A/N - Hello *echos* ... Can only apologise for the length of time this has taken to post. Anyone still with me? Good!

If someone had of told me six months ago that I'd be sat here, hosting dinner to Naomi's Mum and Kieran, whilst Naomi was putting my Daughter to bed, I would never in a million years believed them. Six months ago it would have been nothing more than some fantasy, some hopeful picture of how I once saw the future but tonight it was real. It was actually happening. Gina and Kieran are here, telling me about the last six years of their lives and how they got to leaving Bristol and moving here to sun soaked Cyprus. Naomi is upstairs, no doubt being persuaded to read another bedtime story to Liv who insisted it was her who took her to bed instead of me. I wasn't surprised by her little request, she'd pretty much been Naomi's little sidekick since she moved in. An adorable double team, one that I had dreamt of in the past. One that I didn't need to dream of anymore.

"Dinner was really lovely Emily, thank you," Gina grins at me from across the table. Kieran excuses himself from the seat for a smoke and I pour my first glass of wine, relaxing more now that dinner was a success. I was never confident about hosting dinner and this one was quite a big deal considering. "We will have to return the favour soon and get you and Naomi over to ours for the evening,"

"That would be nice," I return with a broad smile, taking a small mouthful of white wine from my glass. "I'll make sure I've got the night off and will ask Katie to have Olivia,"

"Great, you say when and we will get it sorted, Kieran can cook something up,"

"Next week would probably be good, Katie loves having Olivia at the weekend,"

"Brilliant. She's a credit to you, you know? She's a beautiful kid, a little character,"

"Thank you,"

"Naomi said she was like you," she tells me and continues. "Still, I couldn't quite believe it when she told me you'd had a baby,"

"I couldn't believe it when the test told me," I chuckle from behind my wine glass. "I took it twice then sent Katie out for a third one just to be sure,"

"Scary seeing a positive test stare back at you huh?"

"God yeah. I was terrified, I doubted myself a lot, at every stage of pregnancy I doubted myself. I didn't think I'd be cut out for all this. I always saw myself having kids but me being the single parent wasn't part of the plan,"

"I don't think it is for anyone really love. Naomi told me about him,"

"I don't know how someone so pathetic could give me something so unbelievably special," I never understood that, I probably never will but when I look at Olivia now, I see me. Not him. Not even a little bit of him. "I only tried for him to be part of her life for her sake, I thought she'd need him too but she doesn't. I think I've done alright on my own,"

"You've done more than alright love," she smiles warmly at me, I'd missed that. I'd lost count of the amount of times that same smile made me feel so much better all those years ago. "Anyway, you aren't on your own anymore with Naomi back. How's it been, having her around again?"

"Honestly? Amazing, more than amazing," I couldn't hide my obvious grin even if I attempted it. "It's been a whirlwind. I honestly thought at times, I would never see her again then there she was, right in front of me. Everything has been so quick, it's almost a blur but your incredibly opinionated, funny, beautiful daughter has always been the one I wanted to share everything with,"

"Well you know I've always thought you were the best thing ever to happen to our Naoms. When you left, she lost a part of herself and I doubted if she'd ever get that back but she has. I can see it. I can't tell you how happy I am that you two have found one another again and you managed to sort everything out,"

"My Mum's coming over in a few weeks, I'd kill for her to say the same," I laugh at how ridiculous that idea even seemed. Katie was one thing, regardless of everything, if she sees I'm genuinely happy then she's happy. My Mum ain't quite the same. Infact she's different altogether. "She's going to go mad about everything, I can almost hear her now,"

"Your Mother's never been my favourite person love, I'm sure you are well aware," she smiles slightly, patting my hand so softly I barely feel it."You're a young woman, a mother yourself now, she should really step aside and let you be you,"

"God that's always been a fucking problem, full of wrong choices and bad ideas me,"

"Well it doesn't seem like that to me,"

"Or me," Naomi announces almost proudly, reappearing from the doorway. She shuffles herself across the room, placing a gentle kiss on the top of my head before settling back into her seat. I feel her hand on my bare knee, her fingers smoothly tracing my skin. "Liv's settled. She's in bed with bear, watching Frozen for the hundredth time,"

"Thought you'd got roped into one of your famous bedtime stories again,"

"Ha, I think she's more than happy with Anna and Ella tonight,"

"Elsa," I correct her amusingly. Olivia had made her watch that movie more times than I could remember and she still didn't know the names.

"Yeah her," her eyes roll. "She'll be asleep soon I reckon, she said she was tired. Just fighting it a bit,"

"Thank you for settling her,"

"Anytime. Where's Kieran?"

