Title: Adjustments
Author: Listabets
Rating: PG13 may end up R but I'm not sure
Category: Robert and Elizabeth romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Robert or Elizabeth. I'm just borrowing them for a little bit for my own amusement, and hopefully for the amusement of those reading this.
............................................................................ ..........................
As the warm water pounded onto the back of her neck Elizabeth tried to relax.
"For Gods sake I have known him for 6 years, why be a nervous Nelly about it." Elizabeth was startled by the echo of her words in the large shower stall. She hadn't really meant to speak out loud. At her feet Ella sat naked on the tiles playing with a soapy bath sponge. She had managed to get completely covered in suds again so Elizabeth carefully scooped up her slippery daughter and rinsed them both off.
"Time to get dried, you little water baby" Elizabeth blew raspberries on Ella's wet tummy as she reached to turn off the water. Wrapping Ella in her towel Elizabeth had just slipped into her large terry robe when she heard the doorbell chime.
"We must have taken longer then I thought Miss Ella." Elizabeth remarked as she captured her daughter in her arms and headed down the stairs. She dreaded answering the door damp and in a robe but had no choice at this point.
Peeking through the spy hole, and seeing that it was indeed Robert, Elizabeth swung the door open to allow him in.
"Bath time get a little out of control?" Robert smiled at the two damp and freshly scrubbed females at the door.
Elizabeth was once again amazed by Roberts dimples and had to tear her eyes away from his face. Stepping out of the way she invited Robert into the house.
"Not really." Elizabeth laughed "I thought I could save a few minutes by bathing us together, since she gets me soaked anyway" Elizabeth realized that Ella was now racing through the living room naked with her towel draped over her shoulders like a cape.
"How about making yourself at home while I catch the naked girl and get her ready for bed." Elizabeth chased after her daughter, and on catching her gathered her up and bundled her upstairs.
"Ok, little girl it is time to get ready for bed." Elizabeth was glad of the distraction as she headed up the stairs. She had felt so exposed as she had let Robert into the house. Not just being in a robe but having him witness the mundane details of life in her household.
Putting Ella onto her changing table Elizabeth very quickly got her diapered and put into some cute shortie PJ's. "Story Mummy." Ella demanded rubbing her eyes.
"OK poppet, how about ONE, TWO, THREE?" Suggested Elizabeth. She reached for the book and settled Ella on her lap.
"One is good for a quiet walk, Two is good for a quiet talk, Three is good for having Tea-or for counting one, two, three". Elizabeth saw that Ella was fast asleep and lifted her into her cot.
Heading to her own room she considered what to wear. After a robe anything was going to be better so she slipped quickly into a white t-shirt and a Juicy Couture velour sweat suit she had found on sale somewhere in the Water Tower Place shopping center. Checking her face Elizabeth decided against makeup and went with the clean scrubbed look.
"Here we go." She said to her reflection in the mirror and made her way to the man waiting downstairs.
............................................................................ .............................................................
Robert found himself alone in the living room. He wasn't usually interested in the environments of others but he felt completely different with Elizabeth's home. The living room blended into the foyer, which blended into the kitchen. It seemed very open and welcoming, suiting his perception of Elizabeth. He was surprised to see very little that he felt came from Mark. Robert knew this had been their home together and had frankly expected Mark to be more in evidence. Browsing books on the shelves he saw many of his own favorites. There was Bronte, Austin, Steinbeck, Salinger, Thurber and even Sagan. Turning his practiced eye upon the room itself he was pleased with the nice mix of texture. Leather sofas, built to withstand the tough stuff kids can dish out, mixed well with raw silk window treatments. The over all effect was one of practical need mixed with very good taste.
Hearing the creak of the stairs Robert looked up as Elizabeth entered the room. She was dressed in a sweat suit that seemed so soft it hugged all the right curves. Robert swallowed and attempted to catch his breath.
"Sorry about that" Elizabeth explained. 'I didn't intend to keep you waiting".
"No problem, I enjoyed snooping around a bit." Robert watched as Elizabeth joined him in the room. " You have very eclectic taste in writers." He remarked
"I'm an eclectic person" Elizabeth shrugged "I have never been interested in the mainstream, just what catches my fancy." She stood facing him and there was silence for a moment. They took the time to adjust to each other company and the newness of it all.
"You know, I fed Ella but I didn't eat. I'm going to make a Caesar salad with some grilled chicken. Are you hungry? Would you like to join me?" Elizabeth looked at him questioningly.
