A Time to Love

Chapter 22

        'So?' Sarah began and placed a mug, full to the brim with tea, in front of her father 'what did mum say when she...' stopping mid-sentence when she accepted that no further elaboration was necessary.

'Just that she couldn't stand being around me right now' he shook his head and took a sip of his tea. 'Twenty years we've been married and she wants to throw it away over some...some fling.' He hissed and practically spat the last few letters of his sentence.

What happened next seemed to take them both by surprise as Stephen began to blub and Sarah pulled him close to her, stroking his hair as she held him. 'I'll fix this dad. I've got a plan but I need Zander's help too.'

It was just as he was preparing to ask what the plan was that his questioning was aborted by Zander's return. 'I just got three haddock and chips' he called from the hallway and then as he approached the living room 'I hope you like haddock, Stephen.'

'Yeah, that's great' Stephen lifted his now empty mug from the table and started to carry it to the kitchen 'I'll give you a hand.'

'No dad' Sarah took the mug instead and handed her dad the TV remote 'You relax, I'll handle dinner.' She held on to Zander's wrist and pulled him along as they headed towards the kitchen. Sarah smiled at her father before she closed the door behind them.

'Listen up' she commanded Zander as he poured the food onto each plate and loaded them int the microwave, one at a time for a few seconds 'here's my plan to get mum and dad back together.'

***

'OK, dad, you do this wall and Stephen, you can do this one' Zander guided each of them to the space within the spare room which he had allocated them and then handed each a paint roller. 'I'll do this one and between the three of us...' he glanced at his watch 'we should have it finished in about two hours and then we'll move on to the cot.'

'What time's Sarah getting back?' Stephen questioned, already halfway through smearing the wall in a lemon yellow hue.

'About four, and I want you two to be the best of friends by then' when he turned his back and the two stare at each other, envy in their eyes, Zander accepted that a resolution was a long way to go 'or at least pretend to be. This is her surprise and I don't want either of you ruining it for her.'

It wasn't too long until the one time white wall was suffocated by the yellow paint, the trio having finished up thirty minutes earlier than predicted. Soon, there was a quiet knock at the bedroom door 'Zan, we're back. Are you in there?' Sarah wanted to know but Zander positioned his foot against the door as she tried to push it open.

'Everything's fine babe, just give us two more minutes.'

When the door was finally opened, Sarah saw a paint streaked Zander standing on the other side with both their mothers behind her. She giggled when she noticed the yellow lines on either side of his face and playfully crushed his head between her hands. 'What have you been up to then?'

Zander opened the door fully, revealing the refurbished room with both of the perspective grandfathers standing there, at each end of the cot which they had just assembled.

'Aww Zan' she kissed his lips 'it's gorgeous. Did it take you long?'

'Only an hour and a half or so' Zander looked between his two recruits 'of course, it would have taken me much longer if these two hadn't have stepped up.'

Stephen and Michael both smiled appreciatively as Sarah offered them each a hug before she proceeded to inspect every area of the room. She rubbed her fingers over the soft blankets positioned carefully in the cot.