Post by anonymousmitchell on Nov 12, 2005 13:39:35 GMT -5
Author's Note: The Mitchell's return to Eastenders a couple of weeks ago inspired me to write this. The title hasnt really got much to do with the story; it's just the date it begins with. I'm not the best at thinking up story titles. Anyway here we go.
Background - not much really; Sam's in Brazil, on the run. Other than that, nothing else has changed.
______________
March 23rd 2006...
As the sun made its descent behind the peaks of the houses, a black taxi entered the square. Young eyes peered eagerly out the grimy window at the unfamiliar streets, as the taxi pulled up in front of a pub; the Queen Vic. The eldest of the two girls leaned towards the front passenger seat, “Is this it, Daddy?”
“Yup,” he responded.
“Wait until I let you out,” he added, gaining a huff in response. He and the driver climbed out the car, heading around the back to get the bags out the car boot.
“Where does grandma live?” the youngest asked, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling herself up onto her knees.
“Here,” her sister said, pointing at the Vic.
“It’s big.”
“It’s a pub,” the eldest responded.
Their father stepped in front of the window, then opened the door. The girls eagerly stepped out onto the pavements, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some notes. He handed them over to the driver, “Thanks mate; keep the change.”
The driver uttered a thanks, before climbing back into the cab and driving away.
“Do you want me to carry mine and Emma’s bag, Daddy?” the nine year old asked.
“Nah, I’ve got them,” he said, as he pulled the two duffle bags onto his shoulders. He guided them towards the doors of the Vic, “Right, lets go.”
“Does grandma know we’re coming?” Emma asked, looking up at him as he pushed the door open.
“Nope,” he said, as he walked in behind them; “It’s a surprise,” he added with a smile, as his eyes met with his mother’s.
“Grant!” she exclaimed, wide eyed.
He grinned, “Mum.”
“Grandma!” Courtney squealed, hurrying towards the bar, as Peggy stepped out from behind it.
“Oh, hello there, Sweetheart,” Peggy smiled, pulling the young girl into a hug. She smiled at Emma, as she hurried over, joining in the hug.
Grant placed the bags down next to the bar, offering Phil a nod when he straightened himself back up, “Alright.”
“What are you doing here?” Peggy asked, giving him a hug.
“Sold the bar,” he responded.
“What for?” she frowned.
“Well, I thought it would be better for the kids to grow up around their family.”
Peggy gave him an affectionate smile, then looked by him for a few seconds, “Where’s Carla?”
Grant shifted uncomfortably, and lifted the bags up again, “I dunno.”
“What?”
“I dunno. France, maybe,” he said, walking by her, “There enough room for us?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“I’ll take these bags upstairs then,” came his quick reply, before he went through the door.
Peggy looked after him with a frown, before looking down at her granddaughters. She smiled at them, “Well, we better get you two up stairs an’all, ay?” She placed her hands on their shoulders and led them towards the door.
“Carla left ages ago,” Courtney informed her as they made their way up the stairs, “she didn’t say bye. She was just gone.”
“Did she and your dad have a fight?”
“I dunno, maybe. But I didn’t hear them,” she shrugged, “she left a note. That’s all I know.”
Peggy frowned, as they made their way into the living room.
“Are we gonna live here now, Courtney?” Emma spoke up.
“Yup,” she nodded, “I think so.”
______________________
”I said I don’t wanna talk about it, Mum,” Grant said, exasperatedly, “She left, end of story.”
“No, I want to know why she left,” Peggy insisted, “No mother just leaves her children without a proper reason.”
“Not children, kid,” Grant corrected her, “Courtney aint hers.”
“Grant…”
“Mum, just leave it will ya,” Phil spoke up, “It’s none of our business.”
“It certainly is my business; this is my grandchildren we’re talking about!”
“Look, Carla wanted more than us,” Grant stood up, walking over to the sink with his plate, “she wanted more than a family life in Rio, so she left. There was no arguments, no explanations, no goodbyes. She just left. That’s it.”
“That’s hardly a reason…”
“Yeah, but that don’t change nothin’,” Grant interrupted her, “look, you wanted to know why; that’s why.”
“Daddy?”
Grant turned to the door, seeing Courtney looking back at him. He smiled, “Hey, sweetheart,” he reached a hand out towards her.
She hurried over to him, grasping his arm, “Can we go out? I wanna see the place.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. Just get your coat on,” he nodded. She smiled and hurried out the room, as he added, “Ask your sister if she wants to come.”
“’kay,” she called back.
“Look, don’t mention Carla in front of the kids, alright?” Grant spoke quietly to Peggy, “Especially Emma. She only left a couple of months ago; she doesn’t understand.”
“Are you sure Courtney hasn’t spoken to her about it?” Phil asked, looking up at her.
“She’s three,” Grant snapped, “you think a three year old would understand why her mother abandoned her?”
“Ready!” Courtney burst back into the room, “Emma’s not coming. She wants to watch the cartoons.”
