The Ultimate Gentleman (Part 2)

Ten

Early June...

"Where's Pop Pop?" Lottie asked trailing after Holly in the kitchen. "He will be back soon. He had an important meeting about his music." "With who?" Lottie asked as Holly moved back towards the stove to attempt to finish dinner, her five year old became her shadow when she was tired or bored. It seemed today was a combination of the two. The school week was a lot for little Lottie but she took it like a trooper and it was just in the evenings she struggled and wanted to be the centre of her parent's attention which was impossible with as a minimum another child in the house and dinner to cook all whilst your husband was working. "Umm with some important people who he needs to decide whether he should make an album with or not?" "Well why wouldn't he?" Lottie asked attempting to reach up to the vegetables that Holly had chopped on the side. "Don't eat that!! It's raw onion!!" Holly sighed as she stirred the sauce. "Umm because it's a lot of work and dedication, and Daddy is nothing short of a perfectionist so it has to be right." "But he said he wasn't seeing the band until we are in merica." Lottie asked brushing onion off her hand after tasting it and disliking it. "He's not meeting the band darling. He's meeting some friends of Uncle Jeff." "But Uncle Jeff isn't here anymore Mama." "I know sweetheart, that's why it's got to be done right. Daddy worked very closely with Uncle Jeff." "So that's why he wants it to be perfect?" "exactly that. Now go get your sister please. She's far too quiet in there." Holly could easily look into the living area but wanted to give Lottie a job. "Ok Mummy..." Lottie ran off giving the mother a precious five minutes of peace to finish dinner.

It was soon disturbed with "That's mine!!!!" Pippa screamed followed by tears. Holly rolled her eyes after getting the dinner in the oven and walked around the island heading into the sitting area with her hands on her hips. "What is going on??!" She asked sternly. Pippa was in floods of tears, and Lottie was close to it, retrieving her dolly from behind the Tv unit. "She took it!!!" Pippa screamed with fresh tears. "It's my Dolly!!!" Lottie yelled back before Holly bent down. Soon there was a full on argument between the two youngest Depps resulting in the mother loosing her patience. "Right that's it. Both of you, go now. Time out." "But we can't both sit on the naughty step." Lottie said proudly as if she had found a way out of her punishment. "Good job there is more than one isn't it??" Holly said taking both daughters by their hands and leading them to the staircase. "Pippa you on that one." She said pointing to the bottom step. "You, on that one!" She said to Lottie who stomped her little feet up the staircase to the top step. "Don't move until I say so. Don't talk to each other. Just think about what you've done ok?" As she walked away she saw Lottie poke her tongue out at her little sister. " don't even look at one another, got it?!" Holly said taking a deep breath and heading back to the kitchen. After a couple of minutes the noisy tears had subsided and the house was quiet, she knew the punishment was working and that the children were calming down, she was about to step out into the living area to set them free when Johnny walked through the door. "Hey girls!" He said greeting them with open arms, they flew off their positions and hugged him tightly. "Pops!! We missed you!!" "Daddaaaa!!!" He kissed them both, making a fuss over them, making them laugh for a few minutes before spotting his wife. "Hi darling." He said standing and throwing his jacket on the back of the couch. "Hey yourself.... They are meant to be in timeout." She said before kissing him. "Ahh well they seem ok now, what happened?" "Case of the favourite dolly again." She smirked heading back into the kitchen.

"Something smells good." He said heading to the wine rack. "Fancy a glass or umm are we still waiting to know?" "No, no I'm not." She said sadly again before getting plates out the cupboard. "You're not? Are you sure?" "Yes course I'm fucking sure." She said in hushed tones before closing her eyes and apologising. "Sorry. Long day, was up early because of that call and just now the girls were screaming, sorry. A glass would be perfection." She smiled as Johnny poured a large glass and silently handed it to her. "I'm sorry.." "Don't be, it's not your fault, it's just been a long day." She kissed him before Lottie approached and yanked on Johnny's shirt, "Yes pumpkin?" He said looking down at his daughter with his wife still in his arms. "I want to talk to you..." she said sternly tapping her foot. "Jesus she looks more like you everyday." He whispered before bending down. "Well you've got my full attention princess, what is it?" "Firstly, why aren't you making music with the band?!! I thought you were the greatest band ever." She said folding her arms. Johnny opened his mouth to talk before being cut off, "secondly I think it's time Pippa got her own doll. You know like mine? Auntie G got me mine, and I think she should get Pippa one. She keeps stealing it and it's not fair!!" Johnny's eyes went wide. His daughter knew how to drive home a point. "Ok are you done?" He asked with a smile. "Yes." She replied happily. "Can I have a cuddle first?" He asked and Lottie happily threw her arms around her father's neck. He picked her up and placed her on his hip. "Ok, so firstly, I don't have to make music just with the band. Yes as Uncle Tommy says we are the greatest band ever, but we also do stuff on our own. Remember when we went to see Uncle Alice on stage by himself?" Lottie nodded. "Well the music I was talking about in my meeting today was about Uncle Jeff. Now you won't remember him but he certainly knows about you because he's watching over us all." Lottie nodded as if she understood but Holly could tell she didn't. "Can I come see?" "If it happens yes darling you can all come down to the studio." "No just me!!!! Daddy date day remember???" Holly smiled, after a few daddy daughter days, Lottie had never forgotten and always attempted to get her way with her father by announcing a daddy date day. "Now remember Lottie.. if Daddy does a daddy date day with you, he has to do one with Sissy and Pippa ok, so you can't get upset when they happen?" Holly added dishing up dinner before Pippa wandered in and spotted her sister in her father's arms. She soon wanted similar affections and yanked at his other side before Johnny sat her on his vacant hip. "Sure you want one more?" Holly smirked at his predicament to try and get to the dining table carrying two children, his wine glass and dinner plate. "Yeah I reckon we can manage one more..." he smirked as he sat down and the children chose to sit either side of him before Holly placed plates in front of them all and then Johnny's wine glass. "Only because you take such good care of us all though."