Unexpected turn of events (the script, Glen Power fanfiction)

Chapter 5

But in hindsight, this was way better. she could appoint researchers, some of which included the ones she'd have liked to do. The pay was way better than she could have had if she'd travelled. She had an extremely well-paid job. Her life was better than she could ever have imagined and she had the best friend's anyone could ever have imagined.

"I worked until three days before I gave birth. I was put on bed rest after that. I'd overworked myself. My mum and grandmother were with me when he was born. I was in labour for 23 hours. I cursed you to hell and back." she told him with a small chuckle and shake of her head and he couldn't help but chuckle and laugh at that. He could only imagine if the labour had been that long.

"And then you were on your own again?" he asked her, the feeling in his gut, the guilty getting worse and worse. He hated that he hadn't been there for her through any of it. He would have loved to see the sonograms, been there for doctor's visits. Hearing the heartbeat for the first time, the labour, the morning sickness. Everything, he'd have been there for her, supported her. Instead, the choice had been taken from him and she'd been lead to believe he didn't want her and the baby.

"My mum stayed for about four weeks, trying to help me out. Help me get adjusted to motherhood. He was a pretty good baby once he reached the four, five-month mark. But the first few months were hell." she explained as he too turned to her, his leg pulled underneath him as he gazed at her.

"I was alone after that. I was exhausted and so out of my depth. I didn't have anyone to pass the baby too and say here take over for a few hours. My mum was back in Belgium. Mia came over as much as she could, which was basically every weekend. But even then, I breastfed so it was me who had to feed him and such. I tried to catch up on sleep as much as I could, but dealing with crying baby all week is pretty tough." she admitted as she lay her head down across her hand.

Hearing her tell him how tough it had been, the exhaustion she must have felt. The helplessness at times, it was true, she had truly been alone, no one to pass the baby on to for a few hours to catch up on sleep. God he could have been there for her, stayed up with the baby whilst she slept.

"Then after the first four, five months, he just changed. he slept through the night, he got easier. I had a nanny stay with him for the first three years at home. She returned to Spain when he started at Thomas this year." Kate explained as she took a sip of her glass before resting the glass back on her knee.

"I missed so much," Glen whispered with a hurt tone and far-off look as he shook his head. Going through the photobook Kate had gotten out. The sonograms, some pictures of the birth, all of it of the last years of his son's life.

"He's an amazing boy. You did such a great job," he told her as he ran a finger over a picture of her and Arthur on holiday somewhere. He couldn't help but give her the credit where it was due. To have done all of this mostly on her own, she raised a fine and amazing boy. He hated that he'd lost the chance to help and raise him. The most formative years were almost over. He felt as if he had nothing to add to it.

"I did my best," she told him in a dismissive shrug of her shoulders. "It wasn't always easy. I know I can count on Maria, George's nanny to drop him off at work, or Kate or Will or Carole or Michael," she told him with a small chuckle. "When I can I go and pick them up at drop George off at KP.," she told him, she tried to help as much as she could, certainly now that Kate was pregnant again. Yes Maria did a whole lot and she was a saint, but Charlotte got off from school at Noon so she had to care for them mostly. "I tried giving him everything a kid could ever need without spoiling him you know," she told him as she pulled her leg up to her chest, her chin resting on her knee.

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" he asked her, wanting to introduce them to the lads. He'd talked and talked about her for years to them. And then the drama of the last few days. They had this image of her and he really wanted her to meet them and his son before his family got involved.