Can you tell I work with children:op One chaptered fluff pour Ms Rebecca Smith
Moving On
"You be daddy's big brave girl?"
"Yes daddy." Rebecca giggled as he tickled her, watching as he fastened her shoes.
"Sure you don't want me to drop you off?" Smithy glanced across at Charlie as she sat sprawled over the breakfast bar, munching her way through a piece of toast as she read the newspaper.
"Nah, we'll be alright." Charlie smiled. "We'd make you late."
"I could come back for you…"
"Stop fussing." She grinned. "She'll be fine…"
Smithy frowned and helped Rebecca off the dining chair, watching her charge into the living room. "If she's not ok…"
"She'll be fine." Charlie assured him again. "It's only mums and toddlers, I'll be right with her."
"Yeah, I know…" Smithy moved so he could see Rebecca bouncing away to the Tweenies in front of the television. "But she's never really been around any other kids, has she? It's always us or Gina and the others…"
"Which is why she has to get used to it before nursery and school." Charlie finished for him. "Now sod off."
"Always nice to feel welcome." Smithy smirked and leant across, kissing her.
Charlie returned the kiss, blinking as the toast was snatched from her hand, and Smithy pulled back, smirking as he bit into it. "Oi!"
"I'm a growing lad, ain't I!" Smithy smirked, going through to say his goodbyes to Rebecca.
"You're certainly something." Charlie agreed, rolling her eyes as she turned the page.
"Where we going?" Rebecca held onto Charlie's hand as they crossed the road towards a large building.
"Going to meet some new friends." Charlie smiled down at her, leading her up to the door.
"Why?"
Charlie chuckled and opened the door, "For Becca to play with."
Rebecca frowned to herself and looked back down, looking at the brightly coloured walls and the rows of hats and coats hanging from pegs, letting Charlie take her coat off. She grinned as Charlie kissed her and followed her towards a set of double doors, hiding behind her legs as they were opened.
"Mummy?" Rebecca frowned and instantly shrank back as she saw the other children charging around the room.
"Hello!" A blonde woman appeared in front of them, grinning inanely down at Rebecca who scowled up at her. "What's your name?"
Rebecca deepened her scowl and grabbed hold of Charlie's trousers, hiding behind her.
"Come on sweetie…" Charlie sighed, pulling her gently around and lifted her up. "You're not shy…"
Rebecca peered over Charlie's shoulder, glaring at the other children, her grip on her mother so tight her fingers were white.
"Rebecca…" Charlie tried again, turning her to face the other woman. "Say hello to…Claire." Charlie read the woman's badge, smiling apologetically at her. "I'm sorry, she's really not used to big groups yet…"
"That's quite alright." Claire's grin grew further, and she placed a hand on Rebecca's back. "You want to come and have a look at the building blocks?"
Rebecca fixed the woman with a flat stare, shaking her head.
"Jigsaw?"
Rebecca shook her head, looking up at Charlie.
"Mooo!" One of the little boys came forward, handing Claire a small plastic figure of a cow. "Moo!"
"Good boy!" Claire ruffled his hair, lifting him up to Rebecca's height. "Becky's come to play with us, Callum!"
"…Rebecca." Charlie corrected, "Or Becca."
"Oh." Claire nodded. "You want to say hello to Becca?"
"'Lo!" Callum nodded, Rebecca turning her head away from him.
Charlie sighed and said hello to Callum, smiling as he waved, gently dropping Rebecca to the floor, trying to tempt her over to one of the toys.
"NOOOO!" Rebecca took one look around the room and charged towards Charlie, grabbing hold of her leg as she started to cry, hiding her face in her thigh.
Charlie blinked and looked down. "Mummy's here sweetheart, don't you want to play?"
"Muuuummy." Rebecca cried and grabbed hold of Charlie's arm as she picked her up, sniffling. "Muuuummy."
"Alright…" Charlie sighed and gave the assistant an apologetic smile, gently bouncing Rebecca. "Sorry about this…"
Claire smiled and shook her head. "It's alright…" she assured Charlie. "It's normal…"
"Look at these, Becca!" Charlie lifted a farmer from the playmat, "You've got some of these, haven't you!"
"Mummy…" Rebecca sniffled.
"Mummy's here." Charlie sighed and kissed Rebecca's forehead, bouncing her gently. "I dread to think what you'll be like when you start school…" she said, resting her head against Rebecca's as she calmed, laying over Charlie's shoulder, one hand curled around her hair.
Callum stopped by the farm, looking curiously up at Rebecca.
"Callum's come to see what all the fuss is about…" Charlie rocked her daughter, looking down at her, gently pulling Rebecca's hand from her nose, "Don't do that sweetheart…"
Rebecca sniffed and scowled as Charlie wiped her nose, looking across at the little boy who was peering at her. "Hmph!"
Charlie bit her lip to stop herself laughing, gently sitting her up. "You spend far too much time with your father." She smirked, bouncing Rebecca in her lap.
