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Photographer in the Park	By : NutsAboutHarry Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Joshua Bell Views: 1770 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not know Joshua Bell (Do you think I'd be writing fan fic about him if I did?) the following story is TOTAL FICTION the prouct of my extraordinarily overactive imagination. No profit of any kind is made from the writing and publishing of this story!

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
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For five hours til the early evening Josh and Louisa played their violins non stop. They played everything from Row Row Row your Boat right up to the more difficult piece of Caprice no 24 by Paganini a piece Louisa had particular trouble with.

‘Fuck!’ she cussed after misreading the wrong line of music yet again ‘that’s the fourth damn time I’ve read the wrong line GAAAH!’

‘Hey don’t worry I did the same thing when learning this piece for the first time’ Josh said cuffing her on the shoulder ‘remember it’s a very difficult piece. I even have issues with it and I’ve been playing the violin for thirty eight years. You only play recreationally and sporadically at that. It’s going to take you longer to pick it up’

‘This piece is going to drive me nuts’ Louisa said screwing up her nose and resting her violin on her hip ‘I’m not going to be able to put my violin away’

‘Yeah most likely but we have a piece we can work on’ Josh said brightly.

‘You’re entirely too optimistic Joshua Bell’ Louisa grumbled good naturedly.

‘So sue me’ Josh said with a snort of laughter ‘I think we better finish up, I don’t know about you but I’ve just about had my fill for today’

‘Yeah me too’ Louisa said sitting down on the nearest chair and loosening the hair on her bow ‘gawd I’ve never had a five hour lesson before. Even the master class I had with the principal violinist of the MSO ten years ago only went for half an hour’

‘I bet you didn’t play Row Row Row Your Boat’

Louisa laughed a sound that made Josh’s stomach flip flop nervously.
‘No we didn’t’ she said putting her violin back in its case ‘gawd what a day!’

‘A good one I hope’ Josh said.

‘Oh yes one of the best days ever’ Louisa said brightly with a dazzling smile ‘my old uni lecturer is going to pepper me with as many questions as I peppered you with last week when I tell him I played the Strad he’ll be like a Twi-Hard at the premiere of a Robert Pattinson movie’

Josh laughed heartily.
‘How about a drink?’ he said ‘alcoholic or non alcoholic, I have tons of genuine Russian vodka’

Louisa giggled at his accent.
‘Non alcoholic’ she said ‘coke or lemonade, something carbonated’

‘Coming up’

Josh left Louisa in the lounge room and made his way into the kitchen. He immediately pulled his Blackberry from his pocket and dialled Rachel.

‘Hey big br-‘

‘Rach you gotta help me’ Josh said cutting his sister off mid greeting.

‘With what? Are you in trouble? You didn’t drink another three pints of Vodka and try and bang a transvestite hooker did you?’

Josh rolled his eyes as Rachel laughed loudly.
‘Ha ha no’ he said ‘I haven’t had anything alcoholic since I got back form touring’ he said lowering his voice ‘Louisa is in the other room’

‘So why are you talking to me?’ Rachel asked incredulously ‘go in there and turn on the ol’ J-Bell charm. Women all over want you J grow some balls and ask this one out. She’s flirted with you, clearly she likes you’

‘Yeah bu-’

‘Yeah but nothing’ Rachel said ‘ask her out if she says no fair enough but if she says yes wine and dine her and treat her like a lady. You don’t need to ring me for dating advice brother I’m no expert on the matter’

‘I feel like a schmuck’

‘You are a schmuck’ Rachel said with a giggle ‘but a goofy cool one. If this Louisa likes that sort of guy you two could be the next Charles and Diana’

‘Oh yeah and that partnership ended in happily ever after didn’t it?’ Josh said with dry sarcasm as he retrieved two cans of coke from the refrigerator.

‘J I know you’re a bit scarred from how things ended with Lisa but you have to put yourself out there again. You won’t know if this is the girl for you until you at least ask her out’

‘Yeah I know’ Josh said sheepishly.

‘How did the jam session go?’

‘It went for five and a half hours’ Josh said ‘that was at the apartment. We fooled around for two hours at Paolo’s’

‘That didn’t sound dirty at all’ Rachel said with a snigger.

‘Oh very funny’ Josh said dryly ‘you know what I mean you filthy minded woman’

‘I’m not going to talk to you any more tonight J get your ass out there and ask this girl out’ Rachel said ‘let me know how things go alright? I’ll be up for a while I’ve got tons of marking to do’

‘Yeah alright chat later Rach’

‘Good luck!’

