Thank you Hannah52440 for your review, glad you are enjoying it.

Rachel rubbed her temples after she signed the last risk assessment trying to warn away the headache the was coming, she couldn't wait for a drink tonight, they were in the middle of an Indian Summer, it usually started to cool by early September, but this year it was hot, even hotter than it had been in July. Not that they were complaining, no one in Scotland ever complains about hot weather. She was startled from her thoughts by the shrill ringing of the bell and the noise outside of students (and some teachers) desperate for the weekend to start. Eddied entered her office, looking over at his wife he could tell she wasn't feeling great.

"We really can cancel if you would rather" he said as he made his way behind her to rub her shoulders.

"No, it's your birthday" she turned her head and smiled unconvincingly, "besides we have all the food and I'm sure I will feel much better with a glass of white wine in my hand"

"If your sure" he kissed the top of her head

"I have a few final things I need to pick up at Tesco, I was going to get them at lunch time, but didn't get a chance"

"I can get them" Eddie offered

"No, it's your birthday..." Rachel was interrupted by Katie and Michael entering and flopping on the sofa.

"I'm hungry" Michael declared

"OK, you two go with your Mum, she has some secret errand she needs to go, I will wait here for Zara to finish detention. I'm sure Rachel can get you something to eat when your out"

"Are you sure Love, it's your birthday, you can go home and I will come back and get Zara"

"I'm sure, you get out of here"

"Thanks Darling" Rachel stood and kissed her husband

"Stop being gross" Katie shouted and Michael hid his eyes

"Suddenly I don't feel hungry any more" Michael joked.

"I just need to check something, will you give me 5 minutes" Rachel said leaving her office, she wanted to double check that everyone who should be in detention was there. It would be a squash getting all those kids into the cooler, so they had used a second class room which has happened on occasion before, but thankfully not something that was a regular occurrence.

"Keep and eye on your Mum will you" Eddie said to his eldest and youngest child

"Why?" Katie asked

"She has had rough day, I just hope tonight doesn't have any problems, I don't think she is feeling herself"

"Don't worry Dad, we will look after her, its Zara you need to talk to, she is a real pain just now"

"Don't worry, I plan on having a chat with Zara on the way home"

Rachel came back and left with Katie and Michael as they drove to Tesco and a small bakery where Rachel had ordered Eddie a cake that was in the shape of a calculator with his name and age on it.

Eddie caught up with some marking whilst waiting on detention finishing, he was glad to get it out of the way meaning he didn't need to worry about it the rest of the weekend, he had just finished it when he decided to stretch his legs, he wondered out of Rachel's office and by the cooler where he spotted his middle child, sitting at the back of the cooler looking bored, he glanced round the rest of the cooler and the others were all doing the same, this made him angrier, rather than waste the hour, they should be doing homework, he decided to let it go and walked by to the next class room where the another 10 kids were, including Hannah and Hamish. He sighed hoping tonight wouldn't be too awkward, he had known these kids since they were tiny. Suddenly the bell rang and the kids started to run out pushing past one another.

"No running in the corridors" Eddie bellowed to watch them change to a fast walk. He couldn't really blame them he was desperate to get out too.

Rachel, Michael and Katie were in the car on their way back to the house when Katies phone suddenly beeped.

"Mum, Evie asked me round to hers tonight, can I go?"

"Of course you can't go, its a family event"

"But Zara and Olivia will be together all night, Hannah will be with him all night" she said pointing to her brother "And I will end up having to play with Chloe"

"Honey, you can not go to Evie's, but Evie is more than welcome to come to the barbecue so long as it's OK with her parents" Rachel said.

Katie smiled and quickly text her new best friend back.

Rachel pulled into their driveway, surprised to see another car already there.

"Philip and Danielle are here" Katie shouted excitedly and ran out the car and into the house where her cousin and his wife had let themselves in and were sitting in the living room.

"Hay love, we weren't expecting you" Rachel said hugging her nephew followed by his wife.

"We didn't want to miss Eddies birthday" Danielle said, which Rachel thought was a little odd as they didn't normally come up for it, but didn't mention anything as she was really glad to see them.

The 5 of them got the garden, house and food ready for their guests arriving. As Rachel had already done most the night before and with the extra help they were ready in no tome.

Zara left the cooler to see her father standing by the door, she rolled her eyes.

"I could have walked it home you know"

"Well now you don't need to, besides, I want to talk to you on your own?"

"Why?"

"I have already spoken to Katie and Michael, I don't think your Mum is feeling great, she has had a rough day, and I don't want you making it worse"

"Why would you think I would make it worse, I've had a rough day too, in case your forgot I just came out of detention"

"And that was your own fault, your Mum needs your support just now, so I'm warning you to be on your best behaviour or else it will be me you will be dealing with" Eddie said angrily, he was quiet enough to not be shouting, but Zara knew this was just because they were in public, they had just arrived at the car, Zara got in and slammed the door shut before putting her airpods in.

Eddie got into the drive seat, and took on of his daughters airpods out. "That is rude, I was talking to you about your Mother"

"She isn't my Mother!" Zara screamed before a tear escaped from her left eye, she quickly wiped it hoping her Father didn't see.

"I know you may be upset at us for not telling you the truth, but you weren't mature enough to hear it before, and Rachel is your Mum, she is the only one you have ever known"

"But I just can't help but feel angry"

"Then you should have came and spoken to us"

"Thats not why I'm angry"

"Then why are you angry Zara?"

"You all treat me like a little kid, you don't think I can understand, you don't think I can wear makeup, or nice clothes or anything like that, and I hate it. Then today she made me angry by making me change and it's not fair"

"Firstly, you do not call her She, Rachel is your Mum and if you feel you can't call her that it's Aunt Rachel, but you need to speak to her first, I know she would be heartbroken if she wasn't your Mum any more, secondly, you are 12, not 16 so you are still a little kid and if I saw you dressed the way your Mum did, I would have made you get changed too, and I bet I would not have done it as quietly, and..."

"There was nothing wrong with the way I was dressed" Zara quickly said interrupting her Father

"I haven't finished yet, And lastly, this little stunt you played at school today is not on, and you will be grounded, for it"

"But... thats not fair" Zara complained. She had never been grounded before, the truth was neither she or her sister had ever been grounded and Michael only by his Mum, never by Rachel and Eddie. The kids usually responded well to being set to their room or a time out. "You have never grounded me before"

"You have never bought boot leg alcohol before"

"But I have a big Rugby game on Sunday, I can't let the team down" Zara said as the car made it's way into the drive way

"You should have thought of that before you misbehaved then, shouldn't you?" Eddie said unsympathetically. In truth he would not make her miss it, but he wanted to play bad cop on this one, to Rachel could be the Good cop.

Sorry it's so short, I haven't been feeling very well the past few weeks, but writing has been helping. Hopefully we will finally get to the BBQ soon. I've been thinking of updating some of my other Waterloo Road Fics, so watch this space :)