Chapter 9

Paul smiled at Jake as he placed the spoon in his mouth. "You like Grandma's soup, don't you buddy?"

The baby boy ate the soup hungrily before banging his plastic car repeatedly off the tray on his highchair and grinning at his father. Paul grinned back and tweaked his nose playfully before feeding him another spoonful. He looked up and smiled as he heard voices and saw his mother and Ellie walk into the kitchen. He shook his head as he saw the number of bags they were both carrying.

"No need to ask what took you guys so long."

"Daddy, you should see the new shoes Grandma bought me. They're so cool. Do you want to see them?"

Paul smiled and nodded his head. "Sure but do you want to say hello to your brother first before he tips over his chair?"

Ellie giggled as she watched Jake squeal and wave his hands up and down in the air sending the car he was holding tumbling onto the kitchen floor. Ellie picked the car up and ruffled Jake's hair. "Hiya Jakey. Do you want your car back?"

Jake grinned as he took the plastic toy and started to bang it off his tray again. Paul shook his head and grinned in his mother's direction.

"What the hell did you put in this soup? He's been hyper since I started feeding it to him."

Patricia laughed as she bent down, kissing Jake on the head. "Don't blame it on my soup. If you must know, you were exactly the same at mealtimes when you were little. You were full of mischief just like this little one." She smiled at Jake before sitting down on the chair beside Paul. She kicked off her shoes and sat back in the chair, audibly sighing in relief. "That feels so much better. My feet were killing me."

"No wonder. You've been gone all day."

"Well, it's not often I get to spend time with my granddaughter. I really enjoyed it. It's just a pity Stephanie wasn't here though. She would have loved the new shop they've opened up in the mall. It's got some beautiful stuff, the kind of stuff she would have loved."

Paul said nothing as he fed Jake another spoonful of soup. Patricia sighed softly as she watched her son carefully. He had said very little about Stephanie since he had arrived and seemed reluctant to talk about her. Ellie, on the other hand, had been more than willing to chatter as they had shopped this afternoon. She had happened to let it slip that her daddy didn't like their new neighbour Mark and had been angry at her mommy for staying at home in Greenwich. It had certainly fuelled her curiosity about Paul's sullenness and was just about to broach the subject with him when Ellie came bounding across to her father.

"What do you think Daddy? Do you like them?"

Paul smiled and whistled appreciatively at his daughter. "Wow. You're looking very beautiful indeed. How about a twirl to show off?"

Ellie giggled as she twirled around, showing off her new dress and shoes. "Can I go and show Grandpa?"

Patricia nodded. "Sure honey. He's in the living room probably having his nap before dinner. Why don't you go and wake him up for me?"

She smiled as she watched Ellie race towards the living room before turning her attention to Jake. "Don't worry sweetheart. Grandma's got a present for you too. You can try it on after you've finished your soup." She smiled as Jake took another spoonful from Paul. "Good boy."

"So, Ellie got a new dress as well as shoes, huh?"

She shrugged her shoulders casually. "Like I said, I don't often get the chance to go shopping and spoil them. It's no big deal."

"I know you don't. Thank you." He squeezed her hand affectionately and gave her a smile.

"You're welcome. I'm going to make myself some coffee. Do you want one?"

Paul nodded his head and continued to feed Jake while Patricia began to spoon coffee into the jug.

"So, did you call Stephanie while I was out?"

"No. I thought I'd wait until Ellie was back. She'll want to talk to her anyway."

Patricia sighed as she took out the cups. "You're not still angry with her for staying at home are you?"

She saw Paul freeze for a second before he stood up and brought the empty bowl over to the sink. He said nothing as he gazed absently out of the window. Patricia shook her head as he deliberately avoided eye contact. "Paul, I asked you a question."

"Yeah, well I don't feel like answering it."

"And you don't have to. The answer is written all across your face." She let out a heavy sigh as she touched his arm tentatively. It was so unusual for her son to be like this especially when it came to his wife. "Paul, you can't blame Stephanie for doing what she thinks is right. You know as well as I do that if something happened to that man and his daughter while you were away, she'd never be able to forgive herself."

Paul turned to her shaking his head in disbelief. "You've talked to her, haven't you?"

"No but Ellie talked about what had been happening. She said Mark wasn't well enough to look after Chloe and that Stephanie wanted to help him." She watched as Paul walked across to Jake and sat back down. She approached him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Surely you can't be mad at her about wanting to help a friend?"

"Of course not."

"Then what is it? Why are you being so unreasonable about this?"

"Unreasonable?!" exclaimed Paul whose brown eyes flashed at her angrily. "How am I being unreasonable? I mean is it so wrong to worry about my wife and what all of this is doing to her?"

