We do not own Eastenders, Ashes to Ashes, Waterloo Road, Doctors, Emmerdale or River City
Chapter 11
Gene glared at his ringing phone and picked it up.
"Hunt," he barked.
"Mr. Hunt, you need to go and sort Jack Rimmer out right now. The house and the man are in a complete mess. He pushed me out, but he can't you. I find it hard to have much sympathy for him being on Alyssa's side the way I am. I'll drop the keys off with you, just make sure I get them back," she told him.
Gene sighed. Another person telling him to see about Jack, one though, who seemed to know what she was talking about. It seemed Jack was in trouble.
"Fine. I'll be out front waiting," Gene said and put the receiver down.
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Rowan walked over to Ray and seeing the twins were picking fizzy drinks, grabbed several bottles of water.
Ray looked up as he spotted Rowan walk into the shop and left the twins by the refrigerator choosing their drinks and raised his eyebrows at her.
"How'd it go?" he asked her quietly, then noticed the phone pressed to her ear. He gave her a curious look and turned back to the twins to make sure they weren't arguing over anything.
"Jack is a mess. I just called Gene and told him to go take care of it. If I wasn't still so disgusted by Jack's behavior I'd say let's go back and do it, but I'm just too angry," she told Ray.
Ray nodded at her and herded the twins to the checkout. He paid for their drinks and the water then watched them dash back to the car. He caught Rowan into a hug and kept one eye on the twins. "Just, stop thinking about it for today," he advised. "We'll have a glorious day out at the seaside with our kids, come home and do whatever," he told her and caught her lips in a brief kiss.
"Okay?" he smiled at her. Rowan nodded.
Ray took her hand in his empty one and walked her back to the car. "You can worry about Jack and Alyssa later, you can't solve everyone's problems, Ro," he told her as he opened the car for the Twins and let them climb inside.
"I know, but they're family so I have to make some effort," she told him in a reasonable tone, though inside she was still fuming at Jack. She fastened the twins in their seats again and climbed into the car.
"Let's go and have some fun," she ordered and winked at the twins, who giggled.
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Lauren hurriedly pressed the buzzer when she got to Molly and Peter's flat. She didn't see Annie lurking across the road, watching out for Charlie.
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Molly stuffed her arms into her cardigan and rushed to get the door.
"Hey, Lauren, come on up," she said into the handset.
Molly put the phone down and looked at Peter and Charlie. "Lauren's here," she announced and went to take the door off the latch so Lauren could get in.
Lauren bounded up the stairs and walked into the flat.
"I got out of there just in time. Do you know Whitney went and hired Jodie's friend Poppy to work at the shop, too? She'll go insane, if she's not already there," Lauren told them.
Molly groaned. "I can't sit around those two without wanting to bash my head on the table. I don't know how Darren puts up with it."
Lauren nodded. "I know. I don't know what possessed her to do that. Though, I guess she will be in the workroom a lot and won't have to listen to it."
She clasped her hands and sighed.
"So, should we get an early lunch?" she suggested.
Peter shrugged and looked at Molly.
"Sounds okay to me," Charlie agreed.
"She was probably desperate for help, now she's going to get massive orders coming in" Molly said.
Molly shrugged and nodded at Peter.
"Well, let's go then," Peter said and jingled his car keys. "We can go to that Chinese place by the cinema," he suggested and he walked out the door.
"I could definitely go for some Chinese," Lauren said, imitating Poppy. "Couldn't you go for some Chinese, Molly?"
She laughed and covered her mouth with her hand.
Molly laughed as she caught on. "Oh yeah, Lauren, I could so go for some Chinese," she said imitating Jodie's voice as well as she could.
Lauren began to laugh again and took Molly's arm as they left the flat.
"Whit brought it on herself. We'll remind her of that if she complains."
Molly nodded at Lauren "She'll start finding excuses to leave the shop soon enough, I know I'd have to with that pair in there all the time. Just one of them is bad enough but when you have the two of them together..." Molly shook her head and pulled a face.
"Yeah, well, she might not hear them much over the noise of machines going," Lauren said.
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Annie watched Charlie emerge from the building and hurried over.
"Charlie, got a minute?"
Charlie looked at her, then at his friends, then back at her.
"One minute," he said to her and looked at the others before stepping aside with her.
"What do you want, Annie?"
"I want to try again. I still love you, Charlie, I do."
Charlie sighed. "I don't know, Annie. How can I trust you after what you did?"
Annie shrugged. "Just give me a chance? How can I prove anything if you won't let me?"
Charlie looked down. She was right. "I'll think about it. Maybe we can sit down and have a chat when I get back."
Annie looked at the others and then back at Charlie and nodded. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it between both of hers before walking off towards home.
Charlie turned and walked back over to the car. "Sorry about that," he said and climbed in the back.
Lauren looked at Molly and then climbed in the back with him. She had a sinking feeling she was going to lose Charlie before she'd got a fair chance at him.
Molly squeezed Lauren's hand as she watched Charlie talk to Annie then got in the front of the car with Peter. She knew that Lauren would be crushed if Charlie got back with Annie. She looked at Lauren's face through the mirror in the car and sighed. She hoped Charlie wouldn't go back to Annie.
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Bolton shrugged. "At least he hasn't told her that he likes her, she's less likely to get hurt if it turns out he doesn't like her."
Whitney nodded and looked at the clock.
"Well, Jodie and her mate Poppy should be here soon. If I'm going to be supervising more people, Jodie's going to need some help, especially getting the orders from the website," she told him and went to look at the workroom. She put her hands on her hips and smiled in satisfaction.
"I really hope this works out."
"They're good with fashion and clothes and stuff right?" Bolton asked "Then they'll be fine" he assured her
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"I'm so glad I'm not that hung over," Jodie remarked as she and Poppy reached the High Street. "I'm not sure I could face being at work. Poor Darren, he's in bad shape," she added sadly.
"I'm so glad I'm not hung over," Poppy commented, her expression serious and slightly relieved, she turned to Jodie, eyes wide. "Did you see Darren, though, he was in bad shape," she commented with a sincere nod of her head.
"But you hardly ever get hung over, Pops," Jodie said back and checked her hair in a window as they passed. "I feel so bad for Darren when he's like that, I really do," Jodie agreed with a nod. She wrapped her arm around Poppy's.
"And I never get hungover, Jodes," Poppy told her with a smile.
"You know, Pops, I'm so glad Whitney hired you to work in the shop, too, this is going to be so brilliant!" she said and let out a giggle.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Poppy agreed with an excited giggle.
"And you're so good with fashion, Pops, you have such great taste, I envy you," Jodie told her.
"I am good with fashion, Jodes," Poppy agreed. "But your wardrobe is so fantastically fashionable," she gushed earnestly.
"It is, yes," Jodie agreed. "But you find the most amazing things."
She opened the door to the shop and held it for Poppy to go through and followed her in.
"Hi, Whitney, we're here!" Jodie called out. "I always let her know when I get here, she just lives upstairs you know."
"Yeah, but you haven't been around the pair of them much," Whitney told him. "Just wait, you'll see."
She heard Jodie call out and poked her head around the door.
"Hey, Jodie, good to see you, and you, Poppy," Whitney greeted them.
Poppy nodded along with Jodie and looked around the shop.
"Oh Jodes! The stuff in here is so gorgeous!" she exclaimed as she twirled to take in everything.
"Hi Whit," Poppy said. "The stuff in here is so beautiful," she gushed.
Bolton poked his head around the door after Whitney and smiled at the two pretty girls standing in the shop. He knew Jodie; of course, she was usually there when he came to see Whitney.
