Love thy Neighbour : Book 2

Chapter 2

Saturday morning Zane went off to work early and I slept in. I was heading over to visit Lara and the triplets because I no longer worked weekends at the store. One of the perks of being store manager.
I got out of bed around 9.30am and jumped in the shower. Ten minutes later I was dressed in a pair of black addidas three quarter length running pants, my running shower and a Lycra singlet tip because after my visit with Lara 8 was going for a fitness walk down at the beach with Evan.
Fifteen minutes later it pulled my car up in Lara and Dan's driveway, locked the car and cut across the lawn towards the front door. Lara opened the door the same time I stepped into the porch greeting me with a quick smile and then a shhhhh with her finger to her lips.
"Archie and Mia are asleep". She whispered.
I nodded stepping inside the house into the entry. She quietly shut the front door behind me and we passed the triplets bedroom where the door was slightly open. We passed two more rooms with closed doors and stepped into the living area where Sienna was laying back in a bouncer staring at a mobile toy hanging above her. The triplets were a couple of months old now and had just started smiling. Dan jokes they probably had wind instead of actually smiling just yet. Either way they were all gorgeous babies and when they smiled they made your heart melt just that little bit more.
"Coffee? tea? Juice?". Lara asked me as I bent down and unbuckled the strap that held Sienna safely in the bouncer and lifted her up to my chest for a cuddle.
"Good morning beautiful girl" I kissed her cheek then looked up at Lara who was standing in the open plan kitchen at the fridge. "Juice thanks".
I looked back down at Sienna who was the eldest of the triplets because she was the first one pulled out by Caesarian section.
I swear she smiled at me then so I grabbed her little hand and she clasped onto my finger and next minute she let out a noisy fart and then a god awful smell went straight up my nose and her bottom felt warm. I screwed up my nose and looked at Lara.
"She needs her mummy ". I laughed. Lara laughed aswell then raised an eyebrow. " You don't want to be a nice god mum and change your god daughters nappy?".
I shook my head quickly grinning. " No way! When I agreed to be god mum to all 3 it didn't include being a nappy changer".
Gosh the smell was gross!
I held Sienna out to Lara who laughed again, placed my glass of pineapple juice on the coffee table in front of me then took Sienna off me and disappeared down the hallway into the babies bedroom.
When Lara came back out a few minutes later she had Archie and Sienna with her. I led out my arms for Archie and Sienna stayed with Lara.
" How's Zane?". Lara asked me as she put a hand towel over her shoulder and started to breast feed Sienna.
" He is good. Working today and tomorrow then has Monday and Tuesday off". I replied. "Where is Dan?".
"Out with his brother today playing golf".
"Then home to help you with the babies?" I smiled and she nodded.
"He is such a good hands Dad with the triplets and he also works fulltime so I don't mind him getting out for a few hours on a Saturday with his brother or the boys".
I smiled. She had a point. Dan was a good Dad and a good husband. He was an all round nice guy.
I stayed with Lara and the babies for lunch and about 3 hours and Mia woke up before I left so I got to have a cuddle with her too.
Then I said goodbye and headed over to Evan's apartment.
Turning into the apartment block I saw him already standing out the front waiting for me. I had told him I would be there at 2pm to pick him up and it was just after that now.
"Hi Evan". I waved winding down my window. " Hop in".
He waved grinning and walked around the front of my car, opening the front passengers door and slid in next to me.
"Hi... beautiful". He grinned cheekily. He showed me his disability parking permit then stuck it to the windscreen in the bottom left hand side where he sat. Australian cars drivers sit on the right hand side of cars. The permits are very handy for parking close buildings and things or when there are no other parks left except for a disabled one.of course you can only use it when the person with the disability is in the car with you and not any other time. Some people who didn't have a permit still parked in the spots allocated for permit holders only and that always pissed me off. Way before I met Evan.
I laughed. " Evan are you flirting with me?".
He laughed himself nodding but I knew he was only kidding,
" Well we better not tell Zane then?". I told him smiling.
" No.... we better....not ". He smiled.
"So are you reading for our fitness walk?"I asked him putting the car into reverse.
