CHAPTER NINE

Owen

Monday rolled around way too quick. Right now, I’m lying awake in bed waiting for my alarm to go off, it doesn’t go off for another ten minutes though, it’s only five fifty am. My hands fold behind my head as I think, all day yesterday Ella didn’t leave my side. It’s not often she leaves me overnight so as soon as she woke up she was ringing me. At least I hadn’t drunk much so there was no hangover, but as soon as I heard her little voice my heart melted as it always does. I’m such a pushover where Ella is concerned.

I can’t lie here forever so I get up instead. I open the door to Ella’s room and see her sleeping soundly. Her chest rises and falls as she lies starfish in the bed, her blonde hair fanning on the pillow. I watch her for a few more minutes she looks peaceful when she sleeps. I pull door towards me and step from the room, I let her sleep a bit longer while I make coffee and get her bag ready for dance later on tonight.

Once everything is ready I look down at my watch, six thirty. I pour another cup of coffee as two arms wrap around my legs. “Dadddyy.”

“Good morning baby girl.” She stretches her arms out to me, I lift her up and hold her against me. She wraps her little legs around me as her arms fling around my neck. She fits her head into the crook of my neck and I kiss her head. Her brow is hot to touch though, “are you ready for some breakfast?” her head shakes, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel well Daddy.”  Walking towards the table, I place her down in the chair at the table then make her coco pops. She never says no to coco pops. I turn as she rubs her eyes.

“Are you tired baby girl?” she nods. “Do you want me to ring Nanna see if she can sit with you while Daddy goes to work? You can lie down and watch dvd's, yeah?” She nods.

“Okay you eat your breakfast and I’ll ring her.” I leave her in the kitchen to eat her coco pops, ring the nursery to tell them she won’t be there, it’s only day nursery anyway. Maybe doing dance three times a week is too much for her? I ask myself. Next, I ring my mum. She picks up on the third ring. “Hello sweetheart.”

“Hi Mum. Are you busy today?”

“I need to work this afternoon, what’s wrong?”

“Ella doesn’t seem too well, she’s really tired, she’s not herself.”

“I can have her this morning.”

“Okay can you come here though in about an hour and I’ll ring Rachel if not I’ll take half a day it’s not a problem.”

“Of course, son, see you soon.” I click off and go back to Ella, she hasn’t touched her breakfast.” Picking her up from the chair I take her to the settee and lie her down on a cushion. Grabbing her favourite princess blanket, I lay it over her and watch her snuggle under it, she dozes back off to sleep almost as soon as she lies down. Sitting on the edge of the seat, I feel her temperature again; She’s hot. “Daddy.” Ella groans. “My tummy hurts.”  Finding the calpol out for Ella, I take the bottle of paracetamol with me and a medicine spoon and sit back down by my baby.

“Sit up for Daddy,” She drags herself up off the sofa so I give her some medicine. I kiss her and go upstairs to get changed. I wash and dress in a suit and come down stairs to drink the rest of my coffee.  I grab some toast while I wait for my Mother to turn up.

Hearing Mum pull up outside I kiss and hug her into my chest. “I have to go to work baby girl but I’ll be back later, okay? Nanna’s here now.”

“Okay Daddy. Love you this much.” She tells me weakly as she opens her arms as wide as she can, making me smile. I hate to see her poorly.

“Yeah well, Daddy loves you more than that.” Her face lights up warming my heart as she always does. I grab my briefcase and pass Mum on the way out. “She’s on the settee, she has tummy ache but she’s had calpol I’ll be back after lunch.” I kiss her on the cheek and thank her then I’m in the car and on my way.

 

“Good morning Owen.”

“Morning Jenny. Can you get me a coffee please?”

“Yeah of course.” I get settled at my desk and run through the mail on my desk that Jenny has left there, then see to my emails. Jenny places my coffee down as I run through my appointment list and see what if there’s anything that can wait for another day.

“Jenny, can you rearrange these for me please, I’ll need to get going at lunchtime, Ella’s poorly.”

“Oh no, what’s wrong her?”

“Just a bug I think. She’s tired and said she’s got tummy ache so she’s at home with her Nanna.”

“Give her lots of cuddles from me then. I could have rearranged them all for you save you leaving her I know how much you hate it.”

“No there’s a couple that need handling today but thanks, I don’t know what I’d do without you, Jenny.”

“You’ll never have to find out.” She smiles and leaves me to start my day.

 

There is a knock at the door, Jenny pops her head around the door. “Owen are you free for ten minutes?” Looking down at my watch I see I have half an hour before my next appointment.

“Yes, is everything okay?”

“Oh yes, Mr Martins is here to see you.”

“Right, show him in then please.” A couple minutes later the door opens again to Tom walking through it. “What do I owe the pleasure?”

“I thought I’d pop in while I was passing.”

“Really... am I supposed to believe that?”

“It was good to see you out Saturday night.”

“It was an alright night.”

“What were the chances of you knowing the cute bit of stuff that was there.”

“Hey, her name’s Grace.” Tom gets a strange look and points it at me curiously raising his eyebrow. “Do you want a coffee?”

“Have you got time?” He asks obviously needing to chat.

“I can give you twenty-five minutes.” I tell him looking at my watch.

“Yes then.” I call through to reception and ask Jenny to grab Tom a coffee as he chats away about Ross, telling me he’s a waste of space employee and is always late but he’s a good salesman.

“You know he has a girlfriend with a baby on the way, don’t you?” Leaning back in my chair I shake my head.

“Nope, I don’t know him that well. I think he’s a cocky little shit though and that Grace’s friend could do much better. I also know that Grace doesn’t like him.”

“Yeah she told me pretty much that on Saturday before you turned up and took all her attention.” He winks with a smirk. “I’d got her in the palm of my hand. Then you came along and she was swooning all over you.”

“Shut the fuck up. No, she was not. I didn’t have much to say.”

“Dude, you didn't have to - you are a sexy mother fucker even I do say so myself.” Smirking, I shake my head at him.

“Ah, I didn't realise you felt that way Tom.” I laugh. “Yeah well, I don’t think you’ve got any worries from me being any competition, do you?” Drinking down the rest of my coffee and thinking about Grace reminds me that I need to tell her that Ella won’t be there tonight. The phone rings and breaks me out of my trance. Answering it, Jenny announces my 11:30 is here. “My next appointment is here. Give me a ring later but only if you promise not to play matchmaker.”

“Okay you win.” he pushes the chair backwards and walks out the room shouting ‘later’.

 

Rushing through the door at twelve forty-five, I drop my briefcase by the door and enter the living room. Mum is sitting with her coat on waiting for me. “Mum, I’m so sorry I’m late. My last appointment ran over.

“Oh honey, it’s fine. I grabbed a sandwich so I’ll go straight to work from here.” She kisses Ella on the forehead just like she used to do to me when I was a kid. Ella holds onto her neck and hugs her tight. She kisses me on the cheek as she walks past me telling me to ring her later. I make my way to Ella, pick her up and place her on my lap.

“How’re you feeling now baby girl?”

“Okay.” She answers in a small voice. After some cuddles, I lay her back down on the settee and pull the blanket up to her chin. “Go to sleep sweetheart, you’ll feel better later.” I head upstairs, strip out of my suit and change into some shorts and a t-shirt.

By the time I go back down, she’s gone back to sleep. I make coffee and flick through the channels on the TV, sitting at the end of the settee while Ella sleeps.