Alphabet Steps

Missing You Part 4

Faye bit her lip as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Claire and Lisa had both persuaded her to agree to Lee's proposed dinner arguing he had at least a right to know a little more about the girl who could be his daughter. Faye sighed slightly as she could still hear the absolute shock and disbelief in Lisa's voice when she had been told that there was a chance Lee might be Grace's biological father. "You look beautiful Faye, he won't be able to resist you." Claire said as Faye looked thoughtful.
"Maybe I should change, this might give him the wrong idea." Faye said as she pondered momentarily. "Faye?"
"Hmm?"
"You've not said how you feel about Lee."
"It doesn't matter Clara. He's got his own life and if Grace is his th..then that's the main focus. Not me and him, but the relationship he has with her. I wouldn't want Grace to er...erm well to get her hopes up tha..that we might be together."
"Even if it was a possibility?" Claire ventured as Faye bit her lower lip thoughtfully.
"It's not." She said softly, a slight tone of regret. 

"So sweetheart, shall we do some baking this evening when Mummy's out hmm?" Nina asked as Grace nodded and smiled happily. "Can we make cookies?"
"Oh I think that sounds a nice idea or I might have some cupcake things. Plus I'm pretty sure Claire has a nice Disney film sorted for us to watch."
"Yay!" Grace beamed as Nina found herself slightly hoping that Faye might decide to stay in the UK. The change in Claire's spirits had been drastic since her friend's arrival and she sensed that if Faye and Grace stayed then it would be a huge benefit in Claire's battle with Leukaemia. Not to mention she herself found Grace's presence made things seem brighter. "Mummy, you look pretty." Grace said as Faye walked through into the lounge adorned in a silk wrap dress in a soft dusky pink colour. "Thank you sweetheart. Now promise me you'll behave for Auntie Clara and Nina hmm. You'll do what you're told and go to sleep when they say hmm."
"I will Mummy." Grace replied as she turned back to the jigsaw puzzle she was doing, a gift from Lisa this time who had also felt the need to spoil Grace a little. 

Lee turned off the engine of his car. He figured that if he drove it would mean he wouldn't drink and he suspected a clear head was a good idea. Sophie had been keen to know what he was doing but he had brushed her off in a gentle manner simply stating he was meeting up with an old mate It wasn't an entire lie, though he knew Sophie wasn't expecting his old mate to be a pretty blonde who had stolen his heart back many years ago. Heading up the path he felt his heart pound a little faster and he hoped he looked okay. Pressing the doorbell he looked at his watch hoping he wasn't too early. He was still a little shocked Faye had agreed to the dinner. After all he hadn't exactly been particularly nice to her the other evening. 

Faye looked down at her bowl of pasta and avoided meeting his eyes. Grace chattered away not picking up on the slightly awkward atmosphere. Nina had simply decided to busy herself with ensuring Claire and Grace were sorted with plenty of food. Claire had put the radio on and Grace was happily drumming her nails against the table in time. "Sweetheart, don't do that hmm." Faye said looking up and then away as her eyes met Lee's.
"You know we reckoned you'd gone to Spain. It was definitely somewhere hot in our minds. I would never have guessed you'd have gone to New York." Claire said hoping to get the conversation going. "New York is big, our house isn't big though. But it's high up, I can see lots." Grace said as Lee smiled at her. He was angry with Faye not the little girl.
"What an you see?"
"The park, we got there lots. Mummy likes we're near the shops though." Grace said as Faye smiled slightly. "It's on the Upper West Side, it's not huge but big enough for me and her, and when Mum and Dad or Clare visits. It was mad, I don't know what I was thinking, it was probably pregnancy hormones. I ju...I just wanted to stay there." Faye said as she smiled softly. "I had one of my old friends there, she was on Broadway at the time. I just liked the vibe an..and well I could walk around and not be approached it was so different." Faye mused.