Josh hung up, pocketed his Blackberry then took the cans of coke out into the lounge room where he found Louisa casually looking at all his family photos.

‘Hope you don’t mind me looking I was curious’ she said going pink in the face.

‘Nah it’s alright’ Josh said handing her a can of coke and popping open his own ‘I would’ve out them away if I didn’t want anyone looking at them’

‘All family huh?’

‘Yeah see this one?’ Josh said pointing to a walnut frame containing two dozen people ‘that was taken after my father’s funeral that’s the entire Bell family. The good looking guy next to the lady with grey hair is me. That’s my Mom Shirley and between her and me is Rachel my younger sister and Terry she’s two years older than me and Toby Jo she’s two years older than Terry from my Mom’s first marriage’

‘Who’s the good looking one? I can’t quite make him out’ Louisa said with a flirtatious giggle.

Josh leaned down deliberately brushing Louisa’s arm and picked up the walnut frame.
‘This is the good looking one he said in almost a whisper pointing to his smiling image then putting it down and moving along to the end of the sideboard where he picked up a frame of small brown haired boy the spit image of himself ‘and these are my sons Josef, Ben and Sam they're twins’

‘Oh they’re cute!’ Louisa said cooed ‘god they look like you. Look out girls when they're teenagers’

‘Tell me about it’ Josh said dryly rolling his eyes ‘Mom and my sisters tell me that all the time. They're already picking up chicks at school and day care’

‘How old are they?’ Louise asked.

‘Josef is Five and the twins have just turned three’ Josh said proudly putting the picture back in its place ‘Jo was only a little bigger than my Strad when he was born. I have a photo in the case of him next to the Strad when he was only four days old’

‘D’you mind me asking what happened with you and his Mum?’ Louise asked timidly ‘I understand if you don’t want to, it’s rather a nosey question’

‘Nah I don’t mind I’ve dealt with it now’ Josh said ‘Lisa and I were on and off for fifteen years and decided to make a go of things when she fell pregnant late in two thousand six. It seemed to be going well up until Jo was born then we broke up for a while then got back together at the beginning of two thousand eight during which time the twins were born. Then things were going swimmingly til three months ago in the middle of my tour when she dumped me my text message’

The look on Louisa’s face clearly indicated she wasn’t expecting an answer like that.
‘Oh-um-I’m s-sorry’ she stuttered awkwardly.

‘Nah don’t be’ Josh said ‘we should’ve stayed broken up but y’know how these things go. We did it for the benefit of our son’

D’you see them much?’

‘Oh yeah in the last week almost every day’ Josh said ‘his Mom lives on the upper West Side not far from here. Now I’m back from tour they’ll spend every second weekend and half the week with me’ Josh said ‘and I’ll take them back to Indiana either for Thanksgiving or Christmas. That’s yet to be worked out’

‘They're lucky kids to have a Dad like you’ Louisa said with a sweet smile ‘are you going to teach them how to play the violin?’

‘Maybe one day if they really want to’ Josh said taking a swig from his can of coke ‘but neither his mother who plays too, nor I are going to push it. We’ll teach them if and when they want to learn but otherwise we’ll let them find their own way in the world’

‘That should be every parent’s theory’

‘Yeah, so tell me about your family’

‘Well you know I have two brothers and one sister Freidrich, Kurt and Leisl. Fred is a OB/GYN at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Leisl is a Paediatric Surgeon at the Sydney Children's also in Sydney and Kurt is an Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne. We all grew up in Melbourne’

‘So you’re the only one who went into non-human medicine then?’

‘Yep people are too ungrateful and grumpy sometimes and you can get in trouble if you pat or cuddle them after an operation so I went into vet science’ Louisa said with a grin ‘animals know and appreciate when you’re trying to help them more’

‘What do your parents do?’

‘Mum is a lawyer and Dad is an accountant with Price Waterhouse Coopers. His big hobby at the moment is buying old houses, fixing them up and selling them on’ Louisa said walking over to a nearby window to watch the sunset ‘he’s the one that advised me on what to look for when I was looking to do the same here in the States’

‘So how come you decided to come to the States?’ Josh inquired as he joined her at the

‘Well I’d always wanted to come back here right from when I was a little kid and the family made a two week trip to Disneyland’ Louisa said ‘It was Summer here and we came in the Winter school holidays back home. We seriously had the best fun. Then the shit with the ex happened and I decided to sell all my possessions but my violins and come over here. And that was five years ago’

‘Do you mind me asking what happened with your ex?’

