The Honeymoon's Over

[Red Ranger 1]

Big thank you for all your responses.I was expecting this one to be another short chapter but then I suddenly had a load of ideas for it.Hope you like.

CHAPTER 21

Ruby gave another groan of pain, causing Nurse Julie to pat her hand sympathetically.“Don’t worry, Ruby, you’re coming along well.”She looked at Romeo, who was hovering nearby, unsure what to do.“You can hold her hand if you like.”

Romeo felt guilty he hadn’t though of that.“Yeah, sure.”He sat next to Ruby and took her hand.“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m trying to pass a water melon.”Ruby looked at Julie.“Everything’s okay, isn’t it?I mean, with me being two weeks early?”

“Well, the ultrasound shows your baby’s fully developed and in the delivery position so it looks like being a stress free birth.”

Romeo noticed Ruby’s grimace.“Define stress free,”he suggested.

Sid entered and Julie passed him Ruby’s notes.Romeo felt relieved they’d managed to sort out their differences with the Walkers.He knew Sid wouldn’t use his position to make things difficult for them but it certainly made things less awkward.Sid gave them a smile.“Well, it looks like you don’t need my help here. Page me if there’s any change, Julie.”

Ruby had a sudden thought.“Charlie!Has anyone called Charlie?”

“Yeah, Morag’s doing it,”Romeo confirmed.

“Actually, they’re just waiting outside,”Sid revealed,“I can ask her to come in if you like?”

Ruby looked at Romeo and smiled.“I think we’ll be all right.”

Charlie was waiting with Miles and Morag.“What’s going on?”she asked anxiously,“Why aren’t they telling us anything?”

“Charlie, calm down,”Morag told her firmly,“What Ruby is going through is perfectly normal and if there was anything wrong we’d be told.”

“Not that there’s many things that can go wrong,”Miles interjected helpfully,“Apart from all the things that I’m not going to mention right now because Morag looks like she’d hit me if I did.Oh look, here’s Sid.”

“How’s Ruby, can I see her?”Charlie asked.

“Ruby’s fine,”Sid assured them,“She’s well into labour, she’s expected to give birth soon and we’re not expecting any complications.Romeo’s with her and you can see her afterwards.”He noticed a nurse trying to attract his attention.“Excuse me, I think I’m needed with another patient.”

“What did he mean, I can see her afterwards?”Charlie demanded,“I’m her mother, I should be with her. My mum was there for me when I had Ruby.”

“Louise’s wasn’t,”Miles offered awkwardly,“When we had Amber.She was around but it was just me and Louise in the delivery room.And two doctors and three midwives.But basically just me and Louise.”

Charlie glared at him.“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that girls need their mothers,”Morag explained gently,“But Ruby’s a woman now.And while she still needs you, this experience, having a child together, is hers and Romeo’s.”

Charlie looked as though she wanted to argue for a moment.But then she just gave a nod of acceptance.

Ruby moaned with pain, gripping Romeo’s hand tightly.“It’s okay, Ruby,”Julie told her soothingly, “You’re nearly there.I just need you to push with the next contraction.”

Ruby looked at Romeo.“You don’t want to swap places, do you?”

“I think that’s one thing we can’t manage.”

Ruby felt the pain coming again and, bracing herself, she pushed.Moments later, she heard the sound of a child crying.“What’s going on?”Ruby asked anxiously,“Is everything all right?”

“It’s fine, Ruby, everything’s fine.”Julie passed her a wrapped bundle.“You’ve got a daughter.”

Ruby stared down into the baby’s face.“Oh wow, she’s a girl.”

“Another one?”Romeo asked, surprised.

Ruby looked at him, bemused.“How many daughters have you had?”

“I just thought…with Ric and Mattie having a girl, we were bound to have a boy.Even it up.”

“It’s a bit more random than that,”Julie assured them.

“Well, go on then,”Ruby told Romeo.

He looked at her, puzzled.“What?”

“What every proud father’s supposed to do.”

Matilda was checking on Elizabeth, tucking the blanket up over her, when Ric came bounding in.“Hey, Mattie…”

“Sshh,”she scolded him,“I’ve only just got her to settle.”

“Yeah, sorry.I just got a call from Romeo though.”

Mattie looked at him with suppressed excitement.“And?”

Ric held up his phone, displaying the newborn baby photo that Romeo had sent to him.“It’s a girl.”

Matilda examined the photo.“Wow, I think she’s even tinier than Lizzie.They must be doing the same proud parent thing we did.”

Ric showed the photo to Elizabeth.“There you go, Lizzie.A new best friend for you.Give it a few years and you’ll be bunking off school, smoking and stalking boys together.”

“They’re both going to be angels,”Mattie told him firmly.

