"Not all three of us have to go if you want some one to stay." Said Andy to his mother. They had to go to the brewery but with Liz being eight months gone now she was going to stay behind sending her Jim and their boys in her stead.
"No go on you 3 don't be so silly, I can take care of the two of us for a few hours." She said to them as she kissed Jim. All memory of there wedding seemed to be gone. He showed as much affection towards her as he always had.
"The sooner you three get off, the sooner you'll be back." She reminded him and unwillingly he left her.
Liz smiled. It was going to be nice for her to get peace for a while. She hadn't had any time to herself for what felt for ever. She was just going to enjoy the quiet whilst she could.
She settled in to the sofa, and got a reading book. Time to herself and the baby at last.
Just then though the back door opened.
"What did you lot forget?" she asked playfully, feeling sure it was one of her sons or there father. Who else could it be? No one else could walk so freely in to the back room.
But to her shock when she saw the face it was neither Jim, nor the boys.
"Get out." She said to Vernon before he even said anything.
"No Liz I have to speak to you about the baby." He said as he sat by her on the sofa
"No you don't." she said adamantly, as she felt her blood pressure rise.
"But I want to be there for a you and for the child." he begged.
"It isn't your so just go, please just go." She said as she held her stomach uncomfortably. Why was he doing this to her.
"You know I care about you."
"If you really did you go." She said as she tried to get away from him. But it was no good.
She was a rabbit caught in the head lights.
Opening his arms Vernon tried to embrace her. "But I know what's been going on, you don't have to fear him any more, I'll protect you."
"Fear who?"
"Jim of course. I figured it out. He's been hurting you again, hasn't he? That's why you have been too scared to leave him?"
"No, no he has not and he would never hurt me, not know. Not like you did! Not like you are. Please, go I just want to be own my own." She said as she tried to move away from him. He followed her.
Oh god. The pain in her womb was increasing.
"HELP!" she yelled out and he covered her month with her hand. She let tears fall down her face. Why was this happening?
-
Sean who had been in the bar heard the cry and looked to violet.
"I'll go in, you see if Jim and the twins are out front still." He said and she agreed, running out.
Going in to the back room Sean was shocked by what he saw.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" He tried to yell, but Vernon was like a man possessed, and it was the bar man he hit to the ground, knocking him cold out, while Liz sank to the floor, clutching her stomach.
She couldn't lose it! Not now, when she had been so careful.
-
Andy had been just about to drive out of the street when he saw Violet run out of the pub, looking worried.
"She alright?" asked Steve and Andy shrugged. Violet saw them and run out.
"You've got to come back in." said Violet as Andy rolled opened his window. "Its your mum."
That was all Jim had needed. Tearing out of the car, he ran through the bar as fast as his legs could carry him in to the back room.
Vernon was in there and he was cradling Liz's unwillingly face in his hands as she shook her head. He was not what she wanted.
Looking to the floor to see Sean knocked out Jim sighed. At least he had tried.
"GET OFF HER." he demanded.
He was a bit more of a fair much than poor Sean had been. This time it was Vernon who was knocked out.
"Elizabeth." Said Jim as he turned automatically more tender as he knelt down by her.
"I cant – I can't." She cried with tears rolling down her face. "not now – Jim please. Don't let me lose it." she plead.
"Some one call an ambulance," he shouted over his shoulder as he held her in his arms. That was the best chance the child had now. This was so unfair. They had come so far since he had been home, which was ten months now. Kissing her he held her as she cried. This couldn't be happening…
-
Liz was still in pain with contractions when she got to Weatherfield general hospital.
"I am really sorry Mrs McDonald. I know your three weeks early but we are going to gave to deliver" the mid wife sighed. There was no other way.
"I can't Jim, I can't." She said to him.
Not after Katie. It wasn't meant to be like this. Every thing was meant to be ok for them. She was too older to go through it again. She couldn't grieve for another baby. She just couldn't…
He understood her fear better than any other, for he felt it to. But he had to be strong and he had to reassure her that it was going to be ok, and he felt it would be. They had been tested so much already. This was meant to be.
"If I could take this away from you then you know I would in a flash. But Liz I can't darling, not this time. We are going to have to go through with it early." he said and he saw horror flash in her eyes.
"You don't be scared. Cos we are going to get through this." All three of us an d I swear to you that it my firm promise."
She knew she was beaten. This time she was unable to get out of it.
Nodding to what he had said, she let him hold her for a second.
"I'm here for you, so I am Liz. All the way."
-
Amy, the twins And Deirdre waited fir news. And it felt like an age before the phone rang. The birth had been long. And was still going on. But it was coming to a close.
-
"one more push darling, come on your doing so well." Said the nurse to Liz, who was looking at Jim through tears blurred eyes. Liz screamed out one last time in pain. And then it was over. And a new screaming filled there ears.
There baby was born.
"Congratulations," said the nurse as she cut the umbilical cord, and wrapped the screaming baby in a white fluffy blanket. "You've a got beautiful little girl."
"a girl?" asked Liz.
And as she took her in her arms, Liz knew she was every thing she had been dreaming of and more.
"A daughter." She whispered. And she knew they had been gifted with the most beautiful girl in the world.
He nodded, as tears streamed down his cheeks. "A healthy daughter." He said as he kissed both there fore head and held his family. His baby daughter. His Elizabeth. His world.