When it came time to leave and go back home my heart felt the weight of leaving him behind. The night before I left we had hugged each other tight in bed and wished the morning would never come. We both knew it would be a while before we saw each other again. Maybe even months given his schedule and I would have to arrange cover for the shop if it meant flying back to Monaco. He told me to keep a bag packed in case he got a chance to see me as he would send a car from the airport to collect me. We had sat in the car on the way to my flight in silence. It was as though we were easing into the separation period. I know I felt heartbroken and I could tell by the silence and sorrowful look on his face that he felt the same. It was not as though he was just going to work for a few hours and would be back later that night... it could be months.
The car seemed to be travelling too fast and the traffic was too clear so we were there in no time, so much for being held up in traffic. I tried to smile at him with the 'we are here then' smile but the tears filling my eyes gave away my true feelings. He looked down at our hands, with our fingers laced together, as though to compose himself before lifting them to his lips and pressing a firm kiss to them like a seal to bound them together.
"I'll see you soon," I said as I heard the plane waiting. I rushed out of the car and up the stairs of the plane without a goodbye kiss. I can't stand 'goodbyes'. I sat in my seat as the airhostess closed the door after me. I was too busy fighting the tears to notice us taking off.
The flight home seemed quicker than the journey out to see him. I spent the journey reliving every moment I had spent with him and as the car from the airport took me home I felt like we were worlds apart. When I walked into my apartment and turned on the light I was shocked to find a huge bouquet of flowers on the table. I read the card, 'I am missing you too. All my love, Edward. x' I burst into tears whilst smiling my face off. My heart was confused at feeling heartbroken and loved at the same time.
As the days passed I told Mary 'every detail' as requested.... ok not every detail as some are private but I did fess up to getting jiggy with it in the car at the airport. She squealed with delight and hugged me proudly. Edward still hadn't managed to call as he was out of the country and his itinerary meant he had barely any time to sleep let alone call me at some ungodly hour as the time difference would be horrendously inconvenient. Emails, texts and the likes were far too traceable so he would call me on secure line when he got the chance. He was arranging a new phone for me so I could contact him but I hadn't received it yet.
I ran the shop as usual, fussed a lot of babies and gave Tony's son lots of kisses for his poorly head. It was healing well but he still kept falling over and scaring the hell out of us. Everyone kept singing, 'what we going to do with the drunken solider' to him and came to the conclusion his head was just to heavy for his body to hold up.
Mary and Arthur were taking a few days off to go down to their caravan so I was truly rushed off my feet which I enjoyed as it occupied my mind and stopped me whimpering like a puppy over Edward.
I was in the kitchen washing up for the 8th time that afternoon when I felt arms wrap around my waist making me jump.
"Hello beautiful," Edward whispered.
I was so shocked that is took me a moment to turn and a few stunned seconds after that to join in the wonderful kiss he was giving me.
"I hope you don't mind," he said. "I just couldn't take hearing your voice on the phone and not being able to see your face or kiss your lips."
I drowned in another amazing kiss that had us scrambling upstairs to my bedroom. We made it as far as the living room floor. Only removing the items of clothing necessary. I don't like goodbye kisses but I love hellos!
"How long are you here for?" I asked breathless in the aftermath of our lovemaking and still on the floor.
"A couple of hours," he replied just as breathless.
"Is that it?" I asked snuggling closer at the news.
"Yes, sorry I know it was selfish of me to turn up but I am missing you terribly and I didn't care what it took I had to see you again," he replied.
"I'm glad you did. Even a minute with you is better than none," I said and felt a little emotional but thank god I didn't get teary eyed.
We shared a few more lovey-dovey kisses and got cleaned up before going back down stairs where we got the 'oh yeah' looks from everyone. I didn't care.
"I am starving," Edward said helping himself to a huge helping of stewed beef and potato and joining Gerard and Piers at the kitchen table.
I buttered him some bread and took it over, stroking his hair and stealing a kiss.
He ate his food so quickly I barely had time to serve a customer before he was over saying he wanted pudding and making himself a coffee. He looked shattered as I fixed him a bowl of apple crumble and custard. Gerard and Piers wanted some too, even though they had already had their pudding. Piers decided he wanted his apple crumble with ice cream and not custard. I noticed Edwards expression he wanted the same but was happy with his. I brought theirs over and a side of ice cream for him.
"Favouritism," Gerard said as Edward beamed and stole another kiss... sod the customers... I was in love!
I headed off to clear some tables whilst they ate and took dishes into the kitchen where Bet was cleaning things up.
