Authors Notes: Thanks for the reviews, here is Chapter 11. The story at the moment is looking to being 20 ish Chapters. As Fabio said there is definately at least 16 Chapters, with the story yet to be finished. I tend to update quickly because i've pre-written a few chapters and due to the unpredictable nature of my illness, without pre-witing them the story could end up sitting unupdated for months. So if i am updating too quickly for some people to keep up, i do apologise!
Someone asked if i was going to include any other characters from Sunhill - one or two will be appearing in a chapter or so's time, anymore depends on how the last few chapters pan out.
Once again, thanks for the reviews and support.
Please Read and Review!
Chapter 11
It's Saturday.
"So what do you think?"
"I don't know. You're the one who wants to buy her something."
"Yeh. But how I am supposed to know what to get? She's a baby and a girl."
"And you are hopeless and don't have a clue." Andrea smiles at Neil. "Right?"
They are standing in a baby shop, looking at clothes. Neil wants to buy an outfit for Annabelle.
"Something pink?" Neil tries.
Andrea rolls her eyes. "Well I like this one and that one so which do you want to buy her?"
"She can have both then."
Andrea eyes fall on the price labels, "Not at that price she won't."
"I'm buying it." Neil argues.
"Well I'm her mother and I'm saying no. I don't buy her stuff costing that much."
"You could if you let me help out with the money."
"I've told you Neil I don't need any help with money!"
Neil rolls his eyes. "Of course you don't."
"I don't!" Andrea replies sulkily. "You are so annoying Neil."
"Me? At least I'm not lying to everyone including myself. If anyone's annoying it's …."
"Daddy, I'm bored!"
They both look round to where Jake is standing next to Annabelle's pram. One arm is in plaster and decorated with squiggles and pictures.
"Which one do you think Jakey?" Andrea says holding out the two outfits for Jake to see.
"Their pink!" He says turning his nose up at them.
"Yeah well Bella's a girl isn't she?"
"S'pose" Jake says thoughtfully, "I like both. Bella have both of them!" he says smiling.
Neil laughs at Andrea's irritated expression, dropping a kiss on her head. "Looks like I'm buying both of them" He says smiling at her.
"I hate you Neil Manson." Andrea says through gritted teeth taking hold of the pram, guiding it through the shop aisle.
Jake is using his well arm to hold Neil's hand. "Andrea hates you Daddy." He says worriedly.
Neil smirks. "She doesn't really. She's just joking."
Andrea turns round raising her eyebrows, "You wanna bet?"
Jake giggles, "Andrea's funny, daddy."
"Sometimes." Neil says quietly.
Having finished in the baby shop, they continue down the street of the town that Neil's taken them out to for the day. Neil is now pushing the pram and Jake has taken hold of Andrea's hand.
"Let's go here!" Jake says tugging on Andrea's hand in the direction of a toy shop. "Daddy we're going in here!"
Jake is in his element in the toy shop, looking at all the toys. Neil heads off to look for something for Bella leaving Andrea with Jake.
"I like this Andrea." He says, pointing to an action figure. "Look!"
"Yeah, cool. Do you want it then Jake?" She asks.
"Nah" Jake says moving onto an aisle containing toy vehicles. "That's a police car." He says pointing to toy car. "Daddy is a sort of policeman."
"Daddy's a detective." Andrea corrects.
"Yeh, a detec... I can't say it properly." He grins, before indicating a box on the shelf. "I want this!" He says showing Andrea the remote control car.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then we'll get it for you." Andrea says getting the box off the shelf and carrying it. "Let's go see Daddy."
"I can really have it?" Jake asks his eyes wide.
"Yeah I should think so."
They eventually find Neil at the pay desk, writing a cheque, two new carrier bags at his side.
"Neil what have you gone and bought her?" Andrea asks, eyeing the two full bags.
"Some toys." Neil replies taking his receipt. "What's that?" He asks of the box in Andrea's arms.
"S'mote control car, Daddy. Andrea says I can have it." Jake says smugly.
"Why did you tell him that? I've told him before he's not getting one." Neil says clearly annoyed.
"Why not? You've just gone and bought Annabelle a load of toys she doesn't need. She's got enough toys."
"I wanted to buy her some, I'm her Dad." He argues.
"Yeah and your Jake's Dad as well, Neil. You haven't bought him anything."
"Why do you have to go and ruin everything?"
"Me? All I've done is point out that you've got two children to think of not just one!"
"Daddy I'm hungry! And I want my car." Jake protests, the toy shops novelty starting to wear off.
Annabelle then starts to cry. At this Neil takes the remote control car out of Andrea's hands and heads for the queue.
