He'll come through

Chapter 15

Lilah barely slept, all night different scenarios crashed through her head almost violently, and it definitely didn’t help that Freddie woke at just after six; it seemed he was picking up on the atmosphere, and was as restless as her. Downstairs in the cosy living room, she settled into her favourite armchair and started to feed the hungry, disgruntled baby.

Two hours later when Maria finally came downstairs, awake and ready for the day, Freddy was fast asleep on her belly and she was watching 24 hour news, more disruption, greed and crime on a global scale. Glancing up she smiled at Maria. She was such a pretty girl, with her mother’s caramel skin, but her father’s influence assuring she had pale eyes and light brown wavy hair. As she yawned and stretched Lilah noticed that she’d suddenly shot up in height and her Mylee Cyrus pyjamas were only coming to mid shin.

                “I think we need a shopping trip!” Lilah smiled at her, ignoring the almost audible groans from her strained bank account. “You’ve grown!”

                “Have I?” she asked heading for the kitchen, coming back in with a huge bowl of Cheerio’s covered in milk.

Lilah laughed, “Well you eat enough for a ten year old!”   

                “Can I watch my TV?”

Lilah nodded, that meant cartoons or some cheesy Disney show, so moving to sitting without disturbing Freddy, she carried him up to his bed.  Scooby Doo was blaring when she came back down into the lounge, so turning it down slightly; she sat next to Maria and ruffled her hair, “so what are the plans for today?”

Maria chewed her cereal thoughtfully, then swallowed deliberately, “well I’ve promised to help Gramps to feed and groom Hotdog, then there’s the parade at eleven, before the cricket. I’m helping Emma and Paula to get the ball if it goes over the fence into the school...” she dropped to a whisper, “thought Paula’s dad plays for the opposition and he said no one in this town can hit it that hard anyway!”

                “Ah! I imagine my father went mad?”

Maria nodded chuckling, “he said it was a glove being thrown down!”

Lilah paused for a moment, “ah, you mean a gauntlet! That means he’s been challenged.”

She nodded then continued eating her breakfast.

Lilah stuck with coffee and fruit, she didn’t have much appetite after her previous evening’s guest, so she nibbled at a nectarine all the time her mind racing, trying to foresee every eventuality.

Another hour later, she’d showered and loosely dried her hair, scooping it up in a loose top knot, her denim shorts were very short, and it was only now with the fact she’d be seeing Quinn, that she appreciated maybe just how short they were. Taking a deep breath she shook the thought from her head, he had nothing to do with her, no hold, no power. The strapless top was her favourite, and it did give her a little more confidence.

Maria was dragging her heels gathering all the things she felt she may need for a fun-filled day, and Lilah had Freddy, still asleep in the pram, ready to stroll the few yards it literally was to her parents by the time she was ready.  As far as she knew she was still meeting Quinn at the cliff-top cafe, as per their original arrangement, and she wasn’t looking forward to it, but at least Maria would be busy with her parents, wouldn’t be witness to all that might be said between them.

She was giggling and chattering uncontrollably as they made their way along the track that connected the back of the two houses Lilah loved to see her so happy, it was sad that she’d had to experience losing both parents as she had, and it was Lilah’s mission of the summer to sort out her future permanently, though she knew that her thoughts wouldn’t be welcomed across the pond.

                “Nana? Gramps?” Maria ran into the house ahead of her and she knew she’d find her wrapped around her father’s neck; they were inseparable so much of the time.

                “Hi Mum,” she wriggled the pram through the narrow doorway into the homely kitchen. Her mother was in the midst of cooking bacon and eggs and the smells reminded her empty stomach that she hadn’t eaten since the train the previous day. Then looking up to the large kitchen table she froze, her heart in her mouth, anger the strongest emotion overtaking her ever pore. Sat opposite her father, grinning at her in a lazy, appreciative manner, was the father of her child. And despite seeing red, she had to keep calm in front of everyone.  “Quinn! What are you doing here?”

Her parents both looked at her in surprise obviously expecting some sort of hero’s welcome, “Dee-Lilah, that’s no way to welcome a guest! And a man who did save your life!” Her mother chastised.

She glared at Quinn before curling her mouth into a half smile, “and he’s been well rewarded for that mother, without ingratiating himself into my family!”

Slapping a plate full of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of Quinn, her mother smiled at him, “you must ignore my daughter....she’s rather highly strung, not like us, is she Tony?”

Controlling her emotion and ignoring the humour in Quinn’s eyes, she looked at her father, Elfin and Dexter fighting to lie on one of his thighs, Maria now occupying the other. Meeting her eyes, he grinned, “Rose, we always knew she was different, that’s why we never held her back....even when we clearly should have!”