"Thank you," Whitney said to Poppy.
"I know, I've actually talked Mum into buying a few of Whitney's designs, haven't I, Whit?"
Whitney nodded. "Yes, you have."
"Are you decent at all with computers, Poppy? It's just, I have a website that people can order things from."
"Oh, yes, Pops knows the internet," Jodie told Whitney. She walked over to the counter.
"All recovered from the party last night then?" she asked Bolton. "My Darren is soo unbelievably hung over."
Poppy nodded. "Oh yeah, I know the internet". A thought occurred to her and she turned to Jodie.
"You know Clara? Works in that shop, well, she met this bloke on the internet, properly sweet. They just started talking and that, you know, with email, and then one day they met up and now they're like properly together," Poppy said, a misty look in her eyes. "How romantic is that!" she sighed.
Bolton nodded at Jodie. "Not bad thanks, amazing what a fry up can do for you."
"Oh," Jodie exclaimed and her expression went dreamy as she clasped her hands together. "That is sooo romantic I can hardly stand it," Jodie told her, as she turned from Bolton, ignoring his reply. "I get proper choked up when I hear stories like that," Jodie continued, waving her hand in front of her face. "Reminds me of my Darren," she sighed and sniffed.
Whitney rolled her lips under her teeth and looked at Bolton again as she tried not to laugh. She moved closer to Bolton and looked at him.
Bolton gave Whitney a disbelieving look and his mouth fell open slightly as he gaped at Jodie and Poppy.
"Tell you who it reminds me of Jodes, reminds me of you and your Darren," Poppy sighed.
"Except Darren and I didn't meet on the internet," she reminded Poppy. "But it's romantic like that," she smiled blissfully. "You know, Pops, you should go and meet someone on that internet," Jodie stated with a sharp nod of her head. "You could meet…'the One'."
Poppy's eyes widened. "You know I could, couldn't I!" she exclaimed. "Mind you Jode, I'd have to be careful and that…" she leaned towards Jodie and lowered her voice to a loud whisper. "You get some odd people on there, like when Clara went to meet David, I told her, I said make sure you take someone with you," she said wisely with a nod of her head. "Cause you never know, do you, you just never know."
Bolton's eyes widened further and he reached out and grabbed Whitney's arm, pulling her closer to him so he could talk to her without Jodie and Poppy hearing him. "You aren't serious, you're going to suffer some kind of mental affliction with those two here all the time!" he told her quietly.
"Yes, you do need to be careful cause you never know, do you," Jodie agreed and nodded sagely. "I would have to go with you, if you were going to go meet someone, make sure he wasn't some really strange person, you know, like, a stranger."
Whitney smirked. "I'll be in the back most of the time, won't I?" she said, keeping her voice low and trying hard to fight her laughter.
Bolton shook his head in disbelief. "You'll go mental if you have to listen to that all day. They're not even saying anything, it barely classifies as a conversation!" he told her trying to keep his voice low.
"Well of course you'd have to come with me Jodes, can't go on my own, what if he's a stranger!" Poppy exclaimed, anxiety creeping into her voice. She sighed and expression went wistful. "I wish I had someone like your Darren, though."
"We'll find you someone like my Darren, Pops, I promise," Jodie told her sincerely. "I love you, Pops," she added and pulled Poppy into a hug.
"Oh! I love you, too Jodes," Poppy said, sniffing slighty as she started to tear up. She put her arms around Jodie's neck and hugged her tightly for a moment. "Thanks, Jode" she sniffed as she pulled away.
Jodie squeezed Poppy back and then patted Poppy's shoulder again.
"Now, let's do something about that window, okay?" Jodie suggested and gave Poppy a tearful, but cheerful smile.
Whitney looked at Bolton and turned to go back into the workroom, still fighting laughter.
Poppy nodded and carefully wiped her eyes.
"Yeah, let's do something about that window," she agreed.
Bolton watched Whitney go and then looked back at Jodie and Poppy. He would not be spending any more time around those two. He followed Whitney into the workroom, bewilderment fixed on his face.
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Gene drove to Jack and Alyssa's house. He had thought about walking, but if he needed to do something drastic, he might need the car.
He flipped through the keys and let himself into the house and marched up to the bedroom where Rowan had told him Jack was holed up. He quietly tried the door handle. Locked. He grinned and raised his booted foot and kicked the door in, startling Jack into dumping the ashtray once again and nearly falling off the bed.
Gene strode over and grabbed Jack up by his collar, his nose wrinkled.
"Rowan was right about you. I think you need a wash," Gene said and hauled Jack to the bathroom, Jack so stunned he hadn't even thought to fight back, but struggled along as Gene dragged him.
Gene shoved Jack unceremoniously in the shower and turned on the water. Jack spluttered and protested and tried to get out, Gene shoved him back and opened a bottle of shampoo and dumped it over him.
"Now, you get yourself cleaned up and then you're going to clean up the rest of this mess and then you and I are going to have a little chat, or do you need locking up?" he threatened.
Jack peered at Gene through the streams of foam sliding down his face.
"Arrest me for what?" he said and spat bubbles from his mouth.
"Well, I could convince Rowan to press charges for the way you pushed her. That's assault, that is."
Jack shook his head, sending water and bubbles everywhere. Gene frowned and stepped back.
"Fine," Jack snarled and began to pull his clothes off and drop them to the bathroom floor in a sodden mess. Gene prudently turned his back and left the bathroom. He leaned against the wall and grinned to himself.
Jack finished in the shower and admittedly felt a little better, though he was still angry at Rowan and Gene for interrupting his sulk. He slung a towel around his waist and went into the bedroom to get clean clothes.
Gene peered at him through narrow eyes as Jack came back out of the bedroom. "Now, get this place cleaned up. I'll be outside. And don't ask for any help, cause I don't intend on giving it."
Jack shook his head and went into the spare room and began to clean up the mess from the ashtray. The only other messy place was the kitchen. He'd stopped bothering to go in there two days ago? He couldn't remember. He realized vaguely that he was hungry. He was pretty sure there was no food in the house. He finished cleaning up and then wadded up the duvet to carry downstairs. The cover would have to be washed.
He glanced out the window in the back door and saw Gene standing in the back garden, sitting in a chair and smoking. Jack grimaced at the dirty dishes everywhere and set to gathering everything up and getting it washed. Gene came back inside as Jack was stacking the last freshly-washed dish next to the sink.
"Good boy," Gene said and patted Jack on the head. "I'll see myself out then."
Gene turned on his heel and left. Jack was up and he was clean and his house was clean, if he needed any 'talking' sort of help, Gene was in no mood for it.
Jack watched Gene go and then turned and opened the fridge. Empty. He was going to have to go and get something to eat. He grabbed up his house keys, shoved them in his pocket and headed for the pub.
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Leyla looked at Alyssa when the film ended.
"Right, now you tell us what is going on, all of it," she insisted. "We are your mates and we are not leaving until you do."
Gennie nodded. "Yeah, not going anywhere."
Alyssa looked at them, knowing she was outnumbered. They weren't going to give up until she told them so she might as well get it over with.
"Okay," she said and launched into the events of the past week, from finding out she was pregnant to why she was here in the Village instead of Walford.
"Oh, Lyss," Leyla said and scooted forward in her chair.
Gennie put an arm around Alyssa's shoulders.
