note: here I am, delivering on my double update weekend promise! I loved writing this chapter. Drama drama drama! Please do comment on your thoughts. I'd love to see what you think of the chapter and the characters, and do vote if you enjoyed the chapter. 

Happy reading! 

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A dinner.

That was the best that Andrew could come up with.

He feared that the night would end up with him losing an arm or two, but he had promised his daughter they would do something this weekend that involved all of them and he was determined to deliver on his promise.

"Stop stressing babe," London crooned softly, placing her soft lips on his cheek. "You're cutting the peppers way too big. Smaller sizes, please."

"I can't do this!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"It's not that hard to do, Andrew," she said, the amusement in her voice evident.

"There is a reason I'm not cut out for cooking — hey! What's that look for?"

"Nothing," she said, laughing lightly and shaking her head. She stepped towards him and spread her hands over his chest, looking up. "I just think you look kind of sexy in an apron."

The nervousness that rode his system lessened just like that. He smiled, his hands finding their way to her waist. "If that's your kink, I'd gladly help—"

"Andrew!" she exclaimed, going hot in the face.

"Just imagine," he continued teasingly, the mischievous gleam in his eyes twinkling. "Aprons, no clothes, this empty counter. All the fun we could have."

He could spot the shyness on her face, but he loved it. He loved teasing her, loved how easy the bedroom talk rolled off his tongue. Light, slow and fun — what the last few years of his life hadn't been.

His routine was broken but a new one was forming, and it was one that he deemed much more enjoyable. Much healthier to his livelihood.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" she shook her head in faux disapproval.

"Every last bit," he whispered, swooping down to steal a kiss.

"Too bad," she replied smoothly, moving out of the way. "You get your work done and I might give you a kiss."

"A kiss. That's it?"

"Talk about desperation."

"I am desperate. You, London, turn me into a puddle."

She burst out laughing and his grin widened in response. "Wow, does that line really work?"

He shrugged, his smiling eyes taking in the contentedness of the moment. "Haven't dated much, remember?"

Her face softened, and she angled her face up at him. "I forget sometimes that you were married," she said. Her voice grew heavier as she reached for his hand and pulled it up, so that it was in both of their line of sights. His gold wedding band ring still sat there, unmoved. She'd never asked why he didn't take it off, why he was so afraid to part with it. He knew she wanted to know. He wanted to know as well. Whatever reason it was, it drew him to the ring. He was unable to take it off no matter how much he wanted to just bury all history with Talia.

He cleared his throat. "I think we should get back to cooking," he declared.

London side-eyed him as she returned to the stove. It wasn't like him to be eager to cook so the fact that he was told her that things had taken an awkward turn. He knew it and he knew she knew it as well.

By the time the bell rang, all tension had dissipated in the kitchen, London and Andrew returning back to their light, care-free banter.

Andrew went to welcome their guests in while London stayed in the kitchen, to finish up dinner. They were all set and London could have gone with him as Andrew had asked but she'd rather stay in the kitchen, gathering up every ounce of confidence that she could. She filled out the dishes and took them into the dining room in a rather snail-like pace. She took her time setting up the table, trying to get every measurement perfect, or so Andrew presumed because she didn't come out to meet his daughter, Talia and Simon in the living room.

The last time she had met Talia the impression she had left was not that remarkable and Andrew wondered if that made her nervous to know that she was going to be having dinner with his ex-wife, a woman whose opinion shouldn't have to even matter.

He excused himself, his worrying thoughts going back to London and his suspicions were confirmed true when he entered the dining area and watched her fussing over the setting of the table which looked perfect as it was to him.

"You can't hide out here forever," he told her knowingly and London didn't jump at his interruption of whatever was whizzing on in that brilliant mind of hers. She'd been expecting him to come.

He placed a hand over hers, laying the fork down. "Stop worrying about it," he hushed assuredly, his hand moving and resting lightly on her waist. He pressed his lips to her shoulder, trying to tell her through the simple gesture that he had her back as much as she had his. "We can make it out alive."

"I can, but can you?" London said, tipping her head back and resting it on Andrew's chest.

"I might lose an arm or a leg."

"There will always be casualties in war."

He laughed, pressing his lips to the nape of her neck, his chest warming up with that comment. "Looks like my humour is finally rubbing off on you."

"Please," she rolled her eyes, turning around to face him. "I was always funny."

He saw the worry in her eyes. He was worried about tonight as well, so he did what he always did. Lathered up the situation with more humour. The expression on his face was teasing. "I'd say grumpy was the more suitable term."

"Shut up."

His eyes sparkled. "Shut me up."

"Andrew!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "We have guests."

"Guests who you didn't even welcome in," he said, pinning his point effectively, knowing he finally caught her. "You should go say hello."

"Your ex-wife hates me," she protested meekly.

"She hates me too. You're not special."

"This is not a joke, Andrew."

He smiled apologetically when he saw how serious she was being. "I know. Let's just make it through the night, yeah?"

"We can do that."

"Good," he smiled. "Let's officially introduce you to Talia, Aurora and Simon."

*

Dinner was bound to be awkward but Andrew did not expect it to be filled with this much tension.

Simon must have detected it too for he was the one that chose to break the silence. "The food is really good," he said, smiling. "Home-cooked?"

