I can only apologise for the delay in posting this final (sorry to those of you who hoped it would run and run) update to the story. A real case of RL getting in the way, but I've had a week off on holiday and found my inspiration return! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed Five Years. it really did start out as a short story... but kind-of evolved as FF sometimes does. I have however exhausted all that I had thought about for this particular tale. I hope you enjoy the conclusion and if you do, please leave one final review. If you liked this fiction, then I have written a few other MD & CJ stories which you may also enjoy. Many thanks xx
FIVE YEARS
Chapter 21
One year later
She smiles at the waitress as she clears away the remains of their shared dessert.
"Thank you, that was delicious."
"Can I get you anything else…. coffee, a digestif?"
She turns her attention to her husband, and gives him a cheeky grin.
"I might gonna regret it in about four hours-time but right now I would absolutely love an espresso martini."
He laughs affectionately, and in slight surprise at her choice of drink at this late time in the evening.
"I make you right there, but that is a great shout Dawesy. Could you make that two, please."
The girls nods and leaves them alone once more.
He glances at his watch and starts gently tapping his fingers on the table. She knows this is what he does when he's feeling anxious about something.
"You ok?"
"Should we just check in on Mum and Dad? Make sure everything is ok?"
She reaches across the table, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I really don't think that is necessary…. She couldn't be in safer hands."
He visibly relaxes at her touch and words, and smiles sheepishly.
"You're right of course. I'm fussing aren't I?"
She smiles at him and slowly brings his hand to her lips, placing a light kiss on his knuckle, before lowering his hand to the table.
"A little, but it's ok. I think it's cute."
He laces their fingers together.
"Cute? I'm a Major in the British Army… I don't do cute."
She throws her head back and laughs at his mock indignation.
"I hate to break it to you Charles, but you're in danger of becoming a bit of a soppy bugger. Lottie's gonna have you wound around her little finger when she's older."
He looks down at their interwoven hands and smiles, resignedly.
"Like mother like daughter. I'm screwed aren't I?"
She grins happily at him, deliberately choosing her words.
"Well, I can't help it that you're hopelessly attracted to my natural charm and magnetism, can I?"
He tenderly strokes her knuckles, remembering the first time her held her hand like this.
"As you well know Dawesy, I will adore you for always."
She has a now familiar feeling of half-remembering a time before when she has heard those exact words.
"Charmer!"
He stares intently at her, his brown eyes focused on her face, conveying his sincerity.
"I'm serious."
She holds his gaze and smiles shyly.
"I know you are. I'm just messing with you…. I love you Charles."
He leans across the table, placing a sweet kiss on her lips.
They are interrupted by the waitress discreetly coughing before placing two perfectly constructed espresso martinis in front of them.
He sits back and they grin at each other, thwarted for now.
He raises his glass in toast.
"To us."
She raises hers in response.
"To the future."
They both take a sip of their drinks.
She smiles at him, cradling her glass in her hands.
"You know, this is proper nice."
He looks at her slightly quizzically, unsure of her meaning.
"Not the cocktail you prannet… although that is proper nice too, but I meant the restaurant, dinner, well everything really. Don't get me wrong, I love our daughter, and Sam of course, but…. it is amazing to be out, just the two of us."
He looks thoughtful, before replying.
"Last time we were here was just after the accident."
"Yeah… that was an….. intense time."
He laughs at her understatement.
"Intense? It was absolutely bloody terrifying…. Waiting three days for you to regain consciousness and then finding out that you had no recollection of us or the last five years. Being unsure whether you'd even want to be with me and then trying to fill in so many gaps without scaring you off. I honestly thought I'd blown it multiple times in those first few days…. especially my complete balls-up at breaking the pregnancy bombshell."
"You didn't do too badly…. Besides, I was lucky enough to get to fall in love with you, all over again."
He reaches across the table and takes her hand again.
"You always promised to come back to me."
She's quiet for a while, before deciding to ask the one question which has been on her mind, on and off for the past year.
"Charles… does it ever upset you that I've never been able to remember everything about our life before the accident?"
He's a little surprised by her question, but doesn't need to think about his answer.
"No, it is not important to me. All that matters is that we're together. Frankly some of it is probably best left unremembered. My PTSD after Elvis's death for starters. Why? Does it upset you that your memory didn't come back completely?
She contemplates his question for a moment.
"Sometimes, a little maybe. I mean, I've heard so many stories and seen so many pictures from that time. If I'm honest, what is harder is that I'm not always sure now what I really remember and what I've imagined I remember. I don't really have the time or energy these days to dwell on it; but it is a bit weird."
"It will make a good story to tell the grandchildren one day."
She laughs at the notion of them being grandparents.
"Grandchildren?! We've only just had our first child!"
"First child…. Does that mean that there might be the possibility of another one or two?"
She scoffs at his teasing.
"You're eager mate."
