RP LOG with cantbuy_me & sonofacopper | Surprise visitors

[richandlovingit]

Ethan gave a nod to the doorman as he arrived back at his apartment complex in the centre of London. Usually he would stop to chat, having known the guy for years, but just freshly off a twenty four hour flight from Sydney, Australia and choked with a charming Aussie cold he had seemed to pick up on his whirlwind business trip. He completely and annoyingly blamed his 2IC, who had sat behind him for most of the trip coughing and spluttering and complaining about the air conditioning in Ethan's private jet. Ethan spent most of the trip wanting to stuff a boomerang down his throat in hopes he would piss off back home. He was just so glad to be home. Things with Sophie hadn't exactly left on the best grounding. Ethan had still been reeling from the whole pregnancy news, and he had been stressed to the max about this business deal. It just seemed that the last few months had been one big pile of stress and he kept looking in the mirror expecting to either see unattractive stress wrinkles or grey hair.

His driver was taking care of his bags, so all Ethan had was his briefcase as he unlocked the apartment door and punched in the security code. He left it open for his driver to gain access with his bags and then put his briefcase down on the floor under the coat rack. He kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie, making his way through the apartment as he daydreamed about a hot shower and crawling into bed for around a week. It was nice to dream. He didn't even know if Sophie would be home. He actually expected her to be out hanging out with her family or something. He might be rich and all about the traditional husband takes care of wife lifestyle, but he never his expected his wife to hang at home and pine for him in his absence. Quite the opposite. He was home early, anyway, by approximately three days. He was due back on the weekend, there was just no desire to linger there any longer than he needed to.


Wiping at his nose with some tissues from the supply in his pocket, Ethan came to walk through the living room to head to the master bedroom and immediately stopped short when he found Sophie sitting on the sofa with... a kid. A teenage-ish kid. "Uh..." he began, speechless for a moment. "Hey," he offered, blinking. As far as he knew, Sophie had never bought her kid clients home, and never had any intentions of it, but there was still a kid on his sofa, in his living room, talking to his wife, who was smiling and talking to said kid. At least, she had been until Ethan appeared.

Sophie had been caught by surprise at the sight of her husband. She also couldn't miss the fact he was wiping his nose and looking less than a hundred percent. She had a sixth sense these days for when her husband was sick and she frowned a little when she realised he hadn't mentioned it. In fact, she hadn't heard much from Ethan since he'd been away at all. And now she felt like she'd been caught cheating when he was home early and she had Ciaran on the sofa. She rest her hand lightly on the boy's arm as she found her smile again before she got up to give Ethan a welcome home hug regardless of his runny nose. "I don't remember sending you away with a snotty nose. I think you should have left that in Sydney. Ethan, this is Ciaran. He's Euan Fitzpatrick's boy. Ciaran, this is my husband, Ethan Williamson."

"I'm diseased by my loyal staff. Apparently he's allergic to anything down under." Ethan hugged her back tightly, closing his eyes as he was momentarily distracted from the kid to get lost in the comforting hug. It felt better than a hot shower and bed. "I missed you," he murmurded against her ear. Then he really was sure his ears must be blocked badly and he misheard her. He pulled back, looking at her with a completely dumfounded look on his face, complete with a strange little nose scrunch of confusion. "Fitzpatrick? Stu's partner? Wait, I don't... he..." But he was more than aware that the kid was in the room and any stupid questions would be awkward. Obviously there was wayyyyyyyyyyyy more to this story than he knew anything about. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped over to the sofa and held his hand out to the boy. "Hey, Ciaran. It's nice to meet you, buddy," he greeted him, trying to keep his confidence even if he was more than wary about the teenager who had the most intense blue eyes he had seen... which was saying a lot, considering his in-laws were the Morgan Clan. In a strange passing notion, Ciaran reminded Ethan of Liam. How could this kid be Fitzpatrick's?

Ciaran was looking up at Ethan, thinking he looked like Batman before he was Batman. Bruce Wayne. It was cool to be meeting a guy who could be Batman. He took his hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you too..." he said quietly, still looking up in awe.

Sophie still had a hold on her husband. She rubbed her hand against his back as she looked up at him and kissed his jaw. "I missed you too," she murmured before she looked between the two and eased Ethan over to his chair so he could just sit down. She didn't miss the look of awe on Ciaran's face and smiled a little. "You'll have to excuse my husband, love. He's probably got monster jetlag. Not to mention the cold he's apparently picked up. Remind me to thank your oh so loyal staff personally. Do you want some tea, sweetheart?" she asked Ethan.

