A/N: Quick message to anyone who's confused about the story content - please see the summary of C20. I've deleted The After now, and moved the chapters across to this story
'So Grace, pancakes for you?' Iain asked, clocking Lily as he spoke to the young girl. She just nodded, little enthusiasm but in support of his suggestion.
The girls were sitting around the breakfast bar in the kitchen, deliberating over what to have. Iain was searching the kitchen, looking for things they could cook with.
'What about you, Lily?' Iain turned round to look at her.
'Pancakes too.' Lily just smiled with a slight raise of eyebrow, almost quizzing him, although he didn't know what about. It was subtle though, so much so, he couldn't call her out on it.
'Okay. Grace, you now get to sample my culinary delights.' Iain said, jokily. Grace laughed politely.
'If it's anything like his toast...' Lily begun.
'Shut up, Chuckles, you liked that.' He smirked at his turned back round to the pan.
'No, I remembered my manners.'
He just rolled his eyes and shook his head for a couple of seconds, unaware both girls were watching him. He turned back round, a comical sight in Connie's apron and kitchen attire.
'D'you know Grace, Lily here can't even boil an egg. Mad that, isn't it? She's managed to get her way through university, and your mum employed her, yet she can't even cook!'
Lily just widened her eyes (but they still sparkled) and gave a shake of the head at Iain. 'At least I don't pretend that I can.' She retorted. The pair of them had now tuned Grace out, enjoying the rallying of insults they didn't truly mean.
'Pretend? I don't pretend to do anything...' He scoffed.
'Oh, I do.' Lily shot back quickly.
Iain gave a laugh, and turned round to the cooker. He suddenly felt a lot hotter than he had done before, and somehow, the cooking didn't really make that much of a difference. He was embarrassed, really, couldn't look her in the eye. It wasn't like Lily to come out with any sort of reference.
'Feel the burn...' Lily whispered, as she reached to put the milk away. He just shook his head, amused yet slightly concerned she'd meant it.
'Voila..' Iain brandished the plate in front of Grace, who was scrolling her phone instead of paying attention to the pair of them.
'Thanks, this looks great!' Grace managed to sound a little cheerier. He nodded at Lily, as if to say 'see'.
They tidied away, and underneath the clatter of pots and pans, Iain made eye contact with Lily. 'Did you mean that...?'
She gave him a look, which was overly scathing. Good. Reassuring, he thought. 'Need you even ask? Do I ever look or sound like I'm faking?'
'No, which was-' He whispered. Grace cleared her throat, as if to make a point, and they quickly picked up the pots again. It was easy to forget she was in the room. Lily wondered how much of their conversation she'd heard, or rather, understood. Her arms were elbow deep in suds, and she was lost in thought as she continued to wash up from the night before.
-x-
'Lily?' Grace asked, swapping her hands over and placing the left one on the towel that sat in front of Lily.
'Yes, sweetheart?'
'You know, Iain? You and Iain?' Grace asked, eyes curious.
No, Lily thought. He was upstairs and he perhaps wouldn't hear whatever she was to say next - he was stripping the bed. She could say what she liked or wanted. What she really wanted was to laugh, as she didn't know how else to respond. Instead, she found herself nodding. 'Yes?'
'Do you go out?' She asked.
It was tempting for Lily to take the phrase literally. No, they didn't go out. Nobody even knew they were seeing each other, they merely just thought they were friends. The pair stayed in. They were always in. Iain at Lily's, Lily at Iain's. Only really there for one purpose.
'Um, why do you ask?' Lily said, careful to keep her hand steady while she painted the girl's nails.
'No reason. Except, he seems like he flirts with you.'
'Flirts?' She said, not managing to keep the surprise out of her voice. She didn't expect Grace would even know what that was.
'Yeah. Kitchen. And... last night a bit. When he let you win in Scrabble.' Grace explained.
Lily hadn't thought about that much. 'Things are complicated, Grace.' Lily painted her finger carefully, trying to be as honest as she could be. 'Things are complicated, and... and.. without meaning to be patronising, you'll understand when you're older. Maybe not when you're that much older. Maybe just when you meet someone that is a friend...' She was cautious choosing her words. Grace listened intently. 'You like this friend. Things happen, and they mean that you and the person gets closer. You're not sure whether you like them like that or not. Or, you know you do, but you have to think practically about it. Sometimes what your heart wants isn't what your head wants. Feelings are.. funny things.' She screwed the cap on the nail polish, its smell overpowering. She twisted the lid off the clear, and began to apply it over the top.
'My mum and dad like each other too, I think. I probably shouldn't tell you that. They're stupid, I think. They go round in circles. Always rowing over the smallest things and then always looking at each other like they fancy each other, or worse, kissing. I saw them. They probably had you-know-what. Yuck. I made things more complicated for them when I was born. Maybe they feel like they have to love each other for me.' Grace said.
It resonated with Lily completely, and she realised she perhaps had more in common with her colleagues than she once imagined.
