A/n - Finally got there, set just after episode 10 this is my take on how things finished up in 1991. I wanted to tell it mainly from Joey's perspective, I don't think he would have ever been cruel to Nellie in the way the series portrayed, but I could see him losing it with his siblings eventually.
My mum never changed her name when they got married and when my dad went to register me he was told to come back with either my mum or his marriage certificate. My mum always counters that because we all have my dad's name she had to take their marriage certificate in anyway so what's the big deal. But as they weren't married Joey would have been unable to register his children at all. To put the children as Boswells they would have had to go together as Martina would have needed Joey there to confirm that he was willing to be named as father on their certificates and that it was ok for them to have his name.
So sorry dad, but I think you and Joey are a bit priggish about the whole thing.
Chapter 12
Joey screeched to a halt his heart thudding. "What the hell?" The woman had dashed across Cockburn Street, just as he'd turned.
He looked, then looked again, Roxy. Just what he didn't need. He wound down his window.
"What do you think you're doing Roxy? I nearly ran you down."
"I want you Joey. I need you." She looked at him appealingly.
He sighed and shook his head. "Don't Roxy. We've done all that."
"But Joey..."
"It's too late Roxy, I can't keep on like the way we have." Joey's distaste showed on his face.
"But you said that you'd never felt the same about anyone else. You said," she went on the attack.
"I haven't. But," he interrupted her. "I can't do this anymore. I've got two boys to think about and,"
Her eyes blazed. "So it's your boys now is it? Here I am offering myself to you and all you can do is talk about your boys. I've got a boy too you know and I'm always putting you before him."
"No Roxy, you're always putting yourself before him." Joey shocked himself saying that.
"Bastard." She hissed at him, face contorted with anger.
She turned on her heel and stalked off, coat flapping, hair bobbing.
Joey pulled off, driving straight past her without a second glance. He felt so tired of it all. He wondered if he'd ever be truly free of her, the thing was though deep down he still wanted her so much. He shot into Kelsall Street and pulled up outside number 30.
He sat in the car breathing deeply, trying to get his composure back. His mam had been on the phone crying again and he felt obliged to come round and see what it was this time that had upset her. He was hoping his siblings weren't about, they were doing his head in at the moment. Adrian and Ireene were back from Scotland and living a few minutes away, renting a tiny attic flat on Belvidere Road, about all they could afford on Irenee's meagre wages and the cash Joey gave Adrian for minding the shop for a couple of hours each day. Joey had purposefully ignored Nellie's hint that perhaps he could up Adrian's allowance to get something better, he was already giving him way over the odds for what he actually did. If it wasn't for the fact that it was giving Jack and Adrian the chance to earn some money and a bit of self-respect Joey would have sold the business on. It was actually costing him to keep it going. He wondered if she was fretting again about Jack's news. That had definitely distressed her, although Joey couldn't understand why. Jack was ecstatic, he'd told Joey a family was all he'd ever wanted and he knew that Leonora was the right person to have one with. Perhaps there was some new drama regarding Aveline, or some other unrelated crisis. He took a deep breath and got out of the car, as ready as he was ever going to be to face what was awaiting him.
He found his mam frantically making sandwiches, whilst trying to feed Ursula her breakfast.
"Oh Joey, thank goodness you're here, can you see to Ursula so I can get Billy's sandwiches made? Otherwise his round's going to be late or Ursula's going to miss her breakfast."
"Where's Aveline and Billy mam?" Joey asked her before she could continue.
"In bed, Joey."
"Mam!" Joey was livid. His patience, hanging by a thread far finer than any of Adrian's had ever been, snapped. He bounded up the stairs, banged loudly on Aveline's door before pushing into Billy's room, hauling him out of bed and dragging him downstairs.
Aveline came out of her room, tying the belt on her garish dressing gown as she followed them to the kitchen.
"Just what do you think you're doing Billy? Mam's downstairs running herself ragged doing your sandwiches, and you're laying around in bed."
Before Billy had a chance to say a word Aveline spoke up.
"What is it, Joey? Why have you got me out of bed? Don't you know I'm pregnant?"
Joey rounded on her, her voice whining and petulant caused him to finally loose it completely. Pregnant? Talk about pregnant, he'd left Martina, less than three weeks away from her due date, to deal with two toddlers barely ten months apart, the younger not yet eighteen months and all because his two youngest siblings couldn't be arsed to get out of bed. Unbelievable.
