-Ryan-[HomeSweetHome]-Ross- [Sequel part 5]

It's in the results. And I'd go and read my announcement, if I were you, which explains why this sequel's probably gonna be short.
two to one,
static to the sound of you and I,
undone for the last time...


Two days later, and I still hadn't heard from Ryan. At all. I didn't even get the cutesy little text messages that he'd have once sent me. I was alone with my bump, apart from Lauren, who'd been an absolute gem, and let me cry all over her, and had helped me eat an entire tub of ice cream.

But frozen goodies weren't exactly about to save me now.

I'd already had practise contractions for the last two days.

I'd left Ryan a voicemail each time it'd happened - it seemed like his cell phone was turned off deliberately to ignore me.

I'd left Ryan voicemails in between when it was happening.

The midwife had told me that whenever the baby decided to come, it'd happen quickly, and if I expected to have Ryan there, he'd need to be back in town. As I saw it, his silence meant he didn't want to be back in town to see him or her coming into the world.

I'd given up on calling him. People might say that this was the wrong way to go about getting him back, but I couldn't set myself up for any more disappointments. The ones that'd inevitably come when his answer phone cut in, or when it rang and rang and rang.

It wasn't worth the anxiety. It wasn't worth the feeling of loss. It wasn't worth the feeling of loneliness.

I sighed, standing up, even though it was getting to be difficult doing that. I went to the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of pineapple juice, and walking back with it. The weather was warm, even though I had the air conditioning turned on.

The midwife had told me this was a problem with people expecting summer babies.

I felt the baby move slightly, and it was comforting, because I knew it was still ok. I felt quite sad at the thought of it now being inside me anymore soon enough.

I felt another twinge, like a contraction, and winced, assuming it was another fake one. Isn't it always the times we think things aren't real that they turn out to be very, very real?

Five and a half hours later, and I had a small baby in my arms, and Nikki by my side. Ryan hadn't made it. He hadn't seen his son come into the world.

I hadn't named him yet, because Ryan still needed to be here for that.

"He's gorgeous, Ash." Nikki smiled, and I grinned back. I didn't care that I was tired, and aching, there was someone else who needed me now. He had a light covering of soft brown hair on his head, and he had long eyelashes. He was sleeping softly now in my arms, having been fed, and then passed around everyone.

Lauren walked back into the room just then, having gone outside to call the guys. I looked up, and noticed she had a face like thunder.

"Laur, what's up?" I asked, noticing, and biting my lip.

"I've just told Brendon the news, and his reaction was 'oh thats great, we'll be back to see them both in another week...something came up'." She mimicked.

I felt my heart drop through my stomach. "Another week? Are you sure?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"Yeah, apparently Ryan's elated, but really sorry he can't be here." She said.

"He could be here if he wanted to be here." Nikki muttered, and I knew she was right. Surely he could object, or just walk away. A substitute guitar player surely wouldn't be that difficult to find.

"Well, if he doesn't feel it's necessary to see his son, or his girlfriend, then we don't see it's necessary to have to see him, or let him have any input. Laur, if you speak to Brendon again, tell him to pass on the message that Ryan has 2 days to get his ass back here, and if he doesn't, there's no guarantee we will be." I said. I knew I was tired, but I also knew what I was saying, and I was serious.

He couldn't desert us forever.

I wouldn't let him mess with our son's life like that.

The baby needed stability, and it certainly didn't look like either of us were going to get it from George Ryan Ross.