"But...but he thought you left him, I mean...you know...summat like that...really hurts don't it?" Gennie said. She had slight personal experience with this when Bob thought Viv was finished with him, causing him to end up in bed with Gennie. "I'm not saying it's a good reason, but..." Gennie trailed off. She knew she was supposed to be on Alyssa's side, but from what she heard; Jack must have thought Alyssa was through with him. She wondered if Alyssa knew that.
Leyla looked at Gennie and then back at Alyssa. "What you gonna do?"
Alyssa looked at Gennie for a moment then looked at Leyla and shrugged. "I don't know, that's kinda the reason I'm up here," she said. "I'm trying to clear my head and work out what I want to do."
"Do you love him?" Katie asked suddenly and Alyssa looked at her sharply.
"Of course I do! I wouldn't feel this angry and betrayed and upset if I didn't love him," she snapped back moodily.
Katie raised her eyebrows. "Well he's apologised, he's even gone so far as to buy you a gift Alyssa," she pointed out.
"A gift!" Alyssa said with a sarcastic laugh. "He can't expect me to forgive him because he bought me a present! I'm not 5."
"No, but he's trying, it's part of the whole...groveling process," Leyla explained and looked at Katie, then at Gennie.
"Yeah, I'll bet it's something you really, really want," Gennie added.
Alyssa snorted. "Grovelling process," she repeated incredulously.
She looked over at Gennie and shook her head. "That's exactly what he said, but it's not the point," she told them and shook her head.
"So, if um...if you do divorce Jack, where will you go? Are you going to stay here or go back to London…" Leyla trailed off.
"Surely it won't come to that," Gennie put in.
Alyssa looked up at Leyla in shock. Divorce? She wasn't sure she wanted to divorce Jack. That wasn't her intention at all. She cradled her glass and looked at Gennie.
"I don't want that," she murmured and Katie frowned slightly.
"Then why are you here?" she asked and Alyssa looked up.
"What?"
"If you're not going to divorce him, and he's apologised then it's clear that he doesn't want to divorce you...why are you here?"
"Apologize," Leyla blurted. "I think he's gone a bit farther than that."
"I'm angry, I'm trying to calm down, figure out what I want," Alyssa said.
"Well it's clear that you want him if you're adamant that you don't want a divorce," Katie pointed out.
Gennie nodded. "I think Katie's right," Gennie said and took a sip of her wine. "Is it just that you want to make him suffer, because I think you've done that."
"I'm all for making them suffer, right," said Leyla, "but I've been on the receiving end so I can say it's not fun."
Katie looked at Leyla and Gennie and nodded in agreement before turning to Alyssa expectantly.
"You see," she said.
Alyssa frowned. "See what?"
"See that you're only hurting yourself and Jack by forcing him to stay away from you."
Alyssa shook her head "No, I'm trying to calm down," she told them.
"But Lyss, you are hurting yourself," Gennie said in a soft voice and took Alyssa's hand.
"I've done some pretty stupid things in my time, but David forgave me and we moved on. It made us stronger. I don't know how long you want to draw this out, Lyss, but the longer it goes on the worse it gets. If he went and got falling down drunk and slept with someone else because you walked out...well...he thought you walked out...what do you think is going to happen if he really thinks you're leaving him for good?" Leyla advised.
Gennie gasped. "She's got a point," she agreed and looked at Katie.
Alyssa's head shot up in alarm. What Leyla said made sense, but surely he wouldn't! He wouldn't! She shook her head fiercely.
"No," she insisted. "He wouldn't."
Katie looked at Leyla and Gennie then back at Alyssa, she took her hand and squeezed it. "But he might Lyss, if you keep pushing him away, then he will eventually give up," she said gently.
Leyla nodded and gestured at Katie and Gennie. "You two remember what David was like, after all that stuff with Jakey and I left. It took forever to sort things out when I came back. David went to pieces. I was almost gone too long. Take my advice, Lyss, go ahead and stay tonight. Maybe call people who know him to make sure he's okay, but go home tomorrow or have him come here. Draw a line under it and start again, trust me," Leyla insisted, her face twisted slightly in pain.
Alyssa nodded slowly at Leyla. "How did you know to go back?" she asked quietly.
"I loved David; I knew I were willing to do anything I had to do to convince him of that, to get him to take me back. So I went back. It was the only way I would be able to convince him how I felt. I had to do it face to face. It took ages, and it was hard, but I didn't give up. I knew if I did, I'd lose him forever. If you, you know, don't want to end things with Jack, then at least show him there's a chance. Make him talk to you and convince you if you feel that you need him to, but don't let him think there's no chance, or he won't try, he'll just go."
"Okay," Alyssa agreed.
Katie looked around at all the gloomy expressions and went into the kitchen and brought the bottle out. She filled everyone's glasses then opened the next box of chocolates and handed them to Leyla first.
"Ta, Katie," Leyla said and took a chocolate out. "Now, I'm bursting for the toilet," she scolded Alyssa and heaved her bulk out of the chair and towards the bathroom.
"You know, we should probably go soon. But, well, let us know if you need anything all right?" Gennie said and gave Alyssa a quick squeeze.
Alyssa smiled at Leyla as she waddled away and looked at Gennie.
"Yeah, I'm sure I won't, but I will let you know if I do," she promised.
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Gene looked at the clock and grinned when he saw it was almost time to go home. He grabbed up his phone as it rang, jotted down a note and headed down the hall. He walked straight up to Chris.
"An informant has just called about information on this case," Gene told him. "Go take care of it."
"It's time to go..." Chris began and trailed off at the look on Gene's face. "Yes, Guv."
He watched Gene turn and leave and picked up his cell phone as he stood up.
"Doing favor for Guv, be a bit late," he texted to Shaz and then hurried off to meet this informant.
He pulled up in front of the derelict building, gazed at it for a few minutes and then got out of the car and walked cautiously inside.
"Hello?" he called out softly. He gasped sharply as a hand clamped down on his shoulder and he was spun around. He blew out the breath and smiled.
"Lucy, what are you doing?"
"I wanted to see you. I was done for the day, on my way home and I saw this place."
"You're the informant?"
"Well, that's what I said, I just want to inform you," Lucy began and she stroked her hands over his chest. "That I really want to..." she trailed off and grabbed his collar and dragged him to her for a kiss.
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Shaz looked down at her phone and sighed. She looked down at Olivia and smiled.
"He'll be home soon, watching the door isn't going to make him get here any sooner," she said as she picked Olivia up and put her in her chair at the table. "Now, finger paints?" she asked. "Make Daddy a picture for when he gets home?" she asked.
Olivia pulled her gaze from the door and nodded at her Mum. Shaz stroked the top of her head then went to get the paints and paper from the cupboard.
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Jack finished his food and left the pub. He was glad Annie wasn't there. He wondered where Alyssa was.
He pulled out his phone and flipped it open. He stared at Alyssa's number for several minutes before finally scrolling through to Rowan's number.
"Thank you," he texted to Rowan and sighed as he walked into the house.
He dropped onto the couch and stared at his phone again. He finally hit Alyssa's number and listened to it ring.
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"Do you want me to drop you at your flat?" Chris asked Lucy as he leaned against the wall.
"No, I'll be fine if I walk," she replied. "Best take no chances of being seen together."
Chris nodded. He pressed a final kiss to her lips and then slowly walked back to his car and drove home.
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Olivia looked up at the sound of a car outside and leapt out of her seat. Shaz caught her and wiped at her paint covered hands with a towel.
"Stand still!" Shaz laughed and made sure all of the wet paint was off Olivia's hands before her daughter dashed to the door to meet her father.
Chris smiled and picked Olivia up.
