Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

80. Friends Pt. 6

Saturday 30th Nov 2019, 7:21 PM

Ryan turned thirty–five yesterday and he had spent it at work, wrangling two senseless apprentices and lowkey worrying about Loz, who had been overcome with nausea and vomiting a fortnight ago. She had told Ryan she was perfectly ok now, adding that she was feeling well enough to go to work.

Now, everyone filed into the pub, Harry and Aiden leading the charge to the table with a RESERVED sign on it, with "WILLETT" scrawled underneath the word 'reserved'.

"Boys, walk! You're inside! Jesus Christ ... do you want two kids? The audio units are a bit unco, but otherwise all good!" Loz muttered to Kylie under her breath as they watched Aiden chase his brother to the table, almost crashing into one of the bar staff.

Kylie giggled quietly and patted Loz's arm.

"My hands are full already with this big kid," she said with a jerk of her head towards Jack, who was laughing with Dean and Ryan. Loz smirked at Kylie, her eyes wickedly bright.

"Well we all know that, but when you're not in the gutter –"

"– people get out of the gutter?" Kylie asked, pretending to be shocked. Loz hugged Kylie, cackling.

They all took their seats around the table, with Loz and Dean going to the bar to order drinks. Harry bounded up to Jack, eagerly patting him on the arm.

"Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!"

Jack didn't hear Harry at first or feel the pat on his arm while he was joking with Ryan and Ali about the big news item of a local pub being listed for sale on Gumtree, of all places.

Harry, however, was getting impatient and tugged hard on Jack's sleeve, "Uncle Jack!"

"Huh? What – oh Harry, what's up mate?"

"Guess what?" Harry asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"What?" Jack asked, grinning politely and patiently waiting as Harry told him that he had won an award at school yesterday in assembly for spelling and sport. Jack shook his head slowly, grinning and raised his hand in front of Harry's face, for a high five.

"You're a champion, mate!"

Harry beamed at Jack and ran off, as Dean returned with a tray full of drinks. Harry and Aiden crowded around him and instantly began to whine that he had forgotten their drinks.

"Your mum's getting your drinks –" Dean started to say, looking up to see that Harry had run up to the bar, with Ryan going after him.

"Oi! Harry, get back here! You're not allowed up at the bar –" everyone laughed, as Ryan ran after Harry.

Meanwhile, Aiden was happily sitting on Ali's lap, trying to lay his hands on her gin and tonic.

"Sorry bud, this is adults only juice."

"Juice?"

"Not for you, bud." Ali said, taking a sideways sip, trying not to laugh, seeing the way Sophie and Kylie were watching her.

Meanwhile, at the bar, Loz was frozen solid. She had accidentally bumped against someone sitting at the bar and when she turned to apologise, was rendered utterly speechless to see her ex, Mark sitting hunched over the bar, a beer in hand.

"Oh ...!"

Mark looked her up and down disdainfully for a painful moment. He had fallen hard for Loz, when she was looking to end things ... he also happened to be Ryan's best friend ... or at least, he was. Seeing his lined face and knowing that those lines had been etched after their less than graceful split eleven years ago, Loz fell silent.