Chapter 3
It was Monday morning Jess and Harry were glued to the TV as Karen rushed around the
house trying to get herself ready for work, running late as usual having struggled to get her
two young children up, dressed an fed. "Damn where's those reports?" Karen said to
herself as she looked through piles of paper work on her dining room table. "Harry's got it"
Jess piped up, Karen looked over to find the all important pieces of paper in the grasp of
Harry, now possessing a few different colours. "HARRY! What have I told you, we don't
draw on mummy's work" Karen took a closer look before sighing and shoving it in her huge
bag of folders and files so they could finally leave. "Come on you guys, shoes on" Harry
didn't move. "Shoes" he sulked on the sofa, "Harry just because you've been naughty
doesn't mean you have to sulk, come on you'll be late for school. Karen began to walk out
to the hallway to get her coat on to, "and you have show and tell, you love show and tell"
Karen got her coat on off the banister to reveal Robs dark green jacket below, she picked it
up over her arm, a warm butterfly sensation washed over her. "Ready" Jess beamed
"where's your brother" Jess pointed to the lounge, iKaren sighed with annoyance. "Harry
I'm leaving you here if you don't get your shows on by the count of 3! 1...2..." Harry
zoomed to the stairs shoved his shows on grabbed his coat and book bag and stood by
the door. "3, out you go you two".
They were finally on the way to their school, Karen took them both in Jess skipping off as
usual which made Karen smile. It had been a worry as to how the kids were going to react
to their parents splitting up but Jess had taken it well maybe it was the fact she was slightly
older than Harry but still naive to the world of love and all it's complications. Harry on the
other hand was a handful, he was still sweet little Harry but it was clear he was missing a
male figure in his life. "Go on then Harry, daddy's picking you up today" the words came
out with shock, well it was a bit of a revelation that Charlie was finally seeing them again.
Harry didn't show any emotion. "What's wrong sweetheart ?" Karen was a little concerned ,
" you weren't really going to leave me at home all by myself were you?" Harry said very
sheepishly, " of course not, oh come here you. You were being naughty this morning but I'd
never leave you two, I love you too much" Harry gave his mum a hug, she swished his hair
before seeing him off, she turned to head back to her car looking at her watch as she got
in 8. 24 it read, "bugger". She started the ignition so fast she stalled, today really wasn't
the best of mornings, she then caught sight of the passenger seat of her car , Rob's coat
draped over the seat, a smile trickled across her face at the thought, maybe today wouldn't
be so bad after all.
She had zoomed into the school gates with a few tuts from passing students who
coincidently were late too. She was now sat in her office trying to work out the best
moment to return Rob's coat, she'd figured break would be a good time for now though it
rested on her bag which was behind her desk in the corner, she didn't want anyone to see
it incase they got the wrong idea completely.
Having dealt with a few fights between the boys and a stealing incident Karen took the
chance to go try and find Rob. She trawled the English corridor hoping and expecting him
to be in his classroom... But he wasn't. This now meant he could only be in one place.
STAFF ROOM. She slowly wandered towards the door her hand fell towards the handle as
it suddenly burst open "sorry Karen" a slightly panicked Tom answered, Karen just smiled.
Here goes nothing she thought as she slowly moved into the room searching for Rob.
"Karen" a voice behind her echoed, "Mr Scotcher, can I have a quick word with you in my
office. "Sure" he replied in that light hearted way only Rob would.
Karen sat down by her desk "this is looking a bit serious, is everything okay" " oh sorry,
yeah there's nothing wrong I just wanted to give you back this from the weekend" Karen
passed over his coat, "that's where it went" "I called after you once I realised but you'd
gone and I couldn't get hold of you until now" "it's no problem, I had a lovely time" "me
too...and Jess and Harry" Karen smiled. There was something about her that Rob found
so entirely captivating, "I think we may need to sort the problem of not getting hold of each
other, you know if this sort of mishap were to happen again" Karen giggled a little until the
realisation that he had just given her his number hit her and she felt like a teenager all over
again. Rob smiled tapping at the piece of paper as he went to leave " thanks for this again,
I'm sure not to catch frost bite on the way home now" Karen smiled at Rob's cheekiness.
