Step-Monster {Holby City}

Chapter 10

Next stop was the restaurant for lunch, but it was quite a long drive away. It was strange having Jac there with us. I didn't exactly not want her there, but I didn't really want her there either. It had always been me, Zosia, mum and dad. Now it was just me, Zosia and dad. I didn't know if I was ready for me, Zosia, Jac and dad.

A couple of times on the way to the restaurant, Zosia mouthed to me 'are you alright?' and I nodded in reply. I think we were both all cried out for now.

When we arrived at the restaurant, Zosia, Jac and dad got out first while I put Ladybug's dog bowl on the floor and made sure she had some water while we left her in the car.

It was a lovely family run, country family pub. Ma and Dad had gotten to know Mick and Linda, the couple who ran the pub, so well that whenever we went in there, Zosia and I would get an extra flake in our ice cream, or lollies when we left. The little things like that that children remember. We had presents waiting for us every Christmas, birthday and eggs every easter. They always remembered. We didn't have to book our table this date every year, Mick and Linda kept our table for us and we turned up like clockwork each year. They had a sign as well, which they'd put out today which was in memory of Ma, a plaque above our table and on the back of the seat where she sat, and a bench in the back garden. Our mother definitely touched a lot of lives. Mick and Linda always refused to take payment for our meal, and they'd put the money and double it from them and give it to the cancer charity that helped look after Ma when she was ill. They also had grown up kids AND Linda was pregnant again. Nancy was the eldest, she's 21 and the only girl, and my favourite.

I held Zosia's hand on the way into the restaurant, I tangled my fingers in hers and she stroked down the edges of mine to reassure me.

"Not got Ladybug?" Linda smiled at me when I walked through the door. I always look Ladybug everywhere with me, Mick and Linda didn't mind having her as she was no trouble and would play with their bulldog Lady Di.

"She's in the car." I smiled back.

"You not bringing her in then? Mick's put something out for her." Linda asked.

I looked at dad, and reluctantly he threw the keys at me. I ran back outside and got Ladybug out of the car.

When I walked back in the restaurant Jac and Zosia had moved closer to each other, but I didn't think anything of it.

We sat at out usual table in the corner, table for 4. I always sat right in the corner with Zosia next to me, then Dad opposite me and Ma opposite Zosia. But now the seat by the window was always empty. It was Ma's seat. But Jac was in it today. I wasn't ready for this, and I think Zosia sensed it. Ladybug would always sit next to me with her head in my lap or lay across under the table so I could use her as a foot rest. Mick always made sure Ladybug had a fair size portion of chicken on a separate dish or other meat when he bought our food out.

I asked Dad to order my usual and I excused myself and went to the bathroom. I locked myself in a cubicle and hit the back of the door and stood there with my head lent against it for a few seconds.

"Sweet?" Zosia called out.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"You alright in there?" She asked.

"Yeah" I replied.

"You sure?" Zosia asked.

"Yeah" I replied.

"Well you know where I am if you need to talk." Zosia called, and with that she left the loos.

I stayed on my own for a few minutes, before returning to the table. The loos were on the other side of the pub, so I had to walk back to our table in the corner dodging in and out of the tables. It was pretty quiet today to be fair.

When I got in sight of our table, I saw something that nearly made me walk into the table in front of me.

Jac had her arms around Zosia, and Zosia's head was tucked into Jac's neck. Zosia had her arms around Jac, they were very close to each other. They were hugging the way Zosia and I hugged.

I didn't know what to think. I stopped for a second and watched them. I swear I saw Jac kiss Zosia in the middle of her forehead. I was still watching them, when Zosia caught sight of me out of the corner of her eye and pushed herself away from Jac, as if she didn't want to be seen by me. I rolled my eyes at her and glared, any other day I would be in the front row with bloody pom poms cheering them on, encouraging them to get on with each other, but not today. When I got to the table acted like I had seen nothing.

The rest of the meal was uneventful. The food was wonderful as usual. Ladybug had her chicken under the table. I excused myself from the table and Linda called Nancy down with Lady Di and we went in their back garden with the dogs until it was time to go.

It was an even longer drive back to the hospital, and I was getting tired, so was Ladybug. As soon as we got back in the car she curled up on the middle seat and went to sleep. On the way back, Zosia looked as if she was dozing but I couldn't be sure. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I was woken up by Jac opening my door when we were back at the hospital.

"When can I go home?" I asked, getting out of the car and yawning.

"A few days, we'll see how you are." Jac replied.

I glared at her, I knew what she meant by that. Not anytime soon. I was beginning to get bored having to stare at the same four walls everyday.

Jac had to rush off as soon as we got back to the hospital. An emergency case had come in.

"The dog has to go home tonight. There's a very important meeting going on tomorrow, she's got to go, and you've got to remember your a patient. There's going to be some extremely important people here tomorrow." Dad said to me.

I groaned.

"Can you leave her in the car please." Dad asked.

I groaned again and he raised his eyebrows.

I patted my stomach telling Ladybug to jump up to me so I could say goodbye. I cuddled and kissed her then reluctantly left her in the car.

Zosia, dad and I walked up to dads office. Dad had to leave us to go and attend to something too, so it was just me and Zosia. We chilled for a bit, before she took me back to the ward.

"Are you still staying?" I asked her as we entered the side room where I was sleeping.

"Yes. But I need to go home and get some things first, and book the day off work tomorrow." Zosia said. I was glad she had agreed to stay, but I think it was as much for her benefit as mine, neither of us wanted to be alone tonight.

Zosia text Arthur and he agreed to take her home and back. She was gone a good hour or so, while she was gone I went and sat with Marie-Claire for the last hour of her shift.

Zosia text me when she was almost back and I agreed to meet her back at my room. I was longer than anticipated, but Zosia and Arthur were still there waiting for me, Arthur left once I had got there.

Zosia had bought her laptop and put it on the table that goes over the bed. She'd downloaded my favourite film and had it ready to watch, she'd also bought 2 big bags of popcorn.

"You're a legend Zosia." I smiled at her. We drew the blinds round the outside of the room and both climbed under the covers and into bed.

We watched my film, and then Zosia let me subject her to 2 episodes of my favourite anime before we eventually fell asleep.