Thank you for all of your lovely comments. I am most grateful to you for taking the time to read this story. I hope you are enjoying it. Mimi.
Matthew made porridge that morning, not his usual scrambled eggs and toast. Matthew sat down a mug of coffee and bowl of porridge for Alice and as, was now his norm, he sat down next to her at the table and they talked about what their plans were for the day. Matthew looked at Alice and mentioned the big brass were calling at lunch time for an answer but before he could finish what he was saying, Alice reached for his hand and said "Matthew…tell them that I'll do it." Matthew looked at Alice, kept hold of her hand and leaned over and kissed her lips. "You are so brave, sweetheart." Alice blushed and Mathew said "Alice? What are you blushing at?" Alice looked at Matthew and said "Matthew? Do you know that's the third time you have called me sweetheart?" Matthew looked at Alice in disbelief. "Alice? Does it bother you? Don't you like it? I'll stop if you want to?" Alice looked at Matthew and without a word, leaned over hesitantly and kissed his lips. She leaned back onto the chair and said "Matthew, I love it. I love you. I want you to call me sweetheart. I never want you to stop but…" she hesitated with the next part, "no one has ever called me sweetheart, Matthew. I never thought that I deserved to be any one's sweetheart and…" but before she could finish her sentence, Matthew took her hand in his and said "my darling Alice. You deserve everything. Never think, for one moment that you don't deserve to be someone's sweetheart. You'll be mine for as long as you want to." Alice wasn't sure what made her do it but, she moved to sit in Matthew's lap and kissed him with so much force and passion that she never knew she had it in her. Matthew was left slightly breathless when she stopped, and as both of them looked at each other, Matthew said "I think we better go to work. I'm not sure I'll want to leave if you keep going!" they both laughed as they got up, cleared the table and made sure everything was tidied away before they left. As they got into the police car, Matthew looked at Alice and asked if she was looking forward to another day in the morgue with Charlie. "He's a handsome young lad, Alice. Do you think I should be worried?" Alice leaned over to Matthew and kissed him again, "No. Nothing to worry about. There's only room for one man in my life." Matthew's heart swelled with pride as he she said those words. He felt ten feet tall.
They drove to the station and Matthew called for Charlie to accompany Alice to the morgue. "Sure thing boss, just let me grab my paperwork for the day." Alice looked at Matthew; she wanted to kiss him goodbye, but she has to suffice with a touch to her hand and a promise of something more later.
The day was pretty uneventful but with everything that had been going on, Alice was glad of day with nothing too adventurous. Without asking, Charlie got up at some point and made them a cuppa and said nothing as he sat the steaming cup of coffee onto her desk. Alice looked up and thanked him and got back to work. When 1 pm came around, Matthew walked through the door with some sandwiches for all of them. When they had finished lunch, Matthew explained the plan and now all they needed was for thug to call Alice and let her know where and when to meet her.