AN: Thank you for the response to chapter 1, we really appreciate it! That first chapter served as a kind of prologue, establishing what happened in the past to our couple/family. Now we see how they're getting on five years down the line.
xx R&R
Chapter 2: How it is now
May 2015
Even after so many years of living elsewhere Charles still felt like he was coming home every time he pulled his car into the driveway of what was previously his family home. On dark nights the lights that came from the familiar windows somehow felt warmer, more welcoming, than elsewhere, and it was second nature to him to open the door without knocking or ringing the bell.
Stepping into the dimly lit hallway he made his way down and into the kitchen, "Hello, anyone home?"
"Hi Dad," Mae said, not looking up from her maths homework.
"Hello you two, hard at it I see."
"I've borrowed Mae's pencil case because I left mine at home," Lily said, turning her art book around to show her Dad. "I'm doing Mae's face, see, as she works."
"Pretty damned good it is too," he said, proud at how good the sketch was, whilst Mae was purely academic, Lily was all about art and sport. He ruffled his youngest daughter's hair, "Shame about your memory though, you left your swim bag too and isn't that where the three of you are going tomorrow?"
"Oops!" Lily grinned, chewing on the end of a pencil.
"Ew, don't do that, that's gross, spit on my stuff," Mae complained, throwing a rubber across the table at her sister.
"Where's your mum?" Charles asked, glancing around the kitchen, the oven was on but there was no sign of dinner. "Have you eaten already?"
"Nope, mum said she'd cook after she'd had a lie down and we'd done our homework. We've been eating jelly snakes."
"I had three red ones." Lily said proudly.
Mae turned in her chair, "You look smart Dad."
"Dinner with Robert and Cora." He didn't mention that they'd got a strange idea about introducing him to some woman called 'Alice'.
"Nice. You want a drink or something?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Well, can we have one then?"
"Cheeky rascal," he smiled, but he was already taking a bottle of lemonade from the fridge and filling two glasses. "Here, let me go check on your mum. Finish up here, yeah? Number seven is wrong Mae," he said glancing at her book. "Look at it again."
In the lounge Charles found Elsie fast asleep on the sofa, he'd known her long enough to know when she was exhausted and that there would be no waking her up. Bending down beside her, he noted she was still in her work clothes, it seemed to him she'd picked the kids up, set them up in the kitchen and collapsed in here. Working too hard, no doubt - it was busy time for her, gearing up for all the summer events - and getting little sleep.
He reached to the back of the sofa and pulled down the blanket she left there and gently wrapped it around her, careful not to wake her as he did so.
She moved in her sleep, shifting her head against the pillow and leaning forward slightly. After all this time, he still thought her the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Still.
From the door, their two daughters watched in silence as their father tenderly ran his finger over their mother's forehead, moving her fringe from where it had fallen over her face, and then continuing to trace his fingertip down her cheek. For a few seconds he knelt like that watching her, then with a sigh he sat back on the floor, reaching for the phone on the table by the side of the sofa.
The girls moved out of sight, back into the hallway and listened as he spoke.
"Hi, Robert, I'm unbelievably sorry but something's come up and I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I need to take care of the girls. Yeah. Thanks. I will, and really, I'm very sorry. I'll try and make it up to you two sometime."
Brushing aside the momentary guilt he felt at letting his friend, and colleague, down at such short notice, Charles got to his feet, turned off the light in the room and left Elsie to sleep.
"Right," he proclaimed, coming into the kitchen, slipping his jacket off and rolling up his shirt sleeves. "What was Mum planning to do for dinner?"
"Chicken I think," Mae said, getting up from the table and opening the fridge door.
"Let's see. Looks like the ingredients for her famous chicken casserole, you think Dad can pull it off as well as Mum can?"
"Tough call," Mae teased and he dug his fingers in her waist tickling her.
Lily watched wide-eyed from where she knelt on her chair at the table. "Is Mummy alright Daddy?"
"Of course she is sweetheart, why wouldn't she be?"
"Because you…"
"She just means," Mae interrupted, "because you're cooking for us now and Mum was meant to do it tonight."
"Mum's just tired is all," he reassured, taking the vegetables from the fridge. "So, we'll help her out by making dinner, doing our homework, getting showered and changed into our pyjamas, and by the time we've done all that we'll wake her up and eat together, hey?"
Lily nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. Now, come here munchkin, we need an expert to chop these peppers."
Charles woke Elsie as the girls laid the table almost an hour and a half later. When shaking her shoulder didn't work he used his old trick of brushing his little finger down her nose until she swiped at it, waking herself.