"You've got it bad," she said.
"I know," I said smiling.
"He is a good man," she said.
"The best," I replied.
"Do you love him?" she asked.
"With all my heart and then some," I said sighing.
"You watch you don't end up pregnant," she said.
"I'm finished," Edward said behind me making me jump.
"Off you two go and have your time together we can manage down here," she said shoving me upstairs with him.
"Why don't you tell people?" Edward asked as we walked into the front room.
"Tell people what?" I asked.
"Bet just said watch you don't get pregnant, why don't you tell people that you can't?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"Sorry," he said sighing and regretting bringing it up. "It's a bit of deep conversation for the amount of time we have left together today," he said.
"I don't mind explaining to you but I won't tell other people as they will treat me differently," I said and in that moment realised why he hides his true identity. "People will pity me, they will whisper about me, hide pregnancies as they don't want to rub my face in it. They'll give me a sorrowful look every time I hold a baby or think I am going to turn into a nut job and steal theirs. Plus saying it out loud is confirming it and I prefer to live in denial because losing my family is enough without admitting I will never be able to have one myself and carry on their genes."
"I'm sorry," he said reaching out to stroke my hair.
"Me too. It just would have been nice to see kids running around and doing something my brother or sister would do or seeing my parents features again," I said trying to shrug it off.
"I can arrange for you to see a specialist, see if there is any chance," he offered tentatively.
"I've seen seven," I replied and with that burst into tears and run to my bedroom.
He climbed onto the bed beside me and pulled me into his arms.
"I want a baby," I said breaking my heart.
"I know you do," he said soothing me.
"Other than Mark you are the only person that knows and it's not an easy thing to talk about," I explained.
"I know sweetheart. I will not tell a soul," he vowed.
Mark had left me because of it... wait... was Edward mentioning it because... no he wouldn't.
"What are you thinking?" he asked. "It is something bad I can tell by how tense you have become. Spit it out," he demanded.
"Are you... do you... did you offer because..." I couldn't get my words out.
"I am not Mark! I accept us as we are. I love us as we are. All I am saying is for your health and for your peace of mind, if you want to see a specialist, I will find you the best in the world and I will pay, no arguing," he said making a little spark come alive inside me. "I'm not saying that to get your hopes up as money can't solve everything but sometimes it can find a specialist who can work miracles, or confirm 100% that there is no chance of natural conception so you can be advised of other options. We are in a new relationship. I don't know where it is going to lead and neither do you but I do know that I love you and have since the moment I set eyes on you dancing outside the shop in the sunshine and smiling at everyone. I know I want my future to be with you and if that means finding a loop hole so I can marry you and scour the world for any chance of having babies together then I will do it."
I was speechless. Did he just say 'loop hole', 'marriage', 'babies'... I kissed him with everything I had.
"Is that a yes then?" he teased between kisses as I started tearing off his clothes.
"Yes, yes, yes..." I said kissing him all over the face. "I love you, I love you, I love you!"
"And yes to finding a loophole so we can get married?" he asked stopping me dead in my kissing tracks!
"I thought you were just being romantic and smushy," I replied stunned.
He hauled me up off the bed and got down on his knee half-naked, taking my hand, "I know it is not the best proposal in the world but...," he cleared his throat. "Victoria... wait you will have to cover your breasts they are distracting me," he said passing me a top to hold hold against me laughing. "Victoria Grace Campbell will you spend the rest of your life with me and become my wife?" he asked.
I nodded like a mad woman, my eyes wide with shock; my heart was hugging my throat so tight I couldn't say a word... not even yes.
He kissed my ring finger, "I promise to grace this finger with the best engagement ring in the world," he said making me laugh. "We will shop for a ring or you can design one and I'll have it made," he said as he stood up. "Kiss your fiancé," he said making me squeak with excitement as he sealed his proposal, and my acceptance, with a kiss.
"Is this a secret engagement?" I asked as he broke it off.
"No," he replied and as though on cue his phone rang in his pocket. He answered it in his own language before changing to English, "She literally said yes, barely a minute ago" he replied to whoever was on the phone and pulled me into his arms for a cuddle. "Now find us that loophole or I'm abdicating," he said laughing at the person on the other end.
"Who is it?" I mouthed.
"Uncle," he mouthed back.
I was gobsmacked his uncleknew. He must have known. Did Edward come here today to propose? His uncle wasfinding us a loophole... I thought about asking something else but given timewas running out and he would be leaving soon I found other things to do with mymouth which nearly made him drop the phone.�Sg�{MD^����