Grant turned to Phil and Peggy, “One of you mind looking after her?”
“I’ll keep an eye on ‘er,” Phil nodded.
Grant nodded his thanks as he walked over to the door, lifting his coat from the back of the chair, “Right, lets go.” Courtney smiled widely, before turning and hurrying down the stairs.
_______________________
”Did you and my mum used to live in the pub?” Courtney asked, as they made their way down the market.
“Yeah,” he nodded, “we worked there, too.”
“Like you and Carla back home?”
“Uh, yeah,” he responded, looking over at her, “But this is our home now, remember?”
She shrugged, “Yeah, I know. It just seems weird.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he smiled.
“It’s cold.”
Grant gave a small laugh, “Compared to Rio, definitely.”
“Grant?”
He turned, as Sharon walked out the café. He smiled at her, “Alright, Sharon.”
She smiled, “What are you doin’ here?”
“Came back,” he shrugged, “Missed it more than I thought, maybe.” He felt a tug on his arm, and quickly said, “Oh, this is Courtney.” He smiled down at her, putting an arm around her, “Courtney, this is Sharon?”
Courtney frowned slightly, “Sharon?” she looked up her dad for a second, before looking back at her.
“Should I assume you’ve heard about me, then?” Sharon smiled at her.
Courtney shrugged, “A little,” then gave her a small smile, “hi.”
Sharon looked back at Grant, “So, how long y’ staying? Planning on saying goodbye when you leave, this time?”
Grant gave a small smile, “Nah, I’m staying for good this time.”
Sharon looked surprised, “Really?”
“Yup,” he nodded.
“Daddy, I’m gonna look at the stall over there, okay?” Courtney spoke up.
Grant looked towards the stall and nodded, “Okay, but don’t go anywhere else. I’ll be over in a minute.” She nodded and walked over.
“Well, Peggy will be pleased,” Sharon spoke up, “What with you staying, an’all.”
Grant rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but right now she’s more concerned with Carla.”
Sharon frowned, “Is she not here with you?”
“Nah,” Grant shook his head. He hesitated for a moment before adding, “She, uh, left me…a couple of months ago.”
“Oh,” Sharon frowned, “Grant, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Grant waved his hand in dismissal, “Aint worth it.”
“Well, why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Grant sighed, “Well, she’s pretty much a free spirit. Family life didn’t suit her,” he shrugged, “Didn’t even say bye; to me or the kids.”
Sharon only shook her head, not knowing what to say.
Grant gave her a smile, “Listen, we’ll catch up later, alright?”
“Yeah,” she smiled, with a nod, “I’d like that.”
“I’ll see ya later,” Grant smiled, heading over to the stall.
To be continued...
Background - not much really; Sam's in Brazil, on the run. Other than that, nothing else has changed.
______________
March 23rd 2006...
As the sun made its descent behind the peaks of the houses, a black taxi entered the square. Young eyes peered eagerly out the grimy window at the unfamiliar streets, as the taxi pulled up in front of a pub; the Queen Vic. The eldest of the two girls leaned towards the front passenger seat, “Is this it, Daddy?”
“Yup,” he responded.
“Wait until I let you out,” he added, gaining a huff in response. He and the driver climbed out the car, heading around the back to get the bags out the car boot.
“Where does grandma live?” the youngest asked, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling herself up onto her knees.
“Here,” her sister said, pointing at the Vic.
“It’s big.”
“It’s a pub,” the eldest responded.
Their father stepped in front of the window, then opened the door. The girls eagerly stepped out onto the pavements, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some notes. He handed them over to the driver, “Thanks mate; keep the change.”
The driver uttered a thanks, before climbing back into the cab and driving away.
“Do you want me to carry mine and Emma’s bag, Daddy?” the nine year old asked.
“Nah, I’ve got them,” he said, as he pulled the two duffle bags onto his shoulders. He guided them towards the doors of the Vic, “Right, lets go.”
“Does grandma know we’re coming?” Emma asked, looking up at him as he pushed the door open.
“Nope,” he said, as he walked in behind them; “It’s a surprise,” he added with a smile, as his eyes met with his mother’s.
“Grant!” she exclaimed, wide eyed.
He grinned, “Mum.”
“Grandma!” Courtney squealed, hurrying towards the bar, as Peggy stepped out from behind it.
“Oh, hello there, Sweetheart,” Peggy smiled, pulling the young girl into a hug. She smiled at Emma, as she hurried over, joining in the hug.
Grant placed the bags down next to the bar, offering Phil a nod when he straightened himself back up, “Alright.”
“What are you doing here?” Peggy asked, giving him a hug.
“Sold the bar,” he responded.
“What for?” she frowned.
“Well, I thought it would be better for the kids to grow up around their family.”
Peggy gave him an affectionate smile, then looked by him for a few seconds, “Where’s Carla?”
Grant shifted uncomfortably, and lifted the bags up again, “I dunno.”
“What?”
“I dunno. France, maybe,” he said, walking by her, “There enough room for us?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“I’ll take these bags upstairs then,” came his quick reply, before he went through the door.