‘Nah you told me what happened with yours it’s only fair I tell you what happened with mine’ Louisa said sipping her coke ‘my ex Christian was his name. I met him in the last year of vet school when he transferred from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. We shared almost every class. We fell stupidly I love then on graduation day in the auditorium in front of the whole graduating class and their relatives proposed to me. I said yes then we both set up house got jobs in the racehorse breeding industry and settled into the routine of life. A year after graduation the plans for out wedding were put into action and we planned to get married in late October two thousand five in St Paul’s Cathedral in the Melbourne CBD. But on the morning of the wedding I came back from the local pastry shop to find my then best friend riding my to-be husband like a racehorse. I don’t remember much after that but according to Mum I went mental. I bailed them both up in the bedroom with a chefs knife and screamed so loud the neighbours called the cops. It took two huge muscly coppers to pull me away. Apparently they threatened to pepper spray me if I didn’t drop the knife. Anyway after that Christian and Maire that was my friends name nicked off and I haven’t heard from either of them since. After that I sold every one of my possessions except for my violins and came over to the States where I have been working and single ever since’

‘Holy shit what I went through is nothing compared to that!’ Josh said incredulously ‘Jesus’

‘Yeah and now I’m sick of all the travelling so I bought a house in Long Island got myself a dog and cat and hopefully in next week a permanent job’ Louisa said ‘Hi my name’s Louisa Anne Riminton and I am a sad case’

Josh laughed and shook her outstretched hand.
‘Pleased to meet you’ he said with a chuckle ‘I’m Joshua David Bell I’m also a sad case’

Louisa giggled helplessly.
‘Let’s be sad cases together’ she said with a sigh.

Josh decided now was the time.
‘Um this might seem a tad inappropriate given the story you’ve just told me’ he said ‘but...um....’

‘Yes?’ Louisa said with a slight smile as she tore her gaze away from the sunset that was now casting an ethereal golden glow over the nearby parks.

‘Um....well’

‘Come on Josh I’m not going to bite’ Louisa said dryly ‘well not unless you’re into that and only if you ask nicely and even after that you’d have to take me out to dinner first’

Louisa’s joke broke the tense atmosphere.

‘Well I was thinking wouldyouliketogoouitsometime?’

‘Sorry what was that?’ Louisa said creasing her brow slightly in an effort to understand him.

Josh was now the exact same colour as the sun outside
‘I was wondering....if you’d....like to go....out s-sometime’ Josh stuttered.

Louisa lit up.
‘Like a date?’ she said with a smile ‘like a candlelit dinner in a nice restaurant somewhere date?’

‘Yeah like a date’ Josh mumbled avoiding her gaze

Louisa reached up gently held his chin then turned his face to face hers. She then stood on her toes and dropped a long but chaste kiss on his lips.
‘Of course I would’ she said in almost a whisper resting her forehead against his.

‘Who hoo I picked up’ Josh joked with a grin that split his face in two.

Louisa playfully slapped his chest.
‘Smartarse’ she said with a giggle ‘yes you did pick up’

‘Now I’ve just got to decide where to take you’ Josh said ‘I hadn’t thought that far. I thought you might say no’

‘I thought you were going to ask hours ago when we first left Paolo’s’ Louisa said ‘I knew you were holding back something all day’

‘Well it was that’ Josh said sheepishly ‘that’s part of the reason I got you practicing the twenty fourth Caprice. So I could concentrate on something other than asking you out’

‘Josh I was never going to bite you’ Louisa said dryly I think you’re pretty cute and I don’t bite cute guys’

‘I suppose I have to be thankful for that’ Josh said in amusement cautiously putting an arm around her waist ‘what time d’you have to get to Grand Central?’

‘Anytime up til quarter to eleven’ Louisa said ‘that’s when the last train leaves’

‘You didn’t drive in?’

‘No, parking in Manhattan costs a fortune and I’ve only just gotten a new car and I don’t want to risk it getting nicked or vandalised’

‘Well next time you need to come into Manhattan you’re welcome to park downstairs in the basement’ Josh said ‘each apartment in Gramercy Park has two lots and I have one spare. I’ll let Pascal the doorman know you’ll be by so you won’t get in trouble’

‘Thanks’ Louisa said gratefully leaning into his embrace lightly ‘well what a day huh? I start the day dropping my viola to be restored, and then play four million dollar violin then end the day with a date with this random dude I met in the park’

‘I’m just a random dude?’ Josh joked.

