Authors notes: Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter. Here's chapter 10. Sorry it's a bit short, will update soon. Please read and review.
Chapter 10
Its late evening. Andrea is lounging on her sofa, TV remote in hand, aimlessly flicking through the channels. To the side of her, balancing on the sofa's arm is the phone.
Annabelle's been asleep now for over an hour. It's just Andrea, the sofa and the telly.
Finally settling for watching the news, she flings the remote to the floor, turning her attention to the phone. She glares at it, willing it to ring, but it just sits there, silent.
Rolling her eyes, she turns back to watch the news headlines. Mentally telling herself off, for getting so worked up about a missing phone call.
"Make your mind up Andrea." She mutters to herself. "One minute your regretting what happened between you and the next your fretting because he hasn't called you like he said."
She continues to stare at the telly, an expression of annoyance on her face. The news programme still running although she's taking none of it in.
5 minutes later and she's still there, every so often an eye drifting over to shoot the phone an evil look.
The news ends and a film, which Andrea has no desire to see, begins. Looking at the phone again, she decides to give in, reaching out to grab the phone. If Neil's not going to ring her, then she'll ring him.
Neil, like Andrea is sat on a sofa, a TV in front of him. Except it's not the news or some trashy film, that he's barely watching, it's a children's programme that Neil's contending with. That and a wide awake Jake, who is sitting next to him, still showing no signs or intentions of going to sleep.
"Jake?"
"Yeh" his son replies heavily engrossed in the programme he's watching.
"Bed?" Neil tries, for what must be the tenth time that evening.
"Nah, not sleepy." Jake says, holding his broken arm, which is now in plaster.
Neil sighs, "Jakey."
"I'm not sleepy Daddy!" He protests.
Just then the phone rings.
"Phone, Daddy" Jake says smiling, knowing his dad is now off his case for the moment.
"Hello" Neil says grabbing the phone, silently praying it's not Phillipa.
"Neil"
He instantly relaxes, safe in the knowledge it's not Phillipa."Andrea."
"Well?" She asks, annoyed by the lacking of apology for not ringing her earlier.
"Well …?" Neil repeats looking puzzled.
"Neil, you didn't ring me."
"Oh, no I didn't. Look I'm sorry. It's Jake, I've been having a few problems."
"Jake is he alright?" She asks concerned.
"Yeah, he's fine. Phillipa just suddenly decided she was working tonight and didn't tell me till this evening. And now he won't go to sleep."
"Do you want me to have a word with him?"
Neil looks over to Jake. "Yeah go on then."
"Jake! Andrea's on the phone." He calls out to his son.
Jake turns round from the TV holding out his uninjured arm. "Can I speak to her?"
"Yeah"
"Hello." He says.
"Hello Jake, how's your arm?"
"S'its okay. Can I speak to Bella?"
Andrea laughs. "No sweetheart, she's asleep."
"Oh."
"Jake?"
"Yeah."
"You going to go to bed now."
"Not sleepy."
Neil who's been watching the conversation rolls his eyes.
"Annabelle's asleep."
"Mmmh."
"Jake, please."
Jake thinks for a moment, a smile creeps across his face. "I'll go to bed if I can see Bella again and you have to sign my cast, when i see you." He says.
Andrea smiles "Okay then, but you have to go to bed, yeah? So why don't you go now while I finish talking to Daddy, yeah?"
"Kay." Jake says, handing the phone to Neil before scrambling off the sofa and making his way to his bedroom at his dad's flat.
"Thanks for that." Neil says down the phone to Andrea.
"That's ok."
"Sorry I didn't ring, things just got a bit hectic."
"Don't worry about it."
"I was thinking, I've got Jake this Saturday, maybe we could do something?"
"I'm meant to be working but I suppose I could swap days." Andrea says thoughtfully.
"Yeh?"
"Mmmh."
"Okay then, maybe we could go shopping and go somewhere for lunch."
"Yeah." She replies yawning. "Neil?"
"Yeh."
"This morning, I'm sorry I was a bit off. It's just … well...I'd prefer it if we take things slowly." She says carefully not sure of what reaction to expect.
"Yeah, ok." Neil says not caring to what he's agreed to. He's determined not to lose Andrea again and if that means taking things slowly, then that's what he'll do.
"So I'll see you on Saturday then?"
"Yeh, I'll pick you up."
"Okay then."
"Take care then and tell Bella I love her."
"Yeah. Okay."
"Bye."
"Night"