"Of course. Well, as long as I get my tea and biscuits later." Quipped Robert. The summer evening had begun to cool so they decided to eat on the terrace. There was a very nice breeze and the view of the city was something special. After assembling the salad Elizabeth grabbed a bottle of chilled white wine and joined Robert outside. He had found some candles to keep away the bugs and the entire setting looked really magical. The lights of the city twinkling in the distance, the lights of the candles creating an intimate glow right here.
Elizabeth found that her pulse was beating entirely too fast but she had been dealing with this particular phenomena for several weeks and decided to bloody well ignore it. Settling down at the table she made sure Robert had enough to eat on his plate and then began to enjoy her meal.
"This is wonderful Elizabeth. I haven't been cooking since the final flambé of my arm and while Dorothy is a great housekeeper, her menu is very limited." Robert was savoring every bite.
"I enjoy cooking almost as much as I enjoy eating." Elizabeth laughed, "My most favorite cookbooks at the moment are by Nigella Lawson. Have you heard of her?" Elizabeth speared a bit of grilled chicken and bit into it with great satisfaction.
"She's wonderful." Robert agreed. "Don't you adore how much she loves the actual food and not just some pretentious way of serving it? She seems like someone who would gladly with eat her fingers! I find it hard to believe her father is Nigel Lawson-the former Chancellor of Ex-Chequor." Robert shook his head. "He was not a handsome man, how did he create someone like Nigella?" Robert chuckled to himself.
'No idea." Elizabeth concurred. "She is rather spectacular. I adore her addiction to chocolate. Both the gourmet and the regular!" Elizabeth settled back and watched Robert enjoy the rest of his meal. It seemed improbable that they had known each other this long and this was the first meal they had shared. There were so many moments that they had shouldered together and they were some of the most crucial in their lives. Elizabeth's first M& M, Mark's reoccurrence, Roberts struggle against infection, and ultimately his decision to go for amputation. A meal, compared to all that, seem trivial. When it was clear Robert was done Elizabeth began to remove the dishes from the table.
"So do you want to learn to make tea properly? Like a true Brit?" Elizabeth was being light hearted but she began to realize that Robert had gotten very subdued. He was loading dishes into the dishwasher and avoiding her eyes.
"This will be the first time you have made tea, or anything else, since the accident isn't it?" Elizabeth quietly waited for Robert to reply, not wanting to push him.
Robert finished placing dishes in the machine, and slowly turned to face Elizabeth. He appreciated her ability to identify the times he needed a bit of space.
"Yeah, but it's time. A definite plus here is that I have adult supervision and if my left arm catches on fire this time it is covered by my insurance." Robert smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth. "So teach me where I have been going wrong all these years."
"First, and this may interest you from the safety perspective, an electric kettle is a must." Elizabeth reached across the counter and grabbed the kettle, filled it with fresh water, and clicked it on. "Now while we wait for that to boil we get out the tea things and get ready. How do you take your tea?" Elizabeth asked
"Usually with a bit of lemon and on occasion some honey." Robert answered and almost burst out laughing at the look of complete horror on her face.
"Lemon is not for tea, not a proper cup anyway." Elizabeth set out the teapot, a little silver strainer, a little pitcher she filled with milk and two cups. "Lemon is for pancakes, never for tea." It was Elizabeth turn to laugh at Roberts look of disgust.
"Lemon on pancakes? No wonder we set out for the colonies!" Robert shook his head in mock wonder. "Maple syrup is the only reason to eat pancakes." He watched as Elizabeth continued to gather things together. She had now added a little bowl of sugar, a small jar of strawberry jam, the fresh scones and finally the container of clotted cream.
"Now that the water is boiled we need to warm the pot." Elizabeth poured some of the boiling water into the pot, swirled it around and dumped it into the sink. "The next step is to add the tea leaves to the pot, in this case Earl Grey, and cover them with the freshly boiled water." Having accomplished this Elizabeth picked up the tray and headed for the terrace. Robert opened the door for her and they both stepped out into the fresh night air.
" Now we let it steep for a few moments-but not too long or it gets bitter." Elizabeth set out two cups and poured the tea through the strainer to catch the loose leaves. "It isn't finished until there is a bit of milk added, but sugar is optional." Elizabeth passed him his cup, added a bit of milk to her own and settled back against the cushions of her chair cradling the cup of tea in her hands.
Robert followed her example and added some milk to his own cup and tentatively took a sip. "It is completely different with milk, smoother I think." Robert took another sip and was surprised at how good it tasted.
