A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you. Hope you enjoy. It's unbeta-d so all mistakes are my own. Oh and in a shameless piece of advertising, I'm working on a Christmas Ashes to Ashes one-shot. Keep and eye out! :D
Chapter 7
Today was the day that Molly was being discharged from the hospital. She had spent 10 days in there and was now considered well enough to go home, although she was under strict instructions to take it easy and not to go into school for at least another week. Alex had rarely left her side while she'd been in hospital; the nurses had even found her a bed to sleep in and Gene had granted her a leave of absence from work for as long as she needed to allow her to be with her daughter. He'd visit every night and sit and chat with Alex and Molly then when Evan arrived, he and Alex would disappear for a couple of hours. They'd go for a drink or for a walk or a quick drive; basically just reacquaint themselves with each other and their modern day lives. Neither dared to mention the events that had occurred in Alex's kitchen the day Molly had gotten ill, but it was obvious that their relationship was slowly shifting to something that resembled more than good friends.
Alex and Evan had finally managed to sit down together and talk about 5 days after Molly had gotten sick. They'd nearly had another row in front of Molly and Pete, who was visiting at the time, had told in no uncertain terms to go and sort themselves out as their arguing was doing Molly more harm than good. Alex had opened up to him and told him how betrayed and hurt she had felt when she'd discovered the truth about her parents' death. Evan had defended his actions; telling her that he had kept it from her to protect her and that he had truly believed it had been for the best. Alex accepted his reasons, but explained that it was going to take a long time for her to trust him again and she couldn't promise that things would ever be the same between them. But they were talking again and that was the main thing.
Gene had offered to pick both Alex and Molly up from the hospital, which was how he had found himself alone with Molly when she'd asked him the ultimate question.
Alex was talking to the doctors outside the room and Gene was giving Molly a rundown of City's performance in last night's European match when she turned to him and asked bluntly,
"Do you love my Mum?" Gene stopped dead, had he heard her correctly?
"Yer what?"
"I said, do you love my Mum?"
"I...err..." Gene ran his hands through his hair; he felt uncomfortable talking about his feelings at the best of times, but to a 14 year old?
"It's okay Gene, I've got a pretty good idea anyway. It's pretty obvious from the way you are around her. I was just wondering whether you were planning on doing anything about it. Or are you just going to ignore it, and then have to watch as she starts dating someone else?"
"'Oo?" Gene asked a little too eagerly.
"No one specific. It was a hypothetical scenario." Gene let out a breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding as Molly assured him that there wasn't some handsome doctor or lawyer waiting in the wings. "But she's not gonna wait around forever," continued Molly. "You need to tell her how you feel."
"An' 'ow would yer suggest I do that?" Gene couldn't believe he was asking for advice on his love life from a teenager.
"Take her out?" suggested Molly as if it should be obvious. She didn't want to give him too much help; it needed to come from him. Gene thought about Molly's suggestion for a moment and then said,
"There's a nice country pub about an hours drive from 'ere. Not too posh that I'd feel like a twonk, but not a dive either. I could take 'er there?"
"Sounds good. I think she'd like that. Why don't you go tomorrow; its Saturday and I'll be at Dad's so you don't have to worry about me being home alone."
"Alright. Yer on," declared Gene with a smile
"Cool. Now all you have to do is ask her." Gene's face dropped; he'd forgotten about that part. What the hell was he supposed to say to her? He couldn't ask Molly for her advice because Alex chose that moment to re-enter the room,
"You ready Molls?"
"Yup! Freedom here we come," Molly almost sang as she left the room, followed by Alex and then Gene.
The drive back to Alex's flat was pretty quiet; Molly, who still got tired easily, had fallen asleep in the back and Alex seemed quite content to sit in companionable silence. Due to the fact that they'd left the hospital in the early afternoon, there was no rush hour traffic to contend with, meaning they arrived quite quickly. Evan and Pete had put up a banner outside announcing, 'Welcome Home Molly' and were waiting at the door as they pulled into the drive. Alex woke Molly who upon seeing Evan, rushed out of the car to greet him, leaving Gene and Alex alone for the first time that day.
"Well, 'ere we are Bolls," Gene remarked, struggling to find the words to ask her to dinner.
"Yeh. Thanks for today Gene. I really appreciate it" she said, leaning in and placing a quick peck on his cheek, before pulling back opening the car door. She'd just swung her legs out when she turned her head to look at him and asked, "So what time are you picking me up tomorrow?"
"Eh?"
"You said something to Molly about a country pub. Sounds lovely. So what time?"
"I...err...about half 5?" Gene managed to stutter out whilst wondering how much of the rest of the conversation she'd overheard.
"Great. I'll be ready."
"Huh! A woman ready on time? I'll believe that when I see it!" he commented sarcastically. "Anyway, I'd best be gettin' back ter the station. I'll see yer termorrow Bolls."
"Tomorrow," she said simply, getting out of the car and watching it drive away.
Alex stood in her mirror looking over her outfit, wondering if it was too much. It was the third outfit she'd tried on and she was getting nowhere. When she'd overheard Gene and Molly's conversation, she'd been elated at the prospect of a date with Gene, and the fact that he hadn't denied Molly's assumption that he loved her had made her heart soar. But now, it was 5 o'clock, Gene was due to pick her up in half an hour and she was a nervous wreck. She looked at the outfit again and shook her head. It was no good, she needed advice. Sighing heavily she picked up the phone,
"Hi Mum," Molly greeted brightly, "everything okay?"
"Molls! You've got to help me. I have no idea what to wear tonight. I've standing in front of my wardrobe for the past twenty minutes but nothing seems right. Everything is either too dressy or too casual." Molly chuckled silently to herself. Could her mother not see that she could be wearing a bin bag and Gene would still think she was the most beautiful woman on the planet?
"Wear your skinny jeans and the red cashmere jumper I got you last Christmas."
"But I've got no shoes to go with that," Alex pointed out. Molly let out an exasperated sigh.
"You can borrow my red heels then; you've been eyeing them up since I got them anyway. They should be in my wardrobe." Alex had to smile at that, it was true. Ever since Molly had come home from Top Shop with them, she'd wanted them; they reminded her of her time in the Eighties.
"Thanks Molls! You're a star!"
"Yeh, yeh, the bill will be in the post," she joked. Alex chuckled,
"Good night Molls. I'll see you tomorrow. And be good for your Dad and Judy."
"I will. Have a good night. Love you."
"Love you too Molls." And with that, Alex hung up the phone and set about getting ready.
Next up: the date.
