In Another Life

No strings attached (6)

*A/N Otis doesn't die in this story but Joe still names his son after Otis*

Stella's pov

Kelly soon comes to a stop "we're here" he says as we both climb out, I go and grab Miley car seat as Kelly grabs her stroller.

I connect her car seat as I start to follow Kelly inside the place erupts when Kelly walks in a man behind the bar holds up a bottle for him as Kelly walks over to the bar and I follow him.

"Who is this little diamond" the barman says looking over the bar at Miley "this is Miley and her mum Stella, she's a friend of mine from my apartment block" Kelly says as I look at him and smile

"Hi I'm Christopher, but you can just call me Herman" the barman says holding out his hand and I shake it "so can I get you a drink Stella" he asks as I nod "just a lemon soda for me please" I say as he taps the table "coming up" he says going to get me a drink.

He places the glass in front of me as I smile "Thankyou" I say as he nods and goes to serve another customer

"Come on come sit over her with me, let me introduce you to a few people" Kelly says walking over to a table as he takes my glass so I can push smileys stroller over

"Lieutenant, you made it...this another one of your flings" a man at the table says as everyone laughs which earns a few digs in the arm from Kelly

"No, this is Stella, she's a friend of mine" he says turning to me "Stella this is Joe Cruz, Brian Zvonecek but we call him Otis, Matthew Casey and Gabby Dawson" Kelly says pointing to everyone

"Hello" I say waving at everyone as Kelly looks at me then points to Miley "May I?" He asks as I nod and he unclips Miley and picks her up "and this little rocket here, is Miley, Stella's daughter" he says cradling her and showing her off to everyone as if she was his own.

"Aww isn't she just gorgeous" Gabby says stroking Miley's cheek "I'm going to need to steal a squeeze, you know what I'm like when it comes to babies" Gabby says as Kelly looks at me and I nod as he hands Miley over to Gabby

"Right budge over let us in" Kelly says as Otis gets up "I'm due on bar shift so it was nice to meet you" Otis says as he heads to the bar and Gabby moves over and Kelly let's me sit down first as he sits opposite me.

"So how come we haven't heard of you before" Matthew says looking at me "I've only just moved into the apartment block, so it's a new kind of friendship really" I say as Matthew nods then looks at Kelly as they start talking.

I start to drink my drink as I look down at miley in Gabbys arms "so stella, how old is she" gabby asks me

"Just about to turn 2 months" I say stroking her hair a little.

We continue to talk for a while and me and Gabby end up exchanging phone numbers, we seemed to click so fast and she became besotted with Miley, even got her to smile at her.

She soon left the table with Matt as they had a dinner reservation at some restaurant leaving me Kelly and joe at the table.

Miley had gone to sleep so I placed her in her stroller as I watched Kelly and joe talking and joking.

I rocked smileys stroller back and forth for a while as my mind went to Grant and how I couldn't bring myself to go back there. He doesn't seem to be changing and I'm scared if I go back he won't just hurt me, but Miley.

I am brought out my thoughts to Kelly clicking his fingers in my face "earth to Stella" Kelly says as I look up and see it is just now me and him at the table.

"Sorry, in a world of my own" I say chuckling "where's joe gone" I ask pointing to the spot he was sat in "his wife Chloe, called their son isn't feeling too good so he's gone to check on him" kelly says as I nod "he has a son, aww how old is he" I ask as Kelly thinks as he counts on his hand "6 months I think" Kelly says as I nod "maybe I could get him to get Chloe to text you and you can have little play dates" Kelly says as I smile "that would be nice yeah, do you want my number to send it to him" I ask as Kelly holds out his phone