Elizabeth set out the scones and clotted cream for them both. "This was so thoughtful Robert. Like a taste of home." Elizabeth munched on her scone not minding a bit when her fingers got sticky from the strawberries and the thick cream.
"You're welcome. Do you miss the UK much?" Robert was completely enjoying watching Elizabeth eat. She was relishing every bite and that was refreshing in a world where so many women starve themselves for vanity.
"I thought I did, until I went back after Mark died. My life is here now and I no longer fit in there. Despite this little British tradition I have become very Americanized." Elizabeth smiled at Robert. " I enjoy a good argument too much, and that didn't go down too well with the Senior Registrars back in London."
"I was a bad influence then?" Robert laughed.
"The worst." Elizabeth teased back. The candle light flickered as the conversation slowed.
Glancing at his watch Robert realized that it was getting late. He didn't want to end this evening but they both had shifts tomorrow.
"Thank you so much for having me to dinner, and teaching me the right way to have tea, but I must be getting home." Robert rose to his feet and began to clear the table.
Elizabeth stopped him "No that's fine, I'll get it in a few minutes." Without thinking about it Elizabeth reached out her hand and captured his. "Let me walk you to the door."
With his hand in hers he followed her through the house. They paused in front of the door.
"I'm glad I called you tonight." Elizabeth said truthfully.
"So am I." Robert was studying her face and couldn't stop himself from sliding his eyes down to her lips. He dragged is gaze back up to her eyes and saw what he hoped was permission. With the pulse thundering in his ears he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own, tasting tea and strawberry and something that could only be her unique flavor. Elizabeth relaxed into him as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips and exploring the inner recesses of her mouth. He gently caught her lower lip between his teeth and delighted in her answering moan as he sucked softly. Robert wanted to crush her to him and really discover the depths of the passion he could feel between them, but instead trailed kisses up toward her ear and whispered "Good night Lizzie, sleep well." He returned to her lips for a last taste and stepped out of her embrace.
"You too, Robert." Elizabeth held the door open and watched as he climbed into his Jag and drove off into the night.
She closed the door and locked it all the while continuing to feel his lips on hers and the gentle sweetness of a kiss that hinted at a kind of passion Elizabeth had never experienced before.
Rating: PG13 may end up R but I'm not sure
Category: Robert and Elizabeth romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Robert or Elizabeth. I'm just borrowing them for a little bit for my own amusement, and hopefully for the amusement of those reading this.
............................................................................ ..........................
As the warm water pounded onto the back of her neck Elizabeth tried to relax.
"For Gods sake I have known him for 6 years, why be a nervous Nelly about it." Elizabeth was startled by the echo of her words in the large shower stall. She hadn't really meant to speak out loud. At her feet Ella sat naked on the tiles playing with a soapy bath sponge. She had managed to get completely covered in suds again so Elizabeth carefully scooped up her slippery daughter and rinsed them both off.
"Time to get dried, you little water baby" Elizabeth blew raspberries on Ella's wet tummy as she reached to turn off the water. Wrapping Ella in her towel Elizabeth had just slipped into her large terry robe when she heard the doorbell chime.
"We must have taken longer then I thought Miss Ella." Elizabeth remarked as she captured her daughter in her arms and headed down the stairs. She dreaded answering the door damp and in a robe but had no choice at this point.
Peeking through the spy hole, and seeing that it was indeed Robert, Elizabeth swung the door open to allow him in.
"Bath time get a little out of control?" Robert smiled at the two damp and freshly scrubbed females at the door.
Elizabeth was once again amazed by Roberts dimples and had to tear her eyes away from his face. Stepping out of the way she invited Robert into the house.
"Not really." Elizabeth laughed "I thought I could save a few minutes by bathing us together, since she gets me soaked anyway" Elizabeth realized that Ella was now racing through the living room naked with her towel draped over her shoulders like a cape.
"How about making yourself at home while I catch the naked girl and get her ready for bed." Elizabeth chased after her daughter, and on catching her gathered her up and bundled her upstairs.
"Ok, little girl it is time to get ready for bed." Elizabeth was glad of the distraction as she headed up the stairs. She had felt so exposed as she had let Robert into the house. Not just being in a robe but having him witness the mundane details of life in her household.
Putting Ella onto her changing table Elizabeth very quickly got her diapered and put into some cute shortie PJ's. "Story Mummy." Ella demanded rubbing her eyes.
