Colder than ice

'Think we need to rewind'

Friday 24th September 2038.

'Are you sure you want to come mum?' The man asks, looking at the woman in front of him. 'I don't mind if you don't feel up to it.' She narrows her eyes, her hand subconsciously rubbing the bump. It's the last night that they were all going to be together. Tomorrow was the start of a new chapter. Theo was going to university, to study medicine. Both of them were acutely aware that nothing would ever be the same. Over the last three years, everything had changed. Everything was going to change yet again.

Theo would be home for holidays, but they would be taken up by seeing friends and other commitments. They would be resigned, the baby would be a nice distraction, but it wouldn't completely eradicate the gap between them. There would be new friends, who lived far away, there would be girlfriends and boyfriends. They would become second. And that's the way it should be, Joe and Dianne wanted to savour these moments.

'Do you not want me to come?' She asks, as Joe passes her a plate of Chinese. Joe and Theo had talked about, in length, what they were going to have for tea. Had this been a normal day, it wouldn't have mattered if they had a Chinese or a Curry. However, Dianne was ready to burst. Her due date was in a matter of days rather than weeks, and Ruby had been born early. They were on baby watch. Joe had read that spice can cause labour, and he was worried about Dianne going into labour. They had a back-up plan, Graham would go down with Maddie if Dianne was having the baby. However, there hadn't been a sign that the baby was coming. Not yet at least, and they were hoping it would stay that way.

'No, I do.' He trails off, taking a bite out of the Chow Mein. 'I just worry about you.' She rolls her eyes, wiping a stray piece of hair away from her eye. 'Honestly it's up to you mum, if you feel up to it, or not.' She reaches his hand, rubbing it gently.

'Don't worry about me my love.' He smiles up at her. 'This baby isn't gonna come out any time soon.' She reassures her son. 'Are you all packed?' He nods, his hand running through his hair. She can see how panicked he is about leaving, the same panic she witnessed over a year ago to the day with Ruby. If Maddie goes to uni, she is certain she will also feel this panicked.

'I'm all good, dad said we are leaving at 8 tomorrow?' She nods, smiling slightly. She's trying to think positive, it's as nerve-wracking for their son as it is for them. More so, because they have Ruby hanging over their heads. There is always going to be that fear, it is unsaid between them, but it is there. They try to hide it, but there is always going to be there. They are having to learn to live with it. This is one of the steps they have to take. Their world shouldn't have to stop because they are scared about what might happen.

'I'm gonna miss you.' The younger girl chokes out, visibly upset. She had been more or less silent the whole day. Dianne and Joe had kept her off school today, it was their last day as a family. Come Christmas, everything would be different. There would be a new member of the family, Theo would be a different person. It was inevitable. They just didn't realise it was harming their daughter so much. With Ruby, she had been heartbroken, but this was different.

It could be the idea of losing both her siblings, Theo was only two hours maximum on the train, but that was far enough. Ruby wasn't coming back. She would be on her own, the baby would take up Joe and Dianne's time. They were trying to minimise the impact it would have on her, but they were only able to do so much. Theo stands up, going over to hug his sister, pulling her in tight.

'I love you so much Mattie.' Dianne can see her daughter smile, Theo and Matilda has nicknames for one another. Theo was Theobald, and Matilda was Mattie. Ruby had been Rubence. They were just stupid names they had called one another when they were little, but they would get upset when someone else called them these names, they were just for one another. 'I promise I'll text you every day.' Both his parents believed that he would keep his promise to his younger sister.

'I'll hold you too it.'

Dianne wasn't much help when they got to the halls. Joe made her wait in his room, whilst they brought up all of Theo's stuff. She was able to help with little things, but she was put on a strict warning so that she didn't do anything else. As Joe had told her, it was a stressful day for their son, they didn't need her making herself go into labour to add to it. That shut her up.

'Do you really not know what you're having mum?' Theo asked, helping her put the duvet on his bed. Theo hadn't gone to any of the ultrasounds. He always had something on, not that Dianne minded much. They stressed her out a little bit, what if something was wrong? She wanted to appear calm for the kids. She wanted to be able to seem calm for their sake, even if she was freaking out inside.

'No. Honestly Theo I don't.' He smiles, as she puts the duvet down, turning to the pictures. They are all of his friends, and some of his sisters. There's one of all of them, at Ava's christening. It is sometimes hard to comprehend that they were that small, as now they are young adults. Theo is at medical school, Maddie is sitting her A-levels in English, Media and Art. They aren't that small anymore. Today is one of the day's that she feels that.

'If you had to guess?' She shrugs.

'A boy, I guess.' He smiles. 'What do you want?' He shakes his head.

'Either is good, as long as she's healthy.' He smirks, as Dianne cocks an eyebrow.

'She?' At that moment, Joe and Maddie walk in, startling the pair of them.

'What are you talking about?'

'The baby.' She replies. 'Theo doesn't mind as long as she's healthy.' Joe smirks, smiling at his son.

'We will let you know, as soon as he is born.'

A/N Thoughts?  We are nearly at the end now....