The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (137 page)

  
‘Mum,’ Harley cried. ‘Stop it. She wouldn’t do that, would you, Livvy?
Dad said they planned Roy Jnr to help me get well.’

  
Sammy wiped her eyes and looked at Harley as Livvy hung her head. ‘Those
are just my personal thoughts on the matter. Whatever, I’m putting the divorce
on hold until I’ve spoken to Roy.’

  
‘You can’t do that, Mum. What about all your plans? And Dad said he
wants to marry Livvy before the baby arrives.’

  
‘He’ll have a job,’ Sammy said. ‘That baby will be here much sooner than
you think. Isn’t that right, Livvy?’

  
‘With all this upset he’ll probably arrive early anyway,’ Livvy said. ‘I
can’t believe Roy’s let me down
again. I’ll admit that I hoped to get pregnant and I’ve lied about my dates,
but I’ll tell Roy as soon as he
comes home. I don’t think he’ll be
too
bothered. It’s only a few weeks
anyway and I
would
have told him about the baby. I had no real plans to
go home, whether Harley was ill or not.’ She gasped and clutched at her bump.
‘It’s okay, honey,’ she reassured Harley as the girl’s face registered alarm.
‘It’s just a pretend contraction. Wee Roy
is practicing, that’s all.’

  
Sammy wished she’d recorded that confession. ‘So, what date
are
you due? Officially I mean, not the
date you’ve told Roy.’

  
‘Next Tuesday,’ Livvy replied. She took a deep shuddering breath and
screwed up her face. ‘Hell, I think he’s coming now. God, I’m not ready.’

  
‘Do something, Mum,’ Harley cried. ‘Phone the doctor, phone Dad.’

  
‘I’ll have to try and get hold of Ed,’ Sammy said, rummaging in her
handbag. ‘Let’s hope he’s got his phone switched on.’ She scrolled down the
numbers listed in her phone until she found Eddie’s. ‘Come on, come on,’ she
muttered as she waited for a response. ‘Harley, you call Laura, ask her to come
over. Ring the doctor’s number and tell the receptionist we need him to come
straight away.’ Sammy recalled Harley’s birth, when Livvy went into labour and
the baby arrived in no time. She left a message for Eddie and turned her
attention back to Livvy who was clutching her bump and panting.

***

‘Damn it, I’ve left my bloody
phone in the car,’ Eddie said to Roy
as they ate breakfast at Leicester Forest Services. ‘I promised to call Jane
when we stopped.’

  
‘Use mine.’ Roy reached into
his jacket pocket. ‘Shit! I haven’t got mine either. Oh damn,
I
know where it is. I wore my leather
jacket when I went out last night and it’s in the pocket. Livvy’ll go mad. Last
thing she said was don’t forget your phone.’

  
‘I’ll nip out to the car and get mine. Won’t be a tick,’ Eddie
said.
 

***

Roy
lit one of Eddie’s cigarettes and drew deeply. Bliss! He so missed smoking, but
had to admit that he felt healthier for cutting down to a couple a day. Ah
well, he could make up for what he’d missed while they were in London.
He was looking forward to a few days of much needed freedom and could think of
nothing better than hitting the studios again and partying with the lads when
they’d finished recording for the day. Nothing better, that is, than making
love to Sammy for one last time last night. He took another long drag as Eddie
strolled back towards him, a puzzled expression on his face.

  
‘What’s up, mate,’ he said as Eddie sat down.

  
‘There’s a voicemail from Sammy. Wants you to call her urgently.’

  
Roy grabbed the phone and
pressed Sammy’s number. ‘Hi, Sam, what’s up?’ He smiled into the receiver and
then frowned as he listened to what she was telling him. ‘What – now - this
very minute? Shit! You sure it’s not a false alarm? Christ, well look, call me
back on Ed’s phone when the doctor’s seen her. I’ve left mine at home, well you
obviously know that or you wouldn’t have called Ed’s.

  
‘We’re at Leicester Forest.
I’ll either get Ed to drop me at a station or grab a taxi if she definitely is.
I’ll see you later, and Sam, thanks for being there for Harley -
and
for last night.’ He ended the call
and passed the phone back to Eddie.

  
He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Jesus Christ! Livvy certainly picks
her moments to drop our sprogs! The doc’s on his way. Sam’s calling back
shortly. This baby is weeks early. I hope he’s going to be okay.’

