So glad people are enjoying this. I don't mean to deliberately tease... Hanssen just wouldn't tell me who this little girl is! :D
Hanssen arrived home and was momentarily baffled to see a light on and Serena's car in his drive. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts about the new management plan that he had forgotten about Alice and Serena. Walking through his front door he heard the sound of high pitched, cartoonish voices from the livingroom and guessed it was one of the DVDs Alice had arrived with.
Serena appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.
'How did it go with Cunningham?' she asked.
'Fine. Things will begin on Monday.' He replied.
'Good.' She gave a pleased smile. He knew she wanted this plan implemented as much as he did. She turned and went back into the kitchen. 'Alice is watching a DVD.' She said over her shoulder.
Hanssen left his briefcase by the stairs and followed her into the kitchen.
'Did she eat?' he asked.
'Yes.' She said. 'And so did I!' she added with a smile.
'Of course.' He said. He felt slightly disorientated, as if this was not his home but that he had walked into someone else's house.
'I've kept some food warm for you.' She said.
'You didn't need to prepare anything for me.' He said, surprised that she would do such a thing.
'It was just as easy to prepare dinner for three as it was two.' She replied. She removed the food from the oven where she had been keeping it warm and placed it on the table for him. Then she took some cutlery from a drawer and a glass from the cupboard.
Hanssen watched her, mesmerised, as she moved about his kitchen as if she was in it every day. She paused and gave him a curious look and he realised he was standing rather rigidly. He removed his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair before taking a seat.
She poured him a glass of water and took a seat at the table with him. He hadn't realised how hungry he was until the smell of the food reached his nostrils.
'Thank you for this.' He said.
Serena gave him an indulgent smile. Before starting his food Hanssen rose from the table once more. He moved briskly to the other end of the kitchen and Serena watched him curiously until he twirled around again holding up a bottle of wine.
'Shall we?' he asked.
'I never say no to a good glass of wine!' Serena replied. She was surprised that he was offering it, no, actually she was surprised he even had any wine.
Hanssen fetched two glasses and poured them one each, sitting back down and beginning his dinner.
'Been a bit of a strange day.' Serena observed.
'Yes.'
Serena fiddled with the stem of her glass and they sat in silence for a few moments. After finishing dinner and settling Alice with a DVD she had a quick look around the downstairs of Hanssen's house. In a way it was exactly as she had imagined it would be. Very obviously influenced by Scandinavian design. Landscape photographs like those in his office on a few walls. Only two personal photos. One of a couple, she presumed his parents, and the other of the woman from the couple's photo.
'I hope I have not disrupted your evening too much.' Hanssen said. thinking again of the possible "toy boy".
'It's fine.' She told him. The truth was, he had been spot on earlier when he had said she would be all alone. Sitting in Hanssen's kitchen drinking Shiraz, strange as though it was, was still better than sitting at home alone and drinking Shiraz.
'Alice has a bath every night before bed.' She said, remembering that she had managed to find out a little of Alice's usual routine from the girl. Alice was a quiet little girl. Serena remembered Eleanor at that age – she had been a real chatterbox. Alice was also the politest child Serena had ever met, with 'may I', please and 'thank you' coming as second nature to her. She hadn't pushed the little girl for any more details about her mother or where she came from. She thought it unfair, seeing as the child was probably already dealing with a certain amount of disruption without being interrogated too. Whatever the reason for Alice being in Hanssen's care it obviously wasn't a regular occurrence, or very planned as Hanssen seemed totally unprepared.
'A bath?' Hanssen asked, eyebrows raised.
'Yes. And she goes to bed at 8.30.' Serena said. 'But perhaps you already know all this.' She added.
Hanssen glanced at his watch. It was 7.45pm.
'I wouldn't let her watch that DVD for too much longer or she'll be too stimulated to sleep.' Serena continued.
Right, Hanssen thought, DVD off; bath and then bed by 8.30pm. He took a drink of his wine. Serena had almost finished hers, he offered her a top up but she covered the glass with her hand and shook her head.
'I have to drive.' She checked her watch. 'Actually, it's probably time I got going.'
'Do you have to?' Hanssen heard himself ask in a disgustingly panicked tone. He cleared his throat and stiffened his posture and avoided her gaze knowing she hadn't missed his momentary anxiety.
'Are you inviting me to sleepover Mr Hanssen?' Serena asked with exaggerated surprise and a teasing look.
