Carter will be making an appearance shortly, I promise, only a couple more chapters to go first. Yet another fairly pointless chapter.
Chapter 9 - There She Goes
I opened the door and was surprised by who I found there.
"Picnic?" he asked holding up what I take it was the food.
"Mike! What is this in aid of?"
"I just thought I hadn't seen you for a while, and it's a great day." That was true, I had been looking out the window all morning at the brilliant sunshine and blue sky. It was the end of April and was finally beginning to get warmer.
"Sure, why not. You'll have to wait for me to get ready first though. Come in." I open the door wider, and he steps through.
"It's nothing special, just sandwiches and things."
"I'm sure it'll be fine. I haven't been out for a picnic for ages." I had only seen him once since I came out of hospital and though it had only been for a short time, it had felt all right though. It hadn't been awkward. I had looked forward to getting to know him better; maybe I would this time.
Half an hour later we were on our way to the park. Leah was well wrapped up against any possible cold weather that might surprise us. He parked his car up and we climbed out. The walk round the park was beautiful, bright sun, spring flowers and passing families. We settled down at the picnic site. Mike unpacked all the food. 'Just sandwiches' was a bit of an understatement. He had prepared tons of food, enough to feed a few families let alone two people.
"This is great Mike." I say stuffing a sandwich in my face.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Anyway why did you decide to bring me on a picnic?"
"I was thinking about you, and I really want to get to know you more. As friends that is. And as long as you don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind, why would I?" He is so shy it's really sweet, you would have never have thought it from meeting him when he was working.
"I don't know." He looks down at the food in front of him.
"So what do you want to know?" I smile trying to make him feel better about it.
We had been talking for over three-quarters of an hour. I'd told him about parts of my life, about work and a bit about Carter. He knew that Carter was Leah's father and that he was in Africa. Now it was my turn to quiz him.
"So, you know about me, what about you, any family?"
"Not a lot, I've got a son, Aiden, he's eight. He's at a friend's house today so I could take you out instead. That's it really, just me and him against the world." He laughs. "I'm like you nothing goes to plan, I never thought I'd be a single parent either. His mother, Jodie, she died when he was three." He breaks off, looking around at the other people nearby.
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right, it was a long time ago. It was an accident, couldn't have been prevented. I loved her, I still miss her now."
"Of course you do." I say gently putting a hand on his arm. He looks back at me and gives me a sad smile.
"I don't think anyone could ever fill the gap she's left. We were married for five years. They were the best years of my life." His smile changes as he remembers those times. I feel guilty for bringing it up, bringing back the memories. "Anyway me and Aiden are good. He's really sporty, basketball, soccer, baseball, anything with a ball really!" He says laughing. "You'll have to come watch him play sometime, he's quite good actually, not that I'm boasting or anything!" He laughs which I join in with.
"Of course not! I'd like to do that."
We sit and talk for a while longer about the rest of his life, until Leah gets fed up of being outside for so long and starts crying, and whatever I do I can't stop her. We pack up and leave, I'm sure most of the people in the park must be thinking what a bad mother I am letting my child cry so much.
"I'm sorry about this!" I apologize as he drops me and a still crabby Leah back at our apartment. "Thank you for a lovely day."
"Anytime! I better leave you too it. I've enjoyed your company Abby, I hope we can meet up again, that is if you'd like to."
"I'd love to. Thanks again, bye."
"Bye."
*~*
Leah is finally settled and I sit down just as the phone rings, forcing me to get back up again.
"Hello?"
"Where were you?" Nice greeting.
"Hey Susan."
"Hey, so where were you? I called round earlier you weren't in, I waited for ages."
"Sorry, Mike took us for a picnic." There's silence.
"Mike? Oh paramedic Mike?"
"Yep, it was really nice of him. We got to know each other a bit better."
"So what's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing!" Trust her to think of it like that.
"Yeah right come on Abby, spill the beans."
"Nothing's going on! I promise. What did you want earlier anyway?"
"I almost forgot! Can I come round now?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"I'll tell you when I get there. See you in fifteen bye." She hangs up leaving me wondering what's so important she has to tell me to my face.
"Congratulations!" I throw my arms around my friend. "When did you find out?"
"Two days ago."
"And you only told me today?"
"Come on Abby you waited six weeks before telling me."
"I didn't know myself for five of those weeks. I'm so happy for you Susan! Does Chuck know?"
"Yeah I told him last night. He was really excited."
"I bet he was. Leah will have a friend now!"
"She'll have to wait nine months for him or her to get here though!" I hug her again, I can't believe it, she looks so happy.
"I might be round borrowing Leah sometime in the future." I give her a curious look.
"I need the practice, I don't want to screw up."
"You wouldn't screw up Susan, you've done it all before anyway. You've got nothing to worry about."
"It'll be different to looking after Susie though."
"How?"
"I have no idea but I'm sure it will be, plus it was so long ago."
"You're going to be a brilliant mother Susan. I'm so happy for you." This time it's her that hugs me.
