A/n I think this is the first time I've ever written anything that hasn't had either Joey or Martina in it!

Chapter 3

"Life's not fair mam is it?" Aveline put down her cup and looked over at her mam. They were enjoying a rare mother daughter moment with no one else in the house.

"What do you mean luv?" Nellie asked, although she had a pretty good idea what was behind Aveline's remark.

"Well, Martina didn't want to get pregnant and Joey didn't want to get her pregnant, yet they're expecting a baby and neither or them seem very enthusiastic."

"Yes well Aveline, The Lord works in mysterious ways, I'm sure it'll all work out in the end." Nellie didn't want to confide to Aveline just how worried she was about Joey and Martina.

"Yes, but He's not being fair is He? I mean me and Oswald really want a baby and nothing's happened."

"Aveline wash your mouth out. You'll get a baby when everything's good and ready." Nellie picked up her cup, babies, that's all Aveline talked about at the moment. Nellie almost, but not quite, felt sorry for her son-in-law.

"Mam, do you think I should go to the doctor?"

"What for luv, are you ill?" Nellie dropped her cup back down.

"No mam, but I'm not pregnant yet and it's been months."

"You just need to be patient luv." Nellie carried on drinking her tea this time.

"Yeah, but it's not fair is it?"

"Well life's not fair Aveline, otherwise I'd have a full time husband, not one who spends most of his life in a high rise with a tart." Nellie's voice had risen up.

Aveline dropped her eyes, it isn't fair though, she thought defiantly, I want a baby and in a couple of months they'll have one and I won't, and they don't even want it and I'll have to pretend I'm pleased and make a fuss of it. When it gets to a year I'm going to the doctor anyway.

"Fretting won't help you get pregnant Aveline." Nellie had a reasonable idea of what was going through her daughter's mind. Funny, she thought, none of them ever give me any credit for knowing what's going on, when most of the time I can read them like an open book. "Just relax and stop obsessing about it and it'll happen."

But you're right luv, it's not fair, she thought with a sigh. If it was you pregnant at least I'd have a grandchild where I could be a significant person in its life.

The house rocked as Billy slammed the door and burst into the kitchen.

"Mmm, nice cake mam," he spluttered through a mouthful.

Aveline looked at him in disgust, crumbs flying out of his mouth, no wonder Julie had given up on him.

"Bil-ly," Nellie scolded. "You're a human being not a praying mantis."

"Well, I can't help it if I'm hungry can I?"

"Mam, I must be off now. I need to get Oswald's lunch." Aveline didn't see the point of staying now Billy was home.

"Lunch," scoffed Billy. "Don't you mean dinner, or have you gone all posh?"

"I mean lunch Billy. Dinner's tonight." Aveline kissed her mam. "See you tomorra mam." She wiggled out.

"Ok luv." Nellie turned to glare at Billy.

"Well mam, we have dinner at dinner time and tea at tea time. I don't know what they get up to. I mean just coz she's a vicar's wife doesn't mean she's has to be all posh."

Nellie shook her head, she had far more important things to worry about, than what meals were called.

Freddie had moved back to his flat in February saying thanks for letting him stay, but he needed his own space again. It had hurt her so much, for a short space of time she thought she'd got her Freddie back, but it was not to be.

Then there was Aveline with her proddy preacher for a husband who couldn't even get her pregnant. Billy's marriage deteriorating even further to the point where Julie had filed for divorce and the devastating effect that was having on him. Jack still in America and showing no signs of coming back. She was always worried about Adrian, he'd been moping around after the Italian girl they'd met in Rome. And Joey. Aveline was right. He didn't seem to be very enthusiastic about his impending fatherhood. She'd not been able to pin him down as to whether he was moving in with Martina, or what his intentions were towards her and the baby. He'd told her that Martina had refused his offer of marriage. Nellie wasn't surprised, if he'd been as half-hearted about it as when he spoke to her no wonder she'd said no. And as for Martina, she looked haunted rather than blooming. Nellie felt for her so much. By far her biggest fear was that Joey would never be free of Roxy. She had no doubt that he'd support them, but, as she hated to admit, he was Freddie's son as well as hers, suppose Roxy occupied the same position in Joey's life as Lilo Lil did in Freddie's. Never far away, always threatening. Even when she wasn't physically around, her presence could be felt, poisoning their marriage, never giving it a chance to heal. Nellie wouldn't wish that kind of life on anyone. Suspecting that they wouldn't necessarily make a go of things, Nellie had made overtures to Martina without involving Joey. She saw so little of Francesca, she didn't want history repeating itself. To her surprise but pleasure, Martina had welcomed her and had seemed genuinely grateful for her support. It seemed that her own mam hadn't taken kindly to the news that her only daughter was pregnant and had washed her hands of it all. Not that Nellie approved of all the hanky panky, but her second grandchild was on its way, and she was determined to be involved with this one.

She obviously couldn't rely on her sons to provide her with straightforward situations, marriage, then children. At least her Aveline had got things in the right order, saved herself for marriage, nice wedding albeit to a proddy preacher, but now of course no pregnancy. Still what else could you expect from a wet vicar?

"Mam, it's not right is it?"

Billy's yell finally got through to her, she had no idea what he'd been jabbering on about.

"No luv, of course it's not." She hoped that would quieten him down.

"That's what I said mam." He looked at her expectantly, obviously waiting for her to say something. Relief came in the shape of Adrian.

"That shower's getting worse, it gets more incontinent by the week. It was dribbling out today."

"Yes, well," Nellie paused, thinking about the shower reminded her again of Jack. His letters were cheery, but Nellie wondered what was really happening out there. She sighed heavily.

"Mam?" Adrian was looking at her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes thanks luv. I was just thinking." She managed a weak half smile.

"Only you look worried mam, like you've got the cares of the world on your shoulders." Adrian was concerned.

"Yes well Adrian, there's a lot happening at the moment to be worried about." Nellie didn't want to be too specific.

"You don't need to worry about me mam. Everything's fine."

"Oh, that's good Adrian, I'm glad one of us is ok." Nellie tried to sound convincing.

Adrian put his arms round her. He felt it was his responsibility, now Joey was caught up in his own grief and Jack away, to comfort his mam.

"Joey and Martina will be ok, mam, they're good people, no matter what they'll look after the baby and be proper parents. Aveline and Oswald will be fine mam, our Jack will be back when he's good and ready and as for dad, well he won't change now, he is as he is. You've bought us up to be caring and responsible, and that's what we are."

He paused, "well apart from him," he gestured to Billy.

Nellie looked at him fondly. "Thanks son."

I do worry about you though Adrian, she thought to herself, not as robust as my other lads, gentle and sensitive. And oh I don't know, little formless fears and worries, but you can be so wise and comforting.

"I'll just ring our Joey, see if he's coming in for his dinner."