Just an Average Saturday......
Jamie Smith sat at the end of the dining table and observed something that had become a regular fixture for each Saturday morning.
"But Daaaaaaaaad....everyone else is going!"
"Everyone else don't live here!"
"I'll be with Kate, Rachel and Becky....I wont be going on my own"
"That don't change anything – you're still not going!"
Ashleigh Smith sank in her chair and folded her arms, glaring at her father. "That's so not fair....mum would let me go!"
"No she wouldn't" Her mother entered the kitchen and stood behind her. "You already asked me, and I said no....."
Ashleigh flushed and stood up. "It's so not fair.....you let him do everything!" She pointed at Jamie. "Yet I can't go to one single party...." She let out a scream of annoyance and flounced up to her bedroom, slamming the door – closely followed by the sound of blaring loud music.
Dale sunk his head into his hands. "Will she ever listen?"
"Probably not!" Kym laughed and moved to behind him and rubbed his shoulders. "But I seemed to remember you doing a lot worse!" She smiled and draped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek.
"Oh puh-lease!" Jamie buried his head in his magazine. "Get a room you two!"
Dale raised an eyebrow. "You know where yours is mate!" he grinned, pulling Kym onto his knee.
"You know..." Jamie stood up and started to leave the kitchen. "There ain't enough money in the world to pay for the amount of psychotherapy I'm gonna need from living with you two!"
"Never mind darling!" Kym smiled at him "The worst you could do is turn out like your father!"
"OI!" Dale tried to push her off his knee as Jamie escaped to the relative safety of the upstairs.
"Geeeeeeeeek!" Ashleigh called out as he passed her room.
"Bitch!" He answered her.
She flung the door open and glared at him. "What you gonna do now Jay Jay?" She tittered, knowing he hated his mother's pet name for him. "Watch some football with daddy dearest? Or help mummy with the washing up?"
"Sod off Leigh!"
"You're such a suck up!"
"And you're such a spoilt brat –but I've learned to live with it."
"Spoilt!" she pouted. "Chance would be a fine thing....you get so much more than I do!"
"Because I act remotely human – I don't have my head up my arse the whole time, living in Little Miss Me land – or revert to Spoilt Princess mode every time they ask me to do something!"
"Cos you have no life!" She retorted. "You're such a fuc....."
"ASHLEIGH – PHONE!" Dale shouted up. "And get a move on...I'm waiting for a call."
"Yes daddy!" She stuck her tongue out at Jamie and ran down the stairs to take the phone from Dale's hand and walked into the other room with it. "Hiya? Rachel....yeah....nah – that was dad – he's so lame..."
"Charming!" Dale snorted as the door slammed shut preventing him from hearing anymore. "Jay!" he called back up. "Footie's about to start!"
"Coming!" He ran down the stairs barging into Kym who was climbing the stairs with the washing. "Sorry mum!"
"Alright – calm down.......it ain't even West Ham!" She smiled as he passed her.
"And?"
"And....you support West Ham....."
"So?" He shrugged. "It's still football." He carried on downstairs and jumped onto the settee next to his dad, both of them squabbling over the remote.
"Something's never change!" Kym smiled as she watched them, then continued up the stairs.
"Ok..." Ashleigh stood and walked to the door. "I'll ask....bet you he says no though...." She listened as her friend twittered something in response and then laughed. "Since when have I let that bother me?! Rachel....relax....I'll make him a cuppa or get him his paper or something....he'll be putty in my hands!" She laughed, said her goodbyes and ended the call and left the room walking to the kitchen and flicking the kettle on. As she waited for it to boil, she started to think of the best ways to approach Dale.
She smiled as her mind went into overdrive and turned back to the kettle, made a coffee, and carried it through. "Daddy!" She smiled and held out the cup to him.
Dale raised an eyebrow and looked at the cup suspiciously. "What you broke?"
She pulled a mock offended face. "Can't I make my favourite daddy a drink? Does there have to be something in it?"
"Usually!" Dale muttered, reaching out for the cup and craning his head to see round her as she slid closer and closer to the TV screen.
"Where's mine Leigh?" Jamie smiled, knowing she was after something.
"In the kettle" She glared at him.
"Well that's not very fair is it?" Jamie smirked, stood and left the room.
Ashleigh seized the opportunity and dived over Dale's legs and sat in Jamie's seat snuggling up to him and resting her head on his shoulder.
Dale looked mildly surprised, but lowered his arm so it was around her and settled back, tuning back into the telly.
Kym back in the room and sank into the armchair, lifting her feet onto the small table in front of her with a satisfied sigh, before leaning over and grabbing the coffee cup from Dale's hand with a smile.
"OI!" He frowned as she took a sip and settled back into her chair.
Kym smiled cheekily and nodded at Ashleigh, raising both her eyebrows.
He shrugged gently, raised one eyebrow and shook his head.
Ashleigh looked up and smiled at the pair of them. "I'm glad you're both here....I need to ask you something...."
Dale snorted and looked across at Kym. "Here we go...."
Ashleigh ignored this and continued. "This party....would it be possible if I could sleep at Rachel's tonight to go...her mum would take us....and pick us up....and I'd have my mobile with me at all times....I'd be really good and....." She continued talking as her parent's exchanged glances.
"Ok then..." Dale relented. "BUT! On the condition that I get to talk to Rachel's mum first....."
Ashleigh squealed and hugged and kissed both her parents. "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!" She shouted as she left the room, picking the phone back up on her way out again. As she reached the middle room again, she stopped, thought and walked back to the living room. "There is just one more thing...." She smiled sweetly.
Dale groaned and pulled his wallet from the back of his trousers. "You're washing the car for this young lady!" He muttered passing her two notes.
"Yes daddy!" Ashleigh grinned, kissed his cheek and skipped out the room.
"She's got you wrapped round her little finger y'know Smiffy..." Kym stood and walked across to sit next to him, draping her legs across his lap and pulling his arms around her.
"Like you haven't?" He smiled, looking down at her.
"Possibly...." Kym reasoned. "But I give you better rewards!" She giggled, reaching up and kissing him.
"Oooh god!" Jamie walked in the room, looked at the settee and turned and walked out again.
"I'm beginning to think I wasn't there when our children were conceived you know, Smiffy...." She grinned in response to his puzzled frown. "Well take Ash for a start....she's got your temper, your smirk, your instant niceness when things go your way, she sulks like you do, she's got your wide eyed innocent look....." She sat up slightly and ran her hand inside his shirt. "And Jamie, he's got your ability to raise one eyebrow" She laughed as he did it. "Your fear of public displays of affection.....even after two children....he laughs like you do, smiles like you do....talks sense....most of the time...like you do....he's intelligent....when he wants to be.....and then there's just lil ole me all on me own...."
Smiffy instantly puffed out his chest. "Well they've got a good role model ain't they.....and you imagine having more than one of you?!?!" He fidgeted as she tickled him. "I'd never be able to cope! Anyway...." He looked back at the telly. "Shhh....football...."
"Mum?....Dad?"
Smiffy sighed and looked to the door. "What now?"
Jamie slunk back through the door and sat on the small table in front of them. "I've erm....I've been wanting to tell you this for a while....but it's never seemed like the right time.....but erm...." He stared at a patch on the carpet. "I think....I think I might be gay..."