IF YOU WANT ME YOU CAN HAVE ME-PART 20
Hello again. Because I found some more time this weekend, I was able to update and write two new chapters. I'm pleased that you liked the last chapter so much. I'm more than happy that I can still continue the story.
In this one we are skipping ahead, three weeks have passed and it's time for Charles to go to London. It's a difficult time for both of them, especially for Elsie, who has more than one reason to worry...Hope that you will like this one too.
Ratings for the goodbye part are somewhere between T and M.
Those next three weeks till Charles's departure went very fast. There were thousand things to take care of, a lot to remember about. Charles was so busy during the day, that they hardly see each other, other then at meals time. By the time they got to their cottage in the evening, he was so tired that he barely manage to stay awake. He often fell asleep on the sofa, in their living room. Elsie was really worried about him. She overtook all the domestic duties, so he wouldn't be bothered with it. She covered him with a warm blanket, when he fell asleep on the sofa and she tenderly kissed his forehead and his hair, worrying herself about his health. On those nights he often got back to their bed in the early morning, waking up after spending the whole night on the sofa. It was nearly dawning, when he was slipping into their bed and cuddled with Elsie, just wanting to feel her closeness and the warmth of her body. If she happened to woke up, they were making love in the pale light of the dawn, knowing that those were the only moments that they can focus on themselves. They both needed it very much, but often their tiredness won with their carnal needs.
Just few days before the season, Elsie started to feel unwell. One of those mornings when she lied alone in bed, because Charles again fell asleep on the sofa the previous evening, she woke up feeling dizzy and nausea. That day she barely manage to eat breakfast. All those food smells irritate her enormously. She was wondering if she was maybe suffering for some kind of indigestion, which would be strange, because she was eating exactly the same food as Charles-they were so busy these days, that they both gave up preparing meals at the cottage. So it felt strange that she has some kind of stomach troubles, while he was fine. She comforted herself that it will surely pass soon, but that wasn't the case. On the next morning she woke up having the same symptoms as the day before. Furthermore, she felt that she is about to vomit, so she got up the bed as quickly and as quietly as she could and ran to the bathroom. During the day she experienced terrible headaches and she felt sleepy and annoyed all the time. She tried to explain to herself that this was just a signal from her body that she needs to slow down, but deep inside she began to feel uneasy. Elsie was wondering if she should mentioned something to Charles, but she rejected the thought. He was already living in a great stress and it would be unfair to give him another reason to worry.
On their last evening together, before the departure, they got back to the cottage much earlier than usual. His Lordship offered that to Charles, suggesting that he spend some time with his wife, before they left. Charles gladly agreed. They got back home, heated up the dinner prepared by Mrs Patmore and they ate it together. Elsie was grateful that her strange health symptoms were clearly more vexing in the morning, than in the evening. It helped her spent those last moments with Charles, without unnecessary complications. When they finished their dinner and washed up the dishes, they went upstairs at once, because they both wanted to enjoy their long missed moments.
Charles undressed Elsie slowly, sating his need to see her gorgeous body, to feel her every curve, relishing with her closeness and her clear need of him. She swiftly return the favor and soon they were both lying naked in their bed, kissing and cherishing their bodies. They wanted to take it slowly this time. It wasn't meant to be a sudden eruption of passion, like during their honeymoon, but slow, careful and sensual meeting of two people very much in love. People who wanted to learn and to memorize each little detail of themselves...
"Elsie..I'm going to miss you so much...I can't imagine a month without having you in my arms and making love to you..Without your, sweet, beautiful body.."
"Charles...I don't know how am I going to go through this too...I don't want to be without you. When you are not around I feel like there is only half of me..."
"Will get through this somehow darling..I promise. I'm so glad that you are moving back to the house, for the time that I will be in London. I would not be calm, knowing that you are here alone."
"I think that it was the only, sense solution. It will be easier for me in the house, with everyone else, than to be here alone. While you will be in London, with all those dissolute women hiding in every street corner.."