"Hello, my little one," he greeted her. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Your daddy needs a shower," he told her and put her on the couch. "It's been one of those days."
Shaz smiled at Chris as she tidied away the paints and put Olivia's painting on the side to dry.
Chris came out in clean clothes and flopped onto the couch with a sigh.
"I told the Guv we might like to take a few of the night shifts, if Hale does leave. He seemed fine with it."
Shaz nodded with a smile "Well I can't see why he'd have a problem with it," she said. "If we want to take on extra shifts it means he doesn't have to bother trying to find a new member of staff," she pointed out. "Mind you, he will have to if Hale leaves. We can't take on all of his shifts between us, it's too much."
"I think the Guv has something in mind for that Lucy," Chris guessed. "He wants Alex to mentor her and he's got her working most of the time in CID. Pretty soon he'll probably start having her go out with us and observe cases."
Shaz nodded. "Ahhhh," she said. "That makes sense," she agreed thoughtfully.
"Well, I'm exhausted. I'll read our little scrap there a bedtime story and then go to bed," he told Shaz as he stood up and stretched.
Shaz nodded at him at watched him go. He was working a lot lately so that she got to spend days with Olivia. He insisted he didn't mind but she could see how exhausted it was making him.
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Alyssa looked up as her phone started ringing and pulled herself up off the sofa to go and get it from her handbag. She pulled her phone from her bag and looked at Jack's name. She bit her lip and sat herself down on the bottom step and ran her finger gently over the green button. The girls were right, she did want Jack...
Alyssa took a deep, calming breath and pressed the green button and held the phone to her ear.
"Hey, Lyss," Jack said quietly. "It's me. Um...I assume you're at Rowan's and I know they've gone out of town because Rowan stopped by here and had a go at me...at the state I was apparently in. She sicked Gene on me, the vicious creature. So, anyway, I would like to come by and see you, maybe we could talk."
"I'm not at Rowan's," she told him. "I'm up north."
"Oh," Jack said faintly. "Then I guess I won't stop by."
He was silent for a moment.
"Well, I should let you go then," he said. "Finish cleaning up the house in case Rowan stops by on their way home. Not sure I can endure the sharp side of her tongue again."
Alyssa kept the phone pressed to her ear, she was still angry at him, but everything that Gennie, Leyla and Katie had said to her was firmly in her head. What if he did find someone else because he thought she had left him for good? Just the thought was painful.
"Don't go," she murmured quietly. "Just..." she broke off and bit her lip. "Just talk to me Jack."
"I miss you," he said simply. "I don't really work well anymore without you."
He sighed heavily and wished he had a cigarette. He got up and walked slowly to the back garden and lit up.
"How's the cottage?"
Alyssa bit her lip and pulled her knees up to her chest as she sat on the step.
"It's..." she began and sighed. "The fields are beautiful," she said. "I was out there all morning...just walking," she told him. "And it's quiet and calm," she added.
"Quiet and calm? With Ffion there?" he attempted to joke and fell silent.
Alyssa half-smiled at his attempt at humour.
"I get the impression she's staying out of my way, I had a go at her when I got here," she admitted quietly.
"Oh, I see."
Alyssa paused for a moment, remembering what Leyla had said and took a deep breath. "You should..." she broke off and closed her eyes. She opened them again after a moment and tried again. "You should come up...I mean, you haven't got work or anything so..." she trailed off.
"Are you sure? I'll um...I'll stay in the spare room if you want, or I'll go to the B&B," he offered. He got up and walked back into the house. "I could leave tonight. Um, how long did you want to stay up there?" he asked, his voice speeding up slightly. "You know Rowan's wedding is in a couple of weeks, so it can't be longer than that."
He was aware he was babbling, but hoped she would ignore it.
"I know when Rowan's wedding is," she said. "I was going to stay here until I'm ready to go back," she said.
He was silent again for a bit as he pulled a carry-all bag out and began to toss some clothes in it.
"No, I wasn't implying that you didn't know, but sometimes, you get...distracted and...well...you know," he finished lamely. "I'll um...I'll get in the car and drive there now. Should be there before it gets too late, if you're sure."
Alyssa stayed silent while she listened to him, she could hear rustling sounds on the other ends of the phone and felt her stomach jolt slightly. He was coming up now. She couldn't work out whether she was happy or not. But she decided to go with it: her friends' words were still stuck in her mind, and she knew that she didn't want to lose Jack forever. But she also knew that she was still angry at him.
"I'm sure," she told him.
"Okay," he said. "And like I said, I'll stay in the spare room or the B&B, whatever you want," he reminded her.
"Okay," she agreed quietly.
"Oh, has Ffion admitted she's in love with Bob yet?" he wondered and quickly clamped his mouth shut. He wondered if he shouldn't have said anything.
"Well seeing as she was all over Cain when I got here I'm thinking not," she sighed. She knew well enough that Ffion had a fondness for Bob, though whether it stretched to love she wasn't sure. But to be honest, she hadn't been paying all that much attention.
"Right, then, I'll be there in a few hours," he told her.
"And I'm sure Cain is just some passing thing," Jack remarked. "Anyway. See you soon."
/\\/\/\\\/\/\/\\\/\\\/\/\\/\/\\/\\\\/\/\/\\\/\\/\\\/\\\/\/\/\/\\/\/\\/\\
Rowan woke with a smile. She was going shopping for her wedding dress with Alyssa today. She couldn't wait, though she wouldn't admit it. She already had her eye on a dress, but she wanted Alyssa to see it. She hadn't even told Alyssa yet that she had her eye on one. Barely over a week to the wedding, she was getting nervous.
She slid from the bed and went to take a shower.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Chris yawned and moved down the hall. He glanced around and slipped into Gene's outer office. He jumped when he heard the door, but smiled when he saw it was Lucy. He immediately moved towards her and plastered his lips against hers.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Alyssa woke early. She had had trouble sleeping ever since she moved to live with Rowan: now she was home and in her own bed she was sleeping better, but it seemed that not having Jack next to her was still affecting her sleeping pattern. She was getting to sleep later than usual and waking up earlier. It didn't matter that he was only in the next room. Alyssa had agreed to move back into the house but wasn't ready yet to let him back into her bed.
She pulled herself out and grabbed her dressing gown then crept downstairs. She was shopping with Rowan for a wedding dress today and was excited about it. They would find Rowan's perfect dress. She put the kettle on and put a couple of slices of toast into the toaster. She was glad that Leyla, Gennie and Katie had talked her into getting back with Jack, because although she hadn't completely forgiven him she didn't want to lose him.
Rowan got quickly dressed and pulled her hair into a ponytail before hurrying downstairs. She got going on the baking for the day. Trevor would be showing up soon and once Syed and Nora arrived, Rowan would be able to leave. She and Alyssa could get to the shops just after they opened. She grinned and put the pans of muffins in the oven.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Lucy pulled her clothes back on and smiled at Chris as he did, too.
"I'll see you," Lucy said and gave Chris a quick kiss. Chris peered around the door to make sure no one was around and nodded. Lucy hurried out and down the hall before anyone would see her. Chris working occasional night shifts was proving very useful.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Gene yawned and looked at the clock. What was he doing awake so early? He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Tonight, he and Sammy would be heading to Manchester after Gene got done at work and then seeing the match tomorrow. He was sure he'd annoyed Ray to no end bragging about the tickets to the game. He just wished he and Alex both didn't have to be at work. Sammy was always sullen after nursery. He just hoped the fact they were going to Manchester would cheer the boy up.
