Caroline let Lawrence into the house and he joined Kate in the kitchen at the table. "Breakfast? At this time? Have you two been …" Kate smiled and looked down at her plate.

Caroline jumped in quickly to stop Lawrence's cheekiness. "No. don't even go there Lawrence. You will be banned from video games for a month!" Caroline took hold of his shoulders and gently removed him from her seat and pointed him to the breakfast bar stool.

"Mum. Can I stay here with you and Kate tonight?" He looked a little flat after his bravado and mischief earlier. He looked at his mum and Kate with a pleading face.

Caroline looked at Kate and turned to face Lawrence. "Of course you can. Is everything alright?"

"It's a bit tense at the farm with Granny and Alan not talking and Gillian being so upset. Raf has left to stay at his girlfriend's place. Can I have some toast please?" Lawrence smiled in the hope of sweetening his mum to his biggest want … food!

Kate looked at Caroline across the table lifting her eyebrows at Lawrence's comment. She got up having finished her breakfast. "I'll make you some Lawrence. Do you want to take your bag up to the spare room where you stayed before?"

"Thanks Kate." He got down from the breakfast stool and picked his bag up and went upstairs.

Caroline looked at Kate with a face that seemed to portray one of surrender. She had dealt with so much drama over recent days she yearned for peace on earth. Caroline placed her head in her hands and sighed heavily. Kate moved across to where Caroline was sitting and gave her a hug from behind. "You know you don't have to get involved with whatever is going on. I know she's your mum but you could give it a bit of time and things may resolve themselves or it may blow over."

Caroline laughed in a mocking way. "Like that is ever going to happen. Haven't you realised yet Kate. The Dawson's thrive on drama. It's part of our DNA and probably why my father had so many affairs over the years. Ordinary day-to-day life was too boring for him."

Kate snuggled into Caroline's neck and kissed her cheek. "You're not a Dawson any longer Caroline and neither is your mum." Kate gently squeezed Caroline.

Caroline sighed at Kate's embrace. It felt so nice, so warm and so comforting. It was just this type of moment Caroline missed so much when they were apart. She patted Kate's arm. "Thank you Kate. You're so sweet. I love you." Caroline felt comfort from the familiarity of the moment. "I'm sure mum will ring me when she needs me. I'll leave things alone for now. She knows where I am. Come on Kate. We need to get dressed. Your mum will be back soon and we need to get ready to go see Helena. I think I'll have a shower."

Kate smirked. "Would you like me to keep you company in the shower?"

Before Caroline could reply Lawrence cleared his throat as Kate's words. Caroline blushed yet again at her son catching them out. "You go first Kate. Otherwise Lawrence may die of embarrassment." She turned to Lawrence and arched her eyebrows. "Won't you?"

Lawrence looked down with a smirk on his face. He took a seat at the breakfast bar and tucked into the toast Kate had ready for him. Kate walked off up the stairs leaving them alone.

Caroline took their time alone to see how her son was doing. "We're going to see Helena this afternoon Lawrence. Kate's mum is coming too. She is called Grace and is a real force to be reasoned with. You won't be able to tie her round your finger. I've seen her in action and you have no chance!"

Lawrence smiled with a mouth full of toast. He was about to talk when Caroline's look reminded him he was eating and it wasn't polite. "After visiting Helena we're going to the estate agents to talk about the house sale. We may look at checking out some new houses for us all to live in. You can come with us or you can stay with Grace?"

Lawrence looked crest fallen. "Oh great. I've left Friction Farm and fallen into Tedious Tower."

Caroline laughed. "You haven't met Grace yet."

Kate came down the stairs dressed in a loose fitting white blouse and pale blue linen trousers. She wore flat sandals and to Caroline she looked beautiful. "Oh. You look nice."

Kate smiled, "Thank you. The bathroom is all yours!" Kate with her back to Lawrence winked at Caroline as she passed her on the way to the stairs.

The interaction was interrupted by the voice of Grace, "Hello my darlings. Are we ready to go see my gorgeous granddaughter?" Grace walked through into the kitchen to see her daughter whom she took into a huge hug. "Hello my beautiful daughter. Your father asked where you were and then told me he loved you….. ten times!" Grace turned to Lawrence. "Ah what a handsome young man. From your description you must be Lawrence. I am Grace and very happy to meet you."

Lawrence stood and took the hand offered by Grace. Grace shook his hand vigorously causing Lawrence to wince slightly. "Nice to meet you too Mrs McKenzie."

Grace let out a hearty laugh. "Oh such impeccable manners too. This is not the defiant, cheeky and sensitive young man I have been told about. I think you and I will chat and get to know one another."

Lawrence smiled politely and inside his heart dropped when Grace surprised him. "Lawrence. I hear you're a dab hand at Mario Kart?" Lawrence's face lit up. "Yeah."

Grace again let out a hearty laugh. "Good. I have a games console at home which my dear daughter Kate practices on. I also hear Kate gives you a good run for your money!"

Lawrence's face revealed his competitive nature. "She only wins because she distracts you. That's called cheating in my book. She calls it strategy."

Grace again let out a hearty laugh and hugged Lawrence which surprised him. "My daughter is good but she learnt all the tactics and strategies from me. I'm going to, how do you say it … whoop your ass!"

Kate scowled at her mother, "Mum. Language please?"

Lawrence laughed at Grace's words and Kate's teacher mode. He started to like this mad lady and was looking forward to the day ahead.

"You will notice Lawrence that my daughter still thinks she is a teacher, even though she's not at school. Don't worry. I will not let her put us both in detention!" She let out another hearty laugh at her own jokes.

This caused Lawrence to smirk at Kate. Kate's look told him not to push his luck.

"Where is my beautiful Caroline?"

"She's in the shower mum. She won't be long. How was dad today?"

Grace's face changed instantly which Lawrence noticed. He looked puzzled and Kate explained. "Dad has Alzheimer's and he is in a home. Most of the time he doesn't know who we are when we visit him."

Lawrence understood and his sensitive side came out. "I'm really sorry Mrs McKenzie. It must be really hard for you."

Kate moved across to her mother and gave her a hug. "Sorry mum. He's in the best place."

Grace looked at her daughter. "I wish he could see Helena. That's what I miss. He wouldn't know who she is and would get upset."

Lawrence looked at Kate's face that looked sad. "I'm sorry Kate. I didn't know."

Kate took Lawrence in a hug which he returned. "It's okay Lawrence. There is nothing anyone can do. If he saw you or Helena it would confuse him more and he gets really angry when he's confused. We try not to upset him too much or do anything to confuse him."

Caroline came down and saw Kate and Lawrence hugging. Kate mouthed that everything was alright and she would explain later.

Caroline grabbed her keys from the counter. "Are we all ready to go?" At that point Caroline's phone began to ring in her bag. She checked the caller identification and decided that the problem could wait until they had been to the hospital. She let her answer machine take the strain. She smiled at the tactic. Then Lawrence's mobile rang she knew in her heart that she couldn't put her mother off any longer!