"Hi," he smiled.
"Charles?" She leant back on the sofa, rubbing her face. "What are you doing here?"
"Lily forgot her swim bag, I brought it over."
"Oh, thank you." She flopped onto her back. "What's that gorgeous smell?"
"Dinner."
"Just how long have I been asleep?"
"Couple of hours at least." He got to his feet, groaning at the creak of his knees. "So, you going to come eat with us?"
"You cooked?"
"We cooked, the girls and I. It'll do you good, come have a proper meal. Mae says you've been rushing about too much lately."
She rolled her eyes. "The traitor."
"She's almost fifteen Els, she misses nothing now." He chuckled, "She is your daughter."
"Hmm, hard to believe she's close to being a fully-fledged adult."
They ate as a family at the kitchen table for the first time in months. As Charles sat back and poured wine for he and Elsie he reflected on the very fact, family - theirs was an odd version of the word and if anybody analysed it they'd probably conclude the pair of them were out of their minds.
It had been five years now since he'd moved out. Five years in July, anyhow. Five years of separation without divorce. Five years of a split family life - Lily with him, Mae with her mum. And shared weekends and joint holidays and celebrations. They didn't argue anymore, that was the positive, and the girls had adjusted well and were happy, for the most part, as much as a fourteen year old and an eleven year old could be. And Elsie was happy. She seemed happy. That was all he wanted really.
"Can we play cards after dinner?" Mae asked, spooning more mashed potato onto her sister's plate and then her own.
"Of course, if you can remember where they are," Elsie agreed, taking her wine from Charles. "Dad always wins though, so no betting."
"I'm not betting my pocket money," Lily proclaimed, kneeling on her chair.
"No, you only just got it," Elsie said, patting her daughter's shoulder, "sit down sweetie."
Lily did as she was asked, pulling her glass of lemonade across the table towards her, "Nope. I'm saving it up."
"And what are you saving for?" Charles asked. "I might be able to help with your saving plan."
Elsie chuckled, "Don't let him suck you in, he'll take a cut of the money."
"I'm saving for Mae's birthday present."
"Ha!" Mae laughed. "Great!"
"I'm going to get you something really, really good."
"What you getting me kiddo?" Mae pushed her plate away, clearly done with dinner.
"A sparkly blue phone cover for your new phone!"
Elsie gasped and Charles shook his head, folding his hands beneath his chin. "Oh, Lil."
"Wait - am I getting a new phone?!" Mae asked excitedly.
"It would seem so," Elsie sighed, "wouldn't it Lily?"
"Yeah, Daddy said she is."
"It was meant to be a birthday surprise honey."
"Oh…" she grinned, "oops!"
"Come here," Elsie yanked her into her lap. "Silly thing."
"A new phone!" Mae jumped up from her seat. "Finally. Mine's like a brick. Is it an iPhone mum, like I've asked for? Is it mum?"
"I'm not telling you that, you know enough already."
"Ohhhh Mummy."
"Now I'm Mummy." She plonked Lily's feet onto the floor and patted her bottom. "Let's do the dishes."
"Is it Lil?"
"Don't do that to your little sister," Charles said, turning his chair around to watch the three of them clear the dishes and fill the sink. "You'll know soon enough Mae."
"It's nine days until my birthday, that's forever."
"Hardly."
"That's just over a week," Lily said. "So I best get more pocket money if I'm going to get your present and a good card and a balloon."
"That's very generous Lily," Elsie said, handing both girls tea towels.
"I'm going to ask Grandma Carson for extra money to go with my pocket money."
"Oh no you're not," Elsie said, beginning to wash the dishes.
"I think I can help with that Lil, don't bother Grandma." Charles got to his feet and began clearing the table mats away ready for them playing cards.
"Can we have ice cream when we've done mum?"
"I'm sure we can find some."
"Will you make chocolate sauce Mummy?" Lily asked. "Daddy doesn't do it as good."
"Charming," he chuckled and Elsie glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled triumphantly.
"Of course I can darling."
He felt the urge to hold her, maybe slide his hand over her back, feel her warmth through the silk of her blouse, around her waist, tickle her, tease her. A kiss to her neck. It's what he might have done once, a long time ago, before the pair of them messed it all up.
Yes, it was an odd family, Charles thought as he watched them. But it was his family and it worked.
End of September 2015
Sometimes he recalls the first time he ever laid eyes upon her. It had been in the first week of lectures. He was a year into his course, he knew the ropes, he knew the routines and he'd probably become a little slack in his efforts – Charles had always had a head for numbers and the accountancy degree had never really pushed him.
