Chapter Eight
Amber
Chloe woke the next morning, she couldn't believe Smithy had asked her that question she still didn't feel ready to tell him. Chloe got up and got into the shower, Amber wouldn't be up yet so it gave her time to get ready for work.
She got out the shower and got dressed; half way down the stairs she could smell freshly brewed coffee she didn't think that her dad would be up yet.
Stepping into the kitchen she was greeted by her sister "Morning, coffee?"
"Please, what you doing here so early?" Chloe sat down at the breakfast bar and watched Andrea pour two mugs of coffee.
"I stopped last night, it was late by the time you went to bed as dad made up my old room" Andrea passed Chloe her coffee and sat down opposite her sister "So where did you and Smithy disappear to last night?"
"We just sat outside and talked. He told me about Louise"
"Oh sis, that was bad he spent almost two months inside, and wasn't even allowed to go to her funeral"
"Wish I had been here for him" she shocked herself with that statement, she looked at Andrea for a reaction.
"Do you think that would have been a good idea?"
"Properly not"
"So what else did you talk about?" Andrea changed the subject
"Not much, he asked me why I left" Chloe stood up and walked to the window.
"Did you tell him?"
"No" she turned round " Couldn't bring myself too. How do I start the conversation, Oh by the way Dale you know 5 years ago when I walked out well 9 months later you became a dad. Yer wouldn't go down too well"
She felt bad. Amber knew all about her dad, even had a picture of him on her bookcase. Chloe had told her that he had gone away. Andrea could see that it was still difficult for Chloe to talk about it so she changed the conversation.
"So did you enjoy your first day back at Sun Hill?" Chloe looked at her sister and found a serge of love for her 'Always knows when not to push the subject' "Yer it was good, nice to be back" Chloe heard a movement upstairs and then the sound of little feet coming down the stairs. Amber ran into the kitchen and ran up to Chloe.
"Morning sweetheart" Chloe hugged her daughter.
"Morning Mummy" she planted a kiss on Chloe's cheek
"Hay, what about me?" Andrea said
"Ok" Chloe ran round the table and gave Andrea a hug and a kiss. "Morning Ante Andrea"
"Good morning Amber"
Chloe made Andreas breakfast and put it on the table. Amber just finished her breakfast when Chloe's dad walked in.
"Good morning girls" he kissed each of the girls.
Andrea looked at the kitchen clock "Jesus Chloe the time." Chloe looked at the clock. She jumped up from the chair and grabbed her keys.
"Sorry dad got to go. Amber be good, have a good day and I'll see you later"
Chloe and Andrea rushed out the door.
Smithy didn't sleep much that night, every time he closed his eyes he could see Chloe standing in the office door. 'Why did I have to ask that question, we were getting on so fine and I had to put my big foot in it' he thought as he was on his 4th cup of coffee. He was sat in the office waiting for the day to begin.
Gina popped her head round the door. "Oh dear, someone looks rough" There was a touch of laughter in her voice "Didn't think you drank that much last night!"
"I didn't, just didn't get much sleep last night" he replied shaking his head
"Thinking about Louise?"
"Yer" he lied, to tell the truth he hadn't thought about Louise at all, a prang of guilt crept into his stomach.
"Never mind, you'll have a better day today" Gina said, " Well, anything interesting happening today?"
"Not really. Phil came down earlier and said he may need some uniform later on this afternoon, but other then that nothing"
"Ok, well it will be a good day for Chloe to get to grips with custody"
"Ok, not a problem"
"Good, right I've got a meeting with the super this morning, so any prob's you'll have to sort them."
"Ok" Gina walked out and into her own office leaving Smithy to his thoughts.
