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Chapter 8. Five Days: Part 1
'Five whole days. Five glorious days.'
Donna laughed. 'What you gonna do with them?'
'Nothing and it's gonna be fabulous.'
Katie slumped down in the seat next to Donna. 'Urgh I'm so glad this day is over.'
Aggie smiled.
'Ignore her; she's on a high cause she's got five days off work.'
'I envy you.' Katie threw a mock scowl in Aggies's direction
Aggie smiled and raised her glass. 'Let's drink to freedom.'
XXXXXXXXXX
DAY ONE
Debbie looked up from her books; she could hear the spluttering sound a mile away. Walking out to the entrance she noticed Ross and Dan had both stopped working on their respective jobs and had turned to face the oncoming noise.
'Stay here.' She told Sarah.
Aggie cringed as she drove her car to Dingle and Dingle. She stopped her car in front of the garage and exited her car.
'Hi.' She greeted her welcoming committee 'So.' She waved her hands in the general direction of the car she just exited.
'Can you look at it?'
'Sure, we won't be able to look at it today though.' Debbie said
Before anyone could say anything else a door opened a little voice piped up.
'Are we not going on an adventure?' April walked round the car to stand next to Aggie.
'I think the car's a little bit poorly.'
'I'll say.' Dan muttered before turning back to his work.
'But hey we can still get the bus into town.'
April scrunched up her face.
'Yeah maybe not.'
April did not look impressed.
'Well we can always have an adventure round here.' Aggie suggested.
'Where?'
'Ummmm.' Aggie was stuck; it wasn't like she knew much regarding the local area and what the hell was there to do round here to entertain a 4 year old.
'Do you wanna come in and I'll take your details.' Debbie motioned to inside.
Seeing this as her temporary get out clause Aggie accepted Debbie's offer gladly.
'I'll get back to you on that one right after this.'
Debbie turned to face Ross. 'Ross will park your car.'
Aggie handed Ross her keys she went inside to give Debbie her information. She left April standing at the entrance of the garage. 'I'll be back in a sec.'
Ross sat in the car and adjusted the driver's seat so that he could move Aggies's car. He heard the sound to the left of him and noticed April climbing into the passenger seat. She reached out and with both hands closed the door.
'What you doing?'
April turned to look at him, as if she was confused by his question.
'Going on an adventure with you.' She said as if it was the most reasonable thing ever,
'We can't.'
Halfway through trying to out her seatbelt on April stopped and stared at Ross, eyes as big as saucers. 'Why?'
'I've got to work.'
It seemed a reasonable enough excuse for April.
'Are you going to fix the car today?'
'Not today, no.'
She looked disappointed, Ross did not like that look.
'Will you fix it tomorrow?'
'Maybe.' He sighed.
April pouted.
'If you don't fix the car then we can't take mummy out to cheer her up, then she'll still be sad.'
Ross looked surprised, a little gasp escaped from April.
'You won't tell mummy will you?'
'Tell her what?'
'That I know she's sad sometimes.'
Ross shook he head. 'No I won't.
He paused wondering if he should ask the next question, April was just a child and did he really want to know.
'Is mummy sad a lot.'
'Sometimes, sometimes she cries. She was sad a lot at home.'
Home?! She must mean Essex thought Ross.
April looked at the floor, then at Ross, sad puppy dog eyes pulling at the heart strings, bloody Windsor women he thought, what kind of hold do they have of me.
'I'll fix the car tomorrow.'
'Promise.'
'Cross my heart.'
He checked that April was strapped in whilst he parked the car and the escorted her back to the front of the garage as if nothing had happened.
Debbie, Sarah and Aggie appeared less than minute later.
'So trouble what shall we do?'
'Dunno.' April shrugged her shoulders
Aggie sighed.
'You can come to the farm with us.' Sarah suggested.
Debbie and Aggie turned to face the innocent looking Sarah.
'Pete's coming to pick me up.'
As if by magic Pete walked up to the garage.
