Chapter 21
Even though Alex arrived quickly after the call and Lottie gave the appearance of being happy, Steve could feel the underlying state of Lottie's mind. She was quiet and withdrawn. Her mind in deep distant thought. Alex noticed it too but neither men were willing to say it in front of Lottie. Not having slept the previous night he knew she was exhausted too. Thankfully, with the encouragement of Alex, Lottie had fallen asleep triggering Alex to quietly leave her room her and close her door behind him.
"She's finally out of it. How long she'll sleep I don't know" Alex explained walking towards Steve who was cleaning the kitchen.
"Thanks for that. Can I make you a drink?"
"Usually that's my job" Alex smirked.
"Well, today is your lucky day. Tea? Coffee?"
"Tea please."
Steve turned on the kettle and turned to face Alex. "I know we have never really talked but I want you to know that I'm glad Lottie has you in her life here, especially now. Even though I might have had some issues with it at first" Steve admitted.
"Some issue? The glances you would give me in the Winslow made me think you wanted me hung, drawn and quartered. I know we are young and everything but that doesn't mean we are foolish. We respect each other and I respect you too. You should know by now I would never do anything to hurt her and I know you may scoff at that being older than me, but I was raised to respect women not treat them like animals … Look, I don't know if this is crossing a line but I was wondering if you would like Lottie to stay with my family for a while."
Steve looked at him confused. "Are you suggesting that I can't protect her?"
"No far from it. Sorry that was badly phrased" Alex explained realising he had botched a possible heroic moment. "Not a lot of people know this about me but my parents are pretty well off. I decided early on I was going to go my own way as it were and not rely on them which is why I moved out at 16, I have multiple jobs, a student loan and live in a tiny flat above a music shop. They live up by Peel Court."
That made Steve raise his eyebrows in surprise. Peel Court was a notorious area for the wealthy in the city. Properties were worth millions with high security and iron gates blocking entry from the general public. It was the midlands equivalent to Kensington, London. "That I wasn't expecting."
"Well it isn't something I like to advertise. It isn't a feeling of shame you understand. I want my value to be recognised by who I am as a person and my talents not the wealth handed to me on a plate. My point is that if someone is placing Lottie in danger, I can offer another source of protection that no one knows about. No one, except for you. I won't tell Lottie about it or that I told you. If you need it though, all you have to do is let me know."
Steve was silent for several seconds. He could tell from Alex's demeanour and voice that he was telling the truth. He didn't need to use his police training to know that. "I'll let you know. You're a good man Alex, better than I gave you credit for."
"Likewise … So, got any embarrassing stories about Lottie to help us pass the time?"
Steve smiled broadly. "Oh a fair few. Did Lottie ever tell you about the time she was bridesmaid to our cousin Milly when she was six?"
The sound of laughter woke Lottie and she looked around her bedroom confused. Alex wasn't there and it had gone dark. Granted, being Christmas Eve it was due to go dark about 4pm so that didn't mean it was evening. It was only then she realised there were multiple people laughing. She left her room to find Steve and Alex laughing on the sofa, the coffee table covered with family photos, baby pictures of Lottie and on the TV were family videos of Lottie as a little girl projected via Steve's blue tooth from his phone.
"Oh. My. God" she said making them acknowledge her in the room. "Steve, you didn't?!" she asked in shocked horror.
"Oh look, its Lottie the Satanist" Alex laughed setting off Steve as well. Her eyes widened.
"You told him about Milly's wedding?!"
"Oh come on, it's a great story –" Steve began to defend himself but she cut him off.
"To make it clear, I was six and got the word 'atheist' wrong" she explained.
"In front of a vicar, in the middle of a church, during a wedding" Steve added. "Then you proceeded to have a debate with him during the reception about if Satan isn't real then how can there be pictures of him since the artist would have to have seen him to paint his picture."
"I wish I was there for that" Alex chuckled before taking a sip from his cup of tea.
"Oh how about when you were five and tried to report mum for animal cruelty when she caught a mouse in a mouse trap in the garage."
"I really hate you right now" Lottie declared to Steve but he didn't care. This was too much fun.
"Which videos have you shown him?" Lottie asked folding her arms.
"Oh a variety, but I saved the best for last." Steve pressed on his phone screen and the TV image changed to be a tiny Lottie sat at a dining room table in a homely kitchen setting. She was kneeling up on the dining room chair to give her height so she could see above the edge of the table. The tiny Lottie was organising felt tip pens and coloured papers on the table in front of her. The grown up Lottie knew instantly what she was watching.
"No! Steve, please?!" she begged but too late, Alex and Steve were engrossed. Knowing there was nothing she could do; Lottie sat down in the individual chair next to the sofa and crossed her arms rage watching.
A young Steve appeared to the right side of the picture. He had sat down next to the miniscule Lottie and was holding the camera at arm's length.
"How old are you there?" Alex asked.
"Eighteen. This was my first visit home after joining the police academy" he explained.
The young Steve addressed the camera. "So I am recording this to prove to everyone at the academy what I have to deal with everyday. So Nushka, what is it we are doing today?" Steve said and turned to the little girl.
