Hey folks… so sorry for the delay in posting this… Life got in the way… how rude! ;) Thanks for your continued support and patience…. Hope you enjoy.
She had left the bed twice that day so far, the first time to get a drink, the second to get food. He had only moved once to use the bathroom. After a morning of eating a little, talking a little, laughing a little and lazy fooling around, they lay sprawled on his bed, naked atop the sheets, dozing into the afternoon.
He opened one eye slowly, then the next, as he heard the door bell ring out downstairs and let out a little groan.
"You expecting anyone?" She asked sleepily, lifting her head slightly to look at him.
He shook his head with a small shrug, "Uh uh."
With a quiet sigh, she grappled the sheet that was tangled around her feet off her and slid off the bed, "Where's my stuff?" She asked looking around the room.
"Don't know." He muttered, unable to take his eyes off her tiny naked baby bump. "Here." He reached sidewards, not removing his gaze. "Put this on." He said throwing her the Bears jersey she had given him as a gift the night before.
She quickly slipped the shirt over her head and retrieved her panties from the floor, threading her legs through the material hastily.
"Just tell them 'not today." He called to her as she scurried out of the room.
"Ok, coming." She yelled, as the door bell rang once again just as she hit the bottom step.
Grabbing for the handle, she undid the top dead lock and then positioned herself behind the door as she opened it in an attempt to hide her naked legs.
"Emily?" The woman said with some surprise.
Emily suddenly fully awoke as the cold air hit her face and she recognised the woman in front of her. She gulped and gripped the door a little tighter, then feeling an immediate hot flush in her face.
"Mrs Morgan." She chuckled nervously, noticing the two younger women standing behind, staring wide eyed at her. "I didn't know you were coming."
"No it was a surprise for Derek." Fran Morgan smiled.
"Oh right." Emily nodded, her eyes widening, pressing her lips together in a half smile.
The two women stood in silence and Fran Morgan's brow raised as she stared at the brunette.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry. You must think I'm so rude." Emily shook her head, scolding herself inside, "Come in." She said, taking a step backwards and opening the door further.
She quickly ran her hands over her hair in an attempt to calm the 'dragged through a hedge backwards' look and shut the door as the three women set their bags down in the hallway. As they turned to look at her, her feet shuffled on the cold floor and she pulled down on the hem of the dark blue jersey, trying to cover up as much as she could of her bare thighs.
"We thought we'd come and see Derek and give him a bit of TLC after his accident." The older woman began, sensing Emily's awkwardness, "He was so disappointed he couldn't get to London to see you, but obviously…." Fran nodded slightly towards Emily.
"Yeah, I thought I'd surprise him too." She muttered sheepishly.
"And it doesn't look our brother is too badly injured." Desiree snorted, raising her eyebrows looking Emily up and down.
"Shhhh." Sarah nudged her sister, "Sorry about her." She looked back to Emily, "She doesn't have much of a filter."
"What?" the younger woman protested, "Derek is clearly ok if he's getting jiggy in the afternoon."
Emily's eyes widened and now she could feel the heat rising through her body and her face burning up from the embarrassment.
"Desiree that's enough." Fran Morgan scolded. "Sorry Emily, we didn't mean to intrude."
"No. No you didn't." She insisted, shaking her head, "We were just sleeping." She said, unable to get the words out fast enough, "I'm pretty tired form the jet lag and Derek was keeping me company and this is making me tired too and…." She uttered, the words trailing off as she placed her hand on her tummy.
"No I didn't mean that." Fran chuckled, trying to put Emily at ease, "I meant for turning up at all. If we'd of known you were here…." She paused, "Well I know your time together is precious."
"Don't be silly." The brunette shook her head, "Derek's going to be really pleased you're here."
Desiree leant towards her sister and mumbled under her breath out of the corner of her mouth, "I doubt he's gonna be that pleased to see us, do you?" She ended with a quick raise of on eyebrow, eying Emily up and down.
Sarah couldn't help but let out a small laugh and caught the eye of Emily who lightly laughed back with knowing warming eyes.
"I'll just go get him." She smiled, about to turn, but she halted, recalling her state of undress.
She took a shifty step to the side and pulled down once again on the jersey, "Um, do you want to wait in the sitting room whilst I go up?"
"Of course." Fran smiled, ushering her daughters into the room off the hallway.
