Author's Note: So I didn't update last weekend... I'm sorry! I took a bit of time off to spend with family and friends since I didn't have any papers to write and my midterms were over. But this week is back to normal :) This chapter was actually really difficult to write - I'm so ready to write the birth scene it's unbelievable lol! I can't wait to introduce you all to Elouise, who's had this fully formed personality for MONTHS in my head. I think you're gonna love her and I can't wait for you to meet her!

That being said, this chapter isn't the birth scene, which is why it was so hard for me to write. But of course, other things have to happen before Elouise's birth :)

On a little side note, the last chapter didn't get very many reviews and I honestly can't remember if I replied to them or not. Sorry if I didn't! I'll reply to the ones I get for this chapter.

And as usual, I don't own or have anything to do with Skins.

Chapter 27: Forward

Friday, January 24th, 2014

Just over three weeks had passed since New Year's Eve and my subsequent stay at the hospital. I hadn't heard from Natalie, and Em hadn't heard anything from her lawyer about John Foster. Though we were both a little uneasy, we were completely focused on preparing for Elouise's arrival. The episode at the hospital had scared us both, and we realized how completely unprepared we are for the baby. We didn't have nappies or a changing table or enough clothes for Elouise yet. I didn't even have time to go to the store and pick up a birthing pool or a nice receiver blanket to wrap Elouise in when she was first born. Luckily, over the past few weeks Em and I had managed to pick up a few more things we needed, with the help of my mum and Jenna, who were very eager to help.

Things had been pretty busy for me, considering I was now technically working two jobs. I was still working for the newspaper in London, writing my weekly article, and I was also working with Effy, Katie, Em, and Stacey on the online magazine that had really started to take off in the past few weeks. We were up to posting a brand new magazine once a week, which meant that we were also working our asses off at the studio to meet our deadlines. Let's just say there were a lot of late nights pulled in the studio from all of us. Of course, I wasn't planning on working this much after Elouise arrived – in fact, if the magazine continued to be profitable, I'd like to quit the newspaper entirely and just work on the magazine with Ems. It would be much easier to work just around the corner and be my own boss. I planned on taking quite a while off from working entirely and becoming a stay at home mum for at least a little while. Em and I had discussed it and our finances were definitely not going to take a hit if I didn't work for a few months, or maybe a year. It was nice to have that extra luxury.

Today, I found myself headed into London in the morning for my monthly meeting with my editors at the newspaper, and then this afternoon Effy and I were modelling for a pregnancy photoshoot for the online magazine. Then tonight, Emily and I were going to dinner and then going shopping for the birthing pool, and if I felt up for it, we would go to the cinema.

I suppose the nice thing about today was that I was pretty much guaranteed a seat on the tube, thanks to my huge pregnant belly. People were very accommodating, willing to give up their seats and chat to me about the baby and when I was due and what I was going to name my daughter. It was a nice change from the usual grimaces I faced whenever I was on the tube. At the office, everybody smiled at me and was much more nice to me than usual as well. The people at my work even prepared a small gift basket full of baby things for me, since this was the last meeting I would be attending before I went on my maternity leave. I didn't realize that the people in the London office even knew my name, so it was definitely a nice surprise.

My time in London was cut quite short seeing as I no longer had to stick around to see Natalie, and I managed to make it back to Bristol just in time for the photoshoot. Effy had been complaining about the shoot for almost two weeks now, and I completely understood where she was coming from. Em and Katie wanted us to be completely topless for the shoot, and considering the quite significant size of my breasts I just wasn't sure that it was possible to cover them in a tasteful way. Effy, however, just didn't like the idea of being photographed topless and pregnant.

"Why would anybody want to see a topless pregnant woman?" Effy was asking as I walked into the studio. Katie was setting up the lighting in the studio. Emily was chasing Effy around with four different makeup brushes in her hand, obviously trying to put the finishing touches on her makeup. "Who exactly wants to see stretchmarks and a big huge belly?"

"Babe, you don't have stretchmarks," Katie replied, rolling her eyes as Effy waddled around the studio in only her bra and a pair of designer jeans. "And I like seeing you topless and pregnant."

"Yeah, but you're my partner, you're supposed to like seeing me topless and pregnant," Effy rebutted. "And anyway, we still haven't even figured out how we're going to keep Naomi's tits covered."

"Now that is an actual issue," I replied as Emily walked over to me and kissed me on the lips. "I'm thinking we should use some kind of parachute. Or possibly a blimp."

"Naomi, I really don't think we have the time or money to find a blimp," Emily said as she grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the makeup chair. Katie and Effy continued to argue about the whole topless situation while Emily started to fix my makeup. Luckily, Stacey wasn't in today, so she didn't have to be subjected to the mass hysteria of self-conscious pregnant women. I was starting to get a bit nervous about the shoot, but I kept repeating one word in my head to keep myself calm- "photoshop".

