Post by jessi on May 13, 2008 22:19:33 GMT
Meant to post this ages ago, but am only just getting about to it. Sequal to The Gift of Life...
Chapter 1
Baby Amy Barlow lay in the sun,
That morning before they had left the apartment that they were staying in her father had smothered her in sun cream when they had gone out side for fear that she would burn.
“I hope you have some on as well.” He said to his little sister.
Katie was sitting by them and she nodded. She did. At 12 years of age she was beginning to get to the stage where she was taking responsibility for herself.
Katie looked at the swimming pool. It was lovely and the water looked so pure and blue in the streaming sun light. Of course it had chemicals in, she knew it but still it looked lovely to swim in and she had a feeling she was going to have to go in before the day was out. Before the morning was out in fact. She was in her bathing suit and ready to get in as it was. But swimming was never much fun on her own.
Andy came out of his flat to see her sitting there. He was glad to have his sibling s with him for the summer. He missed them when they had been in England,
Katie had grown so much. More than he thought she was going to. And he was an uncle now.
Some times when they were there he thought of going home to be with them but how could he be.
He had a life for himself there. Brazil was the home he had made for himself.
“Have you got sun cream on baby?” he asked his sister.
“Yup.” Baby. She was hardly a baby any more. She had grown out of being a baby long ago, not that her family saw it like that.
“Good girl.” He nodded as he went over to Steve.
When he was away it was his twin that he missed the most. It had been who had grown up with him when there father had been in the army.
Katie had come along later.
But they had shared every thing when they had been kids.
It was true what they said about the twin thing. It never went away,
He had to say he was shocked by how much his brother had grown up since he had been away.
He was a dad now to more than Amy. Ever since he had got here with her he had realised that since there father had been in jail Steve had been an acting dad to Katie too.
She had a clear respect and affection for him that much was clear. More so than she had for the brother who had left her so many times when she had needed him.
Now 12 years of age the change in her since she had been eight was so noticeable.
“She is a young lady now isn’t she?” he asked Steve who was cradling his child as they watched her.
“I am not going to go that far.” He shook he head with a smi9le. “She is still as much of a child as Amy is in my mind.”
There had been a change in her since she had lost there dad to jail though. When Jim had been there he had been a very dominating father he knew. He had been always , ever since the twins had been young. And looking back he had been even stricter with his daughter even if he had been a hell of a lot more affectionate with her than he had ever let himself dare to be with his sons.
No she had been his absolutely beloved child. There had been no one like Katie for Jim. The one he was always going to be there for; the one he had been determined to protect ever since the day she had come in to the world. It had been a terrible day thanks to him thought Steve to himself. The horror of thinking Katie was going to die hadn’t left him yet.
No for Jim she had been the adored angel who never dared to do wrong.
“I think she is very different though. She is more independent than she was.”
“That is just her growing up.” Steve shrugged.
It happened to every one but it was a shock when it was one of your own he guessed. And Andy had been so absent in there lives since he had moved away from Weatherfield. When he thought of there sister he had no doubt in his mind that his twin thought of the little girl who had sat on the stairs so eager for there father to return from work. That was not the image Steve got any more.
He thought of the young girl he teased his mother with went they were together. He thought of the little girl who had worked so hard in her studies to get were she was that day.
That had been one of the effects of her child hood thought Steve to himself. She had had to work for every achievement she had ever made and that was the beauty of his sister. She was a graphter.
“but I don’t think I am ready for our kid to grow up yet,” he said as he watched her dive in to the pool something last time he had seen her he didn’t think she would have done for nerves.
That was another way she had changed since they had last seen one another. She had become a hell of a lot more confident.
“You know what I am not either. I know dad isn’t.
When Jim rung Steve a hell of a lot of the time all he wanted to here about was his younger child and how she was getting on since he had been gone. Some times it was good knew for him and some times it wasn’t. When she was sad, he was angry he could comfort her. When she had achieved some thing he wanted to be there to see it. But he couldn’t. There had been more than one time since he had left when Katie had cried for her father to Steve and down the phone, or at prisons visits which they tried to keep to a limit.
