AN: Thank you again for reading, and your messages. Like everyone else, my life has been flipped upside down so I'm really using writing to cope with stuff, and it's resulting in posting things quicker than I ever intended to - which is good as I have a nice chapter I want to write that I will need to take a little more time with, so I hope you enjoy these quick fire chapters before I get to that one.
Robbie took the phone from Laura. Smiling he pressed the answer button
"Hello Pet" He said, a smile beaming across his face.
Laura smiled too. She could just hear Lyn's voice on the other end of the phone as Robbie interrupted his daughter as she spoke.
"Oh, sorry pet, have you been trying to call? . . Erm, yeah, sorry my phone's out of order. . . Oh?. . .really?. . .no pet I'm fine, really"
Laura frowned at Robbie, what she had heard from the conversation seemed to suggest that Lyn knew that something had happened.
Robbie saw Laura's confusion.
"One of her friend's on holiday in Filey and saw it on the local news" He whispered to Laura away from the phone.
Laura raised her eyebrows. She imagined that Lyn must be at her wits end if she'd not been able to contact Robbie on his mobile.
"I'm fine, pet, really. . . Ah, no, well, y'know. . . I only did what anyone else would have done. . . I wouldn't say hero. . . hey! Cheeky, less of the "old" eh? . . ." Robbie glanced at Laura who was smiling to herself at what she was hearing. She picked up the tea mugs off the table and took them into the kitchen area.
As she rinsed out the mugs in the sink, Laura listened as Robbie filled Lyn in on the drama of the day before, leaving out some details that he knew didn't need to be passed on; some of which would come at a later date, but for now she could hear that Robbie was just glad to be speaking to his daughter. She heard him talk about his dramatic rescue and again he played it down. Laura shook her head to herself. There was yet another reason she loved him – his modesty and self-deprecation. After a while the subject matter turned to the coming weekend. Jack was due to come for a visit and she could hear from Robbie's end of the conversation that Lyn was worried about whether Robbie would be well enough for the visit.
"I'm fine, Pet" Robbie emphasized to his daughter "Really I am. . . Yes don't worry. . . No I'll be fine, pet. I still want him to stay I'll be ok. Listen, have a word with Laura in a sec if you don't believe me, she's been looking after me, so you don't need to worry, eh?"
Laura smiled at Robbie, nodding to let him know she understood what the issue was. Although Robbie was still a little worse for wear after his ordeal Laura knew that if they had to cancel Jack's visit it would probably do Robbie more harm than good.
"Listen, pet, I'm going to go, I feel a bit tired. Laura wants to talk to you and we'll see you all soon eh? Alright pet, bye, love you too. . . bye" he handed the phone to Laura who was able to put Lyn's mind at rest.
Robbie could tell Lyn was quizzing Laura about his injuries and it was obvious that by the end of the conversation she was satisfied by what she had heard from Laura and that her Dad was ok after all he'd been through.
After Laura had finished the call with Lyn, she instructed Robbie to go and take a nap or at least have a rest on the bed for a while. He didn't protest and after a while she was pleased to see him snoozing lightly. Assured that he was getting some rest she went into the kitchen and started to make lunch. After 30 minutes she had a saucepan full of fresh vegetable soup simmering on the hob. She put the cheese and the bread on the table along with some bowls and cutlery and then turned off the hob to let the soup cool a little before they ate.
She went into the cottage's bedroom and quietly as she could joined Robbie on the bed. He was still sleeping. She lay on her side next to him and looked at him. How close had she come to losing him?
She thought of DS Cox asking Robbie if she was his wife No but she is my better half.
Laura smiled, but it was a smile tinged with sadness. She knew what having a wife meant to Robbie.
Everything.
Was that why he'd been so quick to not go to New Zealand? If they had been married would the decision of him not going with her been unquestionable? Despite numerous discussions and lamentations and heartfelt apologies from Robbie, Laura still sometimes picked the situation apart and came to the conclusion that such a reason might have been the case, or that simply she wasn't enough for him. Would being married make a difference? What was marriage anyway? To Laura it was something that was a remnant of a patriarchal system that made women part of an exchange mechanism, created when the first farmers realised it could be used as a bargaining tool between families to gain land and livestock. But for Robbie it wasn't about that. It was about being devoted to someone, to love them until death and beyond as far as it was possible. The sentiment was the same for Laura but she just didn't need the ritual and the trappings of marriage. She didn't care if the world knew it or not. But she knew it mattered to Robbie. As far as all that was concerned being married didn't change that feeling, if it was there it was there. But for Robbie it celebrated the feeling, told the world that you'd found that special person. Deep in this thought, Laura looked again at Robbie. He made a small snuffle of a noise that made Laura smile. He stirred, as if sensing her next to him and after a few minutes he awoke.
"Hello" She said quietly, gently stroking the back of her fingers against his cheek. His skin was soft; he'd shaved when he'd had a shower.
"you ok?" She continued "Good sleep?"
"Aye, I think so; actually yes" He said, his voice soft and gravelly. "I had quite a deep sleep I think, I feel better anyway."
"You were snoring your head off, so you're certainly getting back to normal" She said with a cheeky smirk.
He laughed softly. He could never be quite sure if Laura was over exaggerating his slumberous sounds or if he did snore loudly these days.
"I'm going to get some fresh air in the garden" Said Laura with a warm smile. "Lunch is ready, whenever you are" And she kissed his cheek and got up off the bed and disappeared through the door of the bedroom.
Robbie sighed. He did feel better, much better and the nap had refreshed him.
He got out of bed and went into the living area. Outside he could see Laura crouching down in the garden looking at a blueish spiky plant with purple flowers. Robbie was hungry and the aroma of the soup Laura had made caused his stomach to rumble. He didn't want to keep himself or Laura waiting for lunch, but there was something he needed to do quickly.
He picked up Laura's phone that she had left on the table and thumbed through to the recent call list and pressed dial. "Hello again. . . No don't worry I'm fine. Listen, pet, you're on that facebook thing aren't you?. . . yeah. . . I wonder if you can do me a favour"