Gene glanced over at Alex and then climbed out of bed and went into the bathroom to start getting ready for work.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Alyssa loaded her toast onto a plate and picked up her coffee. She wandered through to the front room and sat down on the sofa, the plate of toast balanced on her knee while she cradled her mug. She kept an eye on the time as she sat there. She would have to start thinking about getting ready to meet Rowan soon.
Ray rolled over and threw his arm out. He frowned when all he hit was empty air and he tried again, groping around the bed for Rowan. He frowned when he couldn't find her and opened an eye. She wasn't there. He sighed and rolled back onto his front. She was shopping with Alyssa today. God only knew what they'd come back with. A wedding dress hopefully.
He smiled. One week. Just one week then they would be married.
He pulled himself up and sat back against the wall. He reached for the remote and turned the TV on. He sighed as he flicked through channels. The only thing on was the news and early morning talk shows. He settled for the news.
Ray folded his arms as he watched her. "So, while you're out shopping with your sister, I'm left with that pair," he said with a jerk of his head to the ceiling.
He smiled as he got out of bed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Have fun, Ro," he told her. "Don't worry about the twins, I'll get them up," he told her as he headed to the bathroom. Ray took a quick shower and headed back to the bedroom to get dressed. He smiled at Rowan as he grabbed a pair of jeans and a top.
"Right. I'll go and wake up our little munchkins," he chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Happy shopping, or whatever is people say" he mumbled to her.
Rowan chuckled at Ray's comments as she finished getting ready.
She dug out her sandals and slipped them on while Ray showered and then went to have one final cup of coffee. She drank it down quickly and went back into the bedroom to make the bed.
She quickly hugged him back. "I suppose you can say happy shopping if you want," she told him. "You can take them down to the restaurant for breakfast, like we normally do on Friday. I'm sure they'll forgive me for missing out this once," she said.
"Okay, I'm going to take the car and go pick up Alyssa."
She watched him head upstairs to the twins' room and sighed before heading down to the car. She got in and drove to Alyssa's. She hoped she and Jack were doing better. She downplayed the state Jack was in when Alyssa asked, she didn't think it would be all that healthy for Alyssa to know just how bad Jack had got. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Jack sat on the edge of the bed and listened to the sounds of Alyssa moving around downstairs. At least she was back in the house, even if they weren't in the same room or the same bed that would hopefully happen at some point. Now, however, she was in the house and on her way, he hoped, to forgiving him. He pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and walked slowly down the hall. He looked at the box the designer bag he'd bought Alyssa was wrapped up in. For him, he hoped the day she finally opened it was the day he was actually forgiven. So in a way, he didn't mind it sitting there on the hall table. He gave it a small pat as he passed and headed downstairs and into the kitchen.
He dropped some bread in the toaster and switched the kettle on to make tea. He knew Alyssa was on the couch, but he would stay here until his things were ready and then go sit down. He knew she was going out today, but maybe he would get a few minutes to spend with her before she left.
He finished fixing his food and carried it into the front room and instead of sitting on the couch, sat on the chair nearby.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
When Trevor and Syed arrived, Rowan bounded up the stairs. She went into the bedroom and smiled cheerfully at Ray as she peeled off her t-shirt. She tossed it in the laundry basket and toed off her trainers as she looked in the wardrobe and pulled out a dress. She draped it at the foot of the bed and pulled off her jeans and went to sit at the dressing table to put on a little makeup.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Ray watched her go and then wandered to the twins' room. He went and sat on the edge of Denis' bed and reached over to pull open the curtains and watched the light spill into the room. He smiled at the sight of his sleeping children and cleared his throat loudly.
"Oi, sleeping beauties!" he said gently, raising his voice slightly.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Alyssa looked up at Jack and watched him settle himself. She took a careful sip of her coffee.
"Morning," she said quietly as she kept her gaze fixed on him. She smiled weakly at him and then turned back to her toast unenthusiastically. She hated the tension between them. She still hadn't forgiven him completely and she knew that he was watching himself slightly around her. Yet she was conscious of almost every move he made.
"Hey, morning," he said, making sure to sound cheerful. He watched her face as she ate her toast.
"Do you want me to make some bacon before you go so you can have a bacon sarnie?" he offered.
Alyssa couldn't help her chuckle. She shook her head.
"No thanks, I'll just stick with toast," she smiled at him as she lifted the toast and took another bite.
"What're you doing today?" she asked after a moment.
Jack blew out a breath. "I don't know. Maybe I'll work in the garden. Some of the woodwork outside could do with a paint I think," he said with a shrug. "I'll keep myself entertained."
Alyssa nodded and finished up her toast. She drained her coffee from her mug and stood up.
"I'm going to go and get ready," she told him as she left the room and loaded her plate and mug into the sink.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Alex sighed as she felt Gene leave her side and raised her head to watch him go into the bathroom. She glanced at the clock then pulled herself out of bed and headed to Sammy's room. She threw open the curtains to throw some light into the dark room and went and sat on the edge of his bed.
"Sammy," she murmured and he opened an eye.
"Wha?" he answered sleepily.
"Time to get up," she told him, stroking his hair. Sammy pulled the covers more tightly around him and shook his head.
"Don't wanna go to Nursery," he told her grumpily.
Alex smiled and tugged on his duvet. "It's just for one day, and Daddy's taking you up to Manchester tonight," she reminded him. "And I'll bet if you're a good boy and go to nursery, that he might even get you some sweets for the journey," she told him.
Sammy looked at her a little reproachfully. "But I don't wanna go," he told her.
Alex lifted him out of bed and pulled him into her arms. "I know Sammy, I know," she sighed as she stroked his hair.
"Do you want Daddy to take you to Nursery in the Quattro?" she asked him and he nodded.
"Okay then, you go and get ready to go so that you don't keep him waiting," she told him and he climbed out of her arms and hurried to the bathroom.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Gene sat in the kitchen and sipped at his tea.
"Come on if you're coming. I need to get in early so I can leave early," he said.
Sammy dashed out of his bedroom, buttons done up wrong but dressed. He held his little back pack tightly as he stopped in front of Gene.
"Ready," he said a little breathlessly. Alex looked up from her breakfast and shook her head.
"Come here Sammy, can't have you going out looking like a scruff pot," she said as she sorted out his buttons. She eyed his bag, it looked awfully full.
"You really need all of that? What have you got in there?"
Sammy clutched his bag tighter. "I need it" he insisted. Alex shrugged and kissed the top of his head. "Okay then," she smiled and looked at Gene.
"He's all yours, I'm going to get ready for work, I'll see you there" she told him as she gave him a brief kiss and went back into the bedroom.
"Right," Gene said. "Let's go then so we can get through the day and go have some fun."
He took Sammy's hand, strapped him into the car and took him to nursery.
"I'll be off work early to come get you, okay? Then we'll stop and pick things up for the trip. Plan?"
Sammy nodded silently as he stared out of the window. "Kay," he agreed.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Alyssa looked up as she heard the doorbell and hurried to finish shoving everything into her handbag.
"Jack! Can you let Ro in?" she called out as she grabbed her jacket from the wardrobe and dug out her shoes. She glanced at herself in the mirror to make sure she was presentable and then left the bedroom and made her way downstairs.
"Yep," Jack called back and opened the door.
"Well, you look better," Rowan observed.
"Thanks," Jack said with a wry smile. "I don't think I ever properly thanked you for sicking Gene on me."
Rowan smiled. "You're welcome. Hopefully you and Lyss are getting better."
He nodded with a thin-lipped smile.
"She'll be down in a minute."
Alyssa smiled at Rowan from the top of the stairs and walked down them.
