Unexpected

by Jenny Frame

  Becca let out a sigh of relief. “Oh? No problem. I’ll come straight to get him. Thank you.”

  She took her time going downstairs and out to the garage to get the car. The garage door was open and all she could see of Dale was a pair of overall covered legs.

  “Dale? Could I steal the car for a bit, I—”

  Then she realized all four tyres were off the car and piled in the corner, and her heart sank.

  Dale pushed out from under the car and smiled at her first, but then saw the look of worry on her face.

  “Hey, hen, what’s wrong?” Dale said, jumping to her feet. “Are you and the wee yin okay?”

  “Yes, we’re fine, but I have to go and pick up Jake from school. There’s been a power cut. But my car has no wheels. Can you put them on quickly?”

  Dale looked a little sheepish. “Ugh, no, not really. It doesn’t have a battery in either—I’m fitting a new one.”

  Becca shook her head with frustration. “How am I supposed to get Jake? Can I take your van? I’m insured for any vehicle.”

  Dale walked over to her. “Becca, you can’t drive my truck in your condition with no experience. It’s a heavy vehicle to drive. Let me take you.”

  “No!” Becca snapped. “Jake can’t see you. He’ll get too involved with you and—”

  Dale grasped her lightly by the arms. “Look at me, Becca. I swear to you, I won’t hurt Jake or try to come between you if you let me see him. You said you would try to trust me. Please let me help?”

  Becca’s panic and stress were making her angry. “You’re using this as an opportunity to see Jake.”

  Dale threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Becca. What I’m trying to do is help and take care of you. The same as I have been trying to do since I came into your life. I care, okay? I care about you, I care about the baby, and I care about Jake. So shoot me. Is that a crime?”

  Becca instantly regretted what she had said. Dale had done nothing but be kind to them, and hadn’t she just told herself in the study that maybe Dale came into their lives for a reason? She probably would have great difficulty driving Dale’s van too.

  She looked at Dale square in the eye and said, “You can’t swear around Jake and the baby.”

  A smile broke out on Dale’s face. “Yeah? I won’t. I promise, no swearing in front of them.”

  “Let’s go and get Jake then.”

  Out of nowhere Dale engulfed her in a hug. “Thanks, hen. Thank you for letting me see him. I know how hard it is for you, and I promise I won’t let you down.”

  Becca closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of being held in someone’s arms. It wasn’t just anyone though. It was Dale, and the crook of her neck smelled warm, safe, and thrilling.

  Her body felt like it was waking from a long slumber, and where she’d previously felt nothing, she suddenly felt everything. Dale’s smell, the urge to taste, the desire to run her fingers through that thick, dark, messy hair.

  She pushed back from her before she did just that. “Let’s go and get Jake then.”

  * * *

  Dale tapped her fingers on the steering wheel nervously. She was waiting in the parking area of Westview School, while Becca went to get Jake and explain that Dale would be taking them home.

  She never thought she would be this nervous. This was what she’d wanted since she’d offered to come back and help Becca out. To see Jake, and help Becca and the baby any way she could. Now that was happening and she was a bit scared.

  What if Jake was angry at her for leaving them? What if he had decided this situation was all too weird for him?

  She let out a breath. Calm, keep calm.

  The school looked really impressive. Becca had told her about all its facilities and the program for gifted children. It was night and day to the school Dale had gone to in the East End of Glasgow. She was proud that her child was getting better opportunities in life than she had, but how long could Becca keep up with these school fees? Who knew? What she did know was that she didn’t want to disappear. She wanted to be a friend to this family and help them. Maybe give some meaning to her own life at the same time.

  Don’t blow it.

  At last she saw Becca and Jake coming out of the school reception area. She got out of the van, and when Jake spotted her, he ran as fast as he could towards her.

  As he got nearer he slowed up, looking a bit unsure of himself.

  “Hey, wee man. How are you?”

  Becca walked up behind him and said, “It’s okay, Jake.”

