In the time it has taken Harry to find one of Ruth's neighbours who is actually at home, who suggests that ringing her to find out where she is - the obvious answer. To which he's explained, with patience that he certainly isn't feeling, that he doesn't know her number, which has caused a raised eyebrow and required an explanation as to why this is, not only does Ruth have cobwebs in her hair, but her face, hands and clothing have a light covering of dust from the contents of the shed she's been emptying. The sum total of which is now stacked into two piles. One of things that she wants to keep and the other which she'll have to pay the council to take away. A decision that has been bolstered to the point where she's been enjoying herself, after an unexpected conversation with the owner who has agreed that sooner rather than later, she can make this her permanent home. So much so, that when her phone rings she ignores it. If it's urgent and why would it be, they'll ring again and if it isn't, then she'll call whoever it is when she's finished. Besides she could do with a break, so without any thought that she's making herself look even more like someone whose been dragged through a hedge backwards, she wipes her hands on her trousers and then trails them through her hair.
Unfortunately, no sooner has she walked into the kitchen and switched on the kettle than her phone beeps. A message from her friend Angela who lives two doors down, telling her that there's a parcel on her doorstep.
.
There are two things that strike her when she opens her front door. Firstly, that Harry's standing there and smiling at her, despite her not looking her best which is the understatement of the century and secondly, Wes Carter whose mere presence from a few feet away, answers her question as to who was driving the car which exploded. The first of which if she hadn't ignored the feeling of relief that was flooding through her, the like of which she's never experienced, she'd have said to Harry, Oh my God is it really you? And to Wes, I'm so sorry sweetheart.
But of course, she does neither of these, because she knows that if she moves, the dust is likely to create a cloud which will cause her to disappear altogether and is why, 'I've been clearing out the shed,' she tells Harry, by way of explaining why she looked like the inside of a vacuum cleaner.
'Have you?' he asks, in a voice which suggests that due to her appearance, he's enjoying their reunion much more than he thought he would. Even more annoying, is that his smile seems to have developed into a broad grin.
It's lucky then that Wes asks if they can help, otherwise there would have been a fair chance that Harry would have felt the full benefit of her fists on his chest.
.
Ignoring the fact that the grin is probably still in place when they both follow her into the kitchen, she offers either tea or coffee. Harry predictably says, 'coffee would be lovely,' and Wes, 'a glass of water.' Both of which are followed by 'please Ruth.'
But before she can supply either, she needs to wash her hands. After which there is one of their what do we do now moments? Which in her case she fills by reaching up into the cupboard for two mugs and a glass and because it can't have done it on its own, she assumes it's Harry who's switched her kettle on. Only for her to turn around and find that any route to the fridge has been blocked, because Harry's moved to within inches of where she's standing. But whether or not he'd have put his arms around her and kissed her if Wes hadn't gone out into the garden, she has no idea. The only thing that matters, is that he is. A proper kiss. A kiss that tells her that nothing that has happened to change his mind during the time they've been apart.
But it's only later, by which time the garden is tidy again and when they're preparing the evening meal together and Wes is watching TV, that she gets the chance to ask him, 'how he knew where to find her?'
That it was Malcolm who did all the leg work, including going to Paris to look for her, doesn't surprise her. That Ros orchestrated the whole thing certainly does. Which only leaves the question as to whether or not this is a flying visit, which Harry answers without her having to ask. That he doesn't have to go back to work until such a time that Wes is settled at school, whenever and wherever that might be, leads them nicely onto the question of what to do for what remains of the evening and the obvious question about bedtime.
The last of which is a question that Ruth really doesn't want to ask and fortunately doesn't have to. But not until she's opened a bottle of wine and Harry's pouring them both a glass, does she realise the depth to which others have strived to get them to this point.
'Assuming that you don't want us to go back to the hotel for a second night and we stay here with you, I need you to know that Wes knows exactly how I feel about you. We or more precisely I, decided a couple of days ago, that if Wes and I were going to get through what has been and still is a very traumatic time for him, then talking about Adam and Fiona was important. During that conversation, it became obvious that Adam had been quite vocal when it came to talking about, without putting a finer point on it, what should have happened between you and I but didn't. If that doesn't surprise you, what will, is that after Fiona died he and Ros became very close, and I do mean very. Ros still denies being in love with Adam, but I'm not so sure. Either way, he was most certainly in love with her. After the funeral, she made it quite clear that in our case, two needed to be three. Which was why finding you became a priority, not only for me but for Wes as well.