"Sure. I'll help you... in the kitchen... it's a big kitchen after all..." Ethan replied and cleared his throat, realising that was hurting too now. He smiled at the kid and then nodded to the large TV. "Help yourself to the remote controls, lad. The cartoon channel is on there. One of the best in my opinion," he told him and then rose up again, turning to shoot Sophie a 'what the fuck?' look before he took his jacket off and draped it over the back of the sofa. Ciaran nodded and tracked down the remotes. It would probably keep him busy trying to figure out where all the channels were anyway.

Ethan went on into the kitchen and threw his hand up helplessly once they were out of hearing distance of the boy. "Okay, there is no way that kid is Fitzpatrick's! What is going on here? Have I jumped into a timewarp? That's not really our kid in, like thirteen years down the track is it? Am I delirious?"

Sophie rest her hand on Ethan's arm as she gave it a squeeze. "No, no. It's not our kid. It's genuinely Euan's. He had a... business deal when he was younger, when he was a drug dealer. Ciaran's a result of the payment. Euan didn't even know he existed. The poor boy's come all the way from Ireland. His mum's in jail, his grandparents don't even love him. Euan's hired Tom to help with the custody case, and he asked me to talk to the boy. Ciaran needs someone to just talk to, to work out some issues. He's got a lot of trust and issues with allowing himself to care about people. But he's... He's pretty special."

Ethan leaned on the counter with his elbows and pushed his fingers through his hair. It he was breathing sick germs all over it, they could get out those antiseptic wipey things that Liam had when he was staying here. "Well... fuck." He blinked slowly, really trying not to contemplate the fact that he had any illegitimate kids out there. He knew he didn't, though. He had always been painfully careful for the pure and simple reason that he did have healthy bank accounts. It was an awareness someone like him had, that he could be used to try and get to his money. "So... why is he here? You're the one he's talking to? I go away for a week and I come back to everyone procreating. If you tell me Thommo's a grandfather, I am officially doing myself in."

Sophie kissed Ethan's temple as she rubbed his back before moving past him to get the kettle on. "Don't be so bloody stupid. Of course Tom's not a grandfather. Euan wants to keep things in the family so to speak. He wants someone the kid will trust because he trusts them by default. Does that make sense? He knows through Tom that I work with kids, and that I'm good with them. I couldn't really say no. He's trying really hard to come to terms with the instant fatherhood. It's never easy on anyone, but he finds out he's got a teenager? Headfuck galore."

"Are you helping? Does the kid trust you?" Ethan got the last word out before he broke into a sneezing fit, managing to cup his hands over his nose and mouth before he sprayed germs all over the place. "Are you sure you're even the right person to help, considering you are close? Surely the boy has a shitload of issues, and you aren't a child psych. The lad even looks poorly. Are you okay to be around him with the... the..." He waved his hand a little in her direction. "Baby."

"What he has isn't contagious. Being around you, though? That might be a little risky," she teased lightly. Sophie pulled a box of tissues from their hiding place in one of the cupboards and set down in front of Ethan along with some instant hand sanitiser. She started to rub Ethan's back again as they waited for the jug to boil and shook her head slightly as she looked at him. She couldn't believe he went and got himself sick. "He's been doing alright with me. We're just talking. It's not like I'm going to try and hypnotise him, or delve into the deep recesses of his mind. He'll probably come to me at some point when the custody case reaches court. He can't escape being born to a couple of drug addicts without some physical effects. Personally I'm relieved he's not HIV. That was apparently a big concern. I'm the right person because I know how to handle kids."

Euan blew his nose and wiped it gently when it stung. He moved on to the sanitiser, rubbing it slowly into his hands. "I was stupid. All the stress lately, the international trip, getting myself run down, sitting next to Sir Snots-a-Lot the whole way. I need sleep. I need a lot of sleep. After I find out how Thommo is four weeks pending his marriage, and after I write up the status reports on the outcomes. Oh, and after I fax these billings to work so they can deal with them tomorrow, and email the investors in Sydney to thank them for their hospitality..." He listened to his to-do list and then just stared blearily at the fridge at the prospect of before he could reach the lovely confines of his bed. "So, he is poorly? What's wrong with him? Handle them? He doesn't look that bad. Is he being a wee shit? You can give him back, though. If he is being a pain in the arse. Fitzpatrick is just... stepping up? No questions asked? I thought he wasn't a particularly... accommodating bloke."

