The Other Branning ~ Eastenders

Baby shower

"Now, babe, I know the vic probably isn't the place you'd most want to have your baby shower, but Linda and Mick promised us that Lee won't be there. Ok? Now go and get squeezed into something cute and me and your Dad are going to spoil you rotten all day." Roxy ordered her stepdaughter. Grace smiled back at Roxy, she knew she may as well just do it, Roxy wouldn't give up.

Grace took a quick shower, French braiding her hair while it was wet, letting the plaits trail down her chest. She then picked out a stripy blue and white body icon dress, falling just below her knees. She added light mascara to her eyelashes and a tad of concealer to her blemishes. Grace picked up her white size five kitten heels and made her way back down the stairs.

Jack, as usual, was dressed in a crisp suit. Roxy wore a bright pink shoulderless maxi dress, Amy matching in a similar colour. Richard and JJ had on matching beige chino shorts and dark blue shirts with an anchor print. "Couldn't be prouder of my four children." Jack grinned happily. "Come on kids. Gracie's gonna have this baby in three months and we haven't celebrated it properly yet."

"Why are people giving Grace presents for having a baby?" Richard asked.

"Good question. I don't know, Ricky, probably because all women like to be spoilt and have lots of money spent on them." Jack chuckled. "But when it's your daughter, it's all worth it."

Arriving in the pub, Linda started getting excited, fussing over Grace like nobody's business. "Speech!" Linda squealed at Grace, handing her a microphone. She pushed it into Grace's hands, ringing the bell for everyone to be quiet.

"Ok...well I wasn't expecting any of this. But thanks to my brilliant Dad, Jack, and Roxy, who's basically my Mum, my little girls going to have the best start in life. Honestly, guys, this past month you've been a real rock. I couldn't do it on my own." Grace pointed over to her parents. "And obviously Mick and Linda, her grandparents. However, there is one thing I can tell you about my little baby girl. I've decided to give her the name Aria Lexi Branning." Grace revealed to the pub.

"It's beautiful." Mick side-hugged his still daughter-in-law. "Are you sure we can't change it to Carter?" He asked hopefully.

Grace shook her head apologetically. "Aria's a Branning. Look, I know that you and Linda are going to be amazing grandparents to Aria, and Johnny will be the fun uncle every child needs to have, but Lee has only proven to me that he's going to be a negative influence in Aria's life. Until he turns that around, then I don't want him involved or anywhere near my baby. Or me." Grace stood her ground.

"As long as little Aria Lexi Branning has you as her mother, then she's got all she needs." Linda smiled. "Mick and I are just grateful that you're letting us play a part in Aria's life." She hugged Grace.

"Who the hell is Aria? Shit name. Sounds like a bitch." A drunken Lee stumbled through the back entrance of the vic. "And what is she doing here." He poked Grace in the cheek.

"She is your wife and carrying your child. You need to step up, if you ever want to see Aria. Who is your daughter by the way. But you're not gonna know that."

"It's not even my child! She's just as bad as me!" Lee annoyed accusations in front on the whole pub.

Mick sighed. "Right, the pair of ya, get upstairs. Johnny's studying, tell him to make us all a brew. Are ya coming, Jack?" Jack nodded, following them up.

"She went out with Johnny and SLEPT with him! My gay little brother! I thought he was the least person I needed to worry about. He's my brother." Lee shouted at Grace. She looked over to Johnny.

"I'm sorry...I had to tell him." Johnny apologised. "If it's my kid, then I want to be her Dad. Especially if she's my daughter and because of Lee's idiotic behaviour she wouldn't have a father to love and cherish her. I know you're embarrassed about that night, but we can't help it now." Johnny shrugged.

"It was before we were married. When you went missing that night, Johnny and I went out the next day. We got really, seriously drunk. And it just happened." Grace looked at the floor. "I'm sorry, Dad, I know I'm gonna be a disappointment to you now."

"Baby girl...you never will be a disappointment to me!" Jack reassured her. "Whoever Aria's Daddy is, I'll back you all way, honey."

"It's me you should be apologising too!" Lee screeched.

"There's no way I'm apologising to you after you had two affairs behind your wife's back." Grace rolled her eyes."

"Hang on, the two nights that Lee went missing, was over seven months ago. You're only six months gone? Grace?" Linda's brain finally started to click. "How can it be Johnny's?"

"I was so intoxicated I didn't even know if slept with Johnny until we woke up next to each other. I thought we'd just has a sleepover, but I am seven months pregnant. Over that. At least, you know, it's out in the open now. I am sorry, to all of you, that I lied and cheated, I'm ashamed of myself for doing it. But the only person I care about now is Aria." Grace made herself clear.

"Me too." Johnny walked over to stand behind Grace. "Being gay and single I never thought I'd have kids, but she's my daughter."

"And now you know Johnny's her real Dad, even if it was after a night of being too drunk and not knowing what we were doing, with Johnny I know he will love her more than anything. Lee wouldn't. That's why now you know he's her Dad," Grace started to tell them.

"She will be a Carter." Johnny finished.

"Well, Carter-Branning." Grace corrected him.