Sally can wait

on our way to better things

April 1996

It was a late night that i woke up with the familiar pain. But it wasn't that pain that was hurting. It was the pain that Liam wasnt home yet. They still had two weeks on tour left. I tried to sleep it away, forget it, ignore it. It was impossible, how do you ignore the fact you're in labour?

This kid wasn't coming till its daddy came home to help me get through it but it wasn't going to happen. This kid was coming and Liam wasn't going to be here. I was in bed muffling my screams into a pillow when Meg came in. She sighed, she had been trying to get me to go to a hospital for the past hour.

"Sally, you need to get to the hospital" she said.

"No Liam isnt here i can't." I cried.

"Ill call him, he'll be here i promise." She said sitting next to he and holding my hand.

"Meg hes in LA, he wont make it." I said, tears rolled down my check and she tutted holding me close.

"He's already on his way babe, thats all you can do is hope he gets here" she said.

"He wont make it"

"He will, ill phone him again now." She said.

I had done this before, 7 years go, almost eight. I could wait, i could hold on this time untill Liam got here. I prayed that i could. I heard Lennon walking in.

"Mum is the baby coming?" He asked. I nodded. He hesitated before i told him to come here.

"Its ok kiddo, listen, you got to go into your room and get changed into warm clothes ok, we got to go to the hospital" i said. He looked said but nodded.

"Liam isnt here" he said. I sighed.

"Your dad will be here soon, your aunt Meg is on the phone to him now" i said. He nodded and ran back to his room. Meg came in phone in hand. She handed it too me.

"Babe, babe, im on my way home yeah, you fucking hold that baby in, babe im on my way i promise" he said. I cried so hard.

"Im trying, just get here Liam please" i cried. "Im sorry" i said. Meg was on the other phone calling an ambulance.

"Why are you sorry babe, you cant help it" he said. I closed my eyes.

"I know. Just come home to us" i said.

"Im on my way to the airport now yeah, Me and Noel, the rest of the band are coming home soon too yeah, i love ya Sally Cinnamon" he said.

"I love you too Liam" i said before hanging up. Meg came in, she was 6 months pregnant herself, she wasnt going to be much help but to me in that monemt she was a god send.

It took 15 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, Me and Lennon and Meg got in with Peggy getting a cab behind us. We got to the hospital andnthey told me i still was far behind labour. I would have to wait for my water to break.

Peggy held my hand and Lennon was with Meg in the weighting room. Meg on the phone to see how long the boys would be.

"There on the plane now Sally, they have a stop at JFK airport. About 15 hours." She said. I sighed. This baby wouldn't hold on 15 hours, i rubbed my tummy.

"Here that kiddo, daddys coming" i said, the baby kicked causing me to smile.

"He'll make it back Sally, he promised" peggy said holding my hand.

"Yeah mam, dad said he would be here and dad doesnt lie to me so i know for a fact he's going to be here" Lennon said.

###

After another 3 hours my water finaly broke and i started to become more and more stressed liam wouldnt be here. There was still another 12 hours to go. Apparently, they managed to get a privet jet from JFK straight home but it might still take 12 hours they didnt know.

I was starving and Meg and Peggy were tired. So was Lennon. I had been in labour for around six hours if you count the hours at home and i just knew in my bones Liam was going to miss it. The nurse came in and checked on me. "Shouldnt be long now love" she said giving me a sweet smile.

"Its going to be ok Sally, hes on his way, juat breath, in and out babe" Meg said. I nodded and did the breathing techniques i could remember from when i had Lennon.

"Hes just of the phone, about 8 hours they think they wil be Sally love. If you have to have the baby, your goomg to have to go it" Peggy said still holding my hand. I was so scared, now that all the pain was actually kicking in and my adrenalin was running low i was exhausted.

###

This was it, on the count of 3 i had to push and my baby would be here, but Liam wouldnt be. I was heartbroken.

"Sally you have to push" the doctor said. Peggy held my hand.

"I cant, i dont want to" i cried in actual pain.

"Its ok, push" the doctor said, so i did. There was a lot of commotion before the doctor told me to push once more. I was totaly done. My eyes felt heavy, my head was pounding.

"Sally you have to push" i heard Peggy say. If i cried any harder, i would cry a river.

Just as i was about to give up there was another pain and i screamed before pushing. I heard it, the second most beutiful thing i had ever heard. There was a bit of the doctor fussing and cleaning before he handed me it.

"Congratulations mummy" he whispered. Both me and Peggy were smiling and i was still crying. I couldnt believe it. Another baby. Just as i thought of liam he came bursting in the Door. The look he gave me was something i had never wanted to see on that mans face. It was just pure sadness, then he smiled as he saw the bundle on my arms.

"Babe im so sorry i missed it." He said solftly as he hesitated, juat like Lennon had and he walked forward. I smiled.

"Holy shit" he said as he peeked in.

"Has your eyes" i said. He nodded.

"Dont all baby's have blue eyes though" he said holding my hand.

"Yeah but there the exact same as you and Lennon" i said. He smiled.

"Have we got a name?" Peggy asked.

"Yeah" Liam nodded. "Florance Erliza Gallagher" he said. Peggy smiled.

"Erliza?" I asked.

"Just a friend" Liam said. I raised my eyebrows and he waved it off. He held his arms out so he could hold her.

"Should we get Lennon in here." He asked as he held her.

"Were actually going to take her and finish cleaning her and checking her over now Mr. Gallagher." The doctor said. His face was full of worry but he handed her over and turned to check on me.