Sophie let out a soft sight as she listened to what Ethan had to do and pushed her fingers through his hair as she indulged in the closeness now that he was back home. "Is it any wonder you get run down? Can't you just let those things wait? Just for tonight. You need to rest. You need your strength back. I'll even help with some of it. I can still send faxes and even write emails if you just want to dictate them. Besides, I think you should chat to Ciaran for a little while. It'll be nice for him. He was looking at you like you were a superhero, or something." Sophie chewed on her bottom lip for a moment as she tried to remember what it was Euan had said the boy had. "Addison's Disease. He's not a wee shit. He's the sweetest teenager you're ever going to meet. He's a beautiful boy. Shy, quiet. He just takes a little urging to get to talk. Euan wanted the paternity test, but otherwise he's stepping up. He's the boy's father. I think Gee might also be adopting him. They'll be a family. Euan's softer than you think."

"Addison's Disease? That's a hormone deficiency. Something to do with stress hormones, I think. That's pretty tough for a kid who has a lot to get stressed about. So, he's turned up sick? He... he looks nothing like Fitzpatrick. Aren't kids supposed to look like you? On some level? Adopt... wait. What does this mean for Gee being a surrogate? Because as weird and wonderful as it seems, I think Tom would actually want to have kids with Stuart at some point. A kid that would... technically be that kid's brother or sister?" Ethan blinked in a daze, shaking his head as he tried to connect all the dots. "Do Tom and Stuart know? What about the whole work thing? They both work full time and the boy is poorly. That's..." Truth was, it was making his own head spin at life's little prospects and after a moment, he found himself staring at Sophie's stomach when his mind went back to their own situation.

Sophie tried not to shift self-consciously under his gaze, or ask what was on his mind. She was still worried what he was going to end up saying about the pregnancy when he was done getting over the shock. She couldn't deny she was actually excited about the prospect of having a child, but the logistics were still freaking her out. Ethan genuinely couldn't slow down at work, and she knew it was unrealistic for them to both work. Not with a newborn. She just didn't know what it would mean for Ethan's relationship with the kid if he was away a lot on business. Sophie bit her lip as she frowned and eventually gave a shake of her head. "I don't know. I assume they know. Tom would have to know given he's Euan's lawyer. Stuart would probably know given he's Gee's best friend. It's up to her and them what it means regarding the surrogacy. I'm hardly going to ask Ciaran about it. He probably doesn't even know about the arrangement. I know it's a headfuck. I guess the kid resembles more the mother, but sometimes the genes can throw back to other familial aspects. For all we know Euan's the only dark-haired person in his family."

"Right... sure. Sorry. Jetlag. I'm not thinking straight. Of course Tom knows." Ethan moved and sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar when his legs started to feel sore and tired. "I haven't really caught up with him. I was on the go over there the whole time. Tokyo next week for the same sort of deal, and then Paris. But the foundations for the new trial are really getting there. People are keen. I just need to be seen so they know I actually give a fuck about my company. Investors want to hear that I know what I'm selling. It's just... I look at all these people I'm dealing with, and they have families. Grown up families. Second, third, fourth wives. Old enough to be my father. I never really stop needing to prove myself, and sometimes I feel like I'm only just starting. I wouldn't even know what to do if I suddenly found myself in the care of a sick child. I hardly knew what to do when Liam was hurt."

"It just takes practice, sweetheart. No one's saying that you need to know straight away. Of course you don't. It's experience that gives it to you." Sophie moved to pour the hot water into the teapot and came back over to start giving Ethan a neck rub. "Can't I come with you for some of this? You should at least just have someone... something to keep you sane. And you should talk to Tom. He's definitely going to need it in the lead up to the wedding. I think he's starting to bury himself back into his work again between the two custody cases. I'm glad all the trials are working out for you though, that's something. I'm so proud of you even when I just worry about you. The family thing... It's not a science. There's no right, or wrong answer."

Ethan was quiet for a few moments. The neck rub was nice, even if everything felt like it was aching. "You know how you have always wanted kids, always pictured yourself as a mum one day?" he asked her softly. "That's how I have always felt about building my own empire. Kids just felt like they were a responsibility I would get to one day, but I never really stopped and pictured myself doing it. One day was always some unknown point in the future I didn't have to think about. What if I never come to want them like you do? That makes me a bad father."

