Chapter 23

"Good morning sleepily head," said Liz to her daughter. It was nine and Katie made her way down to the kitchen.

Michael who had seen his partners daughter before her mother had smiled at her.

"Hey uncle Michael." she said to him, it was the first time they had seen each other since she had got there as she had been fast asleep by the time he had returned home the night before. Crawling on to the chair beside him she smiled.

"How are you? Are you feeling better? Mum said you have been ill poppet." He said as he embraced her.

"Just a little bit poorly. I feel a little bit better today."

But when Liz put her hand to her fore head it was clear she still had a wee bit left of her fever.

"Well I think we still might put going out off till tomorrow. Maybe we can just play games and things together here today, yeah?"

Katie nodded. "Can I have some breakfast" she asked.

"Well at least you have a appetite. How does some orange juice and corn flakes sounds?"

"Good." She said sitting down by the man who had torn her family apart yawning. She had slept sound last night but it was strange to be away from the street. She missed her father and brother already.

"Well I have to get to work." said Michael.

"OK. We're going tot have tea at five thirty, are you going to be back for it?" Liz asked as she got her daughter breakfast.

Michael shook his head. He didn't know why but some how when he looked at Katie all he saw was what his love had done to her and her family. He felt guilty about what he had done even thought it had taken two to tango. He had a true love for Liz but some times he wondered if he had done the right thing. Wondered if it had been worth all the pain the two of them had caused.

Also he found it hard to deal with the fact she had given Jim children and yet now he wanted them with her she wouldn't.

Liz had her reasons though.

She had done with giving birth the moment she had had her daughter. She had done the sleepless nights and the dirty nappies. Maybe she was being selfish, thinking because she had them that was it and she did understand Michael's need to having children, honestly she did. She had had it too when the boys were about seven and she and Jim had started trying for another child. Then nothing had come of it and they had been devastated. In the end they had settled for the fact they were lucky to have the twins and that was and put an end to it. Then they had had Katie.

She had all the kids she wanted. He was just going to have to come to terms with that.

"No I don't think I am." he said to her.

"Then maybe the three of us could do some thing over the weekend."

"Yeah. Sure if that's what you want."

"It is." she said to him and he went to work after giving her and Katie a kiss.

"Mummy what's wrong with uncle Michael." asked Katie.

"Don't worry darling. It's nothing to worry you."

-

Lunch time had come around.

The girls from the factory sat in the snug at the Rovers, laughing, smoking and having a pint as they always did.

They had a reason for it today though. A new worker had started at the factory.

Gwen Davies was a beaten down women who had just got out a violent marriage not that she had told any one that yet.

She had low self esteem so when she had been taken under the wings of the other factory girls so quickly it had been a relief to see she had been accepted in to the group so fast.

They had been joking when Sally saw her husband come in.

"Hey," she said as she went over and kissed him.

"Hey you alright," he asked.

"Yeah come over and the new factory girl." she said to them. They were all trying to make her feel welcome.

And so with his own new recruit, Tyrone, Kevin and Jim they went over, took up three stools and sat with the girls.

"So Jim, you enjoying your week off?" asked Janice.

"Dunno." he said honestly

"You soppy git. You have been apart from her-"

"Rarely. I don't like not knowing what she is doing. And the state I left her in... Well she weren't good!"

"Well I am sure she is going to be ok with her mum."

"Whose this?" asked Gwen.

"The first lady of my life." said Jim.

"So… you going to enjoy yourself while she's gone. You know. Go out on the pull."

The others cracked up.

"Now that's a good idea if ever I heard one."

Even for him who didn't really need a lot of physical affection he had been with out for a very long time. But neither was he the sort of guy for a one night stand… if he was to be with a women he would be with her for love. Not for sex.

Gwen couldn't believe what she was hearing. The first lady off his life. Surely that was wife and they were encouraging him to have an affair.

"When will she be home?" asked Kev.

"Saturday I have to go get her." He smiled, already looking forward to it.

"Plenty of time then."

"Gwen is some thong the matter?" asked Hayley. You looked appealed."

"Well it just when I thought when you took a vow you weren't met to keep it. Is that not the case round here."

Every one including Jim burst in to laughter.

"Believe me, that one happened long ago and if you are looking for the one who had the affair look to our Elizabeth. There talking about my daughter." He said to her with a look that told her the comments she had made were misplaced, and she had had no right to make them at all.

She was mortified.

"I am so sorry."

"Don't worry there is nothing like it when people pre judge you." he said as he drunk his pint.

-

It was just as well Katie had not been well that day Liz thought. Her daughter who was so active would have had to stay inside that day as the rain feel down on them. Seem like autumn was coming to a close, she thought. It was freezing out side. Winter was coming.

"Poppet, are you ok?" Liz asked.

"Yeah. Just miss daddy. Mummy, why did you go away?" she asked her.

Liz sighed. She didn't really understand why her daughter was asking this now.

"Because me and Uncle Michael are in love Katie." She said to her gently.

"But you said to be it was all going to be ok," she remembered as she looked in to her mothers eyes.

"I know I did. And that was very wrong of mummy, because I didn't know what I felt at the time. I wanted us to be ok I guess. But just because I did go doesn't mean I don't love you, or love Steve because I do. I love you both, as well as Andy very much.

"And dad?" she asked.

"In a way." she admitted nodding her head. She'd always have some sort of love for Jim. He had been her teenage sweetheart.

"Do you think you are ever going to come back and live in Weatherfield again?" she asked hopefully. She wished her mother would return.