It only served to upset them both so many the only contact father and daughter had was letter writing. It was easier. No one got that upset that was.
Steve felt sick with himself at times because he knew the reason his sister had no father was because of him. If he had stayed way from Jez Jim would never had gone to jail.
Katie who had been watching there brothers wondered what was keeping them. It was the first day of her holidays and she wanted to laugh and play with them.
She had never come out to Brazil to see her brother before. They had never been able to afford it, Her and her mother had to live on a bar maids salary but when her brothers had offered to pay for her as a joint thirteenth presents Liz had been powerless to say no.
“Are you too going to come in to the pool today or not?” she asked them.
Andy smiled, grinned and left Steve’s side to join his sister. It was good to be back with his sister and brother he thought to himself, better than he could say. When he had been at home he had hated his family at time because it had been so mad but when it was just the three of them it was rarely so bad as it had been when there parents were with them as well.
“Yes I am.” he said as he jumped in with her,
His little sister’s long blonde hair spread out as she went out under water, and he could see her smiling even as she swum. She was so happy to be there clearly.
Katei hadt admit to her self that she wished there mother had been able to come out to be with them. Even more so she washed her father was there, but there was no way that could be.
She had come to terms with that.
Her father had been gone for nearly four years now. It had been hard at first for her, she had been devoted to her father, but she had had too accept it in the end.
That time had ended. There was only her and her mum now. He was gone and he was going to be for another four years. No two ways about it.
“Good.” she said as she made an effect to splash him.
He chased after her and Steve watched laughing, before looking down his child.
Maybe having her had been what had moved him of Karen but she was so worth it.
Amy was in his eyes the most beautiful thing in the world. He regretted that he had tried to reject her when she had been born that had been wrong of him and he knew that now. He was going to make up for it. That he promised to himself and to her.
“Oh you are getting to cheeky for your own good!” Andy jibbed back.
She laughed and smiled. She knew it, but that was just her nature.
“I think I get it from dad!” she grinned.
-
The two brothers took the girls out fort there tea that night, for neither liked to cook.
The restaurant was right by the sea front, where a beautiful sun set had appeared.
“Do you remember the sun sets we used to see in Ireland?” asked Andy.
Steve nodded. When they had been young they had spent every Christmas and summer there with here grand parents.
“They were awesome especially in the summer.” Steve nodded, knowing he hadn’t really appreciated them in his youth.
”we haven’t been to Ireland in years!” Said Katie.
The last time she had been there was when she was four and her grandmother had been ill so she and her dad had gone out to look after her.
“no.” said Andy
He had not. Not since his dad had asked him to go with him when he had been a teenager. That had been before they had even been on the street
He thought that was sad actually. Especially for Katie. Ireland should be part of who she was. It was a huge part of there families heritage. There father had been raised over there after all.
“Maybe if we can get Andy to come over to England next summer the three of us can go together.” said Steve to them. “Four if Tracy lets me take Andy.”
“Five,” protested Katie, “If it just a trip to Ireland mum might be able to afford it.” she grinned.
The thought of the family going to Ireland for a while pleased Katie, though as she thought on it she wasn’t sure what she had over there any longer. She knew they had a aunt Eileen there and a uncle Billy but she had rarely seen them. She had only ever got birthday cards.
So maybe it would serve to reunite the family she thought cheerfully.
“Yeah I am sure she would liked to come.” Said Steve as he watched over his daughter sleeping in her pram by the side of the table where the three sat.
“So what do you make of being an auntie?” asked Andy.
“I love it!” Katie declared with out a second thought. When she had found out at her brothers wedding it had been weird but she had got used to it fairly quickly.
She had to say she hated Tracy the baby’s mum; she had always been trouble for the family and ultimately had been the one who had driven Karen, Steve’s wife away in Katie mind. And she had been loud and very dominate but always for Katie very fun to be about. There had been no such thing as a dull moment when Karen had been about.
She had been gone from the lives of the McDonalds for seven months and she still missed her.
