A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing :) Here's the next part, hope you like it!

~Mini Peacelet~


Part 4

"Special delivery," Sonya smiled in her usual chirpy tone, hinted with the giggles that riddled her personality, floundering into Christine's office bearing a vast posy of an assortment of fresh and lively flora. Warming reds, subtle pinks, intense oranges and vivid yellows combined with lavish altering shades of greens. Ocean turquoise ribbons, so silky, adorned the bouquet that a talented florist had evidently consumed time crafting. "If I didn't know any better then I'd say someone has a secret admirer, either that or you've pulled someone who's definitely a keeper!" She beamed.

A faint frown engulfed Christine's contours as she wondered how an earth Sonya actually succeeded in remaining balanced on the ridiculous heels. She regained her equilibrium, striding a couple of paces to meet Sonya and accept the bunch of flowers, "Thanks..." She said sincerely, positioning them on the edge of her messy desk. Her orbs scanned the label that simply read 'Love from you know who. Xxxx' scribbled in a swirly scrawl. A grin was desperate to dance it's way onto her features, perhaps a cheeky smirk. But she resisted. She knew exactly who they were from. Nikki. She was astonished that she had been sent them after they had both agreed to be strictly professional. The brunette had obviously been unable to refrain.

"Well, who are they from then?" Sonya's levels of enthusiasm were zealous, inquisitive but mainly seeking for the latest gossip.

"No one," Christine dismissed the question, hoping that her secretary would understand the unnoticeable request.

"You must know," Sonya pried, totally missing the fact that the headmistress was wanting her to leave.

Christine sighed, rotating round in her chunky heels, "Haven't you got some files to sort or something?" She instructed, her manner harder and harsher than she had intended.

A little taken back, Sonya retreated to the other part of the office, busying herself with her endless list of jobs she had to complete. She was more than pleased when a distraction arrived; observing the painted door that was situated directly opposite her desk fly open. And in entered Nikki, a collection of files propped under her right arm, her left hand tucked into the tight pocket of her smart jeans. "Is Christine in there?" She inquired, ambling towards the second door.

"Yeah, but she's in a right mood, don't know what's up with her." Sonya warned as she happily consumed another mouthful of the digestive biscuit she was munching on, propped between two of her manicured fingernails.

Nikki simply nodded, acknowledging what Sonya had said, "I'll take my chances," she shrugged, tapping on the door to announce her presence and walking in. A soft smile highlighted her lips as her cornflower blue orbs fixated on the spray of flowers. She closed the door before she spoke, basking the comfortable silence excluding her minimal movements and the sound of Christine's parker pen scraping against the thin, white paper. "I've checked these files you wanted me to." She smiled, depositing them on the desk.

"Thanks," The blonde smiled warmly, dropping her pen to lay besides the paper she was writing on, "and thank you for those," she gestured to the array of flora.

"You're welcome," Nikki beamed, "I thought you could do with something to brighten your office up," she smirked.

They continued to engage in a pleasant conversation, thankful that the school day was nearly over. In a short period of time - minutes - they would no longer have to obey by their contracts.

Christine observed as Sonya collected her handbag and toddled out; she was finished for the day. Satisfied that there was no one listening in on their conversation, the headmistress spoke again, "I thought we were keeping it strictly professional?" She raised her eye brow.

Nikki shrugged and just winked, striding across to the door again.

"Nik..." Christine grasped her partner's attention again, waiting for the subtle nod before resuming her sentence, "Connor's going to Imogen's tonight, maybe we could go back to mine and I'll get some overnight stuff. And we'll find your other shoe. Then we could go to yours?" She suggested with a soft laugh as she recalled the mayhem of that morning when Nikki stressed about not being able to locate her other shoe, and it was a rare occasion that she was free from the duties as a mother to be at home with her son so no questions were asked.

A tender laugh escaped the brunette's lips, "Yeah, okay. I'll just go get my bag."


Connor had changed his plans; instead of tonight, he was going to Imogen's tomorrow night now. Subsequently to his lesson ending, like the rest of his year, he headed home, taking full advantage of the free slots they received at the end of some days. He treaded up the stairs and into his room where he abandoned his shoes and school bag. He then proceeded to complete his chores for that day which involved changing the bedding on his bed. Subsequently to finishing that, he collected the linen sheets he had just removed and a few other items of laundry and headed to the bathroom where he would deposit them in the white, woven basket.

He paused after lifting the lid to the basket. An abnormal item appeared to have established itself in the laundry basket. A shoe. He removed the shoe from the textured basket; a pale brown suede, velvety to touch, and with a suitable sized, sturdy heel, definitely decent quality. He was bemused to how it had ended up there. It was peculiar location. Automatically, he presumed it was Christine's - he had no reason not to - and figured his mother was cracking up. That was the only explanation. Christine had in fact been the one to situate it there after far too many alcoholic beverages; it wasn't intentionally, she was hiding it, a long with several other garments that strayed the landing, so Connor wouldn't discover them.

He shoved his washing in the laundry basket and clutched the shoe again, deciding to return it to his mother's room to save her the hassle of looking for it. Connor spotted the other shoe that corresponded and placed them together, vaguely bewildered to the amount of clutter in the room. It was usually so clean and spotless. There were clothes strewn everywhere. He didn't pay much attention though. Whilst he was in there, he decided to gather the dirty mugs so he could go load the dishwasher. As he raised the cups off the bedside cabinet, he perceived a bottle of perfume. The bottle was dainty, fancily carved out of crystal glass. But it wasn't his mother's. His mother only ever wore DKNY, she had done for years. And the bottles all resembled apples, apparently, he couldn't see the relation personally. He sniffed the half empty bottle; he definitely couldn't memorise ever recognising that scent. Gucci was a perfume Christine hadn't worn.

Connor pirouetted round and observed the clothes more closely. They were familiar. And he was positive that the distinctive shirt on the back of the chair had been attired by Nikki. The ankle boots; Miss Boston often wore them. The shoes Nikki wore today; they had a similar appearance to his Mum's, they probably were hers. The perfume probably belonged to her too. Questions whizzed around in his head. He couldn't wait for Christine to arrive home.