The Deal

9- Not Yet

Lara hummed as she pulled up her trousers, double checking if her zip had been pulled up. Throwing her hair off her shoulder with one hand, she opened the toilet door with another. After washing her hands and drying them, she slowly walked out, heading to Neil who was pushing the pushchair back and forth to soothe the crying baby. Lara sped up and giggled as she stood in front of the pushchair, in Charlie's line of sight. He quietened down and after a few faces, Charlie mumbled, all traces of tears gone.

"We just gotta wait for Alexa okay? Did you see her when you were coming out?" Lara shook her head and then focussed back on Charlie. "Ah there she is," Neil said when he caught sight of the eleven year old dragging her feet towards him. He rolled his eyes. "How can you still be grumpy after I fed you? And a movie too."

"Because we watched a cartoon movie and the kids make so much noise when they eat." After making sure Alexa was holding onto her brother's hand, they began to walk towards the lift. "I don't get why I have to go to day school," she said whilst rolling her eyes.

"Beccause, Lexi, you have just turned eleven. Just because you're almost the same height as your mum and starting year seven, that doesn't stop you being a kid."

"But uncle Neil," she mumbled. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. They entered the lift, Lara and Felix talking about a TV show.

"But nothing. And I appreciate the kids being younger and you not wanting to watch the same things. So how about I take you out on Monday for another movie? We can watch a more grown up movie for you and I may, just may buy you that pair of earrings." Before she could say anything, he put a hand up. "If only you're good. And your mum allows me. God knows what hell I went through last time for the necklace." Alexa raised a hand to her locket and smiled. She leaned forward and hugged his waist. "Buttering me up is not gonna help. It's up to your mother. So you better be nice to her."

Lara exited the lift first but before she could open the door for the car park, Neil called out her name. "You know what I say about car parks, Tesero. Wait for Daddy okay?" She nodded her head before he led the way. "Hold onto Daddy's hand or Alexa's." She smiled as she stuck a hand out to him.

"Uncle Neil?" Felix called from behind him.

"Yeah kiddo?"

"Can we get chocolate cake now?"

"I know just the place," he said with a smile.

* * *

When they stepped into the bakery, Felix gasped, almost immediately running to the front to gawke at the different cakes. Neil looked over at Alexa who was trying to hide her smile. As much as she denied it, you could read her like a book.

"I'd recommend the carrot cake or the salted caramel cheesecake. Absolutely beautiful."

"But they're my two favourite things," she said with a groan. Neil chuckled as he walked towards the booth at the back.

"Alright Alexa, look after the kids until they decide what they want okay? And when they've decided, bring them back to the table. I've gotta change Charlie." Alexa nodded her head. With one final glance at the kids, he took Charlie out his car seat, making sure to pick up the baby bag.

After coming out the toilet, Neil walked towards the booth to find all the kids sitting patiently. When he did a mental head count, he frowned when he counted an extra person. Gently switching Charlie onto the other arm, he quickened his pace towards the table.

"JJ said she's going to teach me everything," Lara said with a massive smile. Neil sighed with relief when he was JJ sitting at the table with them, a growing smile on her face. "Hey daddy."

"God sake I thought some random person was sitting with the kids."

"Just me," she said with a laugh. She slowly stood up, wrapping the cardigan around her tighter. He frowned as he looked down at her.

"You cold?" She nodded her head. "It's sunny out today. You shouldn't be cold. Are you coming down with something?"

"I'll be fine, Neil." She leaned up for a kiss but he quickly turned his face away. He cleared his throat as he looked down at the kids who were into their conversation. When he looked down at her he saw her frown, her eyes glazed with tears.

"I still haven't told her about us," he whispered, taking a step back from the table.

"And why not? You've had two weeks and yet I'm still not good enough to touch you, to hold you or kiss you?"

"It's not that..." he sighed. Charlie placed his head down on Neil's shoulder with a yawn.

"Are you embarrassed of me?" She pulled the sleeves of her cardigan, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "Just forget it."

"Jay, I'll tell her soon. I promise." She shook her head, not looking at him.

"Neil you said this last week too."

"But I mean it."

"You said you would do it by our date."

"I'll tell her this week then, yeah?"

JJ scoffed. "Don't worry, there's nothing to tell her anymore."

"Cara..."

"Don't call me that," she snapped. Lara looked up and frowned. She shuffled out the booth and walked up to JJ. "Hey sweety," JJ said as she blinked away the tears. "I'll get you your cakes okay?"

"Can you sit with us? I want you to finish the story."

"Maybe another time, sweety. I'm a little busy right now." Lara frowned but nodded. Neil stood still as he watched his daughter go back into the booth. JJ cleared her throat. "It's on the house, don't worry about it."

"Cara please, just let me..." He stopped when she sped away to the back, entering a door that said 'staff only'. He closed his eyes as he inhaled sharply.

"Here we go, JJ's special guests," a waitress said holding a try with their food. "And JJ tells me that a special someone named Lara gets all her friends a milkshake."

"Yes!" Felix cheered. After the waitress took their order, Neil looked down at the slice of cake in front of him. It was a coffee and walnut cake that he had enjoyed last time. She remembered. Slowly, he placed a sleeping Charlie down in his car seat before placing the seat on the floor. He then took one of the colouring pages and turned it around. As the kids ate, he walked up to counter. The waitress who served them smiled sadly at him.

"I take it you're Neil."

"How pissed is she?" he asked with a sigh. His eyes glanced down to her name tag. Cheryl.

"She's not pissed. If she was that would be ten times better for you. But she is really upset and that's how you know you got to her." He frowned, looking down on the counter.

"I screwed up," he mumbled.

"Do I want to know what you did to hurt my friend?" Neil looked up at her with an absent gaze in his eyes. She sighed before handing him the pen. "That's what you wanted right?" Without saying a word he picked up the pen and walked back to the booth.