Chapter 5

Karen was sat down finally with a cup of tea, it may have been the weekend but with two young

children that didn't mean it was anymore relaxing than the middle of the week. 'mummy please can

we go to the park?' Harry asked

'nooo I want to watch Frozen, you said we could watch Frozen'

'noo we've watched Frozen soooo many times' Harry battled back. Karen couldn't sit and listen to

this she could feel a headache coming on. 'We can't go to the park right now Harry' Harry moaned

in response, dropping to the floor with his arms crossed, Jess in response bounced up for the

Frozen dvd as though she'd won. 'Why don't you chose one that Harry likes as well Jess?'

'because you said we could watch Frozen'

'and when exactly did I agree to that'

'you did say mummy.' Karen's headache was now thumping, 'why don't you both just sit and do

something quietly for a bit… what about some colouring?'

'I hate colouring. Colouring is boring' Harry moaned some more. Brilliant Karen thought a whole

day of winging children, just what she'd waited all week for. 'Okay, what about we do some

baking?' Jess was excited and Harry reared his head, 'go wash your hands and I shall get the

ingredients together' the children rushed off. Karen had set up the ingredients and begun to help

Harry roll up his sleeves whilst Jess whisked together some butter and sugar, 'my go now jess'

Harry went to grab the bowl, 'hold on Harry, it's Jess's turn at the moment.' Harry placed his head

in his hands and began to moan again, Karen sighed. 'Harry you have to share, the cakes will be

even yummier if you do it together'

'then why isn't Jess sharing?'

'because it's still her go, be patient.' Harry began to fiddle with anything that was out on the

worktop, 'Harry am I going to have to give you a time out or are you going to start behaving?' Harry

sulked in response, it really was one of those days today. It was finally Harry's turn to mix as Karen

sifted in the flour but Harry wasn't in the mood now.

'Come on Harry' Jess tried to encourage him, he continued to play up as Karen took the bowl and

began to mix it herself. A morning of baking with her children was now turning into something she

wanted to be over and done with. As Karen began to mix, Harry got really upset 'right are you

going to mix it then Harry?' Karen asked but Harry just winged and wined until he picked up the

bag of flour and threw it to the floor. 'Time out, now!' Karen demanded just as the door bell rang.

'Sit on the step until I tell you otherwise' Harry didn't move. 'Harry!' he moved pretty quickly at the

raising of his mummy's voice as Karen answered the door.

'Rob!' Karen answered surprised, 'thought I'd pop in and see how you're all doing after the other

night' Karen smiled gratefully

'that was sweet of you'

'Rob!' Harry raced to the door at the sound of his voice, 'urmm excuse me did I say you could get

down' Harry tried to play the innocent. 'Back on the step now until I say otherwise'

'but Rob's here'

'but you've been naughty'

'come on bud, do as mummy says. I'll still be here when you've done your time out' Harry's entire

behaviour changed at the presence of Rob and off he went and sat on the step as he'd been

asked. When Rob knew Harry was on the step, he moved forward and placed a chaste kiss upon

Karen's lips which left her cheeks flushed. 'So what did he do?' Rob asked having now calmed her

down, which Karen was appreciative of. 'Oh he dropped a bag of flour on the floor because I

wouldn't let him have his way' 'ah' Rob understood which Karen really valued in Rob. 'Anyway

come through we were making a cake.' Karen walked in to see Jess attempting to sweep up the f

flour from the floor, 'oh sweetheart you didn't have to do that' Jess just smiled and then saw Rob

'hey Rob, you going to help us make our cake?'

'well that's an invitation I can't decline' Karen smiled warmly as she watched her daughter and Rob

interact. The cake was in the oven and Jess had convinced Rob to watch Frozen with her 'your in

for a treat. She knows the words to every song. Did I mention she sings along?' Karen teased.

'And why am I in for a treat, where are you sneaking off to?'

'just going to talk to Harry'

'ok, i'll go start the film' he kissed her cheek. Karen couldn't believe how perfectly he fitted into her

family's dynamic, how well Harry and Jess reacted to him, how they wanted to spend time with

him.

'right then trouble, you going to come and watch Frozen with us?'

'I'm sorry mummy'

'it's okay, but that was naughty of you Harry. You have to share with your sister'

'is the cake made?'

'yes it's in the oven, but I promise you can help ice it when it's cooked. Now you coming?'

'do we have to watch Frozen?'

'hey I thought you liked Olaf?'

'I do but we've watched it a lotttt' Karen had to laugh at her sons truthful words.

'I know, but you weren't behaving so Jess got to choose'

'ok mummy.' Harry agreed and gave his mummy a cuddle before they both walked into Jess stood

up singing along to For the First Time in Forever and Rob laughing away as Jess insisted he sang

along too. 'oh no, don't tell me you know the words by heart as well!' Karen teased as she sat

down next to Rob, 'it's my niece's favourite' Karen smiled. Rob really was such a family man, she

could feel herself opening up to him, she hadn't gone looking for him but yet here he was and she

was pretty determined not to let him go.

'So Jess are you team Elsa or Ana?' Rob asked and Jess jumped around in excitement 'ANA!'

she replied as if Rob should have been telepathic and known. 'Her hair's the same colour as

mine!' Jess pulled a piece up to show Rob in case he couldn't already see. 'It's very pretty'

'mummy please will you plait it like Ana's?' Karen smiled, her love of this film warmed Karen's

heart. 'Of course, come sit here then.' Rob watched on as Jess's eyes remained glued to the film

and Karen took joy in plaiting her little girls hair. 'You look positively princessified Jess' Rob

commented admiring the little girl's hair.

Harry erupted with laughter 'his head just fell off!' Karen and Rob smiled at the children's

enjoyment.

'Something smells yummy' Rob commented

'the cake!' Karen replied having forgotten. 'Who's ready to ice some cake?' Karen addressed to

her two children who both decided they'd rather sit and watch Frozen. Karen and Rob left the room

to deal with the cake, 'the power of Disney aye' Rob commented which made Karen giggle in the

girlish way that Rob brought out of her. Karen got the cake out of the oven, 'where's your icing

sugar and butter?' 'the cupboard and butter on the side in the dish.' Karen got out some jam whilst

the cakes cooled. 'I'm glad your here' Karen commented tentatively. 'I like being with you Karen,

and those two monkey's in there' Karen smiled, 'I'm pretty certain they like you too, I mean they've

left you to murder their cake' Karen teased, 'who said anything about murdering the cake. I'll have

you know that i'm a very good baker'

'oh are you now?'

Karen and Rob shared some light hearted flirting as they began to ice the cake, Karen decorating

the top with some fresh strawberries. 'I think we make a good team you and me' Rob declared

which sent butterflies racing in Karen's stomach. 'Yeah I mean you didn't do too bad a job' Karen

teased as Rob pulled her close in his arms. They both stood gazing into one another's eyes 'your

pretty special Karen Fisher'

'your not too bad yourself' Karen replied teasingly

'I think we have something and I don't want to lose that. I want to make a go of what we have'

'I want that too and I haven't seen Jess or Harry so contented in months, they adore you Rob and

that's important to me'

'they're great kids Karen, you don't give yourself enough credit for that. I'm falling for you Karen

and nothing would make me happier than days spent in front of the telly, you cuddled up in my

arms with Jess and Harry bouncing around, around us' Karen had a tear falling down her cheek.

Rob wiped it away with his thumb. 'Well then, let's get this cake dished up and join them for the

end of this film' Karen replied, they shared a kiss that meant they both understood what the other

wanted, both were prepared to put everything into a new beginning together. Who knew what was

around the corner for the pair of them, for the four of them.