Rebecca reached for the toy sheep Callum was holding, Charlie watching carefully as he came closer and let Rebecca take it, "Baaa!" he nodded.
Rebecca looked suspiciously at him for a few seconds, before her expression softened to a smile and she waved the police car she'd insisted on bringing. "My daddy's."
Callum's eyes widened and he stared at the car, watching Rebecca wave it, reaching to take it.
Rebecca scowled and she moved to pull it back against her chest, scowling more as Charlie shook her head, "Mine."
"Share." Charlie gestured at the sheep Rebecca was clutching. "Callum did."
Rebecca eyed off her mother, knowing she'd come off worse and pouted, letting Callum hold the car, sliding off Charlie's lap as she sat on the floor, pushing the sheep along.
Callum sat beside her and pushed the car along beside her, both making their own sound effects.
Claire looked up from where she was being attacked by two four year olds, smiling as she watched, "Coffee?" She mouthed.
Charlie nodded and smiled gratefully, moving to stand up.
"Badaaaaaa!" Rebecca called, seemingly unaware her mother had moved, the sheep 'flying' through midair.
Charlie grinned and looked at Claire who smiled and nodded, moving over to the kitchen, closing the baby gate behind her, introducing herself to the other mums who were clinging to their cups of coffee.
"Callum's facsinated by those animals." Rachel, Callum's mum, sighed. "I can't get them off him, even when he's asleep."
Charlie chuckled and nodded. "Rebecca's the same with her teddy or police car – she has to have at least one with her."
"Amy's never been that taken with her own toys." Karen sighed. "It's a struggle getting her away from here though…"
"Look at us!" Hannah laughed. "Even when we haven't got the kids with us, we still talk about them."
The gathered women laughed, each turning to look at their respective children, seeing them all playing happily together, "Becomes a habit after a while." Karen chuckled.
Charlie grinned and nodded, blinking as her phone rang, she lifted it out her bag and excused herself, moving to answer it. "Smithy?"
"She ok?"
"She's fine." Charlie beamed. "She's taken to it ever so well…"
"You're sure?" Smithy frowned, sipping from his own coffee cup as he sat back in his own office.
"I'm certain." Charlie chuckled. "I'm watching her play with the others now. There were a few wobbles to start with – but she's happy enough."
"Do you want me to pick you up?" Smithy looked at his watch, "I've got my refs coming up-"
"No it's-" Charlie trailed off and looked thoughtful. "Actually, yeah." She smirked. "That'd be great, any chance you could have a panda?"
"…Why?" Smithy frowned.
"Becca's been showing off her daddy's car." Charlie grinned. "She'd love to show off her daddy's real car…"
Smithy chuckled and drained his coffee. "I'll see what I can do."
"Say bye to Callum." Charlie slipped Rebecca's coat over her hands, smiling as she waved, cackling along. "We ready?"
Rebecca waved her police car in Charlie's face and nodded, before beaming at Claire who was stood by the door saying goodbye to one of the other mums with her colleague.
Claire grinned and hugged Rebecca who launched at her, chuckling. "See, we're not that bad…most of the time." She smirked. "You coming back to see us again?"
"'morrow!" Rebecca nodded.
Charlie chuckled and smiled at Claire. "See you next week," she said softly. "Thanks for everything."
"Part of the service." Claire smiled, waving goodbye to Callum who appeared behind them with Rachel, the two children walking in front of the mums.
Smithy leant back against the panda car he'd managed to bribe Gina into letting him 'borrow' for half an hour, pulling his hat on as he saw the first children leave, all staring at him and the car. He grinned to himself and walked forward as the door opened and Rebecca appeared, deep in babbled conversation with Callum, "Allo, allo, allo!"
Rebecca's head shot up and she beamed, jumping almost into Smithy's arms. "DADDY!"
Rachel blinked as she saw Callum staring around the police car, looking at Charlie. "Is that your-"
"Husband." Charlie beamed as she saw Smithy, nodding, introducing them as they neared. "Dale, this is Rachel and Callum." She smiled, resting her head on the top of his head as Rachel and Smithy exchanged greetings, chuckling as Callum stared up at Smithy, his mouth wide open as he pointed at the car.
"That yours?"
Smithy nodded, "You want a look inside, mate?"
Callum nodded, grinning as he watched Rebecca clambour into the drivers side. "NEENAWNEENAW!" Rebecca crowed, holding onto the steering wheel. "NEENAWNEENAW!"
Smithy lifted Callum into the passenger side, making sure neither touched anything they shouldn't, stepping back as Rachel took a picture, his arm around Charlie. "See she takes after you then?"
Charlie grinned and looked up at him, "Why?"
"She wanted to show off just as much as you did." He chuckled, raising an eyebrow as Charlie's hand closed over his handcuffs. "Oi…"
"Behave." Charlie murmured, "Or she'll have you down here every week." She smirked, gently kissing his cheek.
