Breakeven

Chapter 24

I opened my mum's front door and walked straight in to the house where I always feel welcome.

"Kay" She said with a smile, standing up from her chair and coming to give me a hug before hugging each of the girls in turn.

Jessica and Alleysha settled straight in but Keira clung to me a little more than she normally would.  Don't get me wrong, she loves my mum but she's not been here many times and I think the strange environment was overwhelming for her.

"You OK Honey?" I asked Keira as she cuddled into me, she nodded but her head remained down. I looked at my mum and shrugged my shoulders, we've been through this with all the kids, I take them to see my mum as often as possible but it seems to take ages before they are really comfortable in her house.

"Do you think maybe a little sweetie would help?" my mum asked Keira, trying to coax her away from me.

"Mum, not before dinner" I jumped in immediately.

"Oh Kay, I don't see them that often, it'll not do any harm just to let me spoil them" she said as she produced a tin almost overflowing with sweets.

Keira looked at me, almost begging for permission to take one.  "Go on then" I said with a smile realising that there really was no harm in them having treats at my mums, she's right, she doesn't see them often enough not to spoil them when they visit.  Keira took a sweet from the tin "Fank you Gwan" she said as she started to unwrap it.

After Keira had her sweets the girls went to play in the garden.  My mum handed me a coffee and sat down next to me.

"Why are you really here Kay?" She asked

"What do you mean?" I laughed, feeling my cheeks blush as I answered, a sign that I knew my mum would pick up on that I was avoiding the question.  She just looked at me waiting for an answer.  "I thought you might like to see me and the kids, what's wrong with that?"

"Kay, I'm not daft, Danny doesn't go on tour and you still decide to rock up here with the kids but without him, what's going on?" she pressed further.

"Honestly mum, nothing's going on, me and Danny are fine." As the words came out of my mouth I realised that I meant them.

She just gave me a look, the look a mum gives when she knows you're not telling her the full story.

"How come Adam's not here then?" she asked, almost changing the subject but keeping it close enough that she could dig a little further.

"Oh, you know what Adam's like, he didn't want to come without Danny, they're having 'boys time', whatever that means." I told her, then I felt really uncomfortable and felt the need to change the subject. "So, fill me in on the gossip then" I said in the hope of distracting her from her questions.

"I'll get the truth out of you before you go you know" she said with a knowing glance before she did change the subject and started filling me in on everything that she's been up to recently.

After dinner, Steven and Claire came over with Jordan, Grace and Kaitlin so we had a family night playing board games with the kids.

At 8 o'clock we paused the games so that me and the girls could jump on Skype to speak to Adam and Danny.  The girls were really excited as they told them about their night with the family.  We hadn't done anything particularly special but I think they just enjoyed seeing everyone and getting a bit of fussing over them.

Adam seemed quieter than usual.  He told me that he had been to the park to play football with Danny but didn't really say much else, Danny did most of the talking from their end.

"So, what's the boys plan for tonight?" I asked Adam

"Nothing really mum" he said.  I was a bit concerned about him so we all stayed on Skype longer than we usually would but he just didn't seem himself, maybe it's just because this is the first time he hasn't been with me for a family Skype, I dismissed my worry.

"Anyway Dad, we'll speak to you tomorrow, we're just in the middle of a board game" Alleysha suddenly blurted out.

"OK sweetheart, you have fun, I love you" Danny replied with a giggle.

"Love you Dad" Jessica said as she waved at the screen.

"Wave to Daddy then" I said to Keira who was sitting on my knee, probably not really understanding what was going on as this is the first time she has experienced the family Skype call.

"Ba bye Dada" she said as Jessica lifted her from my lap and took her back to the games.

"Well, I guess I'd better go" I said suddenly realising I was the only one left looking at the screen at my end.

"I love you Mum" Adam said as he waved at the screen.

"Love you more" I replied with a smile before ending the call.

I went back to the dining room to finish off our game, "I think we're having way more fun than Adam you know Mum" Jessica said as I walked in.

"It's not a competition Jess, I'm sure Dad and Adam will have plenty of fun too while we're away" I replied, the last thing I wanted was for her to say something like that on tomorrows Skype.

I enjoyed my night and I don't know if it was the distraction of having my family around me, or just being away from Danny, but I could already feel that I wasn't on edge.  Maybe I trusted him more than I thought I did?

After a great night with the family me and the girls headed home for the night.  It was way past Keira and Alleysha's bedtime so I took them straight up to bed.  Jessica got Alleysha settled in her room while I got Keira ready for bed and placed her in her cot.  By the time I went to check on Alleysha, she was fast asleep.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked Jessica who was lying on the bed next to Alleysha

"I might just go to bed too mum, I'm a bit tired" she said to me.

"OK, goodnight then" I said as I walked over and kissed her forehead.

I went downstairs and poured a glass of wine before settling on the sofa and flicking through the TV channels.  Not finding anything that interested me I lifted my phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Guess who's ba-ack?" I sang with a giggle.

"Oh, hi Kay, what do you mean you're back?" Eleanor asked.

"I've brought the girls up to see my mum, just wondered if you fancied coming over for a catch up?" I asked, hoping that she would be free.

"Kay, I'd love to but I'm on nights this week, how long are you here for?" she asked

"I'm not sure, I just got here today, probably a few days"

"Well, if you're still around next week I'd really love to see you, it's been far too long" she said "Have a think about it and let me know, I'm going to have to go now though because I'm at work, speak to you soon yeah?"

"OK El, I'll see what I can sort out, enjoy your shift" I laughed as I said this.  Eleanor may love her job but I know that she hates working nights.