Chapter ten

The first few months of their marriage seemed to pass by in a flash. They had a lovely honeymoon touring around Europe, and when they got back they moved in to a new home.

'Morning, Mrs James.' Charlie grinned one Saturday morning, pushing the door open with the edge of a breakfast tray. 'Are you alive?'

Georgie groaned and pulled the covers over her head. 'It's too early!'

'Too early?!' Charlie said jokingly. 'Remind me again what time we used to get up on tour? 0500 hours wasn't it?'

'All those early starts has broken me!' Georgie yawned. 'I still haven't caught up.'

Charlie climbed in to bed next to her and started munching his way through a plate of bacon sandwiches. 'Do you want one? I made some for you.'

Georgie pulled the covers off her head but the smell of the bacon immediately made her stomach churn. 'No.' She said. 'Thanks.'

'Go on!' He said. 'There's no better heroes breakfast than a bacon sandwich. It will sort your hangover out!'

All of a sudden she jumped out of bed and ran across the room and out in to the hallway, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth. Charlie carried on munching on his bacon sandwich for a few moments, before the sound of her throwing up in the bathroom put him off the rest of his breakfast. 'Nice.' He muttered, setting the plate down on the side and strolling in to the hallway. 'Georgie? Are you ok?'

'Yeah.' She replied weakly. 'I'll be out in a minute.'

'That'll teach you for having too much to drink.' He said.

Last night they had gone for drinks with the original 2 section. It was good to catch up with everyone. Things had changed for many of them since they had all returned from Bangladesh. Monk proudly showed off photos of his son - he was walking and talking already. Brains had a new girlfriend, and Ruby was now an experienced medic. Rab was still with 2 section but Maisie had moved to a different section because they were now engaged. Fingers had tried again for special forces and had been successful this time. They had all been on tours since Bangladesh, and had filled Charlie and Georgie in on all the things they had missed.

Although Charlie was happy with his life now, he did feel a little hint of jealousy hearing about their adventures. He enjoyed the job he had now, working with troubled teenagers and trying to get their lives back on track, but it would never be as exciting or exhilarating as his time in the army. That was the funny thing about the army. There had been plenty of shit bits, times that had very nearly broken him. His medical discharge had been a huge relief and had been a turning point in terms of his mental health. But he still looked back on his time fondly.

'I didn't even have that much to drink.' Georgie said, emerging from the bathroom. 'I didn't feel right last night either so I only had a couple. I think it might be that lunch we had yesterday.'

'Well I'm fine.' Charlie said. 'Anyway what are you saying about my cooking? I'm a bloody good chef!'

She smiled weakly. 'If you don't mind I'm going back to bed.'

'I'll get you some water.' He said.

When he went back in to the bedroom with a glass of water, Georgie was already asleep. He set the glass down on the side, before tucking the covers gently over her and kissing her forehead. 'Night.' He said.

When Georgie woke up, she felt a little better. She rolled over and noticed the glass of water on the side, with a little note of paper resting against it. 'Gone for a run. Sleep well. Love you xx' She smiled, and then stretched before getting out of bed.

As she got up the room began to spin and she sat back down on the edge of the bed for a few moments, letting the blood run back out of her head. She hadn't felt this ill for ages - but it couldn't be food poisoning if Charlie didn't have it too. Come to think of it, she had been feeling exhausted for a couple of weeks. Maybe a virus, she thought.

She padded in to the bathroom and took her pyjamas off, before turning the shower on to warm up. Whilst she waited her eyes caught on a box of tampons that she had left on the side. They were collecting dust, they had been there for ages. Suddenly it occurred to her that this wasn't food poisoning and it probably wasn't a virus. She hadn't had a period for six weeks.

She turned the water off and rummaged in the bathroom cabinet for the pregnancy test she remembered putting in there weeks earlier, when they had moved in. Whilst they hadn't been trying for a baby she always liked to keep one just in case. She ripped it out of its packaging and set it down on the bathroom worktop, staring at it for a few seconds.

Suddenly Charlie burst in to the bathroom without warning. She hadn't even heard him come back from his run.

'Sorry I couldn't wait.' He said, pushing past her and lifting the lid of the toilet. As he did so, his eyes fell on the open packaging she had left on the side. Georgie felt her cheeks flush and her heart began to pound in her chest.

'Is that...' he said hesitantly. 'Are you...?'

'I don't know.' She said, shaking. 'I haven't done it yet.'

She studied his expression. She couldn't tell if he looked more excited or worried.

They stood there for a minute, both staring at the test, neither of them knowing what to say. Finally Charlie picked up the test and placed it in to her hand. 'Better get on with it.' He said.

'What will you do if it's positive?' Georgie asked. Suddenly she felt insecure, and scared. She wanted to be excited but she was also nervous, and that familiar old feeling returned that she hadn't felt in a long time.

'What do you mean, what will I do?' Charlie asked. 'I suppose... I'll have to get painting the spare room!'

Georgie looked at the floor, and pulled the test out of his grip. 'Would you be alright with that?'

'Well I bloody hate painting.' Charlie said, but then he grinned. 'But I guess I can live with it. Let's find out.'