Floral

FIFTY FIVE

Harry POV:

"She's good, isn't she?" Flo asks me in between sips of her tea.

We've brought Lux swimming, they host a Christmas fun-day every year with inflatables for the kids to play on, this is the pool where she normally has her class.

Flo brings her each week, she helps Lux change in and out of her swimming costume and watches the class in between. I've never seen Lux swim before, besides on holiday, and I can't help feeling so proud.

"Yeah, she's very confident isn't she."

"Harry, would you really expect anything less from her?"

I chuckle, "I suppose not."

I look around the cafe and see a couple of other people who must be waiting for their kids, the pool is on the other side of some glass doors.

"What do you do when you're waiting for her?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Sometimes I'll read or do some work, I have to admit though most of the time I do just watch. I look forward to it, I find it quite relaxing."

I nod, "I can see what you mean."

"Maybe next year we could think about taking turns," she gets up and starts to walk off in the other direction.

"Where are you going?"

"The class is over babe, I need to go and get her."

Knowing they won't be long I finish my coffee and get all our stuff together, then we're going home to surprise Lux with her brand-new bedroom!

The timing might seem a little strange or too early, Christmas is still another two and a half weeks away, but our plans changed. Flo and I made the decision to go home for Christmas a week earlier than originally planned, for more of an extended break away from the city. When I say home I mean Holmes Chapel, we were all keen for her to spend it with us and the thought of her becoming a part of all our Christmas traditions makes me so excited.

It's come at the perfect time, it's been a strange month and a half.

Since the incident on Halloween, we've been back and forth with the police. They've been incredibly helpful and have taken the case very seriously. After meeting with them two or three times they approached Flo and asked whether she'd consider them re-launching the investigation into her rape case. The detectives felt that after looking into the case it hadn't been dealt with properly, when they explained all the details to us I was shocked.

After thinking about it in her own time and talking with me, Flo agreed to them going ahead with it. All she wants now is some closure, the comfort that whoever did that to her is behind bars and can't find her again. I think it's where a lot of her anxiety comes from, it's going to be a long and lengthy process, but it'll be worth it in the end.

She has struggled over the past month, not near as much as I'd expected because she threw herself into work and sorting out Lux's bedroom. We still haven't told anybody except our personal security, we can't anyway right now because of the investigation, but I don't think Flo's ready for people to know.

Lux's voice breaks me out of my thoughts, she's chatting to Flo on their way out of the changing rooms, "did you see me go down the big slide into the water?"

"We certainly did," I call as I catch up with them.

"Hi," Lux grins at me with open arms wanting me to carry her.

"Go on then, just this once."

Flo shakes her head at me with a small smile knowing that I can't say no to her.