Jack stopped, his body frozen in time for a briefest of moments. Slowly, he turned, looking up at Ronnie who was standing beside him. "Your waters . . .?"
Ronnie nodded her head, giving him a sheepish smile. "Yeah."
Shirley put down her fork, making it clatter against her plate. "Well, that's me done with the turkey."
"And me," Phil added, pushing his plate away, a nauseas look on his face.
"The baby's . . .?" He didn't the finish the sentence, the words lying flat on his tongue and refusing to tumble into the air around them.
Once again, Ronnie nodded. "Yes, the baby's coming."
Suddenly, it was as though someone had plugged an IV of electricity into Jack's veins, he jumped up from his seat and began to pat down his suit jacket, looking for his car keys. "Keys, keys, keys," he mumbled, frantically looking for them.
Ronnie looked at him, amused. I should tell him that it'll probably be hours before this little one arrives. But she said nothing, instead watching as he rushed around like a headless chicken looking for car keys and phones and keys to the flat where Ronnie's overnight bag was.
"Okay, Jack – you go grab Ronnie's bag," Glenda said, standing up and taking charge of the situation. Honestly, this isn't his first baby – he should be less panicked than this. Mind you, it is his first with Ronnie. . .and after everything they've been through together, it's understandable I guess.
"Jack – you're in no state to drive. Roxy – where are your car keys?"
Roxy scoffed. "You are not driving my car."
Glenda rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Not me," she began. "You, you can drive them to the hospital," she explained, using a hand to gesture between her youngest daughter and Ronnie and Jack.
"Oh right, I knew that."
"What d'you say, Rox?" Ronnie asked, putting out a hand for her sister to take. "You wanna come with?"
Roxy giggled, turning into a little kid that had just been asked by their cooler, older sister to go out with her and her friends. She nodded her head eagerly and took up Ronnie's hand, giving it a tight squeeze.
"Okay," Jack said firmly, nodding his head. "We should go."
But Ronnie frowned. "If you think I am going to hospital in wet leggings, you have another think coming, Jack Branning."
Jack groaned aloud, the tips of his fingers massaging his forehead, whilst Ronnie and Roxy simply giggled to themselves. "Come on, you can borrow something of mine," Roxy stated, gently leading her sister through the back doors of the pub and up the stairs to her bedroom.
Jack shook his head in disbelief. "It's fine, Jack – babies have a habit of taking a while to get here, you'll still have plenty of time and if it makes Ronnie feel more comfortable, then she should change. Anyway, you go get her bag and the girls will meet you in the car, okay?"
"Yeah," Jack mumbled, torn. He knew that Ronnie needed her bag, but that would mean leaving her and that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. She was his wife and she was having his baby. How could he leave, even if it was only for a few minutes?
"Jack – she's fine," Glenda insisted. "Run to the flat if that gets you there and back quicker, but get the bag. Roxy is with her and walking a little will ease her discomfort. Now, go!" She shooed him away with her hands, waiting until he had sighed and left the Vic before rushing up the stairs to her two girls.
Ronnie's having a baby. I'm going to be a grandmother again. The excitement was almost overwhelming as Glenda stood at the ajar door, watching as Roxy helped Ronnie into a pair of black leggings. A thread of content happiness wound it's way around her heart. Look at them, how they love each other. My girls.
She saw Ronnie flinch in pain and grab hold of her stomach, doubling over as a contraction gripped her body. Glenda frantically rushed into the room, taking hold of Ronnie's hand. "It's okay, sweetie," she said, pushing back Ronnie's hair from her face. "Just take a breath, breathe through it."
"Mum," Ronnie whimpered, squeezing down on Glenda's hand.
"It's okay, it's okay darling, just breathe through it and it'll pass soon."
"It's okay, Ron, you're doing good," Roxy encouraged, remembering the pain of giving birth to the daughter that slept peacefully in her cot.
Moments later, the tightness in Ronnie's lower body dissipated, the pressure releasing and she was able to stand up straight once again. She took a few steadying breaths, gearing herself up for the walk to the car.
"Come on, Ron – we should go to Jack."
Ronnie nodded and both sisters began to make their way to the bedroom door, before she turned around and addressed Glenda. "Mum – aren't you coming?"