Saturday, 19th November 2022
Jamie sat on the bus in his usual seat, next to Roy, and flicked through trying to find something to watch on the long bus ride up.
Roy took the iPad off him and pressed a few buttons until he found what he wanted, then he slid the iPad into its cradle and handed Jamie his headphones before yanking Jamie into his side and growling at him.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Mummy," Jamie said.
"I know, calm down, watch Mulan and just fucking relax."
"Thanks, Roy."
Jamie nodded and wriggled before he pressed play on the screen and travelled back to Ancient China. He knew the movie so well it allowed him to be distracted and keep his mind occupied and when he sang the songs quietly to himself without noticing, Roy glared over his head at anyone who looked like they might say something.
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Jamie couldn't pay attention to Beauty and the Beast by the time he could see the landmarks he associated with getting close to Manchester even knowing they were still a long way from arriving. Roy's hand was a heavy weight on his knee, keeping him from bouncing out of his seat.
"Right, whistle!" Roy called out, making the whole team turn and focus on him.
"Coach?" Jamie asked.
"Tartt is about to bounce out of his fucking skin, screens off, we're going to distract him until we can get him to his Mum's house."
"Coach?" Jamie asked again, flushing.
"Beard, some music please."
Beard put on some music and then Isaac knelt in his seat, looking at the team.
"Sam, what TV show are you watching at the moment?"
"I am watching Buffy, I was too young to watch it when it started but I am really enjoying the female lead and the difficulty of balancing the adult challenges in our lives and the things society expects of us. I also really like Spike."
"Spike is the best," Jamie agreed. "He and Angel should have fucked."
The team debated Buffy for the next thirty minutes and Richard defended Giles as the best father figure on TV in French and English until the rest of the team agreed.
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The bus turned left instead of right in the middle of Manchester and Jamie turned to Roy.
"Beard, Nate, Isaac, and I agreed that you should spend the night with your mum, you need to be at the hotel for curfew, but until then you can spend the whole time with your mum."
Jamie threw his arms around Roy and then went and hugged Isaac and Nate. He stopped shy of hugging Beard who nodded at him. "Thanks, everyone."
"I voted for you bringing your mummy to the dinner and movie," Dani said. "She is an amazing woman."
"Thanks, amigo," Jamie said, hugging Dani too.
Ten minutes later, they parked in front of Jamie's Mum's house and he rushed off the bus and up to the door.
"Fucking muppet," Roy said, collecting up his bag and standing up. "Be right back."
Roy walked out of the bus and up the walkway to the open door where Jamie was hugging his mum tightly from the side, one arm low on her belly as though he was hugging the baby too.
"Roy," Simon said brightly.
"Hi, Simon, Jamie got off the bus without his shit." Roy handed it to Simon. "Hi, Georgie, how are you?"
"Good, ready to have this baby, you coming in?"
"No, no, have to head to the hotel with the team."
Jamie pulled back. "I'll be back for curfew."
"I know, have a good night," Roy said, stepping back. "Sorry I can't stay."
"We understand," Simon said, walking out of the door with Roy to say goodbye. "Thank you for organising this for Jamie and Georgie."
"Just wish I could give them more time," Roy said.
"You're a good man, Roy Kent."
"As are you," Roy said with a smile, he clapped Simon on the shoulder and headed for the bus. "Let's go."
The bus drove away and Roy's eyes stayed on the closed door of Jamie's childhood home until he couldn't see it anymore.
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Jamie messaged Roy when he was in his hotel room, his bag unpacked for him in a way only Roy would have known to do. Roy messaged him back moments later with a number. Jamie left his room behind and walked to the other room. He knocked on the door and Roy opened it immediately, pulling Jamie into the room.
"Hi," Roy said, holding his arms wide and absorbing the force of Jamie falling into his chest for a hug. "You okay?"
Jamie nodded, rubbing his face on Roy's soft pyjamas.
"She looked really good," Roy told him.
"Her blood pressure is a bit too high."
"And Simon's managing it well with a salt free diet, I sent him my recipe for stock and he's doing a great job."
"I know," Jamie told him, holding on tighter. "Thank you."
"She's going to be okay."
"I know she is, but she's going to be okay without me."
Roy blinked back the heat in his eyes. "What can I do to make it better?"
"Nothing," Jamie told him. "This is good, I needed this."
Roy nodded. "Come and lie down with me, I'll keep an eye on the time and you can tell me all about it."
Jamie let go just enough so they could both move towards the bed.
"How do you want to lie down?" Roy asked.
"Can I be the little spoon?"
"Anytime," Roy told him, curling his body around Jamie's, protecting him from the world and pulling the larger man as tightly into his chest as possible. "Tell me all about it."
Jamie did, telling Roy about feeling the baby move and eating with them, helping Simon put together the cot. The tears as Jamie walked home, knowing that he already loved this baby as much as he loved anything in the world and wasn't going to be able to be there for it every day. But, also his joy at one day being able to teach them to play footy and to be the voice on the other end of the line when they needed anything because he was going to be the type of big brother he would never have been able to be before now.
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