Baby May

A Proper Date

September 2002

The first day back on the ice felt amazing, Alyssia and Victoria restart at the same time, "Glad to have you back girls, I'll admit I've missed teaching you," Katie greets them on the side of the ice.

"Obviously, we're too late for competition this year but not to worry, we'll get your skill back up to scratch and work out a new diet plan. Any problems arise, you come straight to me and we'll sort them. Now, let's see how rusty you are?" She leads them onto the ice and they go through everything.

That evening was a slightly sad one, celebrating Freddie's 56th birthday with the Queen family.

The next morning Alyssia steps out of the shower and looks through her entire wardrobe for something to wear. She goes back and fore between outfits for nearly half an hour before storming downstairs.

"Mum!" Alyssia runs into the kitchen still in her towel, not caring one bit that her dad and brother are sitting at the breakfast table, "Are you busy? Toby will be here in 20 minutes and I don't know what to wear."

"Something more covering than a towel would be good," Jimmy covers his eyes but chips in his opinion.

"I second that statement," Brian pats his son's shoulder, they're both looking forward to interrogating Toby when he arrives. She groans, neither of them being very helpful.

"Ignore them, love, come on a towel won't do," Anita gestures her to go back upstairs, following behind.

When the doorbell goes a little while later, Anita rushes downstairs to save Toby from Brian and Jimmy's interrogation, leaving Alyssia with Emily and Louisa, "There," Emily steps back from braiding Alyssia's hair, "All done."

Applying a little lip gloss, Alyssia stuffs it into her bag along with her phone, "It's pretty cold out for September so take this," Louisa hands her sister the scarf Toby gifted her.

"Thanks, guys," She puts it with her bag for now and Louisa and Emily disappear downstairs, probably to find out who their little sister's date is.

Tying her shoes, Brian comes in, "Toby is waiting when you're ready."

"'Kay," She wraps the scarf around her neck and turns to her dad, "Do I look alright, dad?"

Brian smiles looking his baby girl up and down, "You look lovely and if he doesn't agree, then he needs glasses," He sits on her bed watching her sort her bag, "I know I haven't been very enthusiastic about this date, but I had a good chat with Toby and I have to admit, he seems like a good lad. Don't let him know I said that though." He doesn't want to lose his hold over Toby.

"All I ask is that you be sensible, your only 12 and try to keep some distance from his dad. From what I've seen and what Toby mentioned, he doesn't sound very fatherly."

"I'll be careful, I promise and don't worry, I'm not going to make you a grandpa anytime soon. You'll have to look to Jimmy or Louisa for that one."

"Not yet thank you, I'm not even turning grey," Nope, he's comfortable being a dad, so he hopes that grandpa is a little further in the future.

"Unlike Uncle Rog," She giggles leaving her room.

"I tell him you said that. Come on, don't keep him waiting," Brian nudges her to the stairs.

Running down the stairs, she meets Toby at the door, "No later than 5pm," Anita warns them, "It is a school night."

Leaving the house she links her hand with Toby's, "So where are we going?"

"Well, there's a fair on at Hyde Park, the summer one, this is the last weekend. I was thinking we could go there?" He'd love nothing more than to take her on a proper date, but neither of them has the money, so that will have to wait till they're older.

"Sounds perfect."

They walk quietly to the fair and spend most of the afternoon going from rides to stalls, around four they grab a bit to eat before starting the walk home, "You know I never asked," Alyssia breaks the silence, "How was the trip to Australia? You certainly got a good tan," His normal fair skin has a sun-kissed look to it.

"It was nice to see my mum and sister and I did enjoy the sun, being at the beach. Mum loves the idea that I'm seeing a girl. I was happy over there and then I came home," The happy smile slips away, "My dad was drunk and more of an arsehole than usual. I'm glad I didn't have to spend six weeks with him, I missed you though."

"Sap," She teased but seeing that smiles slip away, she changes the conversation back to his mum and sister, "How's your sister getting on?"

"Jenna is thriving over there, she has a guide dog to help her get around and she's happy," The change in the subject has the desired effect and brings his smile back, "Oh and get this, there's a procedure over there that could potentially get her sight back."

"That's amazing," Maybe if his sister gets her sight back his dad might clean up his act and treat Toby better, but that's probably wishful thinking.

They turn the corner to Alyssia's street and come to a stop outside her house, "Now I have one more question before you go in."

"I'm listening."

"Will um... will you officially be my girlfriend?" He pictured this scene better in his head but saying it like that sounded crap.

"I'd love to be your girlfriend," She grins, "Thank you for an amazing afternoon. I'll see you tomorrow?"

He leans in capturing her lips with his, kissing her gently but without hesitation. She leans into it for a moment before he pulls away, "I look forward to it."

Biting her bottom lip, she watches him walk back down the street then goes inside, "It went well then?" Brian pulls Alyssia from her own thoughts when the door closes.

"You saw that?" She blushes unaware they had an audience.

"I wasn't spying on you," He holds his hands up, "I walked past the window as you came back and I was checking you were alright."

"I had a great time, dad."

"Good," This boy makes Alyssia happy and he can't deny it's nice seeing her being a normal teenager, "Just tell Toby to keep it to the kissing, for the time being. As you said this morning, I don't want to be a grandpa anytime soon unless it's from Jimmy."

"Dad," She blushes, "I have no interest in that stuff."

"Maybe, but you will someday, I was a teenager once I know what it's like, that first relationship," His first girlfriend only lasted five months, but it was his first so the memories remain.

"I can't picture you as a teenager," She tries to create the image in her mind, but she can't.

"I had far shorter hair," He takes her through to the living room, telling her all about his teenage years.