Chapter Five

Replaying the complete events of last night in my head as I got Summer ready for reception, it would be the first time taking a child to school where usually adults, grown adults take their children, I mean do I even look like I could bear children.

"Summer we all ready to go?" I asked as she came walking in with her neatly put together uniform and half a shoe on, she smiled innocently at me as I was still placing her lunch in her lunch box and making sure she had everything she needed in her little school bag, oh how I remember the little school bags you used to take with you before secondary school was a thing, everyone had the same bag that had the schools logo in large smack bang in the middle and you were either a close your body bag carrier or an in your hand bag carrier. In your hand bag carriers always had their bags wide open like they'd forgotten to velcro them up before leaving the house.

Walking to school with Summer made me remember how much I had missed out on walking everywhere "what do you think of Mason?" Summer randomly asked as she looked up at me as we were walking through a little country road, I looked over at her and knitted my eyebrows together, she was asleep when Mason and I were slow dancing so not sure how she would know? unless she tried to come down and witnessed what was going on, oh God if she witnessed that and then told Jas I would never be able to do this again, I am not gonna do this again but that's beside the point.

"Um, what do you mean?" I asked as she rolled her eyes and then let out a sigh "as in what do you like and not like about my uncle" she rephrased as I nodded pretending to finally understand her, what do I like about mason and what do I not, well it's been three days so there isn't much to go off.

"He seems like a great uncle and he has a legendary niece so I have to like him," I said to cover my back on any real answer, I am not saying anything remotely true to a 5-year-old what do I look like...sad...not me.

She shrugged and we had finally arrived at her school gates, she took one look up at me and we exchanged smiles "here's your lunch, have a great day and see you in a few hours Lil one" I said as she grabbed hold of her lunch box and said her goodbyes then ran off to her friends who were all sitting on the benches outside the reception class door. Awww.

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My day after dropping Summer was easy, clean the house, get some shopping and then find some time to find me a proper job, that would do me well until having to pick Summer up, I had it all planned out, that was until my phone rang as soon as I stepped foot into the house.

I reach for my phone that by now you should know is always firmly in my back pocket no matter how many times people warn me about easy pickpocketing access, I looked down at the phone and rolled my eyes.

"I swear you don't finish for another hour" I abruptly said down the phone without even saying hello or how is your day going, just straight to the point of why is this person calling my phone, through the phone I could feel his smile and if I was face to face it would be infectious but because there are two phones in the way it's not.

"I finished early and thought maybe you wanted help with food shopping or something seen as I am free?" Mason asked as I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled harshly thinking of any good excuse to decline his very useful services. Nope, nothing.

I agreed to his services and company and he came and picked me up within seconds as if he was in the neighbourhood and knew that shopping was one of the tasks I had to do today. I need to stop putting things on that whiteboard!

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"I need veggies and noodles, I was thinking stir fry tonight, it;s super easy bish bash bosh in the saucepan and then down peoples gullets," I said as I was miles ahead reading out the shopping list while mason carted the shopping cart around behind me.

"Yes ma'am" he added as I looked back at him with a frown, I can't stand those kinds of names gestures or anything of that kind, my name is on my birth certificate for a reason, plus ma'am is so 80's, I just can't accept it for myself, not even in a flirty way, which isn't what's happening but you get my drift.

We spent most of the afternoon agreeing to disagree on items in the shopping cart and as I was mounting them in he was throwing them out until I caught him, "hey we actually need those, I will make sure you never use your hands again" I said as he smirked and we held eye contact for a few seconds before breaking it off and carrying on annoying each other.

I wouldn't say I take back not wanting his help but when it came to paying for the food and seeing how much the food actually came up to I was glad that he did come because there was no way I was able to afford this kind of money even with my old job.

"Thanks again for helping," I said as I was currently sitting in the trolley with my feet dangling out the end chewing on a long strawberry lace and Mason carted us out of the shopping centre and into the car park, "I am also sorry for being so harsh on you" I could feel his expression darken and his eyebrows knit as he bored holes into the back of my head.

"what do you mean you are sorry for being harsh?" he added as I shrugged and pulled out another lace as we arrived at the car. "I am sorry for being harsh about what I think of you in my head".