“Yeah. Does Tracy let you help out with Amy?” she asked.
“Some times if Steve isn’t about to help then me and mum take her for the after noon or some thing.” She nodded.
“Do you still go up the park every Sunday?” he asked remembering how when she had been small and even before there father had gone to jail, after he had recoiled with here mother he and Liz had taken Katie up the park.
“No. To be honest these days I would rather stay in bed.”
Andy laughed. He remembered when he had hit that stage.
That day had forced him to realise some thing. Katie was growing up and fast. She was not going to be a child for much longer.
-
“If you feel that out of touch with the two of us.” Said Steve, “you should come home and be with the family again.”
It was sound advice thought Andy to himself as they sat out of the balcony having a bear. They had out the kids to bed and now the twin brothers were having some time alone.
When they had got out there Andy had wasted no time in telling Steve how out of touch he felt with Katie. How he envied seeing the bond they had with one another now.…
But that was some thing Steve had worked for when he had run away to scared to face up to what had been going on in his own family home. Steve had stayed and he tried to sort it out. Some times he had been unsuccessfully and at others he had made things worse but he had always been there to try. Some thing he wished he had been.
“maybe one day I will come back but for now my life is here and I don’t think going back to England is the right thing for me.” he shook his head.
“Then I am going to have to keep you contact with pictures of us all.” he said.
“Yes. But I think me returning for holiday next year is a good idea.”
“Not for Christmas?” he checked.
“I have made plans with friends here.” he shook his head.
“Well then we are going to miss you at home, me mum and Katie.”
“I miss you all as well when your away,”
Steve shook his head. “When Katie gets to her teenage years I am going to need you to come back and help me and her beat off the boys with a stick.”
“That is not going to be a few years from now.”
“With any luck.” he nodded.
“If she starts thinking about boys before dad gets out he is going to go mad,” said Andy..
“It is going to kill him, her growing up.” Steve shook his head with pity.
“He loves her so much” Andy shook his head.
“I know he does and she loves him too. I get how he feels because of Amy…” sighed Steve. “not being able to see her when I wanted…it’d be torture..”
Chapter 1
Baby Amy Barlow lay in the sun,
That morning before they had left the apartment that they were staying in her father had smothered her in sun cream when they had gone out side for fear that she would burn.
“I hope you have some on as well.” He said to his little sister.
Katie was sitting by them and she nodded. She did. At 12 years of age she was beginning to get to the stage where she was taking responsibility for herself.
Katie looked at the swimming pool. It was lovely and the water looked so pure and blue in the streaming sun light. Of course it had chemicals in, she knew it but still it looked lovely to swim in and she had a feeling she was going to have to go in before the day was out. Before the morning was out in fact. She was in her bathing suit and ready to get in as it was. But swimming was never much fun on her own.
Andy came out of his flat to see her sitting there. He was glad to have his sibling s with him for the summer. He missed them when they had been in England,
Katie had grown so much. More than he thought she was going to. And he was an uncle now.
Some times when they were there he thought of going home to be with them but how could he be.
He had a life for himself there. Brazil was the home he had made for himself.
“Have you got sun cream on baby?” he asked his sister.
“Yup.” Baby. She was hardly a baby any more. She had grown out of being a baby long ago, not that her family saw it like that.
“Good girl.” He nodded as he went over to Steve.
When he was away it was his twin that he missed the most. It had been who had grown up with him when there father had been in the army.
Katie had come along later.
But they had shared every thing when they had been kids.
It was true what they said about the twin thing. It never went away,
He had to say he was shocked by how much his brother had grown up since he had been away.
He was a dad now to more than Amy. Ever since he had got here with her he had realised that since there father had been in jail Steve had been an acting dad to Katie too.
She had a clear respect and affection for him that much was clear. More so than she had for the brother who had left her so many times when she had needed him.
Now 12 years of age the change in her since she had been eight was so noticeable.
“She is a young lady now isn’t she?” he asked Steve who was cradling his child as they watched her.
