Taking Chances (WILL EDIT LATER)

Chapter Fifteen.

Later that night as everyone sat around the dinner table, Nicola sat in her spot and went through what she was going to say when Taron opened her gift. Although she appeared to be listening, Jennifer and Tina knew that she wasn't.

"So Nicola, tell us about yourself." Jennifer said, wanting to find out more about this woman. Nicola shrugged.

"There's not much to tell really." Nicola replied, not wanting to ruin the night with her past.

"Oh there must be something. You have a beautiful daughter, you must have a husband." Jennifer pried. Dave sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Pay no mind to her Nicola. She did the same thing to Taron when he and Kate started dating." Dave said as he pointed to her. Nicola smiled and chuckled slightly.

"I don't mind at all, I just don't like explaining my past." Nicola responded truthfully. Taron looked at his mam so that she'd get the hint to change the subject and thankfully she did.

"How has filming been?" Tina asked.

"It's been alright. Mikey's nanny has been a massive help and you love her right?" Taron asked, looking at his son.

"She's nice." Mikey agreed with his mouth full of his cut up meatballs. Taron chuckled when he realized that the boy had sauce around his mouth, indicating that he was very much enjoying his party food.

"I'm glad that she's nice." Nicola replied before Jennifer turned her attention to Nicola.

"Boyfriend then?" Jennifer tried again. Nicola sighed.

"Long story short, Jasmine is my sister, not my daughter. I've not had a boyfriend in a few years, never been married and I work. Nothing much more than that." Nicola answered, trying to keep everything on a need to know basis for not only her sake but for Jasmine's as it still makes Jasmine cry herself to sleep some nights.

"Oh you poor dears but bless you for looking after your sister." Jennifer said.

The rest of dinner was full of laughter and stories of Taron when he was little. Mikey enjoyed listening to what his father used to do when he was Mikey's age.

=

"This is for you." Jasmine said, handing Taron a card that she and Nicola had picked out for him.

"Thank you." Taron replied, giving her a small wink. Jasmine skipped back to her sister and cuddled into her.

"Good job Jassy." Nicola whispered into her sister's ear. Taron took his time to read what was written and by the end of it, he found himself smiling from ear to ear.

"Do you like it?" Jasmine asked.

"I love it." Taron replied. Nicola and Jasmine smiled at him. Taron placed it down in front of him before reaching for the gift that Nicola had found for him.

"No wait, open that last." Nicola told him nervously. He gave her an unsure look but moved on to the other gifts and because there weren't too many gifts, it didn't take long for Taron to open them and when he came to Mikey's gift, Mikey climbed onto Taron's lap so that he could help open it.

"What is it?" Taron asked when he finally got to the item. Mikey looked at him with excitement.

"String." He replied cheerfully as he played with the hair on Taron's arm.

"Well, thank you. It's beautiful." Taron said, kissing his son's cheek. Mikey leaned back into him and giggled.

"Mikey, why don't you come sit here with me so that your father can open the last present." Tina suggested. The little boy shimmied himself off Taron's lap and ran to his grandmother before climbing onto her lap.

"Now can I open this?" Taron teased Nicola. She nodded and watched with more anticipation than anyone else in the room. When the items had been revealed, Taron's brow furrowed.

"Why did you give me this?" He asked with more shock than he had intended. Nicola's heart dropped, she knew that she'd step on someone's toes and that was the last thing she wanted. By the look on her face, Taron realized that he'd made it sound as though he wasn't grateful and like he didn't like it.

"I haven't told anyone this but I love genealogy and while I was working on mine, it gave me an idea. I saw that your family name was connected to the Coliseum and because of that, it was easy to find this. If you look at the list of names, your great great great grandfather's is the third one listed." Nicola explained as she gave a little shrug.

"I'm shit at buying presents for guys so if you don't like it though, that's ok. Your mam might." Nicola concluded. Taron continued to take everything in and focused on the frame in his hands. Never having had anyone take this much time and effort for him, he didn't know quite what to do, say or think.

"Taron, are you ok?" Guy asked, seeing the cogs turning in his son's head. Taron nodded and sent a smile to Nicola.

"Give her a hug Taron." Jennifer said, making her husband and everyone else roll their eyes for the millionth time that night. Despite rolling his eyes though, Taron stood up and walked over to Nicola and wrapped her in a hug for perhaps a little longer than was appropriate for friends. Neither of them wanting the hug to end.