No To Fell Walking

Evil Step-Mum

The few days that Jac was supposed to be staying for sped by faster than you could say tachycardic. She had thoroughly enjoyed being waited on hand and foot by her darling Fletch and the children had settled with the idea of having a new woman in the house surprisingly quickly. It was now Friday and Jac was due to be taken back to her own house that evening along with Emma. Evie came in from school and dumped her bag on the floor in the hallway. She then wandered into the front room to find Jac sitting back on the sofa in complete silence and staring off into the distance.
"Earth to Jac." Evie waved a hand in front of the woman's face with a smirk and watched as she jumped at the sudden movement.
"Oh hey Evie. Good day?" Jac asked, trying to make general conversation without feeling too awkward.
"Meh it was alright. Maths was a real bore." She replied as she dropped down onto the sofa beside the surgeon.

The two of them sat in silence and stared off ahead, vaguely aware of Emma and Theo playing noisily upstairs.
"Jac." Evie suddenly said and the two women slowly turned to face each other.
"Mm?"
"You're going home tonight right?" She asked.
"Yeah your dad is taking me back to mine after dinner." She replied and then continued to mutter something under her breath. "Not that it feels like home anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Hmm?" Jac asked.
"You said it doesn't feel like home anymore?" Evie raised an eyebrow in questioning.
"This place...this place feels like home now. My house is just so empty and quiet whereas here...here is well full of life and happiness." She explained sadly. "But don't let your dad hear me say that."

"Don't let me hear what?" Fletch asked as he entered the room having just walked in through the front door after his shift.
"Oh um hi Dad. Me and Jac...we were uh just talking...about stuff." Evie replied awkwardly and turned to look at Jac for reassurance of what to say.
"We were talking about me going home. Well more of me going to my house." The surgeon took over. "I said...I said my house doesn't feel like home anymore. Here does."
"Oh. Well that's really good to hear. You know you don't have to go home if you don't want to? You and Emma are welcome to stay as long as you like." He replied, slightly taken aback by her confession.
"Yeah Theo loves playing with Emma and the others, they like you being here too." Evie piped up.
"What about you Evie? What are your thoughts?" Jac asked.
"Honestly? I love having you around. Emma is like another sister to me. And you, you're like my step mum already." The girl replied honestly.
"Evil step mum probably." Jac mumbled.
"No more like amazing." Evie corrected and coughed awkwardly.
"Really?"
"Of course." She replied with a blush.

Meanwhile Fletch was just watching over two of his favourite people with a broad smile. Then they both turned to face him with deadpan faces.
"What?" They asked in unison.
"Nothing nothing." He replied quickly and the smile dropped. "Right I'm off to make a cuppa." The man walked away shaking his head and silently laughing at the pair. Evie left to go upstairs to her room and Jac followed Fletch to the kitchen. Without a word she began to rummage in the family sized fridge-freezer until she found four pizzas. With seven mouths to feed in the Fletcher house four pizzas were necessary. The surgeon began unwrapping them and shoved them all into the large oven next to where Fletch was stood waiting for the kettle to boil.
"What are you doing Naylor?" He asked  with a raised eyebrow.
"Cooking dinner Fletcher." She replied as she stood up.

Jac stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders, running her thumbs over his collarbones.
"Come here." He pulled her towards him even further so that their bodies met and her arms dropped to his waist. Jac laid her head on his chest, listening to his beating heart as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She always felt safe in his arms, like nothing could hurt her while she was under his protective hold.
"I'm going to miss you when you go home." He whispered into her hair.
"Fletch...I don't want to go home." She mumbled sadly into his shirt.
"Is that offer still open?" She tilted her head up to look him in the eyes as she spoke.
"Are you asking to stay Ms Naylor?" He asked with a slight smirk.
"Sorry I don't mean to impose. It's fine I'll go home. I just thought the kids were getting on so well... you know. Sorry..." Jac left his hold and began to walk towards the stairs to go and pack her bags when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground. He carried her back down the hallway and into the kitchen.

"Fletch! Put me down! What are you doing?" She tried to wiggle down.
"Of course I want you to stay you numpty. Did you really think I was going to chuck you out?" He asked when he had finally let her back down on the ground.
"It wouldn't be the first time someone has." She mumbled and looked down at the floor, avoiding his sad eyes.
"Jac I would never do that to you. You can stay as long as you like. I love you." He pulled her to his chest for another hug and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too." She replied.
Suddenly the sound of two pairs of feet on the stairs thundered down.
"Theo and Emma, the iconic duo." Jac said before they even entered the room.
"Here come the troops." Fletch agreed as they ran into the kitchen.
"Pizza!" The children yelled as their parents chuckled to themselves.