We're Home – Part 28

" Where are we going?" Lexie inquired, gazing out through the window of the car
" I'm not sure" Archie replied
Lexie turned to glance at him, " What do you mean you're not sure. What's going on Arch?"
" Nothing, nothing" Archie covered
Lexie narrowed her eyes and stared at him suspiciously " I don't believe you"
Archie raised his eyebrows and tried to come up with a quick comeback that would put her off the trail.
" I though I'd let you choose where you wanted to go "
" Archie" Lexie stated in disbelief, " I wanted to have a quiet day at home, I only came out because you said you had a surprise for me."
" Oh I do, I do" Archie confirmed, knowing that this was more true then she realised
" So why am I navigating where we are going?"
" Because, we've only got a few more days left at Glenbogle and I wanted to go to all the places that are special to us before we leave again."
Lexie's gaze softened, " Oh Arch that's so sweet"
Archie smiled triumphantly, 'thank God she had bought it'
" So where to first?" He asked
Lexie smiled and let her memories drift back to days gone by

Katrina balanced precariously on the ladder as Paul handed her another set of streamers
" How come Archie got out of all this?" She asked, standing on tiptoes to stick the streamer to the side of the banister
" Because he's distracting Lexie"
Katrina raised her eyebrows, " Because he's good at getting people to do what he wants you mean"
Paul smiled, " That too. But come on it's not really that bad is it?"
" No" Katrina finally agreed with a smile
" Are we still going to officially announce the engagement tonight as well?" Paul inquired
Katrina nodded, " I think its perfect timing"
Paul smiled, and nodded in agreement. Just then Molly and Melanie walked in herding a flock of already inflated balloons.
" Please tell me you need some of these" Molly requested
" Um…I suppose so," Katrina answered, " Why?"
" Because I don't think that anymore are going to fit in the lounge room" Molly replied
" We've blow up so many balloons," Melanie announced with a grin, " Isn't it going to be great!"
" Yes honey, you're mummy's going to love it" Paul answered, and then bent down to the 5 year olds level, " But remember it has to be a secret, you need to hide with the rest of us so we can surprise her when they get back okay?"
Melanie nodded, excited " I'll keep it secret Uncle Paul- I promise"
Paul nodded, and straightened up to see Golly walk through the door,
" The guests are starting to arrive" He announced, Duncan's sending them around the back."
" Good" Molly answered, " I think we may need some of them to help as finish off the decorating."
" What time do the invitations say to come? " Katrina asked
" I think it's 6:30pm," Paul informed
" And what time did Archie say he'd try to keep Lexie out till?"
" He said that they should be home at 7pm"
" Okay" Katrina announced, climbing hastily down from her perch on the ladder, " Melanie would you like to help me lead some of the guests to the lounge room and show them where to put their presents?"
" Yes" Melanie agreed
" Come on then" Katrina pledged, taking her hand and leading her to the door
" Oh this is such a great way to end their visit" Molly exclaimed, taking over Katrina's place as chief decorator, " I can't wait to see Lexie's face!"
" She's always been like a daughter to you hasn't she Molly?' Paul asked, scooping up some of the balloons and trying to tie them into a bunch
" Yes" Molly replied, " Always, ever since she turned up on our doorstep as a young girl."
Paul smiled, " I think you're both very lucky"
Molly glanced at him, " I agree"

" You're perfect"
" No I'm not Arch, no one's perfect"
Sometimes Archie's eyes were overpowering. They were so deep and emotive, that if you could read them properly he didn't need words.
Lexie glanced at them now and found herself entranced, they didn't need to exchange words, the silence wasn't uncomfortable- it was comforting.
" You're perfect to me" Archie announced
Lexie's lips turned up in a wry smile, he saw it and smiled too. Sometimes he took her for granted, he knew that- it was easy to do when everything was so well known and familiar, and yet other times he was blown away.
Staring at her he felt like he knew her better then he knew himself. That smile tugging at her lips had a specific connotation, and he knew it. The blue of her eyes, the loose bits of dark hair that fell around her face, the way she lifted her glass to her lips- everything. He loved everything, and it was so deeply rooted in him that he sometimes forgot.
" You ready to go back now?" he asked, trying to hide his excitement from the one person who it was hardest to hide anything from.
" Yeah" Lexie affirmed, almost reluctantly
Archie offered his hand and she took it tenderly, gently tracing the wedding band on his finger
" I liked this surprise Arch," she whispered
" You ain't seen nothing yet" he smiled