The show must go on Part II.

Chapter 18 - fragile peace

Jade POV

When I open my eyes the next morning, they fall on the blonde mop of hair on the couch next to my bed, far too far away. I watch her dreamily as she sleeps soundly, her hair all tousled. A smile reflects on my lips as I think about how surreal it is that she is really lying here next to me, not wanting to let me spend the night here alone. How much a life can change in just a few days.

How much I have longed for this, two months, so short and yet so long. How much I dreamed of having her next to me, of being able to look at her without regret, to touch her, to kiss her, to simply talk to her. Waking up to this view, these thoughts, fills me with a happiness I'd almost forgotten—until reality sets in. Until I remember why we broke up, and why we're back together now. Until I remember who the father of my baby is. The weight of these thoughts pulls me down, and I find myself eager to push them away.

My gaze wanders to the window, to the first rays of sunlight illuminating the dark room. I wish I could get up and go to the window, open it and breathe in the fresh air. But after yesterday's incident, I don't dare and lie idly in bed, wanting to reach for my phone to keep me occupied, but quickly realise that it's not next to my bed or anywhere else within reach. So I have no choice but to spend the first hour of the morning watching BBC Breakfast until the door opens quietly.

'Oh, you're awake!' Leigh greets me in surprise, making me grin broadly in her direction. 'How are you?' she whispers as she puts her bag down and hugs me tightly.

'Getting there,' I merely murmur in her ear.

'Still a headache?' she looks through me quickly.

'A bit, but better than yesterday,' I shrug, seeing her critical look.

'I'm sure it's normal,' I wave her off, putting a narrow face to my lips, hoping she'll leave it at that. And to my relief, she suddenly grins mischievously at me.

'I've brought you something,' she then announces, making me sit up and look at her in surprise as she suddenly pulls something out of her bag and makes my eyes light up.

'Is that a...?'

'A kettle!' she almost shouts, her face full of pride. 'And...' she reaches into her bag again and this time pulls out an all-too-familiar box.

'Yorkshire tea?' I can't believe it.

'Decaffeinated,' she adds, making my jaw drop in shock.

'Leigh, you're an absolute angel,' is all I can say.

'I know,' she shrugs before taking a seat on the edge of my bed and sipping her coffee with relish.

'What, aren't you gonna make me one straight away?' I ask her sassily. To my surprise, she immediately jumps up, fills the kettle with water and plugs the cable into the socket.

'You all really have to stop mothering me like that,' I exclaim, half-horrified, half-amused.

"Perhaps we will—once you're out of the hospital and no longer pregnant," she quips, making a fair point. "What's the matter with her?" she nods towards Perrie, who is still sound asleep, blissfully unaware of Leigh's visit.

'I don't think she's slept that much in like a week,' I mumble, sadly, thinking about the reason for her sleepless nights. But she doesn't get much more time to sleep in. Just as Leigh presses a cup of tea into my hand and I form a silent thank you, the door opens with a bang. Startled by the noise, which she apparently hadn't planned, Jesy looks into the room and only relaxes when she notices me awake and sitting up in bed.