Just Smile

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

*HEY GUESS WHO REMEMBERED HOW TO UPDATE!!
Ugh. This week has been nothing but drama and stress and I'm sorry I couldn't get this up sooner guys. I started on anxiety meds and I honestly feel like I've lost my passion for writing which has me all over the place. Then my Nan needed to get out of a bad situation and my Pop had a car accident! All is fine, they're both fine, but fuck, what a fuck around! I hope you all like this chapter though and I hope to update quicker next time!
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*ROGER'S POV*
You could feel the tension in the house as soon as Bri and I stepped inside, everything that had been said or shouted about suddenly rushing back to me as if it only happened yesterday. It had been years since I'd been back here, with Mum usually coming to London to stay and sightsee with us at our old flat instead of me making the journey home. It was just easier that way, all of us knowing just how irritable Dad could be when people got in his way. I hated the feeling, the instant feeling of us being unwelcome as we followed Mum into the lounge. She'd met us at the door, waving hysterically with a massive smile on her face as I pulled in. That was enough to show us we made the right decision, that driving up here was a good idea even if we both knew something was bound to make us regret this later in our stay.

"I can't believe how much you've grown baby girl!" Mum cooed as she bounced Ivy in her arms, our little one looking slightly confused as to who she was as she stared at her quizzically. "Look at your beautiful curls!" She gasped, making Bri chuckle as we exchanged smiles, our hands tightly locked together. "She's so beautiful." Mum sighed, taking her eyes off the baby for two seconds to look at us both. "I'm so proud of the pair of you. I, I...wow." She shook her head, her eyes getting a little teary as Ivy reached out to  her, pointing her chubby finger in her face adorably.

"Pa!" She shouted, Brian and I laughing again as Mum let out another gasp, her eyes widening at her first word.

"S-She...?"

"Her first word is Pa." I nodded, my heart swelling as Bri squeezed my hand, smiling at me again proudly. "She only started saying it yesterday afternoon." I added, watching on as Mum ran her fingers through Ivy's blonde ringlets.

"She's growing up too bloody fast." Brian sighed, keeping his soft smile as I nodded, knowing we were both having mixed feelings about our baby girl getting so big. It was only yesterday we held her for the first time, I'm sure it was!

"She's getting so big." Mum laughed as Ivy continued to babble on to herself as she usually would while the grown ups talked. "I remember when you were her age." She smiled at me as if she was remembering the moment right then.

"She looks so much like Rog." Bri smiled too, glancing at me as I nudged him cutely, my cheeks a little warm.

"She really does. I'm not sure if I've shown you his baby pictures before, but now since you're a couple it's a tradition you see them!" Mum exclaimed, quick to scurry over to the cabinet in the lounge that housed all her knick knacks and albums (well it use to when I lived here).

"I haven't actually seen them, no." Bri smirked at me, making me send him a glare as I shook my head. "I'd love to if-"

"Nobody needs to be pulling out my baby pictures." I butted in, really not wanting Mum to be here all night reminiscing over old pictures and getting sucked down the wormhole of the past like she used to love doing. She'd spend hours digging through old photos from when she was a kid, from when her and Dad first started dating, and from when I was born. It was like seeing the pictures took her back. I guess understood that in a sense too as I know one day Bri and I will look back at pictures of us and pictures of Ivy and remember the times they were taken.

"Maybe I want to have a look at them Rog." Brian smirked again, making my roll my eyes. "What, are you scared I'm going to see something embarrassing?" He asked in the same voice we spoke to Ivy in, catching her attention as her little head turned towards us.