Chapter 3

Learning to live with Lottie again was tough for Steve but he wasn't going to tell her that. By the time Steve had left home for the police academy and then subsequently moving to the midlands, Lottie wasn't even a teenager so habits that she had developed in those years were alien to him. Now they were entirely in his face all the time in the flat. He could get used to her products being in the bathroom and the way that she would toss her clothes across her room so he had to keep picking up her clothes when we entered to avoid tripping, but there were some things that drove him nuts. Leaving tea bags on the sink edge which meant the tea dripped down the edge of the sink and left stains. Using the hover and not emptying it. Putting washing up in the sink but not actually washing them until the sink was full. Music constantly playing with tracks sometimes being changed mid song plus no consistency across genres. Finally, the ultimate sin of moving his stuff around the flat and not putting them back in the right place. They were a week in now. He only had about two years to go. He was counting down the days, one at a time.

"You have everything you need?" Steve called across the flat on Monday morning as he made breakfast, half dressed for his day in the office. Lottie's official first day at college had arrived which meant she wasn't alone all day everyday making him feel better. They both had set schedules now and soon she would be starting her job at Marks and Spencer. She was still waiting on confirmation of if she was needed for the bar singing job but if Steve was honest he didn't want her to get it to keep her safe from drunks who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Yes and I know where I am going too" Lottie replied as she walked from her bedroom with her blue backpack she had specially bought for college in her hands. "I'm not five again Steve nervous about my first day of school."

"I know, but I want to make sure you are ok this morning since I can't take you myself." He handed a cup of coffee over to her which she took and gulped deeply from. Steve didn't have to leave until after Lottie but not long after so his ability to take Lottie to college was out of the question much to her relief.

"You dare turn up at the campus at any point I will die of embarrassment. No joke Steve. College is a no Steve zone for me, ok? Just like the AC-12 office is a no Lottie zone for you. No first day of school pictures either to send mum and dad!"

He placed a plate of scrambled egg on toast for her on the dining room table as she sat down. "Received and understood. So what time will you be finishing today?"

"Not sure exactly. My official schedule ends at 3pm but there are some socials events afterwards. Ok if I let you know?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah no problem. I am hoping to be finished around six myself. We'll catch up later. Eat up." She began to eat when her mobile rang and the name 'mum' flashed up on screen.

"Told you she'd call" Lottie said to Steve and answered. For the next ten minutes Lottie spoke to her parents as she ate breakfast and Steve finished getting dressed.

"Love you too, bye!" Lottie said and hung up the call as Steve looked for his keys and phone. "You left them in the bathroom when you went to brush your teeth" Lottie explained before he asked her where they were.

"How do you do that?" he asked as he headed to the bathroom.

"It's a gift. Right I had better go." He heard her putting her breakfast stuff in the sink and he headed back into the kitchen to see her grabbing her backpack and throwing it over one shoulder.

"You packed yourself some lunch?" he asked and she looked disgusted.

"A packed lunch? How sad are you?"

He smiled at that and would have forced her to give him a hug but he knew she wouldn't take it. He really was proud of her. He waited until she opened the door.

"Hey Lottie?" she turned around and then saw a flash of light that nearly blinded her. When it faded she realized Steve had his phone in his hand at mid chest height and was taking a picture of her. He laughed.

"You dick!" She smiled and with that she was out the door. Steve suddenly realized how quiet the flat was with her gone and he did the washing up before he headed to work.

It had been a stressful day at work for Steve and a run in with Dot meant he left in a bad mood. They hadn't managed to settle their differences after everything that happened with DCI Gates the year before. They tolerated each other and any excuse for Dot to wind up Steve he would be there in Steve's face. He ended up not leaving until 7:15pm and his lack of food during work hours had made him irritable.

He got to the flat expecting Lottie to be in only to find it empty and lights off so the flat was completely dark. What did she say this morning? That she was finishing at 3pm? He pulled out his phone to check if he had missed any calls or texts from her but no, nothing. He dialed her number and it ran out but she didn't answer. For the next two hours he kept trying but wasn't getting through to her. Finally at 9:39pm he heard her keys being put in the flat door lock and the door opened. He stood up and walked towards the door.

"What time do you call this?" he asked as she entered. She looked confused and closed the door behind her.

"Nice to see you too. According to my watch it is 9:39pm." She put her bag on the floor and was baffled by the way he was looking at her. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Key rule Lottie, you need to tell me where you are. I'm your guardian here, I am responsible for you."

"Right. Still not getting the problem" she admitted.

"I've been calling you trying to find out where you were."

"Why?" she asked confused. He looked like he was going to explode at how ridiculous she sounded.

"I just told you. Jesus Lottie, when are you ever going to be responsible for your actions? For all I knew you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Did you think about that? No of course not, you wouldn't."

"Are you calling me a screw up?" she asked appalled.

"No I'm calling you an irresponsible child who needs to start acting her age."

Lottie folded her arms. "Did you check all your messages?"

"What?" he asked confused.

"All your messages, did you check them?"

"Yes! You never called my phone, left a text or contacted me through social media. So where else was I meant to look?"

"Did you check your answer phone machine?" Steve didn't reply. He glanced over to the land line that sat by the tv and it was only then he noticed a flashing red light. He had fucked up royally and they both knew it. He walked over to the machine and pressed the play button.

"Hey Steve it's me! Um I've made some friends from my course and they've invited me to the cinema and show me around the city. It's 4pm now and the cinema trip is at 7pm so I'm going to get something to eat and then will be at the cinema. I hope this is ok and you didn't have any big dinner plans for us. I'll put my phone on silent in the cinema so I won't be able to answer any messages and I should be home around 9:30ish. Well in time for curfew, I promise. Ok, see you later!"

Lottie's voice echoed around the room and Steve looked at Lottie as the voice message filled the room. Lottie picked up her bag and shook her head at him.

"Christ, Lottie, I'm sor –"

"Drop it! I had a great day, did everything I was told and got back in time for curfew. What an irresponsible child am I?" she rushed to her bedroom and slammed the door locking it behind her.

"Nushka, please open the door" Steve begged softly knocking on it.

"No!" she yelled and put on some music to drown him out. She didn't leave her room until after he left for work the next day.

Three weeks had passed and Steve and Lottie had hardly spoken to each other. Lottie had started her job which she was thankful for as it meant she had even more of an excuse to not be around Steve. She didn't get the job at the bar which disappointed her but she didn't let Steve know. Whenever Steve was home she would keep to her room or she would go out and make sure she got back at exactly 9:59pm. She threw herself into her college work and her new friends were her lifeline. Until one day everything would change.

"Ted Hastings," Ted said picking up his desk phone without taking his eyes off the report he was reading.

"Sir, you have a visitor in reception that isn't listed as a guest today in the log."

"Who is it?"

"Lottie Arnott and is asking to speak with you directly."

"I'll be right down."

When he reached the balcony which overlooked the reception he saw a side of Lottie he hadn't seen before. She was quiet, staring at the floor and her right knee bouncing up and down rapidly with nerves. She clearly was uncomfortable and was clutching a blue A4 sized file to her chest. Something was wrong he thought as he walked down the stairs.

"Lottie, this is a pleasant surprise," he said making her jump. She stood up. "Are you alright?" he asked realizing she was shaking slightly.

"Yes … I think so. Are Kate and Steve here?"

"They are out but on their way back here. What is this about?" he asked a little confused.

"I think I found something but I don't know what it is exactly. Can you help me?" He could hear a slight shake in her voice.

"I'll put the kettle on."