Part 51
"Michael I've just been talking to your teacher, why have you told them that me and Rachel are going to get married soon", Rachel tried hard not to laugh as she was shocked that Michael would spend his time thinking about her. Michael looked to the floor slightly embarrassed as he felt Eddie eyes probing him for an answer; an answer in which all honesty he didn't have. Rachel looked at Michael and felt sorry for him, he must have felt embarrassed and scared; Eddie certainly wasn't helping. Rachel knelt on the floor so she was at Michael's height, she looked into his eyes and saw they were filling with tears; ashamed at what he had said and scared that he might have forced Rachel and Eddie further apart. Rachel looked at Eddie, an expression which told him to stop pushing Michael to give them an answer. Instead Rachel took Michael in her arms and just held him, so he wouldn't mind if me and Eddie did start going out. No stop it, you have Michael to worry about. Rachel stopped herself going off at a tangent thinking about Eddie; something that she had admitted to herself was becoming all too common. "Michael, just tell us why you said it, we're not annoyed at you", Michael looked into her eyes and saw the expression on her face was full of concern and compassion for him, however this was a contrast to Eddie's as his looked full of anger. Rachel turned to Eddie and she was annoyed at the expression on his face as he was the one from preventing Michael telling them, seeing how upset his expression was making Michael she felt it was only right to intervene, "are we Eddie?"
Eddie thought about the day during the summer holiday when Rachel had also berated him for being annoyed at Michael, "no we're not annoyed", Eddie said this although his expression didn't actually confirm it. Rachel looked at Eddie and smiled; pleased that he had put his feelings aside to enable Michael to open up to them. This caused Eddie smile back, how does she do that I was in a foul mood but she still manages to make me smile.
"I just wanted you and daddy to be happy, so I was telling the teacher all about my holidays and I told her about you". Michael told Rachel looking in her eyes almost as though there was nobody else in the room; in truth it was actually getting quite full with the other children full of optimism and excitement. Rachel didn't interrupt she just held Michael's hand whist still kneeling on the floor, she nodded at Michael in encouragement for him to continue, "and she asked who you were and whether you were daddy's wife, I didn't know what to say so I just nodded". As Michael had finished telling the events a tear crept from his eye, worried about upsetting Rachel and his dad being annoyed at him.
Rachel looked at Michael and wiped the tears that were beginning to roll down his cheeks, "don't cry you haven't done anything wrong, it was just a misunderstanding". Rachel picked Michael up from the floor and held him in her arms, wishing that Eddie would say something to stop the internal suffering of Michael. Luckily she didn't have to wait too long, "Michael I love you and I know you wouldn't have said anything to embarrass anyone". Eddie had calmed down seeing the interaction between his son and the woman he loves. Rachel definitely has a way with children, as she always reassures them, maybe that is what she needs in her life, and I will be the one who is willing to accept the role. Eddie walked closer to Rachel and stroked Michael's hair; pleased that his son had forgiven him for the previous conversation. Especially as when Eddie reflected on it he decided he had only been annoyed because he didn't want Rachel to feel embarrassed. Similarly to how Michael did it when they were standing on Rachel's doorstep, he put his arm round Eddie's neck, the only difference this time was when Eddie and Rachel were pulled closer their eyes were locked together, expressing their feelings through their eyes in a way more than words ever could.
"Mr Lawson would you like a family photo", a photographer asked Eddie, and before they were actually allowed to answer they were pushed towards the camera and positioned them in the camera frame. They stood waiting for the photographer to take the umpteenth click that moment, however Rachel and Eddie didn't mind as they stood their with their arms around one another with Michael standing in front of them. The photographer said, "All done, a perfect family picture for the photo album". Rachel and Eddie looked at one another and smiled; they both felt like a family and they enjoyed it.