  Now filled with confidence, he jumped into her arms. “You didn’t forget about us. You came back!”

  Dale hugged him tightly and said, “I told you, I always keep my promises.”

  She looked over to Becca and mouthed, “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, but looked tense. Dale hoped she didn’t mind Jake giving her this sort of affection. They would need to have a proper talk when they were alone.

  Dale never wanted to step on Becca’s toes. Becca was Jake’s mummy, and she had to make her believe that role would always be hers. “Okay, wee man. Let me get you in the van and then I’ll help your mummy, okay?”

  Jake nodded enthusiastically.

  The van had three seats in the front, and so she strapped a smiling and excited Jake into the middle one. The she went around to help Becca, who had gotten up into the high van cab with great difficulty when they’d left the vicarage.

  Becca appeared pensive, and Dale understood why. It would be hard enough for any parent to all of a sudden have someone else competing for their son’s affections, but even harder given Becca’s trust and emotional issues.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  Becca gave a forced smile. “It’s fine.”

  Dale reached out and lightly touched Becca’s hand. “Look, I get it. You don’t have to pretend or put a brave face on it. It’s frightening having me in your lives, and although we’ve made some progress, you don’t completely trust my intentions.”

  Much to Dale’s surprise, Becca squeezed her hand back and simply said, “I want to.”

  Those three words hit Dale full square in the chest. Coming from someone so cautious and guarded as Becca, I want to meant the absolute world.

  “Thank you. I know what that means, and I won’t let you down.”

  They hadn’t let go of each other’s hands and were simply gazing into one other’s eyes. Dale wondered if Becca was feeling as many new emotions as she was.

  She studied Becca’s plump rosy lips and had the biggest urge to lean in and kiss them. She jumped out of her skin when Jake knocked on the window to get them to hurry up.

  “We should get going,” Becca said. She was helped up into the cab with the greatest care, and Dale even put her seat belt on. It felt wonderful to Becca to be taken care of in this new way.

  Despite all her outward tough signs, Dale was so gentle with her, and in those few seconds Becca wondered if Dale would be equally gentle making love to her.

  Anyone who saw Dale McGuire would assume that she liked fast cars and equally fast women, but so far Dale hadn’t been what she expected. Everything about Dale was unexpected, and that was what made her so interesting, and exciting.

  Dale got into the driver’s side and said, “Okay, let’s go.”

  As they drove, Becca was astonished at how much Jake was talking. He was so excited about having Dale there, but it wasn’t just Dale—he was talking to them both equally, and enjoying the fact that they were all here together.

  “I’m so starving, Mummy. What’s for dinner?” Jake asked.

  “Oh no!” Becca smacked her forehead. “In all the hurry I forgot to turn on the slow cooker. I had a casserole prepared for us. It’ll never be finished on time.”

  Jake’s shoulders slumped. “It’s okay, Mummy.”

  “I’m sorry, Pooh Bear. It’ll need to be scrambled eggs on toast.”

  “Becca?” Dale interrupted. “I
’ll have to get some dinner from somewhere anyway, so could I take you both to dinner? My treat?”

  Jake was practically bouncing out of the van. “Yes, please, Mummy. Let’s have dinner with Dale.”

  Becca should have been angry at Dale for putting her in that position. In fact she would have been incandescent before she and Dale had had their brief discussion outside the van. But what she had said to Dale was true. She wanted to trust her, and to do that, she had to give a little.

  “That would be very nice, Dale. Thank you.”

  “Aye?” Dale was nearly bouncing with as much excitement as Jake. “Where do you want to go, wee man?”

  “Somewhere with pizza,” Jake exclaimed.

  Dale looked over to her, unsure. “Is that okay, Becca?”

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Dale drove them to a popular pizza restaurant about thirty minutes from Jake’s school, as there were no restaurants anywhere near Becca’s vicarage.

