Ange sat on the sofa with a huge sigh and her head in her hands. "Is Chloe okay?"
"Yeah she's sleeping. Sorry to leave you I wanted to wait up with her. I've left the door open so hopefully we can hear if she wakes. It's been a horrible day for her. She's not had a panic attack that awful since she was a teenager. Evenings are always hard for her whenever she's had a bad day. She's not working tomorrow so hopefully she can get some proper rest" Ange sighed again.
Dom put his had on her shoulder. She sat up. "Something smells good?"
"Yeah, I thought that we'd have to eat something. I found some pasta and tomato sauce and some veg in the fridge. Sorry if you already had plans for what to eat for dinner."
"No this is perfect and so thoughtful. Did you do all the washing up I had stacked in the sink."
"Yes, it was disgusting."
They ate amicably but it was obvious Ange was listening out for Chloe.
"She'll be okay." Dom said "she's strong."
"I think I know my daughter!" Ange snapped in reply, "sorry I didn't mean that." She backtracked "she's not as strong as she looks our Chloe. She's okay though, tucked up in my bed with snow lamb and baby bear."
"Snow lamb and baby bear?" Dom asked.
"Her childhood soft toys. I thought she might want them tonight for comfort." Ange paused. "There's so much I don't know about you." She realised. "What were your favourite toys when you were little. Chloe had a small army of Beanie baby's and Sylvanian families."
"I would have loved that but Barry, my dad is a 'mans man'" Dom said making inverted commas with his fingers. "Always buying me footballs and rugby shirts. I had some teddies that mum knew about but they were kept under my bed so dad wouldn't see them. We both grew up only children. Our best friends were our teddy's, my favourite was a monkey called monkey."
"Great name." Ange chuckled.
"I was 3" Dom laughed. "He's probably still in the loft of my parents house. I got another smaller monkey a year or so later and called him Bananas. My favourite game was that one called operation. Convinced me I wanted to be a surgeon, and gave me a steady hand."
"Chloe was given that one but was already on to injecting oranges. I worried for any fruit that came into our house! She was suturing them by the time she was 10." Ange chuckled.
"So she was always going to be a doctor?" Dom asked.
"Ever since she was tiny she wanted to be a doctor, and then a vet, then back to a doctor. Maybe I pushed her a bit but I can't imagine her being anything else." Ange mused. "Did you always want to be a doctor?"
"Not so much but I was good at science and got good grades and then I decided I wanted to help people and here we are. I can't imagine being anything else either."
"Did you have a lot of friends at school?" Ange asked, suddenly wanted to know everything about Dom as a child. "I always got on better with girls. At primary school I had a different best friend each year and at senior school I got on well with a group of girls. Emily, Bethan and Saskia. I was their gay best friend. We're not really in touch now other than via Facebook. My best friend is Zosia, did you ever get to meet her when she was here?"
"Zosia Self? Guy's daughter?" Ange asked.
"Yes, but she's nothing like her dad. Don't hold that against her. She's just had a baby Arthur Dominic!"
"She named her baby after you?" Ange smiled.
"Yes." Dom said proudly. "We had another wonderful friend too. Arthur Digby. He had cancer, and passed away. There's a plaque for him in the peace garden." Dom said sadly. "She named the baby after him too." He put his smile back on "she wants me to be the godfather. Do you want to see a picture?" He showed Ange some pictures Zosia was sending them most days. "Do you want Children?" Ange asked. "Yes, I'd like to adopt...even before I knew. It's unlikely any partner I'll ever have will have one naturally."
"You'd be a great dad I reckon." Ange smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes because she left the next sentence unsaid- a far better parent that I was to you- "you did what was right at the time." Dom said as if he could read her mind. "And look at you." Ange smiled "I did the right thing. You're amazing, Carole and Barry did a brilliant job of being your parents. You're a credit to them. I thought of you everyday. Imagined what you'd be like, what you'd be doing. You are the best of what I imagined." She smiled.
"Thank you." Dom smiled back. "I don't know if I've ever told you I'm glad you did what you did, that you gave me up, but I'm glad I have you back in my life too. And Chloe of course. I always wanted a sister and Chloe is wonderful." They chatted a bit longer about Dom's childhood. When Barry had forced him to join the rugby club, his old family holidays and his nights watching Strictly with his mum.
"I should get off. It's getting late." Dom said.
"You're welcome to stay the night. If put Chloe in my room because I don't really want to leave her so the spare rooms empty and I'm sure I can find you a toothbrush."
"Will it stress Chloe out, having someone else here?"
"I don't think so, plus you're working tomorrow morning right and I'm hoping Chloe can have a bit of a lie in." Ange said looking upwards towards the bedroom Chloe was sleeping in above them.
"Ok then goodnight." Dom smiled
"Goodnight Dom, I love you." Ange said. She'd never said that to Dom before so he walked back over and kissed Ange's head. "Love you too. Mum."