So as Adrian and Jack entered, both hoping that their mam would do them some breakfast, they caught Joey in full flow.
"And as for you Aveline, you've got a husband and a baby and another on the way, yet you're acting like a spoilt, selfish child. No wonder Oswald's drinking. He can't win, first you nag him to get you pregnant, force him to take tests, make his life a misery, then when he does, you sulk and complain. You've never looked after him or the baby, he's done it all, kept working as well, and you've swanned back here, and now you're pregnant again and you announce you hate him, and you don't want the baby. How do you think it's making him feel?"
"You can't talk Joey, you've done all the childcare for your two." Nellie felt she had to come to Aveline's defence.
"Yeah, during the day while Martina's been at work to pay for the mortgage on her flat which we're living in. Then she does the cooking when she gets in, the housework at the weekend, and has to see to them while I go out and graft for some money, a good part of which ends up round here."
There was a stunned silence, even Billy kept his gob shut. Joey caught sight of Jack and Adrian, who had slipped around the table like a pair of fledglings with their beaks open waiting to be fed.
"And Jack, no wonder Leonora kept on the pill as long as possible, she's working to keep you, it's her house. When this baby's born who do you thinks gonna be earning enough? It's not you is it Jack? She'll be back at work and you'll be looking after it."
"I can earn, I can take care of them." Jack was indignant.
"Really?" Joey was scornful. "What was your last venture? Oh yeah a heavy fine, which she had to pay, for buying lamp posts that'd been ripped out of the street."
"That's a bit harsh Joey," ventured Adrian timidly.
"Adrian, Irenee's got a proper job you haven't. Who's going to be paying your rent next week, and the week after and the week after that?"
"Well, er, I," stuttered Adrian.
"At least I'm a provider, I'm working and Connie's not so I could provide." Billy broke in triumphantly.
"Provide what Billy? Julie already had her place rent free, you gave her some money for Francesca I'll grant that, but never enough to keep them, and you certainly never provided Francesca with a father or Julie with a husband. You kept running back home every five minutes."
Nellie was looking at him in horror, Joey had finally broken, what she'd been dreading had happened. What was she going to do? They'd drift and break up without Joey to sort them out and smooth things over.
The room was silent each thinking their own thoughts.
Joey broke it, his voice low and measured. "Well I for one have had enough. Had enough of putting everyone else first. I have Martina, Micky and Teddy to think about. I have another baby due very soon. They're going to be my priority from now on."
He left the room, Nellie went to follow him, "Joey, Joey."
Jack stopped her. "Leave him be mam. Let him calm down. He's stressed with the baby due and the shop and everything else that's going on at the moment. Give him time. He'll be back."
"He's right though." Adrian was thoughtful, "we have been selfish. He's had a lot on his plate the last few years, and we've just scrapped the waste from ours onto his and left him to clear up."
"What are you talking about? You don't half spout a lot of crap Adrian." Billy shook his head.
Nellie stood up and lifted her head, "go now all of you. Jack get to the allotment, Adrian to the shop, Billy take your sandwiches. I have to talk to Aveline."
The boys obeyed quickly and silently.
Nellie turned to her daughter, "Aveline you need to sort things out with Oswald. Make up your mind. You're either going to be a wife and mother or you aren't. It's not fair on him or the children." Nellie was pulling no punches.
"Mam I, I'm not selfish am I? It's that Martina, trapping our Joey and turning him against us." Aveline was crying.
Nellie sighed, "no luv it's not Martina. I knew this would happen, that Joey would break one day. I've been unfair, I've made him take the place of your father. Made it hard for all of you to break free. I should have sent you back to Oswald not helped you stay away, and if I'd not kept taking Billy in who knows how it might have turned out." She leant over and put her arms around her daughter. "But you have to make your decisions luv, it's not just Oswald is it? It's Ursula and, God willing," she stroked Aveline's belly, "this one. You're a mother Aveline, you have to start acting like one."
The phone went. She reached to answer it. "Hello yes?"
"No luv, he's not here. He left about twenty minutes ago. Oh my God, what about the boys? Who's with you? What do you want me to do, come to you or take the boys? I'll get a taxi."
"Mam, what's happened? Is it Joey?" Aveline raised her tear streaked face, frightened by the rising panic in her mam's voice.
"No, it's Martina, her waters have broken and Joey's phone's off. That Michael has the boys and she's in the ambulance on the way to hospital. I'm going there."
She rang the taxi. "Aveline get the boys to drive around to find Joey and let him know what's happened."