Thursday afternoons meant a joint class; students who were not necessarily taking accountancy but needed elements of it as part of their degree would slink along to join his group. He found it tedious at best. Waiting for them to catch up while he was way ahead, at least it meant he could get away with doing the odd crossword.
It was early October and raining and she'd come in late, the door slamming behind her. She was wearing a dark green coat and, although warm, it didn't appear to be very waterproof. He'd watched in interest as she glanced around the room, her cheek flushed with embarrassment at being late. The professor had ushered her into a seat and she'd slipped, her flimsy shoes not really suitable for the wet weather. Charles remembers smiling at that, how she'd steadied herself with her hand on another student's shoulder as she'd passed. Even at that early stage he'd wished it was him she'd been leaning against.
The following Thursday, he'd been sure to arrive a little bit later, though he was usually very prompt, to the extent that he could be waiting a good twenty minutes for class to start. He'd expected to find her there early, to make up for last week's embarrassment and sure enough, she was in the front row, pencil in hand and pad of paper laid out ready to begin.
He slipped into the seat beside her, praying to God she was useless at Maths and then he'd have at least something to offer her. For surely, somebody who was as stunning as Elsie Hughes (as he soon discovered her name to be), would have a choice of suitors within the first month of university life.
Now, as he stands on his doorstep watching her come up the path to his end-terrace to collect Mae, he's struck by a sense of deja vu as once again it's raining and once again she's wrapped up against the weather in a dark green coat – it's always been a colour he's admired on her, and yes, he still thinks her stunning.
"You're a little early," he said jovially. "They're still finishing their cake and watching the end of Emmerdale."
"I know. I managed to get away earlier than expected." She smiled as she got close to him. "Well, ten minutes earlier… if you can call that earlier." She stood before him on the doorstep. "Are you going to let me in? It's sodding raining, you know? And I wouldn't mind one of those," she said, indicating the half-drunk glass of wine in his hand.
She followed him inside, lingering in the warm hall as she hung her coat and listened to him pour wine in the kitchen. As usual, his small hallway was a collection of schoolbags, abandoned shoes and his boxes of paperwork, but an unexpected item caught her eye; a pair of heels, blue and patent and certainly not belonging to either of her children. An odd feeling rose up in her stomach, something akin to feeling nauseous, though she wasn't ready to admit, or even deal with, what exactly that feeling was.
Since being a child, she'd always been forthright, if she was ever scared of something she faced it head on, yet with Charles that didn't always ring true. She'd learnt lessons about facing up to things the hard way growing up on a farm, where a harsh winter meant you could be one crop away from starvation, unwanted and pestering kittens had often been drowned at birth, sometimes, when she came across kittens now, their mewling took her back to a time when a bucket of water was a means to an end. Nevertheless, she took the forthright approach and followed him into the kitchen.
"So, Mae tells me you had a date?"
He was placing the bottle of wine back in the fridge door and it clinked worryingly against the plastic as it slipped slightly from his hand at her words. "Oh? She did, did she?"
She was already taking a seat on one of the stools at his breakfast bar, there was no dining table in Charles' house, there was no room for one, and since it was only himself and Lily there was no demand for it. The 'family' dinners they had now were usually at restaurants, on neutral ground, and, very rarely, at Elsie's.
He handed her the wine. "Now this is a 1997, which I'm sure you recall was a very good year."
Her eyes sparkled momentarily at his comments - the year they married. "I have a vague recollection of something important happening that year. And don't change the subject."
"The subject?" he queried.
"You know very well what I'm referring too." She took a gulp of wine, giving her time to centre her thoughts. "So, was this the first date? Or one of many? Or am I being too nosy?"
"You know, our daughters talk too much. They're too clever for their own good."
"Yes, well, they get that from me."
Charles laughed. "Very true, actually. So, you're taking Lily on Friday right? She's spending the weekend with you and Mae? She's looking forward to it."
"So am I. We're going to have spicy Thai food, because we know how much you hate it, and I'm going to introduce them to the delights of a pyjama party. I'll bring her back Sunday." She took another sip of her wine. "Looking forward to having the weekend to yourself are you?"
"I am indeed."
"Any plans," she asked him over the top of her wine glass.
"Something you want to ask me directly, Elsie?"
"I thought I did ask directly. You're the one dancing around the subject."
"Ask again."
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"I wouldn't call her that, no."
"But you are seeing someone?" she pressed.
"Why does it bother you?"
She slipped down from her seat, smoothing down her skirt. "I'm not bothered. Just interested. Clearly, if this is something that is going to affect you, it's going to affect our daughters as well."