'Ladies.' He greeted Debbie and Sarah. Turning slightly to face Aggie he held out a hand for her to shake.
'Pete,' she shook his hand.
'Ah your Finn's eldest brother. Aggie I'm living at the B&B at the moment.' She said explaining her associate with Finn.
'How you settling in?'
'Good, good thanks. Not so great today, broke car and bored child.' Pete glanced at the unhappy looking April.
'Can Aggie and April come to the farm with us?' She asked Pete, ignoring the still surprised look on Debbie's face.
'Uh Sarah.' Debbie began but Pete interrupted her.
'Don't see why not.' He shrugged.
'Oh I wouldn't want to intrude.'
'You wouldn't.' He insisted. 'We'd like the company wouldn't we Sarah.'
The young girl nodded. Aggie smiled.
'Hey how about a visit to the farm?' She asked April in her brightest voice.
'I suppose. 'April mumbled.
'I suppose.' Aggie mimicked.
Sarah took Aprils hand and walked her down to Pete's truck. April already getting a little more excited once Sarah started telling about the things they could see at the farm.
'You are my hero.'
Pete laughed. 'It's nothing.'
He gave Debbie a quick kiss on the cheek, ' Best get going then, see you later.'
'Bye.'
'Have fun.'
XXXXX
Debbie found them later that afternoon laughing and having a late lunch in the pub.
'Hey.' Pete greeted her.
Aggie smiled at Debbie. 'Hi.'
'Hi.' Debbie replied and took a seat between Pete and Sarah.
'Did you have a good day?' She asked no-one in particular.
'Yes.' The young girls chorused.
'It's been a great day, thanks to Pete here.' Aggie briefly rested a hand of Pete's lower arm. Debbie glared at it.
He smiled at Aggie.
'Ah it was nothing. I had a good time.' Pete seemed not to notice the stiff Debbie beside him. Aggie on the other noticed the change in Debbie's body language.
'Plus I got a free lunch out of it.'
Aggie laughed, 'It was the least I could do.'
Silence descended on the group.
'Well we should get going. Come on you.' She collected April's coat.
'Bye Pete, Bye Sarah.' April bid her companions for the day farewell.
'Bye April.'
'Bye.'
'Thanks for today. It was fun.' Aggie said.
'No problem.'
Aggie and April bid farewell to the group again and made their escape.
'She's nice.' Pete told his girlfriend as he ate the last few chips on his plate.
'Hmmmm,' Debbie smiled.
XXXXXXXX
DAY TWO
Aggie stood in Rhona and Paddy's kitchen drinking her tea. Looking up she saw April head for the door.
'Where are you going?'
April paused and turned to her aunt, 'To the garage.'
'Why?'
'Ross said he'd fix the car.'
'Honey, I think it's gonna take a little longer than a few hours to fix.'
'But he said.'
'He'll let us know when it's done April.'
April didn't look convinced.
She got her chance later that afternoon...
'Have you fixed the car?' Ross looked up from his work to find April Windsor staring at him, a hopeful look in her eyes.
'No, not yet.' He sighed, April looked at the floor disappointed with the news, 'But I'm working on it.' He quickly reassured her.
She smiled at him. Ross smiled back.
'Come on you.' April ran back to waiting Aggie
XXXXX
'Hey.' Pete greeted Aggie at the bar.
'Hi, how's it going?'
'Not bad thanks, you? Still enjoying your time off?'
'Always.'
'What you having?'Pete asked.
He ordered their drinks and they spent awhile chatting and laughing, till Debbie entered with Dan awhile later. Pete gave her a smile and ordered a drink for Debbie off Chas as she took her place beside Pete.
'You cars fixed.' Dan told her as he ordered a pint.
'Already?!
'You can pick it up from garage tomorrow.' Debbie told her.
'That's pretty good service, thought you said it could be a couple of days.'
'You can thank Ross for that,' Dan said as he stepped away from the bar to join Kerry in a small corner of the Woolpack.