  
‘He’ll be fine,’ Eddie reassured him. ‘How come Sam’s at your place? And
what’s that about last night?’

  
‘Harley called Sam and got her round because she was scared. Last night
Sam and I sorted out our record collection. We were both in tears at the
memories, drank a bottle of Moet and ended up in bed.’

  
‘Fucking hell, Roy! You
don’t half take some chances. You could jeopardise your divorce.’

  
‘Nobody knows, except me, Sam, and now you. It was just one of those
things.’

  
Eddie shook his head. ‘You shouldn’t be sleeping with your soon to be
ex.’

  
Roy shrugged. ‘Like I said,
it was a one off. It won’t be happening again.’

  
‘I thought Sammy was seeing Stuart?’

  
‘She is. I reckon she’ll marry him when she’s free.’
 

  
‘You’re as bad as each other.’ Eddie took a sip of coffee. ‘How would
you feel if she
did
marry Stu?’
 

  
Roy looked down at his plate
of congealing egg and bacon. He pushed it away. ‘Gutted. But what can I do? I’m
not allowed two wives. Neither will tolerate me seeing the other, so I had to
make choices. I love them both to bits, but there’s Harley to consider
and
the new baby. Courtney looks on me
as a dad now, too. Face it, Ed, I’m trapped. I’d love to spend lovely long
weekends with Sammy and be with Livvy and the kids in the week. But it doesn’t
work like that.’

  
‘No, indeed,’ Eddie said as his phone rang out. ‘Okay, Sam one minute.’
He passed the phone to Roy.

  
‘She is? Right, I’ll grab a taxi. This is a big ask, but will you go
with her to the hospital? – Great, thanks, Sam. See you later.’

  
Eddie raised a questioning eyebrow.
  

  
‘I need to go home, Ed. He’s definitely on his way. Liv’s waiting for an
ambulance and Sam will go with her. Hopefully the baby will hang on until I get
there.’

  
‘You usually pass out at your kids’ births, so it won’t make much
difference,’ Eddie said. ‘Good luck. I’ll make your apologies to the lads and
you can catch us up tomorrow.’

***

Sammy was waiting outside the hospital
as Roy leapt out of the taxi and
stuffed a wad of notes into the driver’s hand. ‘How is she?’ he asked and gave
Sammy a hug.

  
‘Hanging in,’ she replied. ‘I called Jess for back-up and she’s with her
at the moment. I felt a bit awkward without you there. She’s well underway, so
it shouldn’t be too long before your son puts in an appearance.’

  
‘He’s early,’ Roy said. ‘I
hope to god he’s gonna be okay. I can’t believe she’s in labour. She was fine
when I left her. A bit grumpy, but that’s par for the course with Liv in the
morning. Fancy forgetting my bloody phone, at a time like this, too.’

  
‘Ah, yes, your phone. Before we go in there’s something I need to tell
you.’

  
‘What’s that?’

  
‘I sent you a couple of text messages this morning. Erm, one was to
thank you for our wonderful time. The other was harmless enough, just to wish
you luck in the studio. Livvy found your phone and read them. She was very
upset because
you’d
lied to her about where you were last night.’

  
‘Shit!’ Roy exclaimed.

  
‘I’m sorry,’ Sammy said.

  
‘It’s not your fault. God knows why I told her I was going to Carl’s
place. I must have had a premonition about what would happen. But why would she
go into labour because of that. It’s too soon.’

  
‘Shock,’ Sammy replied. ‘Maybe it’s not too early. You know my theory on
that score.’

  
‘You’re wrong. She wouldn’t do it to me.’

  
‘Like
you
wouldn’t cheat on her
with
me
?’
 

  
‘Touché,’ he said.
 

  
‘Do you want me to come in with you?’ She touched his hand gently. ‘I
know births terrify you.’

  
‘Would you, Sam? Thank you.’ He squeezed her hand.
 

  
‘Here we go again, Roy,’ she
said. ‘Another of those weird situations where your lover is about to give
birth to your kid and your wife’s holding your hand. Very Rock’n’Roll. Bet even
Jagger can’t top this one!’

  
‘I really appreciate it,’ he said. ’It was agony leaving you last night
when I had to go home.’