“I am not going to go that far.” He shook he head with a smi9le. “She is still as much of a child as Amy is in my mind.”
There had been a change in her since she had lost there dad to jail though. When Jim had been there he had been a very dominating father he knew. He had been always , ever since the twins had been young. And looking back he had been even stricter with his daughter even if he had been a hell of a lot more affectionate with her than he had ever let himself dare to be with his sons.
No she had been his absolutely beloved child. There had been no one like Katie for Jim. The one he was always going to be there for; the one he had been determined to protect ever since the day she had come in to the world. It had been a terrible day thanks to him thought Steve to himself. The horror of thinking Katie was going to die hadn’t left him yet.
No for Jim she had been the adored angel who never dared to do wrong.
“I think she is very different though. She is more independent than she was.”
“That is just her growing up.” Steve shrugged.
It happened to every one but it was a shock when it was one of your own he guessed. And Andy had been so absent in there lives since he had moved away from Weatherfield. When he thought of there sister he had no doubt in his mind that his twin thought of the little girl who had sat on the stairs so eager for there father to return from work. That was not the image Steve got any more.
He thought of the young girl he teased his mother with went they were together. He thought of the little girl who had worked so hard in her studies to get were she was that day.
That had been one of the effects of her child hood thought Steve to himself. She had had to work for every achievement she had ever made and that was the beauty of his sister. She was a graphter.
“but I don’t think I am ready for our kid to grow up yet,” he said as he watched her dive in to the pool something last time he had seen her he didn’t think she would have done for nerves.
That was another way she had changed since they had last seen one another. She had become a hell of a lot more confident.
“You know what I am not either. I know dad isn’t.
When Jim rung Steve a hell of a lot of the time all he wanted to here about was his younger child and how she was getting on since he had been gone. Some times it was good knew for him and some times it wasn’t. When she was sad, he was angry he could comfort her. When she had achieved some thing he wanted to be there to see it. But he couldn’t. There had been more than one time since he had left when Katie had cried for her father to Steve and down the phone, or at prisons visits which they tried to keep to a limit.
It only served to upset them both so many the only contact father and daughter had was letter writing. It was easier. No one got that upset that was.
Steve felt sick with himself at times because he knew the reason his sister had no father was because of him. If he had stayed way from Jez Jim would never had gone to jail.
Katie who had been watching there brothers wondered what was keeping them. It was the first day of her holidays and she wanted to laugh and play with them.
She had never come out to Brazil to see her brother before. They had never been able to afford it, Her and her mother had to live on a bar maids salary but when her brothers had offered to pay for her as a joint thirteenth presents Liz had been powerless to say no.
“Are you too going to come in to the pool today or not?” she asked them.
Andy smiled, grinned and left Steve’s side to join his sister. It was good to be back with his sister and brother he thought to himself, better than he could say. When he had been at home he had hated his family at time because it had been so mad but when it was just the three of them it was rarely so bad as it had been when there parents were with them as well.
“Yes I am.” he said as he jumped in with her,
His little sister’s long blonde hair spread out as she went out under water, and he could see her smiling even as she swum. She was so happy to be there clearly.
Katei hadt admit to her self that she wished there mother had been able to come out to be with them. Even more so she washed her father was there, but there was no way that could be.
She had come to terms with that.
Her father had been gone for nearly four years now. It had been hard at first for her, she had been devoted to her father, but she had had too accept it in the end.
That time had ended. There was only her and her mum now. He was gone and he was going to be for another four years. No two ways about it.
“Good.” she said as she made an effect to splash him.
He chased after her and Steve watched laughing, before looking down his child.
Maybe having her had been what had moved him of Karen but she was so worth it.
Amy was in his eyes the most beautiful thing in the world. He regretted that he had tried to reject her when she had been born that had been wrong of him and he knew that now. He was going to make up for it. That he promised to himself and to her.
“Oh you are getting to cheeky for your own good!” Andy jibbed back.
She laughed and smiled. She knew it, but that was just her nature.
“I think I get it from dad!” she grinned.
-
The two brothers took the girls out fort there tea that night, for neither liked to cook.