Emily ran up the stairs, shaking her head with a smirk as she heard the giggles of Desiree and the 'shhhhh's' of Fran and Sarah echoing throughout the hallway, following her on to the landing.
"Who is it?" He asked tiredly, as she shuffled into the room, the smirk still on her lips.
"It's your mom and sisters." She whispered.
"What?" He said with a confused frown, sitting himself up.
"Yeah, they thought they'd surprise you." She told him, sitting on the bed next to him, "And now they think we've been at it all morning." She laughed with a roll of the eyes.
A big smile crept across his face, "Why?"
"Er, look at me." She said pointing her finger up and down her body.
"Well." He whispered, reaching over and snaking his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him, "They're not really wrong are they?" He winked.
"Derek." She quietly protested, letting her head fall back slightly as he lightly kissed her neck, "You have to get up and go down to them."
"Mmmm" He mumbled, his hands creeping under the shirt.
"Derek." She said more firmly, placing her hands on his and removing them from her waist, "Stop it." She said with wide eyes, looking into his.
He gave a mock pout before smiling, "Ok." He uttered. "I'll get up."
"Where are you going?" He asked as she tiptoed across the wooden floor, stripping herself of the jersey as she did.
"For a shower." She called back, turning and throwing the shirt at him.
~~CM~~
As she walked down the stairs she could hear the warm laughter and excited voices of the little family in Derek's sitting room. She paused outside and listened to the two sisters tease their older brother and the protective mother attempting to stop them, but unable to prevent her own ripple of laughter.
She took a breath….. She was nervous. She had not seen these ladies for a few years, apart from Sarah more recently, and of course that was not in the best of circumstances.
"Hey." Derek smiled, his eyes lighting up as she walked in to the room.
He fumbled to stand up and hobbled over to her, grimacing from the pain as he did, then snaking an arm round her waist.
"I guess introductions aren't needed." He said looking from Emily to his family.
"Of course not." Fran said waving her son away, and making her way over to Emily. "I guess it's ok to say a proper hello now you're dressed." She smiled, taking the brunette into a hug.
Emily melted into the woman's embrace, as the relief at her apparent acceptance of the situation and Fran felt it immediately, squeezing a little more tightly before she pulled away slightly and held Emily's wrists out to the side, inspecting the tiny bump. "I can't believe I finally have a grandbaby growing in there." She smiled, shaking her head.
"You certainly do." Emily chuckled, "I'm guessing Derek showed you the picture?"
"Showed her the picture?" Desiree piped up from behind her mother, "He made a copy for each of us and mama's is now on the refrigerator, knocking my graduation picture off centre spot."
Emily looked around Fran to see Desiree wink at her.
"Sorry." Emily playfully grimaced.
"Nah." Desiree scrunched up her nose, "Best news we've had in years. Never thought my big bro would manage it though."
"Hey!" Derek protested, giving his sister his best unimpressed look.
"Ignore those two." Sarah smiled warmly, moving forward to take her turn in hugging the slightly overwhelmed brunette, "Congratulations Emily." She whispered.
"Ok." Fran began, grasping her hands in front of her, "How about you and me go do some shopping Emily? Get you some peace from this mad house." Fran winked.
"Er, sure." Emily replied with a slightly surprised smile, "What we going shopping for?"
"Well, I know food has probably been the last thing on your mind since you got here…."
"Mama!" Derek exclaimed as Desiree sniggered and Sarah shook her head with a smirk.
"As I was saying." Fran continued, "I've checked his cupboards and quite frankly, I'm pretty horrified, so we're going food shopping. I thought I'd do us a Christmas dinner seeing as I'm sure you both didn't have one."
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Derek grinned.
"Yeah, I'd say it's a good job it's your mama cooking the dinner and not me." Emily chuckled, "Or you may give this relationship thing a second thought."
The dark profiler smiled at her and bore his eyes into hers, "Not a chance." He muttered.
Emily smiled back at him as Desiree rolled her eyes, "Jeez, get a room you two." She tutted.
"Girl, you are lucky I have a bad leg and you can move faster than me right now." Derek told his sister.
~~CM~~
The two women walked side by side through the shopping arcade.
"There's a nice food store at the end of here." Emily said, pointing along the busy aisle, full of shoppers looking for bargains in the post Christmas sales.
