"Kate?" said the solicitor as she called her client from the waiting room. This was an emergency appointment and she was concerned to see Kate had a dressing on her forehead. Kate looked up and followed the lawyer in to her room. "How are you. It's been a while," she said.
"Yeah, sorry. I've been undercover again," Kate replied as she took a seat and removed her sunglasses.
The solicitor caught sight of Kate's black eye. The make up Kate had applied earlier not entirely covering the bruising entirely. "Is that to do with the undercover?" she asked, indicating Kate's injuries.
Kate shook her head. "Mark found out about my affair," Kate explained. "He didn't take it very well,".
"Oh Kate," the solicitor said, sadly. She had hoped when she had seen Kate was injured that there was another explanation.
"I thought he was going to kill me," Kate continued, pulling the neck of her jumper down so the solicitor could see more of her bruises. "I've never seen him so angry," she said, pausing as she felt tears start to gather. "Josh saw...," she continued sadly as the tears started to fall. The lawyer went over to Kate and placed a comforting arm on her back. "There was a knife," Kate admitted. "I picked it up. I was going to use it but the police arrived," she admitted as she took a tissue and blew her nose. "Josh had called them. I owe him my life,".
"Where is he now?".
"With Steve at the park,".
"Sorry, I meant Mark," the lawyer clarified.
Despite everything, Kate smiled at the confusion. "At the police station I think. He was staying in the cells overnight. I have to go there and make a statement. I was wondering if you could come as well?".
"Of course," replied the solicitor. "Just give me some time to sort a few things out. Do you know if Mark's going to be charged with anything?". Kate shrugged her shoulders. "Probably assault and battery I would guess,".
"What's going to happen with Josh?" Kate asked concerned.
"Well I imagine you'll get temporary custody," the lawyer said. "Mark attacked you whilst drunk and with a child in the house which doesn't help his case much,". The lawyer could see how distressed her client was and went over to her. "I'll do the best I can," she promised as she squeezed Kate's hand.
When Kate returned to Steve's flat she found both boys watching television. "How was the park?" Kate asked. She hadn't heard from Steve since she had watched them depart earlier that morning and wanted to know how it had gone.
"We survived, didn't we Josh?" Steve said as he looked at the little boy on his lap. They had rehearsed what they were going to say when Kate had got home and Steve hoped this would go as planned.
He hoped Josh wouldn't bail and mention Steve getting stuck on the slide or the five minutes he may have temporarily 'lost' Josh. He crossed his fingers that the ice cream he had bribed Kate's son with to seal his silence worked.
Josh looked conspiratorially at Steve and nodded in agreement. He had had a good time at the park with his mum's friend and had even got an ice cream off Steve without much persuasion.
"That's great!" praised Kate, although she got the feeling there was something not being said. "What do you say to Steve for looking after you today?" Kate asked her son.
"Thank you," Josh replied with a grin at Steve. He was looking forward to spending more time with him and getting more treats.
"You're welcome, mate!" Steve said, as he hi-fived Josh, glad everything had gone to plan. "How was you day?" he asked Kate, changing the topic of conversation.
"Good," replied Kate. She nodded her head to the kitchen indicating she wanted a private word with Steve. "Josh is it ok if I take Steve away for a minute?".
"Ok," replied Josh, engrossed in the film.
Steve extricated himself from the sofa and followed Kate to the kitchen. "So?" he asked.
"Mark's been charged with domestic assault,".
"Is that it?" Steve asked. It was the lesser of the assault charges which Steve thought was a bit lenient.
"He'll get community service and a fine," Kate said. "I've also got a restraining order. He's not allowed within 100 metres of me,".
Steve nodded in agreement. That sounded better.
"And I get full custody of Josh for the immediate future," she added with a smile. That was what mattered most to her. "Mark will get supervised visits with someone from Social Services until they are happy for Mark to be left alone with Josh,".
"That's great, Kate," Steve said as he hugged her.
"That last bit is why I don't really mind about the community service. I don't want Josh having to visit Mark in prison,". Steve could understand Kate's point. "So it looks like there might be three of us here together for a little while until I can find somewhere to rent. Is that ok?".
"It's fine," Steve promised.
"Good," said Kate. "Which gives you plenty of time to tell me what exactly went on at the park this afternoon,".
The next day found Kate and Steve at AC-12 as they had promised they would be. There was a little something unexpected and that was the presence of Josh. He hadn't wanted to be left alone at nursery and so Kate had decided to take him with her to work. She had to admit she was happier with him in her sights.
The gaffer hadn't needed much convincing about agreeing to Kate's request after he caught sight of her black eye and bruises on her neck. He was shocked to find out her husband had done that to her. She promised him resolutely that Josh would be well behaved and not be any trouble.
Josh was currently sat beside Kate at her desk doing some drawings to keep him entertained whilst his mum did her work on the Lindsey Denton case. He occasionally stopped to take a big slurp of orange squash out of a mug with a straw. "How's this mummy?" He asked as he showed her his latest work of art.
Kate looked at it. There were three large stick men and one small one. "That's lovely," she praised her son, not really knowing what it was he had drawn.
"It's, you, Steve and your boss," Josh said as he pointed each figure out, "and that's me," he said pointing to the small one.
"Oh it's great," she praised some more. "That really looks like the gaffer," she said.
"Will he like it?".
"He'll love it," Kate enthused without really thinking about what she said as she was concentrating on her computer screen. After Lindsey making a fool of her, Kate was intent on taking her down.
"Where's Josh?" Steve asked a few minutes later and Kate looked up to find the seat next to her empty.
"I don't know," she said as she frantically looked around the office. Her initial worry was that he had been snatched by Mark but that would be impossible she reminded herself.
She caught sight of Josh on the gaffer's lap in his office. He looked to be showing her boss the picture he had drawn. "Oh shit," she hissed quietly. Her son was causing a nuisance of himself just like she had promised he wouldn't be.
Walking quickly to Ted's office she tapped gently on the ajar door. "Sorry, sir," she apologised. "He got up without my noticing,".
"No trouble, Kate," Ted said. "Young Josh here was showing me his picture. He's going to be a fine artist someday," he continued as he helped Josh down. Josh walked over to his mum and took her hand.
"Even so, sir," Kate said as she gripped Josh's hand tightly. "It won't happen again," she promised as she led Josh back to her desk.
Ted looked at the picture on his desk. He would definitely be keeping it. Something to put on the fridge when Roisin let him back in the house.
His desk phone ringing brought him back to reality and he answered it. "Hastings," he said.
"Sir, it's security downstairs," the caller introduced themselves. "We've got a bit of a situation down here,".
"What sort of situation?" Ted asked perplexed.
"A Mark Fleming is depositing all of DC Fleming's stuff in the middle of the atrium,".