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Chapter 39
Making Plans for a Lifetime
2030 – Hereford, UK
Elvis was propped against the headboard of their bed preparing for his face time date with Georgie. The room was lit by the lamps on each beside table. He was topless, wearing only a pair of track suit bottoms. He flexed his toes with anticipation as he rang the love of his life…
There she is!
"Hey beautiful!" He said as he burst into his gorgeous smile.
"Heyyyyy babe!" Her eyes lit up like twinkling stars at the sight of him.
They chuckled like two kiddies, so intoxicated were they at seeing each other.
"Remember this room?" Elvis asked, tilting the ipad around for her to take in their bedroom.
She giggled. "I do. Just remember, we have a little chaperone."
His unbridled delight stalled. "Who's in the room with ya?" He asked guardedly.
"Ya know I'm never alone now Elvis." She said, tilting her ipad towards her bump.
He crumbled into laughter. "How is Junior?" He asked.
"Oh, he's quiet now. Just as I am about to nod off he'll poke me…..like someone else I know."
Elvis grinned. "Bet you'd fancy me pokin ya right now, wouldn't cha?"
She gazed at his smiling, cheeky face. "Ahhh, ya know me so well." She said. Her eyes taking in everything about him, from head to chest. "I see ya dressed for the occasion." She said approvingly.
"Yeah, well I didn't 'ave time to iron my glad rags." The dulcet tone of his voice made her breath hitch and she drew her lower lip in between her teeth as she grinned. He loved her smile. He loved making her laugh, breaking the reserved exterior of the combat medic.
"What did ya have for dinner?" She asked.
"Pizza."
"Jeez Elvis! I should have known. Is daily pizza allowed on an as SAS Operative's diet?"
"Daily? Negative, and I am not eatin it every day!" She gave him a look. "OK….every other day. But I change out the toppings."
She laughed. "Maybe we could build a brick oven in the back garden! You could make your own." She said.
Elvis nodded happily. "We could do 'at. Be fun. I like it….good idea. Oh, hey, my mum wants to help you get your vegetable garden sorted. She is known for her tomato plants."
"That would be brilliant! Oooooh, I cannot wait." She said running her fingers up and down the sides of the ipad.
"Closin in a fortnight. Contracts to be exchanged babe." He winked.
"Yeah…..two weeks, yeah, and where will I be?"
He chagrined. "I want ya home with me."
"Then make it happen Elvis."
"Just need to sort this shit with Evans."
"What can you do about it? They can't reckon it's your job to find him."
"Nah. But something just does not feel right. It doesn't add up."
"Maybe he changed his mind." She offered.
"Maybe someone changed it for him. We do not know who Adam called exactly. He has since been found guilty of the assault charge, so he ain't goin anywhere and the good ole uncle is in the midst of his comeuppance."
"Yeah. Toni called me last night. Said testifying was a living nightmare, but she got through it. Said the colonel defiantly stared at her the entire time."
"No surprise there. Fuckin prick! He'll be starin at four walls for the foreseeable."
"So ya reckon someone else is involved? The one who got the phone call?"
"I am leanin towards negative." Elvis said shaking his head slowly.
"Why?"
"Gut feelin." His eyes took in everything about her, her lips, her hair, the glow of her cheeks. He found her absolutely beautiful, more beautiful than his memory allowed. He wanted to hold her, tell her everything would be O.K., but he was honestly searching for answers himself. "How was the soup?" He asked, wanting to steer them away from the madness.
She blushed. "Well….it turned out a wee bit too watery and had no flavor." She answered dejectedly.
"Ouch. Well, it was yer first go."
"Yeah. Was. But Nonna helped me doctor it up. It's like being in cooking boot camp." She said with a chuckle. "Nonna would have been a good drill sergeant." She went on. "But no yelling….she'd just give you that look."
Elvis laughed. "Yeah. The look!" He mimicked his grandmother's trademark expression. The resemblance struck Georgie. Their eyes and smiles were so similar.
"She has been a dear to me Elvis."
"I know. I am sure she considers these days with you very special as well. I'm 'appy you're gettin on well."
Georgie gazed at him tenderly. "I am enjoying my holiday, but I really want to be lying next to you in our bed right now. I miss our cuddles."
"Yeah." He agreed softly. "Your hair looks longer." He observed.
"Does it?" She said, taking a hand and flouncing the crown of her head. He wished he could run his fingers through her silken hair. She could read his reaction and wished he could do just that.
"Let's say one week, yeah? One week and I am coming home."
He sighed. "Let's wait out."
She stared at him. He stared back.
"Alright. One week seems reasonable." He conceded.
"Thank you…Look, if Evans was going to come clean I doubt he would be a threat to us now." She pleaded.
"Roger. I thought about 'at. But he did follow us to hospital."
"You don't reckon he had something to do with the explosion?"
"Thought about 'at as well." He sighed and swiped a hand down his face. "Enough of this George. This is our date night. All that shit will still be there in the mornin."
"Agreed."
Elvis looked at her and smiled faintly. "So ya miss me then?"
"Not at all. Just think about you every second or two. That's all."
He chuckled. "Ya were never a good bullshitter George."
"Ha! That's true…ooooph!" She uttered with a surprised look on her face, running a hand over her belly.
"Wha's wrong?" He asked with immediate concern.
"Your son. He woke up and decided to say hi!"
"Hey little mate…" Elvis said warmly but watched Georgie closely. The separation was killing him. "Wish I could feel him move again." He said longingly.
"Wait a second." Georgie said as she positioned herself onto her left side.
"You two OK?"
"Yeah. Maybe you'll be able to see him move."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah….There….Let's see." She angled the ipad for him to have a close up of her bump.
