I race up to our room with Chris, leaving poor Jasmin to sort Dele and Madders out.
Chris barges into the room first and we are met with the sight of Sian on her knees at the end of our bed, Jack next to her rubbing her back.
"Oh my fucking god! Is it coming, is the baby coming???" Chris calls throwing himself on the floor with them.
"I don't think she's like literally givin' birth this second bro!" Jack reassures him before getting up and grabbing his phone disapearing into the hall.
"I'll call Sam" he tells me, giving me a squeeze on his way past.
"Sian sweetheart you doing ok?" I join Chris on the floor.
"Yeah, yeah, I just had a huge contraction, Jack had to help hold me up, it took me by surprise, then my waters broke all over his shoes! Oh god Chels, my waters went on his bloody shoes"
I smile at her "I'm sure he don't care about his shoes, you've probably been in early labour all day babe, Jacks sorting it to get you to the hospital I think, have you had more contractions?"
"A couple, they're not too close together"
"It's not due until next month! We've not got your hospital bag! Siany you can't have the baby now!" Chris is panicking.
"Calm down Chris! It can all be sorted, it'll be fine" I tell him.
"Right I've called our car round, Sam will take yas to the hospital, it's only ten minutes up the road apparently" Jack announces strolling back into the room.
"Whose Sam?" Chris asks, still flustered.
"Me driver, he's outside waitin' for ya" Jack explains, he helps Sian to her feet.
"Thanks Jack, I'm so so sorry" Sian hugs him.
"Nah don' be daft darlin' jus' name it afta me, girl or boy yeah?" He grins. "Perfect excuse to take these fuckin' shoes off and wear me trainers!"
We help Sian and Chris down and into the car before making our way back to the hall.
The string quartet is playing again and people are mingling, waiters are handing out more drink. Ben is back at the top table with Jasmin, Dele and Madders. I glance around the room and see Carly is also back, face like thunder, she's glaring at Ben, only looking away to glance at Alfie who is now with Ben's family.
"Where's Layla? Has she come back?"
"She's outside now her dad and step dad, they were getting a bit heated" Ben explains.
"Oh great" I sigh "that's all we need drama from them"
"So where's Sian??" Jasmin almost yanks my arm out of its socket getting my attention.
Layla approaches as Jack is finishing his story of how Sians waters 'burst and gushed' all over his shoes.
"Not the first time had a girl gushing over you huh bro?" Madders can't help himself.
"Are you fucking kidding me?? My two dads are now not doing speeches at all, Sians decided to steal our date for her baby, and yet again Jack makes it all about him!!"
"Woah! Layla, whose the one wanting Jack in all your photos?" I look at her, but she looks so upset I can't stay angry.
Ben speaks "Babe, it's all ok. Me and Mads will do our speaches, Sian can't help going into labor" he stands to give her a hug, but she shrugs him off, Jack gives me that look again at the action.
"Jack why are you wearing fucking trainers!" She wails looking down at his feet.
"Ya wot? Did ya not hear? Sians fuckin' waters broke ova me shoes?"
Dele nudges Ben "you sure your nanny ain't a serial killer? Look at her" we all turn. Carly looks furious, glaring at Layla.
"What's up with her?" Jasmin asks.
Layla refuses to look back at her "I think she's annoyed cos my mum and Ben's mum want to keep taking Alf"
With his back to everyone else, Jack gives me that pfft look again.
As we all take our seats again Jack leans to my ear "summats not right with that Carly"
I agree, I do, but it's not our drama.
"Let's just get through tonight yeah, tomorrow we can go home back to our babies and boring life"
He chuckles "nah, I'd neva use the word boring bab, not about you" I smile as he squeezes my hand and kisses my head.
Finally the speeches go ahead, Layla's mum has obviously banged heads together and both her dad and step dad say a few words.
I can't help raising my eyes to Jack at Ben's speech, it sounds very generic, thanking everyone for attending, thanking people for the help with the wedding. Barely anything about Layla, the fact it's their special day, their future.....
"Bit cold" I whisper to Jack, who buries his mouth into the hair around my ear.
"Nah, told ya summats off...."
Finally it's Madders speech, and even with Jack and Dele whooping like the children they are, he does an amazing job, says absolutely nothing that could upset Layla, in fact he says lots of lovely things, his speech is much warmer than Ben's.
-
I sit on the terrace with Jasmin, texting back and forth with Sian and Chris.
"She popped it out yet? Dele asks joining us.
"No, popped it out, fuck sake, I'll give you pop it out!" Jasmin chastises him.
"She's close though, our money's on it being before midnight isn't it Chels?"
"Hmm? Yeah" I'm slightly distracted by Ben and Jack deep in conversation. Jacks jacket and tie are gone and his waistcoat is undone now.
"Del, do you think Ben's ok?" I ask
"Yeah! Just nervous about today I reckon, I know she's your friend ladies, but Layla's a fucking ball ache"
I share a look with Jasmin.
We had tried to talk to her after everyone started filling out of the hall onto the terrace, but she seemed more interested in finding Carly.
We hear Madders voice calling and clapping "ladies and gentlemen, our bride and groom will be taking to the floor for their first dance in three minutes"
I allow Jack to take my arm and lead me back inside as he passes us, following Ben.
