CHIM - Life in the limelight SEQUEL

Chapter 21

Once i have finished applying my lipstick i look at myself in the mirror and for once i am satisfied with how i look. I am looking forward to tonight. Joan insisted that we all go out for a chinese at the new restaurant that has just opened not too far from us and surprise Cheryl who still has no idea that her mam and brother are here while we are at it. Cheryl thought nothing of it when i rang her this afternoon to tell her meet me and the girls there. She thinks it is to celebrate Paisley having a good first day at school and in some ways it is. Paisley can not wait to tell her mam all about her first day. Pleased with how i look i go downstairs and into the living room where Joan is stood taking a picture of the girls in their matching dresses.

"Don't they look like little angels?" She gushes

"Yeah i just wish they'd act like it" I joke and Joan continues to make a fuss of her favourite grandchildren. She would never say that again out loud but she did once after a few too many glasses of wine and her oldest son was mortified.

"Proper bonny dazzlers they are" Garry says throwing Alaina into the air while she screams with laughter.

Joan wallops the back of his head playfully. "Watch her dress! You're going to crease it, you daft, bugger"

"You might have tiny hands but you have a good wack on you, you've nearly gave us concussion. I hope you're not pissed already, we haven't even left the house yet" He jokes

"No i'm not. I've been teetotal for months. I don't need a drink to have a good time"

"Well i do and i'm choking for a pint so are we going soon, or what?""

"Just let me nip to the old girls room and then we can head off" Joan says and runs off upstairs to use the bathroom.

While she is upstairs Garry continues to make a fuss of the girls. He lifts Paisley onto his shoulders and dances around in front of the mirror with her. "You look nice Uncle Garry. I'm glad you don't have that funny beard anymore"

Paisley always makes Gary laugh, even when she is giving him back handed compliments like she is now. I never saw the beard that he grew but i heard that it was horrendous. It is trimmed now and Paisley is right, he does look nice. It is not often i see him in a shirt and pair of jeans so i take a picture of him with Paisley to capture the moment. He is usually sporting a t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms so this is a nice change and he suits it.

"Pai is right you know, you scrub up well. I can't believe you don't have yourself a girlfriend yet"

"I'm not really a one woman kind of man, y'know?" The look on my face must say it all because he starts to laugh and says "I'm joking you! Me mam would kill us if she heard us say owt like that, its not how i was brought up. I've been talking to a woman from work for a bit but its starting to fizzle"

"Well that's her loss. You're a good looking boy, you look like your sister so i'm sure you'll have women falling at your feet"

"Boy? I'm the same age as you!"

We're laughing again and Garry is as pleased as punch when Joan finally comes back downstairs and tells us all to get our coats on so we can leave because he has been complaining that he is starving for hours despite eating his way through the girls' snack cupboard. I can't wait to see Cheryl's face when she sees who is joining us for dinner tonight, she really has no idea.

*

Cheryl reacted like Alaina did when she saw Garry and Joan sat at our table when she walked into the restaurant. She ran across the room and straight into Joan's awaiting arms like she hadn't seen her in years and once she was holding onto her beloved mum she did not want to let go of her. Paisley did the same thing when she saw her stood on her playground when we picked her up from school. She dropped her new bag onto the wet ground and sprinted to Joan without even looking at me. I had to force her into telling me how her day was but now she won't shut up about how much fun she had.