In home care.

The truth was in Dani’s words the next morning when Spencer got up to start his morning. He was bending his body out in an overextended stretch as he watched Dani wince and grimace as she tried to rise up out of the bed.

“Are you ok?” Spencer asked in genuine concern.

“Too rough Big Boy,” Dani told him as she staggered over to kiss him.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be much more gentle next time.”

“Don’t even think about it! Besides, I think my monthlies are due too. I always get achy around them.” Spencer watched unconvinced as Dani started to duck walk towards the ensuite, muttering to herself, “Oh shit.”

He trailed in behind her. “Why don’t you take a personal day today? I’m sure you have a tonne built up.”

Dani started to collect her hair together and put it up under a shower cap ready to begin washing. “And what, tell them my boyfriend’s big old cock nearly broke me in half?”

Spencer laughed. “No. Tell them the other reason. That it’s Shark Week.”

“You did not just call it that!” Dani flashed, swatting at Spencer playfully. “If I’d know I was moving in with such a brute like this I’d have had second thoughts.”

In the end, it didn’t take much more convincing from Spencer for Danielle to promise that she would call out for work when he took Amy to school.

From the bathroom, Spencer went and made sure that Amy was awake already and started making breakfast for the three of them. Dani appeared sometime later to wish Amy a good day at school and to kiss Spencer off on his way.

After dropping Amy at school, Spencer quickly swung by Corner Coffee House to pick up some chocolate pastries to help Dani feel better before making his way back home. Dani was dressed in a comfortable robe and slippers when Spencer made his way inside the farmhouse.

“What have you got there?” Dani asked spying the brown paper bag the coffee shop used for their takeaways.

“Chocolate eclairs, cinnamon buns and some mud cake,” Spencer said unveiling the treats.

“You’re going to make me fat! But you’re an angel,” she told him coming in for a sticky bun and a kiss.

The two of them ate a cake each in the kitchen as Danielle fixed Spencer a second cup of coffee for the morning. It felt wonderful domestic and mundane spending a weekday at home with Spencer with sex off the table for the time being.

“So, what’s on your agenda for today?” Dani asked.

“Just some client reports I’ve been putting off,” Spencer told her.

“So, you really do work during the days I’m not here,” Dani teased.

Spencer laughed. “Yes, and I get quite a bit done when someone’s not dragging me to the bedroom every time she comes over. How about you though? Are you ok to keep yourself entertained? I have a stack of old movies in one of the cupboards that Amy finds dreadful.”

“You don’t need to worry about me Spencer. We’re both adults. I’m fine with you needing space to get the things you need to do done. I’ll probably just keep going with putting more of my things away.”

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to run past you.”

Danielle kept her face neutral and open to hear what Spencer had to ask her.

“Seeing as my parents are coming this weekend and not at Christmas as I would have expected, I was thinking of inviting Amy’s other grandparents, Kirsten’s Mum and Dad.”

That actually was a big deal and Danielle felt glad that Spencer had thought to ask her first. The idea made her even more nervous than meeting Spencer’s parents. As horrible and morbid as it sounded, she’d be meeting the parents of the woman she was replacing. Lord, Dani hoped they wouldn’t think of it like that.

“That’s entirely up to you Spence. It’s your house after all.”

“I don’t mean it like that. I just wanted to see if you would be comfortable with that happening. I can make it another time. It doesn’t have to be Christmas.”

“It’s fine, honestly. I want them to come for Amy’s sake for starters. I’ll admit I’m nervous at the thought of meeting them, even more so than your folks.”

“I can’t promise it won’t be awkward. When I married their daughter, we all expected it to be forever but the sad fact of life is that time moves on still.”

Spencer truly did have a wonderful perspective of the world, as hard come by as it was.

“Absolutely you should invite them, Spencer. I won’t hear another word about it. Amy will be so pleased and that’s more than enough for me to be too.”

As Spencer worked, Dani set to clearing away the remnants over her move away. She wouldn’t have Spencer’s parents come this weekend and find the place a pigsty with her things all over the house. She would pack them away all neat and tidy so that they would never tell that she’d only moved in that week. Danielle had always been houseproud and had kept her townhouse in Awonwick in a neat and immaculate condition. She’d even repaired the hole in the plaster she’d made when she’d found out about her ex’s infidelity. That previous home handyman experience came in handy when Dani asked Spencer quietly without trying to interrupt him too much if she could make a start on putting the photo frames she’d picked out in Dani’s house up on Amy’s bedroom wall. Dani was looking forward to Amy’s surprise when she got home that afternoon once she was all done and the pictures took pride of place on the bedroom wall.

As Dani did her thing about the house, Spencer methodically went about his work. He’d done the research already it was just a matter of putting it all together into an executive document to pass on to his clients. Back when he was at his old firm it was something he could have passed onto an assistant to do, Avery probably, but there was no added help now.

Just thinking about his former protégé then, Spencer remembered he should give her a call and let her know the barn was completed. Spencer’s old boss Dennis Hedwall had bought a pony for Amy could now be transported to the farm.

That call could wait for now as Spencer had another to make first. It was almost lunchtime. Geoff and Abigail Arington, Kirsten’s parents, were as likely to be home now as ever. He pulled out his cell and brought up their number. It began ringing.

“Hello?” the voice was female.

Spencer recognised it as Kirsten’s mum Abigail. “Hi Abi, it’s Spencer.”

The voice became instantly brighter. “Oh, Spencer! How wonderful. How are you?”

“I’m great thanks.” Before Spencer could enquire how his Mother-in-law was, he heard shouting coming down the phone line.

“Geoff. Geoff. Geoff! It’s Spencer. Spencer! … Oh, never mind him, Spencer. He’s watching the Redskins again. I’ll never get a word in.”

“That’s fine. How have you been?”

“Oh, we're good. How’s our beautiful granddaughter?”

“Amy’s great. She’s at school. She’s doing well. She’s playing second base on the school’s softball team.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“It is. So the reason I called is I wanted to invite you and Geoff up for Christmas. My parents are going to be overseas this year and Amy and I would love to have you. The renovations are complete so you can stay with us as long as you like.”

“That sounds fantastic. I’ll tell Geoff when the game's finished but we’d love to see you both.”

Spencer ahhed for a brief moment before deciding that then would be as good a time as any to break the news to his In-laws. “Actually, there’s one more of us. I’ve started seeing someone and she’s moved in with me.”

“Oh.” Spencer could hear the shock in Abigail's voice. Hopefully, there wasn’t too great a hurt mixed in as well. “That’s very good news for you Spencer. I guess we will meet her at Christmastime.”

“You will. Her name’s Danielle.”

“I’ll tell Geoff.”

Spencer’s stomach churned. He didn’t have to tell the parents of his departed wife the name of his new girlfriend. He felt like he was rubbing it in their faces right then. Still, Abigail remained polite enough and they swapped some more small talk. Mainly about how Amy was and the change in his parent’s travel plan. When he got off the phone, Spencer felt like he’d just walked a tightrope. His mind was drained and his nerves a little frazzled. He needed a coffee and something to eat to settle himself back down.