Chapter 2
"Johnny, don't go any further, wait for Mummy and Aunty Tracy please!" the shout comes from just inside the doorway where Vanessa is wrestling with her coat and shoes whilst Tracy struggles with the pram inside.
Johnny obediently stops at the bottom of the path to Tug Ghyll and starts marching up and down from the road to the door and back whilst he waits. He turns around at the top of the path and sees Charity crossing the road a little further up.
"Mummy Chatty!" he shouts and sets off as fast as his little legs will carry him.
Charity freezes when she hears the shout, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she gasps in shock. She sinks to her knees to accept the little bundle that's heading at her full pelt. Johnny doesn't stop running until his body hits Charity and he has his tiny arms wrapped securely around her neck. She easily engulfs his whole body with one arm and gently cradles his head with the other hand, breathing him in deeply as her body rushes with love and relief at finally seeing him again.
Vanessa, meanwhile, also hears the shout and her stomach does a funny summersault at what she knows she's going to see when she steps out of the house.
"I missed you Mummy Chatty!"
"I missed you too Johnnybobs. So much" Kissing his head and trying to hold back the tears.
"Where did you go?"
"I didn't go anywhere sweetheart. You've been at Grandma's remember? Did you have a nice time?"
She sniffs, trying to get her tears under control.
"Yeah, it was good. We had lots of cakes!"
Charity lets out a watery chuckle
"Mummy was sad though. She needed lots of cuddles"
Charity sobers at this. Remembering what Johnny's reappearance probably means.....Vanessa. She stands up and encourages Johnny to walk back towards Tug Ghyll with her. He stays close to her the whole time and hugs her leg once they get to the bottom of the path again, reluctant to let go of his favourite person.
Her heart is hammering in her chest as she locks eyes with Vanessa momentarily. "Sorry" she whispers before looking down, expecting a few choice words from Vanessa. She looks up again slightly startled when Vanessa replies with: "It's okay, he's been asking after you constantly. I shouldn't be surprised really" She then catches Johnny's eye and reprimands him "What did I say about waiting though, Johnny? You can't just run out into the road like that - it's so dangerous!"
"Sorry Mummy. Mummy Chatty was there though - she keeped me safe didn't you?"
"Yeah. Always kid. You make sure you listen to your Mummy next time though, yeah?"
The two adults stand awkwardly, neither knowing what to do or say after being thrust into this situation.
"You're back then?" Charity finally manages to mutter, grimacing at the stupidity of her comment.
"Yeah, just for a couple of days." Charity tries to hide her disappointment. "Wanted to meet the new addition, didn't we Johnny?"
"Aunty Tracy had a baby, Mummy Chatty! Have you seed her?"
"Seen, darling, and no I haven't"
"She's tiiiiiiiiiny! But she cries a lot"
Charity chuckles. "Yeah, babies do that. Do you like having a cousin though?"
Just at that moment Tracy finally steps out of the house and spots Charity and Johnny still holding onto each other.
"What's she doing here?" Tracy spits
"Johnny saw her and ran off"
"Well, I don't care, she's got no right to be anywhere near him!" She says furiously.
"Tracy" Vanessa warns, swallowing nervously
"It's fine. I've got a shift anyway" pointing up the road with her thumb "so I'd better go. Good to see you, kid" giving Johnny one last smile before disentangling herself to turn around and head towards the pub.
Johnny looks crestfallen. "Can we see Mummy Chatty again Mummy?"
"Maybe sweetheart" Vanessa replies at the same time as Tracy shouts a very adamant "No"
"Tracy, not now. Just....let me deal with this okay?"
"Fine" she strops "But I hope you know what you're doing"
They lift the pram down the steps and silently set off on their walk around the village, Vanessa's mind still running at a mile a minute and her heart pounding just as quickly.