A/N - there are some made up words in the beginning of this chapter because Harriet's son can't explain a word properly but the real word is explained straight after so it will make sense.

Chapter Sixteen – Mummy Dearest.

Harriet stood, taking in the tableaux before her for a second. There didn't seem to be any sign of Rick anywhere, suggesting he was expecting her to take care of the child. She walked over to Greg and took the box from him, then moved to the sofa and sat down with it.

'Harriet?' Greg said, quietly. 'What about him?'

She looked up at them again. They were still standing in front of the door staring at her. Looking back at the box, it occurred to her that perhaps in her surprise she had given priority to the wrong thing.

'I'm sorry,' she said at last. 'Come and sit over here.'

'Me?' Greg asked.

'No, him,' Harriet nodded at the little boy.

Greg took the bag from him and gave him a little nudge forward. He smiled and ran to the sofa, jumping onto the cushions and sitting beside her. Harriet wasn't sure what to do. She had taken him for days out before but in reality knew very little about him.

'Hello mummy,' he said, smiling innocently at her.

'Hi, how are you doing?' she replied.

'I'm o.k. Daddy says I'm staying with you now.'

'Did he? For how long?'

The boy thought for a moment, scrunching his eyebrows together and looking up towards the ceiling.

'Til you get your postinilities,' he said at last.

'My what? I don't understand,' Harriet said, looking to Greg pleadingly for assistance.

Greg shrugged 'sorry, I've no idea.' He said.

The boy sighed 'Daddy says I have to stay here because you have to face your ponsibilities …no that's not right…' the little boy looked to Greg as well.

'Responsibilities?' Greg suggested.

The little boy got excited. 'Yeah, that's what I said, postibilities.'

Harriet laughed at him. He had tried to say the word three times, each with a completely different pronunciation and none had been right. He smiled at her, baring tiny rows of milk teeth.

'So has Daddy gone home?' she asked.

'Yep, says I'm staying here and that you can't make me go away because you're my mummy,' he said.

Harriet looked at Greg apologetically, he hadn't asked for any of this and it was his apartment. He just shrugged at her and grinned, clearly finding this interesting or amusing or both. She felt a small hand touch hers. Looking down she came face to face with a worried looking pair of brown eyes.

'You're not going to make me go away are you?' he asked.

'No of course I'm not,' Harriet said, patting her lap. 'Come here.'

He climbed up onto her knee. This felt awkward for her but for some reason she felt she needed to comfort him. She knew he must be confused, not having a mother around and she didn't want him to think it was his fault. Having said that, she only let him sit there for a minute or two before suggesting that he have something to eat.

Greg couldn't help being slightly amused by this. He knew she had her issues with being this kid's mom but he was interested to know what was going to happen. Something told him this could only be a positive thing. They'd had some trying times this week, mostly because of him trying to pull himself back together after the worst case he'd ever had. Having this child around might give them both something positive to focus on. Plus he was amused to see how alike mother and child were despite not having spent that much time together.

Harriet had managed to find something to feed him, which seemed to take forever. Every option she gave him, he wasn't interested in. Greg also found it highly amusing when she was trying to explain why he couldn't have any of the 'blackcurrant', aka red wine, in Greg's fridge.

'That's not blackcurrant. That's a special drink for grown ups.' She said.

'Special, what for?' was the three year olds reply.

'It makes kids poorly, it makes grown ups poorly too but they drink it anyway,' she had tried to continue explaining but failed miserably.

'Grown ups do some stupid things why drink it if it makes you poorly?'

'Never mind.'

Greg decided to offer to watch the boy whilst Harriet went to bed. They were both used to sleeping for most of the daytime but obviously the little one wasn't. Besides, Greg liked being around kids, being a slightly older version of one himself.

'Are you sure?' Harriet said, quietly.

'Absolutely, we'll be fine.'

'O.k. If you need me just wake me up. I'm sorry about all this.' She said.

'It's fine, everything will be all right you're already doing really well.' Greg said.

'I am?'

'Yeah but there's one thing before you go to bed.'

'What's that?'

'His name is Jake, trying using it once in a while.'

Harriet gave him a weak half smile that suggested to him that she hadn't realised how little she was acknowledging her son properly. She nodded and went into her room. Greg turned to Jake who was sitting at the breakfast bar, legs dangling over the stool he was sitting on as he ate a sandwich.

'So, Jake, do you want to play some video games or watch a movie?' he asked.

'Moo hee!' was the enthusiastic, baloney muffled response.

'O.k., you eat up and I'll find us one to watch. I'm Greg by the way.' He said, uncomfortably, realising the child probably had no idea who he was.

Jake just smiled and nodded his head up and down so fast his eyes looked like they were in his chin. Greg smiled to himself and began searching his DVD collection for something child-friendly.

A/N - awww how cute is Greg? Sorry, on with the story.