The restaurant was right by the sea front, where a beautiful sun set had appeared.
“Do you remember the sun sets we used to see in Ireland?” asked Andy.
Steve nodded. When they had been young they had spent every Christmas and summer there with here grand parents.
“They were awesome especially in the summer.” Steve nodded, knowing he hadn’t really appreciated them in his youth.
”we haven’t been to Ireland in years!” Said Katie.
The last time she had been there was when she was four and her grandmother had been ill so she and her dad had gone out to look after her.
“no.” said Andy
He had not. Not since his dad had asked him to go with him when he had been a teenager. That had been before they had even been on the street
He thought that was sad actually. Especially for Katie. Ireland should be part of who she was. It was a huge part of there families heritage. There father had been raised over there after all.
“Maybe if we can get Andy to come over to England next summer the three of us can go together.” said Steve to them. “Four if Tracy lets me take Andy.”
“Five,” protested Katie, “If it just a trip to Ireland mum might be able to afford it.” she grinned.
The thought of the family going to Ireland for a while pleased Katie, though as she thought on it she wasn’t sure what she had over there any longer. She knew they had a aunt Eileen there and a uncle Billy but she had rarely seen them. She had only ever got birthday cards.
So maybe it would serve to reunite the family she thought cheerfully.
“Yeah I am sure she would liked to come.” Said Steve as he watched over his daughter sleeping in her pram by the side of the table where the three sat.
“So what do you make of being an auntie?” asked Andy.
“I love it!” Katie declared with out a second thought. When she had found out at her brothers wedding it had been weird but she had got used to it fairly quickly.
She had to say she hated Tracy the baby’s mum; she had always been trouble for the family and ultimately had been the one who had driven Karen, Steve’s wife away in Katie mind. And she had been loud and very dominate but always for Katie very fun to be about. There had been no such thing as a dull moment when Karen had been about.
She had been gone from the lives of the McDonalds for seven months and she still missed her.
“Yeah. Does Tracy let you help out with Amy?” she asked.
“Some times if Steve isn’t about to help then me and mum take her for the after noon or some thing.” She nodded.
“Do you still go up the park every Sunday?” he asked remembering how when she had been small and even before there father had gone to jail, after he had recoiled with here mother he and Liz had taken Katie up the park.
“No. To be honest these days I would rather stay in bed.”
Andy laughed. He remembered when he had hit that stage.
That day had forced him to realise some thing. Katie was growing up and fast. She was not going to be a child for much longer.
-
“If you feel that out of touch with the two of us.” Said Steve, “you should come home and be with the family again.”
It was sound advice thought Andy to himself as they sat out of the balcony having a bear. They had out the kids to bed and now the twin brothers were having some time alone.
When they had got out there Andy had wasted no time in telling Steve how out of touch he felt with Katie. How he envied seeing the bond they had with one another now.…
But that was some thing Steve had worked for when he had run away to scared to face up to what had been going on in his own family home. Steve had stayed and he tried to sort it out. Some times he had been unsuccessfully and at others he had made things worse but he had always been there to try. Some thing he wished he had been.
“maybe one day I will come back but for now my life is here and I don’t think going back to England is the right thing for me.” he shook his head.
“Then I am going to have to keep you contact with pictures of us all.” he said.
“Yes. But I think me returning for holiday next year is a good idea.”
“Not for Christmas?” he checked.
“I have made plans with friends here.” he shook his head.
“Well then we are going to miss you at home, me mum and Katie.”
“I miss you all as well when your away,”
Steve shook his head. “When Katie gets to her teenage years I am going to need you to come back and help me and her beat off the boys with a stick.”
“That is not going to be a few years from now.”
“With any luck.” he nodded.
“If she starts thinking about boys before dad gets out he is going to go mad,” said Andy..
“It is going to kill him, her growing up.” Steve shook his head with pity.
“He loves her so much” Andy shook his head.
“I know he does and she loves him too. I get how he feels because of Amy…” sighed Steve. “not being able to see her when I wanted…it’d be torture..”