‘Well not now but you were when I first met you’ Louisa said ‘but a nice random dude’

‘Thanks’

‘How about we head out and have some dinner?’ Louisa suggested a few minutes silence ‘then I can catch a taxi to Grand Central for the subway home’

‘Sounds good’ Josh said happily ‘have you heard of Bighorn Steakhouse? It’s not as classy as Pieces but it’s right next to Grand Central. We could go there and you wouldn’t have to rush for the train back to Long Island’

‘Sounds great’ Louisa said enthusiastically ‘after what you put me through today I could really murder a Porterhouse’

‘Oh come on it wasn’t that bad’ Josh said in amusement as she went to put away her violin properly.

‘Yeah it was’ Louisa said with a grin ‘you must be a shit to your students when you give a master class seriously’

‘Haven’t had any complaints recently’ Josh said with a snort.

‘I bet you haven’t given a master class recently!’

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After a long leisurely evening meal at the Bighorn Steakhouse Josh walked Louisa across the road to Grand Central Station and to the platform from where her train across the river to Long Island would arrive.

‘Fifteen minutes to go yet’ Josh said reading the big screen that advertised all the approaching departure times.

‘I’m going to crash when I get home’ Louisa said with a yawn as they sat down on a cast iron bench in a little alcove off the platform her train would leave from ‘seriously I’m exhausted’

‘That’s partly my fault’ Josh said hesitantly reaching for her hand ‘I’m sorry. The stress of trying to learn such a difficult piece would’ve tired you out’

Louisa gripped his hand and squeezed it.
‘Don’t apologize I over stressed’ she said ‘maybe next time we’ll stick to Row Row Row Your Boat or Wheels on the Bus huh?’

‘They’re the two songs I play best’ Josh joked absentmindedly rubbing the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb ‘I have a whole repertoire of kids songs, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star all those. I’d be a hit at kid’s parties’

‘I reckon you would’ Louisa said with a grin ‘besides Josef and the twins how many Bell grandkids are there?

‘Eight’ Josh said ‘with one on the way. There’s Kayla, Claire and Justin the kids from my elder half sister TJ. Then there’s Lewis, Gregory and Piper my next eldest sister Terry’s kids then there’s Emma and Jamie Rachel my younger sister’s kids she’s the one with one on the way. At the moment Sam and Ben are the youngest. Christmas costs Mom a fortune every year’

‘I bet it does’

‘How about your family?’ Josh asked in interest ‘any grandkids?’

‘Yep there’s six’ Louisa said ‘All boys. There’s Scott and Liam they belong to Leisl, James and Patrick they belong to Freidrich then there’s Lachlan and Rupert Kurt’s two. I’m the third one along and the only unmarried childless one. I’m currently the cool aunt’

‘That gets out of baby sitting duties because you’re on the other side of the world?’ Josh said with a chuckle.

‘Yup that’s my brilliant plan. I’ve said to Fred, Leis and Kurt that when they’re old enough they’re more than welcome to come to the States and crash at my place. By then they’ll be old enough to drive and I won’t have to be Aunty Za’s Taxi Service’

‘D’you go home much?’ Josh asked in interest.

‘Yeah for Easter and Christmas and all birthdays’ Louisa said ‘I take two weeks for Easter and a month for Christmas and New Year. I missed Fred’s birthday this year because I was right in the middle of a job at Gulfstream Racecourse down in Florida but otherwise I would’ve gone home for his birthday’

‘Do your family come over here for your birthday?’

‘Oh yeah they have every year. Mum and Dad always do and Fred, Kurt and Leis do if they’re not working’ Louisa said a smile spreading across her face ‘this year Mum, Dad and Fred came over. I was in Kentucky for my birthday this year and we all went to the Kentucky Derby that was great fun’

‘It’s been drummed into me that it’s rude to ask a lady her age but would it be safe to ask wether this year was a milestone birthday?’ Josh asked with a grin.

Louisa giggled shrilly.
Well I didn’t turn eighteen, or twenty one or forty’ she said in amusement ‘have a guess’

‘Fifty?’ Josh joked with a hearty laugh ‘that’s a big milestone’

‘Oh you!’ Louisa joked slapping his arm playfully ‘if you want that first date you’ll say sorry and take a much lower guess’

Josh gave her puppy dog eyes.
‘Thirty?’ he guessed.

