Tools of the trade.

Chapter 19 A bit of a pickle

Lola quickly made her way down the hall toward the kitchen.  The sight before her as she walked in made her want to burst into fits of laughter.   Her mother was standing in the doorway drenched in what looked like chicken soup staring daggers at a naked, extremely red faced Stag with nothing but the tray he had been carrying to cover his junk. His head was down, eyes on the floor and neither of them had noticed her arrival yet. She took a moment to compose herself and school her features into a straight face before clearing her throat, making her presence known.

Stag's head shot up when she cleared her throat and his eyes locked with hers.  He was trying to convey without words how sorry he was that he got caught in the buff by her mother of all people. She gave him a small smile and a wink before turning to her mother.

"Hello mum. Nice of you to drop by, what brings you here this fine morning? " Lola asked in her sweetest voice.

Carol looked as though steam was about to start shooting from her ears. She kept her eyes on Stag when she answered. 

"Rosie told me that you were sick, so I came to bring you soup. I let myself in so as to not disturb you if you were sleeping. Imagine my surprise, when I walk in to find this...this man walking around the kitchen in the nude! The kitchen Lola! Where you cook for God's sake!"

Wynter let out a little whimper and Carol's finally looked Lola's way. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of the small bundle in her arms, and Stag took the opportunity to try making his way out of the kitchen and into the bedroom.

"Just where do you think you're sneaking off to mister?" Carol turned her cold glare back his way.

Stag's face grew even redder and he gazed quickly at Lola, before looking back down at the floor.

"Mum, let the poor guy go dress himself." Lola deadpanned

Carol turned back to Lola one eybrow raised and a semi smirk on her face. "He didn't seem to mind walking around like that before, why should he now?"

Lola could tell that her mother was quite amused by Stag's embarrassment,  but she  could also tell that she was pretty angry as well.

"C'mon mum, I'll get you a change of clothes, you're covered in soup. Stag, grab a pair of pants from Jamies room and cover your junk." She said, throwing him a wink. His shoulders sagged in relief as her mother turned to follow her out of the room. He made his way to Jamie's room and quickly slid on a pair of trackies and a t-shirt, then back to the kitchen he went.

He turned on the kettle and started getting out cups and things to make tea for Carol, hoping that a little sucking up may get him into her good graces.

As Lola closed her bedroom door, she braced herself for the oncoming berating she was sure her mother would give her, but instead of yelling, Carol broke out into fits of laughter. Well that was unexpected.  Lola thought her mother had surely lost her marbles. She bent down to put Wynter into her carrier and when she stood up again, Carol was giving her a funny look.

"Alright mum, spill."

"Spill what?"

"Well you looked about to shoot steam out your ears in the kitchen, then we get up here and you start laughing. Are your cookies all still in your basket?" Lola said pointing at her head.

"Honestly Lola! Trust you to use a food analogy."

Lola rolled her eyes and went to her wardrobe to get her a change of clothes.

"Seriously though Lola, we really need to talk about...whatever this is going on here. Alone.  But I now see what it is you like about this Stan fellow. Did you see his face when I told him he couldn't get dressed?" She laughed again.

Lola looked at her mother like she'd grown a second head. "Seriously mum, can you not get the name right once? It's Stag. If you can't remember that, then call him Cale it is his real name after all."

"So is the baby his? Where's the mother? I assume it's the beaten woman from the hospital? Were they married, divorced, separated, brother and sister..what?"

"Whoa with the 20 questions mum. Let's get you changed and cleaned up and we can talk about it in the kitchen over a cuppa."

"Just one more question. What happened to that lovely doctor you were spending so much time with?"

"Oh don't worry I'll tell you all about that creep too, once we're done with Stag's story. Okay?"

"Deal."

With that Carol changed, left Lola fixing her bed, and made her way back to the kitchen where she now found a fully clothed Stag making tea, his back facing her.

"Hope you're not planning on serving that tea on the tray I found you wearing earlier." Carol quipped, smirking.

A startled Stag spun around to face her, a light pink spreading over his cheeks again.  "Sorry ma'am..a-about earlier. And don't worry I found another tray for the tea."

"I don't know what your story is mister,  but if you ever put a violent hand on my daughter... I'll kill you myself. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal." Stag gulped. "But just so you know, I would never, ever resort to violence with any woman. Ever. What you saw at the hospital, was not my doing. Please sit, I will tell you my story."

Carol stared him down for a minute,  but did as he asked just as Lola popped her head back through the doorway.

They relayed the entire story from start to finish and Carol sat listening, without saying a word until they were completely done. She took a moment to let it all sink in, then took both Lola and Stag by surprise when she stood up and wrapped him in a hug. He had shed a tear or two when they were speaking about Amelie's death, but was completely composed by the end. He wrapped his arms around Carol after a few stunned seconds hugging her as he would have his own mother.

Carol hugged him for a long time and when she pulled away, she wiped the tears out of her eyes, turning to face her daughter. She felt guilty that she had misjudged him so badly, because of his appearance. She wished that she could go back and change the way she had treated him the first time they met. She now knew that he truly is a great man. And she knew what she would do if she ever got ahold of that shifty ass of a doctor too.

"Mum, are you okay? Do you have any questions or advice or anything to say?"

Lola queried.

Carol sat back down in the chair again. " I do have a few questions, and I think there is definitely something I have to say."

"Okay." Lola sighed, thinking that she knew what was coming.

" Cale- do you mind if I call you Cale? It's so much nicer than Stick I think." Lola facepalmed at her mother's mistake..again.

"It's fine Mrs Banx." He replied, throwing a wink at Lola.

"Oh good. And call me Carol."

"Okay then." he smiled.

"I think I owe you an apology..."

A/N:  Okay, so Carol didn't explode like everyone expected. Any thoughts on that?
Hope you all like the update :) As usual, let me know if you find mistakes, and if you like the chapter. I love reading your comments so thanks heaps for writing them. Also thank you for all of your votes and follows, they mean alot to me.

My recommended story this chapter is: 'Heaven and Hell' by @Ruffle - A really sexy story about a full figured girl who gets involved with her famous employers (2 hot guys) while they teach her to love not only them, but herself. I love this story, it's super sexy and totally hot!