"As long as it sells turkey gravy, Derek will be happy. Can't do beef you know." The older woman said with a mock raise of the brow.
"I'll remember that." Emily chuckled, "There is something I want to try though."
"What's that?"
"Pigs in blankets."
Fran scrunched up her nose, "Hotdogs?"
"No." Emily laughed, "The day after Christmas day one of my team, in London, bought some leftovers their family sent in from their Christmas dinner. There were these little sausages wrapped in bacon. I tried one and the first thing I thought was that Derek would love them….."
Her words trailed off as she remembered that day and she stared blankly ahead lost in thought. She hadn't felt much like eating that day knowing Derek was lay in that hospital bed, but Daniel had insisted.
She snapped out of her trance as she felt the light touch of Fran Morgan's hand on her wrist, "You ok?" She asked gently.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She nodded, forcing a smile.
"Tell you what." Fran began, gently tugging on Emily's wrist, "Let's go for coffee. I could do with some caffeine. It's been a long day."
~~CM~~
"Two coffees please." Fran said to the waitress as they took their seat opposite each other in the booth, tucked away in the corner of the café.
Emily held up a hand, "Er, you better make one a decaf."
The younger woman caught the eye of Fran as she stared at her with a knowing smile, "Derek?" She asked.
Emily smiled back then looked down at the table with shy eyes, "Yeah. He's always going on at me about what I eat and drink."
"Sounds like my Derek."
"Don't tell him, but if I'm honest, it probably does me good to have him nagging at me about this stuff. You have no idea how tempting a dose of caffeine is at times."
"Oh I do." Fran told her, "When I was pregnant with Sarah and I had a two year old Derek running round, I could have done with a stiff whisky most days, never mind a coffee."
"He was a bit of a handful eh?" Emily chuckled.
"Yes. But luckily, Derek's father was around to remind me too that I should stay off anything like that."
Emily's smile faded, but she attempted to maintain it, it naturally forming into a sorry expression.
"It's ok." Fran smiled warmly, "I can talk about him. I'm not saying it doesn't make me sad, but I like remembering him."
"How did you do it?" Emily almost whispered.
"Do what?"
"Bring up three children on your own."
Fran pressed her lips together, with contemplative eyes and a small shake of the head, "It wasn't easy and I know I made mistakes along the way, but you find a way to make it work. You have to."
"They all turned out real good. You must be proud."
"I am." Fran uttered, then tilting her head to one side, examining the woman sat in front of her, looking like a frightened little girl, "What's up Emily?" She asked gently.
She shook her head, the corners of her lips slightly upturned, "Nothing."
"Emily. It's ok to be scared you know. That's natural. Every woman goes through the same thing."
The brunette bit her bottom lip and looked the older woman opposite her in the eyes. She could see the years of experience, love, hurt, pain, joy behind those eyes and there was so much warmth…. A warmth that made her feel safe and comforted even though she really didn't know her that well at all.
She took a deep breath before answering, "When Derek was in that accident and I was waiting to hear if he was going to be ok…" She swallowed, "I was petrified. I don't want to do this alone."
Fran leant over the table seeing the tears well in Emily's big brown eyes and her facial muscles contract as she fought them back. The older woman placed her hand upon hers, "You don't have to." She whispered.
Emily felt the warmth from Fran seep through her pores and into her. She was Derek's mother, but she felt a natural affinity to this woman and she couldn't understand why.
As if she had read her mind, Fran nodded at Emily, letting her know it was ok to talk to her.
Emily gave her nervous, dry lips a quick lick before continuing. "He grounds me Fran. He makes me feel safe and I don't know what I'd do without him right now."
Fran Morgan gave her a warm smile, "You would be ok." Her voice was low and firm, "But he's ok so you don't have to worry about that….. and I know he loves you. You're gonna be just fine. I know it."
"I'm not making it easy though am I?"
"Being in London you mean?"
Emily nodded, "We only just started and we're thousands of miles apart. I feel so guilty for putting him in this position. I know he's really frustrated with the whole thing."
"You could come back?" Fran uttered, a hint of hope in her tone for her son.
Emily couldn't hide the slight grimace.
"You don't want to?" Fran asked.
Emily paused and her throat rippled as she nervously gulped before answering. "I don't know." She almost whispered, "It's not that I don't want to be with Derek. I do more than anything, please believe that, it's just….."