"If it gets to the stage where it will affect them, I will be sure to let you know. However, we have only had one date thus far."
Internally she breathed a sigh of relief, but again she didn't want to dwell on why. "And will you be seeing her again?"
He smiled self-consciously, it amazed him after all these years, twenty-two to be precise, and all they'd been through together, that they were still able to have the same level of banter, even in the odd situation they now found themselves.
"Perhaps it's my turn to ask a question," Charles said. "You seem to have had plenty in the last five minutes."
She scoffed. "Oh I can assure you, dating is the farthest thing from my mind."
"That wasn't going to be my question."
"Go on then, ask away."
"Why does it bother you so much? And I want a real answer this time."
He was close enough to her that she could smell his cologne and feel the familiar warmth that his body brought to hers, but she was saved from answering by the appearance of her youngest child.
"Mummy!"
Elsie turned quickly, drawing Lily into a tight hug. She closed her eyes, pressing her face against the side of her daughter's head and kissing her repeatedly. "Oh I've missed you sweetheart." Even now, five years after their situation had been established, she still suffered with the horrendous pain, the guilt, that came with feeling like she'd let one of her children go. How did you explain to a seven-year-old the reason that she would be living with father while her sister got to stay with Mummy? Sometimes she struggled to explain the reasoning behind it even to herself. But in the mess and pain, in the desperation she'd felt following the end of their marriage, she felt somehow she owed it to Charles to let him take Lily with him so that he wouldn't be alone – she didn't want to think of him being alone.
Though now, if she thought of him having another woman, she couldn't help but feel spiteful towards her and she didn't even know who she was.
Lily pushed back from her Mum's tight embrace, and Elsie cupped her face in her hands, brushing her fair, unruly hair back from her face. "I think you've grown even taller since I saw you last week."
"She's been made captain of the netball team," Charles said proudly. "She's quite the star, despite only being back in school a matter of weeks."
Elsie gasped in surprise. "Oh that's wonderful, I'm so proud. You should have called and told me."
Lily shrugged. "I told Mae."
"Of course you did…"
"… because you and she are constantly on that chat thing," Charles finished.
"I think they call it iMessage," Elsie pointed out.
"I need a drink Dad. Do we have any of that lemon stuff left?"
"In the fridge," Charles said, leaning against the door frame. Lily dashed under his arm towards the fridge.
"Mae?!" called Elsie. "Are you almost ready to go sweetheart?" She leant against the living room doorframe across from Charles, mirroring his posture. "Have you decorated in here?" she asked. "It looks brighter."
"No. I just cleaned."
She shook her head at him. He was in a good mood tonight which meant the conversation could maintain a light tone, and she appreciated that.
Mae was on the floor in the hallway shoving things into her school bag, and Elsie watched her before noticing Lily who was clambering down the hallway in shoes that were at least three sizes too big for her. Elsie opened her mouth to speak - those were the very shoes she'd noticed upon her arrival, but Charles beat her to it.
"Lil! Take those off. You know Mary will kill you if you scratch them."
Relief flooded through Elsie and she raised an eyebrow. "Mary's? Is your assistant living here now?"
"We had a business dinner the other night; she had to change here and forgot to take the damn shoes with her. Lily's been after them ever since." He closed the gap between them, stepping into her space. "Why? Did you think they belonged to someone else?" he asked lowly.
The question was left hanging in the air as Elsie abruptly turned away from him and kissed Lily fiercely on the forehead, squeezing her again. "I'll see you on Friday. Don't forget to pack good pyjamas."
Mae gave her father a hug and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you next week Dad."
Charles nodded. "Not long till half term sweetheart. Hang on in there."
Elsie glanced in his direction, frowning slightly at his words. "Bye Charles," she said, before disappearing out into the night.
In the car, Elsie gave it a few minutes before glancing towards her daughter, who was seemingly absorbed in her smart phone. "What did your Dad mean by that?"
"By what?"
"His comment… 'hang on in there'. What did he mean? What's going on? Are you involved in something you shouldn't be?"
"Why must you always think the worst of me?"
"I don't always think the worst. I think you'll find I always think the best."
Mae huffed, returning to her phone.
"So?" Elsie pressed.
"So what?"
"So… what did he mean?"
"Why don't you ask him?"
"I'm asking you. Don't be difficult with me Mae; I'm tired."
"You're always tired." Mae huffed once more, but then she relented, turning her head toward her mother. "I was just telling him about coursework that's all. He asked me about school and how things were going. I told him how busy things are. I do have my final exams this year Mum."
