Reasons Why

Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

                "Good night?" Phil asked as he squeezed past her in the doorway to the hallway the next morning. He was slurping coffee from a mug already in his suit as he looked for his shoes. Didi was also ready for work and was in the kitchen packing lunch for the day when she glanced up to see Chloe.

                "You ok? You look tired! Late night?"

Chloe was only wearing her short pyjamas and it wasn't until Didi's eyes widened that she realised that she hadn't covered the hickie.

                "That's from Saturday, he's been suitably chastised! And I was home by twelve last night...just didn't sleep well."

She raised an eyebrow but seemed to believe her, "you ok still for tonight? We'll be home from work a little early but then out again for maybe seven?"

Chloe reached for the coffee pot and filled a mug, "Luke is coming over. To keep me company."

Didi grinned, but it was left to Phil, who'd just entered the kitchen, to tease her, "seeing a lot of him considering you don't want to!"

Chloe glanced at him over her shoulder, "Chill out brother! One minute I don't have enough fun, and now I'm having too much?"

Jangling his keys at Didi he laughed, "Not at all, Dee and I just don't have this excitement in our lives anymore!"

                "Ignore him Chloe; he has more than enough fun! I'm having a ride from Phil today so you can use the car. Go where you want!"

                "Cool!"

Chloe was relieved that they left before her brother spotted the love bite. How long do these things last?

She was busy making breakfast when Carter shouted from upstairs, the child gate was across the top and neither him nor Mikey could come down. Lifting the youngest one and letting Carter follow them, she was almost done with feeding them when the phone rang.

                "Phew! I'm glad you answered and not your brother!"

Chloe sighed with pleasure, "Hi Luke, how are you this morning?"

                "Better now I've spoken to you! I've just got half hour before my training session starts. Just thought I'd see how your day was going?"

                "My day?" She laughed, "I'm still in my pj's and fighting some porridge into a two year old! Doesn't get more glamorous than that!"

 He was quiet for a moment, then replied, "you have NO idea what that could conjure up in my mind!! What you doing later?"

                "Mikey! Don't throw that!" She intercepted a spoonful of thick porridge before it hit the floor or even worse his brother. "Sorry, these are two boisterous kids! So I have Didi's car. Not sure where I'll take them. But I do hear Beacon Hill is a great place to go!"

                "Good plan! I may try and join you there after lunch, if you don't mind? I'm training quite close. Could buy you a sandwich at the cafe?"

Chloe took a deep breath, her heart was racing purely at the thought of seeing him, "I'm taking a picnic, I'll add a few more things in case you can join us?"

He groaned, "do you have any idea how big that park is? I'll have to find you!" Eventually he named a few landmarks and they decided on a rough location for the picnic.

Carter loved freedom, sprinting off in a dozen different directions, leaving Mikey to stumble along the path gripping her hand in his wake. They walked, played football, or rather 'soccer', then finally made for the rendezvous point with Luke.