Killing Me Softly 18

The Calm Before the Storm

Sandra half walked half ran back to Gerry's flat and once inside walked through to the kitchen. She threw the bag from the chemists down on the side and then rested against the kitchen work surface and put her head in her hands. When they'd been at the airport earlier that day she'd been convinced that it was all going to work out and now here she was.

"Go and find your mummy!" Gerry told Olivia as they closed the door behind them.

"Baby girl, did you have fun at the park?" Sandra composed herself quickly and picked her little girl up.

"Yeah, I'm hungry now though mummy."

"You better tell Uncle Gerry. I'm just going to see Granny, you do what Uncle Gerry tells you to."

"Uncle Gerry I'm hungry." Olivia moaned.

"How are you at cooking?" Gerry asked her as he brought a chair over to by the work surface so that Olivia could stand on it and see.

"Brilliant." Olivia replied not really knowing what was going on.

"Really? Let's get cooking then."

Olivia was on the chair with Gerry stood behind her in case she fell, they both had hold of a spoon and were stirring the contents of a bowl that had the ingredients for a cake in.

"Can it be chocolate?"

"Really? Chocolate? Fruit cake is so much nicer!" Gerry joked.

"No! Chocolate." Olivia insisted.

"Fine you win."

"Mum, I brought you a glass of water and a couple of painkillers. How are you feeling?" Sandra asked as she sat down on the bed next to her mum.

"Thanks and yeah I'm okay. That woman I like who's in that Lewis programme and that political programme is in a new show in five minutes so I'm going to watch that in here." Grace replied as she took the tablets and the glass of water and downed them in one.

"Okay well Gerry's beginning to cook so it should work out well timing wise. The TV is bigger in the living room by the way mum."

"Yeah I know but I don't think it's exactly family viewing."

"Ah okay, I'll come and get you for dinner."

Sandra walked back through the house and she was going to offer her help in the kitchen but as she neared the kitchen she had to stop, she couldn't help but smile at what she was watching. The scene playing out in front of her made her even more determined for Olivia to have her father in her life for although the thought didn't please Sandra, this was the sort of thing that she was missing out on. For now though she planned to enjoy this calm before the storm came.

Having now had managed to have a nice dinner all together they were now sat in front of the TV watching Toy Story. Gerry and Sandra sat on one sofa with Olivia snuggled in between them and Grace on the seat in the corner, it was nearing Olivia's bedtime and then when bedtime was finished it would be time for Sandra to dash out. Had anyone been looking in on them then they'd have thought they were looking in on a happy family and Sandra wished that was the case because then it'd have been easy. Had Gerry been her father then she was sure they'd have been fine, she'd have had a child with her best friend and ultimately someone who was a great father.

"Baby, the films finished. Are you ready for a bath?"

"Can't we watch another film?" Olivia directed her question at Gerry having already figured that he was softer than her mum.

"If it was up to me then yeah but we better do what your mum says."

"Yeah and mum says bath! You can have a couple of minutes while I go and run your bath but that's it."

"Olivia! Bath time!" Sandra called through the flat only to find Gerry come through instead of her daughter.

"She climbed onto your mums lap and they've both gone to sleep."

"Great." Sandra sighed. "I'll have to bath her first thing then. I'll go and wake her and get her sorted for bed." She could see there was something Gerry wanted to ask but was nervous to. "What is it Gerry?"

"'Do you think I could maybe get her into bed? I mean you're not going to be here much longer and I won't get a chance to again."

"Of course you can Gerry but one thing, you will get the chance to again. I want you to visit whenever you can."

"Thank you Sandra."

"Actually you putting her to bed helps me enormously. I promised someone I'd meet them for a drink. I won't be long and I promise not to wake you if you've gone to bed. You still have a key in the flower pot don't you?"

"It's under the mat now actually and if I've gone to bed then I'll leave a lamp on for you."

"Thanks. Say night to Olivia from me, I'll go and give her a kiss but if she's asleep then she won't know. Tell her I love her and said sweet dreams."

"Will do, have a good night."