Birthday Wishes

This chapter been prompted by Cburns1995 and the prompt was It's Sandy's birthday and the whole family gather to celebrate it. But can a Roscoe family day really happen without a massive disaster?

When Sandy's first birthday in Hollyoaks passed, she hadn't held a big event or done anything particularly fancy, after all, her and her boys had just moved up to the village and were still doing a lot of unpacking, never mind the fact that she didn't know a single one of her neighbours.

But as the day grew closer once more, a full year after moving in, Sandy knew exactly what she wanted to do, she wanted a proper gathering with all her friends and family to make up for the non-entity that was last year's party, and because she was a lot happier than she had been in years.

Her relationship with Fraser was going strong, she had been nervous marrying him just six months after their first date, but her worries had been for nothing and it had turned out to be the best thing she had ever done.

And it wasn't just her romantic relationship that was flourishing, she was in a good place with all her children, even Darren, and never a day passed without one of them seeking her for some sort of advice, or just a little chat.

It was nice, she felt wanted and needed by her sons and the fact that they were all willingly opening up to her made her heart swell slightly, because she knew she had raised them all well.

So on a warm summer's afternoon, just over a year since moving into Hollyoaks Village, Sandy held her first birthday barbecue, practically inviting the whole village to come down, meaning that as two p.m rolled around, the Roscoe's garden was practically heaving with people, though in between thanking people for coming along and their gifts, Sandy only had eyes on her children.

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"Do you want to go in Nance, it's pretty hot out here," Darren said quietly, keeping a comforting hand on the small of Nancy's back.

Since her accident with Sienna almost six months previous, the young journalist had come along in leaps and bounds recovery wise, managing to walk unaided for the first time around two weeks before Sandy's birthday, though as he had always been doing, Darren was very over-protective of his former ex.

Both Nancy and Darren had been taking it slow, not wanting to rush into another relationship whilst there were still so many troubles and cracks to it, though after letting themselves getting to know one another once more and basically starting from scratch, they had both agreed to give their relationship another try, fully believing they could do it properly this time, and so far they were being proved right.

"I'm fine Darren," Nancy said with a small smile, ignoring the familiar tremors that made their way down her back. The pain had once been unbearable, but after months of physiotherapy, it now felt like nothing more than a small twinge.

The brunette had been told it was the best she'd ever get, her body unfortunately couldn't fix everything, meaning picking up Oscar was pretty much a no go from now on, something that had her crying to sleep on multiple nights when she had first received the news.

"You sure?" Darren asked, guiding his love to one of the deck chairs that had already been laid out and ignoring the mixed look of exasperation and amusement was sent his way, when Nancy realised what his plan was. "At least sit down then, you can't strain yourself."

"Darren I'm fi-"

"And there's no harm in sitting down for a bit now is there?" He interrupted, smiling sweetly at the mock glare that was sent his way once Nancy had taken her seat, though the relief that she couldn't fully keep off her face showed just how much she needed the rest.

"I hate you," she said petulantly, never going to admit defeat.

"Love you too pumpkin," Darren chuckled, forever grateful that he hadn't blown his chances with the younger woman and that Nancy was too forgiving for her own good, he never deserved her in the first place, the fact that he had a second chance to wrong all his rights, well he didn't know what he had done in a previous life but he must have been a bloody saint.

"Get me a burger then? After all I'm meant to be resting and can't get it myself," Nancy said, arching an eyebrow, unable to hide her smile as Darren turned to the barbecue that Joe was manning with Lindsey at his side, the married couple flirting lightly with one another, the love they felt for each other as strong as the love Darren felt for Nancy.

"What your last slave die of?" he teased, pecking her lightly on the cheek before Nancy could reply, smiling to himself as she squeaked in surprise, the sound so familiar and the first time he'd heard since their split.

It always signified if Nancy was pleasantly surprised by anything and the fact that Darren could elicit that sort of response from her once more, well it warmed his heart to the core and made him feel like he was walking on air, a feeling he had long since missed. Yes, life was finally getting back on track and Darren was more than ready for it.

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"Need any help babe?" Lindsey asked as Joe continued to man the barbecue, slipping her arms around his waist and squeezing tight.

"Think I'm okay love, though they're almost ready for serving up, you want one?" As he spoke, Joe turned so he was facing Lindsey, kissing her forehead gently before turning back to give the burgers one final flip.
"Sounds good, I can dish up if you want?" Lindsey offered, already moving to the paper plates before Joe could say anything and possibly try to stop her.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around," the mechanic joked, chuckling heartily when Lindsey gave him a discrete pinch as she passed by, already greeting Darren as he moved over and passing him a couple of plates.

