gave a good natured laugh even Jim. He prayed to go it was going to.
Raising a pint he smiled.
"I propose another." He said to them all. "I know I'm not really meant to tell, but I am that proud so I am that I have too." he said and his sons knew what he was going to say. "To my kids – all three of them. No, four, my little Katie god rest her soul." He said and he was brought down to earth as he realised his new born soon to be should have had a big sister.
The others looked at him and his sons grinned. They had known he wasn't going to keep quiet for long.
"What?" asked Martin. "Liz's – she's ?"
"Yeah. She's having a baby. And it going to be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to us. To us both"
-
Liz and the girls sat in the rovers.
Bev poured champagne in to seven glasses and passed them around. Shelly had come to the event, with new born baby Jasmine, who was the child she had had with Charlie. But she was not his. She was all hers.
Liz had enjoyed cuddling her and she knew in six months she was going to be able to hold her one.
As her friends passed her the alcohol she realised some thing. She could not have it. Not even a sip.
She and Jim had agreed they were going to do every thing they could to look after the little one. If he knew she had been drinking he was going to be furious.
For a moment Deirdre had thought she was going to sip it but it turned out not. She put the glass down.
"What are you doing?" said Bev to her friend as she put the glass down.
"I can't have it." she said to her. She just couldn't. She was unable to risk it.
"What do you mean? I mean come on Liz, first the fags now the booze, any one would think you were preg – oh my god you are." she said to her.
This was not how Liz had wanted to tell them, but they knew now she guessed.
"Oh my god congratulations." Said Shelly to her.
"Well odunno about that but I'm certainly going to make a go of It." she said to her friends smiling as she put her hand on her womb.
"does Jim know?!" asked Eileen.
Coolly Liz nodded.
"But you lot can not tell him that you know. We promised we wouldn't tell any one till we were wed." she said to them but she was unable to sto smiling.
While Violet, Shelly, Eileen and Deirdre as well as Bev congratulated her, Frankie was thinking.
This was not Jim's baby! It couldn't be.
Smiling, trying to stay pleasant she sighed. Now she knew she felt she couldn't stay.
Pulling Liz aside she smiled.
"I am dead happy for you mate, but I have got such a head ache and I want to be there in the morning, do you mind if I go home? Get some beauty sleep."
"No love you get your self back and get enough rest." She said to her. Liz had the others to celebrate with and she had been getting the cold shoulder off Frankie and way for a while now.
–
Vernon got back to the flat and he was seething. He had loved her for so long. How could she do this to him?
He had done the math he knew he might be the baby's dad.
And if he was then he wanted to be a dad. The sole father figure in its life. No one else.
He just couldn't believe it.
Why had had he found out like that. Hearing another man toast his child, as if it were his own. All he had wanted was a change of scenery and a quiet night.
Well one out of two wasn't bad.
-
Frankie had no idea what she was going to do. How was she meant to just let tomorrow go to plan now when Jim had no idea what he was getting himself back in to.
He had to be told. May be she'd go over in the morning. Or maybe she would pull him aside at the registry office. Either way he had to know.
-
The end night and as Liz was concerned had been a success and as she got in to bed she couldn't be happier. Tomorrow was going to be the biggest day of her life. Then six months later she was going to have her little one. She and her husband were going to be happier than he they had been in there lives.
Maybe she had got away with the one night stand. It was months ago. Surely if it was going to come out, it would have by now. And so as she rolled over she was smiling. Her life was perfect, her world was once again golden.
-
It was the big day. The last chance. Today was it.
Liz and her girls friends sat in the back room, she was still in her dressing gown, the others dolled up as Audrey came in to do her hair.
"Well how are you feeling?"
"Relieved today is here at last." She said as she drunk to her orange juice.
she had had already been a bit of a morning with her sickness, but that was gone now and she was able to just look forward to getting to the registry office and getting her husband back.
"I bet you are. This has been a long time coming, hasn't it?"
-
"Dad, come on we have to get going in twenty minutes, get your suit on," Steve urged his father annoying the groom slightly.
"Jesus Christ Steven I know, I know! I've been Married before you know." He said to him.
"And still you find yourself getting ready for today." said Steve as he passed Jim his tie.

"Yeah but come on dad, not many people need as many practise goes as you and mum have had."

"Or you and Karen son."
Andy laughed at his dads and brother banter. They were always going to have a sarcastic relationship.
"Yeah well this is the last time cos me and yer mother have no plans to have to split again." He declared. "Glad to heart it," said Andy as he brought in three whiskeys.
"Just cos mum can't drink doesn't mean we cant." He reminded them. And the others smiled.
Downing them the three looked at each other.
"Ready?" asked Andy to Steve,
"yeah." He said as they watched there father walk in to the bed room. He just had a bad feeling over all of this. It had gone too well.
-
"Frankie, where are you going?" asked Jamie as he came down the stairs.
She had been going over to see Jim to trying and make him see sense but he guessed not now…
"I was just going to get some confetti." She lied.
"No time now." said Jamie to his step mum. "We have to get going to the registry office." He said to her.