As soon as Katie managed to talk Effy out of her bra and Emily wrangled me out of my own bra, we were ready to shoot. Posing for the shoot was pretty difficult and actually significantly more embarrassing than I thought it would be. Apparently, being naked in front of your wife, your sister in-law, and your best friend is just bound to be an awkward experience. I could tell Effy felt embarrassed too, which made me feel only a bit better about things. The photoshoot took an exceedingly long time since Effy and I both felt so uncomfortable, and that was apparently translating into the photos. We shot for about 5 hours after a lot of poking and prodding from both Emily and Katie before Effy finally put her foot down and said there was bound to be at least one shot where we both looked good. I was rather glad to finally put my top back on.

Emily and Katie spent a few hours editing photos while Effy and I made our hasty exit and went to shop for baby clothes.

"So, do you feel ready to have the baby?" I asked Effy as she picked out some onesies and cute boy outfits. She shrugged and smiled at me.

"I suppose so. I'm really excited for him to get here, but I'm kind of nervous," Effy replied, grabbing a pack of baby socks. "I mean, what if I'm a bad mum? Or if I get overwhelmed and can't take care of him properly? Or...well...what if I get postpartum depression?"

I nodded and grabbed a pack of pink baby socks and a plain purple receiver blanket as well. "I think every new mum feels like that, Eff. Have you talked to Katie about it? She might be feeling a bit freaked out, too."

Effy nodded. "Well, we've talked about it but I don't know if she understands. Especially about the depression and why I'm so afraid of getting depressed again. I mean, she never knew me when I was depressed. Only you and Cook and Freddie did, and you know how much of a mess I was. I just don't want to be like that again. I don't want to put my son through that."

I nodded and hugged Effy quickly. "Eff, I'm sure you'll be a good mum. And if you become depressed, I'll be there to help you deal with it, and so will Katie and Ems."

Effy smiled, though I could tell it wasn't a true smile. I couldn't comfort her or ease her worries anymore. I would just have to accept that her worries won't just disappear, though I couldn't pretend my conversation with Effy hadn't bothered me. We finished up our shopping, and met Katie and Emily just outside the shop. Katie and Effy were going home, and Ems and I had dinner reservations.

"You okay, babe?" Em asked as she grabbed my hand. We started walking towards the restaurant while I contemplated whether I really was okay.

"I suppose," I replied. "I've just got a lot on my mind, I suppose."

Em bit her lip and nodded. "Is this about John?"

I shrugged. I couldn't pretend that John's reappearance in my life wasn't worrying or alarming. I'd tried to push thoughts of him to the back of my head, but this wasn't any way to live. I was constantly worried about when he'd next show up on our doorstep, both literally and figuratively.

"I think so. Well, it's at least a little bit about John."

Emily nodded and squeezed my hand. "We just have to forget about him and move on, Naoms."

"I can't forget, Em."

Emily nodded to herself and pointed out the restaurant just a few steps away.

"I understand that, Naoms. I can't really forget either, you know. But we can just try our best to move on. I know it's difficult, but we don't have another option right now."

"I wish we could just move away," I said as Em opened the door to the restaurant. Emily shrugged.

"Maybe we just need a vacation. Like another honeymoon before the baby comes. A babymoon."

I snorted. Em smiled at the hostess and told her our reservation details. We were promptly showed to our table, a quiet table in the back of the seating area. The restaurant was pretty busy, but the area where we were seated was lovely and quiet. I suppose that's why Emily was always the one to make reservations – she had all the contacts necessary to get as nice a table as this.

We were handed our fancy menus and Emily continued to talk about the possibility of a pre-baby vacation. I was actually pretty interested. I could use a week away from work and family responsibilities before Elouise got here. The only issue was that we would have to book the trip and leave very soon because Effy was due at the beginning of March and we would have to be back for the birth of her son. There was always a "two week cushion" that our midwife told us about, meaning that Effy could give birth either two weeks before or two weeks after her due date. These things were never very accurate.

"So, what do you think, Naoms? Where do you want to go on vacation?" Em asked.

"Anywhere but Paris," I replied with a knowing smile.

Emily and I ate dinner in relative peace, deciding that we were going on a vacation, but not deciding on a location. We ruled out somewhere hot and sunny because I didn't feel sexy enough to parade around in a swimming costume. We hadn't decided on anything else, though.

We were headed to the toy store because apparently a birthing pool and an inflatable kiddy play pool were the same thing. Emily ran into the store and picked up the biggest pool she could find that would still fit in our living room, leaving me in the car because I was bloody exhausted and my back was killing me. We had also ruled out going to the cinema tonight, mainly because I was completely knackered and demanding a massage from Emily as soon as we got home. Emily put the inflatable pool into the trunk, as well as a rather large exercise ball which she crammed in the back seat.

"What is that huge ball thing for?" I asked as Emily sat down in the driver's seat and started the car up.

"The saleslady said it's good for pregnancy and labour. Something about it taking pressure off your back and allowing your pelvis to open up, I think," Emily replied as she began to drive us home. Emily had become a much more cautious driver since I got pregnant.

"I don't think we need the ball to open up my pelvis, hun," I replied, biting my lip to stifle my laughs. "You do that just fine."

"Cheeky."

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