Thank you for your wonderful reviews- I am glad that you enjoy my stories and my DuMardle work. I am planning on writing another DuMardle story soon, if you are interested so let me know. You have all been so kind and I wish I could reply to every single one of you but it's difficult as the majority of you are anonymous.
So this is our final chapter, it's not my favorite but it brings everything together and I hope you enjoy it.
Dedicated to every person who has reviewed- these stories wouldn't happen without you.
"You do know you have a perfectly good bed just up the stairs Josie," Florian smiled as he entered the living room to see Josie curled up on the sofa, like most evenings, her eyes slowly opening as she glanced across at him and grinned. Moving towards her, Florian shook his head gently before kneeling down in front of her. "I've tried your bed too, it's unbelievably comfortable so I don't know why I have to keep persuading to go to bed at a suitable time rather than staying on the sofa, which we both know is dreadfully uncomfortable to sleep on," Florian commented, his fingers brushing against her cheek as she continued to watch him with a small smile on her face.
"When you took the orchestra job, I told you I'd stay up every single evening you were away and wait for you to come home and I am doing exactly that," Josie explained before leaning across and kissing him gently. "How was the performance Florian?" she asked quietly as she sat up, the musician moving to sit beside her as his arms wrapped tightly around her body, cuddling her close to him as her smile continued to grow.
"The same as every other performance Josie," he responded as she glanced up at him, already aware of what his answer would be. "It was wonderful," he added as she nodded, laughing when he kissed her again. "You really don't need to stay up every single evening, especially when you're tired. I honestly don't mind Josie," he said quietly as she began to relax against him, her eyes shutting as she shook her head. "This is the third night this week I've come home to find you asleep on the sofa, it's not a good habit" Florian commented as she shrugged, enjoying the warmth of his arms as she continued to smile. "How was work today?" he asked quietly as she turned in his arms, looking up at him as he continued to keep his hand on her cheek.
"The same as every other day," Josie smirked as he laughed at the response, kissing her quickly as she continued to smile at him. "Shall we go to bed?" Josie asked quietly as he sighed, relaxing back on the sofa as she continued to watch him. "We could go upstairs," Josie whispered as her fingers slowly began to unbutton his shirt while he glanced down at her fingers. "Take these clothes off," she continued as he laughed when she finished unbuttoning his shirt and pressed a kiss to his chest. "Enjoy our evening," she added as he bit into his lip, laughing when she leant up and kissed him again. "Just the two of us," she whispered against his lips as he nodded, unable to stop himself from smiling at her.
"I think that that's a wonderful idea," Florian whispered, laughing when she stood up and held her hand out towards him. Taking it in his, Florian smiled as he stood up and Josie stepped towards him, her fingers pushing the unbuttoned shirt off his body before she laughed gently. "What are you doing?" Florian asked quietly as she threw the shirt on the ground and stared up at him before he kissed her again. "Agnes could walk in right now and I really don't want her to see me without my shirt," Florian smiled, his arms wrapping around her body as she shook her head and began to kiss his neck. "Josie," he laughed, unable to stop himself from smiling as his hands rested on the small of her back. She seemed so much happier and comfortable now after confronting Mr Grove. She had been laughing more, had been more open in their relationship around other people and she was even more happier than he had ever seen her. "Right Miss Mardle, we are going upstairs," Florian declared, lifting her into his arms as she squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You are not carrying me up the stairs Florian," Josie declared as he began to carry her out of the room, the brunette tightening her hold around his neck as he continued to laugh. He loved this woman, he loved her more than anything in the world. "Florian put me down, you'll drop me," Josie moaned as he continued to carry her towards the stairs. "Florian, if you drop me, you are sleeping on the sofa," she threatened, a small smile still appearing on her face as he began to walk up the stairs.
"How could I possibly drop you Josie? You aren't exactly heavy," he responded, moving up the stairs before he reached their bedroom and carried her inside. "See, I didn't drop you," he smirked, her eyes rolling before she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. Putting her down on their bed, Florian smiled as Josie looked up at him before shaking her head and laughing. "I left my shirt downstairs," Florian realised.
"I don't care, come here," Josie declared, finding his hand before pulling him down to sit beside her. "You make me so happy," Josie whispered as Florian reached up and began to unpin her hair, smiling when the dark curls fell over his hands. "Florian," she said quietly, moving as close as possible as he moved his hands down to her back again. "I love you," Josie admitted, her smile growing as he stared at her in amazement. "And you're shocked by that? You're shocked by my feelings for you?" she asked, her hand moving to his cheek as he shook his head, still staring at her in amazement.
"I'm just surprised Josie, not shocked. I've wanted you to say it for a long time, for you to just say it to me without worrying about people judging you for how you feel," Florian explained before kissing her gently. "I love you," Florian whispered as she slowly led his hands to the buttons of the white blouse she was wearing.
