It was completely unlike Jac to make a mistake like this. Mistakes were so critical in her career that she'd learned to avoid them even in her personal life at all costs – until now. Gradually untangling her limbs from those of the warm body beside her, Jac rolled over onto her side to check the time with one sleepy eye. She was hoping to see she had at least one more glorious hour stealing the body heat of her bed guest but instead Jac saw the customary text message from Jonny informing her that he was twenty minutes away to drop off their daughter. Shit shit shit.
Panic was not a strong enough word to describe the cold dread that settled in her gut. This could not be happening. She turned quickly back towards the centre of the bed and set about rousing the sleeping girl who lay beside her.
The duvet almost completely covered her pale face, her silky dark hair splayed wildly across the pillow. She looked so peaceful Jac was almost pained to wake her – they hadn't exactly had much sleep.
"Zosia! Wake up you need to leave."
Jac hissed, gently nudging the slumbering figure before swinging her bare legs out of bed and wrapping herself in a dressing gown. She began to collect the discarded clothes from the floor for the laundry hamper and tossed a pair of jeans in Zosia's direction
Jac tore open the curtains, bathing the sleeping girl in the harsh light of the morning and she finally began to stir. Almost fully dressed now, if a little haphazardly Jac rounded to Zosia's side of the bed and crossed her arms distinctly unimpressed that she was being ignored. She rolled up her sleeves preparing to drag the girl out of bed if she had to.
"Mm come back."
Zosia had flipped the duvet down and extended her arms in a beckoning gesture. Jac was almost tempted, the girls cheeks had a pleasant rosy glow from sleep, the words slow and heavy on her tongue.
"Seriously Zosia you need to go."
Hearing Jac's harsh tone, Zosia reluctantly began to slide out of the warm bed.
"Why the rush?"
Zosia questioned as she hopped from foot to foot struggling to force her legs into her jeans.
"I er, I forgot Jonny said he couldn't have Emma for the whole weekend. They're due back any minute."
Jac bit her lip sheepishly, she knew this was her error and it was unfair to take it out on Zosia but she had to understand she couldn't be here when Jonny arrived.
Zosia chastised herself for being mildly offended that Jac didn't want her around her daughter. It wasn't as if they were dating. Flirty quips over the operating table had lead to a few heated fumbles in the scrub room. Which consequently lead to some late night casual hook up's, which was how Zosia found herself to be in Jac Naylor's home, and her bed.
"So what, are you ashamed of me? You don't want your ex to know that you sleep with women now?"
Zosia snatched her bra out of Jac's hand and stuffed it into her handbag.
"What? No, this has got nothing to do with you!"
"Yeah right. You make this seem so seedy."
Zosia was borderline irate, she felt cheap and used, being turfed out of a warm bed without so much as a 'good morning'.
"I just don't want people coming and going in her life. I don't want her to get attached to you and then you leave." Jac admitted.
"Oh."
Zosia felt awkward now, she hadn't realised the lengths Jac would go to to protect her daughter. She was troubled by the insinuation that Jac thought it would be her who would leave. She obviously had no idea of the deep feelings Zosia had been harbouring for quite a while now.
With her arms still tightly folded, Jac's face softened apologetically. She knew this was harsh but she had to put Emma first. They were half way to the door, Jac contemplating whether Zosia would still kiss her goodbye when they were beaten by the shrill ring of the doorbell. Shit.
They exchanged panicked glances and Jac exhaled deeply, defeated. "You might as well stay for breakfast now."
The toddler thundered into the house on her newly mobile feet, wrapping both arms around her mother's legs.
Jac greeted Jonny with the frosty silence he'd come to expect from her, he smiled broadly nonetheless. Emma babbled incoherently, the word 'Mama' was the only one distinguishable.
"Someone is happy to be home! Here you go."
Jonny stood awkwardly on the doorstep, knowing he was not permitted to go beyond and passed Jac the weekend bag. He observed the slightly dishevelled appearance of his usually immaculately presented ex-partner with a quiet intrigue. Her striped cotton shirt was wrinkled, a button or two in the wrong hole. She wore no makeup but the shadowy remains of yesterday's and her hair was displaying a tell-tale mussed style.
Jac bent over to lift the excited child onto her hip and Jonny took the opportunity to peer over her shoulder, catching sight of Zosia lurking uncomfortably in the shadows of the hallway.
"Oh, I didn't realise you had company? Morning!"
Zosia gave a brief wave and Jac's cheeks flamed. It was obvious that Zosia had stayed the night otherwise why else would she be skulking around Jac's hallway in last nights clothes this early on a Sunday morning? Jonny was an intelligent man, his tell-tale smirk revealed he knew their secret.
"Yes well, you better be off to whatever was more important than your commitment to your daughter. Say goodbye to Daddy, Emma."
Jac clawed back the upper hand, shutting the door with a satisfactory amount of sass.
Jac carried Emma through to the kitchen, wordlessly beckoning Zosia to follow with a flick of her head. She sat the baby at the table, set out two mugs and filled the kettle.
"Emma this is my friend Zosia. She's going to have breakfast with us."
Jac explained matter of factly, an approach most wouldn't take with a child of Emma's age but it didn't surprise Zosia that Jac didn't 'do' baby talk. Most surprising was that the girl nodded responsively, her wide blue eyes sizing up the stranger in her kitchen.
Zosia hadn't spoken in a while. She was trying to establish if Jac was annoyed by her still being here or indeed that this was probably now public knowledge thanks to Jonny's nosing. She had her back to them both, busy cutting fruit and setting out bowls for granola on the table. It was impossible to tell.
Uninvited, Zosia bravely took a seat at the table and watched the baby with keen interest. Her hair grew almost to her shoulders and was poker straight like Jac's although without the bright copper colour. Her eyes were definitely all Jac, inquisitive and deep cobalt blue.
