"You ready?" Tabby drew a deep breath.
Henrik shrugged on his suit jacket, "I think so." He ran his thumbs down the lapels and giving a nervous grimace.
Tabby stepped forward and straightened his tie for him.
He looked her over, "You look beautiful, she would have loved that dress on you."
"And you look dashing, she would have said you were my Prince Charming."
They lightly chuckled and Henrik turned and picked the urn up from the coffee table.
"Got your keys?" Henrik checked.
Tabby held them up and gave them a jingle as they made their way to the door.
It was a sombre atmosphere in the car as they drove in silence. Tabby reached to turn on the radio and despite Heart's club classics sounding in the background Henrik made no attempt to reach for another station. Tabby's heart felt heavy, he must be in bits, but Henrik being Henrik not a single pixel of his heart shows upon his sleeve. Idle conversation filled occasional gaps but otherwise it was a quiet ride.
Tabby was somehow relieved when they reached their destination; The Hoof & Boat.
"It hasn't changed its name I see." Henrik smiled gazing up at the letters on the wall of the building.
Tabby looked around, her brow furrowed, "I've been here before I think."
"Really?" Henrik didn't appear too surprised.
"Only for a walk." Tabby shrugged, locking the car she joined Henrik's side.
"You see that row of cottages over there?" He pointed to the terrace across the road from the pub.
"Mm hm." She confirmed.
"That middle one was where Fran used to live, and this pub was owned by Mick's parents, they never gave it up until they died, by that time Mick and Fran had moved 3 miles down the road to a place called Lily Grove, a little cul-de-sac of about six small houses just off the main road, I believe it's been knocked down and now has an Aldi built on it." Henrik nodded as he remembered what Fran had told him the last they were here.
"See Fran, you're home." Tabby smiled solemnly at the urn before turning her gaze and holding back her tears.
Turning they started down the canal path.
Spotting a bridge not too far in the distance Henrik took a deep breath.
'This is it.' Tabby thought to herself, spotting Henrik's unease.
As they reached the bridge Tabby took a hold of her tense lover's hand, he was trembling slightly.
Their eyes met, and she gave him a supportive nod, "You ready?" she whispered.
Henrik breathed deeply, "I think so." Letting go of her hand he stood on the edge of the path facing the water under the bridge.
Tabby stood back and allowed him his moment.
With one last deep breath, hugging the urn he began his speech,
"We'll remember you now you've gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land,
Now we can no more hold you by the hand,
Nor you half turn to go yet turning stay.
We'll remember you now there's no more day by day,
You tell us of our future that you plann'd,
We'll only remember you; you understand,
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if we should forget you for a while,
And afterwards remember, we will not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once you had,
Better by far we should forget and smile
Than that we should remember and be sad.
You've had some of the best times of your lives here with Mick, now it's time, you can continue your dreams together, right under this very bridge."
He gave a quick sniff and lowered himself to one knee, steadily placing the urn next to him, he popped off the lid and reached his hand in, taking a small handful of ash and then scattered it gently onto the water.
Tabby whimpered slightly and wiped tears from her cheeks. She watched as he took another pinch and scattered again.
Henrik suddenly heard a clop from Tabby's shoe and turned to look up at her, his face streaked with tears.
She crouched next to him, "May I?" She asked hesitantly, motioning to the urn.
"She was as much of a friend to you as she was to me." Henrik stated and moved the urn towards Tabitha for her to take a handful and scatter herself.
"Take good care, Fran, don't do anything I wouldn't do." She smiled as she sprinkled her handful onto the water.
"Which probably won't be a lot then." Henrik chuckled quietly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tabby looked insulted but they couldn't help but giggled together as they both sprinkled their last handfuls onto the canal.
Tabby waved at the floating ashes drifting leisurely down the canal, "Bye Fran."
Henrik too gave a short wave, and with a sigh he got to his feet.
Tabby got up but without looking up from the floor she turned, buried her head into Henrik's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. For the first time ever since Fran's passing she finally cried; not the quiet tears she'd been expressing the entire time but full, emotional sobs.
Henrik returned the cuddle, finally she was expressing her grief; perhaps she felt it wasn't right for her to grieve Fran because she felt she didn't have the close past that Henrik had with her; she wasn't necessarily a close friend, or a relative so it may have felt wrong for her to cry like this. She had held so strong for Henrik, whilst he broke down she built herself of stone, she became his stretcher when she needed to carried him through his grieving, stayed dry and became his towel when he was soaked with tears, and now she was letting it all go.
This time it was Henrik's turn, he'd done his main grieving, he now needed to guide Tabby through hers.
After a few minutes she became still. Henrik broke the embrace to crouch slightly and place his hands on her cheeks.
"She was a good friend." She sobbed as she realised he was checking she was ok.
He nodded and pulled her in again, holding her tightly as he took the turn to hold back his tears and become her rock.
"Let's go in, I'm so hungry." Tabby pulled at Henrik's sleeve as he continued scanning the menu outside the door, "There are menus inside, come on." She begged.
"Ok, ok." Henrik rolled his eyes, chuckling.
With their drinks in hand they took a seat at a table next a window and as Henrik picked up the menu Tabby happened to spot a familiar face.
She leaned forward, "Is that De Luca, three o'clock, by the fire place?"
Henrik took a sly glance, "That's very odd, it does appear to be him." He agreed getting back to choosing his lunch.
It was suddenly obvious to Tabby that Raf had spotted them as well, by his tiny awkward glances in their direction. She decided to have some fun. Slowly she slid her leg up and down Henrik's.
He raised his eyes from the menu to give her a warning look.
She met his subtle glare, "What?" She shrugged.
Glancing back to the AAU doctor, who was also having lunch with a female friend, she spotted his uncomfortable gulp. Concluding that this wasn't fun enough in one swift motion she leaned forward, grabbed Henrik's tie, and pulling him towards her they locked lips. Mid-kiss she took a peak, poor confused Raf stared with wide eyes as the unexpected scene played out in front of him.
With Raf on one side of the room, mouth agape with amazement, and Henrik sat in front of her silent from shock, Tabby couldn't stop herself giggling; well that was one perk of dating the boss, co-workers are always stunned to see the uptight Swede throwing down some loving passion.