"I am aware of that fact, yes. And what coursework are you having difficulties with? You should tell me these things, I can help."
"It's Art, and I don't want you to help. You find Art easy, like Lil. I don't."
"Then why did you choose it as an option?"
"Because I didn't fancy doing music, I can't be bothered to learn an instrument and I can't sing for shit."
"Watch your language Mae," Elsie warned, which was ironic in itself given the fact that all of Mae's bad language had been learnt from her mother.
"Sorry. It's just hard, that's all. This final project"
"Okay, so let's get your stuff out when we get in tonight, spread it all out on the kitchen table and you explain your project and your ideas and I'll offer guidance and then that's it, I won't interfere. Deal?"
"Yeah. Deal… thanks mum."
"You're welcome. You see, we just have to deal with things maturely. And you'll be sixteen next year which is something of a milestone. And your old mother will be turning an old 40 this year, which is a milestone of a different kind, and not one that needs to be dwelt upon."
"We're having a party Mum, like it or not, we're organising it with Grandma Carson."
"I don't have to come."
"You bloody well do!"
"Mae…."
"Sorry…" Mae's voice lightened and she turned slightly in her seat to face her Mum. "Do you remember Dad's 40th last year? The trip to the seaside? Dad's favourite place, Scarborough. We had fish and chips and Dad dragged you into the sea and your skirt got wet."
"Don't remind me. It was freezing."
"Yeah, remember how you swore and Dad told you off for corrupting Lily?"
"Your father always did enjoy my colourful language."
Mae leant her head against the headrest, curling her legs up a little on the seat. "I'm glad you came though Mum, it was nice that you did."
"Well I suppose it was nice to be asked. Even if a little unexpected."
"Of course he asked you; it wouldn't have been the same if you weren't there. You don't mind if Dad comes to the party, do you?"
She shook her head, "Course not."
"Dad wouldn't have been able to celebrate his birthday properly if you'd not been there..."
"I'm sure there are plenty of things that your father can do without me."
"You've not forgotten that he's started seeing someone have you, Mum?"
Elsie's shoulders stiffened. "It really has nothing to do with me."
"Well, obviously it does, cos you're still married."
"That's just a legal thing."
"Well why not dissolve it then, if it's just a 'legal' thing?"
"Sometimes you're too sassy for your own good. Your father and I have just never gotten around to divorcing."
Mae huffed indignantly and turned back in her chair. "Well if things get serious with this… Alice woman, you may have to think about it."
Mae's words washed over her, leaving a prickling sensation on her skin. 'Alice, so that's her name…'
When her mother and sister had left, Lily had finished her homework at the breakfast bar before taking a shower and settling down in bed, leaving her father watching some documentary on The History Channel. She was curled up and already half asleep when her iPad buzzed. She swiped the screen, not surprised to find a message from her sister.
Mae: HEY KIDDO. AWAKE?
Lily: HEY BRAT. YEAH.
Mae: SO DAD & ALICE, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
Lily: 1 DATE. WENT OKAY I THINK. DUNNO IF HE'S SEEING HER AGAIN.
Mae: MET HER? PRETTY?
Lily: BRIEFLY. NOT LIKE MUM. DID U SEE DAD STARING AT MUM 2NITE?
Mae: IT'S THE GREEN COAT
Lily: WHAT IF THEY GET DIVORCED?
Mae: GUESS WE'VE BEEN LUCKY IT'S LASTED THIS LONG WITHOUT THE 'BIG BREAK' BUT IT'S A PRETTY SCREWED UP SITUATION WE'RE IN. U UPSET?
Lily: JUST WORRIED. DON'T REALLY WANT A NEW MUM :-( :-(
Mae: ME NEITHER. NOT WHEN DAD CLEARLY STILL LOVES MUM. REMEMBER A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WHEN HE CAME ROUND AND COOKED TEA COS SHE WAS WIPED OUT ON THE SOFA. THE WAY HE STROKED HER HAIR AND COVERED HER WITH THE BLANKET?
Lily: YEAH. AND THEN WE ALL ATE HIS CASSEROLE. ITS NICE WHEN WE'RE ALL 2GETHER LIKE THAT.
Mae: LIKE A NORMAL FAMILY
Lily: WHAT ABOUT MUM, U THINK SHE STILL LOVES DAD?
Mae: DEFFO. SHE WAS WELL JEL IN THE CAR ON WAY HOME
Lily: WHAT R WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
Mae: LET'S BE A BIT LINDSAY LOHAN
Lily: MEAN GIRLS?
Mae: PARENT TRAP!