Four weeks, three days and six hours after the evening when Harry proposes, is when the builders announce they'll be finished by the weekend. Coinciding nicely with Wes coming home for half term and what they're now calling the big reveal. Which during one particularly steamy night, when they'd been listening to some random radio show, Harry had determined that whenever their wedding was, Neil Diamond singing Hello Again, would be the song that they'll dance to.

Before that though there are other things that he needs to be getting on with. The first of which, is to the arrange delivery of what he considers to be plenty and what Ruth still sees as not nearly enough of his things. Most importantly his bed. Which if were up to him, would be scrapped in favour of buying a new one. Whereas Ruth seems to see it quite differently. Almost as though keeping it is akin to a romantic gesture. A reminder of the time when he'd done nothing but think of her when he'd been lying there alone and her all those miles away, having lost her phone and with it all the numbers except his, too frightened to call him. Besides, as she quite rightly says, it's been tried and tested and very comfortable, so who is he to argue. That and because against all the odds, not only has she agreed to marry him, but she's joined him in wanting to have a baby of their own.

And if that's not enough to be getting on with, Wes will be eleven during the week that he's home. A child who rarely deviates once he's made a decision, which means that there's every likelihood that they'll get to meet his new friends. A week where any time to relax will be as likely as him walking back into Thames House and saying, 'Hello folks, Daddy's back.' Which bearing in mind how Ruth has been overwhelmed with all the recent comings and goings, has seen him parking not cancelling, he's been insistent about that, their trip to Paris.

As he is that Ruth shouldn't be moving the existing furniture back into place, the moment the builders leave. When the silence in the house on the one and only day they have on their own, he wants to enjoy to the full.

And is why, 'leave it Ruth, Wes and I can do that tomorrow,' he tells her, when she's lifting a small side table which in all honesty weighs nothing.

On the other side of the room as Ruth puts the table down, she knows that even if there's the slightest chance that she is pregnant, after what has been such a short time of trying, that nothing she says or does will stop Harry from hoping that she is, or treat her as though she's going to break.

'Sorry I wasn't thinking,' she tells him. Which is the latest in a long line of responses, ranging from, 'brain fatigue', I'll leave it to you then,' and 'oops', before she heads into the kitchen to prepare, what when she looks at the clock will be brunch. The calendar on the wall, not that she needs the date to be circled, to reminder her that it's almost a month since Harry told her that he'd thought she was pregnant, before going on to propose to her. Or does she need reminding how much he loves her, because at the moment he seems to add it to every sentence that he utters. Transforming their relationship into one which feels almost surreal. That and because 'let's just hit the mattress and make babies' something which she'd let slip, has meant that not only has the times they made love increased, but Harry's approach has been tender and beautiful, in a way that she is quite sure is special to her.

Not that he's alone in the way he behaves. Because the thought of a wedding and the possibility of a baby, have eliminated the mundane that she'd always needed to survive on a daily basis. Replaced by frequent and random acts of affection towards Harry that she hadn't thought herself capable of. Or him. Which when they collide, which they frequently do, had on one very memorable afternoon, caused the pictures on the wall in the kitchen, to realign themselves to hang at a very jaunty angle.

.

'How are you both?' Are predictably Malcolm's first words, when Harry calls him to ask him if he'll contact his friend to arrange a date for delivery of their boxes. The bed he slips in at the last moment. Not wanting Malcolm who has second sight, to imagine anything more than the four legs that are vital to its construction. As opposed to the four which will almost certainly be entangled during the first night that they sleep in it.

'Fine,' Harry tells him, as he gazes out of the window on new top floor where he's gone to make the call. A room that has been transformed so that it has a view of the sea. Far larger than they'd visualised it would be and other than it still needs painting and furnishing, he thinks is perfect.

'And you?' he asks the man who had been and still is, despite not seeing each other on a daily basis or has there being any further talk of him visiting them, his closest friend after Ruth. Not that he intends asking him what might be happening in the world he used to inhabit. Something which has been surprising easy for him to forget. Because rightly or wrongly, unless it's something that will affect the other two people who live under this roof, it no longer matters. Which means that when he hears the water running which tells him that Ruth's having a shower before they go to bed, it's enough for him to say goodnight. With the certainly that until they set a date, everything other than what happens daily, is on a need-to-know basis and the only person who needs to know other than the two of them, is Wes.

.

What neither of them have needed to consider, but now do, when they turn into the short road which terminates at the school. Is that unlike other Friday afternoons, when Wes is one of about twenty boys who struggle through the gates with their luggage, that when the whole school is about to empty out as it is now, that to be able to park anywhere near the gates, you need to get there very early or be very pushy. Neither of which applies to the couple who no longer get up early and in Harry's case has been transformed into a pussycat. Now confronted by a sea of purple and grey cladded boys, one of which is theirs. With no option other than to wait until he spots them.

'Dad, Mum,' says Wes, who has materialised between a top of the range Audi and what Harry has decided is a hideous yellow Mercedes. Accompanied by a boy, who after he's introduced him as Angus and Scottish, although why that's relevant Harry has no idea, tells him that 'his dad's on the line and wants to speak to him.'

While Ruth is trying to decide if there's somethings wrong, not only with her hearing but eyesight. Because not only has Wes just called them mum and dad, but the bespectacled redhead who is hopping from one foot to the other, can't be anything but Scottish.