For the next few moments, the newly married couple said nothing to one another, focusing instead on small talk with their friends and neighbours, until everyone had been fed and they were free to relax once more.

"Feels like we've fed the whole of Chester now," Joe commented lightly, pulling Lindsey on to a cushy garden chair with him, the doctor gasping in amused shock as she landed squarely on his knee. "This lot can seriously eat, though now we've done our bit, I'm sure we can relax."

"We can't just sneak off Joe, not with all these people, they're sure to notice," Lindsey told him, her voice stern, though the sparkle in her eye showed that she was joking and in fact... was seriously considering the idea, despite her words.

"I'm not suggesting that you dirty mare, there are other ways to reward ourselves you know," Joe said, sliding off the chair with surprising ease, considering just moments ago he was underneath Lindsey. He disappeared for a few moments before returning, a bottle of champagne and two glasses in his hands.

"Fraser got a load of the stuff for today, no-one's going to notice one missing bottle," he explained, pouring one glass till it was full to the brim and handing it over to Lindsey, pausing in confusion as she shook her head and didn't move to take it. "Oh don't tell me, on one of your summer diets again? One glass ain't gonna ruin that beach body babes."

"It's not that Joe," Lindsey said with a small smile gracing her features, though it didn't hide the nerves she was obviously feeling. "Actually, I've got something to tell you."

"Yeah? What is it Linds?" Joe asked, kneeling by the chair so he was more or less at eye level to his wife. Her tone filled him with fear and he wondered what bombshell was going to be dropped now. Him and Lindsey had gone through so much this past year and he wondered when it would be their turn to finally experience some happiness.

"I was late, my period I mean and well I did a test this morning."

"And?" Joe breathed, unable to believe what Lindsey was telling him, but not wanting to jump the gun in case he had the complete wrong end of the stick.

"I'm pregnant! I wasn't going to say anything till tonight, didn't want to upstage your mum or-" Lindsey was cut off as Joe pressed a kiss on her lips, the action soon turning passionate and heated till a loud wolf whistle broke through their barrier, forcing the couple to separate, both blushing furiously.

"We're going to be parents," Joe laughed, pure ecstasy running through him as he realised just how sweet life was finally turning.

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Freddie had been in love with Lindsey for over ten years and he thought it was destined to stay that way forever. He had never felt that way about anyone before, and his feelings for the young doctor were simply too strong for any alternative of him without her to be plausible.

But somehow, and he had no recollection on when this happened, Freddie got out of bed one morning and his first thought wasn't about Lindsey Butterfield.

And a few weeks later, his final musing of the day wasn't about her either. He fully realised as he watched Lindsey and Joe muck about, waiting for the familiar pang to hit his heart at seeing the couple together, that he was finally over his sister in law.

It was an odd feeling and yes, there was still a place in Freddie's heart specially reserved for Lindsey, but after dedicating ten years of his life to her, that was pretty much a given. Other than that though, he had fully moved on and didn't ache for her very being every minute of the day.

Instead Freddie found himself finally being able to move on with his life, could move on with Sinead and finally put his heart and soul into his relationship with her, just like she deserved.

His relationship with the younger girl had always been slightly volatile, but now that Freddie could safely say that he found his place in the world and truly knew what he wanted from a relationship, him and Sinead had been going a lot smoother, in fact the former trouble maker could say with true conviction in his voice that he loved Sinead, and that knowledge filled him with joy.

For too long he had been in a strictly one-way relationship and it had killed, affected him to the very core, and as a result he had wasted so many years living a half-life, but now with Sinead, the one person to successfully pull him out of his pit hole, Freddie knew that his life was finally on the up, and he had the best person on his side to keep it that way.

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"Ziggy stop it," Ruby giggled as she batted his wandering hand away from her once more, taking a quick peek over his shoulder to make sure none of the other guests realised just how touchy-feely the young couple were getting as they hid just off to the side of the house.

"But you're just too irresistible for me babe," Ziggy breathed, each word punctuated by a small kiss, one to the cheek, then to the other, the nose, forehead and so on.

"And you're so cheesy," Ruby teased, pulling him into another passionate kiss, completely muffling his squawk of indignation.

Despite a few bumps along the way, Ziggy had kept his word after Ruby's overdose and had refused to let her out of his sight for her first few weeks of being discharged from the hospital. He had made a vow to be there whenever and where-ever she needed him, and six months in, Ziggy was sticking close to that promise.

Before Ruby, he had been scared of relationships and commitments, always ruining it before any real feelings got in the way, though there was something different about the younger girl, she was special and from day one had always found a way to get under his skin, refusing to leave when he did so much to ruin their relationship.

