November 2008

Hannah took pride in knowing when Alytain wasn't around, she knew she didn't have to slip up. She knew that when she left for meetings she didn't have to lie to Alytain, she could easily find an excuse for her kids to believe, and they always believed her excuses.

"Grandad!" Meredith yelled from the edge of the water.

Hannah watched as Bill shifted his attention to his granddaughter.

"Look at this!"

Hannah smiled as she watched her dad rise to his feet.

She loved when Bill could find time to come down to Australia to visit his grandchildren, she knew he'd much rather them be back at him where he could easily see them every day.

Bill was sick of having the same argument over and over with his daughter, he knew that something was better than nothing each time he board one of Alytain's private jets.

Hannah shifted her attention to her son as he laid on his stomach, she watched as he tried to focus his camera gaze on a flock of seagulls on the beach. She watched as he took several photos.

"Maybe you could take it with you grandad, when you go?" Meredith's voice pulled Hannah out of her thoughts.

"Just like all the other shells you found, sweetheart."

"No. Only this one. This one is the best one."

"Of course it is, and as pretty as you are." Bill let the compliment blow towards his granddaughter before he sat back down by his daughter's side with Meredith's shell in his hand.

Meredith shifted her attention to the seagulls; she noticed her brother as a plan cooked in her mind.

"Meredith." Hannah sensed she knew what was going to happen.

Meredith ignored her mother before running towards the seagulls.

Hannah and Bill laughed as Harley attempted to capture various photos of his sister ruining the perfect moment.

Harley sat up before looking back through the photos he took, Meredith plonked herself down next to Harley.

"Show me."

"No." Harley quipped.

"Come on. I wanna see."

"No." Harley shielded his camera away from Meredith.

"Please."

"No."

"Mum, Harley isn't letting me look."

Bill shifted his gaze to Hannah, he had rare moments of watching her be a mother while he had plenty of moments watching her play the rockstar's wife and manager.

"Honey, you know the rules. Harley wants to make sure his photos look perfect before he shows us."

"But."

"Meredith, it's not a but. We do this every time. You know."

Meredith pouted; she knew her mother would never give in.

"Why don't you show grandad how you build sandcastles."

Meredith's eyes lit up "They fill with water too."

Bill shifted his attention to his granddaughter as she jumped up to her feet.

"Come help me, grandad."

Bill watched as Meredith ran towards the edge of the water. He didn't complain as he rose back up to his feet and trailed behind his granddaughter.

Hannah let the sounds of the beach crash around her, she felt whole in this very moment.

"Mum."

"Yeah."

"Look."

Hannah's eyeline followed Harley's, they could both see a man walking closer towards them as he followed the water line on the beach.

Hannah hated that Harley knew, she had accidentally slipped up in front of her son and she hated it.

She gave a quick wave towards Channing.

Channing gave a quick wave back before adjusting his walking position towards Hannah and her family.

Hannah watched as Channing stopped closer to her and Harley "Harley, you remember Channing?"

Harley looked up at Channing, they had meet by accident when Harley came with Belle to grab some snacks for him and his sister. Harley noticed Channing looked different compared to last time he had seen the man.

"Harley." Channing calmly spoke.

"Hi." Harley shifted his glance to his mum, he wanted to know what she was doing. He shifted his attention over to his sister and his grandad; did they know about Channing?

Hannah wasn't sure what to say as she shifted her glance to her daughter and her dad, she let the silence between her, Harley and Channing.

"you can sit, if you want." Harley managed to find some words amongst the silence.

"I don't want to intrude."

"Clearly did." Harley stepped up to his feet, he carried his camera down to his sister and grandad.

"Don't mind him, Meredith's been stirring him up. You can sit." Hannah looked up at Channing, she squinted her eyes a little as she tried to steer away from the sunlight.

Channing didn't hesitate as he sat down next to her, he watched as her face softened.

"So, that's Meredith?"

Hannah nodded "With my dad." She looked out to her family as Harley snapped photos of Bill and Meredith digging up sand, she smiled a little. "Harley thinks his a photographer, I think my dad's trying to encourage him into turning it into a profession."