The brunette paused feeling she'd said far too much already.
"It's just what?" Fran encouraged.
"It's just the place has a lot of memories."
"Bad ones?"
Emily nodded.
"Is that really selfish of me?"
The older woman shifted a little in her seat, feeling the trepidation in Emily's dark eyes that bore into her searching for answers.
"Listen." She began gently, "I'm gonna be totally honest with you. I'm sure that's what you want right?"
Emily nodded. "Absolutely." She said in a low tone.
"When Derek thought you were dead, I lost my son for seven months. He barely called. I didn't see him. And I get that. He was grieving and I guess still fighting for you. So when he called eventually and told me you were alive…" She hesitated, seeing the younger woman's eyes widen, the guilt already apparent in them, and she wondered if she should continue…. But she needed to hear this…. "When he told me you were alive, I was really angry. I hated what he'd gone through."
She stopped again as Emily's gaze fell downward, staring at the coffee going cold on the table in front of her.
"He couldn't tell me why you did what you did, but he told me that what you did do was for all the right reasons….. He told me it was selfless and it was to protect a whole lot of people you cared about. He told me you went through hell…" She sat forward, lowering her voice, ."…. all on your own. And he told me no one should ever have to be alone like that."
"I'm sorry." Emily shook her head.
"You don't have to be sorry." Fran smiled, "Don't get me wrong. He was angry. But not with you. Not in the slightest. That was enough for me. I trust my son's judgement. I always will."
Emily pursed her lips together, a lump painful in her throat as she fought back her tears, "So do you think I should come back?" She whispered, her words wavering as she struggled to stop herself from breaking.
Fran shook her head gently, "No. Not necessarily." She stated.
The brunette couldn't hide her confused frown as she examined the woman sat opposite her.
"Do you know why?" Fran asked.
Emily shrugged with the slightest shake of her head.
"Because I know that for you to leave all these people behind that you care about and go somewhere new, on your own," She emphasised, "you must have felt completely desperate."
Fran waited for Emily to respond, but nothing came, just a look of childlike bewilderment and the older woman knew that was enough for today.
"You two will figure this out. I know you will." She smiled warmly, "I know that he loves you. That's all that matters."
"I do love him too. I want you to know that." Emily told the woman. "I'd never hurt him on purpose."
"I can see that."
"You can?" She asked with surprise.
"Yes." Fran assured, "And I can't tell you how happy I am that you and that little one will be part of my family."
Emily smiled lightly at the older woman, "Thanks Fran. That means a lot."
~~CM~~
When they returned to Derek's place, the tired looks on the girls' faces helped them to the decision to make the belated Christmas dinner the following day. After a simple spaghetti bolognaise thrown together by Fran and Sarah, Emily and the girls left Derek and his mother in the kitchen as the brunette was lead off to face an interrogation by the sisters.
"Thanks mama." Derek uttered, sat at the kitchen table. "For everything. It's great seeing you all."
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now." Fran said with genuine warmth.
Derek smiled and she saw a glaze creep across his eyes.
"You look happy son." She continued, sitting down next to him and taking hold of his hand.
"I am." He sighed, "But I still can' believe this is happening."
"What. You becoming a daddy?"
"Yeah." He chuckled, "Bet you really thought it would never happen."
"I dunno." She began, "To be honest, I couldn't see you not being a dad. You deserve it Derek. And that child deserves you…. Both of you."
"Well, I just hope we get it right."
"Oh you will. I have no doubt about that." Fran winked.
"Thanks mama. But don't go complaining if we're ringing you every five minutes for advice when he or she gets here." He chuckled.
Fran smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way, but I think Emily is going to cope just fine."
"Try convincing her of that." He lightly laughed, "She seems more scared than me."
"Every new mom feels that way. But with you by her side, I'm sure she'll feel fine. You've gotta figure this out together. I have no idea how I would have felt without your father around."
"Yeah." He whispered
Fran watched as his smile faded, "So are you gonna ask her to come back?" She asked, a little trepidation in her tone.
Derek's eyes shot up to meet his mother's a little surprised by the question.
"I dunno mama." He said.
"What's stopping you?"
"She wasn't happy here before. Why would that change?"
"But things are different now…. She has you."
