Later that day, Steve was on his way out of the supermarket when he heard something drop on the floor by his feet. Glancing down to see which of his purchases had succumbed to gravity he found himself looking at a bag of frozen peas. He hadn't bought frozen peas. A selection of ready meals and bottles of beer which highlighted his single status were all that he had picked up.
A young child in a shopping trolley seat was leant over the trolley handlebars and looking very interestedly at the bag of peas on the floor before lifting his head to Steve and giving him a very cheeky grin.
"Da!" he said to Steve pointing at the peas.
Prime suspect in the case of the dropped peas, Steve concluded. "I think these might be yours," he said to the child's mother who was busy packing up her bought items as the cashier scanned them and sent them down the conveyor belt towards her. He bent down to retrieve the item before finding himself looking at a familiar face. "Hi!" He said as he handed the woman her frozen goods.
It was the Intensive Care nurse from earlier who was looking after their Witness Protection patient. Her bright blue eyes and high cheek bones more mesmerising without her hospital scrubs on.
"Hi!" Replied Kate shyly before recognising the peas that Steve had in his hand. She took them from him before replacing them in the bag that held her other frozen items. The bag was within easy reach of her son. "Did you do that?" Kate asked Josh.
"Da!" said Josh very proud of himself.
At least the kid owned up, Steve thought as he watched Kate lean over and give her son a kiss on the top of his head, instantly forgiven for his misdemeanour. He wished the people he investigated, confessed as easily.
"Sorry about that," Kate apologised to Steve. "He's going through that stage where he likes to drop things,".
"Ah, ok," said Steve, completely unaware such a stage existed in child development.
"That's one hundred pounds and fifty eight pence please," the cashier announced, interrupting Steve and Kate's conversation.
Kate reached for the phone in her pocket. Finding her store loyalty card in one of the apps she held it against the till scanner before also scanning her credit card. "You don't come cheap do you mister?" she said to Josh as a chunk of her pay cheque disappeared with a bleep. Josh just grinned.
Kate manoeuvred her full shopping trolley around a full 180 degrees so she was pointed in the direction of the exit. Steve thought his one shopping bag looked quite pathetic in comparison.
"So our patient is still critical but stable?" Steve asked as he walked Kate out of the store.
"He was when I handed over to the late shift," Kate replied.
"That's good," Steve said. "At least I think it is," he continued looking to Kate for confirmation.
"It's good," she agreed.
Kate stopped in front of a car that must be her own and opened the boot before unloading her trolley into it.
"Let me help you," Steve offered, lifting some of the heavier laden bags in to the back of her car.
"Thank you," said Kate, grateful for Steve's assistance.
When the trolley was empty save for Josh, Kate went to return it to the trolley park.
"I'll take it for you," Steve offered. "Save you a trip,".
"Are you sure?" Kate asked. She wasn't used to so much kindness from a near stranger.
"Of course,".
"Well thanks again...," Kate tailed off realising she didn't know the name of the man in front of her.
"Steve," Steve filled in for her.
"Steve," Kate said. "I'm Kate," she added. "And this is Josh," she said nodding to the little boy now in his mother's arms.
"Well it was nice seeing you again, Kate," Steve said as he took the trolley from her. "And nice to meet you, Josh," he said.
"You too," Kate said. "Say goodbye, Josh,".
"Bye bye," the little boy said as he raised both his hands and waved them at Steve.
Steve smiled before he started to walk off but remembered something. "Kate?" he said, turning back. Kate paused in putting Josh in his car seat. "My card," he said handing her a small piece of card. "Let me know when our patient's status changes," he said. "We really need to speak to him before other police officers do,".
"Ok," Kate said as she accepted the card and gave it a cursory glance before tucking it away in a pocket. Anti- corruption unit 12 she read. Whatever that meant. "And there I was thinking you were trying to chat me up," she teased. "Never mind,".
Steve walked off towards the trolley park trying to digest what Kate had just said. Had she wanted him to ask her out he wondered. He hadn't seen a ring on her finger when he had subtly looked as she pushed the trolley to the car. That would mean she was interested in him. Like he was about her. She was the first woman who had caught his attention since moving to the Midlands.
Arriving at the trolley park, Steve pushed the trolley into another waiting one to create a longer train. He looked over to where Kate's car was. She was closing the back door having put Josh in his car seat before moving to the driver's door. Fuck it! Steve thought. He would be mad to let such an opportunity pass him by.
He jogged back to Kate's car and tapped on the drivers window. Kate lowered the glass wondering what Steve had forgotten this time.
"You hungry?" he asked. "Fancy going for a meal?".
Kate froze. He was definitely chatting her up now. She cursed herself and her runaway mouth that often got her in to trouble. She'd practically forced the man to do this.
"Forget it," Steve said taking Kate's silence as rejection. "Silly idea," he said as he started to walk away.
"No!" said Kate quickly. "It wasn't,". Steve stopped and turned back to face her. "Josh would have to come. I don't have anyone to leave him with at such short notice,".
"The more the merrier," Steve replied. "Where's good?".
"Do you know the Rose and Crown?" Kate asked, remembering a pub that did good food and catered for small kids.
"I'll follow you," Steve said before quickly heading to his car.
Kate watched him go before checking her appearance in the rear view mirror. She still had a bit of make up on. Her hair wasn't too bad and her clothes were not too scruffy and didn't have any stains on them. She caught sight of Josh looking at her from his seat. "I think Mummy's pulled, Josh," she told him happily.