"Heya Ro," she smiled. "We off?" she asked.
"Yes, if you're ready," Rowan said and gave Jack a quick wave before leading Alyssa out to the car.
"Now, I didn't go out looking cause we're supposed to be shopping together. However, we were driving past this shop on the way back from Southend and I saw this dress in the window. I want to see if it's still there and what you think of it," Rowan told her as she pulled away from the house and set off to go to the shop.
Alyssa set her handbag in the foot-well and nodded.
"Fine by me," she smiled.
Rowan pulled up to the shop and got out. She smiled at Alyssa and glanced at the window. There was a new display.
"Hopefully, the dress will still be inside," Rowan said as she locked the car. She strode to the shop door and went inside. She nodded at the saleslady, but kept walking, glancing around her to see if she could find the dress. She finally stopped short as she spotted it and walked slowly towards the wall where it was hanging. She glanced behind her to look for Alyssa was in the shop yet and then reached and got the dress down.
Alyssa followed Rowan inside and smiled at the sight of all the wedding dresses hung up all over the shop. She watched Rowan head towards a dress and smiled as she moved forwards and took the dress and held it against Rowan.
"Try it on," she encouraged. Problem with dresses was you could never be sure how they would look on you until you tried it on. She smiled brightly at Rowan as she passed the dress back and looked pointedly at dressing rooms.
Rowan nodded and went into the dressing room and put the dress on. She came out of the dressing room, her face a study of disappointment. She looked at Alyssa and sighed.
"I guess it only looks good on the hanger," she said and looked in the mirror, wishing she were about 5 inches taller. She looked at Alyssa in dismay.
"Guess we better start looking."
Alyssa sighed as she looked at the dress.
"Don't worry Ro, we'll find the most amazing dress," she promised as she turned and started to browse through the dresses. She checked sizes and kept going through the dresses, pulling the ones off the rack that she wanted Rowan to try. She laughed as she came across a meringue type dress and pulled that off the rack too. The things that you thought were hilarious on the hanger, in her experience, often didn't look so bad once you put them on.
Rowan kept trying on dresses as Alyssa handed them to her. She had to admit, for some reason, this shopping was fun. She posed in various dresses and flounced around the shop. She really hadn't expected it to be so much fun. But then, she'd also thought she'd found the perfect dress. Rowan giggled whenever Alyssa handed her a meringue. With her height, or lack of, she just looked silly in it.
She finally stopped short as she pulled on one of the dresses Alyssa handed her. She walked out of the dressing room and smiled. "Look at this," she said and slowly turned around.
Alyssa dutifully hung up all of the discarded dresses. She couldn't help but laugh at Rowan, especially in the meringue dress. It just did not suit her at all. The sound of Rowans voice made her turn from hanging up the dress she was holding and her face bloomed in a smile at the sight of Rowan.
"I think that's it," she said quietly as she moved closer and looked over the dress carefully. It fitted perfectly.
"It's amazing," Rowan breathed. It suited her perfectly!
"I just hope it's not too expensive," Rowan whispered so the shop girl wouldn't hear and twisted to reach for the tag.
Alyssa reached for the tag and read the price. She murmured it to Rowan softly and looked at her.
"That's inside your budget right?" she asked quietly.
"Barely," Rowan admitted. "But I think I tried on every dress here and I don't think I'll find one more perfect."
She looked at the dress in the nearby mirror again. "I'm getting it, then we have to go eat lunch before I fall over."
Alyssa smiled and nodded. "Okay," she said happily.
She waited for Rowan to change out of the dress and smiled at her when she came back out of the dressing room. She watched her pay for her dress and smiled.
"So we put the dress safely in the car and then go and get some lunch?" she asked as they left the shop.
"Safe in the car? I don't think so. This thing is not leaving my sight," Rowan insisted and draped the garment bag over her arm. "It's not that heavy, especially with my wallet being so very much lighter," she joked. She was just glad they'd already got suits for Ray and Denis and a dress for Claire. She had stretched herself to the limit with this dress. She felt her lips curve into a small smile. It would be worth it to see Ray's expression.
Rowan looked at a chippy and sighed. "Suppose I'll have to forgo chips until after the wedding. At least it's only a week away."
Alyssa laughed lightly. "You can live on salad for a week Rowan, and then you can pig out at the wedding reception," she said as she walked along the street. She pointed at a Cafe and shrugged.
"I have no intention of living on salad. But I will miss chips and chocolate," she said with a sigh.
"One week Ro, you'll manage," Alyssa said supportively. "There?" she suggested.
She nodded at Alyssa's suggestion. "Good a place as any."
She nodded and led Rowan across the road to the Cafe and moved inside. She grabbed an empty table a little out of the way so that Rowan's dress wouldn't get trampled on or damaged in any way.
"Anyway," Rowan chuckled. "I'm just trying to be a proper bride by complaining about the 'possibly have-to-diet-or-won't-fit-in-the-dress' routine," she grinned at Alyssa. Rowan carefully draped the bag over the seat next to her. "I may have ordered lasagne, but I did ask for a salad instead of chips."
Alyssa gasped over-dramatically. "But Ro...that's cheese, carbs AND red meat," she said in mock shock then smiled. "I went for the maccy cheese," she said.
Rowan giggled. "And salad," she added.
Rowan took a sip of her tea. "Wonder if Ray took the kids to nursery or decided to keep them at home. I thought about bringing Claire, but she would have been bored I think."
"I did wonder why you didn't bring her, and how could she be bored looking at dresses all day?" she asked with a small shrug.
"Well, we weren't shopping for her though, were we? Besides, considering the price of the dress it's probably a good thing. She would blab it to Ray right away and then I'd be in trouble," she said with a grin.
"I suppose," Alyssa shrugged. "She can keep a secret though right?" she asked.
"Claire…keep a secret from her beloved father? Never happen. It would be blurted out at first opportunity, with her having completely forgotten it was supposed to be a secret," Rowan scoffed.
Alyssa smiled "I think it's sweet that she's such a Daddy's girl," she commented. "Though obviously it has its downside," she added.
"Obviously," Rowan agreed.
"Ray's going to get his mother tomorrow. I have this sneaking feeling he's planning something, maybe a short honeymoon, but I don't know. He won't say."
She smiled. "If it does turn out that Ray has booked a honeymoon then I don't mind looking after Denis and Claire, and I'm sure Jack won't mind either," she offered.
"Unless he's already asked you and you're keeping it a secret. In which case, I will not resort to torture, I am going to pig out on this lasagne," Rowan said and took a bite.
Alyssa laughed. "He hasn't told me anything," she assured Rowan as she grabbed up her fork and started on her macaroni cheese.
"And if he had, you wouldn't tell me. I don't mind. Though, if his mother is staying awhile that might be a clue," she said and took another bite.
Alyssa shrugged. "She's here for the wedding anyway isn't she?" she asked.
"Yes, but I mean if she's staying longer after the wedding," Rowan said and smiled.
Alyssa smiled. "That would be something of a clue, yeah," she agreed with a smile.
Rowan finished her lunch and leaned back.
"I think I'll take the rest of the lasagne home," Rowan decided. "So I'm not eating too much," she grinned sheepishly at Alyssa.
"Suppose we should get back," she added with a sigh and stood up. She lifted the garment bag and carefully draped it over her arm before walking out.
She pulled out her phone after settling the dress in the back seat and getting in the car.
"Hows things?" she sent to Ray.