"She always had me." He muttered contemplatively.
Fran's lips curled up at the sides, as she gazed at her son, "Not like this Derek." She whispered. "I get the impression that Emily is not someone who lets anyone in easily, or believes good things can happen to her."
Derek chuckled, "You've met her like a handful of times and you've sussed her out already haven't you?"
"It's called a mother's instinct Derek. That girl is screaming out for a mother's guidance and reassurance and I'm guessing she never really got that?"
"I dunno." He began, shaking his head frustratedly, "That relationship will always be a mystery to me."
"Well you've managed to do something I'm sure no one has for a long time. She's let you in."
"I know." He nodded.
"You really need to talk about this with her. That baby isn't going to stay in there forever and you do realise it'll get to a time when she can't fly right?"
Derek exhaled a long sigh and his mother suddenly felt a pang of guilt bringing him down when she was supposed to be making him feel better.
"I'm sorry baby." She said softly, reaching over and rubbing the top of his arm, "Forget about that now. Enjoy the time you have left with her here and sort it out later. You can get over to London just as soon as you're better can't you?"
"Yeah." He smiled.
~~CM~~
It was late and the house appeared deathly quiet after the excitement and chatter of the night. They lay next to each other in silence, but both wide awake staring at the ceiling.
As she sensed his chest heave one more time she decided to break the apparent thick, tense air.
"You ok?" She asked gently, "You've been quiet all evening."
"Yeah I'm fine." He whispered unconvincingly.
"Liar." She muttered and he could hear the slight smirk in her voice.
He snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him a little closer, "Seriously, I'm fine. Just a bit tired. My family are exhausting." He chuckled.
"Yeah." She whispered, "But they're great. You're lucky to have them."
"I know….. So you didn't mind the third degree from my sisters?"
"They certainly don't hold back." She laughed, "You do not want to know the stuff they asked me."
She smiled as she pictured the horrified expression on his face right now.
A few seconds of silence passed before she wriggled away from him and pushed her body up so she was balanced on her forearm.
"What?" He half smiled as she stared at him, her face partly lit by the moonlight streaming in through the blinds.
"I've been thinking." She said.
"About what?"
"About what we should do."
"Has my mother been talking to you?" He asked with a suspicious dip of his brow.
"Well yeah, but it's not like we don't need to talk about this."
"I guess." He shrugged.
"You don't want to?"
"I just know it's going to be difficult, that's all." He sighed.
"May be not." She stated.
"Go on."
She took a deep breath and he saw her chest rise and fall heavily, "I'm gonna come back here."
His eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"
"It doesn't make sense to stay in London right? I mean, I'm going to be off for a while on maternity leave. You'd have to get a job over there. Not to mention you'd have to leave a job you love here and your friends and family. It just seems ridiculous to contemplate that kind of move and….."
She halted as she watched his mouth slowly open a little more each second as she babbled on.
"What?" She asked him.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I am."
"But you love your job over there. What are you going to do back here?"
"I dunno." She shrugged as she lay back down into the crook of his arm, "I can figure that out later. If I'm honest, I've got enough money to not have to work for a while."
"And you'd be ok with that?" She missed his throat ripple as he swallowed and a mixture of relief and slight trepidation crept across his face.
"Derek I don't know all those answers right now. But I'm saying I'll come back."
He pulled his arm out from under her and turned to face her, her mirroring his move naturally.
"Are you sure?" He whispered, tracing one hand along her forehead and down her cheek.
She pressed her lips together in a tiny smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'll tell Clyde in a few weeks when he's back from Germany."
"You think he'll be ok?"
She shrugged, "He'll have to be."
He stared and watched as her dark eyes smiled back at him, "Thank you." He uttered as he leant in and kissed her lips gently. "I just wanna make sure we do the right thing."
"And I just want you with me Derek. I don't wanna be on my own anymore." She said, her voice shaking as she held the niggling anxiety and fear in.
"Hey." He emphasised, stroking her cheek with the back of one finger, "You are not on your own and you never will be…. Where ever I am." He assured.
"I know." She smiled, "But I just want you here." She said, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling into his chest.
She felt him gently kiss the crown of her head as he gripped her tightly and she wasn't sure if she heard him say 'I love you', or she just felt it, but either way, she knew she didn't want to leave those arms again.
To be continued….