The perfect end to the perfect day.
Chapter 9 - There She Goes
I opened the door and was surprised by who I found there.
"Picnic?" he asked holding up what I take it was the food.
"Mike! What is this in aid of?"
"I just thought I hadn't seen you for a while, and it's a great day." That was true, I had been looking out the window all morning at the brilliant sunshine and blue sky. It was the end of April and was finally beginning to get warmer.
"Sure, why not. You'll have to wait for me to get ready first though. Come in." I open the door wider, and he steps through.
"It's nothing special, just sandwiches and things."
"I'm sure it'll be fine. I haven't been out for a picnic for ages." I had only seen him once since I came out of hospital and though it had only been for a short time, it had felt all right though. It hadn't been awkward. I had looked forward to getting to know him better; maybe I would this time.
Half an hour later we were on our way to the park. Leah was well wrapped up against any possible cold weather that might surprise us. He parked his car up and we climbed out. The walk round the park was beautiful, bright sun, spring flowers and passing families. We settled down at the picnic site. Mike unpacked all the food. 'Just sandwiches' was a bit of an understatement. He had prepared tons of food, enough to feed a few families let alone two people.
"This is great Mike." I say stuffing a sandwich in my face.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Anyway why did you decide to bring me on a picnic?"
"I was thinking about you, and I really want to get to know you more. As friends that is. And as long as you don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind, why would I?" He is so shy it's really sweet, you would have never have thought it from meeting him when he was working.
"I don't know." He looks down at the food in front of him.
"So what do you want to know?" I smile trying to make him feel better about it.
We had been talking for over three-quarters of an hour. I'd told him about parts of my life, about work and a bit about Carter. He knew that Carter was Leah's father and that he was in Africa. Now it was my turn to quiz him.
"So, you know about me, what about you, any family?"
"Not a lot, I've got a son, Aiden, he's eight. He's at a friend's house today so I could take you out instead. That's it really, just me and him against the world." He laughs. "I'm like you nothing goes to plan, I never thought I'd be a single parent either. His mother, Jodie, she died when he was three." He breaks off, looking around at the other people nearby.
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right, it was a long time ago. It was an accident, couldn't have been prevented. I loved her, I still miss her now."
"Of course you do." I say gently putting a hand on his arm. He looks back at me and gives me a sad smile.
"I don't think anyone could ever fill the gap she's left. We were married for five years. They were the best years of my life." His smile changes as he remembers those times. I feel guilty for bringing it up, bringing back the memories. "Anyway me and Aiden are good. He's really sporty, basketball, soccer, baseball, anything with a ball really!" He says laughing. "You'll have to come watch him play sometime, he's quite good actually, not that I'm boasting or anything!" He laughs which I join in with.
"Of course not! I'd like to do that."
We sit and talk for a while longer about the rest of his life, until Leah gets fed up of being outside for so long and starts crying, and whatever I do I can't stop her. We pack up and leave, I'm sure most of the people in the park must be thinking what a bad mother I am letting my child cry so much.
"I'm sorry about this!" I apologize as he drops me and a still crabby Leah back at our apartment. "Thank you for a lovely day."
"Anytime! I better leave you too it. I've enjoyed your company Abby, I hope we can meet up again, that is if you'd like to."
"I'd love to. Thanks again, bye."
"Bye."
*~*
Leah is finally settled and I sit down just as the phone rings, forcing me to get back up again.
"Hello?"
"Where were you?" Nice greeting.
"Hey Susan."
"Hey, so where were you? I called round earlier you weren't in, I waited for ages."
"Sorry, Mike took us for a picnic." There's silence.
"Mike? Oh paramedic Mike?"
"Yep, it was really nice of him. We got to know each other a bit better."
"So what's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing!" Trust her to think of it like that.
"Yeah right come on Abby, spill the beans."
"Nothing's going on! I promise. What did you want earlier anyway?"
"I almost forgot! Can I come round now?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"I'll tell you when I get there. See you in fifteen bye." She hangs up leaving me wondering what's so important she has to tell me to my face.
"Congratulations!" I throw my arms around my friend. "When did you find out?"
"Two days ago."
"And you only told me today?"
"Come on Abby you waited six weeks before telling me."
"I didn't know myself for five of those weeks. I'm so happy for you Susan! Does Chuck know?"
"Yeah I told him last night. He was really excited."
"I bet he was. Leah will have a friend now!"
"She'll have to wait nine months for him or her to get here though!" I hug her again, I can't believe it, she looks so happy.
"I might be round borrowing Leah sometime in the future." I give her a curious look.
"I need the practice, I don't want to screw up."
"You wouldn't screw up Susan, you've done it all before anyway. You've got nothing to worry about."
"It'll be different to looking after Susie though."
"How?"
"I have no idea but I'm sure it will be, plus it was so long ago."
"You're going to be a brilliant mother Susan. I'm so happy for you." This time it's her that hugs me.
The perfect end to the perfect day.