"And that is how you take a part a PC in the dark. Any questions?" Hills asked as he flicked the lights on. All of his students sat puzzled about what just happened. "No questions? Perfect! Right, it's the open day now, so if you have people coming to see you sorry lot go to the dining hall, if not, go and do what you please- as long as it's legal!" Hills chuckled and everyone went to leave.
"Claud, is Ben coming?" Will asked as he ran after me as I walked down the corridor. I looked up at my freakishly tall friend and I nodded.
"Yes. Are your parents coming?" Will nodded also. I continued to walk eager to see my baby and Ben.
"Claud?" Will sighed picking me up, so I faced him and my feet no longer touched the floor.
"William. Put me down." I said sternly, as he held me under my arms, "I need to find my baby!" I tried to keep a straight face.
He shook his head, "No! You need to turn up in style!" Will chuckled and placed me on his shoulders, and ran down the corridor to the dining hall.
As I entered the dining hall, I saw it was packed full of people. Families and friends of other university students. The aroma was strong as it was filled with the smell of picnics- sandwiches, crisps, fruit, oh and wine! The amount of wine bottles I saw being opened was unbelievable. It was like walking in on everyone's Christmas dinners. I walked through the hall, trying to locate my nincompoop fiancé and adorable daughter.
"Oh? Who's that?" Will gasped, as he pointed to a man in the distance, looking flustered. My eyes narrowed looking and my eyes widened.
As the man saw me his face lit up. "Pumpkin!" He gleamed. It was my Ben! I clambered off of Will and flung my arms around him, and cried into his chest. His hands were holding onto Alice's pram, but as I became attached to his person, one of his arms wrapped around me and his head resting on mine, as he delicately kissed my head before smiling friendly at Will, sort of asking him to give us a moment with his eyes. "How about we go and see the famous Professor of yours? Let's see Moss in action!" Ben chuckled with a playful wink. I giggled and nod, taking the handles of Alice's pram and pushing her to my lecture room, with Ben's arm wrapped gently, around my waist.
See AlsoKathleen’s Blog | Kathleen Laurel SageFOQ - Gallery - The best for last?Glass interviews up-and-coming actor Deaken Bluman - The Glass MagazineA Dressmaker at a Quilt Festival – a fish out of water?!"So, is he as eccentric as you make him out to be?" Ben chuckled as we walked, nearly approaching the room.
I giggled and nodded, "Just smile and nod. That's what we do. Unless he asks you to act out scenes from The IT Crowd, then run!"
Ben chortled, gleefully and nodded. As we walked down the corridor, people recognised Ben asking for photos, but politely Ben denied "I'm sorry" he would start, "but I'd rather not today. Any other day, but not today. Today I need to focus on my fiancée and my daughter. I'm very sorry. Please don't think me rude. I'd happily sign something for you instead-" and that would be how the conversation would proceed. "Come on Doll, let's go and finally see your Professor." Ben smiled, putting his arm back around me after signing a fans phone case. I agreed and we walked through the door of the lecture room.
"Claudia!" Hills gleamed seeing me. Due to me being the only female in the class, he had a very big soft spot for me.
"Hills!" I smiled and Ben stood beside me, and holding my waist still.
"How is my favourite student?"
"Great, thank you." I replied with a smile on my face. As I spoke, Alice started to coo, after waking from her nap.
"Oh, who's this bundle of joy?" Hills asked, crouching in front of the pram, looking at Alice.
"Hills, this my daughter, Alice."
See AlsoHome - The Festival of Quilts"Oh, hello, Sweetie!" Hills cooed to my daughter and she sat reaching for his hand. As he gave her his hand, she started to play with his fingers. "Oh, she's beautiful!" Hills smiled wide letting her.
"Just like her mummy!" Ben chipped in, kissing my forehead.
"Ah, Benedict, right?" Hills asked, as he looked up at Ben.
"Yes, and you're Jen?" Ben asked, with a smirk.
"Oh, you've heard of our lecture activities..." Hills blushed, standing up, straightening himself out.
"Yeah, Moss told me everything!" Ben chuckled, ruffling my hair slightly.
Hills nodded and smiled, "Oh, I see. I, I hope it's okay. I just, I just think it's a good ice breaker for the beginning of lessons. William and Claudia are fantastic actors when we do it. Where is William actually? He's normally stuck to your hip, Claudia?"
"He's gone to find the Lord and Lady" I said sweetly, with a smile on my face.
"I get to meet royalty? Swoon!!." Hills gasped in excitement.
I nodded in agreement and I crouched beside Alice to hold her. I held her in my arms as her hands clutched to my jumper and her head rested upon my shoulder.
"So, how is Claud in class?" Ben asked walking with Hills to his desk. As they walked over, I sat at my desk with Alice, kissing her cheek softly repeatedly. You wouldn't have thought I had only been at university for two days, but my god, it felt longer than that.
"Benedict, she is doing amazingly. Top of the class right now. If you look at this chart of assignment work, despite missing a lot of lessons, due to her maternity leave, she has completed all the assignments that I have set. She's also completed extra work and collected research I didn't expect her to find, but it's brilliant! She is an amazing asset to the class and without her, the lessons are tricky. The boys just sit there, and go into slow mode. You, Mr Cumberbatch, are one lucky man to have a girl like Claudia in your life." Hills beamed, as he pointed to his spreadsheet of marking.
Ben stood smiling wide and absolutely amazed "Sh-She's a genius! I'm marrying a genius!"
Hills nodded.
Ben turned to face me, at the front of the class, not caring that people were walking in and out of the room. He pointed his long, lean finger at me and exclaimed "You, Claudia Digby, are a bloody genius and I cannot wait to marry that beautiful brain of yours!"
I looked up at him and smiled wide before smirking looking at the other people in the room "I don't know this man!" I said playfully.
Ben smiled and rolled his eyes, jokingly and went back to looking through my work, assignments and report.
Finally, Hills let me and Ben go, and off we went for our picnic with Alice. As we walked out to the green, Will walked over to us with his parents. "Claudia! Moss!" He smiled, waving rapidly.
"Hi Roy!" I smiled and stopped in my steps, "Do you want to join us for a picnic?"
"We'd love to!" Will exclaimed as he walked with us. As we walked, we were both a bit slow in our steps as we were feeling the effect from last nights party and Ben and Will's parents had clocked it!