‘Right on’ Louise said ‘the gathering wasn’t as big as my eighteenth or twenty first but it was still a good get together’

‘Well happy belated birthday’ Josh said with a grin.

‘Ha ha....thanks’ Louise said ‘you got anything on during the week?’

‘Yeah I’m giving a few master classes at the New York Conservatory’ Josh said ‘that’ll be Monday through to Thursday. Then Friday I am going to stay in bed all day. Then Saturday I thought we could go on our date’

Louisa went pink and squeezed his hand lightly.
‘Sounds good’ she said in a whisper.

Despite his stomach performing remarkable feats of gymnastics Josh lifted up Louisa’s chin and kissed her lightly on the lips. She gave a little squeak then kissed him back.

Their kiss was hesitant at first but gradually developed into something more assured. Josh slipped an arm around Louisa’s waist and she put a hand on the back of his neck drawing him in.

‘Oh get a room!’ a street bum called from across the station.

Josh and Louisa didn’t stop, but Louisa lifted up her arm and gave a one fingered salute in the bum’s direction. Only the need for a decent intake of oxygen forced them apart.

‘Well that was nice’ Louisa said resting her forehead against Josh’s ‘you’re quite the kisser Mr Bell’

‘I could say the same about you Miss Riminton’ Josh countered with a goofy grin ‘we probably shouldn’t do that again or you’ll miss your train’

‘Hmm pity’ Louisa said letting Josh draw her close ‘we’ll have to save that for next Saturday’

‘I think I could learn to look forward to Saturdays’ Josh said cheerfully.

‘You don’t normally?’

‘Of course the weekends are my relaxing time’ Josh said ‘but I have something or rather someone to look forward to now’

Right on quarter to ten a train pulled up to the platform and the passengers within it poured out.

‘You have a safe trip home’ Josh said ‘let me know when you’re home alright?’

‘I shall’ Louisa said kissing him lightly on the lips as the crowds buffeted them ‘keep yourself tidy good lookin’

Josh rolled his eyes as Louisa giggled.
‘Do I look the type to be messy?’ he said dryly.

‘Maybe with enough genuine Russian vodka’ Louisa said with a grin.

‘Ha ha’ Josh said diving her a little push toward the train ‘go and catch the train or you’ll miss it. I’ll ring you during the week alight? And let me know if you get the job’

‘I will night Josh!’

‘Night Louisa’

Louisa got on the train and immediately the warning chime sounded and the doors snapped shut. Josh waved til the train disappeared then turned to return to his apartment a stupid grin upon his face.

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Immediately upon returning to his apartment Josh dialled Rachel. It picked up after one ring and his sister greeted him with...

‘So how did it go? Did you ask her out?’

‘Good evening sister dear’ Josh said pointedly.

‘Yea yeah yeah hi’ Rachel said ‘so did you ask her out or not?’

‘D’you think I would be ringing you if I hadn’t?’ Josh said ‘of course I asked her out’

‘So when’s the first date? Did you kiss her? Did you find out how old she was? Where are you taking her? Did you feel her up?’

‘Next Saturday, Yes several times, yes, don’t know yet and none of your damn business’ Josh said.

‘So you’re taking her out on a date next Saturday You did kiss her you don’t know where you’re taking her and yes you did feel her up’ Rachel said with a grin.

‘No I didn’t feel her up you sick woman’ Josh said as he set about making himself a coffee ‘we haven’t even had out first date yet. I have standards Rach’

‘I know you do hon just teasin’ Rachel said ‘so how d’you think you meshed with her?’

‘Brilliantly’ Josh said happily ‘you know a lot of people will think it corny I’ve hooked up with another violinist but Louisa plays for fun for, recreation not for a living. She plays because she wants to not because she has to and that’s refreshing. I always got the feeling with Lisa she was starting to get a bit jaded with the violin’

‘So is she any good?’ Rachel asked in interest.

‘Yeah she’s brilliant’ Josh said ‘I seriously don’t know why she didn’t make music her career. She’d get into the conservatory or Julliard tomorrow I’m sure of it. We started working on the twenty fourth Caprice today’

‘And how did that go?’

‘Great she’s picking it up well’

‘You sound more like a teacher than her boyfriend’

‘I’m not even the latter....yet’ Josh said ‘I’m more interested in Louisa as a girlfriend than a student. Anyway music is just something we have in common and bonded over’

‘Have you thought about where you’d take her for the first date?’

