Liz woke to find her husband was already up. How could he be up so early? Surely he had a splitting head ache just as she did. Just cause she had been working didn't go to say she did not have a good drink cause she had.
Putting on her night gown she went in to the kitchen to find him nursing a cup of tea.
Smiling she went over to him and he pulled out his chair allowing her to gently slide in to his lap.
"You are so bad, not telling me that I had a party last night. A quiet night with the boys my behind." he said as he kissed her, "but thank you, my darling, thank you."
"It was no trouble and when I told every one they wanted to help make your home coming special." she said.
"I guess so." he said as he kissed her.
"Why don't we go back to bed Jim," she asked. They had no place to be.
"I want to go get myself a job this morning." he shook his head.
"oh come on love, you want to relax a bit surely before getting a job; you have only been out a few days." she said to him.
"I know, but it isn't like me just to be sitting about I hate it." he said to her. "Let me get a job and start help with the rent on this place." he said to her. He didn't want to free load of her.
"It doesn't matter," she said to him but he was admitted.
"And besides we need some milk, before I do any thing else." he said to her.
She sighed. He was giving himself no time to get used to being out! she thought to herself.
"We can wait a bit, you know I like my coffee black any way." she said as she took his hands.
"Please, Elizabeth." he said realising she was nit going to let him out of her sight easily it seemed. "I just need a bit of time to myself today." he said and she nodded, before giving him a kiss.
"Ok love, then pop in on me at work today if I don't see you before. I shall be getting in at three." he said and he headed off towards the front door.
He had to get his head straight.
Jim walked own to the Kabin to get the milk he had told his wife to be he was going to get. How ever just as he headed in, Frankie came out.
She still felt such a fool.
"Good morning." He said to her, his gruff voice filled with amusement.
"Good morning," she said and already she begun to blush. "Jim about last night –"she said and he cut her off.
"Think nothing of it," he shook his head. It had been just a bad choice of words that was all.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Of course," he said with a grin.
"Thanks, I am not usually like that." She said to him.
"Well why don't we start over then. Me and Liz are having a drink later." He said to her. "You can join us if you want."
"That's very sweet, but no your only just back and you and Liz should have some time on your own I don't want to intrude. Apart from that I have a lot of bits to getting on with at home."
"Well that's a shame." He said as she nodded.
"I'll see you later." She said to the well mannered Irish man and went on her way. Frankie felt her heart race as he spoke to her and she knew she hadn't felt like this for just a crush in a long time. Not since she had met Danny.
"Good morning Rita!" said Jim as he went in to the kabin.
"Hello love, welcome home!" she said. "Is it good to be back?" she asked.
"Wonderful," he said as he remembered Liz…but then Frankie came in to his head.
Shaking her out, he paid for his milk, said good day to Rita and went on his way to the mechanics.
"Alright mate?" Kevin asked.
"Aye," said Jim to him. "Don't s'pose yer got a job going spare have yer?"
"as it goes I do. Me and Tyrone have been running this place bys ours selves for months. We'd be glad to have you back Jim." He said to him.
"Good. When shall start?" he asked.
"Tomorrow if I suits you." he said confidently. Jim was a skilled mechanic and he knew what he was doing. There was going to be no training needed for him to find his way round a engine and he had always been a good grafter.
"Aye it does. See you at nine, boss." He said to him.
Smiling he turned down the street. Being out was not as half as bad as he had at first thought. As much as he had been desperate to be back with his women he had been afraid to but, he saw there was nothing to fear now.
Going over to his son's car business, he sighed. He had to get this over with. Figure out who his Amy girl was.
-
Steve had devised a plan that was hopefully going to work. Having gotten Amy from Tracy for the day he decided if she was here, then Jim was unable to shout.
The six year old girl was bored, but pleased to be with her dad. They never got enough time together. And even better, she got as day off school for it.
"Dad, why am I here?" she asked.
"Because you are going to met your grandpa Jim today." He said to her. "Would you like that?" he asked,
"Is he like grandpa Ken?" she asked.
"Well, no not exactly but he is very, erm…fun." He said trying to paint the girl a good picture of him.
"Good cos grandpa Ken is really boring at times." She stated making her father grin and laugh.
It was then the door opened. His dad was here. He went nothing…
"Right Steven we need to talk." said Jim to his son. He was shocked to see a little girl in with him.
"I know we do but before we do, I need you to meet some one dad. Dad, this is Amy. My Amy." He said as he pulled his little girl in to his lap.
"Dad stop being silly" she said to him as she went over to Jim.
"Are you my grandpa?" she asked him innocently.
For Steve the moment was pure magic. He had never guessed he was going to find it so important than his dad met his child. He had never been that sentimental, but today he was.
Jim for a moment didn't know what to say. How did you answer a question like that, He didn't know.
But then again she had called Steve dad. So yes that did make him her grandpa.
"Yeah I think I am lass." he said to her and he saw as she gave him the biggest smile before rushing to give him a cuddle. Well Amy hadn't been what he had been expecting at all. He had thought his son might have got remarried to another women after Karen or perhaps a new girl friend but a grand child?
Sighing he whisked her off her feet. There was no point getting angry. What was it going to change. He had to accept hr hadn't been told. There was probably a good reason….some where…
"So, I'm a grandpa am I darling?" he asked and she nodded.
He had to admit it. This was the greatest home coming present ever!
Steve was shocked how mild his father's reaction to his little girl had been. He had been expecting yelling and yet his dad had proved him so wrong by giving her a hug and showing the girl affection.
"Dad… I wanted to tell you ages ago, I just didn't want her to see you in there and I knew you were going to want to see her as soon as you knew." Steve told his father.
"don't worry about it son. I'm home now. And I am sure me and Amy can make yup for lost time." He said and she smiled. Already he was every inch the doting grandpa.