Thank you for the reviews. I'm updating too much because I'm bored! Sorry if I'm boring you. x
"Don't be sad, Lolly. I'll come stay again soon. I promise." Cassie squeezed Lorraine's hand as she noticed the sadness etched across her face as they walked up the path leading to Cassie's house. Lorraine smiled back at her and knocked on the door, reluctantly. She wished Cassie could stay with them forever.
"Mummy!" Cassie dropped her suitcase and flung her arms around her Mum, Becky, as she opened the door.
"Hello princess! Did you have fun?" Becky kissed her daughter. Lorraine's heart ached as she watched. The unconditional love between the two of them was beautiful. She was almost jealous. She wanted that. She wanted to be called Mummy and take care of someone.
"Oh so much, Mummy." Cassie beamed.
"Hi Lorraine. Come in." Becky opened the door and gestured for Lorraine to enter her small home. "Was she good?"
"As good as gold" Lorraine smiled stroking Cassie's head.
"Mummy I'm always good. you know that." Cassie tutted. "I'm going to unpack" she skipped off happily with her suitcase.
"She's such a little character." Lorraine giggled.
"Oh yeah, she's that alright!" Becky laughed. Eyes full of pride. "Want a cuppa?"
"Oh no thanks. I can't stay. Nikki's meeting me at the hospital. Start my chemo today." Lorraine looked to the ground nervously. Knowing as soon as she left there, as soon as she didn't have Cassie to distract her, it would all be real. She'd soon have a visit from Cassie's medicine fairy... Taking her hair in exchange for her life. Stripping her of her identity, the thought making her want to vomit.
"You'll be fine." Becky nodded with a confident smile. "Once you get the first one out of the way, it gets easier." This soothed Lorraine slightly. She knew Becky knew what she was talking about.
"Thanks. Listen, before I go, I've got something for you... Well, for Cassie really..." Lorraine pulled an envelope out of her bag and handed it to Becky. "I really don't want to offend you. But it's something I really wanted to do... I hope it's ok?"
Becky opened the envelope with a frown and pulled out 2 tickets for an all inclusive trip to Disneyland Paris and a bunch of Euro's. Open tickets so they were valid anytime. "Wow... I can't... I really can't accept this." Becky looked up at Lorraine. Eyes full of confusion.
"Please, Becky. I really wanted to do this for you both. It's nothing. Honestly." Lorraine pleaded. Careful to not sound like she was trying to show off. It wasn't about that. She just wanted Cassie to have a bit of happiness. To make up for all the pain she'd cruelly been through.
"I don't know what to say..." Becky had tears in her eyes. Unbeknown to Lorraine, the fact that she couldn't take Cassie to the one place she wanted to go, give her the one thing she wished for, kept her awake at night. "I'll shout Cassie. She's going to be so grateful. She'll love you even more than she already does, if that's possible!"
"No..." Lorraine shook her head. "This is a present for you. For you to give her. Don't tell her it came from me. That's the only condition I have." Lorraine winked. She didn't want to take any credit for this. She wanted Cassie to know that the one person she trusted the most, her Mummy, was making her dream come true.
"It's so kind of you... I'll pay you back though. Every penny." Becky wiped away a stray tear that'd escaped down her cheek.
"I've actually got a proposition for you... My new venture, you might be able to help. That's all the payback I need." Lorraine smiled. "I'll have to go... We'll discuss it another time" Lorraine moved towards the door.
"Cassie, Lorraine's leaving come and say bye!" Becky shouted up then turned to Lorraine. "You sure. About this?" She held the envelope up.
"It's all yours." Lorraine whispered then opened her arms as she Cassie ran down the stairs and jumped into them.
"Good luck at the hospital today, Lolly." She kissed Lorraine's cheek. "Here, take Todd with you. To keep you safe."
"No I can't take him from you." Lorraine shook her head with a grateful smile.
"I insist. Now I don't want to hear any more about it. Take him." Cassie stamped her foot and handed Todd the bear to Lorraine. "Be brave. Love you."
"Love you too. See you soon." Lorraine smiled at Becky as she mouthed 'thank you' and nodded before leaving her to give Cassie her surprise. She stopped for a minute outside the front door. Looking at Todd the bear.
"Let's go do this then, Todd." Lorraine smiled and made her way to her car.
"Are you kidding?! Oh my gosh! Thank you Mummy! Thank you soooooo much!" Lorraine stopped halfway down the path and turned as she heard Cassie screaming in the living room with excitement. She could see her fling her arms around her Mum clutching the Disneyland tickets in her hand. Lorraine closed her eyes for a second. Wanting to memorise that picture. It was so beautiful and she never ever wanted to forget it.
She got in her car and despite being nervous about the hospital she couldn't stop smiling. That image of Cassie and her Mum would get her through today. That and her Nikki, obviously. Who she was dying to get back to. Another thing that was going to get her through the treatment was knowing she and Nikki were going to discuss the prospect of having a child once she was better.
When Lorraine pulled into the hospital car park, Nikki was waiting for her outside the grey depressing doors with her arms behind her back.
"Fancy seeing you here." Lorraine kissed her on the lips. Nikki pulled her hands from behind her back to reveal a huge bouquet of pink and purple flowers.
"For me? Nikki Boston, you absolute romantic." Lorraine's eyes twinkled as she leant forward letting the beautiful scent of the flowers fill her senses.
"Nope. For my mate on reception..." Nikki laughed. "Of course for you... Well they were until you turned up with someone else in your arms" Nikki faked a hurt pout as she looked down at Todd the bear against Lorraine's chest.
"To keep me safe." Lorraine nodded.
"That's my job." Nikki took hold of Lorraine's hand. "Ready?"
"Ready." Lorraine nodded calmly before they both walked through the hospital doors. Nikki's thumb stroking on the palm of her hand sending reassuring butterflies up her arm and straight to her heart.