"OK poppet, how about ONE, TWO, THREE?" Suggested Elizabeth. She reached for the book and settled Ella on her lap.
"One is good for a quiet walk, Two is good for a quiet talk, Three is good for having Tea-or for counting one, two, three". Elizabeth saw that Ella was fast asleep and lifted her into her cot.
Heading to her own room she considered what to wear. After a robe anything was going to be better so she slipped quickly into a white t-shirt and a Juicy Couture velour sweat suit she had found on sale somewhere in the Water Tower Place shopping center. Checking her face Elizabeth decided against makeup and went with the clean scrubbed look.
"Here we go." She said to her reflection in the mirror and made her way to the man waiting downstairs.
............................................................................ .............................................................
Robert found himself alone in the living room. He wasn't usually interested in the environments of others but he felt completely different with Elizabeth's home. The living room blended into the foyer, which blended into the kitchen. It seemed very open and welcoming, suiting his perception of Elizabeth. He was surprised to see very little that he felt came from Mark. Robert knew this had been their home together and had frankly expected Mark to be more in evidence. Browsing books on the shelves he saw many of his own favorites. There was Bronte, Austin, Steinbeck, Salinger, Thurber and even Sagan. Turning his practiced eye upon the room itself he was pleased with the nice mix of texture. Leather sofas, built to withstand the tough stuff kids can dish out, mixed well with raw silk window treatments. The over all effect was one of practical need mixed with very good taste.
Hearing the creak of the stairs Robert looked up as Elizabeth entered the room. She was dressed in a sweat suit that seemed so soft it hugged all the right curves. Robert swallowed and attempted to catch his breath.
"Sorry about that" Elizabeth explained. 'I didn't intend to keep you waiting".
"No problem, I enjoyed snooping around a bit." Robert watched as Elizabeth joined him in the room. " You have very eclectic taste in writers." He remarked
"I'm an eclectic person" Elizabeth shrugged "I have never been interested in the mainstream, just what catches my fancy." She stood facing him and there was silence for a moment. They took the time to adjust to each other company and the newness of it all.
"You know, I fed Ella but I didn't eat. I'm going to make a Caesar salad with some grilled chicken. Are you hungry? Would you like to join me?" Elizabeth looked at him questioningly.
"Of course. Well, as long as I get my tea and biscuits later." Quipped Robert. The summer evening had begun to cool so they decided to eat on the terrace. There was a very nice breeze and the view of the city was something special. After assembling the salad Elizabeth grabbed a bottle of chilled white wine and joined Robert outside. He had found some candles to keep away the bugs and the entire setting looked really magical. The lights of the city twinkling in the distance, the lights of the candles creating an intimate glow right here.
Elizabeth found that her pulse was beating entirely too fast but she had been dealing with this particular phenomena for several weeks and decided to bloody well ignore it. Settling down at the table she made sure Robert had enough to eat on his plate and then began to enjoy her meal.
"This is wonderful Elizabeth. I haven't been cooking since the final flambé of my arm and while Dorothy is a great housekeeper, her menu is very limited." Robert was savoring every bite.
"I enjoy cooking almost as much as I enjoy eating." Elizabeth laughed, "My most favorite cookbooks at the moment are by Nigella Lawson. Have you heard of her?" Elizabeth speared a bit of grilled chicken and bit into it with great satisfaction.
"She's wonderful." Robert agreed. "Don't you adore how much she loves the actual food and not just some pretentious way of serving it? She seems like someone who would gladly with eat her fingers! I find it hard to believe her father is Nigel Lawson-the former Chancellor of Ex-Chequor." Robert shook his head. "He was not a handsome man, how did he create someone like Nigella?" Robert chuckled to himself.
'No idea." Elizabeth concurred. "She is rather spectacular. I adore her addiction to chocolate. Both the gourmet and the regular!" Elizabeth settled back and watched Robert enjoy the rest of his meal. It seemed improbable that they had known each other this long and this was the first meal they had shared. There were so many moments that they had shouldered together and they were some of the most crucial in their lives. Elizabeth's first M& M, Mark's reoccurrence, Roberts struggle against infection, and ultimately his decision to go for amputation. A meal, compared to all that, seem trivial. When it was clear Robert was done Elizabeth began to remove the dishes from the table.
"So do you want to learn to make tea properly? Like a true Brit?" Elizabeth was being light hearted but she began to realize that Robert had gotten very subdued. He was loading dishes into the dishwasher and avoiding her eyes.
