Apologies for not providing a disclaimer in Chapter 1 - The Bill is most definitely not owned by me, and no profit is made nor is any infringement intended.
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy.
2.
Shrieks of laughter rang out from the loungeroom as Neil Manson dumped a tonne of pasta into the saucepan in the kitchen. Wild whoops and victory cries brought a grin to his face as Jake not only won, but rubbed it in well and truly. Switching the heat on, his grin widened as he made his way back down the hall towards them, stopping as the doorbell chimed loudly. Glancing into the lounge as he passed, Neil smirked as Jake won yet another game, this yell of victory even louder than the first. Opening the front door, he stopped short, his smile faltering as he came face to face with Jack Meadows.
"Guv!"
"Neil, listen, I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this, I was on my way home and I saw the lights on, and thought I'd come and say hello and see how the boy's doing" Jack said, hoping he wasn't going to make things worse. He saw the hesitation in Neil's eyes, and began to backtrack. "But it's ok, I mean if – "
A victorious voice from the lounge interrupted them.
"Dad, who is it? You have to get back in here, I beat her again, she's history, Dad, Grace is history!" Jake smirked, his laughter ringing out into the hall. Jack Meadows couldn't hide the smile at the pride and love that flickered across Neil's face at his son's words, and then he really began to understand what he'd just heard.
"Grace?"
Nervousness flickered across Neil's expression, nervousness and something else Jack couldn't quite place, not yet.
"Yeah, ah, she visited Jake in the hospital, and he liked her, so, well, she's been coming around a bit lately and they have great fun together. By the sound of things, he's just beaten her yet again at that wretched race game, but at least she makes it round the track more than once, unlike me" Neil said, glancing over towards the lounge, his voice alive with warmth and love for his son – warmth that soon fell away as he turned back to look at his boss. "Yeah, ah, so yeah, you want to come in and meet Jake then?"
Jack nodded, and followed Neil into the room, not missing the tense way Neil held himself.
"Mate, you want to pause that thing for a second?" Neil asked glancing at Jake, who'd looked up as his Dad came back into the room.
"Not likely!" Grace yelped, eyes fully concentrated on the screen in front of her, "Don't you touch that pause button Jake! I'm finally getting somewhere!"
"Yeah, right" Jake smirked at her, "as if!"
"Well at least I beat the pants off your Dad" Grace smirked right back, before turning to pin Neil with a grin, one that disappeared as she caught sight of exactly who stood next to him. "Guv."
"Grace" Jack smiled, turning slightly. "And you must be Jake" he said, into the silence.
"Ah, yeah, sorry guv, this is Jake. Jake, this is Jack Meadows, my boss. Actually mine and Grace's boss. Everyone's boss really" Neil said, tailing off as his mouth dried up. "Yeah, so ah..."
"I don't mean to interrupt your night, like I just told your Dad, I was on my way home and thought I'd drop in to say hello" Jack said, sitting down next to Jake, noticing as Jake moved just a tiny bit closer to Grace, who smiled at him in reassurance as Neil sat on the arm of the couch next to both of them.
"Hello" Jake finally said, drawing strength from his Dad and Grace, Jack noted.
"Hello back" Jack grinned at him. "So your Dad tells us you're getting stronger now" and he could have kicked himself as he saw a shadow flicker over Jake's face as he once again leant into Grace. "Sorry," he apologised.
"It's ok."Jake said softly, "I just don't like thinking about it. We don't talk about it much, Grace is really good at keeping my mind off it, and she helps Dad stay happy too" he smiled at her, Jack noting the look of pride on Neil's face as he looked down at them both.
"Well that's a good thing, then, isn't it?" Jack said, leaning down to Jake, "Cos anything that can get that grumpy look off your Dad's face has to be good!" he teased in a stage whisper.
"Oy, what do you mean grumpy!" Neil played along, shooting his boss an appreciative look. "I don't have a grumpy face"
"Actually, you do, you know" Grace grinned up at him, ducking as Neil pulled a cushion out from behind her and gently thwacked her with it. Jake roared with laughter at their antics, and Jack smiled as he watched them.
"Charming!" Neil said. "Anyway..."
