"Daddy!"
Cal turned, unsure if that was Owen or Lewis calling out. They sounded the same sometimes, if he wasn't looking. It was Lewis. "Hey," he greeted his son with a smile, bending over slightly to wrap his arms around his seven year old's shoulders. He was about to ask where his mother was when he heard the rapid clip of her heels against the floor. Owen was tugging her into the room behind him, running and pulling.
"Dad!" He pointed, successful grin on his face. He let go of his mother's hand to run across the room. Cal stooped to scoop him up. Owen threw his arms around him in an embrace and Cal caught his wife's eye. She looked a little harried.
"What are you lot doin' here?"
Gillian raised an eyebrow slightly. She didn't even have to voice her snide comment, Cal knew it already. "I meant," Cal went on quickly while Owen pressed cold fingers against his neck. "You don't come to see me often, all togetha."
"Lewis wanted to come and say hello," Gillian sat herself on his couch. Cal could practically hear her sigh. Lewis hovered around Cal's feet and Owen started to get heavy. Cal headed for the couch as well, sitting awkwardly while trying to shift the toddler clinging to his shoulders. Lewis climbed up to sit between his parents and they shifted to make enough room. "We were in town," Gillian went on.
"Oh right," Cal clicked. Lewis needed new school shoes. That's why they were in town and that's why they were in the neighbourhood to come visit. "Did you get some Lew?"
Lewis watched his hands, then looked up and nodded.
"What about you Batman," Cal shifted Owen to see his face. "Did you get new shoes today too?"
Owen nodded.
"No you didn't," Gillian corrected with a half laugh. "But he tried on lots of new shoes."
"Ah," Cal noted. No wonder she was tired and feeling harassed. Taking Owen shopping was borderline nightmare. Everything was fascinating. "So, shall we go home now?"
"Dad you come too," Lewis told him. He used 'as well'; a 'Y' hand moved back and forth in front of the body.
"Yeah yeah yeah," Owen agreed. He jabbed a finger into his father's chest. "You."
Cal nodded. "I'll come as well. In five minutes, all right?" He looked around the blonde head of his two year old, who was fingering the button on his shirt at his throat, to see his elder son. "All right?" He moved his hand from a 'five' to and 'O' and a 'K'.
Lewis nodded. "I'll count." He made an 'F' hand and drew that index finger and thumb over the palm of his left hand, away from himself. Then he held up his right wrist with his new watch on it and stared at the numbers on the dial.
Cal gave a slight smirk and got to his feet again, shifting Owen to dump him in his mother's lap. Then Cal leaned down to give her a kiss. "Five minutes, promise."
"Four and a half," Gillian countered softly, her arms coming up protectively around the toddler. Cal kissed her again but she pulled away abruptly, wincing. Owen had shifted and was kneeling in the soft part of her thigh. He slapped his hands against her chest and she caught both of them, telling him to be gentler with her. Cal thought she looked tired, worn; thank god it was Friday. Perhaps they needed a quiet weekend.
Cal went to his desk and started to shut down everything and put files away safely for the two days he was not going to be there. Kim buzzed through to say she was leaving and Cal agreed that was fine. Then there was a light tap on the door and everyone looked up. Eli was standing there, looking a little unsure, and beside him, a blonde woman, smiling pleasantly. They came in further. "Uh hi, I was just coming to say I'm heading off now."
"All right," Cal said neutrally.
"Eli!" Lewis scrambled off the couch. He rushed towards the other man and hugged his waist. "I got a new watch. See?" He pointed to his eyes and then to Eli and then made an 'F' hand shape and placed it over his actual watch on his wrist.
"Wow, that's really cool," Eli enthused appropriately.
Gillian got up, putting Owen on the floor. He toddled over to his big brother, tilting his head way back to see the taller people. "Tick tick tick!" He announced. "It go tick, tick."
"Is that the sound it makes?" Eli asked him, bending over a little to reduce the distance between them. Owen nodded and stuck his fingers in his mouth. Eli turned to the woman he was with, who was holding his hand with a delighted smile. "This is Owen," he introduced, and then did the same for Lewis. Gillian approached, a smile on her face, interest in her demeanour. Eli introduced her as well and Cal in the back who was finishing up with his computer, listening in. "This is Faye."
"Hi," Faye spoke up.
"Is she your friend?" Lewis asked, interlocking his index fingers twice. Eli nodded.
"It's nice to meet you," Gillian offered, shaking the other woman's hand.
"Oh you too. Eli talks about you a lot."
Eli looked away embarrassed as Cal approached. Cal offered his hand as well and shook with Faye. She gave him a smile and he noted the blue eyes and sharp nose, the small chin and high cheek bones. She was beautiful when she smiled, otherwise he might not have paid much attention. It was hard to pay any attention when Gillian was in the room and he wasn't just saying that. He should tell Gillian that, it would earn him brownie points.