"This will be the first time you have made tea, or anything else, since the accident isn't it?" Elizabeth quietly waited for Robert to reply, not wanting to push him.
Robert finished placing dishes in the machine, and slowly turned to face Elizabeth. He appreciated her ability to identify the times he needed a bit of space.
"Yeah, but it's time. A definite plus here is that I have adult supervision and if my left arm catches on fire this time it is covered by my insurance." Robert smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth. "So teach me where I have been going wrong all these years."
"First, and this may interest you from the safety perspective, an electric kettle is a must." Elizabeth reached across the counter and grabbed the kettle, filled it with fresh water, and clicked it on. "Now while we wait for that to boil we get out the tea things and get ready. How do you take your tea?" Elizabeth asked
"Usually with a bit of lemon and on occasion some honey." Robert answered and almost burst out laughing at the look of complete horror on her face.
"Lemon is not for tea, not a proper cup anyway." Elizabeth set out the teapot, a little silver strainer, a little pitcher she filled with milk and two cups. "Lemon is for pancakes, never for tea." It was Elizabeth turn to laugh at Roberts look of disgust.
"Lemon on pancakes? No wonder we set out for the colonies!" Robert shook his head in mock wonder. "Maple syrup is the only reason to eat pancakes." He watched as Elizabeth continued to gather things together. She had now added a little bowl of sugar, a small jar of strawberry jam, the fresh scones and finally the container of clotted cream.
"Now that the water is boiled we need to warm the pot." Elizabeth poured some of the boiling water into the pot, swirled it around and dumped it into the sink. "The next step is to add the tea leaves to the pot, in this case Earl Grey, and cover them with the freshly boiled water." Having accomplished this Elizabeth picked up the tray and headed for the terrace. Robert opened the door for her and they both stepped out into the fresh night air.
" Now we let it steep for a few moments-but not too long or it gets bitter." Elizabeth set out two cups and poured the tea through the strainer to catch the loose leaves. "It isn't finished until there is a bit of milk added, but sugar is optional." Elizabeth passed him his cup, added a bit of milk to her own and settled back against the cushions of her chair cradling the cup of tea in her hands.
Robert followed her example and added some milk to his own cup and tentatively took a sip. "It is completely different with milk, smoother I think." Robert took another sip and was surprised at how good it tasted.
Elizabeth set out the scones and clotted cream for them both. "This was so thoughtful Robert. Like a taste of home." Elizabeth munched on her scone not minding a bit when her fingers got sticky from the strawberries and the thick cream.
"You're welcome. Do you miss the UK much?" Robert was completely enjoying watching Elizabeth eat. She was relishing every bite and that was refreshing in a world where so many women starve themselves for vanity.
"I thought I did, until I went back after Mark died. My life is here now and I no longer fit in there. Despite this little British tradition I have become very Americanized." Elizabeth smiled at Robert. " I enjoy a good argument too much, and that didn't go down too well with the Senior Registrars back in London."
"I was a bad influence then?" Robert laughed.
"The worst." Elizabeth teased back. The candle light flickered as the conversation slowed.
Glancing at his watch Robert realized that it was getting late. He didn't want to end this evening but they both had shifts tomorrow.
"Thank you so much for having me to dinner, and teaching me the right way to have tea, but I must be getting home." Robert rose to his feet and began to clear the table.
Elizabeth stopped him "No that's fine, I'll get it in a few minutes." Without thinking about it Elizabeth reached out her hand and captured his. "Let me walk you to the door."
With his hand in hers he followed her through the house. They paused in front of the door.
"I'm glad I called you tonight." Elizabeth said truthfully.
"So am I." Robert was studying her face and couldn't stop himself from sliding his eyes down to her lips. He dragged is gaze back up to her eyes and saw what he hoped was permission. With the pulse thundering in his ears he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own, tasting tea and strawberry and something that could only be her unique flavor. Elizabeth relaxed into him as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips and exploring the inner recesses of her mouth. He gently caught her lower lip between his teeth and delighted in her answering moan as he sucked softly. Robert wanted to crush her to him and really discover the depths of the passion he could feel between them, but instead trailed kisses up toward her ear and whispered "Good night Lizzie, sleep well." He returned to her lips for a last taste and stepped out of her embrace.
"You too, Robert." Elizabeth held the door open and watched as he climbed into his Jag and drove off into the night.
She closed the door and locked it all the while continuing to feel his lips on hers and the gentle sweetness of a kiss that hinted at a kind of passion Elizabeth had never experienced before.