chapter 2

Her nerves are frayed as the train pulls into it's destination, taking her to her new home, her old home.

He's waiting for her at the station, looking genuinely pleased to see her. He hugs her but briefly, and he seems guarded, unusually quiet, like he's not quite sure what to say or how to behave. She is suddenly unsure... is he having second thoughts about her staying?

He is still handsome though, thank God. 6ft and lean, he wouldn't look 45 if it wasn't for the grey streaked temples or silver flecks in his beard. Beard is trimmed and hair fresh cut, short, shorter than before, shaved at the sides longer on top, but she approves, a contemporary cut without try to be young or trendy. Silver Fox she thinks and blushes. Actually make that complete DILF and she has to bite her lip to stifle a giggle . He posts virtually nothing online other pictures of sunsets and hills with sheep on them so she had a knot in her stomach that maybe he wasn't as hot as she remembered, or had aged badly in the two years of separation . But he's even hotter than her memory and she finds herself shy, answering his questions in clipped sentences, which just makes him ask less.

The house calms her. It always has. It's familiar, solid, even if it feels scrubbed clean of any memories. The old Victoria townhouse has been decorated since she was last here. Light and airy, very tasteful but zero personality. Professionally designed? Possibly. No personal pictures on the walls. No pictures of anyone, never mind signs of a semi permanent girlfriend, number 2 in the lists of unknowns that had been making her sick in recent weeks

Over a dinner she doesn't taste he is a little more talkative. "Your old room hasn't been changed. Don't worry it's not like a shrine or anything, I just always hoped you'd come back and decorate it yourself. I guess it's not really appropriate now but I thought you could sleep in what used to be your mums room when you work out how you want to redecorate?"

Yessss. That's was the best news all day. When they had first moved up here mum had shotgunned the nicest room as a dressing room, or boudoir as she insisted on calling it. It wasn't as large as the master but easily a double and with beautiful light. Olivia sleeping there would be claiming her mother's place, the room of the woman of the house.

Feeling a little braver, it's time to put the plan into action. Now or Never Liv.

"Hey Daddy I was thinking, do you remember Movie Night? We used to do it every Wednesday. I was thinking we could restart the tradition? Yeah from tonight unless you have plans?OK can we say from 8pm? I'm pretty don, I was going to unpack, shower and get in my PJs. It's been along day, eary start and a long train journey and I just want to roll straight into bed after the movie."