"No of course it's not." Patricia reassured him gently as she sat down beside him. Her hand reached out to touch Jake's and she affectionately stroked his chubby fingers as she looked at her son. "And it's perfectly understandable that you'd be worried about Stephanie. But what I don't understand is why you seem to be so angry at her."

"I'm not angry." he shot back.

"No? Then why are you walking around with that face?"

"What face?"

"The same face that I've seen so many times and know all too well." Patricia replied nudging him playfully. "I'm your mother, Paul. You can't fool your mother."

"And don't I know it." Paul replied as his mouth lifted in a small smile.

"So why don't you tell me what's up."

His massive shoulders rose and fell with his heavy sigh. He retrieved the plastic car from the edge of tray and passed it back to his son as he began to explain.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just upset that Steph stayed home. The kids really miss her and Ellie needs her right now. She had another nightmare last night."

"I heard her." Patricia admitted as she sighed softly.

"And of course she was crying for Steph." said Paul as he ran his big hand through his hair. "But instead of being here consoling our daughter, she's back at home consoling someone else. And okay, I know the guy has lost his little girl and it's a horrible time for him. I get that. I do. But why does it have to be my wife he depends on all the time?" He paused, licking his lips and lightly shaking his head. "It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't at her constantly. Do you know that he calls at all hours of the day and night to talk to Steph? It doesn't matter if it's three in the morning. He'll still call her then Steph spends god knows how many hours over at his house sitting with him and looking after the baby. It's not right. Not when her own daughter is upset and scared and crying for her mommy."

"I know but at least Ellie has you to take care of her, Paul. She's got her daddy and so has Jake. It's that poor baby I feel sorry for. She needs someone right now, someone that can take care of her. God knows the poor mite can't take care of herself and by the sounds of things her father is no fit state to do it." Patricia paused as she cooed at her grandson affectionately before turning to her son. Her expression was firm yet tender. "If you ask me, Stephanie did the right thing by staying."

Paul sighed heavily and remained silent for a minute as he took Jake's hand in his. As his son garbled a few words, he smiled before turning to his mother and lightly frowning. "I guess I have been a little selfish wanting Steph here instead of at home. But I've just been worried about her, Ma. I thought she needed the break."

"I know." Patricia smiled patting his big hand as it rested on the table. "But Stephanie's a strong girl. She'll cope. She always does."

"She does, doesn't she?" Paul agreed and the corner of his mouth upturned into a small smile. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm your mother."

Paul rolled his eyes as she ruffled his hair before standing up and walking over to Jake's high chair. She unclipped him and lifted him out.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take your son and try on the new outfit I bought for him. While we're gone you might want to finish making the coffee and maybe give Stephanie a call?"

He shook his head as a knowing grin slowly crept across his face. "You don't give up, do you?"

"No, I don't." said Patricia grinning and cooing at Jake. "Are you going to wave goodbye to Daddy?"

Paul waved his hand at his son who enthusiastically waved his right hand back as his grandmother carried him out through the door. As it clicked shut behind them, he let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. His brown eyes fell on the telephone that hung on the wall above the counter. His mother was right. He really should give Stephanie a call. He felt terrible for being so angry with her for staying so much so he had deliberately avoided calling her yesterday and had let Ellie talk to her instead. That alone would let her would know something was up. In the nine years they had been together, they had never gone a day without talking to one another, sometimes calling up to four or five times in one day. Most times Paul just needed to her voice. Stephanie had admitted in the past that she felt the same way but obviously not the last couple of days. She hadn't called him either but he guessed he couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk to him. He had made it blatantly obvious before he left that he was angry at her and of course he'd been too damn stubborn to bend. She was probably too worried or too pissed off at him to call. If that was the case, he really couldn't blame her for that either.

Paul got up from his chair and switched on the percolator before picking up the phone. He found he was nervous as he dialled the number and absently chewed his fingernail as he waited for Stephanie to pick up. But it continued to ring out and feeling disappointed, he was just about to hang up when he heard her breathless voice answer at the other end.

"Hello?"

Paul closed his eyes as he pictured his wife's beautiful face and leant his hip against the kitchen counter. "Hey baby, how are you?"

"Paul!"

He felt a pang of guilt as he heard the obvious relief in Stephanie's voice. She'd obviously been waiting for him to call since they had left yesterday.

"I'm so glad you called." she admitted down the line.

And there she went again making him feel even more guilty if that was even possible. Paul opened his eyes and sighed softly. "I was going to call yesterday but……well, you know……."