"Course mam." Aveline was glad to have something else to think about rather than the choices she needed to make.
The taxi hooted and Nellie bustled out. She'd no sooner sat down than her phone rang. Oh thank God she thought expecting it to be Joey. "Hello yes?"
"Nellie my darling, you're not at the park."
"No, no, I've a grandchild about to be born, and we can't get hold of its dad, grandsons being looked after by a, by a, by one of those, those," she dropped her voice, "gays. One son not long back from eloping to Gretna Green, another who's got the mother of Methuselah pregnant," her voice was rising again, "and a pregnant daughter who doesn't know what she wants to be."
"My poor darling, it sounds like an explosion of Boswells. What can I do to help?" His voice was calm, soothing.
"Nothing Derek th...,"she stopped, so Joey thought he'd had enough of his family did he, so let him get on with it then. After all she wasn't going to let Martina down, but once Joey got there it was his job. "Actually come to Oxford Street Derek and when Joey gets there we can go."
"Are you sure? Won't your children mind?"
Much as she hated to admit it Nellie knew there was a lot of truth in Joey's words, although he'd refrained from criticising her directly during his outburst she'd felt his unspoken resentment about being called upon all the time. And he was right, he should be putting Martina and his children first. She wished she could go back a couple of hours and not make that call to Joey, but go and get Billy and Aveline out of bed. And maybe, just maybe it was time for her to put herself first for a change.
"That will be their problem. It's Martina Delaney you need to ask for, just say you're the grandad."
"Alright my darling. I'll be there."
"Any luck?" Aveline was anxious as she questioned her brothers.
"No, I've tried everywhere I can think of." Billy shook his head.
"Jack?"
"He wasn't at the allotment with me, I've been to both parks, up and down the Dock Road, no sign."
"Adrian?"
"And he wasn't at the shop. I've been to Paradise Street, Button Street, Hope Place, nothing."
The four of them were looking helplessly at each other, wondering what to do next, when they were startled by the front door banging.
"Where's me tea and cake? I'll die of starvation or dehydration one day." Grandad tottered in.
"It's Martina, grandad." Aveline was solemn.
"Why, what's happened?" The old man looked scared, he liked Martina.
"She's gone into labour, mam's at the hospital and we can't find Joey. We've looked everywhere."
"Have you been to Otterspool, on the prom? He likes it there. He goes there to think."
They looked at each other and with one accord rushed out to their cars, Aveline getting in with Jack.
Grandad shook his head, there were times when he couldn't believe just how gormless his grandchildren could be.
"I'll get me own tea then," he muttered. "Let me know if she's alright then," grandad called after their retreating backs. "May as well take the tin." He picked up the cake tin and wandered back to number twenty-eight.
"Joey, Joey, it's Martina, she's in labour." Jack yelled at the figure leaning over the rail.
"What?" Joey turned
"Martina, get a move on, Oxford Street."
"Oh, get in here Joey, you're not in a fit state to drive." Adrian called over.
"No it's ok." Joey ran for the Jag. 'Oh God, please let me be in time,' ran through his brain on a loop.
A nurse met them as they rushed to the desk, Joey asking for Martina, her eyebrows raising at the sight of the whole bunch. "Which one of you is the father?"
"He is," they chorused pointing to Joey.
"Come with me. The rest of you can wait here." She led Joey down a corridor away from where his sons had been born.
"Is everything ok?" His stomach already churning fell to his feet.
She didn't answer, opened a door, ushered him in and then left. He found himself looking straight at his mam and the man he'd seen with her in front of The Walker. His mam was holding a baby. She looked at him, her face solemn, "you have a daughter Joey."
She held her out to him. He took her. "Martina?" He questioned, before smothering her in kisses.
"Where's Martina?" He asked once he'd stopped.
"Having a transfusion Joey, there were complications with the afterbirth. The baby's fine." Nellie's voice was quiet and toneless. She began to get her coat on.
"Mrs Boswell?" A doctor came in, "your daughter is asking for you. Would you mind? She shouldn't really have visitors but she's fretting about something and it's not helping."
"Of course not." Nellie shrugged her coat back off.
They were out of the door before Joey had a chance to speak. He sat down, fearful, looking at Derek.
"I'm Joey," he held out his hand.
"Derek," he answered as he shook it. "Lovely daughter you have."
"Yes, what happened?" Joey clutched the baby to him distractedly.