"I'm … I'm writing a letter" the little girl said in a sweet childish voice. Her wild curly hair and tiny glasses which made her eyes look big made Alex think of Disney and Pixar children in the movies. So cute you can't quite believe it. Lottie wanted to curl up and die of embarrassment watching her younger self.
"Who are you writing to?"
"The Primster."
The onscreen Steve looked confused at the camera. "You mean the prime minister?" he asked.
"Yes."
"And why are we writing to him?"
"Because Tony didn't reply to my letter from last week and I'm losing my patience with him. The one about the stone lions outside Buckingham Palace. I want to know why" the little girl replied clearly focused on her mission.
"Ok, so what is wrong with the lions outside Buckingham Palace?" the young Steve asked clearly trying to stop himself from laughing by pressing his lips together tightly before and after the question.
"Well, they're not British are they? You … you said they rep … rep … rep-"
"Represent" Steve prompted her.
"Represent the British people, but lions are from Africa. So why not a British animal? I think they should be replaced by badgers. Or hedgehogs. Foxes maybe because they live in London."
"Or moles" the young Steve suggested. Then the young Lottie stopped writing and looked up at the young Steve in utter disgust, mouth open in shock.
"No!" she declared loudly. The young Steve genuinely looked confused.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Moles may be in Britain but they live underground. If you bring them above ground they will be blinded by the sun and won't be able to get the food they need. That's animal cruelty."
"But they will be made of stone."
"I don't care! I care about the reputation of moles."
"I haven't actually done anything to hurt the moles Lottie" the young Steve clarified.
"I don't care. Say you are sorry for being mean to moles."
"Ok, I'm sorry I suggested it" Steve said then rolled his eyes at the camera.
"You should be punished. You have to write my letter." The little Lottie shoved the pen and paper at the young Steve.
"It's your letter."
"It's this or the naughty step. Don't argue with me because you are you and I am me." The little Lottie tried to look stern and in charge but really she looked angry and incredibly cute.
"What if I choose the naughty step?"
"Then you sit there for …. Ten hours."
"Ten hours?! It's one minute per year of age so I get eighteen minutes you little rascal" the young Steve corrected her.
"In mummy minutes. In Lottie minutes it's much longer. It's that or write my letter. Pick. Your. Potato" the young Lottie said firmly. The young Steve looked at the camera.
"Lottie, how old are you?"
"Five."
"Told you she was five" the young Steve said to the camera and the video stopped. Laughter ensued from the men whilst Lottie continued to glare at them from her seat.
"Oh come on Lottie, it's just a bit of fun" Steve said as he laughed seeing her face.
"I'm glad you are seeing the funny side" Lottie muttered getting up and heading for the kitchen which silenced the laughter. She needed a drink so she put the kettle on. Steve looked at Alex triggering Alex to walk over to Lottie.
"Oh it's not that bad. I thought you were really cute."
"Easy for you to say. You weren't embarrassed."
"Alright then." Alex pulled out his phone and after going through various folders he showed her a picture of a little boy of about four with short black hair in a bright yellow sweatshirt. The word 'sunbeams' written across the sweatshirt in black and a sun logo sat above it. He was grinning with missing front teeth and holding a jam sandwich which was leaking all over his sweatshirt and hands. He didn't have a care in the world.
"Even now?" he asked. Lottie looked at the picture.
"Slightly" she admitted with a small smile. It had worked and she was back in both men's good books again. "Are you staying for dinner?" Lottie asked. It was only after she asked she realised that would mean meeting her parents. How could she ask that so casually she pondered. Yes they were a couple, but three dates hardly means it is time to meet the parents. Well technically, Alex had properly met Steve that day having had a long conversation and gotten to know each other in the flat but did that count? Luckily, Alex shook his head.
"Sorry I can't. I'm at my folks place for Christmas. Luckily though they are close by so I can swing by Boxing day and give you your present. I was in such a rush I forgot to bring it with me."
"Works for me. I'm back at work the day after. Ted managed to get me boxing day off too with the police coverage."
"Right I best be off then. Your mum and dad will be here soon and no doubt you'll want me gone by then" Alex said putting his phone in his pocket.
"I'm not embarrassed by you Alex" Lottie clarified.
"I know that. To be honest I don't think I'm ready to meet them yet. No offense but in order to raise the two of you that takes a lot and I don't think I am ready for the 'you're not good enough for my daughter' glares from them."
"You are aware they will be here on Boxing day" Steve clarified from the sofa.
"Yes but that gives me more than 24 hours to prepare. Steve thanks for tea and all. It was good getting to know you."
"Any time" Steve said with a nod. Lottie showed Alex out and after a few kisses in the corridor, she re-entered the flat.
"So, did he pass your test?" Lottie asked. Steve raised his eyebrows.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Oh don't play innocent with me. You know what I am talking about. You needed to really know if you could trust him with me. So, did he pass?"
"Flying colours" Steve admitted making Lottie smile. She walked over to him and he expected her to give him a hug. Instead she punched him on one of his upper arms. "What was that for?"
"For Milly's wedding story." She leant forward and gave him a peck on the tip of his nose before heading back to the kitchen to make her tea.