“Yeah, cos none of their parents ever got into trouble, did they?”

Nicole heard the New Messages bleep from her mobile phone and stretched out a hand to retrieve it from the bedside table.Aden put an arm around her lingerie-clad body, holding her close to his bare chest. “Leave it,”he whispered.

“It might be important,”she protested, pulling free of his grip and retrieving the phone.

Aden lay on his back and let out a sigh.“We’ve only been married a month, has the shine worn off already?”

“Hmm?”Nicole examined the contents of the text message, barely listening to him, then let out a whoop of joy.“Oh my god!”She waved the picture in his face.“It’s Ruby’s baby.”

“I thought Matilda had the baby?”

“Yeah, Ruby has as well.”

“Great.”Aden kissed her on the back of the neck.“So, um..?”

Nicole gave him a backwards glance as she typed on her phone keys.“Okay, I agree this was a great way to spend our day off but I’ve got to pick George up soon and I need to send a message to Romeo and Ruby first…”Aden turned her head towards him and kissed her on the lips.She let the phone fall from her grasp. “I’ll text them later.”

John looked up from the table to where Xavier and Indi were kissing on the couch.“Don’t you two have a room or a closet or somewhere where you can do that?It’s a bit distracting when I’m trying to do the accounts.”

Xavier looked at Indi.“What do you think, go to my room?”

“Well, I’m kind of comfy here at the moment,”she suggested, kissing him again.

Xavier’s mobile phone, lying on the table, bleeped to indicate a new message.“Maybe you should answer that?”John suggested.

Xavier scooped up the phone and read the contents of the message.Indi noticed his awkward expression. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s from Romeo.Ruby’s had a baby girl.”

“And you think I’m going to be wishing it was me having Romeo’s baby?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Okay, hasn’t all the kissing and-”she noticed John listening in and hastily amended her words-“other stuff convinced you that I’m over Romeo?”

Xavier grinned.“Well, I’m open to a bit more persuading.”He leaned in for a kiss.

Indi pulled back.“Unfortunately, there is someone we need to pass the message on to.”

“At least it’s stopped you smooching for a bit,”John commented.

Dexter looked awkwardly around the club as Casey sat him at a table.“Okay, you know I’m not really one for bars.Or drinking.Or being around people.”

“Hey, I’m going to drag you out of your shell if it kills me,”Casey told him.Dexter glanced around and saw a guy looking at him.He gave the man an awkward wave.“Don’t do that!”Casey warned him, before planting a lingering kiss on his boyfriend’s lips.

Dexter looked at him quizzically.“Was that your way of marking out your territory?Not that I mind being considered someone’s territory, you understand…”

“Hold that thought while I get the drinks,”Casey interrupted.

As Dexter sat there, he felt his phone vibrate.He took it out and checked his new messages.

He was still staring at the screen when Casey came back with two pints.“What’s that?”

“It’s from Indi.She says Ruby’s had the baby.It’s a girl.”

Casey nodded.“Good for her.”

“This doesn’t bother you?”

Casey looked at him.“Look, if you don’t believe I’m over Ruby by now, I don’t know what it’ll take to convince you.Although I’m happy to keep trying.”Dexter gave an appreciative smile.Casey grabbed his hand.“Come on, let’s dance.”

Dexter let his boyfriend drag him towards the dance floor.“Okay, you realise we can add dancing to the list of things I’m not really one for?”

Mink took a deep breath as she waited her turn in the surfing contest.Her manager came over to her with a phone.“I’m sorry but he insists on talking to you.”

“It’s not another journalist, is it?”

“No, it’s from someone called Romeo.Says he’s…”

Mink snatched the phone off him.“Little brother, what’s up?You never call me and…You’re serious?Oh wow, that’s great!Listen, I’ll speak to you soon.Love you.Bye.”She handed the phone back to her manager and then gave him a delighted hug.

“Are you all right?”he asked her nervously.

“I’m an auntie!”

“Next up is Mink Carpenter!”announced the competition host.

Mink grabbed her surfboard.“And this one’s for my niece.”

Romeo headed back into the hospital room where Ruby and their daughter had been joined by Charlie and Morag.“Well, I’ve phoned or texted everyone I could think of.How are things doing here?”

“Fine, except Grandma Charlie won’t give me the baby back,”Ruby replied.Romeo laughed.“No, really.”

“Aww, but she’s just so cute,”Charlie insisted, continuing to rock her granddaughter.

“Ah, nevertheless, Charlie, I think you need to give the new parents time alone with their daughter,” Morag replied, gently lifting the baby out of Charlie’s arms and handing her to Ruby,“We’ll be in to check on you later.”