Sophie managed not to let her hands falter as he spoke, her stomach twisting in something akin to fear. "It doesn't make you a bad father... Just makes you someone not ready. I don't know what to say though, Ethan. We're not going to get much of a chance to ease into this. I'm sorry this isn't how you wanted it. And I'd change it if I could, but it's happening. I'm pregnant. We're just going to have to deal with it as best we can." She sniffed quietly as she felt a lump grow in her throat, not sure she could handle it if Ethan didn't want anything to do with their child because he didn't love them. Not just because his work kept him busy. "Will you just maybe try and talk to Ciaran a little? For me?"

"I don't know what you expect me to say, but yeah, sure." Ethan stood up and left the kitchen to go back out into the livingroom. He could see the boy's blond head over the top of the expensive sofa, and he looked to be slumped down a little with his head propped up on his hand. Ethan felt like his mind just went completely blank, or any possible rational words fell out of his ears or something. Ironic he was married to a woman who came from a family full of kids, who worked with kids, and Ethan had about as much kid mojo as a condom in a brothel. Kids were always something someone else did, or had. He rounded the sofa and sat down on the armchair nearest the boy with a glance up at the TV. He wasn't watching The Simpsons, or Toy Story... or anything animated. It was the Discovery Channel, and what looked to be a documentary on Monet. Ethan blinked in surprise and watched the screen for a moment, before he looked back at the boy. "You know who Monet is?" he asked, wondering if the boy had just failed to figure out all the buttons on the remote, much like Ethan had when they first got it installed.

Ciaran looked over the Batman guy and nodded. "Oh, aye," he said, smiling without even thinking about it. "He's my favourite. I wanna paint like him one day."

Ethan was still dumbfounded, blue eyes wide as he looked behind him at Sophie, finding himself lost for words. Wasn't the kid barely a teenager?

Sophie just gave her husband a knowing smile as she brought in the tea and set down the tray with the teapot and mugs on the coffee table before she took her place again next to Ciaran. "He's really very good. I forced him to sketch a portrait of me while we were talking. Figured it would help him relax."

Ethan noticed Ciaran had a pencil in his hand that he was curling over and over in his fingers, almost like it was an unconscious habit. "Can I see?" he asked the boy. He really didn't know what to expect here. It was just something quite unique for him to have his hero as a dead artist. To the point he was contently sitting and watching a documentary on him. That was something else, and he wondered if Fitzpatrick had anyone arty in his family. Were things like this hereditary? He was back to looking at Sophie again, inevitably wondering what the hell talents he would pass onto a kid when he didn't really have any.

Ciaran pushed forward on the seat and picked up the sheet of paper lying on the coffee table and handed it over to Ethan. "Do you have a cool car like the Batmobile?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Ethan took the paper and laughed automatically. "Batmobile? No, son. I don't. No cool added extras." He looked down at the drawing in his hand. It was amazing. The detail was unbelievable. This from a fourteen year old and all Ethan could draw was a wobbly pie chart when he was fired up in a board meeting and trying to get his damn point across.

Sophie just kept smiling, her eyes shining a little as she watched the interaction. Ethan had a lot more in common with Euan than he realised. It's the only thing that gave her faith that maybe, somewhere deep down Ethan could find the fatherly spark he was sure he lacked. She laughed softly at the comment. Something about skin tight vinyl and a whip was on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back to save it for later when she and Ethan were alone. "He does have his own company though, and a team of Alfreds at his beck and call. Don't you, Bruce?" she said teasingly to her husband.

Ciaran looked over at Sophie, wondering if she was being serious. He looked back to Ethan then, trying to figure out if maybe he really was Batman. Maybe the London Batman. "Do you have a plane?" he asked. "I've never been in a plane. Only trains... and a bus. I was supposed to go on a boat, but my granddad said it cost too much."

At that comment, Ethan's face immediately fell into a disbelieving frown and he shot Sophie another querying look. Too much for a boat trip? For a kid? What the hell? Not that Ethan had any desire to go on small boats. Big boats were much more to his taste, or yachts. "Actually, yes, I do own a plane. I have to go to other countries a lot. My company has many different buildings around the world and I have to make sure they're all doing what they're supposed to do. This is amazing work, Ciaran. Does drawing make you feel happy?" he asked. "You know, maybe you and your Dad, and Gee could come with Sophie and me to France in the plane one day. We could go to Monet's Gardens."

Ciaran abruptly dropped the pencil and just gaped at Ethan as if he just said all of London was made of chocolate.