"Elsie...I don't care if there are thousands of dissolute women out there. The only woman I care about is right here, in my arms..And to tell you the truth, sometimes she is a little dissolute and her husband has nothing against that. In fact he is very happy at those moments.."
"I shall remember that...And when you come back I will greet you in that special way, that you like so much.."
"Thinking about my return already? I believe that we should focus on our goodbye for now...Just let me feel your divine body..I want to enjoy you to the fullest, to memorize every detail..."
Charles's hands and lips were slowly wandering on Elsie's body, making her moan and arch her back in pleasure. Their slow caresses became more impatient and they were dancing between the sheets, fighting for dominance. They both wanted to kiss and taste every inch of one another. The time has stopped, the world outside didn't exist, as they were kissing and caressing endlessly...
When they were both on the edge of their arousal, Charles slowly and carefully entered Elsie and they started to move in a perfect sync. After a while, when they reached a release, almost simultaneously, they were both exhausted, but extremely happy. He was still inside her, when they were kissing so softly and lovingly and when they stop, they were both touching their faces delicately, whispering "I love you" over and over again...
After those luscious moment, Charles held Elsie tightly in his arms and she laid her head on his chest, listening to his breathing slowly returning to it's normal pace. Elsie felt so secure and so protected. Lying there in her husbands strong arms, suddenly the thought of being deprived of that for the next month hit her so hard, that she started to cry, soaking his chest.
"Elsie..Sweetheart what's wrong? Have I hurt you?"
"No Charles. I'm just so sad. So very sad...I'm going to miss you so much and you will be away for so long and I will be alone again. I don't want that..I only want you.."
"Oh Els...My baby...I love you so much..I'm going to miss you too..But I will come back, you won't even notice when I will be back. Sweetie, be strong.. You always were strong.."
"I was. When I was an independent woman. Now I'm well protected by my husband and I never want it to end."
"I know..Just trust me.. It will be all right. I will be back very soon. I promise.."
"Just hold me Charles. Just hold me so close this night and never let go of me. I want to feel you as close as possible."
"I will Elsie. Just try to get some sleep my love.." He kissed her hair gently and she clinge to him as tightly, as it was possible and so they fell asleep, together, surrounded by their love.
The next morning Charles and Elsie took their baggage to leave to the house. Elsie packed few things that she wanted to take for her stay in Downton and Charles took his luggage for London. They were waiting for the chauffeur form the Abbey, who was suppose to take them to the house.
They use those last moments together to say goodbye properly. Charles took Elsie in his arms and they kissed so affectionately. Tears appeared in Elsie's eyes again, but Charles whispered into her ear how much he loved her and that he never loved anyone in his life so much, as he loves her and she felt that this will give her strength to survive this month. The chauffeur finally arrived, dropped them to the house, where Elsie picked her things and went back to her old room, to prepare for her stay in Downton. She went outside when Charles, His Lordship, Lady Mary and Tom Branson were taking off to the station. Since they were in the presence of the family, Charles and Elsie could only take a quick peck on their cheeks for goodbye and than they left. When the car faded away, Elsie wiped two lonely tears from her face and she returned to the house.
Few days later...
Elsie was exhausted. Ever since Charles went away, she couldn't sleep at night, even though she was very tired during the day and once or twice she fell asleep during the afternoon tea. Those strange symptoms came back and she wake up almost every morning feeling nausesa. She barely ate breakfast now and her appetite was clearly reduced. She felt annoyed all the time and very worried. She began to wonder if her health problems had something to do with cancer. Maybe the faith decided to mock her now? When she was so happy. She was trying to work as hard as usual, thinking that nobody notice the change in her behavior, but there was one person that couldn't help but notice the state that her best friend was in. And that person was of course Mrs Patmore.
Two days later, teatime...
"Do you have a moment Elsie. Can we talk?" Beryl stood on the doorway of Elsie's sitting room.
"Of course. Come in Beryl. How can I help you?"
"I think that question should be reversed. How can I help you?"
"What do you mean?"
