Alphabet Steps

Missing You Part 2

Having a nice break from chalk painting an old bookcase. Think this may end up 3 or more likely 4 parts. Grace might seem a little older than 4 but I've found often when a single parent only has one child that child can at times be more advanced in speaking and communication. Also apologies that no Lisa or H appearance apart from a flashback scene. Hope you enjoy regardless and stay safe everyone. 

"Faye?" Claire said, her green eyes widening as Faye nervously twisted a loose strand of her hair. "Wh..wher..whe..." Claire stammered a hundred questions racing through her mind. She'd always stated that when she next saw Faye she'd be angry with her for leaving them, never getting in touch but right now she reached her hand out and felt Faye give a small squeeze. "I was...I went to New York. I needed to escape and well things kind of took a slightly different route than I'd planned." Faye said as Claire gently urged her on. Faye opened her purse and turned it so Claire could see the photos inside. A tiny baby girl, happy toddler and now what appeared to be a snap of Faye and a pretty little girl aged around 4 beaming at the lens. "She's yours?" Claire ventured as Faye nodded.
"Yeah, mad in't it. She's so amazing, I don't know how I'd have coped without her to focus on at times." Faye said as Claire smiled softly.
"She's so like you Faye." Claire said. "Is she here?"
"Yeah downstairs with your Mum. I didn't want you to be too shocked. Faye said as she perched on the bed. "How are you? Really?"
"I'm okay, they said they caught it early but it was quite aggressive hence the chemo." Claire said as Faye wiped her eyes. "You will be okay?"
"I'm not sure, they said it looks promising but well I guess I just have some doubt there." Claire said as she smiled at the photographs of Faye's little girl. 

"That's a lovely picture, do you like drawing Grace?" Nina asked as she placed a glass of orange juice in front of the little girl who beamed happily. "Yep, Mummy's really good she did the walls in my room with mermaids all on it." Grace said as Nina smiled.
"That sounds lovely." Nina said as she looked up as there was a ring at the door. "Will you be alright whilst I get the door sweetheart?" She asked as Grace had a look of intense concentration on her face as she sat at the kitchen table happily drawing what Nina assumed was a vase of flowers. Grace nodded as Nina headed to the door. Opening it she suddenly felt somewhat awkward. Lee stood there a smile on his face. "Hiya, can I come in?"
"Erm I'm a little busy right now Lee." Nina said as she felt Claire and Faye needed a chance to simply catch up without another person there. "Can I go see Mummy now and show her my picture." A small voice with a slightly American lilt spoke and Lee gaped as he took in the sight of a small girl who looked so much like his former bandmate. "Where is she?" He asked as Nina chewed her nail awkwardly. "Lee ju..just let them chat, please." She pleaded as Lee nodded reluctantly knowing just how much Claire had missed the woman who she had classed as a sister. "Hello." He said with a smile for the girl who was clutching a purple crayon in her hand. "You come draw too." Grace said as Nina hid a slight smile. Grace was definitely a little charmer and she could tell Faye had done a good job in raising her. Lee found his hand, well fingers mainly, captured in the much smaller one and chuckled as the little girl told him she was drawing flowers and then a cat but he could draw what he wanted. 

"Why..why didn't you let us know you were okay, you could have come back."
"No I couldn't especially not when...when I..." Faye looked down slightly as Claire bit her lower lip. "When what?"
"I...Me and Lee. We...we had a night together." She said softly as Claire raised her eyebrows. "What? When?"
"In the US. Me and Jes we, we were arguing and well I got all weepy an...and I just needed someone to listen."
"He did a bit more than that!" Claire said as Faye nodded. "So, that...that chat in the bridal suite he...he tried to stop you?"
"No, he just he wanted me to know I had choices, that I could go along with the absolute farce that was mine and Jes's relationship or well I guess he wanted to let me know I had options." Faye said as she played idly with a strand of hair. Claire looked at Faye a slow realisation coming over her. "Is...is there a chance?"
"That Grace is his? Yeah like a .0001 chance. I mean it was one time Clara. It's more than likely she's Jesper's bu...but.."

Faye smiled softly as she knelt down on the plush soft grey carpet of her daughters' nursery. Grace had been ever so slightly getting more mobile, her crawling had developed into holding onto the furniture to get to a stand and then often promptly falling onto her bum but the determined face she was displaying made Faye have no doubt her little girl was about to take her first proper steps. Gently putting her arms out she waited and was rewarded by Grace's unstable toddle, seemingly developing into a unsteady gallop as she toppled into Faye's arms with excited babbles. Faye rewarded her with kisses and she looked into her daughter's dark blue eyes and wandered if she should at least speak to Lee, if Grace was his then she was keeping her little girl from a positive relationship with her father. However the doubt crept in, she knew that in all likeliness Grace; her beautiful, happy little girl was in all probability the daughter of her wretched former fiancé. 

"So Grace, do you and Mummy just live together or does Mummy have a boyfriend?" Lee pressed as Nina looked unimpressed that he was interrogating a small child. "Just me and Mummy. Sometimes she goes out and Anna comes and looks after me." Grace said as Nina glowered at Lee. "I'm not sure you fishing for information from a four year old is advisable love." She said as Lee nodded slightly regretful he had seemed overly keen to gain information about Faye's current relationship status. "I guess you're right Nina." Lee said as he watched as Grace concentrated on her picture.