"I am saying it because I don't care what people think about my feelings anymore," Josie explained as he listened to her, his smile continuing to grow. "I love you, I love you," Josie beamed as he laughed, kissing her quickly as her fingers brushed through his hair. "You are the only person in the world who can make me feel like this, who can make me smile and laugh like I do when I'm around you," Josie explained as he continued to watch her in amazement. "I love you Florian," Josie whispered, her voice firm before she leant forward and kissed him again, his fingers finally pushing the shirt off her body.
XOXOXOXOXO
"Do you know why I wait for you to come home every night?" Josie asked as she rested her head against his chest, his fingers playing with her hair as he glanced down at her. "I wait for you to come home from the orchestra because the days when I have to work and you have rehearsals and performances in the evening we hardly see each other and I don't want us to be a couple who barely talk because we're too busy," Josie explained as she looked up at him, her smile growing as he leant down and gently kissed her. "We both love our careers but I don't want them to get in the way of our relationship. My life is about more than my work now," Josie whispered against his lips as he continued to smile at her. "It's about you too."
"Come to the performance tomorrow night," Florian smiled as she nodded quickly. She had attended his first performance with the orchestra and had loved it but with the store preparing for another major event in the next couple of days work had been busier than normal and she hadn't been able to make any more of his shows. "You will be able to go won't you? Work won't be too busy?" he asked quietly as she laughed and straddled his body, her lips hovering over his as she leant down while he glanced up at her.
"Florian Dupont, I will be at your performance tonight, I have agreed to go now and nothing will stop me from being there," Josie declared as he brushed his fingers through her hair before she kissed him gently. "I really do love you Florian," Josie whispered as he beamed, stealing another kiss as she began to laugh. "If I go to the performance with you, you have to go to the event at Selfridges," she quickly added as he smiled.
"I'm beginning to think that you enjoy going to these events with me," he responded as she nodded, grinning at him before she leant down and kissed him gently. "Now Miss Mardle, I think we need to get some sleep," he declared as her eyebrows rose before she nodded and moved to lie down beside him, his arms wrapping tightly around her as he gently pressed a kiss into her hair. "Good night," Florian whispered, her eyes shutting as she buried her face into his chest. "You are an extreme cuddlier."
"Be quiet," Josie responded as he laughed.
XOXOXOXOXO
"You and Florian seem happier than ever," Agnes commented as she walked slowly down Oxford Street with Josie, her smile continuing to grow as she observed Josie blushing at the comment. "It's nice, to see you happy," Agnes said quietly as Josie smiled and nodded, watching the younger woman in silence. She knew that Agnes had been quieter since both Henri and George had left for the continent and she knew the young woman was permanently worried that something would arrive in the post, bringing her bad news about her brother or the man she loved.
"They'll come back to you," Josie admitted as Agnes glanced across at her, not surprised that Josie had guessed why she had been so quiet recently and had spent most of her time alone. "Why don't you join me tonight? I am going to attend Florian's performance, he would love it if you joined me," she suggested as Agnes nodded slowly. "You could do with the break away from work," Josie added as Agnes laughed. "You have been so busy since Henri left, you are designing most of the windows alone and you have been working stupidly late now," Josie explained as Agnes nodded again, not knowing how to respond while aware that she had been staying at the shop later every evening.
"I would love to come tonight Josie," Agnes admitted as Josie smiled at her. "I'm yet to see Florian's new orchestra and I'm looking forward to seeing him perform again," she said quickly.
"Wonderful," Josie beamed, glad that Agnes had agreed to attend the performance with her. "It'll be nice to spend an evening out with you Agnes, we haven't gone out for an evening in a while," she explained as they began to approach the staff entrance. "They will be alright Agnes, Henri and George will come back to you," the brunette promised as they stopped outside the door, Agnes smiling weakly as Josie's hand gently rested on her arm. "Try and remain positive," Josie smiled as Agnes nodded. "Now, go and design some beautiful windows for this shop and I shall see you this evening for a fun night out," she declared as Agnes nodded before they both entered the shop.
"They will come back, won't they Josie?" Agnes asked quietly as they stood in the staff area. "They will come back to me."
"Of course they will," Josie insisted. "They will come back to London and everything will be alright, I promise," she whispered as Agnes continued to nod. "Agnes, you must start talking to me about these things. You can't keep locking yourself away and working late," Josie explained. "Promise me that you'll talk to me in the future, you're practically the only family I have Agnes," Josie whispered as Agnes smiled weakly.
"May I hug you?" Agnes asked as Josie laughed and nodded, her smile growing as the younger woman wrapped her arms around Josie's body. "You are family to me, you and Florian, you are part of my family. My strange little family," she explained as Josie smiled weakly before Agnes stepped away from her.
"I've never thanked you Agnes," Josie said quietly, confusion covering the younger woman's face as she stared at Josie in silence. "I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for you. You saved my life Agnes, you looked after me when I made a stupid decision with those tablets. I wouldn't have Florian, I wouldn't be happy, I wouldn't have had a future and Roger would have won if it hadn't been for you."
"Maybe one day you'll tell me why you felt so lost Josie," Agnes said quietly as she found Josie's hand and squeezed it.
"One day I will," Josie promised. "One day I'll tell you everything."