Peggy looked after him with a frown, before looking down at her granddaughters. She smiled at them, “Well, we better get you two up stairs an’all, ay?” She placed her hands on their shoulders and led them towards the door.
“Carla left ages ago,” Courtney informed her as they made their way up the stairs, “she didn’t say bye. She was just gone.”
“Did she and your dad have a fight?”
“I dunno, maybe. But I didn’t hear them,” she shrugged, “she left a note. That’s all I know.”
Peggy frowned, as they made their way into the living room.
“Are we gonna live here now, Courtney?” Emma spoke up.
“Yup,” she nodded, “I think so.”
______________________
”I said I don’t wanna talk about it, Mum,” Grant said, exasperatedly, “She left, end of story.”
“No, I want to know why she left,” Peggy insisted, “No mother just leaves her children without a proper reason.”
“Not children, kid,” Grant corrected her, “Courtney aint hers.”
“Grant…”
“Mum, just leave it will ya,” Phil spoke up, “It’s none of our business.”
“It certainly is my business; this is my grandchildren we’re talking about!”
“Look, Carla wanted more than us,” Grant stood up, walking over to the sink with his plate, “she wanted more than a family life in Rio, so she left. There was no arguments, no explanations, no goodbyes. She just left. That’s it.”
“That’s hardly a reason…”
“Yeah, but that don’t change nothin’,” Grant interrupted her, “look, you wanted to know why; that’s why.”
“Daddy?”
Grant turned to the door, seeing Courtney looking back at him. He smiled, “Hey, sweetheart,” he reached a hand out towards her.
She hurried over to him, grasping his arm, “Can we go out? I wanna see the place.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. Just get your coat on,” he nodded. She smiled and hurried out the room, as he added, “Ask your sister if she wants to come.”
“’kay,” she called back.
“Look, don’t mention Carla in front of the kids, alright?” Grant spoke quietly to Peggy, “Especially Emma. She only left a couple of months ago; she doesn’t understand.”
“Are you sure Courtney hasn’t spoken to her about it?” Phil asked, looking up at her.
“She’s three,” Grant snapped, “you think a three year old would understand why her mother abandoned her?”
“Ready!” Courtney burst back into the room, “Emma’s not coming. She wants to watch the cartoons.”
Grant turned to Phil and Peggy, “One of you mind looking after her?”
“I’ll keep an eye on ‘er,” Phil nodded.
Grant nodded his thanks as he walked over to the door, lifting his coat from the back of the chair, “Right, lets go.” Courtney smiled widely, before turning and hurrying down the stairs.
_______________________
”Did you and my mum used to live in the pub?” Courtney asked, as they made their way down the market.
“Yeah,” he nodded, “we worked there, too.”
“Like you and Carla back home?”
“Uh, yeah,” he responded, looking over at her, “But this is our home now, remember?”
She shrugged, “Yeah, I know. It just seems weird.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he smiled.
“It’s cold.”
Grant gave a small laugh, “Compared to Rio, definitely.”
“Grant?”
He turned, as Sharon walked out the café. He smiled at her, “Alright, Sharon.”
She smiled, “What are you doin’ here?”
“Came back,” he shrugged, “Missed it more than I thought, maybe.” He felt a tug on his arm, and quickly said, “Oh, this is Courtney.” He smiled down at her, putting an arm around her, “Courtney, this is Sharon?”
Courtney frowned slightly, “Sharon?” she looked up her dad for a second, before looking back at her.
“Should I assume you’ve heard about me, then?” Sharon smiled at her.
Courtney shrugged, “A little,” then gave her a small smile, “hi.”
Sharon looked back at Grant, “So, how long y’ staying? Planning on saying goodbye when you leave, this time?”
Grant gave a small smile, “Nah, I’m staying for good this time.”
Sharon looked surprised, “Really?”
“Yup,” he nodded.
“Daddy, I’m gonna look at the stall over there, okay?” Courtney spoke up.
Grant looked towards the stall and nodded, “Okay, but don’t go anywhere else. I’ll be over in a minute.” She nodded and walked over.
“Well, Peggy will be pleased,” Sharon spoke up, “What with you staying, an’all.”
Grant rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but right now she’s more concerned with Carla.”
Sharon frowned, “Is she not here with you?”
“Nah,” Grant shook his head. He hesitated for a moment before adding, “She, uh, left me…a couple of months ago.”
“Oh,” Sharon frowned, “Grant, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Grant waved his hand in dismissal, “Aint worth it.”
“Well, why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Grant sighed, “Well, she’s pretty much a free spirit. Family life didn’t suit her,” he shrugged, “Didn’t even say bye; to me or the kids.”
Sharon only shook her head, not knowing what to say.
Grant gave her a smile, “Listen, we’ll catch up later, alright?”
“Yeah,” she smiled, with a nod, “I’d like that.”
“I’ll see ya later,” Grant smiled, heading over to the stall.
To be continued...