Alyssa snorted. "You can't put on that much weight in a week Ro, especially with the amount of worry and stress you're going to be under, I barely ate anything leading up to my wedding. In fact, if it wasn't for you I probably would have forgotten to eat all together," she smiled. "So don't worry too much about it."
Alyssa followed Rowan out of the Cafe and back to the car, making sure that the dress was okay.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Ray looked at the twins as they ate their breakfast, he'd managed to make them cheese on toast and they seemed okay with that. He didn't fancy ruining a whole batch of pancakes. He wasn't entirely sure what went in them.
He sat down at the table with them and his own slice of cheese on toast.
"How comes we eating here?" Claire wanted to know. "Fwiday is brefuss down there."
Denis glared at her as he ate. Claire ignored him and continued.
"Why we havin cheese n toast?"
"Can we has some bacon?"
"Where's mummy?"
"We goin play group today?"
Ray sighed at Claire's questions.
"We're up here because your Mam has gone wedding shopping with your Auntie. You're having cheese on toast because it's nicer than toast and butter, yes if you want some you can have some bacon and no, you're not going to playgroup today," he told her.
"So, your Grandma's coming down tomorrow," he told them. "I've got to get up early to go up to Manchester and get her, either of you want to come?" he asked them as he reached for his mug.
"ME! ME! ME!" Claire shrieked.
"Me," Denis said around a mouthful of food.
He grinned at the pair of them. "You're both gonna have to be up early then," he told them. "If you're not ready when I'm ready to go then I'm not waiting, I want to beat the traffic up there," he smiled at them as he stood up and dug around in the fridge.
Denis nodded. "We can get up early," he told him father and picked up his food and started eating again. He couldn't wait to go. Gramma Maggie always gave him biscuits.
"Did you want bacon?" he asked them.
"But why can't we eat down there just cuz Mummy's not here?" Claire whined, going back to her previous questions.
"I want bacon," Denis agreed.
Ray grinned at Denis. "Good lad," he beamed.
"I wanna eat down stairs," Claire grouched, annoyed at her food and at being ignored and shoved her plate off the table.
Ray nodded as he pulled the bacon out of the fridge and set it in the pan. Claire's words and the clatter of the plate caused Ray to whip around and stare at her.
"Claire!" he snapped. "We are eating up here for breakfast, and at lunchtime we will eat downstairs" He looked at the floor and the pieces of cheese on toast now on the floor of the little kitchen. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Pick the plate up and pick your breakfast off the floor!" he told her and pointed at the plate. "Now!"
Denis stared at his sister, who folded her arms and set her jaw as she glared at her father. Denis leaned over and pushed at Claire's arm. She turned her glare on him, but with a great show of reluctance, got down off her chair and picked the plate and food off the floor. She stomped past Ray and threw the plate and food in the sink and stomped out of the kitchen.
"Claire's mad at you," Denis observed.
Ray frowned after her and then looked at Denis.
"I got that much, mate," he sighed as he finished cooking the bacon and slid it onto Denis' plate. He ruffled his hair as he joined him at the table and put some of the bacon onto his own plate.
"So, what d'you fancy doing today?" he asked as he swallowed. He'd let Claire cool down from her strop before he spoke to her.
Denis watched expectantly as his father slid bacon onto the plate and poked at it until he decided it was cool enough to pick up and eat.
He shrugged at his father's question. "Dunno," he replied around a mouthful of bacon. He knew his mother didn't approve of talking with food in his mouth, but his father didn't seem to mind so much. "Football?"
Ray shrugged and nodded in response.
"How about we take a ball down the park and have a kick about, maybe get some ice cream," he said as he finished up his food and went back to the sink.
Denis nodded. He was all for ice cream.
/\\\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\/\/\\/\\/\\/\/\\/\
Claire realized her father wasn't going to come after her and slid down from the armchair in the front room. She peered around it and saw him in conversation with Denis. She crept around the chair and to the door of the flat and began to negotiate her way down the stairs. She carefully edged into the kitchen and stood near the break table.
Syed caught sight of her and walked over.
"What are you doing down here?"
"Can I sit there and have some pancakes?" she asked him, her eyes wide and pleading.
"I suppose so, but where's your Mum?"
"She's getting a dress for marry Daddy," she said seriously as she climbed onto one of the chairs.
"And your Daddy said it's okay to come down here and eat?"
She gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look and nodded.
He looked at her a moment, but shrugged and went to make the pancakes. She must have permission then, he decided.
Ray sighed at the sight of Claire's discarded breakfast and picked the pieces of toast out of the sink. He dumped her breakfast in the bin seeing as she clearly didn't want it and filled the sink with warm water. He washed up his and Claire's plates and left the water in the sink for when Denis was done.
He looked over at Denis and sighed. "I'm going to go and find your sister," he told him as he looked at his plate "You'll put your plate in the sink when you're finished?" he asked and patted his sons shoulder affectionately.
"Yes, Daddy," he said obediently and finished eating. Denis climbed down and put his plate in the sink and looked at Ray. "K, I find ball," Denis offered and went to the cupboard in the front room.
Ray left Denis to his breakfast and went into the front room. He sighed when he saw Claire wasn't there and went upstairs into their room. Still no Claire. Ray checked every other room and his frown got deeper with every room he checked.
"Denis, I'm just going to check downstairs for your sister," he told him.
Ray marched downstairs and nodded briefly at Syed as he spotted Claire quite happily eating pancakes. He stood opposite her and frowned with his arms folded.
"My cheese on toast not good enough?" he asked her grumpily.
Claire pointedly ignored her father and took another bite. Syed frowned and walked over to Ray.
"She said you said she could come down here," he told Ray and Claire whipped her head around to glare at Syed.
"Grass," she snapped and grabbed her plate and got down from the table and put it on the counter by the dishwasher.
Syed raised his eyebrows at Claire and looked at Ray and went back to the stove as Claire stomped out of the kitchen.
Ray glared after Claire and looked at Syed. "Not your fault mate," he said quickly before stalking after his daughter. He snatched her off the floor and held her under his arm as he carried her back into the flat and dumped her on the bottom step of the stairs up to her room; the naughty step.
"You sit there quietly until I say you can move," he told her angrily.
Ray walked away from Claire, glancing over his shoulder to make sure she was still sitting on the step before going to wash up Denis' plate and dry his and Claire's. He put the plates away and went to look for Denis.
Claire let out a shrill shriek as she felt her father pick her up.
She glared at him as he put her on the step and let out another scream and began to stomp her feet.
Denis came out of the cupboard and walked over to his father and held up the ball. He looked at Claire and sighed. He knew he wouldn't be going anywhere. Why did she always have to ruin everything? He screwed his face up into a frown and walked over to her.
"Shut up, Claire," he told her and Claire's mouth snapped shut. She folded her arms and glared at him before hunching down.
Denis walked back over and climbed onto the couch and then looked over at Ray.
Ray refused to look at Claire while she pulled her little tantrum. He bounced the ball up and down and sighed, until Claire calmed down he wasn't going to be able to go anywhere with Denis. He looked at Denis on the sofa and shrugged.
He sighed as he fell onto the sofa next to Denis, because of Claire's tantrum Denis had to miss out. That was the problem with two kids and only one parent present. He ruffled Denis' hair apologetically and glanced over at Claire. She seemed to have calmed down.
He passed the football back to Denis and made his way back over to Claire, he stood next to where she was sitting and looked down at her.
"You calmed down yet?" he asked her.
Claire turned her back and sniffled.
"Lemmelone," she muttered and hunched over farther.
