Handle With Care

29. The Best Years.

HANDLE WITH CARE

29. The Best Years.

LUKE

Surprisingly, for the past few weeks Luke had started to grow some type of happiness in the garden in his head. And it seemed to be blatantly obvious that Annie had planted all those seeds, helped them nourish and bloom. Their friends could tell, just how much she was helping him. They still hadn't told their friends that Annie was actually a therapist, they needn't know, it would only make things awkward.

Luke woke up alone this morning, feeling rather down, but not as bad as he had once been. He remembered what it was like waking up in Jack's house, lost, drowned in sorrow. Now he was back at his old apartment, living again. A couple nights a week Annie will stay over, and sometimes he will stay at hers, and on the days they didn't Luke was lonely as ever.

He made himself some breakfast and watched the news on the TV, contemplating what to do for the day. He noticed on the side of the couch was Annie's coat, she must have forgotten it this morning. He thought nothing of it, but instead continued thinking about her. He had never felt this way about someone before, so much so he started humming. Not a familiar song, not one others would recognise, an original.

It took him about twenty minutes until he realised he kept humming this new, wonderful melody. He stood from the couch and made his way to the door at the end of the apartment, the one with the biggest windows, the one that helped everything. He stood in front of the door. Waiting. He hadn't been in here in years. Turning the doorknob, he remembered how much time he used to spend in here; hours upon hours, late nights and early mornings and everything in between.

His music room was exactly as he left it; smashed to pieces. The trophies were clustered on the floor, the guitars that were once hanging on the walls smashed and scattered, the once grand piano which sat centre of the room, covered in dust and torn music sheets. He took in a shaky breath, forcing himself not to leave and close the door behind him. If Annie were here, she would tell him that in order to start a new, we must correct the past. So this is where he starts.

It took him a good few hours to clean the room, he struggled when it came to throwing things away, but he didn't hold back. All the broken guitars and music sheets that he no longer needed; gone. The wall seemed empty without them, but he decided it will be easy enough to fill back up. Dusting off the piano, he gave it a thorough clean before sitting at the stool, fingers spread delicately along the keys.

He hummed that melody once again, thinking of nothing but Annie. He wanted everything with her, from start to finish. At the beginning of their relationship he almost thought that he couldn't be happy because of her, as in meeting her he had lost his parents. Without that devastating event, they would never have met each other. Yet, he liked to think they might have. He didn't need something so dreadful to help him find the love of his life. It could so happen that they could have met at the coffee shop down the street, or on a walk, or even at a glance in the street. There's no doubt in Luke's mind that they are meant to be, not with how extraordinary she made him feel.

I'll give you the best years...

He mumbled to himself, fitting it to the melody he started this morning. His fingers followed his voice on the piano keys, bringing together the beginnings of a song. He was writing a song, because of Annie, for Annie.

He smiled to himself, unable to contain his joy as he let out a slight squeal, grabbing a notepad and beginning to write down. He felt unstoppable once again, invincible with pen in hand and lyrics in his head.

After a couple more hours he managed to string together the beginnings of a song, maybe even finish it. The patter of rain on the window didn't bother him at first until it turned torrential, and he remembered Annie had left her coat. She was going to walk to Luke's after work and stay the night once again. He rushed from his music room, got changed and brought a spare jumper as well as an umbrella and both his and her coat, locking up and leaving Petunia to snooze on the couch.

He jogged slightly to Annie's work, hoping she working late so she wasn't out walking in this. However he was wrong, about twenty minutes in he noticed the most beautiful person in the world walking towards him. She had wrapped her scarf around her shoulders and head in a fragile attempt of keeping warm. Luke reached a hand out as she nearly rushed passed him, wanting nothing more than to be in the warm grasp of her boyfriend.

They hadn't put a label on it yet, but everyone knew, even themselves. She jumped slightly at the touch of a hand on her shoulder, freezing in her step before noting her smiling, handsome man wrapped up in front of her.

"Hey, what're you doing here?" She spoke, teeth chattering. She leant into him as he opened up his coat, pulling her inside it and kissing her forehead as he opened up the umbrella above them, finally finding her shelter.

"You left your coat at mine," he pulled it out the bag, slipping it on her as she gladly let him, tired from the draining day. They both speed walked home to Luke's, beyond tired from the battering rain against their skin. Luke opened the door for her, ushering her inside as he swiftly set the fireplace, turning on the kettle and putting yesterdays left over pasta bake back in the oven.

Annie watched him potter around the house, humming to himself. She smiled to herself, finally realising that a difference had been made. She did that. She had a quick shower, although not too quick as she basked in the warmth. Although she hated to do so, she towel dried her hair briefly, having to do so at Luke's as he didn't have any of her hair products here.

He watched her leave the bedroom from the ensuite, dressed in one of his shirts and some shorts, running her fingers through her hair and mumbling about how bad towels were for her hair. He made his way over, kissing her cheek and dragging her over to the couch, tackling her down onto it as he peppered her face full of kisses. "I love your hair however you do it," he grabbed the blanket from the end of the couch and pulled it over her as she settled down. He made his way over to the kitchen, stroking Petunia as he passed.

She then went on a tangent about maintaining healthy curly hair, but Luke didn't mind as she seemed to enjoy it. He carried over the tray of pasta bake for them to share, leaving the fire on to make sure she completely warmed up, not wanting her to catch a cold.

"I'll have to leave in the morning tomorrow to walk to dogs before work, I'm in at lunch which isn't too bad," Annie pulled herself closer to Luke after they had finished eating, resting her head on his lap as he scrolled through the TV channels. Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince was on which they both loved and decided to watch. "I wish I could stay here all day instead though."

"You should move in," Luke spoke, a hand running through her hair as she lay on him.

"What?"

"I mean, we're always at each other's anyways... it'd be... I just..." Luke paused, taking in a breath as he realised what he was asking. It wasn't just some casual conversation they were having, he was talking about their next step. Together, as a couple. "I guess I'm asking you... would you like to move in with me?"

"Don't you think it's a bit soon... its only been a couple months..." she whispered, sitting up as Petunia made her way over to their feet.

"I'd do everything with you right now, Annie I..." he paused, taking a breath, "today I felt a lot of things, and I did a lot of things I never would have been able to do without you." He paused once more, struggling to get his words out, "I want to give you everything, the best years of our lives, I want to be apart of them, with you. Annie, I love you." He spoke rather quickly, yet quiet enough for Annie to hear right down her ear, every single word.

"I love you too," she beamed.