‘Not in depth’ Josh said ‘I was thinking maybe Valentinos on the Upper West Side or something more casual maybe a picnic. I don’t want it to seem like I’m trying too hard’

‘J this is the first date you’re supposed to go to a little effort’ Rachel said dryly ‘why don’t you try something in between Valentinos and a picnic? Try a little smart café upstate somewhere. The go for a walk through Central Park hand in hand with romantic incidental music in the background’

Josh rolled his eyes.
‘Oh ha ha very funny’ he said dryly as Rachel fell about laughing ‘God Rach why do I feel do damn stupid? I’m forty two years old for chrissakes, This isn’t the first time I’ve asked a woman out in my life. I’m a guy we’re supposed to be able to do this on our ear!’

‘Yeah but J you’re not a guy guy’ Rachel said ‘you don’t go through women like John Mayer does you love few but do it wholly. That’s probably why you’ve only loved one woman your whole entire life. So you’re inexperienced with asking women out. Louisa said yes didn’t she? Your technique however half assed works’

‘Yeah it does’ Josh joked as the kettle boiled ‘I let her play the Strad you know’

‘Oh and how did that go?’

‘It was unreal it really was’ Josh said earnestly spooning coffee into his favourite violin embellished mug ‘she made it sing. Seriously it sounded totally different’

‘What did she play?’

‘The love theme from Romeo and Juliet’ Josh said ‘it sounded so different it really did. Paolo loves her. He had her play his viola because hers wasn’t playable and it sang it really did. It’s the only time I’ve ever seriously considered taking up the viola too’

‘Is she that good?’ Rachel asked in interest.

‘I think so and I’m not saying that because I like her, she’s got real skill’

‘Have you told her I play viola too?’

‘Nah not yet. Got to leave something to talk about on the first date don’t I?’

‘Does she know about the boys?’

‘Yeah they was the first thing I told her about’

‘And she doesn’t mind?’

‘No, at least she didn’t seem to’ Josh said ‘but she did ask how often I see them. I figure if she didn’t want to date a single Dad she wouldn’t have said yes when I asked her and wouldn’t have asked how often I see him’

When are you going to introduce them?’

‘Aw shit I dunno Rach we haven’t even gone on the first date yet. I’ll play it by ear and see how things go’ Josh said ‘and this is one thing I’m going to have to consult with Lisa on. I’m not going to introduce the boys to a new woman unless I’m sure things are serious. She hasn’t introduced them to her new guy yet. I’ve got to be really careful they'tre only five and three and if I introduce them to Louisa now and things don’t work out they might grow up not having any respect for women and think that couples that are together don’t stay together. I don’t want to raise assholes’

‘Does Lisa know there’s someone on the scene?’ Rachel asked in interest.

‘Not for sure, I mean I haven’t told her outright but I think she suspects there’s someone around’ Josh said.

‘So how are you two getting on now?’

‘Well we’re not killing each other but things are still tense’ Josh said ‘we keep a lid on it in front of the boys. I have the feeling they can tell Mommy and Daddy don’t like each other very much though’

‘They're a smart kids they probably can’ Rachel said ‘three year olds are pretty cluey. Have any of them asked you why Mom and Dad aren’t together anymore?’

‘Yeah Jo did and that was hard to answer’ Josh said adding milk to his coffee.

‘And what did you say?

‘I just said that Mom and Dad got on better when they were apart but we still loved him the same. He seemed happy with that then we spent half an hour going down slides’

‘Joshua Bell you’re forty two years old and still sliding?’ Rachel said with a snort of laughter ‘I’d pay to see that’

‘Oh ha ha yes I went sliding. I have a three year old. So do you, you know the whole politics of amusing a small child’

‘Maybe you can go sliding with Louisa on your date’ Rachel said suggestively ‘spread the old J-Bell charm’

‘Oh shut up’ Josh said ‘if Louisa and I get to that stage it’s not going to be anytime soon. I’m going to take your advice and wine and dine her and see where things go. I don’t want to push things’

‘You’re a sensible sausage J’ Rachel said ‘Louisa is very lucky to be with you I hope she realises that’

‘Well that’s something you’ll have to ask her’ Josh said ‘I really like her Rach we can talk for hours and still it feels like we haven’t covered everything’

‘Well big brother she very well could be the one’ Rachel said happily ‘I hope she is you deserve a good woman to stand by you’

‘Oh shut up you’ll get me crying in minute’ Josh said thickly ‘thanks though’

‘No problem, ring me after the first date and let me know how things go alright?’

‘I’ll do that Catch you later hey?’

‘Back at ya brother’

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Photographer in the Park