Page 8 of The Six-Week Single Dad
The bed currently sat under the window, with the wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a bookcase close to the door. What Laura was proposing was to swap them around. While it wasn’t much work, I wasn’t sure how Hayden would feel about me moving things without his permission.
“There’s not exactly much of a view.” I glanced out and could see rooftops and the sky. Actually, if it was a nice day, it could be something pretty to wake up to.
“Better than looking at a wall, though.”
Laura was right. As usual. It only took us about a quarter of an hour to rearrange the furniture. As I suspected, the wardrobe and chest of drawers were pretty flimsy, so there wasn’t much weight to them, and it had been easy for the two of us to swing the bed through ninety degrees so it could gain its new outlook. Laura set about making the bed, with the duvet cover I’d been saving. It was a shabby-chic pattern of pink and purple flowers, with a white background, and had matching pillowcases. Once she’d smoothed the sheets, plumped up the pillows and shaken the duvet into place, I felt a little emotional. It had been some time since I’d had somewhere to call home, albeit for a short time. I couldn’t be more grateful to Hayden.
“There’s not much room in here.” Laura had started to unpack my clothes into the cupboard.
“It’s fine, I don’t need much stuff. I’m unlikely to be going out on dates or anything, so I basically need baby-proof clothes for now.”
“Good point. I don’t know how you get vomit out of a silk top.” Laura checked the time. “Shit, I’m going to be late. Sorry I can’t help more now; give me a call if you want me to come around later?”
“I will. I think it’ll be okay though; I don’t have much more stuff.”
She hugged me and disappeared.
I spent a little longer unpacking my few possessions and went back into the main area, with the intention of getting a cup of tea and watching telly.
As I boiled the kettle, I spotted the list Hayden had left on the kitchen counter, including delivery times of the things he’d ordered for Alfie’s room. And as if on cue, the intercom went.
I ushered the delivery men in and they left the boxes in the middle of the living room. The same thing happened a further three times, until there was barely room to move. As I crossed the last thing off the list, my stomach rumbled and I decided it was time for a snack. Hayden said to help myself to anything in the refrigerator.
A couple of minutes later, I regretted his kind offer. There was barely anything there, except for some uncooked chicken breasts, a half-empty bag of potatoes and a wizened-looking chorizo, plus basics such as butter and sauces. The freezer at least had some bread, and I ended up making toast.
As I ate, with half an eye on the TV, my phone buzzed. It was Hayden.
I should be home around half-six. Shall I pick up takeaway?
Don’t bother, I can whip something up with the contents of the fridge, lol
You don’t have to do that… You’ve been busy enough this afternoon. Did all the packages arrive?
I’m currently making a cardboard box fort…
Sounds like fun. Wish I could get out of this meeting and join you x
I stared at the last message. Did he really mean it? That he wanted to come home to me? There was also a kiss. It wasn’t unusual; Laura and my other friends did it all the time. But from Hayden? What did it mean?
Oops, I’ve been rumbled. Looking forward to seeing you later xx
Two kisses?
It was closer to quarter to seven when Hayden barrelled through the front door. I’d spent the remainder of the afternoon tentatively opening the packages and trying to put together whatever was in them. On the spur of the moment, I’d chucked the chicken, potatoes, chorizo and a tin of tomatoes, I’d found in the cupboard, into a baking dish and shoved it in the oven. The smell of home cooking permeated the flat.
“What the hell happened here?” He stood stock-still in the doorway, mouth hanging open.
If I looked at the scene through his eyes, I could see where he was coming from. I was sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by cardboard, pages of instructions, and various bits of wood, plastic, nails and screws, scattered around me, creating a pretty pattern on the wooden flooring.
“I thought I’d make a start on assembling this stuff?”
Hayden let out a rumbling laugh. “Do you even know what it’s supposed to be?”
I shook my head. “I might have opened more than one of the packs at once, so it’s possible that everything you ordered is here on the floor, but I honestly couldn’t tell you which bit belongs to which.”
Before he could say anything else, the timer on the oven went off, meaning the chicken was ready. I hopped up, trying to stop the pins and needles in my legs, and stumbled towards the kitchen. Hayden caught me before I tumbled over.
“You cooked?”