Sophie reached over to run her fingers over Ciaran's hair as she smiled, but her smile had a hint of concern to it when he just sat there gaping. She wasn't sure if it was actually a good stunned, her a bad one. She glanced at Ethan as her eyebrow crept up a bit. "Ciaran? Sweetheart? Would you like that? I was teasing about Ethan being Bruce Wayne, but he is capable of making a lot of things happen. A trip to France would be one of them. It wouldn't happen right away. You still need time to get used to being with your father and Gee. Still, we'd like to show you a lot of things if you'd let us. We're your friends. We're just grown up friends."

Ciaran put his hand up and started to chew on his thumb nail now that the pencil wasn't there to keep his fingers distracted. "I, um... aye. I mean, aye. Drawin' makes me happy. It's the only thing that does. And my Dad. My Dad makes me happy.... with Gee, even if I dun really know why she wants to be my Mum. I just... get in the way..." He moved his hand to rub his forehead with his fingers a little. "I dunno how to talk French. Why don't you have babies? Do you not like kids 'round either?"

Okay, that question came like a sobering smack to Ethan, but still, his next words were falling out of his mouth automatically. "We're going to. Real soon. A few months, Sophie's having a baby. We like kids. We do." He was just gobsmacked by the whole thing. No kid should feel like they get in the way.

Sophie's hand had dropped to cover Ciaran's free hand and she gave it a squeeze. Her gaze held Ethan's after he'd stopped staring at the Irish lad, and she gave him a small smile. This was why she wanted him to talk to Ciaran. The truth was no one was going to be able to explain just how he was feeling except for the boy himself. And it was because of a bad mother and uncaring granparents that he was like this. She needed Ethan to understand that he would never be the bad father he thought he would be. That he was afraid to be. "That's right. I don't think I've told you yet that I have six brothers and sisters. I'm the first born. Liam's probably the closest to your age even if he's still a little bit older. I've always wanted a family. I'm used to kids, trust me. I'm sure you don't get in the way, and Gee cares about you and your father. You make them happy. Being a family would make you all happy."

"I ain't got no brothers or sisters," Ciaran replied with a small shrug. "I do get in the way. They tell me that. Back home. Have to keep findin' thing to do away from them because they're busy. But it's not like that here. We went to the beach, and Stonehenge, and we had ice cream and played football. And a house. There's a new house, and I get my own bedroom. Gardens, too. But my Dad and Gee... they'll have babies some day too, and then there won't be room for me anymore."

"Hey. Hey, hey, hey," Ethan jumped in then, almost feeling his jaw hit the ground at that comment. No wonder the kid needed help. "They'll have plenty of room for you, Ciaran. That's what having brothers and sisters is. At least, so I've heard. I don't have any either. My mum and dad couldn't have anymore after me, but they would have had plenty of room if they could. Sophie has six other brothers and sisters, and there was plenty of room for all of them. There still is and they're all grown up now. Sophie's little brother, he's twenty two, and his mum and dad still have room for him whenever they need it. Maybe you could meet them one day."

"He's right, it really is what it's like," Sophie added softly. "I know it can seem like there might be a competition for attention but there isn't. Plus you get the chance to help look after your little brother or sister, and there's nothing like it. There's nothing like being the big brother, the big sister. They'll look up to you, need guidance from you. Come to you when they're hurting." She swallowed back as she thought about Liam and Renee and clasped her hands tightly in her lap. "There is no way they won't have time for you, sweetheart. Love isn't limited. It doesn't run out because there's a new person to love. It just grows, and grows, and grows."

Ciaran gave a small shake of his head. "My Dad... he don't want kids. I mean, he says he wants me now, but he doesn't really want them. I heard him say. He ain't made for kids. He won't want babies... he don't know much 'bout family or nothin', either. He has a brother and sister, but he ain't told me 'bout them. I don't think they're like you," he murmured, glancing at Sophie before he averted his eyes again and started playing with the cord of his hoodie.

Ethan watched the teenager as he took some more tissues from his pocket to wipe his nose. It was funny, he could actually empathise with the whole not having siblings thing. He had been told from as young as he could comprehend that he would never have any. It was probably why he ended up so close to Tom, but this kid didn't even seem to have friends. Maybe he wasn't even allowed to have friends. The obvious results of psychological child abuse, as well as physical, considering the mother had the kid in the presence of drugs, was horrible. Sure, he needed love, just like Sophie said, but there was more to it than that, and Euan and Gee would really have their work cut out for them. The boy needed to laugh, he needed to trust, he needed to experience the nice and happy things in life. He was starved of it all. "Well... you know, sometimes people don't always know they want kids. Sometimes it might mean that they've never known anything else and they need a bit of time to realise that having a little piece of them appear in the world needing love and hugs and protection is probably one of the most important and huge things they ever do in their entire life, and they just want to get it right. Even if they really don't think they'll do the best job. I bet that's how your Dad is feeling right now. I bet he just... really wants to get it perfect."

