Hello everyone. I hope you are all well. I have taken a short break from my other story ( Ash Rake ). I needed a bit of down time from it – it's been a long haul and not only that but I have been a little weary in body and mind recently. As such I needed a little pick-me-up so I prescribed myself a little bit of Robson fluff writing – sometimes you just need fluff, nothing less nothing more. So here it is, There's not much to it but I thought I would share it regardless. This story takes place after the series finishes. If you have read some of my other stories you will know that in my personal story timeline after the end of the series I have taken a few liberties and married Robbie and Laura off – but I haven't actually written about their nuptials as of yet, which I hope to do at some point if I still have any time and energy left in the coming months - and I still have Belladonna to finish too :/ - So, I have hinted at a few things that I have planned to write about in the future but this story is a standalone I suppose. ANYWAY. That's about all for now, so take care folks and thank you as always for reading – without you I wouldn't write, so thank you. . .
Eh? What's that I hear you say? A sexy fluffy bonus M chapter to this tale when it comes to the end? Hmm. Umm, Well, I don't know if my prescription of self-care goes that far. OH, GO ON THEN IF YOU INSIST! – look out for a sexy bonus chapter for this story in due course.
ML x
Laura Hobson took another sip of the coffee she had been enjoying, leisurely and with great pleasure, for the past hour. She was in her favourite Italian Deli which also had a coffee counter that, in her opinion, served the best coffee in Oxford.
To Laura the place was a little sanctuary. In her working days she'd spent many a lunch hour there, snatching a bit of peace and quiet between postmortems and the lab. Some mornings she'd been grateful for the deli's early start, finding a moment to gather her wits before giving evidence and getting grilled in court or fortifying herself for a long day in the lab with one of the deli's Italian breakfast pastries. Laura loved the coffees the deli served, there was always one that suited her time of visit - a big breakfast latte, a mid-morning cappuccino or a quick espresso in the afternoon on those occasions that she knew she'd be working late in the lab. Sometimes she would get a takeaway but if she had time she loved to sit for even just a short while. Some of the tables were tucked away from the shop area and the view onto the street outside and also from the main deli counter and as a result were a great place to enjoy a coffee in peace and quiet. So it was on this particular afternoon that Laura found herself enjoying a large cappuccino while secreted away from the main bustle of not only the outside streets but the busier tables in the windows of the deli.
Laura had arranged to meet an ex-student of hers who, now working at a pathology lab in Birmingham, had wanted to discuss some PhD research ideas. Laura had been more than happy to oblige. She had retired from the lab in Oxford but continued to keep a hand in with lectures, seminars and mentoring. She loved it, it was all the best bits of her job but without the admin and the pressure of the responsibilities. She was very fond of her ex-students and as well as catching up with them she also got to hear the news and gossip from all the labs. This particular ex-student, now an eminent Doctor of Pathology herself, had been called back to Birmingham due to an incident in the city center. In her ex-student's absence, Laura had ditched the college library for the Italian deli, quite happy to be alone and with a rare moment to enjoy some solitary peace and quiet.
As she sipped at her coffee she looked at her watch. She had only intended to be out for a couple of hours; she had plans with Robbie for the later part of the day. They were plans she was very much looking forward to; for today was their first wedding anniversary.
Robbie and Laura had made plans to celebrate their anniversary over the coming days; Laura had booked a trip away for them but due to her teaching schedule they had been forced to remain in Oxford on their actual anniversary before they left for their break away. Laura didn't care. She was more than happy to look forward to the little break she had planned for them. Robbie, however, had been a little put out that they wouldn't be marking the actual day with a special event. Laura knew that Robbie held anniversaries in high importance, especially their wedding anniversary. Laura was quite happy to shift the celebrations to another day but she realised that to Robbie the actual passing of the day itself was something profoundly important to him. As things had turned out, however, Laura had found her dairy full and with no easy route to postpone or re-arrange her consultancy commitments. With their trip away planned for the day after their anniversary, and a very early start, it was decided that they would simply have a quiet night in. Robbie, in lieu of a more lavish event, had then taken it upon himself to cook them a celebratory meal. Laura had inwardly winced at the thought. Robbie's cooking skills left a lot to be desired but she loved how he tried his best and he was getting better, realising that simple and delicious meals didn't have to be complicated. He had seemed determined to make a special meal for them both so Laura had simply agreed. There was the Indian takeaway on speed dial after all she had told him with a smirk.
Sipping at her coffee Laura smiled to herself at the thought of the evening ahead; whatever Robbie cooked she didn't really care, it was more important to her that they would simply spend the time together. She did know, however, that Robbie had left the shopping for the meal to the last minute; partly down to the fact that he wanted to keep it all a secret.
After her ex-student had cancelled Laura had wondered whether to call Robbie, she knew he was out in town. She decided against it; Robbie had already hinted at the big plans he had for the meal and the huge amount of provisions he needed to procure. Laura smirked to herself again, no doubt the kitchen would be off limits when she got home which suited her perfectly – first a peaceful cup of coffee to herself and then when she got home perhaps a long soak in the bath with an audio book. It wasn't a conventional way to spend a first wedding anniversary but Laura found herself feeling full of a deep sense of contentment at the thought of her and Robbie's night ahead.
As she mused her evening's plans, Laura found herself absently touching the rings on her ring finger; an engagement ring and wedding ring. She loved them both but always found herself studying and touching the engagement ring and its three gemstones that were just as precious, if not more so than the gold and platinum of her engagement and wedding ring. For her, life hadn't changed when she'd married Robbie. She had of course loved every second of their wedding day; it had been one of the happiest days she'd known, but as to how she felt for Robbie nothing had changed because of getting married. She loved him more and more each day, regardless of their marital status. She did know how much being married meant to Robbie however - that it meant that the world knew they were together, completely, in love and in life. It was with this in mind that she knew he would want to pull out all the stops for their evening together.
Laura took her book out and with a contented sigh started to read. After a while she ordered another coffee and settled back into the leather chair and read solidly and immersively for a whole hour. Finally at around 4 o'clock, with her coffee almost finished, she decided it was time to head home.
She nipped to the toilet and as she returned, she heard a familiar voice. It was Robbie. She exited the corridor to the toilets and right enough she saw Robbie at the deli counter. He hadn't seen her and she was about to go to him then saw that he had bags in his hand, one from her favourite artisan jewellery shop, one from her favourite organic toiletries boutique and if that wasn't enough, in his other hand he carefully brandished a large and very beautiful bouquet of flowers. Laura felt her heart melt at the sight. But she also felt a little annoyed she had seen the fruits of Robbie's shopping trip, clearly all for her for their anniversary celebration. Her immediate reaction was to go up to him but she realised this would simply spoil all of the surprises he had in store and, after all, there would still be some element of surprise as she didn't know what exactly was in the gift bags, despite knowing where they had been purchased. Quickly and discreetly, without being seen, Laura silently returned to her seat that was hidden away from Robbie and the deli counter.