Elvis was captivated. "Get ready…..he's starting to move." She said softly.
Elvis' eyes were fixated. He swallowed with anticipation. When the baby turned to reposition himself Elvis almost went through the screen. "Did ya see?" She chirped.
"Yeah! Oh my God Georgie! I saw him move! Can he do it again?" He said. She chuckled endearingly. Elvis' eyes opened wide. "He just poked ya!"
"Elbowed me is more like it."
"Does it hurt?"
"Not so much. A lot of the time it surprises me. He's his daddy all over."
Elvis smiled broadly then became subdued. "Reckon he settled down." He said watching intently. She nodded, touched by his delight in their baby's development.
"For now. Listen…I have an idea for a name…" She said.
"Do ya?"
"Yeah. Dylan."
"Dylan." Elvis repeated, mulling it over. "So I'd be callin him Dyl…..like a cucumber."
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Jeez Elvis! Just call him Dylan. Who calls you El?"
He laughed. "OK, put it on the list." He said with equal drama.
"What list?"
"I 'ave another one."
"Oh no! Let me guess... Pistol." She said, afraid to hear what he was really going to say. He forced a serious expression and her eyes flared. He broke down and laughed.
"Nah….Zachary."
She was surprised in a good way. "I like it. I reckon you would be calling him Zack."
He smiled. "Yeah. Zack Harte…has a proper ring to it."
She smiled. "It does actually. OK, our list is growing."
"I sent Marco photos of the nursery and floor dimensions. He said he was gonna show ya some samples for the floor redo."
"When did ya do that?"
"Late this afternoon. He said he would probably go over them with ya tomorrow."
"OK. I'm leaning towards carpet. It will be soft and cushion noises."
"Whatever ya reckon is best."
"Do you care about colors?"
"Negative. I'm good with what ya choose. You 'ave good taste."
"You reckon."
"Absolutely. Ya married me." He cheeked.
She groaned and was delighted Elvis had not changed one bit. "Hey, my mum sent photos of furniture for the nursery, I'll forward those to ya. Let me know what ya reckon."
"I will." He nodded.
"She is so chuffed about it all. Once we get in there she'll be scrubbing the paint off of the walls."
"Give the place a proper spit polish." Elvis laughed.
"Uh huh. The windows have been changed out?"
"Yep. Ah shit!! I forgot to send ya those." He propped the ipad on the nightstand and picked up his mobile. "I nudged them to keep the rustic look of the place and they did, so I am 'appy about 'at. See wha' you reckon." He said and forwarded the photos.
"I will. There is so much to do Elvis."
"Yeah, well, we can't get into the place until the contracts are finalized. I am tryin to get the tasks sorted. Pick something for the nursery and Marco will crack on. Won't take long to redo the floor."
"I was really hoping we could move in before the baby is born." She said disappointedly.
Elvis laid back on the bed and sighed. "I was hopin 'at as well, but I can't make any promises. Once we are handed the keys I will dispatch the platoon."
Georgie laughed. "Got a lot of recruits have ya?"
"Ya know…..the team…your mum…my family. It will get done George. Don't get yourself flustered."
"I am not flustered."
"Not even a wee bit?" He asked with arched brow.
"I am not flustered Elvis." She said with mock disdain.
"Yer sure?
She gave him a look then broke out into a toothy grin. He did likewise.
"OK! So I am a bit flustered, and excited, and anxious. Two massive events coming up in our lives Elvis. Our baby and our own home." She said emphatically, then repeatedly stroked her bump. Elvis' eyes trailed to her hand.
"Give him a rub for me would ya?"
Georgie's eyes softened. He genuinely longed to be with her and the baby. She craved the same. She smiled. "This is from daddy." She said tenderly, splaying her hand wide and rubbing with a circular motion as Elvis blinked and swallowed down his deep emotion. "I reckon he's tired now." She said, trying to smother a yawn herself. Of course Elvis noticed and smiled lightly.
"Looks like mummy is as well." He said.
"No. No, I'm fine." She said as another yawn came over her. She smiled sheepishly. "Maybe you could read us a bedtime story." She said, simply wanting to prolong hearing his voice.
Elvis chuckled. "You would be out by the end of the first paragraph." She grinned at him because she could not deny it. "Get some kip babe. We'll talk more tomorrow." He said softly, deeply.
"I hate to say goodbye." She said.
"Then don't. I am gonna say….I love you Georgie." He said sincerely. "You and our little Junior."
She smiled at him with sleepy eyes. "We love you."
Xxxxx
…..The next day ….
1300 – Hoddesdon, UK
Georgie finished going over carpet samples with Marco. She was confident the neutral color would compliment various shades of wall paint. That would give her something else to do between cooking sessions with Nonna. It was a lovely afternoon and she ventured out into the back garden. As she walked around, she was drawn to the swing set, pausing and placing a hand on the metal frame, remembering….
Elvis sitting on the swing, looking at her with such love in his eyes as he drew her to him. His fingers pinching the cuff of her leather jacket, coaxing her closer. She truly loved this man. She almost melted on his lap, then grasped the back of his head as they joined in a kiss. She had wanted him to kiss her all day. Finally, they had a private moment away from his family. No doubt there were curtain twitchers at a window….but Georgie did not care. Just being in his arms was all that mattered. She was so in love with him…..and dear God…she still loved him as much, if not more today …..
Now, in the present moment, she moved to sit on the swing, carefully as her center of gravity was displaced by her bump. She wrapped her small hands around the support chains and closed her eyes….remembering…..
The feel of Elvis' soft lips on hers. How gently at first…and then both deepening their enjoyment of each other. She almost groaned aloud …
….wishing he were with her right now. One week…she kept reminding herself…
One week.
