"Whoa!"
Kate groans and drags a hand over her face, steeling herself. She squares her shoulders and takes a deep breath, before turning to the group at large. She'd been hoping to escape unnoticed from the locker rooms, but of course fate is against her, and Dutchy's cry of amusement and humour draw the team's attention as effectively as if she'd been holding a slab of beer. Holding her arms out, she does a slow turn, prancing as though she is on a catwalk, before turning and grinning at them all.
"Okay. Let's get this all over now." She deadpans, allowing them to take in her ludicrous outfit. Of course, it had been beyond ambitious to expect to be able to sneak out in the brightest outfit she's ever worn, and she curses whoever decided the theme for the school disco would be fluro. Mike Flynn, probably. "So, as you can see, I have coupled a fluro pink skirt with fluro leapord print tights, a neon green singlet and my lovely fluro boots. Finishing the look I have some fluro makeup, purple arm warmers and have secured my hair with neon ribbons in varying colours. Okay! You have 120 seconds to make fun of my appearance, and after that I'm leaving."
Instantly, the group begin talking all at once. 2Dads in particular looks like Christmas has come early. Only Robert looks disinterested, turning his back and continuing his walk towards the car.
"I'm loving the pink tutu."
"And the bright pink lipstick!"
"Where did you get the shoes?"
"And the skirt!"
Kate gives them their two minutes of appraisal before she holds up a hand for silence and fixes them with the look she uses when Cal takes her car without asking, feeling satisfied when they all quieten. "Okay, enough. I need to go chaperone a kids disco." She turns on the spot, her boots clicking satisfyingly on the ground. "And Dylan Mulholland, I swear if that was a shutter click I just heard, I will kill you."
"Well aren't you just the cutest." Mike quips, tossing a handful of glowstick bracelets in Kate's direction. She manages to catch several deftly, grumbling as she is forced to stoop to pick up the rest as they clatter to the ground. Straightening up, she sees he has threaded several around his wrist - moreover, they appear to be the exact same colours as the ones he's tossed her. "I was going to get you a corsage, but thought the glowsticks were more appropriate. Nice tights!"
Of course, she is forced to grudgingly admit (only to herself) that Mike does look good, and she finds herself wondering just how many men she knows that would look good in a pink fluro monstrosity like he was wearing now. It doesn't make him any less of a dick though, and she speaks the first words that occur to her. "I hate you."
"I know." Mike grins, as if she'd just declared love for him rather than the opposite. "Where's Bridie? Is your cling-wrap-headed sister bringing her later?" Kate gives a grudging nod and he beams even wider, before clapping his hands together and gesturing to the entrance of the hall, which is already decked out in fluro streamers and lights. "Now, Barb, Fiona and I sorted out the decorations before, so it's either manning the BBQ or selling tickets." He peers critically at her outfit, and she tugs the hem of her skirt lower. "You right to sell tickets?"
"What, because girls can't cook?" She demands, firing up at once.
"No. It's because - ironically, given your career - I think most of the clothes you're wearing look highly flammable, and I don't want you to set your pretty little fluro tights on fire. But, hey, you want to take the risk, go ahead. I'm sure there's legally got to be a fire extinguisher somewhere? Hey, did you check if the school was up to code before you enrolled Bridie here?"
Kate rolls her eyes. Of course, she had made sure it was, but she's not about to admit that to Mike Flynn. Instead, she settles herself behind the ticket table, watching as Mike struggles to light the BBQ. And she's not staring at his arms. Or the light stubble on his chin. No. She's only staring because... "See something you like?" Mike smirks at her.
"No." Now it's Kate's turn to grin. "But you've got to turn the gas on, Mike." She points out. Mike flushes, but otherwise says nothing as he heeds her advice and manages to light the BBQ. Soon, the smell of cooking sausages and onion wafts over, and children start arriving, all dressed in fluro clothes that all look, in Kate's opinion, as if they've come straight from their parents' wardrobes. She can't remember ever seeing anyone wearing this much fluro, even when it was popular, and the effect is quite overwhelming.
"Hi Kate!" It isn't until she's served close to fifty kids that she hears a familiar voice, and looking up, spots Rose beaming at her, dressed in a neon yellow singlet, with matching tutu and wings. "You look awesome."
"Thanks. You too." Kate catches sight of the earrings, and smirks at the bumblebees. "And you're a bee."
"Hey, they're still my favourite animal." Rose defends, shrugging lightly and fingering her stripy singlet. "Might as well promote them through dance!"
The older woman behind her chuckles, and Kate turns to examine her. Those same blue eyes and the wide smile leave her in no doubt who the woman is. "She almost dies of anaphylaxis and it's the bee she felt sorry for." She shakes her head. "And you're the famous Kate. Michael talks about you all the time. And I'm hearing amazing things about Bridie too. I'm Lillian Flynn. Michael's mother."