  When they arrived at the restaurant car park, Dale lifted Becca down from the cab and whispered to her, “Thank you for this.”

  “Don’t worry about it. The baby is craving hot peppers anyway.” Becca smiled.

  Dale couldn’t count how many feelings she was experiencing as she led Becca and Jake into the restaurant—warmth, love, pride…being a part of something.

  The waiter who met them at the door said, “Family of three?”

  Dale glanced quickly at Becca to see how she reacted to that, and she just smiled at her.

  Dale answered, “Yes, family of three.” Her heart could have burst as she led them to the table. She helped Becca with her jacket and pulled out her chair. She noticed Becca’s cheeks were a bit red.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Just a bit hot and flustered. I’ll be okay in a minute.”

  Dale said to the waiter, “Could you bring a large glass of ice water immediately, please.”

  “Of course.”

  When Dale sat Becca squeezed her hand. “Thank you for noticing and thinking of me.”

  “You’re welcome. Is the baby feeling okay?”

  “Yes, the wee yin is fine,” Becca said, using her turn of phrase. Dale laughed at the way it sounded in her upper-middle-class accent.

  “I just get this way sometimes with my blood pressure. I can feel light-headed, headachey, and a bit dizzy. I just need to sit down and drink some water.”

  “Mummy, look, this place is so cool. Look over there.”

  They both looked behind them and saw a big screen on the back wall of the restaurant playing movies for the kids.

  “Wow, this place is cool, Jake.” Dale was on cloud nine.

  “Can I go and watch?”

  “After we eat,” Becca said.

  Dale ordered for them, and after about ten minutes the food arrived. When the server arrived with Becca’s hot and spicy pizza with extra chillies, Dale was surprised.

  “That looks so hot—are you going to be able to eat that?”

  Becca smiled. “Oh yes. Chillies are my baby craving. I go through jars and jars of jalapeños. I love them on dry crackers.”

  “I love hot food, but even that would be too hot for me,” Dale said.

  As they started to eat, Dale laughed as she watched Becca and Jake eating their sliced pizzas with a knife and fork.

  “What’s wrong?” Becca asked.

  “You eat pizza with a knife and fork? You really are posh, Ms. Harper.”

  Becca put her knife and fork down, and politely dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “Oh, and what is the correct etiquette for eating pizza, pray tell?”

  Dale held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. “With your hands, it’s the law.”

  Jake and Becca laughed as they watched Dale demonstrate pizza eating. Jake copied her straight away.

  Then Dale said with a wink, “Come on, posh girl. Live a little.”

  She did and they enjoyed the rest of their food with Jake talking insistently and filling Dale in about his life so far.

  While they waited on dessert, Jake went to sit with the other children and watch the movie on the big screen, giving Becca and Dale a chance to talk.

  “Thanks for letting me do this. It’s meant the world to me, honestly,” Dale said.

  Becca took a sip of water and said, “Thank you for inviting us. I’m sure you’d rather be out on a Friday night.”

  Dale took Becca’s hand. “There is nowhere on earth I’d rather be right now.”

  Becca glanced down at their entwined hands and was silent for a few moments before saying, “I know you want to spend time with Jake—”

  “No,” Dale said quickly, “not just because of Jake, because of you too. You are a really special woman, Becca.”

  Becca laughed. “I’m nowhere near special. I’m distrustful, secretive, and I’ve taught Jake to distrust the world. Look at him.”

  Dale turned around and saw he was sitting at the other end of the screen, away from the other children.

  “What’s he going to be like when he grows up? He’ll have no social skills, and the most meaningful conversation he’ll be able to have will be with his computer.”

  “Becca, you’re being too hard on yourself. He’s a wonderful boy who knows how to love and to be kind to others. He was comfortable with me from the moment he met me. He talked to me like he’d known me all his life. He was polite and even gave me tips so I wouldn’t get into trouble with you for my language. I could never have done the job you have, been a mother like you have. I would be proud to call him my son.”

