Chapter 15

Hello my lovely thatters! :D Here is chapter 15, I really, really, hope you like it! I am sorry it is quite short but I have literally been run off my feet with exams and performances but I promise you a longer one soon! Also I am sorry if it is really crap, it did have to be rushed a little! Any feed back is seriously so appreciated, so let me know on my twitter what you think :’) Any shoutouts are amazing and thank you so much for reading! Enjoy! Xx

“Oh thank you so much Gaz! Seriously, I don’t know what I would of done!” Sue slapped her forehead with relief. “So I’ll be back in like 5 hours okay, are you going to be alright?”

Gary looked down at the little baby girl, Lola, that had been placed in his arms. Big brown eyes stared back at him. Sue needed him to look after her little niece just for a few hours because she had a doctor’s appointment. Well, how hard could it be? She was so little, what problems could something that small cause?

“We’ll be fine.” Gary smiled. “Take as long as you need.”

Sue hugged him and kissed Lola’s little forehead. “Thanks again Gaz, nappies are in the big bag and milk is in the little bags!”

Gary closed the door behind her and walked to the kitchen. “We’ll be fine wont we Lola? Eh? We’ll be fine wont we sweetheart.” Gary smiled at Lola as he set her down in her chair which Gary had set on the table.

Lola grinned at him, showing off two little teeth protruding from her front gums.

“Ah yes we will, ah yes we will.” Gary cooed playing with Lola’s little fingers as they curled around his thumb. Gary sighed. It must be nice being a baby, he thought, no worries, relationships, everything still so fascinating and beautiful. His eyes flickered over to his phone, he hadn’t spoken to Mark since the wedding. His stomach twisted uncomfortably.

“Ahhh… Eeeeeeehhh…” Lola kicked her little feet up in the air. Gary smiled, he’d like to have kids one day. He had always imagined himself teaching his daughters to sing, his sons to play the piano… Going to their sports days, watching them grow. He had always imagined someone by his side the whole way, someone to grow old with. Mark would make a great dad, Gary thought, he was so attentive and caring. His shoulders slumped, God he missed him.

“Maaaaa…Oooooh.” Lola let his thumb go and looked round the room, her eyes taking in the colors and movement.

Standing up Gary picked Lola up from her chair and took her into the lounge where his piano sat proudly in the middle of the room.

“How about a song eh Lola?” He said, sitting her in the crook of his arm. Lola stared up at him and then back at the piano, letting out a short laugh she smacked her little palm down on the keys. Gary laughed.

“Very nice.” He said, setting his fingers on the keys he began to play some soft chords. Lola gargled and smiled as he began to play. “Isn’t she lovely… isn’t she wonderful… isn’t she precious… less than one minute old…” Gary sang, rocking his arm from side to side. “I never thought through love we’d be… making one as lovely as she…”

***

Howard walked back into his hotel room, his towel tied around his waist. The weather had been beautiful all day in Greece where Jason and himself were staying for their honeymoon. Howard had left Jason sleeping to have a swim whilst everyone else was napping in the midday heat. Bunch of wimps, Howard thought, his body thrived in the heat of his surroundings, he needed not to cower in the shade.

“Hello.” Jason said greeting him with a kiss and a smile. “Robbie just phoned, sounds like things are really getting serious with Kate, I have never seen him stay with a woman so long.”

Howard smiled and sat back down on the bed. “Well, she’s beautiful, funny, smart and the perfect match for Rob intellectually.”

“This is true, well I wish them the best… its Gary and Mark I am worried about.” Jason said sitting next to Howard. “They haven’t spoken in what would now be 9 days… Neither of them are particularly good at saying sorry.”

 Howard sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. “I’m sure they’ll sort it out, those two were meant for each other… plus they are going to have to sort it out if we are going to start work on the album.”

Jason nodded. He hoped they would soon be okay, they had spent so long not knowing how the other felt and now finally when they were together it all got to much and they were on some kind of break. Jesus Christ but those two could make some drama.

“I’m going to have a shower.” Jason announced, standing up.

“Alone?” Howard grinned pulling him back down and kissing him.

Jason laughed. “Now where on earth is the fun in showering alone?” Taking Howard’s hand he pulled him into the bathroom, sliding the lock into place after them.

***


Gary sat down in his kitchen, exhausted. Lola was sleeping soundly in the lounge, Gary had fed her, gotten most of the formula all over himself and what he hadn’t spilt Lola had spat up on his back. He’d had to sing most of the Beatles top songs to get her to sleep… but he had loved every minute of it. Every now and again he was rewarded with a huge baby grin. Walking back to the lounge, Gary sat quite down next to Lola. Her little chest rose and fell gently, her tiny fists curled and little head resting soundly to the side. Smiling he reached out and gently brushed his finger over her round cheeks. Leaning back against the sofa, he let his eyes drift closed… Christ he was tired…

Gary didn’t know what woke him first, Lola’s piercing cry or his front door bell. Leaping up from the sofa he looked panicked at Lola, what on earth was making her cry like that? Gary picked her up but she continued to cry, kicking her little fat legs her face bright red in colour. The doorbell rang again.

“Oh bloody hell.” Gary swore, trying his best to jiggle Lola up and down in his arms he walked to the door. Hitching the screaming baby higher on his hip he opened the door with the other hand.

Mark stood on his doorstep and Gary almost dropped Lola. Stopping himself at the last minute he cradled her closer. Lola continued to cry, her little eyes squinted shut.

“Mark… What… um… what are you doing here?” Gary said, his heart hammering in his chest.

“I was hoping we could err…. Talk.” Mark said, staring at the baby in Gary’s arms. “Whats with the screaming child?”

“She’s Sue’s little niece… she must of woke with a fright or something because she will not stop crying… do you… want to come in?” Gary swallowed, he was having to shout slightly to be heard over Lola’s cries.

Mark stepped into the hall and followed Gary back to his kitchen.

“Do you want me to try?” Mark said holding out his arms.

Gary passed him Lola gratefully. Mark stared into those big, tear filled brown eyes.

“Hey there little one… whats wrong then? Oh baby girl… Shhh…” Mark rocked Lola from side to side. The screaming stopped. The silence felt strange. Lola stuck her thumb in her mouth.

Gary let out a sigh of relief. “Jesus Christ, thank you…”

The two men stared at each other. Mark had forgotten how good-looking Gary was… even with what appeared to be baby sick over his clothes. Gary had forgotten how much he missed Mark’s calming presence.

“Mmmm… ahhhhhhhhh…” Lola reached out her little hand towards Gary. Gary stepped forward and let Lola grab his fingers again. Mark became aware of how close they were stood, he took a deep breath. Gary looked from the baby in Mark’s arms and then at Mark. This is what he wanted… a family with Mark… not now, but in the future he could see himself with no one else.

Mark was avoiding Gary’s gaze. He had came over on a whim, hoping him and Gary could talk things through… but now Mark wasn’t so sure. His heart still felt broken from what Gary had said at the wedding. How could he be sure Gary wasn’t just going to leave him again? Mark wasn’t sure he could bare watching Gary walk away for the second time.

“Maybe this isn’t the best time…” Mark said looking down. “I mean I can see your busy.”
Gary swallowed. Had he blown it with Mark?

“Come back tonight?” Gary said. “I want… I want to talk to you properly…”

Mark placed the baby back in Gary’s arms. “Yeah… tonight.” And with that he turned around and left.

Gary heard the door shut behind him. Lola laid her head against his shoulder. Grabbing the nappy bag Gary walked back into the lounge.