Was quiet at work today so managed to get another chapter written. Please let me know what you think
In the coffee room, Martha was apologising to Clive. "I'm so sorry. She's never said she wanted that before or I would never have brought the topic up in front of everyone else. I'm so embarrassed," she said closing her eyes replaying the moment in her mind.
"Not to worry," Clive comforted whilst making them all a drink. "I'm sure they'll soon forget about it," he continued but noticed Martha still had her eyes closed. He decided to change topic. "I like your new hair cut," he said to which her eyes opened and she gave a small smile. Whilst away she had had her hair cut into a bob.
"Mum gave me the day off when she took Liv to the zoo. I decided to have a bit of a pampering session,".
"Ok coffees are done and we have an orange juice with straw. Let's put you up here," Clive said as he hoisted his daughter onto his shoulders," I'll take the coffees, you take this," he continued as he gave Martha the juice," and let's go back to the office," he finished as he headed back to their office by way of the clerks room.
"Unca Billy look at me!" Olivia exclaimed from her perch on her fathers shoulders as they passed through.
"I'm going to have to start calling you Big Miss," he joked as he watched the trio head for the sanctuary of their room.
Once inside, Clive placed the drinks on his desk, removed his daughter from his shoulders as she was starting to pull on his hair rather strongly, and sat down at his desk with his daughter on his lap. Martha gave Olivia her drink, picked up her own coffee and sat down in the chair to the right of Clive's desk. "When were you going to mention you got Silk?" She suddenly asked.
"Did Billy tell you?"
"No. I saw your new name plate on the ladder on our way in,", she explained. Clive just shrugged his shoulders. "You should have called," she chided lightly but got up and gave her friend a hug. "Congratulations! I told you you'd get it didn't I?" She said as she finally pulled away. "Do you have any plans for tonight? Liv and I want to take you out for a celebratory dinner,".
Clive acknowledged he didn't and would love to spend the evening in the company of his two favourite ladies. They settled on a family run Italian restaurant that they knew catered for small children and was one of Olivia's favourites. The plan was sealed by a high five between father and daughter.
"I'm also having a party next Thursday at The Royal Courts," Clive added. "Harriet's arranging it,".
"I bet she is," Martha said. Clive made a note to ask her about that comment when Olivia wasn't around. It appeared that Martha didn't like Harriet from her tone.
"Anyway, I was wondering if Olivia could come. Just for a few hours after work".
"You just want to show her off," Martha replied.
"Can you blame me? She's totally gorgeous!" Clive said giving his daughter a squeeze while she was concentrating on sucking the remnants of her drink up through her straw.
"Not when she gets tired and cranky she isn't. But yes she can come for a little while,".
A couple of hours later and Clive and Martha collapsed onto one of Martha's sofas each nursing a coffee before Clive would head home. They had had a lovely family dinner before heading back to Martha's to give Olivia her bath where they managed to remove most of the pasta sauce she had acquired to her face during dinner. Clive had then read her her favourite bedtime story before they settled her down to sleep amongst all the soft toys she had acquired throughout her short life.
"So you don't like Harriet all that much then," Clive had decided to bite the bullet and discuss the new manager with his friend.
"No. I don't trust her, there's just something about her. I don't think she likes me very much either. You should have seen some of the looks she gave me whilst you were playing with Liv. I think she has her sights set on you though. Why else would she organise your rather ostentatious silk party? Everyone else has drinks at the pub, you get The Royal Courts of Justice,".
"Jealous Marth?" Clive teased to which Martha shot him a disgusted look.
"No I'm not. My silk party was very memorable thank you. I had a lovely time despite the fact I couldn't drink because I was pregnant, couldn't eat because of the morning sickness, and the certain tension in the air because Kate had just left under a cloud,".
"I meant are you jealous about her liking me?"
"No!" She said a little too forcefully giving Clive the idea that perhaps she was a little bit. "It doesn't really matter anyway, if you like her though," she continued whilst staring at her coffee. She had been preparing herself for Clive to find someone else, ever since she had told him she was pregnant, and that their relationship wouldn't change from friends, because of it. However, with Olivia's arrival, and the fact he had remained single, she had started to dare to hope that maybe they could be something more. Maybe this was why she didn't like the new arrival. She was going to take Clive away from his daughter...and her. "Do you like her?" She found herself asking although not really wanting to know the answer.
"I hardly know her Marth," Clive replied honestly. "Besides from what little I've seen, I get the impression she's a high flier with little time for children. If I was interested in her, which by the way I'm not," he explained, hoping to put Martha's mind at rest, "I think that would be a very big problem with Liv. She comes first with me Marth,".
"I know. I'm sorry," apologised Martha, feeling a little better knowing Olivia would have her father around for a little while longer, at least.
"You're quite important to me too, you know," he said reaching for her hand, and giving it a squeeze. "Please remember that,".
A week later and everyone was gathering for Clive's silk party at the Royal Courts. Martha arrived a little late after her court case ran on late. She had been in the appeal court trying to get her client Johnny Foster out of prison. One look at her face and Clive could tell things had not gone well. As he approached her, he saw her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Before she started crying in front of her colleagues, he led her away to somewhere more private, much to Harriet's annoyance. Once alone the tears started and he enveloped her in a hug. He just held her whilst she cried and ranted about the unfairness of it all, until her tears faded to irregular sniffs.
"I'm sorry," Martha said between sniffs. "I shouldn't be crying on you at your Silk party. I don't think Harriet will like the fact that you're out here with me either, when you should be busy working the floor,".
