“Ugh, I’ll never eat again” Cheryl sighs and she sits back in the chair in the restaurant it took us about an hour to decide to come to. I smile across the table although I’m anything but happy. Alaina is sat next to Cheryl staring down at her old phone and she’s hitting her thumb against the keypad. Yes she again invited herself even though I voiced that I would rather she didn’t come but Cheryl being Cheryl didn’t even try to convince her to stay home. She wanted her here no matter what I thought.
“Is that nice?” I ask Paisley feeding her the last of her ice-cream and she nods her head. She wipes her mouth with the back of her arm and I grab a napkin. “Use this, not your arm” I giggle wiping at her messy mouth.
“Can I have more?”
“There is no more, you ate it all stinky! Anyways aren’t you getting too big for me to be feeding you?”
“I told you she’s spoilt” Alaina sings and I shoot her a look. She analyses my expression and mutters an apology. I reach for Paisley’s coat and I put it on her, she’s not too fond of this Alaina either. She’s normally a good judge of character. We were happy to eat at any restaurant; the metro centre is full of them. I can’t even begin to count how many we passed but Alaina is indecisive, she’s fussy and even though she keeps calling Paisley spoilt you can tell that she’s used to getting her own way so after trailing around the stuffy shopping mall for what seems like forever she finally made up her mind and even though she isn’t paying a penny for a thing she’s still finding everything to pick fault with. Her foods too hot, her drinks too cold. The music’s too low, people are talking too loud. She never shuts up.
“Can we go now?”
“Aye, are you okay?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You seem quiet that’s all”
“I’m fine it’s just hot in here”
“That’s cause wor Chezza’s in here” Alaina shouts obnoxiously and she nudges her in the elbow Paisley’s face looking at her is a picture, she doesn’t know how to take her. I thought Sarah was eccentric and obnoxious but this girl just takes the cake, I’m glad she isn’t here. I know they would clash.
“Hmm … yeah, are you ready?”
I stand up and I lift Paisley up with me. Cheryl pays the bill and we leave the little restaurant to return to our little shopping trip.
“Can you not walk?” Alaina asks Paisley and I look at Cheryl, she reads my mind. She knows exactly what I’m thinking. She’s probably thinking the same thing despite her being besotted by her. If she makes one more catty comment towards my daughter I won’t be held responsible for my actions.
“I can” Paisley frowns. “Can you not speak quietly?” I almost choke on the laugh I try to keep in and I drop my forehead to Paisley’s shoulder chuckling to myself. Cheryl laughs too and puts a hand on Alaina’s shoulders.
“She’s cheeky too? Hm”
“That’s enough” Cheryl warns but she still doesn’t stop smiling at her. I’m starting to feel like a third wheel if I’m completely honest.
*
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Cheryl asks once we get to the soft play. Alaina’s opted out of sitting in a hot, noise and child filled room so Cheryl generously and rather stupidly gave her some money to finish off her shopping session on her own.
“I’m fine” I fix a smile on my face and she rests a hand on my knee.
“Tell us what’s wrong”