Quinn acknowledged the words, and then dived into his breakfast with relish, almost ignoring Lilah, to her annoyance. Accepting a cup of coffee, she sat in a silent fume at the end of the table, unable to think of her next move.

                “Breakfast?” her mother offered from the stove, and whilst she was ravenous, she needed to keep ahead of herself.

                “I’m ok, thanks.”

Her mother shook her head, “you look pale, I’ve not seen you eat anything....you can’t afford to neglect yourself!” And regardless of her protests, another plate of eggs, bacon and mushrooms landed in her path. Resigned she tucked in, and despite her earlier words she demolished the food as well as another cup of coffee, as she listened, but barely enjoyed the conversations.

                “So,” her father leaned back, his hands folded over his full stomach. “We’ve got a lot of setting up to do, and my little helper here....” he ruffled Maria’s hair, “has promised to help me organise Hotdog.” He turned to her mother, “if you load the cart with your cakes, then we can deliver you to the village green as well!”

Nodding she started to gather the plethora of cakes near the door.

                “So Quinn. The game starts at midday, are you sure you’re ok?”

Quinn nodded, “come on Tony, I’m an ex-schoolboy cricketer, it’s like riding a bike! How much can you forget in fifteen years?”

                “You’re playing today, but you’re not from this village, it’s not allowed!” Lilah tried to protest. Typical of Quinn, infiltrating her family, her life, and now her bloody village, he was really under her skin, and REALLY annoying her. “I’ll do the dishes and wander up to join you, ok?” She added when no one paid any attention to her protests.

Within minutes they were gone.  She started to gather the breakfast dishes, and was emptying the coffee pot, and it was only then she noticed the apprehension on Quinn’s face, the cockiness, the arrogance had gone. She followed the direction of his gaze....the pram, Freddy of course. She walked across the room and lifted the still sleeping baby out in to her arms, raising him up; she dropped a kiss on his head, murmuring words as she took him across to his father.

Quinn had gone from concerned to terrified as she handed him the baby.

                “I don’t know....”

She grinned, the cocksure Quinn suddenly wrong footed by a four month old baby! “You just need to support his head.” Lilah adjusted his hands, “just like that. He’s happy there.”

It was an extremely emotional moment, and Lilah felt floored by the sight of the two boys together, something she never thought she’d see.

She left the room for a little while, both needing her own space, but also she knew he needed some time alone with Freddy too.

When Lilah finally returned to the kitchen, Quinn was stood near the window, his head dropped to Freddy’s and he was talking in hushed whispers to his son, when he heard Lilah he turned and she could see Freddy was awake and looking up in wonder. Quinn’s eyes were filled with tears, “he’s perfect.”

She nodded coming to stand beside him, “he is, and he looks exactly like you! No one will have any doubt today as to who you are!”

He glanced at her briefly, before his eyes were drawn again back to his son, “what have you told people?”

Lilah put the kettle on, using the time to formulate an answer, “I haven’t told anyone anything, I refused. The last thing I needed was people forming opinions of me. My parents don’t even know that you’re his father.”

                “I guessed that by the warm welcome. Why didn’t you tell them?”

She ran her fingers through her hair, the topic still wholly uncomfortable, “because it hurt me so much to think of you, to think of Freddy...the less people knew the less they asked, and the less I had to discuss. I honestly don’t know what people think. But I like it that way.”

Quinn smiled as Freddy gurgled, “so I’m about to throw a spanner into your plans?”

                “It’s a small price to pay. I can cope with being village gossip again, if it means that Freddy gets to know you. He’s all I care about now!”

She turned back to the dishes and washed them all as Quinn stood to her left found increasing confidence with his son. By the time she was finished Freddy was starting to become agitated, this panicked Quinn a little.

                “He’s just hungry. Want to change your first nappy?” As he made to protest his incompetence, she added, “That wasn’t a question by the way.”

With her direction and a few ham fisted moments, he managed to change Freddy, and by the time he was finished, the baby was at full volume in his disgruntlement. Grinning Lilah grabbed him then sat in the large fireside armchair, lifting her vest putting him up to a distended almost uncomfortably full breast. He latched on with ease, and she relaxed. It was then that she spotted Quinn’s awkwardness.

Laughing, she nodded to the kettle, “make some instant coffee, he won’t take long!”

As she watched Quinn expertly finding his way around the kitchen she sighed, there was so much left to discuss, but whatever happened next, he’d bonded with his son, and that pleased her.