Gordon walked into the lounge and found Aaron sitting on the sofa staring at cards on the mantelpiece. He knew what is son was looking for. He had received birthday cards off of numerous people, his aunt, grandparents, cousins, friends, neighbours, but not a single one from his mother or her side of the family. It seemed to have taken a year, but she had finally gotten the message or so he hoped.

"Come on, get your coat on." Gordon told his son, picking it up from the arm of the sofa where is had been draped.

"Don't want to go." Aaron grumped.

"Aaron, please don't do this." Gordon scolded. "I've booked today off work for this."

"I don't want to go!" Aaron huffed.

Gordon sighed and rolled his eyes. He didn't have much patience when it came to children having tantrums.

"I want mum!" Aaron shouted at him. He hadn't seen her in over a month. It wasn't fair. Everyone else at school got to see their mum all the time, they lived with their mum!

Not only had his son inherited his mother's inability to put any weight on, but also the temper and stubborn streak she was so famous for.

"I want mum! I want mum!" Aaron continued to scream.

"Aaron, stop it!" Gordon snapped, causing the little boy to instantly become quiet. "Fine! I'll call her."

They were going to be late picking up his friends.

The older man had disappeared out of the room and into the kitchen, picking up the phone from the hall as he went. He had just dialled the feisty dark haired woman's number when there was a knock on the door. He didn't have a chance to put down the phone and go to see who it was, because Aaron had jumped from the sofa and flung open the front door himself in pure excitement. The little boy had curiously gazed out of the front window to see who it was to find his birthday made.

"MUM!" Aaron's voice carried down the hall to the kitchen where Gordon stood.

"Aaron, love!" Chas exclaimed, pulling her son towards her and up into a hug in her arms. "I've missed you so much baby."

"I've missed you too mummy!" Aaron told her, locking his arms tightly round her.

"I know baby." Chas said. She had missed her son so much. She had only been allowed to see him when it suited Gordon. However today she hadn't let that stop her. She wasn't going to miss out on her boy's birthday.

"What are you going here?" Gordon questioned from inside the house, breaking the moment between mother and child.

"What do you think?" Chas snapped. "I'm going to spend my baby's birthday with him."

"We've already made plans." Gordon told her, trying to be awkward.

"Well you can alter them." Chas suggested.

"We were only going to go go-karting." Aaron grumbled into his mother's hair, where he had buried himself, frightened she would disappear.

"I can tag along for that, one more extra person won't make a difference." Chas told Gordon smugly, hitching Aaron further on to her small hip.

"We're taking a few of his friends. . ." Gordon commented.

"And?" The younger woman shrugged. "Come on Aaron, let's get your coat on!"

The atmosphere in the car has been tense. Chas had sat herself in the front with Gordon, only because they were picking up two of Aaron's friends who would sit in the back with him. The two of them were grateful when they had finally picked up the two other mischievous monkeys who would be joining them on Aaron's Birthday day out; the car was no longer silent and tense. The three six year olds were non stop giggling and shouting in the back.

They spent the whole afternoon at the go-kart track. Chas had soon jumped into a go-kart even with her high heels on. She had even pulled a kart helmet over her styled hair. She wasn't going to allow anything to ruin her son's birthday, if he wanted her to race with them, then she would. Gordon had been his classic reserved self, not getting too excited as he too climbed into a go kart himself. They were racing for a good solid two hours, after having been kitted out and gone through the safety and rules with one of the instructors. At five a clock they were all worn out and hungry! Chas had suggested that she would treat them all for dinner. She insisted on Gordon driving them the other side of town to a child friendly restaurant where she let Aaron and his two friends pick anything they wanted. She had barely seen her son the past year and she damned if Gordon was going to make her miss out today. She was going to spend as much time as she could with him. She didn't know when she was going to see him next.

"I've got to be getting these two back to their parents." Gordon announced as they finished their dessert and Chas paid for the meals.

Chas looked at the time, it was nearly seven at night. "I suppose you're right. Did you fun boys?"

"Yeah!" All three of them exclaimed nodding their heads.

They dropped Aaron's friends off home, before going back to theirs. Chas insisted on going inside with them. She wasn't quite finished spending time with her son. She still had his present to give him, which she had kept hidden in her bag the whole day.

"He needs to be getting to bed Chas." Gordon told her a little annoyed; his whole day had been hijacked by his ex.

"One more hour won't hurt." Chas said, letting herself back into the house where she used to live and following Aaron into the lounge.

"He's got football in the morning." Gordon made sure she knew.

"And? It's his birthday. He's untitled to a late night." Chas sighed rolling her eyes. "Besides I still haven't given my boy his present."

The young woman took a seat on of the sofa's next to Aaron and rummaged inside of her bag for what she was looking for. With a big smile, she handed over a medium sized present and a holiday brochure.

Curious, Aaron excitedly unwrapped the present to find a pair of red shorts and bright yellow t-shirt. As far as birthday presents had gone, he had had better. He was even more puzzled when he was handed a grown up magazine with pictures of beaches inside.

Chas couldn't hold back the laugh she was trying to contain upon seeing how puzzled her son looked. "We're going to Spain Aaron!" She told him ecxcitedly. "I booked us a holiday to Spain, for us two to go!"

Aaron's mouth dropped.

"You what?!" Gordon exclaimed from the doorway.

"You heard."

"You're not taking him on holiday." Gordon told her. No way.

"Tough, I am. It's all booked now. Aaron's excited, he wants to go, don't you Aaron?" Chas said as she ruffled her son's dark hair.

Aaron nodded his head, a huge grin on his face.

"See, we're going." Chas told Gordon, leaving no room for argument.

"Or so you think. . ." Gordon muttered under his breath as he left the lounge.

Chas had booked the holiday for late July. She had managed to get a really good deal on the holiday and she knew Aaron wouldn't be at school. He would be enjoying his summer holiday break and Gordon couldn't argue about her taking him for a holiday. The idea was perfect, two weeks in sunny Spain just her and her boy. It was a long wait, six months, but she could and she knew Aaron would be excited to go.