Chapter eighteen

To be free

The next week became a haze. Sahara couldn't believe how easy it had been to get her parents approval.

Sienna using her winning charm, had sat them down and in less then an hour had told Sahara to pack her bags.

Sahara's parents weren't the maternal type; as long as the pristine Berkinshire reputation was kept clean they cared nothing of their children's actions or of their feelings. She couldn't honestly say she loved them, it would've been a stretch of the imagination. It was more of a blessing then a curse though, if she had found love with her parents the bonds that she had forged with Vern, Teddy, Gordie, Chris and The Cobras may never have become.

Only her, Chris and Sienna knew of the child but she knew she'd have to break it to the guys and eventually her parents.

"Sahara, you fat head, help me with your bloody luggage!" Sienna cried from half way up the stair case. Looking up Sahara nodded, carting up an armful of clothing and another full suit case she clambered up the stairs, "Jesus this house is massive, almost as big as ma's!"

"Yeh well, mother wasn't going to let me marry just any one" Sienna said, rather bitterly.

Up another flight of stairs they went, until they reached a landing with four shut doors.

"Ok this is yours" Sienna smiled walking over to the door closest to her right.

Sahara opened it, grinning dumbly, the room was huge, even bigger then her one at home, "amazing, I don't know what I'd do with out you."

"Probably die" Sienna said, matter of factly. "Ok and this is your bathroom" she indicated to the door beside Sahara's.

"What bout those two?" Sahara asked looking at the two doors opposing her own.

"Oh, that ones mine and the others Jim's" she replied.

Sahara looked confused up at her eldest sister, who merely shrugged and said "I don't love him the way you love Chris, I don't even know if I love him."

Later that day Chris rode around with Gordie and Teddy.

"Sacky!" Teddy roared, running up to her at the open door and lifting her up, kissing her on both cheeks. "Jesus it feels like forever!"

"Oh Teddy, I've missed you too, but put me down I feel nauseas!"

Gordie was waiting behind Teddy a crooked grin painted on his face, embracing her delicately he whispered "Congratulations, I can't wait to be an Uncle."

Sahara almost cried with relief, "thank you."

Chris looked at Sahara enamored by her beauty, disbelieving of how everything had changed so fast and surprisingly ecstatic he was about it.

"Get over here!" Chris laughed, "we're going down to the lake!"

"Just you wait Mr Chambers, I'll get changed!" Sahara called back heaving herself up the staggeringly large stairs.

Gordie walked back over to Chris.

"I'm going to do it Gordie" he smiled, the blue of his eyes hidden by his expansive mass of lashes.

"I love her so god damn much, and maybe in time her love for me will fade and I'll know what we did was stupid and expected of us but as long as I love her this way forever she'll never really stop loving me and we can grow old together like in the movies" Chris whispered.

Silence stewed in the air for a moment, "It scares me how mature you are sometimes man" Gordie replied.

Chris wrinkled up his nose "What do you mean, it's always been you who's been mature."

"Look at you, you don't realize it but you've always been the keeper the peace maker the role model. You're wise beyond anything I've every known."

Chris forced a smile however sad and melancholy it was, "don't become me Gordie, it's taken a lot of beatings and shit to become like me, to be naive to be innocent is utter freedom man, I haven't been free in a long time. I'll live the rest of my life making sure my kids are free, making sure she becomes free."

Gordie felt his right eye twitch with a deep sadness, "you gotta promise me two things, man, if it's the only two promises you make to me make them be this, never fall out of love with your family, never leave them, and never leave us, we gotta always be mates all five of us, forever."

Chris put a reassuring arm around Gordie, "man you sure a soppy dweeb!"

"Fuck you, Chambers!" Gordie laughed cuffing Chris around the ears and leaping into the driver's seat.

Chris smiled at him, flipping him the bird "it's my go to drive, LaChance!"

"Meh, you snooze ya loose!"

The lake was the epitome of perfection. No one else knew of it except for the odd locals and no one who wasn't a local dared to come. Surrounded by the ever growing forest and blessed by the mid afternoon heat the lake was their favourite hang out area. At the moment Teddy and Gordie lay floating in the placid water, their arms and legs spread out like fallen angels. Sahara and Chris were sprawled out on the bank, Sahara in her little swim suit and Chris in his navy shorts which had been hand me downs from Eyeball's.

Chris placed a warm hand on Sahara's slightly rounded belly, stroking it up and down and pinching her delicately on the hips. "Hey geroff, that hurt!" she laughed rolling onto her side to face him.

"I love you, Chris" she said.

Grinning sheepishly he replied "I'll love you forever"

Sahara sat up suddenly her eyebrows creasing with anguish, "how can you be so sure though?" she asked.

Chris hoisted his head up onto his hand, "what do you mean, how can I be sure?"

"I mean, how can you be sure you'll love me forever, you might leave, you might forget" she whispered.

Chris laughed, "Because a love like this could never be broken, and I'll never forget and I'll never fall out of love, never"

Sahara rolled onto him, smirking playfully, "well then that's ok!" she kissed him passionately, bringing his hands up and behind his head.

Chris kissed her back, his heart melting with love. The kissing grew as Chris broke free from her grip and grabbed the concave of her hips.

Chris broke away panting, "don't…" Chris was trying to be responsible but looking at her with small beads of sweat dripping down her chest and her lips quivering with anticipation he knew.

"Sahara, will you marry me?"

Sahara looked at him, the cool turquoise of her eyes staring back at him and the plump pale pinks lips forming the word "Yes."

THANK YOU EVERY ONE HU REVIEWED, I REALLY REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU KEEP ON READING THIS STORY.

MUCH LOVE.

BEX