Beautiful Lie [John 'Soap' Mactavish]

Fifty Two [Ernie Mactavish]

The birth of Ernie William Peter Mactavish had been anything but simple.

Alyssa's waters had broke in the early hours of the morning, she had been sat on the sofa eating some snacks watching god awful reruns, John peacefully asleep upstairs in their house as his wife numbed her mind.

Alyssa's pregnancy had been easy, a little to easy, at the nine month mark Alyssa had the discomfort, she could barely move, she felt awful all the time, she just wanted their small boy out and out now!

She had enjoyed the first few month of pregnancy, the way her skin glowed, she enjoyed it when she could still move without feeling like a bin lorry, when she could still manage to tie her own shoe laces. But as their child grew it became harder to do every day tasks, John now had to help her put her shoes on, even slip on. The only ones she could put on by herself were her sliders.

John had come to every check-up, the doctors wanted to see Alyssa more often due to the huge trauma suffered in Russia, they worried it could cause complications, but every scan came back perfect, their baby was healthy and growing well. The new parents had gone to baby classes together, John insisting he had baby sat his niece enough times to know how to change a nappy, but Alyssa insisted, she would laugh as John held the teddy he had just expertly changed the nappy off, he helped to guide Alyssa when changing the nappy of the teddy.

She hoped a motherly instinct would kick in and she would magically know how to do everything, how to care for the small child but the more she thought of it the more scared she became.

Her mother had told her she would feel it instantly.

That something would kick, and her motherly instincts would kick in.

She had gone to the toilet when her waters had broken, she hadn't even noticed they broken, thinking the boy was just pressing on her bladder like he usually did, the discomfort was nothing new to Alyssa, She sighed lightly sitting back on the sofa relaxing into the fabric.

She finally found a comfortable position, Dozing off for a while at a twisted angle, but it felt so good to her, she hadn't slept properly in weeks, just whenever she was about to drop off the boy would shift in her body or kick incredibly hard, John joked that he would make the perfect striker.

John didn't wake her up when he came down in the morning, at seven months she had completely gone off decafe coffee and tea. A small drop of the liquid turning her stomach and making her vomit, she often would sit and smell the captains mug of coffee reminiscing the taste craving it once their child was here.

Alyssa had woken up later in the morning, in agonising pain, she had screamed for John, insisting something was wrong, tears rolling down her cheek. John helped Alyssa to stand, quickly moving her towards his new BMW for which he'd traded in his motorbike.

He'd driven quickly to the hospital, his hand staying glued to her leg other than to change gear. He felt powerless, he could see her gripping onto the seat, her face contorted in pain as she screamed out in agony.

John had quickly parked the car, grabbing the closest wheelchair, and rushing his wife towards the entrance. He felt crazy rushing through the doors shouting for a doctor.

Alyssa was covered in a thick layer of sweat as they doctors took her into a room, they quickly examined her informing her, she was in labour and the baby was crowning. A wide-eyed Alyssa glanced towards John.

"but her waters haven't broken?" John questioned, as the doctors rushed around preparing for the imminent delivery.

John stayed next to Alyssa, she held his hand tightly, he tried to sooth her, running his fingers through her hair, offering her words of encouragement but he quickly stopped after receiving a demonic