"Thank you, John." Robert said, when he and John stepped out of the office. "I will place the advert for a second chef, so we both can spend more time with our loved ones." He patted John on his back. "How is little Johnny doing?"
"He is a wonderful little chap. Now hurry up, your weekend is waiting."
Robert got in a cab; his destination was 'Silver Linings'. He booked the Samphire Suite in the Norfolk Mead hotel. He arranged with Andrew a couple of days off for Cora in two weeks from now. Robert was excited to spend time together. He was now going to take her to Bath. They would stay one night and then go back home tomorrow. He booked a Spa treatment for them both.
He greeted Andrew who was standing in the hallway. "Cora is in her office." He said.
The door to her office was half open, he could see her sitting in front of her laptop. She was focused on what she was doing. Robert knocked, and he got an annoyed look from Cora, until she saw who was knocking.
"Darling? Did I forget an appointment?"
Robert walked around her desk and kissed Cora's cheek. Softly brushing her back. "No, no you are not forgetting anything. But I am here to take you home, I have a surprise for you." Robert saw Cora was smiling, but her eyes did not smile with her mouth. How he wished she would tell him what was bothering her. He bend down and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. He felt Cora leaning back in her chair and accepting his comforting. "Can you finish what you were doing? Or do you need some more time?"
Cora moved her hand towards Robert's cheek. "I do not have to finish this today; I can continue with it on Monday. Where are you taking me?" Cora was not good with surprises but tried to sound enthusiastic.
"You will see." He took her hand and pulled her up.
Quickly Cora saved her work and put her laptop in her bag.
Cora was upstairs packing her bag, Robert's bag was already packed and waiting in the hallway. It took Cora more time than Robert expected. He walked towards their bedroom and found her on sitting on the bed. She was staring in front of her. Robert stepped towards her and sat down next to Cora. Gentle he took her hand in his and placed a kiss on it. He noticed Cora now stared at the ground.
"Can you please tell me what is wrong? Are you ill? Should I cancel Bath?"
Cora, still staring, shook her head and said softly. "No."
"I noticed your smile is slowly fading over the last couple of weeks. No months even, please make me part of what is bothering you."
"Oh Robert." Cora turned towards him and took his hands. Robert saw tears in her eyes. "Why am I still not pregnant?" She inhaled shakily.
Without a word, Robert wrapped his arms around Cora and pressed her against him. Stroking her hair with his hand. How could he have been so stupid not realising that this was bothering Cora. Of course, she was worried. Her operation was a couple of months back. "Sweetheart, there is no reason to despair yet." He took her chin between his thumb and index finger. "Maybe we should try it more often." He chuckled, but Cora swatted at his chest.
"Robert!" She said indignant. "This is not the time."
Robert was still holding her chin between his fingers; he lifted her chin and planted a kiss on her lips. "Maybe our relaxing trip will help, we both have been extremely busy these couple of months."
"Can you please tell me where we are going?" Cora rested her hand in Robert's neck and played with his hair. Once again, he needed a haircut she thought. Cora chuckled, he would never think about that himself, if it was not up to her to remind him occasionally, he needed a haircut, he would have had a ponytail.
"What is so funny?" Robert asked with raised eyebrows.
"I only tell you, when you tell me where we are going."
Robert's eyes darkened in a playful manner, even though she knew he was not mad, it gave her chills.
Robert noticed his mistake when Cora stiffened up. Quickly he kissed her cheek. "I am sorry darling; I did not mean to scare you. We are going to Bath. I booked a Spa Day."
Finally, he saw a twinkle in Cora's eyes. "I have another surprise for you." Now Cora's eyes really lid up. "We are going on a proper holiday in two weeks' time. Andrew gave you time off. We are going to Norwich, I booked us a suite for 10 days."
Cora pressed her lips against Robert's. She was planning on just a quick kiss, but Robert's hand moved to the back of her head, and he pressed his tongue into her mouth. She let out a soft moan, which aroused Robert. He pushed her back on to the bed, Cora laid down, she wrapped her leg around him, to keep him close.
Robert moved his kisses to her neck, his hands roaming over her body. He started to open her blouse when Cora took his hands in hers. "This way we will never go to Bath." She said trying to control her breath.
Robert let out a low growl. "You are right, but you are irresistible."
"Tonight, I will not resist." Cora smiled. "But now, I have too." She wiggled herself underneath Robert, kissed his cheek briefly and put the last things in her bag.
It was already the last day of their holiday in Norwich. Robert slept in, but Cora had gone out early. She was now sitting on the bedside, looking at Robert. She was blessed with him as her husband. He could be very occupied with 'Le Grantham' and sometimes forget she had brains in her head too, but overall, he was very caring. And she never had seen a more handsome man. She could not explain it, but it was the way he looked at her. The way he looked at her, when he leaned in for a kiss, was incredible. She could drown in his eyes. The blue in his eyes changed with his mood. Robert moved and bumped into her; he opened his eyes.
"Cora?" His voice groggy. "Everything alright?"
Cora brushed his cheek with her finger and softly kissed his lips. "More, then alright." She smiled.
Robert shook his head, not understanding what she meant.
Cora took his hand in hers, in her other hand she had a small package. "Open it." She said, handing it to him.
Robert sat up and looked at the package. "It is not my birthday?"
"I know, just open it."
Robert started unwrapping the ribbon, Cora had trouble holding in her excitement. Robert's eyes grew. "Are you? Is this?" He looked down at the strip in his hands, shaking his head in disbelieve. "Is it really?"
"Yes." Cora had a big smile on her face and her eyes started to tear up. "Yes, it is real. I am pregnant."
"Oh, my darling." Robert kissed her, he looked down again. "I cannot believe it. Did it really happen?"
Cora wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. She rested her head on his shoulder. "It is really happening, we are blessed."
"We need to call Dr. Clarkson."
Cora moved her hand over Robert's back. "We are going to have a baby."
Robert pushed Cora back and took her face in her hands. "I am going to take such good care of you. You are not lifting anything anymore and will take a lot of rest." He moved his hand to her abdomen. "Hello little one, please stay safe in there."
Cora covered Robert's hand. "It will all work out this time, I feel it."
9 months later.
"You do not know how proud I am off you." Robert said bending down to kiss Cora and then the little girl's head. "Finally, you are here my little one." He looked up into Cora's eyes. "We are a real family now."
Cora looked down at the little girl in her arms. "We are." She looked up again. "We truly are."
"Mary Josephine." Robert said softly, stroking softly over her cheek.
Another end of a story, I hope you enjoyed this one. I tried some different writing style's and go more into the emotions. I need to thank Pam and Za for all the help with this one. Your insights helped me going more into depth. And as always, my dear friend Maja, who is still my drive and why I write fanfictions.
There is a new story waiting in my head to come out. I will start writing that one, and soon also start uploading it. I can already reveal the title: 'We have been happy, haven't we?'
