DAY ONE [declan rice]

FOUR

a/n- please check the sensitive subjects list as things have been added for the chapter!!!

Anna's POV
3rd February 2021

I woke up this morning with a bad feeling about something today.

I check on my mum and everything is fine so make sure she has everything she needs like usual.

Before I leave I kiss her head and say goodbye and I tell her that I love her just incase anything happens today with my bad feeling.

On my way to Dec's house something feels off but ignore it.

I really thought Dec was going to apologise last night but I thought wrong.

I pull up outside of the house and take a deep breath, I don't know how much longer I can keep coming here when he's still not apologised.

I walk in and get hit with the smell of pancakes. I put my bags down and walk to the kitchen where Dec is cooking breakfast and Theo is sitting in the corner playing with his toys that are dotted around the house everywhere.

When he realises I'm here he turns around and shows me a friendly and apologetic smile.

"Hey Anna." I partially smile at him and walk over to Theo.
"Hey Dec." I take a deep breath to calm myself down and centre myself.

"I hope you like pancakes because I made them from breakfast." I smile to myself.
"Yeah I do."
"Good because breakfast is ready." I pick Theo up and put him in his high chair whilst Dec gives him a plate of chopped up and cooled down pancakes.

"Sit down please." Dec asks whilst I'm feeding Theo.

I do as he says because he's my boss technically. This is weird because Dec needs to go soon.

"Don't you need to leave soon?" I ask him and he shakes his head.
"I called the manager and told him in coming in later because there's something I need to do first." THAYS weird because Dec hates being late especially to work but I shrug my shoulders and relax.

He turns around with a plate in his hands and has a very serious look on his face.

"Anna, I'm so sorry for lying to you. I know I shouldn't but I didn't know how you'd react to it. And I know it's no excuse for lying but I'm sorry and I made pancakes to show you how sorry I actually am." He places a pancake in front of me that has a sad face on it and the words 'I'm sorry' at the top of the plate.

I really appreciate the lengths he's gone to so he can show me how sorry he is.

"I accept your apology because it's really nice but if you do anything like that again, I'll be out the door and you won't see me again." I hope I sound serious so he believes me and by the look on his face I think he does.

"I won't don't worry." He smiles and I smile back and Theo just giggles because his chopped up pancake is on the floor.

Me and Dec look at each other and start laughing before Dec cleans it up and gives him a new one.

————————

Today has been a quiet and chilled day with Theo and it's been nice because it means so far my feeling this morning was wrong.

I hear Decs car pull up so I decide to take Theo outside to see him.

When Dec sees Theo outside, a massive smile appears on his face.

I put Theo down as he waddles his way to his daddy and he giggles when he gets there.

Dec walks over with Theo in his arms as I walk to him and get his bag off him so it's easier for him.

"Thanks." He smiles at me and I look at him and feel my face heat up at the way he looks at me.

I turn around to hide my blush covered face from Dec.
"No problem." I quickly walk inside and as I do I hear Dec chuckle at himself.

I'm updating Dec on what Theo has done today like I do but I also include yesterday as I didn't have chance with the argument to tell him, when my phone starts to ring.

I look at him and see that it's the careers for my mum.

I stand up and excuse myself to the kitchen so I can talk to them in private.

Me: Hello?
Career: Hey Miss Walsh, we have some news on your mother.

My heart start beating very fast as the feeling in my stomach comes back.

Me: Ok, what is it?
Career: When we got here we found her on the floor so we got the paramedics here and they confirmed that she passed away. I'm so sorry for loss.
Me: Thank you.

I keep myself until the call ends. When it does I breakdown and fall to my knees.

Dec comes running in to check if I'm ok and finds me on the floor.

"Anna, what's wrong? Who called?" I'm crying so much that I can't talk or even breathe.

Dec sits on the floor next to me and holds my hands.

"Take a deep breath." I do and eventually I tell him that it was my mums career and as soon as I do he understands what happens and pulls me into his chest.

"It's gonna be ok." He tries to reassure but it doesn't work.

"No it's not, I've lost my best friend. I have to live by myself and I have to pay all the bills, I'm not going to be able to do that." I start to cry even more than before.

"You don't have to." I look up at him and he wipes my tears away. "You can live here. I have plenty of room, I'll still pay you for your job so you buy things that you want but you can live here so your not alone, but only if you want to." I don't answer him, all I do is throw my hands around his neck to thank him.

"I'm going to take that as yes." He laughs and Theo comes in and joins the family hug.