Sophie leaned forward to start pouring the tea and to try and stop staring at Ethan like she was trying to work out if what he was saying went for him as well as for Euan. She'd made a promise not to push, or nag, and she was hardly going to break it in front of Ciaran. She also didn't know how to take the comment about Euan's brother and sister not being like her. She slid a mug in front of the boy before she stood up to hand Ethan his, and sat back down. "Can I tell you a secret? When my parents first got pregnant again, I thought it was the worst thing. I thought like you. How could they possibly have time for me when they're having another kid. Of course, I was all of about two and tantrums went without saying. Then Mum and Dad came home from the hospital with this little bundle, and... I loved him. I looked into Declan's eyes and I just wanted to be the best big sister I could be. But when it comes to parenting it's even scarier. We think it's scary, just like you might. I know it might seem like some people just instantly have the mojo but it's still something that will make them want to wet their pants. And let me tell you that your dad wants you very much. Okay? So don't try and think otherwise."

Ciaran rested his head down on the back of the sofa, looking down the ends of the cord between his fingers. He was listening. He had gotten good at listening over the years. Everyone here seemed to want to tell him the same thing, but his mum had told him over and over and over that she was going to get better and be the best mum. It never happened. He was still waiting. His grandparents told him they wanted him and didn't want anyone else looking after him, but even they ended up telling him to go away and find something useful to do. "People say they're gonna do it and they want it, but they dun always keep their words," he said in a small voice. "They dun really care."

Ethan put his tea back down on the table and then rubbed Ciaran's hair, ruffling it a little. "Well, that's where you come in. You need to give people here a chance to prove they're not like the others, buddy. It's hard. You probably feel like you're alone and you're scared being away from home, even if home sucks. You need to make a new home, and you need to deal with all us lot who are strangers and talking in your face about being positive and being loved. You probably just want to give us all a huge poke, but then you're probably scared it'll upset everyone and you won't be able to stay. It's okay to be scared, Ciaran. Changing is scary, for everyone. It'll get easier every day, though. I promise. Some days, things will just still really suck, but mostly, it'll be pretty good."

"You should listen to Batman," Sophie said as she pointed to her husband. "He knows what he's talking about, okay? And you have to remember it's also okay to be sad, or angry. It's easier to work through the emotions if you just feel them. Sad, angry, happy, scared... It's also what parents are for. To give you hugs and tell you that it'll be okay, or to just keep you safe. But I know... I know your mum wasn't maybe so good at it. Now's your chance to see what it's like with a family that really do care. Have a little faith in your father, sweetheart. He knows what he's doing. Sort of." She wet her lips before she patted Ciaran's leg. "Would you like to stay a little longer, maybe have dinner with us?"

Even though Ethan figured there was a very distinct chance he would face plant his meal along with unattractive snoring and drooling, he found himself nodding as he wiped his nose again. "Sure. Sounds like a good idea. You can have whatever you want." Fortunately, it wasn't a fleeting statement. If the kid said he wanted chocolate-coated fish fingers, Ethan would likely be able to get someone to have them here within the hour. But he started sneezing again and by the time he stopped, his eyes were watering and his nose was dripping. He wasn't even sure he felt hungry, but he realised deep down that he would sit there through the meal so the kid at least felt welcome and wanted in their home. "What's your favourite?"

Ciaran watched Ethan sneezing and then looked over at Sophie, who was watching Ethan sneezing. He wondered if Gee looked at his Dad like that when he was sick. "I like Heinz Cream of Tomato soup. That's my favourite," he replied with a smile and a small shrug.

Sophie blinked and then smiled at Ciaran. "We can manage that. I'll just send a message to your dad to let him know you'll be be a wee bit late. Hopefully you'll escape without my husband's cold, too. Not sure your dad would forgive me if I sent you home sick." She was already up and out of her seat to track down her mobile, but as she passed Ethan she stopped to squeeze his shoulder and kiss the top of his head. "I love you, Ethan Williamson," she murmured against his ear.

Word Count | 6,068