"You bet". He nodded pointing to his shorts, Fila tshirt and running shoes.
"Looking very ready to get fit". I told him.
"Thanks". He grinned as we drove out of the apartment block driveway and into the lane of traffic.
"How's your girlfriend?". I asked him after a few minutes of driving and listening to the car radio.
"Which one?". He teased.
"I hope you only have one at a time Evan". I laughed.
He nodded." I do....but no girlfriend.. anymore".
We were both silent again for awhile and then Evan told me about a new girl he liked at one of the social groups he attends.
" She is new". His eyes lit up.
"Does she have Down syndrome too?" I asked him.
" Yep" He nodded.
His last girlfriend that I knew about had autism not Down syndrome but she was lovely.
" What's her name?".
His smile widened." Jess".
" I bet she is" I said. " who is older? You or her?".
"She is one year ... older". He replied.
We arrived at the beach then and I found a park easily enough using the disability permit. Locking the car we cut across the lawn and when we reached the cement walking track I asked him which direction did he want to walk? He pointed to the right so right we went.
" How is your... boyfriend?". Evan asked me after a minute of walking. He always asked me about Zane if he rang me and he loved the fact Zane was a police officer.
" He is good thanks Evan". I answered. " he is at work today".
"Stopping.. the bad...guys" He said.
" Hopefully there isn't too many bad guys today". I told him.
We walked for about fifteen minutes along the boardwalk one way then turned around and did the fifteen minutes back.
" Did you bring a water bottle with you?". I asked Evan when we reached a bench under some shade. He nodded pointing to the car.
" I will grab it for you". I suggested and he nodded putting and sat down in the bench to wait for his water.
We stayed at the beach for about an hour chatting and watching a cruise ship slowly pass by in the distance. Then we jumped in the car and headed back to Evan's apartment.
We had just pulled up when Craig also pulled up.
" Hey". He waved as he got out of his Jeep and used the key remote to lock it as he crossed the driveway to us.
" Hi how are you?" I asked him leaning back on my car door.
"Good". He smiled at me then at his brother. " Hey mate".
" Hey Craig". Evan smiled then said he needed to use the toilet and was going inside. He hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
" Thanks.. gorgeous....see you next time". He grinned teasingly.
"I won't be long Evan". Craig called out after him. When he turned back to face me he chuckled a little and said. " I see he still flirts with you".
I laughed nodding" Yes a little  it it's harmless".
" Well my brother does have good taste". Craig said and I immediately blushed. I wondered if Craig still had some feelings for me because we had been together before Zane and I, but then I quickly put that thought out of my head as it didn't matter.
"Not at work today?"I asked changing the subject.
He shook his head. " No I'm off for a change. Kayden has taken on another chef who is being trained for when I'm no longer there and we have thrown him in the deep end tonight".
"Oh are you leaving the restaurant?".
He nodded. " I will be next year when I will be head chef and manager of the new Gold Coast restaurant."
Kayden my brother in law and my sister Eliza were opening up a second restaurant and Craig worked in their first one here in Brisbane.
"Wow congratulations" I smiled.
" Thanks" . He said.
We were quiet for awhile and then he asked how Zane was?
" He is good, working all weekend". I replied.
He nodded.
" How is?...sorry what's her name?" I had honestly forgotten as I had only met her that once at Southbank.
Craig cleared his throat and smiled. "We split up last week".
" Oh sorry to hear that" I said honestly because Craig was a nice guy. Good looking and loving.
"Such is life". He said and I agreed nodding.
"Well maybe it will work itself out and you will get back together?".
He looked down at his watch and said " I don't think so. It was mutual and she wasn't the one for me.". He was looking at me then.
"Sorry to cut this short Maddie but I have to get Evan moving. We have a movie tonight at the cinema with the family after dinner together".
" Say hi to everyone for me". I said.
" Sure". He nodded smiling." Thanks for taking Evan out for the afternoon. He loves seeing you"
" Anytime. I love seeing Evan".
" It was nice seeing you again Maddie- ". He paused and it looked like he wanted to say something else or maybe I was imagining it. Either way he didn't say anything else and I told him it was nice to see him again too, because it was and then I hopped into my car and drove off.