"Yes," Andrew replied, smiling sideways at London. "London made dinner."

"I had some help," she said, smiling back at him. He reached under the table, taking her hand in his.

"Andy being any help in the kitchen?" Talia scoffed, though a smile played on that treacherous bitch-like face of hers. "I find that hard to believe."

London's hand squeezed his and by the expression on her face, he could see that she felt challenged by Talia's snide comment. He was about to lean towards his girlfriend and tell her not to worry about his ex-wife, for this was expectant behaviour, but London was faster than him.

"Andy is not exactly fit for the kitchen," she started, her voice stressing his name and it sounded so foreign, so strange — the nickname — did not feel right on her tongue. "But he's still there and that's what matters. I heard he refused to set foot in the kitchen when he was married to you."

What was happening?

"Looks like someone is finally changing Andrew's ways," Talia was quick to snipe back. "I'm happy he found someone to correct his wrongs." Her tone suggested otherwise.

London shrugged, a genuine smile on her lips. "I didn't correct his wrongs. Plus, cooking is a trivial matter, there's nothing wrong in not wanting to cook. And someone doesn't just automatically change. But if they're willing to do something that makes you happy, that just shows how much they care."

London's words hung heavily in the air. Andrew glimpsed the awed expression on Aurora's face for his daughter seldom ever saw someone standing their ground with Talia Lancaster. Simon was fidgety, moving his food around. London, however, didn't look the least bit scared but the way in which she was squeezing his hand told him that she was nervous, that she was anxious. But she was firm, always. It was why she turned him down the instant she found out he was married. It took more than just a few encounters for London to accept that being with a married — well, now divorced — man, was what she wanted despite the complications.

"Are you insinuating that Andy never cared for me?"

London took a few seconds to answer, her finger gliding over his occupied ring finger. Andrew felt his heart drop but had no words to comfort her. Not in front of Aurora or Talia, or even fucking Allerton.

"You have a special place in his heart, Talia," London said, her voice soft, her smile gentle. Andrew wanted to escape the dining room with her right there and then but he stayed rooted to his place, knowing that she was much stronger than she looked and that she had accepted this, complications and all. "You were his wife for several years. He loved you for a long time and you can't just un-love a person like that. I know."

"You do?" Talia questioned, eyebrows raised bitchily. "You've been married before?"

London faltered. "No."

"Then you can't possibly know."

Underneath the table, he squeezed her hand.

They returned to dinner and Andrew quickly diverted his attention to Aurora. His daughter looked happy for the save. They talked about school, how annoying Lucy Bellman, one of the other parents who was on the parent committee, was. Talia joined in, trying to defend Lucy Bellman but the three of them ended up having a laugh in the end. The moment was over just as quickly and stealthy as it had arrived.

Andrew spied London talking to Simon, seemingly in a deep conversation of something that had to be related to cooking otherwise her eyes wouldn't be shining as they were now. When she talked about food, something she loved with all of her heart and every inch of her soul, you could see it in the way she lit up, like it was Christmas.

Simon nudged Talia and the whole table grew quiet. Andrew looked at the pair of them. They exchanged silent glances. When he looked at London, she shrugged, just as lost as he was and when he looked at Aurora, she smiled, her face showing how giddy and excited she was.

He felt guilty for letting dread settle in his stomach but there was no way his suspicion would not allow for dread to creep in.

"We're getting married!" Talia exclaimed, smiling.

"Congratulations," London said, smiling easily. "Can we see the ring?"

Talia showed off her hand, wiggling her fingers. The ring was pretty, better and bigger than the one he had gotten for her, but Andrew had always been a man of sentiment and the ring he had picked out was a simple one. Simple to symbolise the simple-ness, the easiness of their love. Boy, had he been terribly wrong.

Aurora was hugging Talia when Andrew rose to his feet and lifted his glass of wine. The adults got a picking between red or white wine while Aurora got Pepsi.

"Simon," Andrew started, struggling for a few moments to pick the right words that would not tap into that little brewing pot of anger. "You're a great man. You were a great friend to me and I'm sure you'll make an even better husband to Talia."

He turned to Talia, the words coming out with more ease than with Simon. "You deserve happiness and I'm glad you're finding it again with Simon."

He raised his glass and they all raised theirs to clink to a new future. All except Talia.

"That's it?" she quizzed, unsatisfied.

"Tallie," Simon warned, but he wasn't so quiet.

"That's all you want to say?" she pushed, ignoring her fiancé.

Andrew exchanged a look with Simon, who only sighed and returned back to his plate of food. Andrew, left on his own to interpret her behaviour, said, "What do you want me to say? We're separated. You can marry whomever you wish, Talia. If you want me to stop you, I won't." He paused, glancing to his side. He reached for London's hand again. "I can't."

The scraping of a chair against the tiled floor is what made him draw his eyes away from London to Talia who was standing up and dabbing the napkin to her mouth. "Excuse me," she mumbled, taking her leave from the dining room.

Simon was about to stand up when London held out her hand. "I want to talk to her," she said.

Both Andrew and Simon baulked at this proposition but neither said a word as she got up from her seat and followed Talia Lancaster out of the dining room.