"Hi Emma!" Zosia tried, a wide smile creeping across her face. Babies were just gorgeous. The fact she was Jac's made her all the more special.
Jac finally joined them at the table, and angled her chair so she could face both Emma and Zosia. She placed a bowl of sliced fruit in front of the baby and encouraged her eat the banana.
"Help yourself Zosh." She said quietly, taking a sip of hot coffee.
Zosia instantly began to relax, this wasn't so bad. Her heart fluttered as she watched Jac pop a grape into the babies mouth then tickle her chin to coax her to giggle. Something about Emma's presence softened all Jac's sharp edges.
The young girl chatted away nonsensically, filling what would otherwise be silence with the inquisitive wisdom only a child could possess. Jac listened and responded attentively to the toddlers babbling while Zosia watched on with a whole new level of respect for the older woman. Emma made a polite request for juice and Jac began to stand up but Zosia intercepted.
"I'll get it?" Zosia offered, testing the waters slightly. Jac nodded and pointed her towards the juice and Emma's plastic beaker. She could tell Zosia was still tense, it was a lot to comprehend all in one morning especially when she'd only come over with the intention of getting laid.
"Here you go cutie." Zosia returned with the juice, gently brushing her hand against Emma's soft head, the girl grinned up at her.
"Did you hear that faceache? Zosia thinks you're cute!" Jac teased, meeting Zosia's gaze and giving her a warm smile.
Eventually growing restless at the table, Jac set Emma on her feet and the girl made off towards the lounge. She busied herself clearing away breakfast while Zosia watched in quiet contemplation.
"So I should probably head off?"
Zosia asked, a reluctant question. Seeing Jac all maternal and domesticated brought Zosia ridiculous joy but she had already overstayed her welcome. Jac was right, how many casual hook ups stayed for breakfast with the children?
Jac's hands were submerged in soapy dish water, she quickly dried them and came to stand in front of Zosia. The close proximity reawakening the sexual attraction that had summoned Zosia here in the first place.
"Listen Zosia, I'm sorry for the way I treated you this morning. You don't have to go."
There was little point in sheltering Emma from this any longer. Zosia wasn't a threat, and they worked together for goodness sake, even if they stopped sleeping together they'd never be completely out of each others lives.
To illustrate her point, Jac loosely held Zosia's waist before slipping her hands lower and into the back pockets of her jeans, pulling their hips flush together. Zosia put up little resistance and reciprocated, winding her arms around her neck and allowing Jac to lazily kiss her as if this was something they always did after breakfast on Sunday mornings.
"Alright, you've convinced me." Zosia joked. As if she needed any convincing. She'd never been happier.
"Can you go and sit with her while I finish up here?"
Zosia briefly paused, this was a complete U-turn. One minute she was being hauled out of bed, the next she was being entrusted to be alone with the child.
"Sure." Zosia smiled, Jac pressed another kiss to her mouth.
Zosia found Emma happily occupying herself on the rug in Jac's smart lounge with an impressive set of plastic farmyard animals. She'd upturned the bucket all around her and Zosia couldn't help but wonder how Jac had adjusted her character to become so blasé about the chaos toddlers leave in their wake. Jac Naylor the mother was worlds apart from Jac Naylor clinical lead. Emma looked up briefly, offering a shy smile before returning to her toys.
"Hey, I like your farm Emma!"
Zosia cautiously knelt beside her, still in awe of the tiny Naylor. She absorbed all her perfect little features, her long dark eye lashes, her pouty heart shaped mouth, Jac was so blessed.
Emma contemplated for a moment, the concentration on her little face was evident. Then with a sticky pink fist, Emma held out a plastic sheep towards Zosia and she graciously accepted. It was such an innocent gesture but to Zosia it meant the world.
Approaching the lounge, Jac stood back and observed Zosia on the sofa with Emma curled on her lap. They were reading a book Jac recognised as one of Emma's favourites. She'd been mad for farmyard animals since she and Jonny took her to visit one a few weeks back.
Her daughter's head was rested comfortably back against Zosia's chest and she absent mindedly twirled her hair with her delicate little fingers. She appeared absolutely entranced by Zosia's voice as she read.
"Chicken!" Emma exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the illustration.
"Sure is! Say 'kurczak'" Zosia spoke slowly, Emma mimicked the words until she had them perfect then pointed to another image.
"Good girl! This is 'Krowa'"
Emma diligently repeated, beaming at Zosia who patiently sounded out the vowels.
Jac suddenly came further into the room, her hands on her hips disturbing the little tranquil bubble they'd created.
"Are you teaching my daughter Polish?" An ambiguous smirk on her face that could have denoted either annoyance or admiration. Zosia panicked, she couldn't tell if she was joking.
"Oh Jac! I'm sorry?"
Emma giggled unfazed by her mother's sudden appearance. "Krowa! Krowa!" She echoed proudly, looking at Zosia for reassurance.
"No! Carry on, she's a natural!"
Amused, Jac quirked her eyebrow and slipped onto the couch beside Zosia, nudging her with her elbow to put her at ease. Emma clambered over to nestle herself between the two women and urged Zosia to read on.
Soon, Emma knew the words for just about every farmyard animal in almost perfect Polish. She returned to her toys on the rug proudly lining them up as she named them. Jac sidled up closer to Zosia on the couch, freely able to touch her now there wasn't a wriggling child between them. She laced their fingers together and rested her chin gently on Zosia's shoulder.
"Don't you dare teach her enough Polish that you two can conspire against me." She said with a laugh.
Zosia smiled, resting her head against Jac's.
"Never."
A/N: To the anon that requested this, I hope its fluffy enough! Leave me more prompts on my blog indig0supernova :)