  
‘I know. But you’re a big boy now.’ She tried to keep the mood light.

  
‘I’m scared, Sam,’ he admitted, looking into her eyes. ‘I keep letting
people down that I care about. I’ve no backbone. I’m ruled more by what’s in my
pants than my head. I want to run away and hide, but I can’t. Livvy and the
girls depend on me.
You
were
always my rock, always there for me. But you do understand that last night was
a one off, don’t you?’

  
Sammy swallowed hard and grabbed his hand. ‘I do. Come on; let’s get
ready to introduce that boy of yours to his crazy, mixed up Daddy.’

***

Sammy and Roy were shown to the
delivery suite. Jess was holding Livvy’s hand and Livvy was sucking on the gas
and air mouthpiece. A midwife and team of nurses were standing chatting in the
corner of the room.

  
‘Liv.’ Roy kissed her
forehead, pushing damp curls from her eyes. ‘How are you doing?’

  
She reached for his hand as a mighty contraction wracked her. She dug
her nails into his palm. ‘Aaaggghhhh!’
  

  
‘Ouch! Bloody hell that hurt!’ He yanked his hand away.

  
She took a deep breath of gas and air and glared at Roy.
‘Good,’ she spluttered.
 
‘That’s for last
night, you fucking bastard! And why is
she
back in here?’ She looked
wild-eyed at Sammy.

  
‘She met me outside,’ he said as Livvy’s eyes popped and the veins in
her neck bulged.

  
‘Aaaggghhhh!’ she screamed again. ‘I want to push!’

  
Roy looked panic stricken as
the nurses sprang into action around the bed.

  
‘Come and stand over here, Roy,’
Sammy advised, pulling him out of the way. His colour drained and beads of
perspiration stood out on his brow. ‘You’ll be no use to anyone if you pass out.’

  
‘I hate this side of things,’ he groaned. ‘It’s enough to put you off
sex for life!’

  
‘Well it’s never put
you
off,’ she said, shaking her head.

  
He smiled weakly as the midwife called out, ‘Here comes the head!’

  
Livvy screamed wildly, clutching Jess’s hand. Roy’s
eyes rolled up into his head and Sammy half-dragged, half-carried him to a
nearby chair.

  
‘He’s going,’ she said as he passed out completely.

  
Jess shook her head. ‘Pathetic,’ she mouthed to Sammy who nodded; a half
smile playing on her lips. She forced Roy’s
head down between his knees. Livvy was instructed to pant while the baby’s
shoulders were delivered. Seconds passed and a protesting wail rent the air as
Roy Jnr emerged.

  
‘He’s got a good pair of lungs.’ The midwife cut the umbilical chord and
laid the baby on Livvy’s stomach. Livvy was silent now, staring at the top of
the baby’s head. ‘Now this cord has to be sent immediately for stem cell
analysis to see if this little chap is a match for his sister,’ the midwife said
as she delivered the placenta.
  

  
‘He’s a bonny boy. We’ll get him cleaned up and weighed and then you can
have him back, Mum,’ she said to Livvy. ‘Dad still out cold, eh? Ah well, it
happens.’
  

  
‘He always faints at his children’s births,’ Sammy said, looking closely
at Roy Jnr as he was weighed. ‘Wow, he
is
a big boy!’
 

  
‘Eight pounds ten ounces,’ one of the nurses declared. ‘And she’s such a
tiny mummy, too.’

  
‘He’s huge, considering he’s early,’ Sammy said, staring at Livvy as Roy
stirred slightly and groaned.

  
‘Early?’ The midwife frowned and wiped the baby’s face. He puckered up
his lips with disapproval, his chubby fists already finding their way into his
mouth.
 
‘This little chap isn’t early. If
anything, he’s a couple of weeks overdue. See how he’s peeling on his arms and
legs. He’s dry, that’s what happens when a baby’s late.’
     

  
Sammy stared at the baby who was looking at her now with bright blue
eyes. His head bore tufts of blonde hair, still streaked with blood, but
blonde, nevertheless. He looked nothing like she’d expected him to look. He
wasn’t even like Livvy, yet his features were somehow familiar. Nick, Jason,
Harley and even baby Daisy had all been identical at birth, with the Cantello
thick dark hair and brown eyes. This little fellow was a stranger.