When he realised that his feelings for Ruby ran deeper than pure, animalistic lust, Ziggy had run scared, ran straight into Frankie's bed, though both times he strongly hated himself for betraying his love like that. But he had been given a second chance and there was no way he was going to ruin it this time, no matter what he had to do to keep them together.

No longer was he scared to admit that he loved Ruby and no longer did he care for who heard it, after all, it was nothing to be ashamed of, in fact Ziggy would be happy to scream it from the rooftops if given the chance.

"How about we go upstairs and spice it up a bit?" Ruby asked, voice husky as she peered through her lashes to Ziggy, pupils blown with lust.

"Mum's cutting the cake in a bit though, we can't miss it," he sighed, raising a brow as Ruby clutched his hand tightly and began to drag him to the door leading inside.

"Then we'll just have to be quick won't we?"

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"Worried Holly won't show up J?" Robbie teased as he watched Jason check his phone for what seemed to be the fifth time in just as many minutes. "Family barbecues not her thing?"

"Shut up Rob, she's just a bit late cause she had work."

"Whatever you say," Robbie said, a smile taking up half his face as he saw Jason slowly become more and more worked up.

The young troublemaker wasn't serious in the slightest, after all Jason and Holly had been dating smoothly for almost seven months now and they were only getting stronger, but sometimes it was more than easy to wind up his twin, and Robbie took the simple pleasures out of life.

"I'm telling you now though, you better not get all lovey dovey on me bro, Danny's bailed on me, got grounded or something, so I'm officially on my own if you go off with Holly."

"What, don't feel like making conversation with the oldies? They normally love you, you're so charming after all."

"Funny, you're a right comedian you know that?"

"I do try," Jason sniffed, rolling his eyes and unable to contain his grin as Robbie snorted in disbelief, stilling as he noticed Holly making her way through the garden, smile growing when she spotted Jason.

Robbie nodded in her direction when the young blonde finally arrived, pulling a face when the couple kissed in greeting. "And that's my cue to leave, you two want a burger?"

"You can stay Rob," Jason offered, feeling guilty that Robbie could end up bored out of his mind and not enjoying the afternoon when everyone else was.

"Nah I'm all right," he shrugged, in no mood to be the third wheel once again.

"You feeling left out Robbie," Holly giggled, realising what the twin's were getting at after a short moment. "Aww I'm sure there's someone here to love you. Mrs Green maybe?"

"You're not funny you know," Robbie shot back as Holly referenced the Roscoe's very old, very overweight and very nosey neighbour, who just happened to hate Robbie with a passion and had already snapped at him twice that afternoon. "Though I can see why Jason loves you, you're both as funny as each other."

The young couple laughed lightly as Robbie moved away to the barbecue, dodging Mrs Green by mere inches. "Get us a burger then Rob!" Jason called after his twin, laughing once more when Robbie stuck his fingers up at him, amusement only growing as the majority of the guests shot the teen disapproving glares at his vulgarity.

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"And there goes all belief that I can raise children with manners," Sandy sighed as she watched Robbie's swear from the other side of the garden, leaning her head on Fraser's shoulder.

"Oh I'm pretty sure that everyone knows that already," her husband said softly, kissing her lightly on the cheek, "Even if Robbie does like to push the boundaries a bit."

"A bit?" Sandy snorted, thinking of all the boundaries that the school-boy had pushed in recent times.

"Oh don't think into it too much Sandy, not today of all days anyway," Fraser soothed, smiling as his wife began beaming the second she saw the large cake that was being carried her way by Joe.

All around her, friends and family began singing Happy Birthday, all smiling and singing loudly, till the merry tune had ended and the cake was right next to her.

"Make a wish then love," Fraser said with a smile, taking a step back as people began taking pictures. Sandy grinned as she looked at every one present, all her family were there and they were all closer than ever.

She didn't have to make a wish, because for once life was going perfectly and she had everything she could ever want and more right there in that one moment. Those were Sandy's thoughts as she blew out the candles, laughing as the crowd erupted with cheers, knowing that this was the best life had ever gone for her, may it last for a long time.

So a lot soppier than usual, but I hope you all enjoyed it!

Next Chapter – One of the Roscoe's is in a relationship with a very unexpected person, but who is it and how did they meet? - prompted by guest

As always, thank you all for the kind words, glad to see that everyone doesn't want Joe to be dead, we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed hey ;)

Also good luck Dean and RobbieindaHood, I hope you both get what you want in your exams, as well as everyone else who is currently in exam season! You'll all be fab