Hehe, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing, here is the next part – enjoy! Jessie xx

Dinner At Brian's

"Can you bring those chairs down from upstairs, please love," Esther called to her husband as she bent down to check on the chicken happily roasting in the oven. It would feed seven, easily.

She looked across to where he sat with his laptop at the dining room table; this would be it soon. Just her, Brian and the dog. Like it had been for the six years before UCOS. Except that it wouldn't be like that at all. For a start, Scampi had replaced Scruffy. Anthony Kaye was gone. And they had friends. As much as she had once tried to explain to Brian that Sandra and Gerry were his colleagues, not his friends; she had never really believed it. Despite a few hiccups, her husband had been very happy and settled in his work at UCOS. And if he was happy, she was happy. They'd grown close to his colleagues and she thought of them as an extended family. Which, she mused as she put the carrots on to boil, was probably how they saw her.

"So he just turned up?" Esther asked, looking around the table. It was the fullest she could remember their dining room ever being and it pleased her to see them. They'd just finished telling her and Steve's girlfriend Charlie about how the new man had arrived in the UCOS offices that morning. She liked Charlie, she'd decided. She and Steve made a lovely couple, both very open and candid with a wicked sense of humour that she enjoyed. It had been a lively evening so far, with plenty of banter and jokes, and an easy feeling.

"Just turned up…" Gerry continued the story, exaggerating slightly Brian and Steve's attempts to turn Nick into their new teasmaid.

Esther watched as Sandra looked at Rob, who smiled. Well, Esther thought to herself, he was a part of Sandra's life now, and that meant that the other members of their peculiar little family were going to have to get used to him. Gerry seemed a little more at ease with the man; Brian had told her about the other man's behaviour as the relationship had began. He didn't like change any more than Brian did. They were more alike than they would admit; these brothers of a sort. They'd be going fishing again; and perhaps they might find some other hobbies to share of a weekend. She was sure they would. If her husband had thought about it yet; retirement was going to hit him like a lorry full of bricks, he would feel quite isolated very suddenly. Like floating away on the piece of ice that breaks off in cartoons; he'd be sat at the dining room table with his laptop watching Sandra and Gerry get further and further away.

"So, what are you going to do with your new found freedom, Brian?" Steve asked. "Go on holiday perhaps?"

Brian grimaced. "What the bloody hell would I do on holiday?"

The others laughed as Esther batted him lightly on the arm. He turned and smiled at his wife. He knew she was worried about him. Retirement was going to be different this time around. Better. Without shadows of past mistakes darkening his thoughts every day. He would try to be a good husband to her; while he still could. And maybe train Scampi not to nick the bacon rind that she threw out for the birds.

"Maybe now's the time to find out, Brian," Rob entered playfully. "Take a good book for an airing and nick the best sun-bed by the pool!"

It was Sandra's turn to bat her partner on the arm as everyone laughed. Esther smiled. They made a good couple, outside of work. Easy with each other and easy to get along with. She only knew what Brian had told her, of course, and what she had gleaned from her own observations. They were good for each other.

"You know, I've not been to Scotland since I was a little girl," she responded to Steve's earlier question. "I'd love to visit the highlands perhaps."

Gerry and Sandra looked at each other and hid their smirks as Brian squirmed in his seat, apparently he could think of nothing worse. Esther watched him shooting the Scottish couple looks of daggers as they engaged in conversation about the best times and places in Scotland to visit. She would make him go on holiday. She had no idea what she'd do with him on holiday, but was sure they could find something.

"Actually, I have just lined up a series of books on church architecture," Brian seized a lull in conversation to distract his wife from ideas of dragging him off to another country (even if it was just up the road) and addressed Robert.

"Well there you go then!" Charlie assumed a point of compromise. "There are some lovely old church buildings in Glasgow. The Adelaide Baptist is beautiful, classical with columns…what?"

Steve's eyebrows were practically leaving his forehead. "Since when did you know about architecture?"

She laughed. "There's a lot of things you don't know that I know about it," she told him cheerfully.

"Not too much I hope!" Steve exclaimed.

"Esther, can I just say, that was delicious," Rob aptly changed the subject as the laughter died down once more. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome," she smiled warmly at the newest addition to her table. "Any time. We just wanted to have everyone round to say thank you for everything you've done," she didn't mention their most recent case, though she knew they received her meaning. "Especially for putting up with this one for so long!"

This time no-one interrupted the laughter which continued for longer than it would have if Brian's face hadn't been so astounded at his wife's gall. He joined in eventually, prolonging the happy coda to the meal.

"They seem very well suited," Esther murmured, watching Sandra and Rob leave. She slipped her hand into her husband's as they stood at their front door, watching cars fill and come to life to carry their guests home. She felt the warm pressure as he squeezed her hand, lost in his own thoughts. "I wonder when he's going to ask her?"

"Eh?" Brian pulled himself out of his reverie as he stood watching his friends leave him behind.

"Oh come on," she sighed happily, leaning against him. "He was as nervous tonight as you were the day you asked my dad if you could marry me."

He frowned at his wife. Her insightfulness and instinctive knowledge of human nature was what had saved him so many times and was just one of the reasons he had been to her father to ask for her hand in marriage. Inclining his head slightly, he kissed her lightly.

She smiled. "I wonder when she's going to tell him," she added thoughtfully as she tugged him gently away from the deserted scene and closed the front door.

"Tell him what?" Brian frowned as she disappeared into the house. His question was met only with her re-emerging briefly through the dining room door to throw a tea-towel at him. He took hold of the towel and turned it over in his hands for a moment before repeating his question. "Tell him what?"