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Chapter Twenty One

Chris walked into the kitchen after unpacking to get a drink. He saw Michael sat on the kitchen table looking very sorry for him. He let out a sigh and knew he had something to do with this; he had been getting vibes of Michael which said he wasn't sure about having his deputy here. He was more than willing to go and check into a hotel for the time before he found an apartment; he didn't want to put any pressure on Aurora's relationship, especially now she was pregnant and their relationship was weeks old.

"You okay?" asked the new deputy, pouring some Pepsi Max into his glass.

"Mmm…no not really."

"Want to talk about it? I know I've only just arrived and I know nothing about your relationship but I was Aurora's teacher for five years; her form tutor…"

Michael looked at him and cocked his head to one side. This man did know his girlfriend a lot but it unnerved him especially as he knew things that he didn't. Sure he had two years at her head and they had an intense three weeks, but maybe getting Chris prospective wouldn't hurt? Taking a sip of his own drink, he had to sallow his pride.

"Okay, she doesn't think I trust her now that you're here. I do trust her, I do and I love her but your history freaks me out. I know I am being a hypocrite with this, as I've had trust issues myself but…I'm scared of losing her. She's pregnant with my child and I want this to work. I don't want our baby being brought into tension."

"I think there's something's you need to know. When Aurora graduated at the end of year eleven, she and a few friends went to Majorca for a summer holiday. I had booked into the same hotel and one night we kissed, but Aurora said she felt nothing for me and it shouldn't have happened. By then you were her head teacher and I was going to be starting my job in social services. Aurora has never seen me anything but a teacher and I would like you to believe that, Michael, because she will never look at me twice."

"She's an awesome girl who deserves to be loved and treated with respect. Sure I didn't see her being pregnant at eighteen, not going to university or getting with her head, but she has. When she looks at you, and I've only just arrived, but I can see how much she loves you. Don't throw that away because you will never forgive yourself. You know how special and amazing Aurora is," Chris said.

Michael let out a sigh and he knew everything that Chris was saying was true, but why hadn't Aurora told him that they had kissed? That she had rejected him because that unnerved him. He had always been commitment probe, because he was scared of a woman trying to change him. But the thing is, he realised, that Aurora didn't want to change him. She loved him unconditionally and had walked away from her family for him, for their unborn child and he had been a first class jerk. Chris was right.

"I'll go and speak to her."

Chris nodded as he watched Michael walk out of the room. The home office was off the hallway and saw the door shut. He gently knocked before he heard a muffled 'come in,' before he pushed open the door. He saw Aurora sat at his desk, her hands flying over the keyboard and she didn't stop until he was next to her and he pulled the chair away. Aurora turned the chair around to look at him as he knelt in front of her.

"Sorry, I was a first class jerk and I should have trusted you. Relationships…their new to me. Yes I've had another relationships but this is one I can see going the distance and I don't want to do anything to screw that up."

Aurora sighed; "You need to trust me, Michael, you need to do that or we won't work. I don't want to bring our baby into the world into a broken home. I love you so much, it hurts."

"I know I need to trust you. I love you, too, and I wanted this to work more than anything. Why didn't you tell me you kissed Chris years ago."

Aurora let out a sigh; she didn't want to ever relive that. It was a mistake and she had put it in that pile. "It happened two years ago! My mam had taken me and Georgia on holiday before we moved here and Chris happened to be staying at the same hotel. One night me and Georgia had gone down to the bar and my mam trusted us to be left alone. Chris turned up and we had no idea he was even staying in the same hotel; we invited him over as he was a missed teacher and at the end of the night….Georgia had gone to the toliets, we kissed but I pushed him away. I did fancy him when I was in school but I told him there was nothing there. He was my former teacher and that was the way it was going to stay."

"What's the difference between him and us?"

"Chemistry!" she giggled. "No, seriously, I connect with you on so many levels. Michael, you go above and beyond the call of duty for your students and that's attractive. You look at me and I go to jelly, I want to be with you day and night. I always want to be together; I want to be by your side through the good times and the bad times. I love you and you make me feel special, protected; I love everything about you. I can't imagine not being in your life as your girlfriend and one day as your wife. I told you that earlier. You're the father of my unborn child."

She had whispered that last line as Michael knelt up and took her chin in his hands and searched her eyes. He saw the love she had for him burning brightly and he wouldn't question it again. He knew in his heart he wouldn't. Aurora was special and deserved to be treasured and cherished. Which he did; but he had never wanted something to work as he did with Aurora. He brought his lips to touch hers, in a sensual tender kiss as arms went around his neck. She moaned as she got lost in his kiss, in his touch as ran his tongue over her teeth, begging for entrance.

"I'm sorry."

"Sssh, it's okay," she whispered. "Let's go and see Chris."

Hand in hand they left the office and walked into the kitchen. Chris was sat at the breakfast bar twirling some Pepsi Max around his glass. He instantly felt their presence and spun around before smiling.

"So you've solved your issues around me? I can always go and check into a hotel…"

"No, Chris, I got jealous and I should have trusted Aurora. She's told me what happened in Majorca…keep your hands off my girlfriend," he told his deputy, with a playful edge in his voice.

"Oh I wouldn't touch the boss girl besides I want Aurora as a friend."

"You've got me as that, Chris, you're not getting rid of me there. Right I'll do tea; Chris, do you mind if me and Michael go shopping tomorrow seems Lorraine is coming for you?" asked Aurora, as she opened the draw where the pans were kept in the island.

"No, don't feel like you have to stay in because of me. I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything because I am here."

"I know," Aurora said, turning and getting the beans out. She found she liked entertaining and hoped she'd be a good host for Chris. "Guess we'll be going out shopping then."

Michael remembered the conversation they had last night, curled up in bed after another love making session. He told her he wanted her to put her own stamp on the place and to make this her home as well. Something told him that she'd be using the ridiculous amount of money that had been left to her to make some changes. She had already decided that the bedroom next to them would make a perfect nursery, but Aurora didn't want to do anything until she was six months gone at least. But saying that he had seen her eyes lit up whenever she talked about their bundle of joy.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and sharing some memories of Rochdale pre-Byrne with Michael when Chris was there. He learnt about Rachel Mason and Karen Fisher, the likes of Bolton Smilie and Michaela, before they headed to bed. Michael was laid on his side, his head propped up by his hand as he watched Aurora walking towards him. There was already tell-tale marks of her pregnancy and he still couldn't believe she was here. Aurora smiled as she pulled her hair out of her ponytail.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked, climbing onto the bed.

"Very much, I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. You better get some rest tonight as tomorrow I'm going to be shopping until I drop. I'm looking forward to putting some of my touches on this place and making this into our temporary home. I want us to build our own home; our dream home. I don't want to purchase somewhere and we can make this secure until then," she told him, as she lay down and was pulled into his arms. Michael gently kissed her as his hand went to her stomach.

"I was wondering when you'd say that. I want us to have a fresh start and making sure our home is somewhere we will bring our broad up. How you feeling about Monday?"

"Nervous, I'm nervous and I want to do my dad proud. He loved his job, he loved that business and I want to do him and my grandfather proud. It's in my blood and hopefully junior will be the next generation to carry it on."

"You're being so calm and collected about this."

"Because I have a legacy to carry on and a business to protect for the next generation; I can't screw this up. Monday is the start of me putting my own touch on the business and I have got some ideas. I want to eventually to expand the business and bring in new ideas, and who knows maybe launch into another areas," she told him, as she ran her hand over his chest. Looking into his eyes, she turned and gently kissed him, allowing his powerful arms to pull her onto him as he deepened the kiss.