Lewis started to show Eli and Faye the cool things his watch could do; it had its own alarm and a light to see in the dark. Gillian bent to pick up Owen, who had a habit of pinching the back of her thighs to get her attention, asking Faye what she did for a living and other prying questions that saved Cal from doing the same even though he was only mildly interested; how long had they been dating, where was she from, how did they meet?
"Eli comes in to get coffee from the bakery," Faye responded with another warm smile.
"That's nice," Gillian smiled again, all pleasant, while Owen pinched at the exposed skin around her collarbone. "Ow!" Gillian complained. "That hurts me!"
Owen pouted at her.
"Here," Cal held out his arms to take the boy. Gillian handed him over and Cal tucked him tightly against his body to stop the squirming.
"Mum I'm hungry," Lewis announced, turning towards her and pulling a 'C' hand down his body.
Gillian placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ok," she signed. "But we're talking," she twirled a finger by her mouth. "We'll go soon." She rubbed two 'H' hands against each other, edge of middle finger of right hand on top of the index finger of her left hand. Lewis didn't really respond to that but he stood quietly as if he were actually going to wait patiently. It was enough though; Faye graciously said they shouldn't really keep the kids if it was their dinner time, which it was certainly getting close to. Gillian told her it was very nice to meet her and to not be a stranger around the building. Cal watched Eli relax a little and was amused that the man, who was in his thirties now, who had been with the Lightman Group almost from the beginning, had actually been seeking out their approval.
They really were like a family around here.
Cal paid more attention when they started saying good bye. He dutifully added it was nice to meet Faye. Lewis asked loudly if they were leaving now, to which Gillian replied they were and he grinned his approval. He pushed past the big people and headed down the hall. Owen squirmed to be let go too but Cal was not in the mood for chasing after him so held him tighter; the little blighter had a habit of getting little fingers into little places they should not be. Way worse than Lewis ever was.
"Oi Lewis!" Cal called after him and the boy actually turned. "Are you gonna say goodbye?"
"Oh," Lewis rushed back to hug his father.
"Not me," Cal laughed. "I'm comin' with you. What about Eli?" He finger-spelled it quickly. "And Faye?" He finger spelled her name slower, so Lewis could see the sequence.
Lewis hugged Eli around the hips again and then turned to Faye. He hesitated ever-so-slightly and then hugged her too. She laughed, pleased, and hugged him back, thanking him. "This is thank you," Lewis showed her, moving his hand from his mouth, outwards.
Faye repeated it. "Thank you."
Lewis nodded, satisfied and then waved and took off again.
"Oooh, ooooh, oooooooh," Owen mimicked, making the same movement; though his fingers were a bit more relaxed than the sign officially required.
"Very good," Cal told him, signing 'good' and giving him a kiss of encouragement.
"He's such a sweetie. And so smart," Faye gushed after Lewis. She asked about his hearing as they walked to the exit, and Gillian explained. Cal also thought it amusing both he and Eli let their women do the talking. Usually, Gillian would tell him off for staying out of a conversation. Clearly, the novelty of meeting Eli's girlfriend, the only one they had met in the last five years, gave the both of them a free pass.
They reached the doors where Lewis was waiting, fidgeting with his watch again. Owen begged to be put down but now they were headed out to the street there was definitely no way. He whined and Cal told him to just wait a second more. Owen screech and Cal told him off for making a noise that could hurt Daddy's ears.
"We really should go," Gillian noted, smoothing her hand around the back of Owen's head as he tried to throw himself out of his father's grip.
"We have dinner reservations," Eli noted.
"It was very nice meetin' you," Cal spoke up.
Faye gave him a smile. "You too, finally. Eli talks about you all the time."
Cal gave a slight smirk until he felt Gillian's hand on his shoulder, squeezing, telling him to keep his mouth shut and behave, to not embarrass. Cal headed for the door while Gillian said the last of the goodbyes and told Lewis he could push it open to leave. Gillian was not far behind them, waving over her shoulder, then she slipped her hand in to the crook of Cal's elbow as they walked along towards their cars. She was parked next to him. "Faye seems really nice."
"Hm," Cal agreed.
"Which one?" Lewis asked, hands curled up in a 'wh' question.
"Either," Gillian told him. She held up her left hand, and danced the middle and index finger of her right hand over the top of the left index and middle finger. Lewis went to his father's car. "Favouritism," Gillian murmured against Cal's ear as they approached.
"You can have this one," Cal swung Owen towards her, practically throwing him. Owen let out a startled squeal but Cal only let go once he knew Gillian had a grip. He gave her a quick kiss. "See you at home."
"Maybe," Gillian shot back.
Cal gave her a grin as he backed away to the driver's side of his car, remotely unlocking the door for the waiting Lewis. "Whateva," he retorted. "You can't stay away."
Gillian narrowed her eyes at him slightly, unlocking her own vehicle to put Owen in his car seat. She shook her head too but just as Cal went to look away he caught the edge of her smile and it made his heart flutter a little.