The Other Branning ~ Eastenders

New beginnings

Aria started crying, waking Grace up. It was only half seven in the morning. Joey groaned from the other side of the room as Grace picked up her daughter, singing her a lullaby.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town." She sung sweetly to her young baby. Aria giggled at first, but was eventually hushed back to a lull. Grace wandered over to the double bed, laying a half-sleepy Aria down between her and Joey.

Joey rolled over and grinned, his smile spreading from ear to ear. "She's just like her Mum, beautiful and...lazy." Joey laughed.

"Oi," Grace hit him round the head with a pillow. Aria began to fully wake, propping herself up to sit in Joey's arm. He started to tickle her feet gently, causing lots of giggles from the tot. "She likes you." Grace smiled, she loved seeing her daughter laugh.

"Ah, she's easy to love. Eh, chops? Little cutie aren't you."

"Chops?" Grace questioned him.

"It's just what I call her. When I was giving her some banana chunks the other day she managed to get it all over her chops but none anywhere else." He laughed, "messy little thing aren't you." Joey shook his head as Aria tried burying herself under the duvet. "Any news on the house hunting?"

"Nah, all I want it a little two bedroom flat for me and Ari, but there's nothing going around here at the moment. She'll need her own room in a month or so but we can't stay here because Dad and Rox need the room and Ricky and JJ can't be together forever. Aria can't stay in with me forever either." Grace sighed. "Plus, we don't have the money for something around here."

"Why don't you just move in with me?" Joey offered hopefully.

"It's a lovely offer, but I don't really want to be that far away from Dad and Amy. The whole reason I came here was for them. I want Dad to be a regular part in Aria's life. And the little ones." Grace told him as Joey lightly stroked her stomach. Grace only had the tiniest bump, barely noticeable, she could still fit into her size eight jeans.

"I'll sell my place then and we'll have more money to afford something round here. In the square." Joey decided.

"Are you sure? I know you don't want to be around here because of Derek." Grace felt guilty. She hadn't really thought about Joey's feelings in the housing situation.

"I don't care. I just wanna be wherever you, Aria and our baby are." That was all that really mattered to him. All Joey had ever wanted was his own family to love and care for.

"Why is the doorbell ringing?" Grace said, confused. Who would come round at quarter to eight in the morning? "I'll go get it before all the kids wake up." She put on a baggy jumper over her t-shirt and pyjama shorts. Barefooted, she hopped down the stairs, taking two at a time. "Penny!" She engulfed her sister in a hug, seeing her sat in her wheelchair on the doorstep. She had two suitcases with her. "You staying?"

"Did I hear you say Penny?" Jack rubbed his eyes, sauntering down the stairs after his daughters. Joey joined him, carrying Aria on his hip. "Oh, hello again." Jack said to him.

"Alright, Uncle Jack?" Joey slapped him on the back.

Jack thought, "maybe don't call me Uncle anymore, Jack will do. Just make sure Grace is happy and I'll be happy, ok?" Joey nodded in agreement.

"Dad, I want to stay. Here. I miss you and I want to be with Grace and Amy. I hate being alone at Mum's, she doesn't let me do anything. I'm sixteen, I want to finish school and go on to college. But she just wants to wrap me up in cotton wool and my let me do anything." Penny moaned.

Jack sighed. He didn't want to fall out with Penny's Mum, but he wanted to keep his daughter happy. "Look, I will talk to your Mum. But I'm not promising you anything until I've made an agreement with her. You can stay in Amy's room for a few nights until we decide." He made a deal with his disabled daughter.

"Can't I share with Grace? Like we did in France?" Penny asked.

"Not really, you'll get woken up by Aria every morning, early too. Plus it'll be weird when Joey stays over. But once I move out, which hopefully shouldn't be too long, you can have my room to yourself." Grace told her.

"Who's Aria and Joey?" Penny had no idea what had gone on. The last thing she knew about was Jack and Roxy having JJ.

"Aria's my daughter and Joey's my boyfriend. But this other boy called Johnny is Asia's Daddy, But Johnny's gay." Grace tried to explain to her little sister. "Sorry I didn't even tell you about Ari. I didn't even think, we haven't really spoken or seen each other much since I left France."

"Why does no one ever think to tell me these things?!" Penny grumbled.

Jack wheeled Penny into the hallway. "Look, I'll put your bags in Amy's room but we're gonna need to pull out the sofa bed, I don't have a way for you to get up the stairs, love." He gave Penny an apologetic look. "I've gotta tell Roxy yet that we've got another house guest." He muttered under his breath.