Joining Catherine at the foot of the stairs, Gil and Lindsey were introduced to Catherine's date, Tyler. A tall, handsome man clad in a neat, black suit. He seemed pleasant and smiled politely, leaning over to shake both of their hands before returning his hand to the small of Catherine's back. The movement hadn't escaped Gil's attention.
"Okay, so I'll be home around midnight. I will have my phone with me so don't hesitate to call if anything comes up and Lindsey, behave for Gil, okay honey?" Catherine instructed, placing a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "And thanks a lot for doing this Gil, I owe you one," she smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.
Lindsey and Gil stood at the door to see Catherine off before returning to the livingroom, settling themselves on the sofa. Gil suddenly felt awkward.
"So what did you want to do tonight, Lindsey?" Gil asked, unsure that he could suggest something that the girl would enjoy. Lindsey pondered for a second.
"Well I got a new DVD the other day. I haven't watched it yet. Plus Mom bought popcorn and crisps for us. Oh, and some beers for you but she said you can't have more than three," she explained.
"Oh she did, huh?" Gil queried, slightly amused at Catherine's orders. "Well how about you get your DVD and I'll make the popcorn? Sound like a plan?" Lindsey grinned and scurried upstairs. 'So far, so good' he mused, feeling relatively proud of himself.
By the time she returned, Gil had laid out bowls of popcorn and crisps on the coffee table alongside a glass of Coke for Lindsey and a beer for himself. She smiled at the sight and inserted the DVD into the machine before taking her place next to Gil on the sofa again with her drink.
The evening gradually progressed with the two watching various DVDs and making some small talk. Gil had enjoyed spending time with the girl, which surprised him since he hadn't much experience with children. Excepting the ones that had ended up in his lab under horrendous circumstances.
Before they knew it, it was already 11.30 pm. Gil turned his attention from the TV screen to Lindsey and found she had fallen asleep. He wasn't exactly sure what to do in this situation but decided it'd be best to get her to bed. Gently, he shook her, whispering her name in an attempt to wake her up but received no response. He examined her for a few seconds as she slept, admiring the resemblance to her mother. Letting out a quiet sigh, he removed the glass from her hand and carefully shifted her into a more comfortable position, placing a cushion beneath her head. Content with his efforts, he switched off the television and set on tidying up the room a little before Catherine got back.