"Oh, hello. It's lovely to meet you." Kate takes Lillian's hand and shakes. The woman has a surprisingly strong shake for a woman of her age.
"Well, I'm just here to drop her off." Lillian turns around. "Good heavens, what is your father wearing?"
Rose follows her gaze and snorts with laughter. "He looks like Patrick from Spongebob!" She giggles, and Kate can't help but laugh too. Now that she looks at him, it's hard not to see it.
"Right, darling, I'm going to head off. I'll see you on the weekend probably." She presses a kiss to Rose's cheek before turning to Kate. "Nice to meet you." And before Kate can fully process the hurried greeting and farewell, Lillian wanders off, shaking her head.
"Oh, there's Bridie now." Rose grins, as she dashes off and returns a moment later with Bridie and Cal by her side.
"Cool, Mum." Bridie grins appreciatively at her mother's outfit.
"Geez, already coordinating outfits." Cal observes, as she takes in Bridie and Rose's matching outfits.
"We've got to look out for the bees." Bridie grins.
"Exactly." Rose agrees.
The disco itself goes smoothly enough, and Kate is left to deal with nothing more major than breaking up a game of glowstick soccer in the girls bathroom and a Year 3 girl with a broken shoe, and for the most part, she doesn't have to talk with Mike, what with the music blasting from all sides. At the end of the night, Rose and Bridie dutifully help to clean up the school hall (Barb and Fiona both mysteriously have other plans and have to leave Mike and Kate to clean up) before the four of them make their meandering way towards the carpark.
"Hey, can we go get some dinner?" Rose asks, broaching the question in such a casual way, though exchanging a significant look with Bridie that tells Kate they've been plotting this for a while. "I mean, it's Friday night, so it's not bedtime yet."
"You had a sausage sandwich." Mike points out. "A terrific sausage sandwich cooked by an absolute spunk."
"Yeah," Rose rolls her eyes, but says nothing, obviously used to Mike's antics. "But... Dad, can we please? All four of us?"
"Oh, Mum, can we?" Bridie adds, turning between Kate and Mike in turn. "Please!"
Twenty minutes later sees Kate feeling very self-conscious in her fluorescent get-up, pressed between Mike and Bridie in a burger bar. She's painfully aware of the easy conversation flowing between the girls, and the awkward silences between herself in Mike, but she keeps her gaze fixed on the menu, even though she knows exactly what she's ordering. She wishes she'd thought to pack a change of clothes in her bag; there's something all too cosy about her and Mike and the two girls all dressed the same.
"So, any plans for the weekend?" Mike grins, in that same, painful Mike Flynn way she swears she'll never get used to. "Or are you spending your days running around checking fire hydrants?"
"I was thinking I might ignore some of your calls." Kate raises an eyebrow. "You?"
"Oh, I might call you." Mike shrugs. "You know... leave heart-wrenching messages on your voicemail. Recite poetry... sing Careless Whisper. You know. The usual."
"We're going to go to the lagoon on Saturday." Bridie chimes in, twisting in her seat to get a better look at Mike. "You and Rose should come, shouldn't they Mum?"
Kate rolls her eyes, nudging Mike's shoulder. "Alright, can I get past? I'm just going to run to the bathroom."
"Right." Mike adopts a heartbroken look, placing a hand on her arm. "But tell me this! Am I going to find you like all my dates? Halfway out the bathroom window?"
Kate twists around to face him, flashing him an enormous wink. "Only if you follow me."
Of course, she doesn't really need the bathroom. Just a time out to reevaluate what the hell she's doing. Is Cal right? Is she flirting with Mike Flynn?
"Get a hold of yourself." Kate hisses, splashing cold water over her face and examining her reflection in the mirror. Okay, you look like a fluro dork, Kate tells herself. Now get back out there and-
It's then that she hears the sob coming from under the bathroom sink, and peering underneath, she quickly spots a young boy, maybe two or three, looking terrified. "Hey, are you okay?" Kate turns to the little boy. Instinct kicks in, and she crouches in front of him, smiling encouragingly. "It's okay. I just want to help. Can you tell me if you're hurt?"
He nods, then points to the locked cubicle, and his voice is so quiet, Kate has to lean closer to hear him. "Mummy's sick."
As if on-cue, the drier in the adjacent bathroom stops, and Kate catches the low whimpers from the cubicle. Kate moves towards the door and knocks, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. "Ma'am? Are you okay?" She receives nothing but a low moan in reply. "Ma'am, do you need any help? Bang on the wall twice if you need help?" There's a louder, more gutteral cry.
Then a scraping of the lock being undone, and Kate comes face to face with a terrified looking woman, cradling her round stomach. With her eyes wide, the woman manages to gasp, "I think... baby's coming."
