Page 1 of The Final Beat

CHAPTER 1

JOEY

Looking down at the tiny, bright pink, pooping machine in the Moses basket, I knew this was not a path I would choose to follow. I loved kids, I just didn’t want any of my own. That was something that I was definite about. It didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate the miracle of them or love my ‘nephews and nieces’.

“She’s gorgeous, El,” I said, looking up and giving him a grin. “And she’s okay being a bit early?”

“Yeah, it was only a couple of weeks, so that’s why she stayed in hospital an extra day or so.”

“Well, god help you when the boys start getting interested.”

Elliot shuddered and peered in at his new daughter. “She’s not ever going out of the house alone.” I watched as his eyes softened. He was in love. “I can’t believe we made her.”

Lily Grace Andrews looked up at her dad with dark blue eyes and let out a huge fart.

“Oh fuck,” he muttered. “That’s a shart. I can tell.”

When I sniffed up it was quite clear he was right. “Fucking hell, that’s horrendous.”

“Language,” he snapped as he bent to pick her up. “You’re right, though. I think I need to take her upstairs.”

I got out of there pretty quickly, joining everyone else at the dining table. As I edged past Belle I stooped down to kiss her cheek.

“You did well there, sweetheart. She’s gorgeous.”

“Ah, thanks, Joey.” She moved around on her chair, wincing.

According to Elliot, she’d struggled a little during the birth and had needed some stitches. Probably why she was sitting on some sort of donut-shaped cushion.

“How’s physio going?” Beau asked, with one cautious eye on his sister.

I shrugged. “Okay, I’m still getting the pain, but he did say it wouldn’t get better overnight. The twinge is there now, but it’s manageable. And finally, I’ve got a good physio.”

“You’re still not taking painkillers?” Sim asked. I shook my head. “God, you’re amazing. I need to pop a paracetamol at the first sign of a headache.”

“I have told him,” Beau added. “You can take a low dosage painkiller.”

“And I’ve told you, I don’t want to.”

Fuck, I really did want to. I just couldn’t. Not without risking every moment of cold turkey that I’d gone through. Every moment I’d wanted to scratch my own skin off. Every bucket of puke. Every vile insult I’d aimed at the people that I loved.

The conversation was edging towards unwanted territory for me, so I changed the subject. “Where are Ronnie and Amber? I thought they’d be here.”

“Baby scan,” Belle replied. “Their first one.”

“Are they going to come over?” Sim asked.

“Yep,” Belle ground out as she winced again. “Should be here soon.”

“Do you want us to go, Belle?” Beau asked. “Let you get some rest.”

“No, honestly, it’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” Simmy put her arm around her. “We don’t mind.”

“Honestly, I’m okay. Once the midwife has been later I’m going to have a sleep.”

“We won’t stay long.” Beau raised a ‘no nonsense’ eyebrow. “Although I think Ronnie and Amber just arrived. I’m sure I saw a car coming up the drive.”

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