Paul made sure Lucy was sound asleep before he turned the baby monitor on and went downstairs to see if his parents could watch Lucy Saturday morning for him, he hoped they could.
When he walked into the kitchen the conversation between his parents immediately stopped, "don't let my presence disrupt you."
Paul Sr shook his head, "it wasn't anything important son. Is Lucy asleep?"
"Yeah she is."
Paul took a seat at the table next to his Father and played with his knife and fork as he tried to think of the right way to ask them to look after Lucy, he felt bad enough asking them to watch her during the week without adding Saturday on top.
Patricia noticed her son's behaviour and it was the classic sign of him having something to ask, "just spit it out Paul, ask whatever you want to ask and leave the cutlery alone please."
"Sorry." Paul then set the cutlery back on the table making sure it was straight and in the correct place, "this is kind of a big question to ask but will you watch Lucy for me Saturday morning please? I promised Steph I'd help her and Alex move back home and I don't want to have to worry about her."
"Of course we'll look after her Paul, you know we never say no when you ask us to look after her."
"I know but I feel bad asking you."
"Don't be stupid, you know we love doing it and anyway, this is all for a good cause."
"Well thank you all the same."
When Stephanie flipped her phone shut after talking to Paul she had a small smile on her face, he made her feel so happy and relaxed and he didn't even have to do anything special to make her feel that way.
She quickly changed out of her suit into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before making her way back downstairs as she would have to bath Alex soon ready for bed.
As she walked out into the garden where Vince and Alex were playing she spotted her Mom sat on the patio to the side watching them so she made her way over and joined her.
Linda didn't realise that her daughter had rejoined them until she sat down beside her, she noticed the small smile on her face as she sat down which piqued her interest, "what's changed your mood so drastically?"
"Huh? Nothing."
Linda looked at her daughter sceptically, "really? So in the space of fifteen minutes you go from being an emotional wreck to smiling, albeit only slightly but smiling all the same and nothing has changed your mood? Liar."
Stephanie's eyes widened at the accusation, "I'm not lying . . . kind of."
"Stephanie I'm your Mother and I love and support you through anything but when you're lying to me it makes it very hard for me to do that."
"Okay fine, if you must know I spoke to Paul and his daughter was being all cute and adorable."
"Was it his daughter being adorable or was it him?"
"Moooooooom!"
"What? It's a legitimate question."
"Whatever, I'm still not answering that."
Linda shrugged, "maybe you'll answer this one then. Why was Shawn so desperate to find out where you were he rang the house but refused to talk to you."
"What do you mean?"
"Earlier when you were playing with Alex Shawn rang and he seemed pretty anxious to know where you were but when I said I'd tell you he called he didn't want me to. So now tell me nothing is going on."
Right then Stephanie wanted to kill Shawn, she told Paul she was coming home and she assumed Shawn would have spoken to him so she didn't get why he didn't believe her or trust she would get home okay, "it's probably just a work thing or Shawn being Shawn and being a drama queen about it all."
"Well I'm not inclined to believe you, I think you and him are keeping something secret. If you're in trouble at work please tell me, we can help."
"Work's fine, everything is growing and is becoming more profitable by the month."
"Then what is it? If you are putting Alex in harms way then I want to know."
She wasn't going to sit there and be lectured by her Mom so she stood up, "come on Alex, it's time for you to have a bath and get ready for bed."
Walking with a purpose she headed over to where he was playing with her Dad knowing he'd put up a fight about it.
Seeing the mood his daughter appeared to be in and knowing how Alex was he decided to jump in before an argument started, "your Mom's right Alex, you do need to go to bed. Don't worry though, we can come out and play again tomorrow."
Alex pouted but took Stephanie's hand and walked inside with her.
As soon as Stephanie and Alex had left Vince went and sat next to his wife, "what did you say?"
Linda looked shocked, "I didn't say anything."
He just raised his eyebrow which was enough to make Linda crack, "okay okay. Something is going on between Stephanie, Shawn and her new PA Paul."
"You mean an affair?"
"What? Vince are you crazy?"
He shrugged, "sorry, I thought that's what you meant as you weren't clear."
"No it's not what I meant, jeez. They, or at least Stephanie and Shawn, are keeping some sort of secret. Shawn is being incredibly overprotective, Stephanie is being very defensive about things and it's just setting off my Momdar."
"Your Momdar?"
She shook her head, "yes, my inbuilt motherly radar that tells me when something is going on with my children and right now it is blaring but I don't know over what or why."
"How do you think this Paul guy is implicated?"
"That's where it gets confusing as I'm not sure if he's involved in what Shawn and Stephanie are hiding from me or if Steph just fancies him."
"She could always be dating him and that's what she's hiding and Shawn is covering for them because you did say she seemed to like him and he is good friends with Shawn."
Linda shook her head, "no way, Shawn seemed genuinely worried that she hadn't gotten home okay and if he was covering for them dating then he wouldn't be."
Vince nodded his head as that did make sense, "you don't think it could be Luke could you?"
"Luke? No I don't think so, why would he be hanging around again? Stephanie hasn't heard from him since he went to jail so I really don't think it has anything to do with him."
"I don't know what it is though Linda. She seems happy enough to me though and they are heading home on Saturday so it really can't be anything that is threatening to either hers or Alex's well-being."
"Maybe. I can always quiz Paul on Saturday as he is helping them move back home."
"Linda!"
She put her hands up in defence, "what? I'm only looking out for my daughter and grandson."
"Mmmhmm, sure you are. Just be nice to the poor boy and don't scare him away because if he likes her as much as you seem to think she likes him then give him a chance and don't scare him away, I want her to be happy."
"I do too Vince, I do too."
With that she got up and headed inside to tidy up.