"I don't know, I was in the waiting room, waiting," he smiled sheepishly, "for Nellie."
Nellie came back. "We'll be off now Joey." She turned to Derek, "I'm afraid we need to collect the boys, then we can go to the park with them. Martina thinks Michael will probably be having a nervous breakdown by now. I'm sorry to change plans, but she's worried and I don't want her to be."
"Of course my darling, I understand." He helped her into her coat.
"But mam," Joey paused.
"Reassure her Joey, that they will be safe with me, us, the family, for as long as she needs them to be. I'll be on the end of the phone if she wants anything. I'll be in to see her as soon as it's permitted."
She left without further ado, Derek giving him a small smile.
The rebuke in her voice wasn't missed by Joey, he'd have to sort things with her later, but in the meantime what was happening to Martina would have to take precedence. This was all his fault, payback for going with Roxy. The alarming thought that they might loose Martina went through his brain. He desperately wanted to know what was happening to her. He dithered, should he sit and wait or try to find someone who could give him some answers?
"Mam?" Adrian spoke first.
"Our Joey has a daughter, she's well. Martina is," she hesitated slightly, "recovering. She's not allowed visitors at the moment so you may as well all go."
"Mam?" Jack stepped up eying Derek aggressively.
"You can put that face away Jack. This is Derek, Derek this is Jack, Adrian, Billy, and Aveline. There are more of us. You can meet them in due course."
Derek nodded to each in turn. Apart from Jack, who stared silently scowling, they returned his greeting.
Nellie swept through the room and left arm in arm with Derek, the eyes of her family following her until the door closed gently behind her.
Joey stuck his head out into the corridor. He caught sight of a nurse bustling down the corridor. "Excuse me," he smiled, "but could you tell me what's happening with Martina Delaney please."
She stopped and looked at him unsmilingly. "Who are you?"
"I'm her partner."
"One moment." She turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Joey sat back down and placed his sleeping daughter in the cot.
Before he had a chance to even think the door opened and the nurse accompanied by a doctor entered.
"Dr Rook, and you are?"
"Joey Boswell."
"Relationship to Miss Delaney?"
"Partner. I'm the baby's father."
She nodded. "Mr Boswell the placenta did not deliver in one piece and there was a haemorrhage. We have stabilised Miss Delaney, she is in no immediate danger, but she will be hospitalised for a while. The baby will be cared for in the nursery until Miss Delaney is in a position to."
"Can't I take her home?"
"No Mr Boswell, we do not countenance the discharge of infants without their mothers."
Joey was reeling, he didn't know what to say. "Can I see Martina?"
"No Mr Boswell, at present next of kin only."
"But I live with her, we've got three children together, surely I can see her?"
"I'm afraid not Mr Boswell, you are not her legal next of kin. When she is back in a general maternity ward you can visit."
"But me daughter when can I see her?"
"Your daughter will be on the ward with her mother, as soon as her mother is ready. You can see them together."
"But I was present at the birth of me sons, no one said anything then about not being next of kin." Joey protested.
"Miss Delaney would have been able to vouch for you on those occasions. As it is she is in a medically induced sleep, you didn't come in with her, her mother joined her for the birth, l have no way of ascertaining your right to be here."
The doctor's words cut through Joey. All because Martina wouldn't marry him even though he'd asked her on numerous occasions. All the emotions he was feeling, the shame about Roxy, the guilt that he hadn't gone straight home when he flounced out of Kelsall Street, the remorse that he'd distressed his mam, the regret that he'd upset his siblings, not that they didn't need to hear what he'd had to say, but he could have done it differently, fuelled his resentment towards Martina for putting him in the mess he was now in. He was so angry with her, her stubborn refusal to commit legally to him, meant he hadn't even been able to register the births of his sons without her presence and assurance to the registrar that he could be listed on their birth certificates as father and that they could bear his name. Now it seemed she'd denied him the right to be with her and their daughter at this traumatic time.
The nurse wheeled the cot out and the doctor held the door for him.
He stumbled through and looked vainly for his siblings, but following Nellie's advice they had left.
Joey was just getting into his car when his phone went.
"Hello yes?"
"Joey? I'm sorry about this morning, let's not end things on a fight. How about a drink? I know you've got family responsibilities these days, but I can meet you at Keith's if it's still there. Remember you said you'd had a preservation order put on it?"
Even as the words came out of his mouth Joey was conscious that this could just well be the worst move he had made in his life so far.
"I'll be there."