Page 46

JACKSON

It’s half time. and I still haven’t heard from Rosie.

“You sure you don’t want a beer?” Danny says as he settles beside me on the sofa.

“Nah, I’m good, thank you. Need to be sober in case I get the Glitterball.” I say, glancing at my phone.

“The glitter—what?”

My phone rings, but it’s not Rosie’s name on the screen.

“Anya?” I answer, shooting a puzzled look at Danny, who shrugs.

“Jackson! Okay, oh my God, so much has happened over here. Yeah—” her voice becomes muffled as she pulls the phone away from her face.

“Anya?” I bark, rising to my feet. “Anya, what’s going on?”

“Well, first of all, Rosie’s evil witch of a sister hijacked the party!”

I squeeze the bridge of my nose with my hands. I knew it.

“But then Rosie stood up for herself like a badass. It was so amazing, Jackson. You’d have fallen in love with her all over again if you’d seen it. ”

I smile. “I fall in love with her every day.”

“Aww, Rosie, he said—” Anya pulls away again, and I can hear muffled voices in the background. “—I was getting there!” I can’t help but laugh at the chaotic way Anya is relaying any sort of helpful information, but my laughter freezes in my chest at her next words. “So, Rosie’s in labor.”

“ What? ” I shout down the phone.

“Yeah, so we’re heading to the hospital now,” Anya says.

“Put her on the phone,” I say to Anya, trying to remain calm as I hurry to the front door and desperately try to locate my shoes.

“Hi,” Rosie’s pained voice whimpers down the line.

I swallow. “Hey pretty girl, sounds like you’ve had an eventful day.”

I hear her soft laugh on the other end. “Is it too late to glitterball?”

“I’m on my way, baby. I’ll meet you there.”

Rosie’s hair is plastered to her flushed face, and she tries to take a calming breath that comes out shaky.

“You’re doing so good, pretty girl,” I praise, wiping her hair away from her face and pressing a kiss to the hand that is squeezing mine too tightly.

“How are you feeling, Rosie?” our midwife, Julie, asks with a smile as she opens the door to the hospital room.

An agonized groan is all that she gets in response.

I glance at Julie. “Is there anything you can give her?”

Julie smiles cheerfully from the bottom of the bed. “Let’s take a look at you, pet, and we can see what’s what.”

Rosie nods shakily, taking a deep breath from the gas and air machine .

She briefly lets go of my hand to readjust her hospital gown, and I use the opportunity to flex my aching fingers. My girl is strong as hell.

Raised voices from the hall catch both of our attention.

“No way,” says a voice that sounds suspiciously like Anya.

I glance down at Rosie, but she’s barely registered the commotion, her eyes closed as she rides out her pain.

“What on earth?” Julie mutters, glancing towards the door.

“She’s my daughter. I’m going in there,” says the other voice. Andrea.

Rosie’s panicked eyes open and latch on mine. “Oh God.”

I clasp her flailing hand in mine. “What do you want me to do baby? I’ll do it.”

Rosie bites her lip as a contraction tears through her body. “Get her out of here,” she pants.

I wait until her fingers relax their death grip on my hand before I stand from my seat and press a kiss to her head. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Julie sends me a comforting look before she takes a seat between Rosie’s spread legs.

I march to the door, swinging it open and taking in the scene in front of me.

Anya is starfished against the door, blocking a red faced Andrea and a pale Terry from entering. I tap Anya’s shoulder gently. “Can you sit with Rosie for a second?”

Anya nods her head, shooting a glare at Andrea before ducking under my arm.

“Rosie’s sleeping,” I say.

Andrea huffs peering into the room as the door swings closed. “Her eyes are open. ”

“That’s how she sleeps.”

I raise my arms and start to usher the pair further down the corridor and further away from Rosie.

Irritation flares in my gut. I want to be inside the room with my girlfriend, feeding her ice chips and words of encouragement instead of out here having this conversation. “You both need to leave,” I say, guiding them back towards the waiting room.

“I’m her mother. She needs me.”

I clench my jaw.

“I don’t know why that girl had the nerve to stop me. I had to find out from the staff at the hotel that my own daughter had gone into labor, can you imagine? And the way she spoke to me at her party?—”

She tries to brush past my arm and I finally snap. “You being here is not helping Rosie. She doesn’t want you here.”

Her jaw drops, her slim cheeks gaunt as my words settle in the empty corridor. She flusters for a response, but I raise my hand.