"Popped out for a smoke," Gina answers then continues. "Can join him if you like,"

"So you two can talk about me some more huh?" She laughs, shooting me the 'I know' look that she always used to. "I've actually decided that the fag I had earlier will be my last. I'm going to quit,"

"Really?"

"Really," She laughs, her fingers circling the palm of my left hand. "I should have done it ages ago, I didn't really have reason to or the motivation to. It'll be nice to be able to keep up with you & Liv when you're both giving me the runaround,"

"Hey," I feign offence, playfully slapping her hand away before she tightens her grip, bringing her lips to my knuckles. The way she looks at me makes my stomach flip. I almost forget that her Mum is sitting across the table for us.

"Do you think I can do it?"

"You know I think you can do anything,"

"Flashback much?" She smirks knowingly, matching the grin on my lips. "So, what have you two been talking about?"

"Just catching up," Gina answers, half filling Naomi's empty glass with the wine which is left. "I have to say Emily, this is a beautiful place you've got. Your Parents must be super proud of you. Beautiful kid, lovely house, successful businesswoman,"

"Well, I dunno about that,"

"Naomi told me you run a club,"

"Yeah, it's one on the front. Katie helps out from time to time but it's mostly mine, not something I ever saw myself doing but I enjoy it. It's quite satisfying to know it's something I've worked for. It's quite busy from time to time,"

""From time to time?" Naomi splutters. "Em, it's the most popular club on the strip,"

"You sort of have to say that,"

"Don't let her modest attitude fool you, Mum. It's jam packed every night, she's doing great,"

"We'll need to come check it out," Gina starts as Kieran reappears from outside. "I was just saying love, we will need to go see Emily's club, make a night of it,"

"No Mum," Naomi splutters a laugh. "No offence. It's not really you, both of you,"

"Hey, I was quite the clubber back in the day, I went to all the gigs,"

"Exactly Mum, back in the day,"

"Naoms, don't be so ridiculous," I giggle, shooting her a playful glare before turning my attention back to Gina & Kieran. "You'd both be very welcome. You'll have to let me know when, we've got a couple of private booths, I'd make sure one was reserved,"

"Oh I've never had that before, that would be lovely,"

"Remind me to be here that night, yeah?" Naomi's mock disgusted face forces a chuckle to escape my mouth.

"I want to give them the full Ekon experience. A night they won't forget. VIP treatment, the works,"

"Sounds wonderful Emily. Hey Naomi love, pass me over those plates, I'll make a start on washing up,"

"Don't be silly, you're our guests," I insist collecting up the plates and cutlery. Naomi helps and together we end up in the kitchen with her making a start on washing up. A domesticated Naomi is not something I was particularly used to seeing and instead of helping, I find myself watching her for a moment.

"Are you gonna help Em? Or you just going to check me out?"

"Huh? I wasn't... I mean, I was just..."

"Perving," she teases, playfully flicking some of the bubbles from the soapy water in my direction. I shriek and before I could act out any sort of response, she's hooked her arms around my waist and tugged me closer. "So, how come I didn't get this full Ekon experience huh?"

"You get a different sort of experience. You're sleeping with the boss," I wink, she giggles and I linger a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"I'm madly in love with the boss," I feel my cheeks tinge in colour, my stomach flips predictably. I won't ever get tired of hearing words like that leave her lips. Nor will I ever get tired of repeating the same sort back to her, which I do in between kissing her again, properly this time. "You're distracting me from my washing up duties,"

"I know, I'm terrible,"

"The absolute worst," she groans frustratingly against my lips. "You make me want to kick my own Mother out of here,"

"You can't,"

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to have to," her giggle makes me do the same, she leans in, capturing my lips in hers for seconds. "Thank you,"

"What for?"

"You've really made their night tonight,"

"You don't need to thank me,"

"She's been looking at me differently all night," She says, I frown slightly, having to ask what she means exactly. "I dunno, like she's really proud of me or something, I'm not used to it,"

"She's always been proud of you," I tell her seriously, stroking the hair from her face. "It's been really good seeing them again, a bit like old times, the four of us,"

"I wonder if dinner with your parents will be like old times too,"

"Katie talking about nothing but herself, my Dad trying his best to keep the peace whilst my Mum scowls at you from across the table?" We both chuckle lightly. Naomi only ever had dinner at our family home twice and on both occasions they were sheer disasters. I was pretty much mentally preparing for the hat-trick. "At least James won't be there to perv at your tits,"

"Will leave that to you,"

"Oi cheeky," I nudge her playfully from me as she teases me further about my lack of denial. "Come on, we have guests to get back to,"