'Something going on with you two?' Pete looked between Debbie and Aggie confusion written all over his face.
'Sorry, what? Aggie exclaimed.
'You and Ross.' Debbie clarified. 'He's spent the best part of yesterday and all of today on that car.'
'And that implies something is going on with us how?' Aggie was confused.
'Ross isn't known for inspiring acts of generosity.'
Aggie shrugged her shoulders confused at Debbie's line of questioning.
'Oh well maybe he's trying to turn over a new leaf.' She knew it was a measly explanation.
Pete chuckled. 'Yeah right.'
'Nothing's going on with us.' Aggie stated.
Debbie didn't look she believed her.
XXXXXXXXXX
Day Three
'I told you he'd fix it.' April informed Aggie
'Yes you did.'
'He promised.'
Ok now Aggies's curiosity was piped. 'Did he now?'
April nodded. 'He promised to fix the car so we could take mummy out to cheer her up.'
'Ah.' Boy he had it bad.
'April.' Aggie asked softly, 'Did you tell Ross that mummy was sad?'
April nodded again and went back to her drawing.
'Can we take mummy out today?' She asked whilst enthusiastically colouring in her picture.
Aggies thoughts were somewhere else, 'Sure why not.' She mumbled.
XXXXX
'Hi, just come to settle up my bill and pick the car up.'
'Sure come on through.'
She settled up with Debbie who gave her key looking out onto the forecourt she could see Ross working on the car beside hers,
'So I hear it's you I need to thank for fixing the car.' She said as she approached Ross and her car.
'Just doing my job.' He turned and flashed her a flirty smile.
'Well I appreciate the attentive service you've given.' Aggie leaned against the drivers of her car.
'All part of the job description.'
'Really?
He shrugged his shoulders
'Hmmm. Your boss seemed to think that something was going on between us to warrant such fabulous service.' She nodded to where Debbie stood, watching them.
Ross took a few steps closer to her.
'It would be a shame to let her down.' He said softly whilst smiling at her.
Aggie laughed, he moved even closer, invading her personal space.
'If you still like Donna why don't you say something?'
Ross face fell, he turned abruptly back to what he was doing
'Donna's made her choice; I'm just respecting that and moving on.'
'Right.'
Aggie shook her hand and got into her car.
XXXXX
Donna linked her arms with Aggie
'Thanks for today, I needed it.' She glanced off into the distance where April was running ahead, ready to show Granddad her new ballon
'You are most welcome.' Aggie said as she shared a smile with Donna.
'Ross.' Both girls looked over to where April was running to.
'Thank you for fixing the car.'
He crouched down so that they were the same height.
'Your welcome. Been somewhere nice? He said noticing the shinny balloon she was holding on to.
'We took mummy out to spoil her.'
'Looks like she wasn't the only one that got spoilt.' He nodded towards the balloon and April smiled. He looked behind her to where Donna stood with Aggie.
He took a deep breath. 'Did it work,' he asked 'is mummy happier today.'
'Yes.' April smiled.
'Good.' He smiled back.
April held out her arms to Ross.
He froze unsure of what to do and then instinct took over and he lifted her into his arms as she tightened her around his neck.
'Does that not just melt your heart?' Donna was so engrossed in the scene playing out in front of her she hadn't heard Aggie the first time she spoke.
'Hmmm.' She turned her head and looked at her friend.
'God you'd be putty in his hands right now.'
'Shut up.' She nudged Aggie playfully.
'Seriously you should see the look on your face.'
Ross put April down.
'April, come on.' Donna called out to her daughter.
'Bye Ross.' April waved as she ran off to join her mother and 'auntie'.
He waved back and watched as she ran over to her mother and Aggie.
He locked eyes with Donna, she gave him a weak smile he smiled weakly back watching as the group headed off home.
He shook his head, what was wrong with him. He seriously needed to do something and fast, pine over a girl was not Ross Barton's style