'Maybe they do. But Grace, you must never feel that way. They love you. They want what's best for you. You know, it's hard when you love someone, or like them a lot. Things aren't always easy. Arguments are a normal part of life, whether that be romantic love or the bond between a parent and child, or whatever. Even friends argue. We humans are all a bit complex.'
'It seems so complicated. It's not like films, is it? They're so unrealistic. Why can't it be easy? Like, how to fix your body is easy. You go to doctors like you. How to fix your heart, well... it's different.' Grace replied, handling the conversation in a mature way - a way much beyond a typical 11 year old might. Lily admired this in her.
'Yeah, you're right. If only science could explain love. They're like chalk and cheese though, two completely different things. Science doesn't believe in love. Love doesn't believe in science. And films. They show the good bits of the idea of love. They don't show much of the crying, or the confusion, or even the sensible thinking.' Lily said.
Grace looked thoughtful for a moment, contemplative of what she'd heard.
'It's not all bad.' Lily added quickly, not wanting to instil the complete wrong message in her. She was only young and probably easily influenced, especially by the respectable doctor-babysitter-Mum's friend-grown up that Lily knew she was. There were the lovely times in love that she wanted to tell her of, but decided to keep quiet. She'd would learn of these in her own time. Lily glanced through into the living room and saw the rocking chair. She looked back at Grace and smiled.
'Remind me to stay eleven forever.' Grace rolled her eyes now, and Lily giggled lightly.
'I wish you could. I really do. Still, it's good, being older. You can travel, you can work, you can love, you can learn. Nobody nags you. It is weird though. Sometimes I find myself wishing people would nag me.' Lily said. Grace looked at her as if she were mad, unable to understand the concept.
'You'll get that in a few years.' Lily just smiled.
'You didn't answer my first question. I really do think he likes you.' Grace said.
'Well..' Lily's voice was quiet. 'I think he does too. Sometimes though, people don't have answers.'
Mrs Beauchamp returned at once, walking in unannounced. It was her own home, admittedly, but it took them by surprise.
'Hi..' Lily smiled, looking up at her and then looking back down at Grace's nails, which she was painting a delicate pink shade. Iain entered the kitchen at that moment, and he and Connie exchanged friendly smiles.
'Hi. Oh look, Gracie. That's very kind of Lily.' Connie commented.
'It is not a problem, honestly.' Lily piped up, noticeably picking up her grammar and accent.
'It's a shame you'll have to take them off for school on Monday.' Connie sighed, dumping her bags on the floor by the doorway. She left her heels on, and folded her arms in the doorway.
'Mum! I like them, they're... pretty. Thank you.' Grace examined her nails, giving Lily a wide smile.
'You are very welcome. We had pizza for tea last night, played... um, what's it called.. Scrabble. Grace then went to bed of her own accord, and me and Iain just watched some TV. Woke up at about 7:30 this morning. Made some pancakes. Grace showed us her geography project, and then we painted nails.' Lily smiled at Connie, glancing over at Iain who was crouched stuffing the bedding into the washing machine.
Connie just nodded, almost to hurry her up, not caring for details. 'Well, it sounds as if she's been very busy. Have you been good Grace?'
'Ah, she's been very good. Not a bit of bother.' Iain chimed in.
'Glad to hear it.' Connie addressed her daughter again, giving her a slight smile.
'What did you do?' Lily asked Connie.
'Me? Oh. Conference after conference for all clinical lead staff, I attended about four yesterday. Very dull.' She replied.
'At least you are home now. You will be wanting me and Iain out of your way?' Lily asked, unintentionally making it sound like a question.
'You're welcome to stay for a cup of tea?' Connie offered, but Lily got the impression they'd only be outstaying their welcome.
'It's fine. We'll get off. Iain?' Lily asked, almost expectant.
'Yeah yeah, sure.' Iain picked up their bags after pulling on his trainers.
'Alright. Thank you, see you later.' Connie called.
'Bye! Bye Grace.' Lily and Iain both waved as they walked out the door and down the pathway.
-x-
'So, you're now Childminder Chao. That's a new one, isn't it?' Iain said, squinting in the sun.
'You come out with rubbish.' She replied, as they climbed into his car.
'And so do you. Science hates love, love hates science?' Iain asked.
'You heard?' Lily winced.
'Yeah, pretty much all of it.' He replied, with a chuckle.
'It was science doesn't believe in love, and love doesn't believe in science. They don't hate each other. Hate is a strong word.' Lily said.
'Alright, Mrs Pedantic.' Iain raised an eyebrow. 'I got the gist.'
'I can't believe you heard.' She sighed, with a hint of a smile.
'All I'll say is, maybe I do wear my heart on my sleeve after all.' Iain put the keys in the ignition. 'And, do you know what else?' He asked, as he pulled out of Connie's drive after checking no cars were coming. 'You're quite deep, you, aren't you? Quite the philosopher.'