  Dale pulled back, thinking she had gone too far. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “That’s okay. I understand what you meant.” Becca sighed. “I need to help him with his social skills and have him mix with other children, but yet protect him. I told you there was a reason we were out in the country, away from the world. I’m trying to protect him from what I went through.”

  Dale didn’t expect an answer but asked anyway. “What did you go through, Becca?”

  Becca shook her head. “I can’t, Dale. I just can’t.” Then she added, “Not yet anyway.”

  That one little phrase gave her hope that Becca might one day trust her enough to let her in. “I understand. We all have our secrets and hurts.”

  “Even Dale McGuire?”

  Dale noodled. “Aye, me too.”

  They sat quietly for a few minutes, both equally unable to talk about the things which made and moulded them.

  “Let me pay the bill and I’ll get you both home.”

  * * *

  Jake fell asleep on the way home, and Dale carried him into the house and up to bed. Becca’s heart fluttered as she watched Dale be so gentle and lay Jake on his bed. She should probably have felt jealous of the attention she was getting from Jake, but it was the opposite. She enjoyed seeing them interact and talk about things that Jake wouldn’t talk about with her—video games, movies, and toys. She could see why Dale was so popular with her god-daughter.

  Becca lifted the covers and put Jake’s hot water bottle under. It was cold in the bedroom with the heating playing up.

  When they got downstairs, Becca said, “Have you got time for a coffee before you go?”

  “I’ve got all the time in the world for you.”

  Becca gulped, feeling the flutter of excitement in her stomach again. “Why don’t we sit in the kitchen. It’s much warmer there.” She walked in, pressed on the kettle, and said, “Tea or coffee?”

  She turned around to find Dale pulling off her hooded jumper. The T-shirt rode up and gave her a tantalising glimpse of her well-honed body. Becca’s cheeks started to get hot again, and the heat intensified when she saw the Celtic band tattoo coiled around her defined biceps.

  It was such a long time since she had felt turned-on by someone, like a sexual being. Those urges were just something she pushed deep down and didn’t think she’d need again. Dale made those feelings c
ome out of hibernation with a bang.

  “Are you all right, Becca?”

  “What?” Becca had been caught staring. “Sorry, I was miles away. Tea or coffee?”

  “Tea, please.”

  Becca prepared two cups of tea and brought them over to the kitchen table.

  “Can I ask you something, Becca?”

  “Yes, what is it?”

  Dale tapped her fingers nervously on the table. “You said you only trusted your ex, Trent. How long since you’ve been with her?”

  “Oh, a long time. About eleven and a half years. Trent’s a good friend. She helped me and took care of me at a time in my life that I needed someone to trust. She was the daughter of my family lawyer. She runs her family firm now.”

  “Were you in love?” Dale looked down immediately. “I’m sorry, that’s a really personal question.”

  Becca smiled. “Yes, it is, but I’ll tell you. Yes, we were in love, but we didn’t want the same things. Trent liked city life. Going out to restaurants, socializing within our group of friends. Whereas I wanted to settle down and have a family. We weren’t compatible in the end, but I know she did love me, just not the way I wanted. I suppose you’d understand that. Your social life is important to you.”

  “It doesn’t mean I never wanted a family,” Dale snapped.

  Becca realized quickly she’d said the wrong thing. “I’m sorry, Dale. I didn’t mean—”

  “No, I’m sorry. I should never have snapped like that. It just gets frustrating sometimes. People make assumptions about me, because of the way I dress, my personality, and because I’ve never been in a relationship, like I’m some kind of love ’em and leave ’em type. But I’ve never wanted to make notches on my bedpost. I just have never wanted to trust and let someone know me. So sex is really all I can give women I meet. They want Dale from the bar, the life and soul of the party, but that’s not the real me. The only people who know me are Val, Sammy, and Mia.”

  Becca could feel that Dale desperately wanted to be understood, and that she had so much to give a woman.