When Freya met Aiden

50

"Charles? I wish you'd stop trying to be funny, because you're not" "ok, I promise I won't try and be funny again, so are you friends again?" "Yes, you know what I'm like, very hot headed, but it's all sorted why do you want to know?" "Because somebody over there is itching to get overhear to you two"  you mean Anna wants to snuggle up to Aiden, I'm only second best, Aiden's the one, it's always the same Paula everybody wants Aiden, good job I'm not the jealous kind" "and you know that when everybody's gone, he's all yours and it will be even better after you're married" "there is that, he's all mine, I don't know what I've done to deserve him, but I don't care, Aiden loves me and I him and that's all that matters to me" "and me, my little minx , you're all I want" "you two are so lovely together, I hope it ends up like that with Bill and me, especially as he likes Anna, I have had a couple of men slightly interested in me, but as soon as they know about Anna they disappear, but Bill genuinely likes her, and she likes him" so they all moved back to the other table and Anna threw herself at Aiden, then Freya got a little hug before she jumped on Aiden's knee "where did you go Aiden? I thought you weren't going to say goodnight before I had to go to bed" "Aunty Freya needed to go outside to call her daughters, so I went with her, can't have her going outside by herself, in case there's any bad men about" "yes Aiden's my hero, he looks after me" "come closer aunty Freya, I think Bill is going to be my mom's hero, he kissed her earlier on when they thought nobody was watching" and she started giggling. 

"What's so funny you little madam?" "Nothing mommy" and she giggled again. Paula tickled her. "Fibbing is not aloud, you know that madam" "I was telling Anna that Aiden's my hero, and she said that she thinks Bill is going to be your hero, because he kissed you when nobody was looking" "oh no, we thought we'd got away with it, Anna had gone to the loo with Gladys" "but I turned around and saw Bill kissing you, do you like my mommy, Bill?" "Anna you can't ask Bill that, we're just good friends" "well your good friends with Aiden and Charles but you don't kiss them" "we've been caught Paula, and yes, I like your mommy Anna and I like you too, and I was going to ask your mom if we should all go to the cinema tomorrow?" "What you, mommy and me, yeah? Can uncle Aiden and aunty Freya come as well?" "we'd love to Anna, but Aiden's got to do a show with his friends tomorrow night in Rogina, so we have to go from here tomorrow morning, because uncle Aiden needs to do an awful lot of practicing" and Freya giggled "you cheeky thing I don't need to practice that much" and he tickled Freya till she was laughing "OK, ok I'm sorry you don't have to practice that much" and she winked at Anna and she started laughing "and why are you laughing madam?" "Because aunty Freya winked at me" "oh she did, did she?" and Anna nodded. "Well in that case" and he started tickling Freya again. Gladys came over "I thought it was Anna that was in kindergarten, not you adults, she's sitting there like a little angel." Aiden stopped and sat up straight "sorry Gladys, we'll behave now, because I want some food, I don't know about anybody else but I'm starving" "so am I Gladys, I'm ravenous. Does anybody else want something to eat? and what about Jed Gladys? ask him to come over and join us, has he eaten yet?" "No not yet" "I tell you what, I'll go and get him myself, he can't say no to me" so off Freya went to Jed's table.

 "Hello Jed, are you coming to join us? It's our last night in town, so we'd like to buy you dinner, so come and join us please" "I couldn't possibly, I'd feel as if I was taking advantage of your generosity" "well if you don't join us, we'll come and join you, your choice" "but don't you want to be with your friends?" "Yes, that's why I came to get you, you're our friend as well Jed, so come on or Aiden and I will get cross." He slowly got up off his seat and Freya took his arm and walked over to their table. "Make room for a little one, Jed's joining us for a meal" "come and sit down by me" said Paula "thank you dear, hello Anna did you have a nice time in kindergarten, you looked very pretty, and you had a ride in a lovely big car didn't you?" "Yes thank Mr. Roberts, I had a lovely time, and uncle Aiiden and aunty Freya bought the school a new mini bus" "did they now? that was very kind of them" "we didn't buy the bus outright Jed, we gave a donation, and Aiden stood for an hour having his picture taken with people, and signing autographs and Esme Weddell sat with a tub charging people for the privilege" "she's a good woman is Esme, do anything for anybody, and her daughter Charly is just the same, they're a lovely family, you and Aiden are just the same, you're lovely people as well, when you get married are you going to have children?" Freya thought Aiden was going to break her fingers the way he gripped them and Gladys and everybody just stopped and looked at Freya "I'm too old to have any more children Jed, I got three girls, three grandsons and I granddaughter, so Aiden's having to make do with them" "oh dear, have I put my foot in it again? I didn't mean to, but being fair you don't look too old to have children."