This first date was unlike any Steve had gone on before. It was truly unique. First off it had been organised totally spontaneously. Steve had gone to the supermarket to buy himself a meal and somehow ended up on a date. Second off was the presence of a little human being currently sat in a high chair in between himself and Kate.
There were definitely upsides to Josh's presence, Steve realised. They were seated very quickly which was a bonus. And now Josh was flirting up a storm with all the waitresses and they were being very attentive in their service. Steve was impressed. One of the waitresses was currently taking their order.
"Umm I think I'll have the fish fingers for Josh," Kate said as she perused the menu. "And I'll go for the fish and chips please,".
"How would you like your peas?".
"Mushy please," Kate decided and saw Steve pull a face. "You Southerners don't know what you are missing," she informed him as she gave her menu to the waitress.
"And for you sir?" the waitress enquired as she turned to him.
"I'll go the fish and chips as well," Steve decided, "but with non mushy peas,".
"Ok." The waitress said as she jotted the last order down. "I'll be back with your meals shortly,".
"You can't have been here long if you haven't been converted to mushy peas yet " Kate said as she made sure Josh was ok with his sippy cup.
"About eighteen months," Steve revealed. "Relocated from South London,".
"What made you come up here? A woman?".
"No! Work," Steve said. "Transferred from Counter Terrorism to Anti-Corruption,".
"You enjoying it?" Kate asked.
"It's a lot more hard work than I thought it was going to be," Steve said. "What about you? Are you a local girl?".
"No," replied Kate. "I moved here about six months ago for a new start with Josh. My delightful ex-husband had been having an affair for most of my pregnancy. I moved out and his mistress moved in to our house. I couldn't be involved in his mind games as he paraded her around to all our friends so I left,".
"That sounds shit," Steve said.
"It was," Kate replied. It hadn't been a very happy time but she was glad to have got through it and things were gradually improving.
"Does he see Josh?".
"No," said Kate. "He's never shown any interest in him," she continued sadly as she combed her fingers through her son's delicate hair. Josh smiled at his mum.
"How old is Josh?".
"Ten months," Kate said.
"Must be hard work. Do your parents help out?" Steve asked.
"My parents divorced when I was young," Kate said. "Dad got re-married to someone six months older than me and mum has emigrated to Spain with her new man who I don't particularly like. So it's just me, but I have an amazing bunch of friends," Kate said hoping she wasn't turning Steve off with her story of woe. She didn't want him feeling sorry for her.
"It's just me and my friends as well," Steve said. "My parents are still in London,".
The waitress arrived carrying three plates of food and she put Steve and Kate's down in front of them. "Where shall I put the little man's?" She asked.
"I'll have it, thanks," Kate said. She took a knife and fork and cut Josh's meal in to tiny pieces before stabbing a piece of fish, blowing on it to cool it down and offering it to Josh who took it readily. "Like it?" Kate asked.
"Ta!" Josh replied.
"Can I ask you something?" Kate asked.
"Sure,".
"My patient. Do you know who he is?".
"Not got a clue," Steve said and Kate knew he was being truthful. "The gaffer's trying to find out,".
"The gaffer?".
"My senior officer," Steve explained. "He was at the hospital today. Northern Irish,".
"Oh! That one!" said Kate. "One of the nurses on the unit fancies him,".
Steve choked on his drink and coughed to clear it. "I'll ..err...let him know," Steve said. "I'm sure he'll be...," Steve paused as he thought of how Ted Hastings would take that particular bit of news, "...thrilled,".
Kate smiled at Steve's choice of words before giving Josh another bit of his meal. "So why are you investigating this case?" Kate prodded. "It doesn't sound very anti-corruptiony,".
Steve smiled at Kate. "We've been tasked with finding out if any officer leaked about the transfer happening," Steve said. "Three officers were killed in the attack,".
"I heard. I'm sorry," Kate said. "How's the investigation going?".
"Well one officer who was present and remained virtually unscathed is helping us with our enquiries," Steve said.
"Da!" said Josh, interrupting his mother and Steve's conversation. Without her undivided attention he had managed to grasp two handfuls of peas and then released them when Kate and Steve turned to look.
"Josh!" Kate scolded as peas went everywhere all over the pub floor. She got off her chair and started picking them up. Steve helped her whilst Josh peered over his high chair and watched the two adults crawling around on the floor avidly.
"I think Josh has some sort of pea fetish," Steve remarked. This was the second time since Steve had met Josh that he had dropped peas on the floor.
Kate laughed. "At least it's healthy I suppose,".
The rest of the meal passed uneventfully and far too fast for Steve's liking. Another uniqueness to this first date was the early end as Josh had to be put to bed.
"Thank you for a lovely evening," Steve said to Kate. "You saved me from a pathetic ready meal and a night watching TV on the sofa alone,".
"Glad we could help out," Kate said.
"Good night," Steve said before leaning in and giving Kate a brief kiss on her cheek. Steve then picked up one of Josh's podgy little hands and shook it. "And nice to meet you, Josh,". Josh giggled as Steve stepped away and headed to his car. "Remember about that scoop on the patient. Would be greatly appreciated,".
Kate tapped the card where it still resided in her pocket. "Is that all you want me to call you about?".
Steve turned and smiled bashfully at Kate. "If you wanted to just chat that would be ok as well," he stated.
"I'll remember that," she said. "Night Steve,".
"Night, Kate,' Steve replied.