Which after a lot of 'yesses' to questions that are being fired at Harry and a 'that will be fine and no it won't be a problem,' due entirely to Wes's assumption that they won't mind, Ruth discovers that they've gained an extra child for the week. Because Mrs. Whatever her name is has been taken into hospital with an appendicitis, which means that Mr. Whatever isn't able to drive from Crewe to pick Angus up. Angus who on the way home, they discover is also a fan of chips with everything. Something which inexplicably to Wes, doesn't appear on the school menu other than at weekends, when of course he's not there. The unspoken school motto on the dining room wall, clearly indicating that a healthy and receptive mind and body, won't respond well to being fed chips every day, having passed him by.

But this isn't every day and is why, 'that solves the problem of dinner,' Ruth tells Harry when she opens the fridge door. Where dinner for three will need some reconfiguring to make it go round, after Angus and Wes have disappeared upstairs with anything but the patter of tiny feet. With the sole purpose of seeing what is Harry's mind, has always been the room where Wes can spread out. Despite the builder having suggested that it should be theirs. Something which he and Ruth hadn't responded to, other than to smile. Because the small room that Wes is vacating adjacent to theirs, is the obvious place for a baby to sleep. A baby which with Angus in the house, will for the duration of a week, along with the fact that they planning to get married, be kept very much under wraps.

A theme which continues, during an evening when having listened to the boys talking almost non-stop about what they've been learning and most recently in their history lessons, does suggest that the school is living up to its reputation of being at the forefront in terms of getting its pupils to think outside the box. In this case about a time when whole families slept in the same room with a coal fire to keep them warm. Where the bath water was topped up from a kettle that stood on a cast iron stove. Not so far remote from what happens now within the poorest of communities. In what if you listen to the politicians, is a country which at the forefront of its policies, when they're not tearing bits off each other, is to ensure better homes for all.

'It's awful isn't it,' says Wes, with an expression to suggest that despite everything, he knows how lucky he is. Something which never fails to bring tears to Ruth's eyes, given what he's lost.

Which coincides with Harry who has made a quick calculation, realising that they themselves are one bed short. With no option, other than for Wes to sleep on the sofa next to their mattress. Which when he finally manages to get a word in, Wes sees as a positive and something he'll be able to bring up when Mr. Hobbs asks them what they've done in the holidays. Whereas Harry, although he's still very aware of the divide that exists in the country he's worked to protect, is not only glad that he no longer has to deal with politicians and certainly the ones who reach high office, who earn millions beyond what they declare, but is glad that the van is arriving in the morning.

Something which although Ruth hasn't commented on she understands. Because she only has to look at the man is who is sitting opposite her, to know that claiming to have moved on, which is certainly true in his private life, doesn't prevent him, despite no longer standing on the front line, from putting the needs of others before his own.

Which takes them nicely on to bedtime, when, 'well, you are aren't you,' Wes tells Ruth who is looking at the sofa and wondering if Wes is going to sleep at all. Having as delicately as she could, slipped into the conversation that he'd introduced her as his mum and Harry as his dad. Harry who she can hear coming down the stairs having taken Angus a mug of hot chocolate and no doubt told him that if he needs anything else, he knows where they are. That and that they'll all need to be up bright and early in the morning.

'Are we what?' asks Harry who arrives a few moments later, in the middle of Wes's explanation. Knowing full well what Wes is responding too. That Ruth's gentle approach, when it comes to difficult conversations with Wes, is the reason that he'd been to see if Angus and settle him down.

'Wes was just saying that he doesn't like the word guardian Harry. That it makes him sound like a bad person,' isn't what Harry expects. Or Ruth, if the look on her face is anything to go by.

Nor do either of them expect Wes to follow it up by saying, 'I want you to adopt me.' Or to tell them that, 'Angus is adopted.'

Something which after another half an hour, three hot chocolates and a promise to Wes that Harry will talk to Andrew as soon as possible, finally sees them turning off the light.

Early the next morning.

A much happier Wes and a very determined Harry are in the kitchen laying the table for breakfast. Both Ruth and Angus are still asleep, which means that Harry is able to focus his attention entirely on Wes. A bad person – never and quite right to dislike the word guardian. Outdated to the point of being archaic. Which had led to a discussion after Wes had fallen asleep about the friends he's made. Michael whose father had walked out on the day he'd been born. Angus who is adopted, for what reason they don't yet know and Wes wanting them to adopt him. Did children, who for one reason or another had been left without one or both their parents, seek each other out? Whatever the reason, Wes was always going to get this particular wish granted. The idea of which, especially after what had been a long and totally unexpected end to the day, and knowing what it would mean to them as a family, had seen Ruth dissolving into tears. Held tight in his arms, until he was sure she'd fallen asleep.

'Better?' Is the question on his face, when she arrives without warning. A nod enough to tell him that she is, as she potters over to where a pot of tea is ready and waiting.

The day ahead guaranteed to be hectic because the van is on its way. Another pair of hands and a distraction for Wes in the shape of Angus, Harry is not only is exceptionally grateful for, but is wondering what stories the rest of his friends have to tell. Stories which will no doubt emerge, when they come to his Birthday Party which is on Friday. That and there is a fair chance that they won't be the only parents, who have a backstory that means the atmosphere will be kept to talking about now and not what they did in the past. Keeping it light hearted is what he and Ruth are aiming for.

Because when all is said and done, this most recent journey that they've been on, has always had Wes at its heart.