Update!
Sorry it's a bit late, and thanks to those who reviewed and reminded me!
I'll probably carry this on next time, so- to be continued!
Please review if you can and let me know what you think! -Sophie x
It had just gone 5pm, and Connie was very, very nervous. She had invited Cal round for tea with her and Louisa, and he was due in half an hour.
The clinical lead stood in front of her full length mirror, smoothing down her new dress and turning this way and that. It was long and a deep, ruby red that matched her skin tone just perfectly. It was decorated slightly with tiny red beads that made intricate floral patterns all down her right hand side.
Connie started to fuss with her hair until another pair of hands gently put it up in a messy bun.
"You look fine mum, stop worrying." Louisa smiled, resting her head on her mothers shoulder. Connie tucked a strand of hair behind her daughters ear then turned around to look at her.
She too had dressed for the occasion- a floaty red top with jeans- casual but still effective. However, her hair still flowed over her shoulders, pin straight.
"Want me to curl your hair?" Connie asked.
"You read my mind." Louisa grinned before sitting at her mothers dressing table.
"Now," the woman said as she plugged in her curlers, "you will behave with Cal tonight won't you? Remember, he did save my life."
"I'll try, though I still don't see why Grace got to go sleep at Zoe's and I had to stay here."
"Because I want you two to get along if this date goes any further. Plus she's coming to pick you up for dress shopping tomorrow, you'll see her then."
"I guess."
As much as the girl wasn't keen on the doctor, Cal did save her mothers life, and she wanted her to be happy.
The homemade lasagna had just gone into the oven when the doorbell rang throughout the house. Louisa finished hoovering the living room and stuffed the machine in the lobby just as her mother opened the door.
"Cal." She smiled. The doctor too was dressed to impress, with a crisp white shirt and bow tie, alongside an immaculately clean blazer and freshly ironed trousers.
"Wow Connie, you look... Amazing." He breathed, momentarily becoming speechless. She smiled and looked down quickly.
"Thanks, you too. Come in."
He entered and immediately removed his shoes. The house was far more spacious and, well, posh than he had imagined and he started to feel a little out of place. Connie noticed this and had to stop herself laughing.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to the space."
"It must take you forever to clean." Cal said as he followed her into the living room where Louisa was sat waiting.
"That's what cleaners are for. Lou, you remember Cal. Cal, Lou." Louisa smiled at him, though not as warmly as she could have. Try as she might, the girl couldn't shake the memory of that party from her mind.
"Drink?" Cal looked up to see her holding a freshly iced bottle of champagne.
"Yes please, thanks." He took a glass and sipped at the cool liquid. Connie sat next to him and crossed her legs.
"So, how was work today?" She asked, a little unsure of what to say.
"Same shit different day." He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "It's always better when you're on the shift of course."
From her chair, Louisa pretended to vomit. Connie shot her a look before carrying on.
"I'm flattered. Not a lot of my staff would ever utter those words."
"You're not that bad Connie. Ever since you met Louisa you've sort of, well, softened slightly." He said, and Louisa's cheeks became tinged with pink.
"I think you're imagining things." She said softly, sipping at her drink. "Connie Beauchamp does not "soften"."
"When Lofty, Robyn and Max were late the other day, what did you do?" He asked.
"Told them not to do it again." Connie said, placing her glass on the coffee table and looking at him. "So?"
"If you were to rewind a year or so and that happened, you'd have made them do an extra shift or something. And don't say you wouldn't!-" he added quickly as the woman opened her mouth to speak, "because you would have and you know it."
Connie paused then shut it again, just as the timer went off on the oven. She leapt up and grabbed her glass.
"Food's ready." She said quickly before going straight into the kitchen. Cal looked over to Louisa.
"She hates to be proven wrong." He grinned and she smiled slightly before standing up.
"Hey, Lou-" he said, getting on to his feet.
"It's Louisa." She corrected him.
"God you aren't half like your mother." He raised his eyebrows, "But honestly, I do care about her you know. I promise I'll look after her."
"And what you said at Zoe's party?" She asked, the words burning her tongue as she remembered.
"I was drunk, I didn't know what I was saying. I apologise wholeheartedly Louisa I really do."
She looked at him for a minute before messing with her top.
"Fine. But if you lay one finger on her or hurt her in any way, then I will personally make sure you will never have children." The teenager said warningly, tapping the floor with one foot.
"Whoa. I won't, I promise." He put a hand up and Louisa was satisfied.
"Fine. Then welcome to the family, I guess."
"Thankyou." He smiled.
"Hurry up you two!" Connie called from the kitchen, "I'm starving!"
Once they had eaten, Louisa piled all the plates up in the sink, and they went back into the living room to watch a film.
It was "The Lion King", Grace's favourite. Louisa sat in her chair and kept glancing at the two adults who moved closer and closer to each other. She smiled to herself before sending Grace a quick message.
"Operation first date is a success. Threatened to kick him where it hurts the most of he lays one unwanted finger on her. Hope you're having a good time, we're watching The Lion King! Say hi to Zoe for me and be good. Love you, Wheezy xx"
She locked her phone then yawned, quite unexpectedly .
"I'm gonna go to bed." She said, getting up and going over to her mother.
"Night darling. See you tomorrow, and make sure you're up for Zoe, she's coming at 10 remember."
"I will." She kissed her on the cheek before smiling at the doctor sat next to her.
"Night Cal."
"Night Louisa." He smiled back.
She made her way upstairs and got changed into her pyjamas before settling down for the night.
The only thing was, she didn't hear Cal leave the house...