'And now?' asks Ruth, because it feels as though she's fast forwarded to another century, whilst at the same time she's listening to Harry talking about the last one. Because not only is he sitting in her kitchen, but he isn't avoiding the issue of them sleeping together. Despite his answer of, 'that's up to you Ruth.'
Which is why her immediate thought is to tell him that Ros is right. That she does want to sleep with him. Except that when she does, she doesn't want Wes to walk in and stop what will inevitably follow. That and because she can't quite form the words to explain that when they do, what will be their first time, she wants it to be special. Earth moving if the way she feels about Harry at the moment and is why, at least for now, she decides to keep it simple.
'How about we have dinner and then if you'd like to of course, we could go for a walk on the beach. But in answer to your question Harry, no I don't want you to go back to the hotel tonight.'
.
Having had the we're going to do this conversation, getting through dinner proves to be a hurdle, which they successfully negotiate, but only because Wes decides to prove to Ruth what Harry already knows. That whatever else might be on his mind, it doesn't affect his appetite.
The second isn't so easy, after they've walked the short distance to the beach and are leaning against one of the upturned boats. When on the brink becomes now, when Ruth shivers and Harry reaches forward and turns the collar up on her jacket. His fingers brushing her neck as he does so.
'Why here Ruth, when you could have gone anywhere?' He asks her, in a voice which has dropped to barely more than a whisper.
'I always hoped that one day I'd be able to come home, but it wasn't until it reached the point, when being close to you became more important than my being safe that I made the decision,' she tells him.
Close as they are at the moment, isn't what Ruth meant and probably wasn't the best choice of word, given that Harry hasn't taken his eyes off her. So, 'it was the house and the location that brought me here,' she says. Before needing to change the subject, because she's in danger of begging him to kiss her again and Wes is on his way back from the shoreline. 'I've been offered some work at the local school, helping students who are struggling with language subjects, but that's not until the new term starts. There is one other thing that I need to tell you Harry and I need to tell you now. I'm sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but I don't want to come back to Thames House.'
'Ruth, nobody expects you to come back and that includes me. I'm not even sure that I want to go back myself. Wes even said last night that he wished we lived here.'
'Here in Suffolk, yes please with all my heart, but tripping over each other in my little house, how's that going to work?'
'Is a question that we don't have to think about now. Besides it's getting chilly and I think we ought to be heading back.'
.
My little house Ruth had said, when what she'd really meant was that the upstairs was on the small side. Which having watched Harry lugging suitcases onto the landing, had made it feel as though the walls were closing in. More so when they moved boxes so that they could make Wes's bed. Wes who was now having a shower, while she herself was sitting on what was now Harry's bed as well as hers, watching Harry unpack all manner of things. Including clothing for all weathers and situations, which if she hadn't already known, proved he'd had no intension of going back until he'd found her.
She wished she could think of something sensible to say but she couldn't. Just as well then that they weren't playing I spy, because her answer would have been bed to everything, such was its dominance. The sound of the bathroom door opening and then closing which meant that either she or Harry were next and her thoughts went into overdrive. Only to be transformed into ones of pure emotion when Wes popped his head around the door and asked, 'if he could come in?'
Whether what happened next was a nightly occurrence she had no idea, but Wes walking up to Harry and putting his arms around him and Harry responding in the same way and suddenly nothing else mattered. The grounding factor, which however they managed it and however long it took, was her acknowledging that Wes what part of her future as well as Harrys. A positive which not only Adam had recognised but Ros as well, which as she continued to watch and in the moments that followed, while Harry was towelling Wes's hair and talking to him in a way that meant she could feel tears coming, she forgave Ros everything.
.
Why either of them had worried that making love would be anything other than wonderful, was the last time they'd decided they'd approach anything with less than a positive attitude. Which was why when Harry walked into the kitchen the following morning, where Wes was helping her set the table for breakfast and with coffee already brewing, she matched his smile with one of her own. More than that, having fallen asleep before she had, she'd been given the precious gift of time. To just look him in a way that she'd never seen him before. Relaxed and in her eyes perfect. His chest rising and falling in time with her own breathing, until she herself had fallen asleep.
One day at a time she told herself now. We're in this together and that's all that matters.
