“you’re an idiot” The smile on her face gets wider and its refusing to go away.
“You love this idiot”
“Hmm I do” She kisses me and as she pulls away I pull her bottom lip gently between my teeth.
“We’re going to watch a movie in a minute so chop chop”
“You could help us like”
“Did I or did I not offer?”
“You did” She giggles and she turn back around so she can finish what she started. I grab the towel that I dropped on the floor and jump on the counter sitting drying the wet dishes laying on the side. I clear my throat and she looks at me watching her.
“You’ve missed a bit” I joke pointing to the plate in her hands.
“and you’re slacking!” She jokes back. I chuckle and we carry on with our jobs. “You’re in a good mood”
“Well I’ve got a lot to be happy about, haven’t i?”
“I know, if I was dating me I would be happy too”
“Now whos the idiot?”
“I was joking!”
“But were you?”
“No” She laughs. “No I’m joking I was, Where’s Sarah?”
“Upstairs getting Paisley ready bless her”
“Its weird isn’t it”
“What?”
“us dating and our best friends dating… “
“I don’t know”
“Not In a bad way, I think its nice don’t you think?”
“I do and at least we know Nadine isn’t a heartless bitch to break her heart like all the other whores in the past”
“She has her moments” She chuckles. “It’s nice seeing everyone happy”
“It is-”
“Are my ears burning?” Asks a familiar voice. I look up to see Sarah stood at the door grinning from ear to ear.
“Maybe, we’re just having a bit of a gossip about you that’s all”
“Piss off” She laughs and Paisley comes in to join us in a pair of polka dot pyjamas, she holds a brush up to Sarah and she takes it from her hand. “Well we’re going to brush our hair so carry on bitches!”
“What’s she like?”
“Do you think Nads will be able to cope with her 24/7 even I find it a struggle”
“I heard that!” She calls from the other room.
“You know i love you really!”
***
Sarahs knocked out, I think all the running around with Paisley today has drained all the energy she’s had out of her. Paisley however is still wide awake, we can hardly hear two words of the movie we’re watching as shes sat chatting our heads off, I’m surprised she hasn’t woken Sarah up yet if I’m completely honest. She’s sat on the arm of the sofa twirling the ends of Cheryl’s hair around her fingers.
“Are you even watching this?” I ask and she nods even though it’s clear she isn’t. She’s only paid attention to about 5 minutes of it since Cheryl put it on.
“are you fibbing?”
“Nope” She smirks. “Mummy?”
“Mhm?”
“Cheryls going?”
“What do you mean?” I ask her and she holds out her hands.
“Cheryls going in the sky” I frown at Cheryl and like me she doesn’t seem to have the slightest idea of what she’s talking about. “On a aeroplane to dance”
“Oh you mean on tour?” She nods and shuffles closer to us.
“Don’t go” She slides off the arm of the sofa and onto Cheryl’s lap.
“It’s not for long” She says running her hand over her hair. “Im not going et, its not for a couple of months and you can come and see me, I’m sure we can sort something out”
“I’ll cry”
“Don’t cry” Chery pouts. “If you cry I’ll cry and we don’t at that do we?” she shakes her head and begins fiddling with her hair again. “And you know I’m coming back”
“Really?” She asks looking up at her.
“Of course I am, I’m your mam aren’t i?”
“You’re my mam” she says out loud and she throws her arms around both of Cheryl’s shoulders. I smile as Cheryl closes her eyes as she squeezes her tight.
“She thought you weren’t coming back” I whisper to her and she smiles at me sadly, still holding onto my daughter.
“Bless her”
“Pai?” She raises her head to look at me and I take her small had in mine. “Cheryl will always come back”
“Always?”
“Always always always!” Says Cheryl kissing her head. It’s quite sad that she thinks that one days she’s just going to go and not come back, why she thinks that I have no idea but its heart-breaking. “Will I tell you what we have in the kitchen?”
“What is it?” She asks, her eyes widening with excitement.
“There’s a cupcakes in the cupboard with you name on It! Why don’t you and mummy go get it and I’ll go get my phone and we can give nana Joan a quick ring?”
She doesn’t reply but she jumps off the sofa and pulls my arm dragging me behind her into the kitchen. “Let’s see then” I lift her onto the kitchen counter and I get the box of cupcakes Cheryl had bought from the cupboard.
“My name?”
“Um … well it doesn’t really have your name on it but there’s a flower, look” There’s a knock on the door and Cheryl calls through the house letting me know that she’s going to get it. Paisley takes the cupcake in both her hands and holds it under her nose.
“Mmm”
“I’ll get a plate” I do just that and I lift her down from the counter and onto a kitchen chair. I hear the front door open and Cheryl talking but she’s too far away to hear what she saying or who she’s talking to.
“Kim?”
“Yes?”
“Can you come here for a second?”
“Can it wait? I’m just sorting Pai out”
“Someone’s asking for you” I frown to myself wondering who it could be and I push Paisley under the table.
“Don’t make a mess, I’ll just be a second”
“Who is it?” I ask leaving the kitchen and Cheryl has the door pushed closed.
“He knows you or something? He looks a bit …. Chavy if you ask me”
“Hmm” I open the door and as I’m met by the face in front of me I feel like about now I could keel over. That stare I remember, those dark emotionless eyes, that dirty smirk. I remember it all, it’s too vivid. I feel like I’ve been pulled back into my past, I can’t face the person in front of me so as he goes to speak I try to slam the door closed but he sticks his foot in the gap stopping it from slamming in his face.
“Kimberley, please”
“Go away!” I scream pushing at the door.
“Just give me a chance!”
Chapter 45
Start from the beginning
