Marjoreece - Date Night

Reece & Carly

Reece was sitting in his office, swinging on his chair as usual, thinking about the events of the last 24 hours. His flashback to almost losing Autumn as a child, Marjorie and the others being so worried about him and good to him, he didn't understand why, he knew he had the same rage as his father deep down and he knew he'd always been a disappointment so why would all the amazing, caring people like Marjorie, Carly and Charlotte care about him? He didn't deserve it.
He was taken by surprise when he heard a knock on the office door. He sighed, bracing himself for a parent with a ridiculous complaint or one that decided to try their luck and flirt with him. He really wasn't in the mood for either. "Come in." He said, trying and failing to keep the frustration out of his voice.
Instead of an irate or flirtatious parent, though, it was Carly's head that poked around the door.
"Hi Reece!!"
"Carly! I'm sorry I didn't realise the time, I'll go get our lunch now, I won't be long." He said, jumping up and grabbing his car keys.
"No need, I've already been. I thought it might be nice if I treated you for a change."
Reece was stunned by this. He adored Carly and had been sure he'd upset her so much yesterday that she may not want to keep having lunches with him, and yet here she was to spend time with him and she'd bought lunch for the first time ever.
"Carly, what's wrong? You've never bought me lunch before. What are you after?"

"I'm not after anything. I was worried about you after yesterday and I wanted to make sure you're alright." She said opening the sandwiches and switching one from each pack as usual.

"Carly, I'm so sorry if I scared you yesterday. I never should have lost it with that dad like that, and you didn't need to see how I behaved after."

"Reece, you literally have nothing to apologise for. Yea, seeing you lose your temper like that was scary, but that dad deserved it. Someone needed to stick up for that little girl and after what Mia said yesterday I can understand why it was you and I'm proud of you for doing it. Besides, if Autumn had been there, she probably wouldn't have stopped at the third punch. He would have been leaving in a hearse, not a police car. Another reason you shouldn't apologise, you had the strength to know when to stop and because you did, you saved that little girl. I was frozen to the spot and Marjorie would have tried but I don't think she would have been able to hold it together to do what you did. As for what happened after, I knew you and Autumn didn't have the best childhood but I had no idea it was as bad as all that. Jees, no wonder you two are so closed off, and seeing as you two haven't spoken for twenty years, thanks to your dad and Mia, it's not like you two have talked about any of it with each other."

Carly took a bite out of her sandwich while Reece just sat there in silence staring at her, shocked at the maturity she was showing.

Carly when did you get so sensible and level headed? You like....."

"yea, yea....12?

"Maybe 14, you're a lot more grown up than I thought. I'm not taking the parental controls of Netflix though."

Carly rolled her eyes and smiled, she was really glad to see Reece was more like his usual self. "Look, in all seriousness, I was scared yesterday Reece. I was scared I was going to lose you. Well, the you I know and love anyway. You genuinely are like a dad to me and it was horrible finding out what you've been through. Although, it also explains how you became the man you are. If you hadn't been through all of that, you may not be the kind, caring, considerate, slightly overprotective, person you are. Maybe you look after all of us because you are so determined not to be like your dad. I thought I'd let you down yesterday because I've been so self centred that I hadn't noticed you had all this stuff going on too. You've always  noticed when somethings been going on with me, you've talked me out of bad dates, you've helped me with my eating, you gave me a confidence boost when I was trying to be like Autumn for Eric."

"Ew, don't remind me!" Interrupted Reece.

"My point is," she said, sounding frustrated, "I know your dad made you feel like a disappointment, but you've never disappointed me. You've never let me down and I really appreciate you for that. My mum does as well. She came to see Marjorie after you two had gone yesterday to say how much she appreciates everything you guys and Char have done for me in this last year."

"Thanks Carly, that means a lot. I hope you know how much I care about you too. I'm still sorry about what you had to go through and witness yesterday. I'll make it up to you though."

"There's nothing to make up for. You do so much for me already. All I need is for you to keep being you." She got up at this point and walked around the desk to give him a hug. He stood up to hug her back properly, the height difference meaning her head only made it to his chest so he rested his head on top of hers and placed a gentle peck on the top of her head. Just as they broke the hug there was a knock at the door, followed by a parent walking in without waiting for  a response. 

"Hi Reece, are you busy, I really need to talk to you."

Carly gathered up the rubbish from their lunch and said, "My lunch is over so I'll leave you to it. Reece, I'll see you when my shift finishes."

"yea, see you later Carly." He turned to the mother standing in his office glaring at Carly and said "how can I help?"

Her facial expression softened instantly when she turned to Reece and they were alone in his office. "I just thought, as my little ones been here for a couple of weeks now, this might be a good chance for us to get to know each other a little more."

"Urgh, here we go again." He thought as she started to move closer. Apparently Marjorie making him make that Instagram video had made no difference whatsoever on the parents hitting on him......