Despite Alice's success getting Alex to sleep, Lucy had struggled to get back to sleep herself. Her mind was racing. She looked at the clock, it was half 6, Lucy threw the covers back in defeat and decided it was time for her to get up. She grabbed some clothes and the baby monitor and headed for the shower, making the most of the rest of the house still being asleep.
By 7am Alice and Lucy were in the kitchen helping Nomsa with breakfast.
Charlotte entered the kitchen, dragging her feet.
"Morning Charlie" Lucy greeted.
The teen grumbled "Shh, it's too early, I need food and caffeine and at least half and hour before I can hold a conversation"
Dupe entered behind Charlotte, displaying a similar facial expression. He gratefully accepted a cup of coffee from Nomsa and grumbled a morning greeting in a similar fashion to the teen.
"It's very cheerful around here in a morning" Nomsa commented, to which Lucy laughed.
"Shh" Dupe told them.
"Ok, Ok!" Lucy put her hands up in mock surrender, she placed a plate of food in front of him "Trust me old man, if I had actually managed to sleep last night I'd be the same as you"
Dupe scowled.
"What do you say, old man?" Lucy said sarcastically.
Dupe huffed "Thank you"
"Wow" Charlotte exclaimed jokingly, she took a bite of her toast "Dupe said Thank You"
"Charlie!" Alice warned as she sat at the table "Don't talk with your mouth full"
The teen rolled her eyes. Alex's voice could be heard on the monitor, he was talking away to himself, indicating that he was awake.
"Right, I better go get Alex sorted" Lucy told them, "Enjoy"
…
Later, Lucy was sat outside on a bench, Alex was sat on her lap and Bobby was sat next to her, Lucy had just finished reading a book to them.
Danny walked up the steps.
"Daddy" Bobby exclaimed excited. Danny picked him up. He ruffled Alex's hair.
"I thought it's about time I made up on that promise Alice made last night, fancy coming with?" Danny asked.
Alex tugged at Danny's trouser leg. "Giraffe?" He asked, in a demanding tone, looking up at Danny hopefully.
"He doesn't forget anything" Lucy laughed. "I suppose I better had do."
"Well, luckily there's one at Mara, they've just bought a new one that I've got to check out, two birds, one stone and all that" Danny told them.
"Great, five minutes, I'll get us sorted" Lucy agreed.
"I'll go grab my kit" Danny told her.
…
After checking over the giraffe, Danny took the boys and Lucy over to meet him. Danny held Alex and Lucy held Bobby, they were stood on the back of the truck, feeding the giraffe, who was in an enclosure.
"You thought anymore about staying?" Danny asked. Handing over some leaves to Alex.
"I don't know" Lucy told him honestly, "We love it here, but I'm just not sure"
Danny nodded "What's keeping you over there?"
"Mum" Lucy said with a sigh "I just don't want her to think I'm abandoning her"
"I understand" Danny said in an apologetic tone, "But are you happy in the UK?"
Lucy shrugged "As long as I have Alex, it doesn't matter where I am"
"Do you want to stay though, in an ideal world?"
The younger woman was a bit shocked at his question, she looked at Alex, who was giggling away at the giraffe, "I'd love to, I just need to think about Mum, thanks Danny"
"What for?" Danny was a little confused.
"For listening"
"Anytime, right, that's the giraffe fed, let's go get some lunch"
"But" Alex tried to protest,
Danny ruffled Alex's hair "we can come back another time, ok"
Bobby and Alex agreed, disappointedly.
"Let's go home then" Danny started to pack up.