Gwen was completely unaware of the words being spoken against her as she looked at Elijah Primeau. He seemed pleased at the notebook and that gave her a slight tingle of pleasure which she entirely did not trust. Oh, she was not going down this road, thank you very much. He was tall, he was handsome and -- damn him to hell -- he seemed to be a genuinely nice man. But, she'd thought that Paul was a genuinely nice man, Gwen reminded herself, and there was a lesson to be learned there. Elijah was just being friendly, she was sure, and feeling a touch sorry for her, so obviously an absolute mess as she was. Besides, from tomorrow, she wouldn't be seeing him at pick-up time, even though the classes shared an exit point - Toby was going into the aftercare, here, as her new job started at the beginning of next week and she had to get the apartment in order before then.<br/><br/>As the bell went, and the children started pouring out of the doors, like a sea of enthusiastic locusts, there was Toby. Gwen dropped to sit on her heels and gave him a hug. Reaching up she stroked his hair and smiled.<i>  "How was your day, darling boy?"</i>He looked at her and smiled. Just for a moment, he seemed like the little boy she'd known before Paul.<br/><br/>"It was good, Mom. I'm sorry 'bout this morning."<br/><br/>Gwen shook her head, immediately.<i> "It's alright darling. Everything's very new, isn't it? So very new and lots of big big changes for us both. I'm so glad you had a good day, sweetheart. This is Mr Primeau, Toby"</i>She stood then, and Toby, for his part, gave a slight wave and a mumbled, "hullo, sir," though he didn't look at Elijah. However, when Elijah introduced her to his daughter, Gwen beamed at the polite young child. Solemnly, she took Rosalie's hand and shook it.<i> "Oh, you can call me Gwen, sweetheart, and you are very welcome."</i>She smiled in pleasure at Rosalie's response to the book, her gaze moving to Elijah and the delight evident on her face.<i>  "I thought that you looked like a young woman who needs a princess book.  I make them, because... well. Don't tell too many people,"</i>Gwen glanced around and then leaned in to "whisper" to Rosalie.<i> "But my name, Gwen? It's short for Guinevere. She was a princess who married King Arthur and it means that I can spot a real princess from very far away."</i>Gwen had serious and earnest down to a fine art.<br/><br/>"Mom, whatcha do to your hand?" Toby asked and Gwen glanced down.<br/><br/><i>"I hit it with a hammer,"</i>she replied and Toby looked at her with an expression on his face which - just for a moment - looked exactly like his mother.<br/><br/>"You mean it?" Toby asked, with a little bit of awe in his voice. Gwen just grinned.  She kept the grin on her face when Elijah spoke about a pizza place, which sounded fine, and then said it was his treat. Toby's eyes lit with delight and Gwen felt her heart sink, but she kept the smile on her face.<i> "I would love... we would love to join you there. But it's my treat, not yours. You're being kind enough to show us this place, after all."</i>Toby frowned.<br/><br/>"But Mom, you always say we've got no money since Paps left." Oh, that's just great, Gwen thought and she glanced at Toby with an expression somewhere between adoration and despair. Mostly, he ignored it. "We don't ever go to restaurants no more, or anywhere what costs money." Gwen had never wanted to have the ground swallow her up before now, not like this. This morning's little display had<i> nothing</i>on this moment.<br/><br/>"<i>He's misunderstanding. My treat. Really. Please?"</i>Especially now. Just as soon as they got back to the apartment, Gwen was going to lecture young Toby on what we do - and what we do<b> not</b>discuss with relative strangers. She held up her right hand with a wicked smile.<i> "You wouldn't pick on an injured woman, would you?"</i>If absolutely all else failed, she'd stand firm on going half each, she determined.  Anything else was a date. And this was<b> not</b>a date.<br/><br/>Not a date.<br/><br/>They made their way to the parking lot and, as Rosalie started to sing, Gwen's face once more broke into a grin and there, unconcerned about the glances from the other parents (yes, there were a few of those) and the grins from the teachers (most of them, anyhow) she sang right along. Toby, at that, rolled his eyes like he was a sight older than he was and said, quite genuinely, to Elijah.<br/><br/>"I don't understand girls."<br/><br/>Gwen grinned and put her hand on Elijah's arm. Just briefly, and then as though she realised what she'd done, she took it off again.<i> "You'll lead the way?"<br/>
</i><br/>Once in the car, she and Toby had a brief conversation. Yes, she said, he could have dessert. No, she didn't like it when he talked about them not having money. Yes, that was one of those things that was private and yes, that was exactly what Paps leaving was like. No, she wasn't going to marry Mr Primeau and, no, if she did marry him he wouldn't leave like.. but what was the point of<i> that</i>question, she asked Toby, catching herself. She wasn't marrying him so there was no worry.<br/><br/>"It's just me and you, Mom, isn't it?" The sound of fear at being hurt again in her son's voice threatened to break Gwen's heart.<br/><i>"Yes, darling, it's just me and you."</i><br/>"Mr Primeau isn't your boyfriend, Mom, is he?"<br/><i>"No, darling, he's not."</i><br/>"And if he said he wanted to be, you'd say no?"<br/>She paused at that question and she sighed.<i>  "He's not going to say that Toby. You don't need to worry." </i><br/>"But we can still eat pizza together, Mom?"<br/><br/>Gwen smiled, pulling into the new parking lot of<u> 'Gonzo Time Pizza'</u>Dear Lord, but this place looked awful, she thought.<i>"Yes darling,"</i>she said, with a smile.<i> "We can eat pizza. Even here."</i>Getting out of the car she looked at Elijah and raised an eyebrow. She said nothing but that eyebrow? It spoke volumes.<br/><br/><i>"This looks …. lovely."</i>Gwen said and her grin was genuine.<i> "In an entirely masochistic sort of way. Shall we?"</i>