He gives her what she fondly calls his "shit-eating grin".
"Well, as you delight in reminding me Dawesy, I'm not getting any younger. I've always wanted a big family."
He watches as she diverts her attention to something behind him.
"Brains! Perfect timing. Come, join us and save me."
Brains stands with his hands by his side, almost as if to attention, by the side of their table.
"Boss. Molly."
He nods a greeting.
"Brains. Good to see you."
Brains switches out of Eduardo mode and gives them a friendly, familiar smile.
"So what's up Molls? Why d'ya need saving?"
"Nothing! Just my husband taking advantage of my slightly inebriated state and talking me into having more children."
Brains laughs at her exclamation.
"So, parenthood is going well then boss?"
He laughs.
"Oh yeah, we're totally smashing it."
She raises her eyebrow at his description of their collective parenting ability.
"More accurately, we're being smashed by it."
He smiles at her.
"Don't believe a word of it, Brains. Molly is an absolute natural."
Brains grins at his old friends.
"I bet. She always was the 'nuts', eh Molls."
She smirks at them both.
"Well, it turns out being in the Army is quite good training for operating on virtually no sleep and being at the beck and call of the ever-changing whims of an unyielding and unforgiving boss."
They laugh together at her accurate depiction of both parenting and Army life.
Brains composes himself enough to continue their conversation.
"So will you stay in now you're a mum?"
"Yes, I plan to. I had to work hard after the accident to prove that I was fit to serve, what with the memory loss, and being pregnant."
He looks at his incredible wife, who once again, overcame significant challenges to successfully regain her pre-accident standing prior to going on maternity leave.
"We've both decided to not volunteer for any long tours in the next few years though and focus on raising our family, together. We're also taking advantage of shared parental leave. When Molly goes back to work at six months, I'm going to take-over looking after Lottie full-time for six months. I can't wait actually. I regret missing so much of Sam's early childhood."
"Sounds like you've got it sorted. I'm happy for you both."
He smiles at his former colleague.
"Thanks Brains. So this is it. Your last few days at The Cloisters?"
"Yep, this time next week I'll be in New York. I start the job in two weeks."
She enthusiastically re-joins the conversation.
"We googled the restaurant. It looks incredible."
"It's my dream job, but I have to admit I'm slightly bricking it."
She gives Brain's arm an encouraging squeeze.
"You're gonna smash it."
"I hope so."
He stands up and extends his hand to Brains, sub-consciously shifting to his assertive Major voice.
"I know so. You're bloody good at what you do, they're lucky to have you."
Brains shakes his hand.
"Thanks Boss. That means a lot to me… especially coming from you."
She stands up and gives Brains a big hug.
"Take care of yourself, Brains. Maybe we will come and visit you some time. I've always wanted to go to New York."
"You'd be very welcome Molly. Any time. Right now though I'm going to leave you to your drinks and say goodbye, before I embarrass myself."
-OG-
They're strolling, arm in arm, along Royal Crescent towards his parent's house.
He stops outside no.12, prolonging their time together, not wanting to share her with anyone else just yet. He pulls her close and kisses her gently.
"You know what? We should go visit Brains in December – New York is magical at Christmas time."
"You think everywhere is magical at Christmas time!"
"Hey, I can't help that I love Christmas!"
"As I said earlier, you're a soppy bugger!"
He growls at her teasing and pulls her even closer, placing a hard, searing kiss on her lips, before prising them open with his firm, exploring tongue causing her insides to tighten and knees to soften at his intensity.
Eventually she pulls back slightly, looking up at him.
"Ok. Soppy…. and incredibly hot."
She hungrily pulls him into another kiss, slipping her hands under his shirt, caressing his fit body, momentarily forgetting that they're stood on the pavement outside his parent's house.
He's not the slightest bit bothered that they're acting like a couple of randy teenagers; he's incredibly turned on by her un-inhibited passion, particularly after the past few months of broken sleep and new parenthood.
Finally, she pulls back, desperate for air.
"Hmmm, I think I might be a teeny, weeny bit pissed. Becoming a mother has turned me into a lightweight."
He places light kisses on her neck before nibbling her ear, causing her already weakened legs to crumple. He tightens his grip around her waist, easily supporting her weight and whispers in her ear.
"Excellent. I've always loved a tipsy Dawsey. How about we go inside and I can take full advantage of the situation."
He effortlessly lifts her off her feet, causing her to shriek with surprise, and carries her up the steps towards the grand front door.
He carefully places her on the top step and frantically pats his pockets.
She watches bemused for a few seconds before she grabs her shoulder bag and quickly hunts around inside, proudly pulling out a shiny front door key and presenting it to him with a mock coy smile.
"I'll let you do the honours….. Bossman"
"She gave me her key!"
He lavishly winks at her as he grabs the key before pressing her into another powerful embrace.
-OG-
THE END