In the moment

The complete family

Jack knew once he'd met the right person he always wanted a big family. He loved the memories he had with his siblings growing up, and as much as his mum said it was hard work, he knew a handful of kids was on the cards for him. He knew he could financial support a big family, but he also knew it was now down to Soph. It was her body, and if she didn't want to give that up or go through that again he was also happy where they were and the children they already had.

'What does it say?' Sophs peering through her fingers but jacks face isn't giving anything away.

He manoeuvres the test between his long fingers trying to figure out the markings. She lowers her hands before standing beside him to take a look herself. 'I'm not pregnant' she says disheartened. It's not like they'd been purposely trying, if it happened it happened but there was still a part of Soph that wanted that test to be positive.

He puts the test back on the side before embracing Soph into his chest, his face breathing in the scent of her hair. 'It'll happen' he kisses the top of her head and she leans back to look at him. His expression just as heart broken as hers, she was sure his eyes were welling up. 'Loadsa time' he says as he strokes his thumb over her cheek.

'I don't have loads of time though' her head slumps back into his chest as she watches her reflection in the mirror. She's nearly 33, almost old enough to be classed as a geriatric pregnancy and she knew the older she got the more complications there would be. But she couldn't shake the feeling she just felt, she wanted it. She squeezes her eye shut as nussles her face into the softness of jacks pink hoodie.
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Spring came around quick and Soph threw a lavish baby shower for Jo, who was now weeks away from giving birth. It took her mind off everything for a while, the wanting need for another child, a feeling that intensified every time she thought about it.

John made a short appearance towards the end of the party, Soph watched as he hands jo an extremely large blue themed bouquet. She could help but think of her own shower, it had been a few weeks after the revelation of Sara and jo had thrown a small get together in the salon as Soph wasn't ready to show her face out in a restaurant. She spent the whole time hoping Jack might have turned up or sent flowers in baby blue and cream colour scheme jo had decorated the salon in. But she knew she'd made the boundaries clear after he left, but he'd sent flowers to her every morning so he was never going to send a second bunch to the salon. She was just fantasising the whole situation, wondering what it would be like if she could do it all over again with him.

'So how many cm do you think my bump is?' Jo asks interrupting sophs thoughts. Soph wobbles her head back to reality as she squints her eyes in thought looking either side of jo's bump

'156cm?' She raises an eye brow at her and jo cuts a piece of thread to the length and sticks it to wall next to everyone else's guesses.

It didn't take long for Jack and Phil to gate crash following johns arrival. The 3 of them standing at the games table tasting pots of baby food and guessing the flavour. 'Nah Imma win it hands down bro' he's shaking his head at Phil who's complaining his taste buds are off and they all taste like shit.

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10.24pm
Incoming Call - Jo

'You okay babe?' Soph asks knowing it's not like jo to ring this late at night

'Soph ... I think I'm in labour' soph can hear her grinding her teeth as she breath heavy down the phone

'Is John with you?'

'He's here, but Soph I want you here too' johns in the background shouting that her baths ready and she sighs heavily. 'Please can you come round?'

Soph spent the remainder of the night helping her best friend through the worst labour she'd ever seen. She felt like she was watching the most exaggerated one born every minute episode ever made. Jo didn't handle pain well at all, but John was super attentive to her which was adorable. Soph went home as they headed to the hospital at 5.30am, and by 9am John had sent a photo of Jo holding their baby boy announcing his arrival.

She was sat in bed watching the teletubbies with Jack and the kids as she spread the news. Jack was completely over joyed texting John congratulations straight away. She stroked the softness of Bennett's hair as he rested his head on her legs soaking in the rare moment they all get together, for the first time in weeks she felt whole. She didn't feel that nagging need to extend their family, she had all the love she needed right here in this bed.
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19 years later
26th December 2041

'Goaaaalll, cmon villa!!!!' His thick brummie accent over riding the presenter.

'Sounds like we have some action down at villa park, what's the latest Jack?' Julian Warren asks responding to jacks outburst.

'Yeah jules, absolute sick goal. Hart shoots from about 40 yards out, it hits the crossbar then headed in by Reddin. Can't believe it, 1-0 villa! Get in!' His big dopey smile filling the living room tv as Soph sits organising decorations for maes birthday party next weekend. She can't help but smile back to his infectiousness.

'Mom, Ben said that dad ain't coming next weekend?' Mae whines with her bottom lip poked out and arms crossed.

She sighs heavily, it was hard for Jack to get weekends off now he was a pundit for sky sports  Soccer Saturday. But she knew he'd wangled next weekend off, he'd managed to sweet talk someone into filling in for him, Soph asked no questions about it, she was just glad he could attend. 'Of course he's coming mae, he wouldn't miss his little girls 21st would he!'

'Yeah Maeve, he wunt miss his baby's 21st would he!' Bennett teases her from the door way.

'Piss off Bennett!' She spits back, the same firey temper she gets from Jack.

Soph rests her head in her hands, something she never had to deal with growing up was sibling rivalry. She looks to the tv for comfort in jacks face and right on queue his voice bellowed out again 'BEHAVE!!! 2-0 Villaaaaaa'