His voice trailed off. Stephanie brushed her hair behind her ear as she sat down on the sofa. She knew fine well the reason why her husband hadn't called but he was on the phone now and she was going to take that as a good sign. She had to. She couldn't bear the thought of him still being angry with her. "Its okay, Paul and I understand. I do. And believe me, I really wish I was there with you now. God I miss you so much. It's been so hard here the last couple of days."

Paul could hear the strain in her voice and it broke his heart knowing the pressure she was under. Looking after Mark was definitely taking its toll on her and he felt like such a bastard knowing he should have called her yesterday. Stephanie obviously needed his support but instead of supporting his wife he'd added to the pressure she was already under by acting so selfish and stubborn. At least he could be here for her now. It wasn't much but it was a start. "I miss you too, Steph." he admitted as he raked his fingers through his hair. "I take it things aren't so good with Mark."

"No. He's a real mess. I've even had to bring Chloe here to look after her. When I went across this morning, he hadn't even changed her diaper or given her any breakfast. The poor little thing was crying her eyes out and he was just lying there on the sofa, sobbing hysterically. He just couldn't calm down so I had to call out the doctor and he gave him some medication. At least he's resting now."

Paul shook his head in disbelief as he realised how serious it was. Thank God Stephanie had stayed. His mother was right. Chloe needed her right now and so did Mark. He just wished he'd seen that for himself before he'd stupidly blown a gasket over the whole thing. "And what about you, Steph? Have you managed to get some rest?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah. I got some sleep although I think I tossed and turned for most of the night."

Paul felt guilty once more knowing he'd probably contributed towards that restlessness. "You need to rest Steph." He sighed as he turned to look out window, watching as the sun began to disappear behind the clouds. "There are some sleeping tablets in the cabinet in the bathroom that I got when I was injured. You should take one of them and at least get a good night's sleep."

"I'll see. If I've got Chloe I don't really want to take one in case she wakes up through the night."

He listened as she sniffed down the phone and it killed him to know she was crying.

"Oh Paul, this is so much harder than I imagined. I'll just be glad when it's Wednesday and it's all over."

"Wednesday? Is that when the funeral is?"

"Yes. I arranged it all today. You will be home by then, won't you?"

"Of course." he told her and he would make sure he was. Paul was determined to be there by her side especially now. Because he'd let Stephanie down once and there was no way he was letting her down again. She needed him and he would be there for her. Just then he heard some crying in the background and he heard his wife's sigh crackle down the line.

"Sorry Paul but that's Chloe. I'd better go and check on her."

He nodded absently. "Sure. Listen, I'll call you later. Let you speak to Ellie and Jake."

"I'd like that. Give them a kiss from me, will you?"

"Sure."

"I love you, Paul."

"I love you too."

As the phone clicked at the other end, Paul hung up and his brow furrowed deeply with his concern. While he knew Stephanie was coping, it was obvious she needed some support. Feeling that nagging guilt again, he picked up the phone. He dialled a familiar number again and smiled when he heard the voice greet him at the other end. "Hey Linda. How's my favourite mother-in-law?"

He heard her chuckle down the phone. She had a good relationship with Paul and he was pretty much like a second son to her and Vince. "Paul, it's a pleasure as always. How are those grandchildren of mine?"

"Oh, they're fine. They're currently getting spoiled from their other grandparents this weekend."

"Well, that's what us grandparents like to do. Spoil our grandkids. I'm sure Paul and Patricia are enjoying spending time with them."

"Oh they are, trust me. Anyway, I hope you don't mind me calling but I was wondering if I could ask you a favour."

"Of course."

"I take it Steph's told you about our neighbour losing his daughter?"

"Yes, she did. It was such a shame. How's the father coping?"

"Well actually he's not and that's kind of why I'm calling. Steph has stayed at home rather than coming with me and the kids. She's worried about him and there's no-one else to look after him or his baby so she's helping out. But I've just talked to her and she sounds like she could use a friendly face to talk to while we're gone."

"Say no more, Paul. I'll head over there tomorrow. The house will be quiet anyway what with Vince and Shane being at the pay-per-view."

Paul smiled. "Thank you Linda. I appreciate it."

"It's no problem. And thank you for looking out for her. I know you take good care of my daughter. Just take care of yourself and be careful in your match tomorrow night. You know I don't like those steel cage matches."

He chuckled at her warning. "I will. Listen, I'd better go otherwise I'll have an irate mother on my hands. I promised her coffee over fifteen minutes ago."

Linda's laugh echoed down the receiver. "Then I'd better let you go. Take care Paul."

Paul smiled as he hung up and walked across to get the cups from the counter. He felt much better now he'd talked to Linda. He might not be able to be there for Stephanie but at least he knew somebody else could; someone who loved her every bit as much as he did.