We watch as Ben and Layla take to the dancefloor. I feel a flood of relief as they embrace, Ben wrapping his arms around her.
"What was you and Ben talking about?"
Jack's behind me, arms wrapped around my middle, head bowed, chin on my shoulder "he's stressed, he wants Layla to sack Carly, he said she's just always there"
A dark thought crosses my mind "Jack, he hasn't? You don't think? He wouldn't would he?"
I feel Jack tense behind me, his breath catches "wot? Nah, he wouldn't" he turns his face to me "nah, he wouldn't, would he?"
I shrug "I don't know, but it would explain the weirdness" I lean into him "maybe Layla knows? Maybe that's why it's weird? Maybe she's just found out, oh fuck what if she found out earlier?"
"Don't, look let's not get ahead of ourselves bab, promise just leave it?"
"You started it"
"You started it, you asked wot I was talkin' to Ben about!"
I turn into him "can we dance?"
"We can dance" he grins.
He moves us around the dancefloor with ease "I fucking love that you can dance" I murmur into his neck.
"Ya tell me that everytime we dance"
"To be honest, I just fucking love you"
He runs his hand across my lower back "I just fucking love you too"
I feel a vibration in his pocket against my leg "ooh hello!"
"That's your phone" he pulls my phone out of his pocket, passing it me. I unlock and squeal, holding the picture message to him.
*Meet baby Liam*
I look up at Jack, his smile matches mine looking at the little baby boy on my screen.
"Yeah I'll let them off, Liam's a cool name I guess"
-
We make it back to our room just after 1am, which is early for us, but Jack's exhausted, and it turns out when he's sober he doesn't like drunk people.
"I'm not that drunk though"
"Nah ya alright, it's everyone else...."
"Dele and Madders you mean"
"Everyone, Jasmin was on the fuckin' table with them"
I giggle at the memory "it was fun though"
"Yeah, is it bad to say it was more fun after Ben and Layla left?"
"It's a terrible thing to say, but you're right"
The newlyweds retired to their room around 11.30 with Layla insisting that no one should ever leave a wedding before the bride and groom.
"How you feeling?" I ask him softly.
"Honestly?"
"Of course"
"Pretty shit bab, me head hurts, me back feels all tense, I'm jus' done in totally"
"It's been a mental day hasn't it?"
His face lights up momentarily "thought I might hafta deliver the baby for a minute, the way she jus' went ova, an' her waters went.....I felt calm y'know though, like it'd be fine an' I could look afta her till ya an' Chris got here" he lays back on the bed behind where I'm sitting pulling all the pins out of my hair.
"Kinda feel like afta seein' you collapse when ya had Mia I can probably deal with anythin' now, like I looked afta you then till the ambulance came, so I reckon I can cope in most things y'know, like I'm obviously not squeamish"
He sits up and starts helping me with my hair.
"So, we're going to meet Chris in the morning and help him sort anything he needs for them" I tell him.
"I've already told him they can use Esme's car seat that's in the van to take him home, it's jus' nappies an' clothes innit, the car seats the main thing to get him back safely"
I turn to him and tuck a strand of stray hair back away from his face. "Look at you, proper responsible dad"
"Well I am, ain't I?" His eyes are glassy with exhaustion. His skin is slightly pale for someone who has just spent over a month in Ibiza.
"You're the best, the absolute best" he smiles a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes "but you need to sleep."
"I really do, I feel more like a grandad at the minute"
A shrill laugh escapes me "not Ben's grandad though - he's still pulling shapes down there with Dele!"
-
It's a quiet breakfast in the morning, most of Ben and Layla's families didn't stay over.
We sit with Jasmin and Dele and Chris, who is obviously eager to get back to the hospital.
"When we've eaten I'll put the car seat in ya car bro" Jack tells him.
"Cheers then I've got a list of things just to get from Tesco or somewhere" he replies, before showing us the photos of Liam on his phone again.
"So where's Mads? Has anyone heard from him?" Jack asks, looking at Dele.
"Bro, nah he copped off with one of Ben's cousins, think he took her up to his room"
"Oh he did not! Please tell me not one of them young girls that was puttin' pictures all ova Snapchat?"
"Noooo, the fit one with big tits in the pink dress, you saw her"
"Shhhh" Jasmin interrupts them as Ben and Layla appear, Ben even has Alfie in his arms. After greeting a table of relatives they join us.
"Where's Mads?" Ben asks.
"Dunno, he ain't come down yet bro" Jack answers, "so Carly not got the little man?"
"No, Carly's gone home, given her a few days off"
"You taking him on honeymoon?" Jack can't hide the surprise in his voice.
"No, he's going to my mum's, but we aren't going until Tuesday"
I notice Layla is looking anywhere but at Ben. I feel a lump in my chest remembering the conversation I had with Jack last night.
Surely Ben wouldn't have?
I decide to change the subject "Layla have you seen the photos of baby Liam? She's just sent some more to Chris"
"Oh no, show me Chris?" Jasmin catches my eye. It's uncharacteristic for Layla to be so enthusiastic over someone else.
I glance at Jack, he's watching Ben with a look of disdain on his face. I follow his gaze and Ben is looking down to Alfie, feigning interest in the photos, anything to avoid the stare of his best friend.
I look back to Jack and know then that Jack definitely thinks Ben's been up to something with Carly.