Denis peered over at Claire and his father and then looked back at the TV. He wished Claire had gone with Mummy and Auntie Lyss. Girls did shopping stuff. Claire was a girl and should have gone. He knew she had wanted to go, she could usually get Auntie Lyss to buy her something.
"We could leave her here," Denis suggested.
Ray frowned at Claire, bloody women and their moods.
He shook his head at Denis. "No, she's not staying here on her own Denis," he sighed and sat down next to Claire.
"Hey," he said softly as he nudged her gently. "What's wrong Claire?" he asked her softly. All he knew was that she had thrown her breakfast on the floor, stormed downstairs, convinced Syed to feed her pancakes, screamed at him and was now sat sullenly on the stairs.
Claire dropped her chin on her knees and dangled her arms at her sides. "I wanted to go wif Mummy and Auntie Lyss an I din and I wanted to have brefuss down there and I din and when I did Syed told on me," she told Ray and heaved a big sigh. She lifted her arms and slid them between her head and her knees.
Ray sighed and patted her back.
"Claire, sweetheart, we don't always get everything we want," he told her. "You just have to shrug it off and move on, maybe compromise on a few things," he said gently.
"You should copp-mise and let us eat brefuss downstairs," she said back sullenly. She looked up at her father's question and wiped her face on her sleeve.
Ray stroked her head and smiled. "I could've done, but I did compromise and say that you could have lunch downstairs," he reminded her as he dropped a kiss on her head.
"But lunch doesn't have face-cakes Syed made," she told him.
Ray shrugged. "You could ask him for some if you really want them," he suggested to her.
"Not the same," Claire moaned.
"Girls," Denis snorted in irritation.
He glanced over at Denis and smiled slightly at his son's comment, kid learned fast.
"Now," he said. "Denis and I want to go down the park with the football, and maybe have some ice cream while we're there," he told her. "You coming?"
"Am I gonna gets to haf ice cream?" she asked.
"You can have ice cream if you cheer up and stop being so stroppy," he told her decisively.
She looked at Ray and stuck out her lip. "I not stoppy," she argued.
Ray frowned and folded his arms as he looked down at her. "I disagree, you're being very stroppy," he told her.
"Not sroppy," she argued, trying the word again and then turned around in a huff.
Denis turned off the TV and climbed off the couch. He picked up the ball and walked over.
"You can't play footie though," Denis told her. "You're a girl."
Claire lunged off the stair. "I can so!" she shrieked.
Denis stuck his tongue out at her and turned around.
Ray half-smiled at Denis and then looked at Claire, he looked back at Denis and shrugged "She can try, she can be in goal" he suggested.
"Canwego?" Denis asked in a slightly bored tone.
Ray looked at them and sighed; he stood up and looked at the pair of them. He nodded at Denis and then turned back to Claire.
Claire balled her hands into fists and snorted before stomping across the front room and picking up her handbag. Auntie Lyss had bought it for her and she never left the house without it.
"I ready," she announced.
"RIGHT!" he said as he clapped his hands together and looked at his kids. "Lets go," he said as he ushered them towards the door and downstairs. He led them out of the back door and out of the restaurant then walked them to the nearest park.
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"Claire stroppy - wanted to go with you. Denis fine."
"Actually, I don't feel that stressed," Rowan said coolly as she drove them back to Alyssa's house. "You and Jack still don't mind doing this in your garden?"
Rowan heard her phone beep and quickly read the text when she stopped at a red light. She chuckled.
"Apparently Claire did want to come with us. Ray said she's in a strop over not getting to go," she told Alyssa.
"You're doing better than me then," Alyssa smiled. She nodded. "Nope, we're still fine with that," she said.
Alyssa sighed. "Poor Ray, I imagine Claire's very difficult when she's moody or upset," she asked then grinned. "Just look how stubborn and difficult her parents can be," she teased.
Rowan looked over at Alyssa and stuck out her tongue. "I'm not stubborn or difficult. I'm….um….forceful and complex," she said and chuckled.
Alyssa broke into a laugh. "Oh sure, forceful and complex," she giggled. "No, definitely stubborn and difficult," she said again. "And so is Ray, which is kinda why you work," she grinned.
"Yeah, well you're….pigheaded and prone to flying off the handle," Rowan shot back and made a face. "So there."
Alyssa frowned. "Flying off the handle yeah, but I'm not that pigheaded," she replied.
Rowan gave Alyssa a look, but said nothing.
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Gene went into the station, waving goodbye to Chris as Chris left. He sat down behind his desk and got started on his paperwork.
Chris nodded to Lucy as they passed each other in the hall.
"I'll find a way to see you tonight," he told her and she flashed a quick smile. She strode into Gene's outer office and sat down behind her desk and flipped on the computer.
Chris headed home. He just hoped the flat would be quiet so he could get some sleep.
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Alex finished getting ready and finally left the house. She got in her car and drove to the station
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Sammy sat on his own in the corner as he watched the other children all playing. He always felt left out and alone. He hugged his rucksack closer to his chest, the helper had tried to get him to hang it up but he was refusing to let it go. He knew he would need it at some point. It had his lunch in and he would need the bag with him at all times, he was planning on going to Molly's flat. He knew that his sister would let him in, if he went to the station to see his Mum or Dad they would take him straight back to Nursery. Molly wouldn't.
Sammy looked up as the helper announced that they were going outside and he moved forward and filed out with the other children. He knew there was a gap in the bushes where he could squeeze through if he tried. He'd watched another boy try it until one of his friends had started making a load of noise and attracting attention. Sammy edged towards that section of the bushes and pushed his rucksack through. Sammy waited for a moment to make sure no one was watching him, not that they would be, and then crawled through after his bag.
Sammy picked his bag up from the floor and slid his arms through the loops so that it was on his back. He glanced around and was glad that the bushes were too high for anyone to see over. He smiled to himself as he started to go in the direction that he thought Molly's house was.
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Gene got up and walked out and stood by Lucy's desk.
"Right, I want you to spend some time with DI Hunt today," he told her. "I'm off to a meeting for now and don't forget I'm leaving early."
Lucy nodded. "Yes, Guv."
Chris staggered into the flat and yawned hugely. He went into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. He leaned against the counter and drank it before going into the bedroom and stripping off his clothes.
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Alex got into work and heaved a sigh as she sat down at her desk. As much as she was looking forward to some time alone without Gene and Sammy, she knew she would be worrying most of the time. Gene wasn't at all likely to be texting her and letting her know that both he and Sammy were fine. He didn't even have a phone. She grumbled to herself, stupid man.
She sighed, she'd said she didn't have a problem so would have to deal with it. It was only a couple of days after all, and Sammy was so excited about going. She smiled as she remembered the look on his face; Gene would take care of him anyway. She knew she shouldn't worry, but it didn't meant that she wouldn't.
Lucy headed down the hall and went into the main room. She spotted Alex and walked over.
"The Guv wanted me to hang out with you today," Lucy told her. "So, here I am."
Alex looked up at Lucy and smiled.
"Brilliant," she said as she grabbed a seat out for Lucy.
"Now..." she said as she dug in a drawer and pulled out a folder. "Right," she said with a smile.
"I was thinking we could work on some psychology stuff today?" she suggested as she stood up and grabbed a pen. She gestured at the folder. "Pick a case," she said. "They've all been solved, but I've been collecting information so that I can teach you how to recognise certain behaviours," she smiled.
Lucy nodded and sat down.
"We're starting a lot of that in my course," Lucy told her.
Alex nodded. "Good," she smiled. "Means I can give you some tips and you can practice," she smiled.
Lucy nodded and bent her head to the paperwork.