"Can you bring Grace up? I want to meet her. If that's okay?" Claire said as she snuggled into the soft knitted blanket. Faye smiled softly knowing that her little girl would no doubt love Claire. She had been open with Grace about what she had used to do and Grace much to Faye's slight irritation had developed an adoration for Tragedy and One For Sorrow to the point she would only sleep at one point if Faye sung either song to her. "I'll go and get her. I apologise now if she's a little loud. She slept a lot on the plane and so has a lot of pent up energy." Faye said as she headed down the stairs to get her young daughter. 

Lee looked up as he heard the padding of feet into the hallway and he watched as Faye seemingly froze spotting him sat at the kitchen table chatting animatedly to her little girl. "...and I can do the whole dance to Tragdy too." Grace chatted away happily seemingly not noticing the sudden lull. "Lee." Faye spoke finally, her voice wavering a little.
"Nice to see you too stranger." Lee said a slight bitterness in his tone. She bristled as Nina sensed that there was some unresolved tension between the pair. "Grace why don't you come with me and we'll get some cake and go watch some cartoons hmm? Is that okay Faye?"
"Actually I just came down to get this little lady as Clara wants to say hello." Faye said with a small smile keen to not show her daughter any sign of discomfort. Grace beamed and grabbed her picture eager to show it to the lady they'd come to see. 

Nina waited until the pair were well up the stairs and turned to Lee. "Well that was slightly awkward. I thou...I thought you two got on."
"We did." Lee said softly as he thankfully took the cup of coffee from Nina. He sighed slightly as he thought back to that first day when they realised she had properly left.

"I know this seems a little in bad taste with everything that's gone on but when she gets here I really am going to have to have a word about her timekeeping." Tim said as he glanced at his watch. Lisa glowered at him. "Are you actually serious? Last week she walked out on her own wedding, I think we can allow her a little tardiness at the moment." She said as Tim snorted slightly and said something under his breath. Lisa was about to retort but H prodded her arm and shook his head knowing that his Welsh friend would likely say something she'd regret if she went all guns blazing in defence of their absent friend. "Erm guys? I don't think she's coming." Claire said, her green eyes slightly glassy as she looked through a text on her phone. H, Lisa and Lee all found their own mobiles pinging and read the texts she'd sent them.

"I'm sorry guys, but I can't come back to the group. Right now I can't face the media gossip and the negativity I'm likely to get. I have loved every minute of been in Steps and love each and every one of you to pieces, even you H! I wish you all the best for the future and hope you continue on. Love Always Faye x' Lisa stood stunned as she failed to process what Faye had written. H for once was silent shaking his head. "She's kidding right, she'll come back." He finally said as Claire shrugged feeling it was unlikely Faye would return. Her friend wasn't one to often change her mind in decisions.

"Mummy, who's the man downstairs?"
"That's Lee, you remember I told you I worked with him and the others when I was a singer and dancer." Faye said as she held Grace's hand as they walked up the stairs to the third floor of Nina's townhouse where Claire was resting in her room. "Claire's really excited to meet you petal, but I need you to be calm because she's not well okay." Faye said as Grace nodded. "I can give her my picture though."
"Of course you can baby." Faye said as she opened the door and Claire's face lit up as she spotted the small girl. "Oh Faye she's beautiful." Claire said as she beckoned Grace over. Grace hesitantly looked back to Faye who nodded it was fine for her to go to Claire's side. "I did you a picture." Grace said as she handed the paper to Claire who admired the work she'd done. "And that's my favourite flowers, the purple ones." Claire said as Grace scrambled onto the bed. "Grace!" Faye hissed as Claire smiled.
"It's fine. Oh aren't you perfect hmm." Claire said as Grace seemed more than happy to babble away.

"So I think young lady I owe at least 4 Christmas's and 4 birthday's worth of presents don't I." Claire said as Grace shrugged.
"Claire, you don't have to buy her anything."
"Faye come on, when did I ever need an excuse to shop? Anyway a shopping trip sounds fun, please I'll even treat us to lunch somewhere fancy."
"Clara you don't have to do any of this."
"I know I don't I want to. I'm trying to be positive Faye bu...but I'm scared too. Please let us have a nice girl's day out hmm. Just in case." Claire said as Faye bit her lip but nodded, conceding defeat. She headed to the bathroom leaving Claire with Grace. "So little Miss what presents would you like hmm?"
"A puppy but Mummy says no. We only have an apartment and she said it's not fair. Bu...but I do want one thing." Grace said wide eyed.
"Oh?"
"A daddy, and maybe a little brother or sister too." Grace said as Claire smiled kissing the little girl's blonde hair. "Oh darlin'."
"Mummy gets sad when I ask for that though. She says my Daddy is a good and kind man so why don't I get to see him?" Grace asked as Faye stood outside the door hearing the last words her daughter had spoken and hating at how sad her baby sounded in that moment.