"There is something wrong with you, I can see that. You come to the breakfast in the morning, pale as ghost. You barely eat anything. You are tired and annoyed all the time and you are sleeping during your tea time. Should I go on? Will you tell me that there is nothing wrong with you?"
"Oh Beryl. Something is wrong, but I didn't want to make a fuss about myself. I'm not feeling well for a long time. It started before Charles went to London, but I didn't tell him about it, so he wouldn't have to worry."
"So what's wrong? What are the symptoms exactly?"
"I have nausea in the morning. I'm constantly tired. I'm lacking appetite and I cry all the time. I don't know what that can be..Oh you see..There it is again..I can't control it...I'm so scared that maybe this time it has something to do with cancer.."
"I don't think so. You are saying that you have nausea in the morning?"
"Yes. At first I thought that it was just some stomach problems, but that lasts too long now. It's got to be something else."
"I suppose that is something else Elsie...I'm not a doctor, but from what you are saying..Tell me and please do not feel offended by my question-do you still have your monthly bleeding's?"
"Beryl!"
"Do you?"
"Well yes, I still have them. Not for long I suppose. They are not so regular as before, but I still have them..Why do you ask?"
"Will get to the point Elsie. When was your last one?"
"Well it was..I suppose..About three weeks before my wedding."
"So that's quite a long time ago."
"It is. But I told you that they are not very regular. Why do you even ask about my monthly bleeding's?"
"Elsie. Didn't it occur to you that you might be pregnant?"
"Pregnant! Don't joke Beryl. I'm too old to get pregnant!"
"No you are not. You haven't got through the change yet, since you still have your monthly bleedings. I assume that in the recent time your love activity was rather increased, am I right?"
"Well..You know..During our honeymoon we were..I mean Charles and I...We.."
"All right, all right! Don't need to know the details. I think we have already established before that you and old Charlie are managing well in your love nest"
"Beryl, really.."
"Really Elsie. You need to see dr Clarkson. That's the only way to find out whether you are pregnant or not."
"I don't think so. I'm afraid that I can be ill."
"Oh will you stop that! I can bet that you are pregnant!"
"You wanna bet me? About what?" Elsie smiled to her dear friend.
"About the key to the cupboard. If you are not pregnant, you can still keep it, but if you are, that key is mine"
"I'll take that bet. Because surely I'm not pregnant."
"There is only one way to find out. Call Dr Clarkson and schedule a visit."
"All right I will"
Elsie called Dr Clarkson the very same afternoon and she managed to schedule a visit in two days. She described her symptoms very accurately and the doctor was listening to her carefully. He examined her, excluding the possibility of cancer, but the same as Beryl, he suspected that the early stage of pregnancy might be the reason. He took Elsie's samples and send them to London. He also promised to call her, as soon as he will get the results, which took about a week and half. When she received a phone call form the doctor, summoning her to his cabinet, she was a bundle of nerves. She went there, not telling anyone about it, except Beryl.
Elsie went into the doctor's office full of anxiety, but when she heard the news from the doctor, she thought that she will literally fall out of the chair. She didn't even remember how she got back to the house. She was in trance. When she entered her sitting room, she fell down on the nearest chair, trying to process the shocking information. There wasn't more than a minute, when Beryl stormed into her sitting room, closing the door behind her.
"Well, what is it? What did the doctor say?"
"I can tell you only one thing Beryl."
"And that is?"
"The key to the cupboard is yours. I'm pregnant."
So that's it for today. A long one, because I had to squash few plots in here. As one of the guest reviews stated after previous chapter, I promised you a surprise for our couple around chapter six and so we got tot the chapter twenty and the surprise finally popped out ;-) Literally :D
Sorry for my poor description of early pregnancy symptoms but as a person who has never experienced pregnancy I had to google it.
I know that Elsie shouldn't be so oblivious about the symptoms but considering what she thought about her age and her body, I decided to make her oblivious ;-)
I hope you liked this chapter and my rather predictable surprise...In the next one Charles will come back from London to hear the news...Something to look forward to..
As always-sorry for any mistakes. And please let me know if you are happy about the extension of the Carson's family. See you soon!