Channing shifted his attention out to Bill, Harley and Meredith. He had only heard brief mentions of Bill, but to see the man at a short distance away it almost felt like Channing had accidentally ended up meeting a potential father in law. He sat nervously as he watched.

"Sorry." Hannah shook her head slightly before shifting her attention to Channing "You were probably just passing by."

"It's fine, I wasn't off anywhere important. Just home."

"At lunch time?"

Channing nodded.

Hannah had never dared to question Channing's work life, just like he never dared to question what Hannah did.

Meredith squealed with frustration as water hit her skirt.

Hannah sighed a little, she wanted to complain about her daughter but knew that it wouldn't be fair on Channing.

Channing and Hannah watched as Bill made his way back to his daughter.

Channing sat up straight, he brushed the sand of his hands on his pants as he watched Bill stop in front of them.

"Dad, this is Channing."

Bill looked down at Channing, he had heard something about Channing from his daughter. Not enough to understand what they were too each other but defiantly enough to know the man's name "Bill." He reached his hand out.

Channing rose to his feet before shaking Bill's hand "Nice to meet you, Sir."

"Sir? I like this one." Bill smirked "Sit." He sat down next to Hannah as Channing uncomfortably on the other side of Hannah.

"What's she squealing about now?"

"The water ruining her skirt."

Hannah rolled her eyes "I told her not to wear something nice."

"Well, you know who gave it to her."

"Yet she won't listen. You'd think if her dad gave it to her, it'd mean she'd take proper care of it."

Channing pretended he understood the conversation when really he had nothing but assumptions.

Hannah shifted her attention to her two kids, she watched as Harley held his camera high as the water came up to his knees. She watched as Meredith allowed herself to fall into the water. Hannah reached for Meredith's towel before standing up and walking down to her kids.

"What do you want with my daughter?" Bill shifted his gaze to Channing.

"Sorry?"

"Clearly you and my daughter have something but what do you want from her?"

Channing didn't need to think too long for his answer "I'd just like to know your daughter, sir."

"What way? Friends. Buddies, or is it Fuck buddies?" Bill pondered for a second.

Channing wasn't sure how to react to Bill's blunt questions "I'm just happy to know Hannah."

"Hannah?"

Channing nodded "Hannah." He repeated.

Bill hadn't heard anyone other than himself call his daughter Hannah in quite sometime "There's one thing you need to know about my daughter."

"Dad, can you help Harley with his camera." Hannah called out as she followed behind her kids as they walked up to Bill and Channing.

Bill rummaged through a bag for Harley's camera bag, he waited until Harley stepped closer before trying to blow the sand off Harley's camera.

Harley placed his camera back into the camera bag as Meredith sat down on the sand, her towel wrapped around her body.

Channing shifted his attention to Meredith and Hannah; he could see the resemblance between the two.

"Who are you?" Meredith questioned.

"Channing, I'm a friend of your mum's."

"You talk funny."

"Meredith." Hannah knelt down by her daughter's side. "Apologise."

"It's fine." Channing didn't feel insulted by Meredith's words.

"Will I talk like that if I stay here long enough?"

"I think you'll still talk just like you do now but maybe you'll pick up some of our lingo." Channing responded, he knew Meredith would never lose her English accent but she would most certainly pick up words from Australia as she grew up.

"Ew"

Harley rolled his eyes "it means words, dummy."

"Not a dummy."

"That's enough, you two." Bill didn't allow the kids to finish their playful banter.

"Can we get food now?" Meredith asked.

Hannah didn't miss a beat as she shifted her gaze to Channing "Yes."

Channing didn't seem the harm in Hannah's answer, but he could hear something in the way she said it, it was almost as if she was wanting him to join.

"Can Channing join?"

Channing shifted his attention back to Meredith.

"I think Channing is a bit busy, love." Bill spoke.

Meredith shifted her attention to Channing "Can you?"

Channing shifted his attention to Hannah before returning his gaze to Meredith "Maybe another time. I should get back."

"Home?" Hannah smirked at him.

Channing let a playful smile fill across his lips.