the boy grinned and ran away from John, he stood up and stopped when he sore who's arms the little boy was in
"mickie" john said with shock written all over his face
"h-hey john" mickie said nervously she didnt even notice the girls had slinked away "h-how've you been?"
"i um, yeah ok, you?" he asked
She nodded "ok, stressed mainly, being a mum isn't fun sometimes"
John just nodded he didnt know what to say she'd obviously moved on with her life not giving john a second thought.
John watched on as Tommy signed to mickie who chuckled "yeah Tommy i know your friend" she said with a smile
John smiled he had missed her smile
"why are you smiling"
"oh um, i thought he looked familiar, just, didnt realise it was because he's the spit of you"
Mickie looked down before looking up "um, thanks"
"for what?" John asked confused
"helping him with his maths, he wont do it normally"
"so that's why there was a lot" John said with a chuckle
"yeah"
"its ok, glad I could help" he sent a small smile to mickie ruffled Tommy's hair he grinned as he did it before walking away past them
Mickie looked down before walking the opposite way to John who stopped at the end of the corridor and watched as mickie wandered down the corridor with her son.
John walked forward and picked up Tommy's bag he sighed and took it with him as he headed back to his locker room
John pulled up outside a house sat on some land opposite the house was paddocks with horses he took a deep breathe before grabbing the bag and getting out the car. He looked and mickie was looking at him through what he's guessing is the kitchen window. He held him the bag as if to say this is why im here, he shut his door as she went from the window.
He walked around the car as she walked out onto her porch and down the steps towards him "he left this" John said
"thanks" she said taking it
"nice place" John said glancing around
"thank you" mickie looked down
John took a deep breathe in "i should probably go then" he said as it was awkward between them.
But before he could even move he had a small person hugging his leg he looked down at Tommy hugging his leg.
"sorry" mickie said tapping Tommy who backed away smiling up at John
John smiled back and crouched "you forgot your bag" he said normally, mickie was confused did he know Tommy was deaf? And if he did why doesn't he shout like people usually do. "brought it back for you" he finished
thank you john signed
"he said thank you" mickie said watching the boys
"its ok" John said
Tommy turned to his mother can he stay for dinner please mummy
mickie looked at her son "you'll have to ask him" mickie said
Tommy then looked down, this is where he got embarrassed and frustrated, that he couldn't talk to people he wanted to
John looked at mickie "he wants you to stay for dinner" she said
"i um" John said, he didnt just want to invite himself, he wasn't sure whether mickie was asking him if he wanted to or just telling him what Tommy wanted
"your more than welcome to" mickie said "least I can do, you didnt have to help him today or bring his bag back"
John looked from mickie to Tommy and got him to look at him so he could communicate with him "you want me to stay for dinner?" John asked
Tommy nodded
John smiled "ok"
Tommy grinned before running inside to get the toys he wanted to show John
mickie looked at John "it wont be long" she said before making her way inside slowly
John noticed she must have been waiting for him catch up he locked his car and jogged to catch up, his main goal tonight was to eliminate the awkwardness between them so he could at least be friends with her and move on and not live on the what if's. He didnt miss what he had with mickie because what they had wasn't real or for very long, he just kept thinking what if, what if she never got on that plane that day, or what if he found her sooner.