“Enough. I don’t want to hear it. I know the stunt you pulled earlier, and I know how you’ve treated the woman I love for her entire life. Rosie has asked that you stay away whilst she’s in labor, and I’m here to make sure you respect her wishes.”

“How dare you? I’m going in that room whether you like it or not,” Andrea seethes, before turning to her husband. “I knew she’d pull a childish stunt like this. I don’t know how she’s ever going to be a good moth?—”

“ Andrea ,” Terry snaps, and I’m glad he does because I was more than ready to.

“That’s enough. I can’t do this anymore.

I’ve stood by and let you walk all over that girl her entire life because I thought it was better to not get involved.

But I won’t stand here and let you speak like that about my daughter when she’s next door in agony.

I’m ashamed of myself for not doing this before now. ”

It’s the most passionate I’ve ever heard the man speak, and I’m momentarily convinced I’m hallucinating.

“Terry,” Andrea gapes. “What?—”

“I want a divorce.” Terry announces, standing just that bit taller.

I glance between the two before deciding it’s not my circus and these two are definitely not my monkeys. I slowly back away until I’m back in the delivery room.

“ Get over here ,” Rosie wails, and I cross the room in seconds until I’m by her side.

Seven hours and thirty five minutes later there’s tears in my eyes and a bundle in Rosie’s arms.

“You did so good, baby,” I choke out, pressing a kiss to her head. “I’m so proud of you.”

Rosie sobs as she clutches our daughter to her chest, and I think my heart is about to burst straight out of mine.

I wrap my arm around them both. My girls.

Our daughter opens her eyes, and her wails slowly settle until she’s staring up at us with big, curious eyes.

“Hi there,” Rosie breathes, tracing her finger across her smooth cheek.

“Hi, baby girl,” I say, catching her roving hand with mine. Her tiny fingers clench around my thumb, and I know I’m going to be wrapped around this girl’s finger for the rest of my life.

I bury my head in Rosie’s hair as the tears flood my eyes. My hand covers hers and the tiny body underneath it. “I love you, Rosie,” I say as I gently nudge her nose with mine. “I love you so much.”

Rosie presses a wet kiss to my lips. “I love you too.”

“Now what do we do?” I whisper.

“I don’t know.” Rosie laughs wetly.

“She’s beautiful,” Julie asks, peering over the bed. “Have you decided on a name?”

Rosie glances up at me with an encouraging smile.

“Olive.” I say, throat thick, “Olive Elizabeth.”

Rosie glances up at me with shining eyes. It was her idea to honor my father and I love her for it more than I ever have. It was my suggestion that we make Betty a namesake too.

It’s only later, when all our friends have been sent the appropriate pictures and Olive has finally been allowed to leave our arms, that I leave Rosie dozing in bed, her arm protectively curled around the bassinet next to her.

I step outside, ready to call my mother, when I spot a figure in the waiting room.

It’s late, nearly four in the morning, and the ward is quiet.

I stop at a vending machine and buy two drinks before taking a seat next to Terry.

“Here, Granddad.” I hand him one of the bottles and he looks up in surprise.

“She had the baby?” he asks, his voice breaking.

I nod, unable to keep the pride from my voice as I tell him, “Olive Elizabeth.”

He nods his head until he’s leaning forward, his head in his hands. I gently tap his back as sobs rack his body.

“I’m sorry,” he says, sitting back up straight and taking a steadying breath. “I’m sorry. Olive, that’s a beautiful name. ”

I smile at him. “She’s beautiful. And Rosie did so well. Twelve and a half hours in total.”

“Jesus,” Terry winces, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’m so…” He raises his hands in front of him helplessly before dropping them with a shrug.

“I didn’t realize you’d still be here.”

He shrugs. “Andrea left eventually, but I just couldn’t.” He glances back up the corridor. “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?” he asks quietly.

I sigh, rubbing my hand over my beard. “That’s not for me to say.” My phone buzzes in my hand. “I have to get this.” I gesture to the phone.

Terry nods. “I’ll wait here. She doesn’t have to see me, but I’ll just like to wait. If that’s okay?”

I nod. “I’ll let her know when she wakes up.”

“Jackson,” Terry says when I turn my back. “Don’t make my mistakes.”

“Never,” I vow.

Bringing my phone to my ear, I tell my mother about her new grandchild.