As the two older women made their exit, Romeo sat down on the bed next to Ruby and their daughter, slipping an arm round her shoulder.“One thing, I kept wanting to tell people her name but I realised we haven’t decided on one.Have you got any ideas?”

“I dunno, maybe Scarlett, cos my name’s Ruby?”

Romeo looked at her sceptically.“Yeah or we could call her Juliet because my name’s Romeo.”

Ruby mulled the matter over.“Juliet…”

“It was a joke, Ruby.”

“Juliet…Julia?”

Romeo thought about it for a moment.“That’s so crazy, it might actually work.”He stroked their daughter’s face.“What do you think, Julia?”The only response was a contented murmuring.

“I think she likes it,”Ruby confirmed.

[Red Ranger 1]

Hope people aren't disappointed but this is the last chapter.Thank you to everyone for your continued support and I hope you like it.

CHAPTER 22

Matilda and Ruby were sat side by side in Ric and Mattie’s flat, cradling Elizabeth and Julia.Romeo pointed his camera at them.“Okay, smile.”

“That includes you, Lizzie!”called Ric, who was standing just behind Romeo with Xavier.

Matilda rolled her eyes.“Yeah, only if she gets wind.”

“Smile, Mattie,”Romeo repeated,“And…there.”He pressed the button to take the photo and showed them the image on the screen.

“Wonder what Julia will make of that when she’s older,”Ruby mused.

“She’ll probably say ‘Who’s that next to you, Mummy?’”Matilda replied.

Ruby nudged her.“Hey, we’re going to be friends for a long time to come, okay?”

Xavier handed Romeo a drink.“So, how does fatherhood feel?”

“I’m still getting used to it.But…I have to admit, so far it’s feeling pretty good.”

“I’d have to second that,”Ric agreed.

“That’s because you don’t have to do the midnight feeds,”Matilda retorted.

“I get up with her as well,”Ric pointed out,“I just…don’t get as up close and personal with her as you do.”

Xavier winced slightly.“I’m just gonna pretend I haven’t heard half this conversation, okay?”

“I think we’re gonna need to get Julia home,”Ruby commented,“She looks like she’s ready for her nap.”

“Yeah and I’m meant to be meeting Indi after her shift,”Xavier agreed,“So I guess we’ll see you all later.”

Ric waited until Romeo, Ruby and Xavier had filed out before he knelt down in front of Matilda and Elizabeth.He kissed his daughter on the forehead and his wife on the lips.“What was that for?”she asked.

“Just…letting you know I’m happy we’re a family.”

She smiled.“Me too.”

Ruby came back through from the bedroom and joined Romeo on the couch, snuggling up to him.“She seems settled.But if she starts crying, it’s you she’s calling for, okay?”

“Oh, trying to turn her into a daddy’s girl, are you?”

“Just getting ready for when she starts playing us off each other.”Ruby lapsed into silence for a moment. “They seem happy don’t they, Ric and Mattie?”

“Oh, and we don’t, is that what you’re saying?”

“No, I’m not saying that.I’m just saying…well, it’s not ideal, is it?The three of us living here with my mum and her friend and her friend’s son?”

“Well, no, but once we’ve finished uni we’ll be able to afford our own place.”

“There is one thing we could do now though.”

“What?”

“Well…do you remember a question you asked me when we first came back here?You know, the same one Ric asked Mattie and then Aden asked Nicole?”

Romeo pulled away from her slightly and stared at her.“Are you saying..?”

“I’m saying,”Ruby replied carefully,“that if you asked me again now, you might get a different answer.”

Slowly, Romeo smiled.

Xavier arrived at the Diner to find Indi waiting for him.He gave her a kiss on the cheek as they sat down at a table.“Sorry I’m late, I was over at Ric and Mattie’s for the baby introductions.”

“Oh, right, how was it?”

“Well, Elizabeth and Julia didn’t get into a catfight so that’s a good start.Feels a bit weird, Romeo and Ruby being parents though.”

“Weird?”Indi repeated cautiously,“Weird how?”

“Well, you know, they’re the same age as us and now they’re parents.You kind of expect grown ups to do that.”

“So you think we’re too young to be parents?”

“No, I’m not saying that, I guess it just suddenly struck me that we’re meant to be the adults now.”It suddenly occurred to Xavier that Indi was behaving rather strangely.“Indi, is there something..?”

“You remember how I’ve been feeling a bit off colour lately?”

“Yeah…”

“And you remember all that make up sex we had a few months back?”

Xavier grinned.“Yeah.”

“Well…turns out we should have been a bit more careful.”

Xavier looked at her hard, beginning to suspect where the conversation was going.

Indigo reached into her bag, took out a pregnancy test and handed it to him.

It was positive.

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