Cheryl smiled as she watched Lola running about in the snow outside; the little girl had barely witnessed snow in her life and was definitely making the most of it. The last time she had seen so much snow was when she was pregnant with Lola and living at Nicola’s. Cheryl had hated it, every step she made outside felt like a death trap but clearly her daughter wasn’t too fussed.
“You still have two sugars don't you?” Simon whispered in her ear so not to interrupt her pleasant viewing as he placed a mug in Cheryl’s hand. She nodded her head and smiled slightly at how he had remembered, “and let me guess you've got a coffee. Black?”
Simon smirked, he was glad she was going along with how he was behaving. Each time they spoke something was remembered from a lifetime ago, they were slowly falling back into old habits and Simon couldn’t have been happier. He stood next to Cheryl and watched as their daughter bounced around in her bright pink wellies, “did you brainwash her when she was little?” Simon chuckled.
“Brainwash? What? Don't be so fucking stupid” Cheryl stated not even understanding what he was talking about.
“I mean because all she ever wears is pink and practically everything she owns has some relation to the Disney channel”
Cheryl rolled her eyes, “that’s cos she’s seven and she’s a girl.”
“But what about all the other colours? Or is pink her favourite? And surely she must watch something other than Disney?” Simon asked slightly confused.
Cheryl laughed again, she couldn’t help it and she knew it wasn’t Simons fault but it amused her a lot more than it should, “they’re her favourite” she stated, “soon you’ll know what her favourite of everything is. It just takes time”
“I feel bad though that I don't know much about her, it just frustrates me that the one person I should know the most about I know the least” he sighed as he rubbed his chin.
Cheryl swallowed hard, the tears forming in her eyes as she felt sorrow sweeping through her body for him, “I'm sorry Si, it’s me own fault you don't know everything about her but you will. I promise”
“Chez I didn't mean it like that, I know things aren’t perfect and haven’t been regarding us and Lola but it just annoys me that even after a whole week of practically living with you I still know so little. I know everything about her mother but nothing about her” he sighed.
“Simon you were there the night I won Popstars: The Rivals, you’ve known us since I was nineteen. That's a long time to get to know everything there is about us, its fourteen years, I’d be shocked if you didn't know everything about us. Its half me life so you better had know!” she joked as she kissed his cheek softly and took his coffee out his hands, “go outside and play in the snow with your daughter if you're that upset about not knowing her”
* * *
Lola laughed as she bent down to pick up some more snow and roll it into a ball. She could hear Simon at the other end of the garden stand up and she shrieked as a snowball flew passed her head and hit the fence instead. She looked up for a second and stuck her tongue out at Simon who in return pulled a funny face.
Lola picked up her snowball and ran as fast as she could towards Simon and threw the snow at him. It bounced off his face, leaving water dripping from his nose. Lola couldn’t contain herself and almost fell to the floor laughing as he wiped the water from his face. She squealed as Simon picked her up and threw her up over his shoulders and marched into the middle of the garden, infront of the window Cheryl was stood at. He carefully lowered Lola by her ankles so she was hanging upside down and all he could hear were his daughters giggles and pleas to be put down.
He looked up at the window and saw Cheryl gesture for him to wait a minute and she pointed to the back door, he nodded his head and began to bounce Lola slightly.
“Put me down!” she laughed as Simon brought her upright for a second before lowering her back down again.
“What’s the matter Monkey?” he asked her as he bounced her around again slowly.
The backdoor opened and Lola screamed for her mum to get her down but instead Cheryl just laughed and took a picture of the two. Simon lowered Lola to the floor gently and when he was sure she would land safe he dropped her. The little girl stood up and brushed all the snow off her before turning around and pouting at her father.
“My god you look just like your mother when you do that” Simon stated as she ventured closer to him, he could tell from the all familiar Tweedy glare that Lola was going to get her revenge in some way as her lips were forming into a smirk and her eyes widened.
Simon backed away from her and looked at Cheryl who was recording the whole thing whilst trying to contain her giggles. Whilst he wasn’t looking at his daughter Lola had bent down and picked up her spade and scooped snow into it, she waited until Simon looked up and then she flung the snow at him and laughed as it slid all down his front.
“I’m gonna get you back Madam!” he laughed as he regained his composure as looked up to see Lola stood behind Cheryl hugging onto her leg tightly, “oh that's right , hide behind your mum. Don't think I’ve not thrown snow at her before” Simon said in an effort to get Lola to move.
“You've never thrown snow at us” Cheryl answered him back with a raised eyebrow as she scanned their many and varied memories.
“Chez shut up, yeah I have” he gestured with a glare telling her to go with it.
“Any snow you’ve thrown at us hasn’t been off the ground!” she laughed as her eyes sparkled whilst she wound him up. Lola pointed at her father and stuck her tongue out as she continued to hide behind Cheryl’s frame.
“I’ll throw snow at you later then when Lola’s in bed” Simon winked as he etched closer and closer to the two most important people in his life. Cheryl choked on thin air when she saw the look of lust on his face as the words slipped from his mouth; she put her hands over Lola’s ears and shook her head with a smirk. “Little ears are around!” she giggled as the heat rose to her previously cold face.
“Mam get off us! He’s getting closer!” Lola shouted not even acknowledging what her parents were talking about.
“Too late!” Simon cackled as he threw cold snow over both mother and daughter before wrapping his arms around Lola and picking her up and cuddling her close. He then moved nearer to Cheryl and pulled her into their embrace, creating the family’s first ever hug together.