"We'll wait outside Neil." She says somewhat shortly taking Jakes spare hand and guiding the pram outside.
"Daddy's in a mood." Jake says.
Andrea laughs, "Yeah I think he is."
The fast food restaurant that Jake chose for their lunch is packed. Jake is happily munching at a children's meal whilst Andrea is feeding Annabelle her bottle, glaring at Neil.
"So you going to show me the toys you bought her?" Andrea asks, putting Bella's empty bottle on the table.
"Was going to take them back." Neil replies sulkily.
"Daddy moody!" Jake giggles. Causing Andrea to smirk. Annabelle joins in gurgling in agreement.
"It's not funny." Neil says trying not to smile.
Jake giggles some more.
"I don't like the way you're making my son gang up me." Neil whispers leaning over to where Andrea is sat.
Andrea smiles, dropping a kiss on his lips. "Well perhaps you shouldn't be so moody then." She says.
Neil grabs her pulling her back in for kiss. When they break apart they see Jake looking at them, a look of disgust on his face.
"Ugh!" Jake says.
Andrea looks hesitantly at Neil. Who opens his mouth to say something when Jake butts in.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Jake."
"Is Andrea your girlfriend?"
"No" Andrea replies.
"Yes." Neil says shooting her a look. "Yes she is."
"Cool!" Is Jakes reply, he then carries on eating.
"You're such hard work." Neil says to Andrea.
"Me?" She asks smiling, "Don't know what you're on about!" She says returning her attention to Annabelle.
It's evening now and Andrea is back home at her flat, trying to decipher the instructions for one of the toys Neil bought Annabelle.
Annabelle is lying on the floor waving a newly bought rattle in the air.
Giving up with the toy Andrea reaches for the phone, "We'll get Daddy to sort it out Bella." She says smiling at her daughter. "He bought the stupid thing!"
She dials Neil's number waiting for him to pick up.
"Hello."
"Neil" She says sweetly. "I can't work out this toy you've bought Annabelle. You going to come round and have a look?"
"Now?" Neil asks.
"Well she's waiting."
"Okay then. I'll be over in a bit." He says.
Neil arrives a while later and quickly works out what to do with the baby toy.
"And I thought you knew nothing about babies." Andrea smirks, handing Neil a glass of wine.
"She seems to like it." Neil says watching Annabelle play with her new toy.
Andrea rolls her eyes "She's such a Daddy's girl." She says sitting next to Neil on the floor.
"You don't regret me getting in touch though?" Neil asks his face turning serious.
"Well you are very annoying." Andrea answers jokingly.
"I'm being serious Andrea. Do you?"
Andrea's eyes focus on the ground. "Regret it. No. It's like I said in the letter I'd rather Annabelle knows her father then me telling her some made up fairy story. I don't want to lie to her."
Neil nods. "I just wish I'd got the letters sooner. I could have been there for you. The pregnancy and all that must have been hard on your own."
"It was alright. I managed. The worst thing. The worst thing was …" She starts to say.
"What?" Neil asks his eyes not leaving hers.
Andrea sets her glass of wine on the floor and gets up heading into her bedroom.
"Andrea!" Neil calls concerned.
She comes back in a letter in her hand. Sitting back down she hands the letter to Neil, her eyes staring at the floor.
Neil reads the typed out letter, not quite believing what he's seeing. The letter is dated not long after Annabelle was born. As he reaches the end of the letter he sees his name staring back at him.
He turns to Andrea. "I didn't… I didn't write this."
"I know." She says. "But when I got it I thought you had. It was after I'd sent you the photo of Bella after she'd been born. I thought you hated me. I thought you'd never want to see Bella." She says blinking back the tears, that have started to come.
Neil pulls Andrea into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I don't hate you." He says softly, pushing her hair back. "I was shocked when I got your letters and wasn't sure what to do, but I wanted to see Bella."
Andrea nods cuddling up closer to Neil. "I don't know…" Neil starts to say. "Phillipa, you said …"
"I don't know. She's the only person who knew about Annabelle and when you said she'd opened and kept my letters from you, I thought maybe it was her."
Neil nods, "I don't know how she could…" He says angrily.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asks Andrea.
"I wasn't sure. I wanted to leave it a while. I didn't want to cause any problems between you and Phillipa."
"She's the one causing the problems."
"Look, can we just leave it for now." Andrea says looking up at Neil. "Annabelle's fallen asleep, I need to get her to bed."
Neil nods, "Yeah"
Andrea continues to look up at him. "Can you stay the night?" She asks softly.
Neil smiles, "Yeah. Come here." He says leaning in to kiss her.
They put Annabelle to bed and curl up together on the sofa.
Inside though, Neil is still fuming at what Phillipa has done.