Kate doesn't have time to think. Kneeling in front of the woman, she starts to rub her back, the other smoothing back the woman's hair. "You're going to be alright. I'm a firefighter, okay? My name's Kate, and I'm going to help you. What's your name?"
"R- Regan." God, the girl looks terrified, clutching her belly, and she can't be older than twenty-five.
"Okay, Regan. I'm going to leave you for a minute so I can-" But the rest of her words are cut off by a scream, and Kate feels the woman grab her hand. "Okay, give me a second." Kate picks up her phone and hurriedly sends a text to Mike. Send help bathroom "Okay, Regan. I know this is uncomfortable, but I need to take a look-"
"Mummy?" The little boy is nearly in tears, rocking backwards and forwards, and his mother looks no better. She's still moaning, but permits Kate to lift up her skirt and look.
"How far along are you?" Kate asks.
"35 weeks." She whimpers. "I think I need to push."
The whole scene is chaos, and never in a million years did she ever imagine she'd find herself here, in the bathroom of a burger bar, coaxing a woman through labour. Come on, Mike, she thinks. In some distant part of her mind she imagines him opening the message. Would he think it was a joke? Maybe he'd chuckle, lock his phone, thinking vaguely of her comically stuck halfway through a window.
"Well, I need you to try your best to hold off for a bit." Despite the worry in her mind, she's able to keep a clear head, and the woman's panic seems to steady Kate. "We'll get you somewhere nice and comfy."
The door clatters open, so hard it bangs off the opposite wall, and a woman bursts through the door. "I was told someone needed-" She cuts herself off, staring in horror at the scene, and it's then that Kate notices the pinkish stains on Regan's dress. Her waters, probably.
"I have a woman here in active labour." Kate tells the waitress, not willing to waste any more time. "The baby is crowning. I need you to call an ambulance and I need some people to help me get this woman to... I don't know... do you have an office? Also, we're going to need clean towels, a sterile knife, gloves, and some warm water." The waitress looks barely out of high school, and her eyes widen. "Listen," Kate glances at her nametag. "Marlene, I'm a firefighter. I know what I'm doing, but I need your help."
"Okay." Marlene whimpers. She casts an anxious eye over the still sobbing boy.
Following her gaze, Kate gestures towards him. "Can you take this little guy with you? Get him some colouring in or something? Maybe some juice." Kate turns to him. "I'm going to look after Mummy, okay?"
"Go with her, Benji." Regan manages to choke out. "I'll see you soon, Baby."
She can't sugarcoat the situation for Regan, and turns to her as soon as Benji is out of the room, catching her gaze. "Now, listen honey, the bad news is we're not going to make it to the hospital. But the good news is, you're going to have a baby in your arms very soon."
"I can't have it here!" Regan whimpers, before her words turn into another cry.
Regan reaches out and grabs Kate's hand once more. Kate squeezes. "Have you got anyone else here?"
"No! My husband is away! I... I'm here with my son."
"Benji is going to be fine. He's about to be a big brother." Two strong looking men make their way into the bathroom. "Quick." Kate commands. "Help me get her somewhere she can lie down."
"Kate!" Mike calls as soon as she leaves the bathroom, but Kate is too preoccupied to talk, instead following as Regan starts to shake, supported by the two men.
"I can't do this here."
Kate grins, and points out the booth where Bridie is seated next to Rose, both looking panicked. "Regan, can you say that girl with the blonde curly hair? That's my daughter, Bridie. And she was in such a hurry to meet me, that I gave birth on the side of the road halfway to the hospital with a ten year old in the backseat."
"Bet your husband was freaking out!" Regan pants. "God, everyone's staring."
"It's okay. We're going to get you somewhere private." The men help her into the office and Kate hurriedly shoves the table against the wall, before laying down the towels. "Okay, Regan, I'm going to have another look. Okay?" She looks up. "How far out is the ambulance?"
"They reckon another five minutes." One of the men gabbles.
"Okay." Kate winces. "Okay, Regan, you're going to have to do this now. Okay?"
"But I can't!" She protests.
"Hey," Kate locks eyes with her. "We can do this together. Alright? Now, on your next contraction, I need you to push."
"Geez, I take you out to dinner and you deliver a baby?" Mike grins, bumping into Kate's shoulder as Regan, Benji and her newborn baby girl are loaded into the ambulance.
"Yeah, jumping into burning buildings not enough for you?" Nikki demands, as she claps Kate on the back. "Loving the outfit by the way."
"Yeah, where did you get the shoes?" Chris presses. "Because my daughter would really love-" Nikki rolls her eyes, shutting the ambulance doors and drowning out his voice.
"His kid is a year old." Nikki rolls her eyes.
"It's sweet." Kate protests. "I'll text him the link."
"Whatever!" Nikki calls back, walking to the driver's door. "But good job, McGregor."