"They won't miss me," comforted Clive. "All they have to do is look up at one of those huge banners to see my face!". Martha laughed at that comment and Clive was happy to think that he was responsible for that.
"They are hideous," Martha agreed. "What on earth was she thinking?".
"I don't know. What I do know is that they are very embarrassing," he confided. He decided to change topic. "I'm so sorry about the appeal. I know how much it meant to you. They always mean so much to you. It's one of the things I love about you, but I hate seeing you like this when it doesn't go your way,". He noted the slight look of surprise on Martha's face when he had said the word 'love'. Clive had been in love with Martha for a long time but had been too afraid to say anything, scared to upset the happy status quo they had achieved in their relationship since Olivia had come along. It was only since Martha had gone to visit her mother with Olivia, he had realised how much he missed her, and that she should probably know how much she meant to him. He was fairly sure she felt the same way but again hadn't been brave enough to ever find out. For some reason tonight, he felt he had the courage to finally take that step.
"You heard right by the way, I love you...I'm in love with you actually. Have been for a while but was to afraid to say anything...until now," he ventured daring to look at Martha who looked stunned by his confession. "I know it's not a great time to admit it but I just felt I had to do it," he continued, starting to get a little worried by her continued silence. "Oh Christ, I've spoiled everything haven't I? Can we just forget I said it then Marth? Let's carry on as we were. I think we're doing a great job with Liv. Please don't take her..". The last bit of his ramble was cut off as Martha had attached herself to his lips and started to kiss him.
"You were starting to ramble," Martha murmured as they pulled apart. "It was the only thing I could think of to make you quiet,"she continued," and I've been wanting to do that for quite a while," she confessed.
"We need to talk," Clive stated to which Martha gave a nod. Any further conversation on the topic was interrupted by Clive's ringing mobile.
"Probably Harriet wondering where the hell you are," Martha suggested as he answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Daddy where are you?" Asked his daughter a little impatiently. "I can't find you or Mummy," she continued in an exasperated tone. She had been picked up from nursery by Bethany before the two had journeyed to the party.
"Sorry Liv," Clive apologised smiling at Marth. He had the feeling this wasn't going to be the last time he would be chewed out by his daughter. "I'll come find you," he continued hoping to calm her down. "I'm with Mummy,".
"Ok. Hurry Daddy please" she replied before the phone went silent.
"I think I've just been told off by our daughter for not being in her welcoming party," he told Martha. "I'll go greet Madam, give you a bit of time before joining us," he suggested.
"I must look a state," Martha realised. "Has my makeup run?"
"You look beautiful Marth, as always," Clive finished before giving her a chaste kiss and leaving to find their daughter.
An hour later and Clive looked around the room. He saw Martha sat on a comfy chair with Olivia nestled into her looking quite tired. She had spent most of the evening in the arms of one of her parents chatting away to people who knew her. The only time she was quiet was when she was introduced to new people although the quietness didn't last long before she started talking to them too. He headed over to the pair and sat down beside them. "How are you two?" He asked.
"Bored," stated Martha simply. "It's not exactly a very lively party. The music isn't to our taste either is it Liv?" She asked her daughter who shook her head.
"And what is your type of music?" He asked.
"Joy Division," replied Olivia earning her a kiss and a smile from her mother. Clive rolled his eyes. Martha was obviously subjecting their daughter to her favourite bands. She was going to have quite an eclectic taste in music as he often played Genesis and Kylie in the car when they were enjoying Daddy- daughter time.
"Not The Clash then?" He teased.
"They would be just as good," Martha retorted. "Anythings better than what is playing. As long as you're enjoying yourself though as it's your party,".
"They've offered me my first case as silk," revealed Clive.
"That's great," replied Martha encouragingly.
"It's a big case but it's in Manchester for four months,".
"What did you tell them?" Asked Martha, not relishing the idea of Clive being away for four months, particularly after their kiss earlier, but also recognising he would be a fool to turn down such a big case.
"Said I had to discuss it with you. I don't want to be away from Liv for that long," he complained. "Or you,".
"I know but this is your first case as silk. It's important," she reasoned. "We'll make sure we FaceTime everyday I promise. And every weekend you can spend with us here in London, or we'll come up to Manchester. You wouldn't miss anything," she encouraged, hoping to make the situation appear better. "We could even hang one of those banners in Liv's bedroom so she doesn't forget what her daddy looks like!" teased Martha.
"Guess I'm going to Manchester then," he said a little unenthusiastically, after digesting what Martha had said.
"I think we'll be going soon. Someone is getting a little tired," she said, nodding her head in Olivia's direction. "I was hoping to talk to Billy but I have no idea where he is or if he's coming,".
"Just let me have a chat with the CPS and a few goodbyes and I'll go home with you, help you get her to bed. You're right, this party is a little boring," he confessed. With that he got up and headed off. By the time he returned, Olivia had fallen asleep. He took her into his arms loving the feel of the little puffs of air against his neck as Olivia exhaled in her sleep. Martha gathered her things together and the little family headed outside to hail a cab to get them back to Martha's.
When they got there, both Clive and Martha managed to get their daughter out of her party dress and into her pyjamas without waking her. For one night she was allowed not to brush her teeth. Once they had got her safely tucked up in bed, they crept out of her room. In the hallway, Martha finally decided it was the right time to address what Clive had told her earlier in the evening. "I love you too, by the way," she finally admitted before pouncing on him, and kissing him whilst leading the way to her bedroom.