Sleepwalking // Sam Fender

20

"Boris Johnson's premiership has been dealt to an extraordinary blow after his brother, Jo Johnson, announced he was quitting the cabinet"

"Fucking Tories, they can't even get along and they are brothers" Sam said from the living room as he was watching TV.

"Language!" I called out as I was making dinner.

"Those bastards are going to ruin the country and you care about my language, missus?" Sam approached to me, a can of beer in his hand.

"Not my country" I said.

"Fair point" He leaned against a counter as he watched me cut some onions. "Is Beth going to be here?" I glanced at him with a frown. "For the album, the release date is the 19th and it is already the 8th"

"She is going to be here. I told Alex that the 19th was your release date and he even offered to drive her here"

"All the way up north?"

"Yeah" I put the onion into a pan that in which I had previously added some butter.

"Nice one" I turned to him as the onion was going to take a while. "Are you going to be alright with him being here?" Sam took a sip of his beer.

"I'll have to get used to it. He is Beth's father and now that we both know that we are in the same country, I am afraid that this is going to become a usual thing" Sam nodded.

I had been feeling pressure down there but I gave no importance even if my due date was the 6th. But at that moment, the pressure turned into a sort of period cramp but more painful. I tried to keep a straight face but my efforts were not enough as Sam noticed.

"Alice, are you okay?" He asked concerned as he set the beer in the counter, took few steps towards me and held my hand.

"I think he is coming" Sam's eyes opened wide.

"The baby?" I nodded slowly. "Oh my god" Sam was turning pale.

"Oi love" I grabbed his face to keep him looking at me. "We are going to get the bag that we prepared for the hospital, alright? And you're going to ring your mother and your brother and we are going to make our way to the hospital, okay?" I calmly said, to which Sam nodded.

It was at times like this when I felt sorry for how young Sam was. He still followed my instructions and in no time, we arrived at the hospital with Sam holding onto my hand for dear life almost.

"Call Alex, please. I need Beth to know" I pleaded to Sam as the nurses were preparing everything. Beth was so excited for her new brother to be born that I felt guilty for not having her around in a time like this.

"I will. Now you need to be calmed, alright?" Sam ran a hand through my hair and kissed my forehead.

"I love you" It was the first time I said it since Sam's issue with Maisie but I truly felt it.

"I love you too, I mean it" We were looking into each other's eyes. "And we are going to have the most beautiful baby and you are going to be the most beautiful mom in Shields, aye?" I nodded. "I mean, you already are as you have Beth but-"

"Alright, love. Seems like you and the baby are ready" The doctor told me.

It was not long after that, that I held my boy in my hands as tears ran down my face. Sam was crying as well as he kept on repeating how much he loved me. Elliott Thomas Fender was born the 8th of September at 11:53pm. Shortly after, Shirley and Liam came into the room for a few minutes just to congratulate both of us and hand some more diapers and baby clothes.

"You see this?" Sam whispered as he held the baby in his arms. "We made this. This is my son" He was in complete awe and the butterflies that I felt at the beginning crept to my stomach once again. "You are going to be the most loved boy around, aye? And we are going to play football together and I am going to take you and your sister to St. James' Park. Daddy is going to play a concert of his own there someday, you know?"

Sam's dreams were big but I always told him that he should aim higher as I knew for sure that he was going to make it. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep shortly afterwards with the regret of not having Beth around for such a special moment.

"We have to be really really quiet, alright? Mam's asleep and your brother is asleep as well" I woke up to a whisper the day after giving birth, still in hospital. I opened my eyes to see Sam, with Beth in his arms as she leaned into the crib to take a better look on the baby.

"Hello my princess" I smiled widely.

"Mommy" Beth whispered as she almost threw herself to my bed.

"Are you alright, darling?" I stroke her hair as she cuddled my side.

"I am very happy mommy because I am a big sister now" Beth couldn't contain her excitement.

"Aye, now you need to take care of your brother" Sam said as Beth nodded energetically,

"What is she doing here?" I hadn't noticed it but I was crying.

"I rang Alex last night and he dropped her at my mam's as soon as he could"