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Chap 21 - Landslide
"Hey Carter, come in, she's all ready and waiting to go." I turn away from the door leaving it open for him to come in, and set about collecting my things together from around the room.
"Hi, are you all right? You seemed a little stressed."
"I just got up a bit late and my lift should be here soon."
"I thought you weren't on till half eight."
"I'm not, we're going for coffee first." I finish finding my stuff and join him in the kitchen with Leah.
"Oh right, I better let you get off then."
"My lift isn't here yet anyway. What are you two going to do today?"
"I don't know yet, I'll take her back to the mansion and decide from there."
"You still living there? I thought you were selling it."
"I decided I'd keep it for now, I can't really be bothered with having to sort it all out as well as starting back at work. I think I'm just going to throw myself into that and see how it goes before looking for somewhere else to live."
"Right. When are you starting back?"
"Two days."
"We'll have to sort something out then, can we talk about it tomorrow night?"
"Yep, what time?"
"I get off at six so anytime after that." There's a knock on the door and I move to open it.
"Hi Mike, I'll be one minute." He notices Carter and looks a bit uneasy.
"I'll wait in the car." He turns and walks down the stairs.
"Thanks." I say before turning back to Carter.
"Right, I better be going, I'll see you tonight." I walk over to Leah giving her a kiss goodbye.
"See you later darling, I'll pick her up after my shift if that's all right?"
He nods slowly "Who was that?" I look back at him smiling as I head out the door.
"Mike, my lift, I'll talk to you later, bye." I pick up my bag and head down the stairs after Mike.
"Thanks for this Mike"
"It's only coffee."
"No, not just for that, for the lift and the company."
"No problem, I enjoy the company too, it's nice to have someone else to talk to other than an eight year old or people at work. We should do this more often I haven't seen you for a couple of weeks."
"I know I've been really busy."
"Was that him?"
"Who?"
"Leah's father?"
"Yeah, that was Carter, he came back three weeks ago."
"How have things been between you two?"
"A bit rocky, most of the time we get on all right, sometimes we end up just arguing and shouting but I think we're getting there, just!"
"It's bound to take time."
"Just how much?" He laughs.
"It'll take however long it takes, you'll get there eventually." I nod in reply, I suppose he's right.
"You better be going anyway if you don't want to be late." I look at my watch and jump up.
"Is that the time already?" I pick up my coat fishing some change out of my pocket for the coffee. "Are you working on Sunday?" He shakes his head no. "I finish my shift at twelve, if you want to do something."
"Sue I'll pick you up if you want, I'll have Aiden with me mind."
"That's fine, I'll see you then." I rush off towards the hospital before anyone has chance to realise I'm late.
"Right I think that's everything sorted for the next month anyway." Carter and I were sat in my kitchen, we'd just been comparing shifts and sorting out who was taking Leah when. We'd managed to agree on a plan fairly quickly.
"Yep, it's worked out quite well really, not many of our shifts are at the same time, so she has to spend less time in day care. Are you sure you're going to be able to manage working and looking after her, I could find a nanny if you want?" I don't want to stress him out more than necessary.
"No, I'll be fine, it'll take a while to get used to but you seem to manage so I'm sure I will."
"Yeah, but I've had the practise." I laugh.
"I'll manage!"
"Tell me if you're not won't you, it doesn't make us bad parents having to hire a nanny."
"I know it doesn't but we don't need to unless you want to get one?" Fine turn it round to me why don't you.
"Not if you're helping, we'll manage fine."
"So you're picking her up from day care tomorrow at twelve?"
"Yes, you're dropping her off in the morning, and then I'm taking her out with Mike after my shift."
"Who is this Mike?" He asks curiously.
"Oh, he's a friend, he rescued me and Susan from the accident."
"What accident?"
"You still don't know about that?" I didn't realise he didn't know, how could he not?
"No, what happened?"
"Me and Susan nearly died, nothing serious really!" I try to shrug it off I don't really want to go into detail about it, but he's not going to drop it.
"When was this?"
"About eight months ago, it's why Leah was premature, the car we were in got hit from the side pushing it across the road into the cars coming the other way. We were both all right luckily."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I haven't really thought about it, I kind of forgot you didn't know, it doesn't really come up in general conversation."
"I suppose not, I can't believe I didn't know!"
"You do now. I'm starving, do you want something to eat." I try and change the conversation not wanting to remember the accident.
"I don't know, has you're cooking improved since I left?" I put on a pretend hurt look, my cooking isn't that bad, yeah it's not great but it's edible.
"Cheek! What's wrong with my cooking?"
"Where do I start? No it's not that bad really but do you want to go out and get something so you don't have to cook?"
"Sure why not, what do you have in mind?" What am I agreeing to, why am I going for a meal with Carter?
"I know this place not that far from here, I'll give it a ring." He moves to the phone, while I start to get Leah ready to go out again which shouldn't take long seeing as Carter only brought her back half an hour ago.
"Right, they're expecting us in twenty minutes."
"It better not be a posh place."
"It's not I promise!"
"You posh and my posh are two different things."
"It's not your posh, it's just a normal restaurant, nothing fancy. We better be off if you're ready."
"Can I not change first?"
"You've got two minutes and then I'm leaving with out you, I hadn't realised how hungry I was."
"I'll be as quick as possible, entertain Leah for me will you?" I head off into my room, I still can't believe I agreed to this.
A/N sorry another fairly pointless chapter, I will make it interesting soon I promise!