XOXOXOXO
"Florian, we're home," Josie called out as she entered the house that afternoon, Agnes following her as they heard footsteps in the distance. Removing her coat and hat, Josie sighed as she heard a door open before she looked up to see Florian approaching. "You are covered in dirt," Josie commented, noticing the brown marks to his shirt and trousers as he smiled at her and nodded. "Why are you covered in dirt Florian?" she questioned, groaning when he held his hand out towards her.
"Come with me for a moment Josie," Florian said quietly, the brunette biting into her lip before she nodded and slowly took hold of his hand. Leading her through the house, Florian slowly directed the brunette towards the garden while she continued to squeeze his hand, following him in complete silence. "If you hate it, tell me and I will get rid of it," he explained, leading her outside as she stared at him in confusion.
"Have you been gardening?" Josie asked as he nodded again. "Why?"
"Just wait and see," Florian smiled as she sighed, following him towards the back of the garden as confusion covered her face. She could see where he had been working but she couldn't tell what he had planted from what was currently on show. "It's a rose," he explained, his arms wrapping around her body as she continued to stare at it. Okay, it was a rose, but why had he planted it? "You told me that you never knew where your son was buried," he explained, feeling her tense in his arms before she glanced up at him.
"Florian," she whispered.
"I planted it for your son," he explained. "I know it's not the same as a grave but it's somewhere for you to think of him, something to memorialize your child," he whispered as she felt the tears begin to form, her hands brushing them away as he watched her, suddenly worried that he'd done the wrong thing. "I should have asked you first," he whispered as she began to shake her head.
"No Florian, it's wonderful," she muttered before leaning up and kissing him gently. "It's a lovely idea," she smiled against his lips. "You care so much about me, about my son," she whispered, her fingers brushing against his cheeks as he moved his hands to her back, keeping her close as tears began to run down her face. "I wish more than anything in the world that I could give you a child, that you could be a father," she whispered as he continued to watch her. "You would be a wonderful father Florian."
"And you would have been a fantastic mother Josie," he declared, cuddling her close as she smiled weakly at his statement. Biting into her lip for a moment, Josie remained silent before she glanced back up at the musician before kissing him gently, her fingers moving through his hair as he smiled against her lips. "I love you," he whispered as she rested her forehead against his.
"Florian," Josie mumbled as he remained close to her. "Marry me?" she asked quietly, her voice suddenly nervous as he stared at her in amazement. What? What had she just asked?
"Josie?" he asked quietly as her fingers laced with his, her eyes remaining focused on him as she nodded. "Did you just ask me?" he questioned as she continued to nod.
"Marry me?" she asked again as he smiled. "I know it's not traditional for me to ask and I know that it's soon but I love you and you love me and that's more than some people start their marriages on," she explained as his smile continued to grow.
"Josie," he responded, the sound of her name silencing her as he squeezed her hand. "I would love to marry you," he explained, laughing when she beamed and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. "I would love to be your husband," he declared, her smile growing before she leant forward and kissed him gently.
"We're getting married," Josie laughed into his ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm going to be your wife," she said in amazement, shocked that she had actually asked him. "I just asked you to marry me."
"You definitely did," he responded as she bit into her lip.
"I asked you to marry me," Josie said quietly, his head nodding as she laughed. "When someone asks you how you proposed to me, it will be an interesting story," Josie commented as he shrugged.
"I will tell them that my strong and independent future wife asked me," he explained. "Or I could do this," he declared, confusion covering her face before he moved to get down on one knee.
"Florian," Josie laughed as he continued to hold onto her hand.
"You already know that I'll marry you," he explained as she began to blush. "But Josie Mardle, will you do me the honour of being my wife?" he asked as she nodded slowly, unable to stop herself from laughing as he pressed a kiss to her hand.
"Will you get up now?" she asked as he nodded, standing quickly before he wrapped his arms around her again. "You need to go and get ready for the performance Florian," she said quietly as he nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she relaxed into his hold. "You should probably wash as well Florian, you're covered in dirt. We can't have a violinist covered in mud tonight, people will start asking questions."
"I'll go and wash now then," he sighed, stepping away from her as she nodded. "Are you going to come inside?" he asked quietly as she shook her head.
"I'll come inside in a moment, I just want a moment alone," she whispered as he nodded, glancing down at the rose he had planted before he silently stepped inside the house. Staring at the plant, Josie sighed before moving to kneel down on the ground, her fingers brushing against some of the leaves as she bit into her lip. He had done this for her and for her William, for her baby boy. "I'm getting married," Josie whispered, for the first time in her life feeling completely content with the direction her life was going in. Brushing her fingers across the leaves again, Josie smiled to herself before biting into her lip. "You've not been forgotten," Josie mumbled. "You are not my little secret, you are someone I am very proud of," Josie smiled. "My little boy," she whispered, smiling weakly before she stood up and rested her hands on her stomach, remembering the small boy that she had held once in her arms, finally able to remember him without hating the memory.
She was finally completely content with her life. .
Review?
Once again, thank you and I hope to hear from you again and I will start my new story soon- probably tomorrow, knowing me.