A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, it really means a lot!.
Kate had been up since half past four, sleep had evaded her, her mind not able to shut off with all her thoughts and worries whirling around. She had made herself breakfast, fed Madeleine and gathered all of her belongs for her day with her grandmother.
Kate stood with her hands wrapped around her daughter, planting kisses to her head and cheek. "I'm going to miss you so much but I can't wait to see you later. Be good for Nana." With a sick feeling in her stomach, Kate drove back to her home.
Standing in front of the mirror, she smoothed out her white shirt. For as many years as she could remember, she loved being in her uniform, it felt like home to her but now, it felt odd. The drive to work went by like a blur, her stomach in nots as she thought about what the day would bring.
With her cap under her arm, she stared at the building 'pull yourself together, Kate', with that she made her way to Maxine's office. Entering the main office, she spotted Mike in his office, she just stood for a moment, taking all of him in. In the year and a half that they had been married his hair had greyed slightly, his laughter lines deepened, his hands became softer. His hands, oh how she missed his hands, especially when they were cradling her body. He stood facing out of the window, his broad shoulders pressing against the thin white shirt, he always did look good in uniform.
"Kate?!" Snapping out of her thoughts, her cheeks flushing slightly she looked toward the voice. Maxine. She had been stood outside of her office glass just staring like a fool at Mike, oh how she felt foolish, with one last glance at Mike, who was now looking straight at her, she entered her office.
"Ma'am". She sat once told and was soon being brought up to speed with the goings on, with her schedule worked out and her job files in front of her, she began to leave.
"Oh, Kate." Maxine simply stared at her. "I hope that whatever you and Mike are going through, won't affect your work". Her tone flat and cold.
"No, of course not Ma'am" with a simple nod of the head, Kate left, a burning fury bubbling away at her. She sat at her desk for less than five minutes before she went to Mike's door. Knocking, she waited for a response before entering.
"Enter", he turned from his computer to face the door, as Kate walked in he could feel the butterflies forming in his stomach. "Kate", he went to stand but when he saw the look on her face, he thought otherwise. "What's happened? is it Maddie?."
She didn't bother to sit down, instead she paced. "Maddie is fine.". she stopped pacing and put her hands on her hips. "Maxine, you told Maxine." She shook her head, a long-frustrated sigh leaving her lips. "Of all the people Mike.".
"So you haven't told anyone?" HIs manner matching hers. "Maxine is a friend Kate, she asked what was going on as she could see I haven't been myself recently.".
Kate's head snapped toward him. "She isn't just a friend though Mike, is she?. She's an ex-lover, the mother of your love child, the woman who tried to sabotage us and was successful at it too. I'm sure she is more than keen to hear of our failed marriage.".
"Kate, that's enough." He now stood. "I can't take this much more. I don't want to dread coming to work in case we have an argument, please, for both our sakes can we at least just try to get on.".
Kate looked to her feet for a moment. "Yes, of course". He was right and she hated to admit it, they needed to put their differences aside and get on with what they were good at. "Sorry to have disturbed you" with that she turned and left.
He sat back in his chair and watched as she walked toward her desk, he didn't know if it was torture or pleasure that he could sit and see her all day. He took a photo out from his top drawer, his thumb running over a particular bit, Kate on their wedding day. The phrase 'failed marriage' running around and around his mind. Was it really over?.
Sitting with her lunch in front of her, she found her appetite had abandoned ship. What a day it was turning out to be, all she wanted to do was crawl onto the sofa with a glass of wine in her hand. Thinking of wine, she decided to call Nikki to make sure everything was still a go for Saturday.
"Nikki, Hi. Oh, you know, hell on earth. Are we still on for Saturday? Great, so the Royal Arms, seven o'clock, looking forward to it.". For the first time that day she actually smiled.
Mike however was not smiling, he had stood behind her with his tray of food, he was going to ask if he could join her for lunch but after hearing her conversation, he wasn't so hungry. So that was it, she was moving on, not even a month after they had separated and she was going on a date?!. Only having heard half of the story he automatically assumed Kate was talking to a man. If Kate was meeting a man on Saturday, he would make sure to be there and he wouldn't be alone. Jealousy was beginning to rear its ugly head.
That night, Kate had never felt so lonely. She rocked gently on the sofa, her arms wrapped around her daughter. Oh how everything had changed, how everything had turned out to be a disappointment, how she had turned out to be a disappointment. She hoped tomorrow would bring a better day.