She didn't know what it was or where it came from but Karen suddenly felt this impulse
"Rob, wait" he turned around leaning against the door frame. "The kids are meant to be
with there dad tonight if..." Her words were slightly lost, her shy self breaking through. The
bars slowly sliding up as her body almost began to reject a new special someone walking
into her life. "We could grab a bite to eat at that new place in town?" He asked "why not"
"tonight?" He had a smile he couldn't control all over his face "tonight" Karen was a little
shyer but didn't mean she was any less excited or happy about her plans for the evening.
School finished and Karen left school heading home to pamper herself for her night out
with Rob. Meanwhile Charlie was busily making the children's tea and that meant all 4 of
them. Jess an Harry were being angles just like there mum had told them but Maria's two;
Ellis and Imogen were a nightmare. "Sit nicely and watch the tv or its going off" Jess and
Harry were sitting playing a game of noughts and crosses, they were getting quite into it
Harry and Jess both laughed. "Harry, Jessie when I said calmly I meant it" Charlie walked
into the room to find Ellis hitting Harry. Little Harry cried everyone was so much older
than him, his big sister gave him a hug but his daddy ... "Harry stop being so naughty,
crying won't make it any better. "Ellis can you make sure everyone is behaving in here"
Charlie left to get dinner finally on the table. The fisher children were clearly in for that
night they'd been hoping for with their dad...
Karen was dressed though she kept looking in the mirror at her navy blouse and jeans
combo with a pair of striped wedges. She hasn't got dressed up like this in a long time and
she was clearly nervous. The doorbell rang and the butterflies seemed to suddenly make
there presence known. She opened the door to find rob in a very nice shirt with a pair of
what seemed to be his best jeans. " you look lovely Karen" she blushed "your not so bad
yourself" "shall we get going then" she grabbed her coat and they headed off in Robs car
to their table reservation. In the meantime the children had all been put to bed except
Harry was missing his mummy and wanted nothing more than a bed time story to make
him feel better. He sniffled and Jess climbed out of her bed to see if he was alright "Harry
what's the matter?" "I want a story" "come on let's ask Daddy" they crept downstairs to find
their dad and precious step mum having dinner , candles lit, the lighting was dim. A lot of
effort had clearly been made. "Harry ... Jess why are you out of bed!" "Harry wanted a
story, he always has a story, mummy reads it" "well mummy's not here now is she, go to
bed and don't get out again" Harry began to really cry. "I'll tuck you in, but I want no more
of this okay" Charlie lifted his son up, but not very lovingly as they all walked back to the
bedroom they were sharing. "Right now go to sleep" and with that Charlie left and Harry
felt worse than he did previously.
Karen and Rob had begun to really get to know each other, Rob had shared with her how
his only sweetheart had died in a car crash when they were in their mid 20's, they'd had it
all planned out, saving to buy a house trying for a baby but it was all taken away from them
in a matter of minutes. Karen found her hand rest on his as a sign of compassion, "that
must have been hard, can't imagine having to go through that" Karen was genuinely
interested and wanting to know all about him and he was beginning to like her more for it.
The conversation began to turn on its head as Rob asked about Karen and the kids. She
explained how 2 and a half years ago they had divorced after her husband of 10 years
came out about his year long affair. How it had been a really messy divorce, the kids still
don't properly understand, he's rubbish at seeing them and pops into the picture when he
decides he is going to. "Can't imagine how hard that must have been, you've done so well
with Jess and Harry they're such lovely children" " you clearly haven't been with them for
long enough" Karen gave an exhausted laugh reflecting how she felt being a single mum.
"Maybe that will have to change."