"Maybe one day. Maybe."

She was sure she was going to return one day in fact. She didn't like living so far away from all those she loved.

-

Jim had been at the garage working when he had heard some one behind him.

"I am so sorry."

"For what? For assuming I am idiot or for getting that bit right." said Jim, jokingly deciding to lay of her and forgive her ash she was new to the area..

Gwen had come to try and make the peace.

"Listen I know what I said was so out of line but believe you me I have my reasons." she tried to justify herself. "I have just gone through a really hard divorce and things weren't great when I was married and… well I got you a bun from Roys to make it up." she said as she offered it to him.

Taking it he smiled gratefully.

"Its lucky for you I am a cheap date." he told her and she looked on edge. "Only kidding." he said as he begun eating. "I bet you want all men to die right?"

"No. Only ones who cheat on there wife's." and beat them, she thought to herself remembering what she had been through. .

"And wife's who cheat on there husbands?"

"I guess so."

"Well I wouldn't kill them all. Just those with out good reason."

"You think there can be a good reason for an affair."

"I don't know. Maybe. " he shrugged. "Want a coffee?" he offered as they seemed to be getting on better.

"I have to get back to work, being the new girl and all. I can't be slacking off yet." she said to him.

"No I guess not. What about a drink later?" he offered.

"Yeah alright." She nodded.

-

"I don't get to do this a lot." Jim admitted to Gwen.

"Becuase of your daughter." she guessed.

"Yeah. I mean my son lives with us, so he does, and he can take her off my hands for a few hours but, I cant remember the last time I – well I…"

"Had a date?"

"Is that what this is?" he asked.

"I think so."

"Well ok yeah, I don't get as lot of time to date either. I mean me and my husband have only just split up so this is the first." she told him.

"Well this is my first since Liz left me too." he nodded.

"Katie's mum?"

"Yeah."

"How old is she, your girl?" she wondered.

"Eight in January." he told her.

"Wow. I bet she's a little character." she smiled.

"Yeah I guess she is." he nodded.

With out her he had to admit he missed her awfully. This was the longest they had been apart since he had been in hospital and he wasn't sure he wasn't entirely comfortable with it. She was safe and he told himself that but it didn't always help. He missed just being able to go and check on her when ever he wanted too. Knowing when to step back part of being a father too he reminded himself.

"So what about you. You got any kids."

"One son, hitting twenty five." she nodded.

"About the same age as the twins."

"Twins?"

"Yeah, Andy is out in Spain teaching English and our Steve is the one still at home."

"Wow. Three kids. I had a hard enough time with one."

"No ones saying it's easy, but it is half worth it so it is." He said with a smile.

-

Katie had roses back in here checks by the morning her father was due to come and get her to take her home.

It was the end of the week with her mum and she was waiting for her dad.

She couldn't wait to see him. She had so much to tell him about what they had been up too. Liz how ever was dreading her going.

She had had a great time being a full time mum again and she didn't want to go back to being with out her daughter and so she had decided when she was gone she was going to talk to Michael about moving back to Manchester. She had never really felt at home here and she wanted to go home.

"Mum."

"Yes baby."

"I know I am excited about dad coming to get me but I am going to miss you when I am home. Can you come see me." she asked.

"Of course I can. I am sure your aunty Deirdre will put up with me for a weekend soon if you want."

"Yeah."

It was then that the door went.

Liz opened it and Katie ran in to her dad arms throwing him off balance nearly.

"I am pleased too see you missed me wee lass." he said to her as he hugged her, god knows he had missed her.

The two embraced tight and grinned.

"Me and mum had such a good time, haven t we mum?" she said to Liz..

"Yeah we have. Why don't I put the kettle on and you can tell dad everything."

"Liz that'd be great but we have to get going." Jim said to her.

She sighed.

"Oh well that's a shame."

"Why don't I get your bags in the car and you can say bye bye to mum yeah?" Jim said to Katie and she nodded.

Liz bent down and hugged her.

She always hated saying good bye. Giving her back.

"Well you be a good girl for daddy and I will come and see your really soon."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course I do."

"You know, I have fun living with dad and we get on well, but I miss you so much mum. Why can't you just come back and live with me and daddy." shre asked.

"You'll understand one day darling. I promise you that. And next time I see you, we are going to go to the cinema again yeah?"

Katie nodded.

"Good girl. I love you."

"I love you too mum."

Liz didn't let the tears fall till her daughter was gone. She hardly ever let any one see her cry let alone her own child. She didn't want to seem weak to her. And besides Katie wanted to go back to Jim. She was ready to go home now and it was the right thing for her to do. When ever she was with her now, it was only for visits, and it was Liz's fault that had to be. She may be a mother but she thought herself a poor one these days.

-

"Right what do we think of a fish and chip sinner.""
"Sounds good to me."

"Does it. Yeah me too I cant be bothered to cook tonight. And when we are having it you can tell me all the lovely things you did with your mum." Jim said to Katie.

"It was good. I like it when it was just me and mum which was most of the time. I didn't see a lot of my uncle Michael."

"Nah, well he is busy man so he is." he said to her wondering how many other of his clients wife's he was stealing.

"I know. Its good. It gave me and mum loads of time."

"And your mum was fun?"

"Loads. It wasn't like how it was when I just had to go to her for the afternoon living, with her it never is and I knew you were ok too, with me and mum being together like. I think I want to go back and see her again soon." she requested.

"Well I am sure she will be happy to have you so she will, but I am so glad you home. I had no one to tease."

"Dad!"