Sorry for the slow updates. I'm struggling with storyline. So true how angst and dread are easier to write! ha! Bare with me..I'll find my footing again!

"Oh honey, come to bed." Elsie kisses Charles on the forehead and rubs a slender hand over his night shirt. "Come on..." she encourages him to sit up.

"Wh...what? What is it?" He sits up with a start and she pats him on the back.

"Nothing's the matter...just come to bed! Why are you still in here?"

Charles is wobbly and groans when he stands. "Ahhh...I wanted you to sleep well and...that bed is a little small..."

"Oh! Well I've slept the last week without you in my bed and I'll be damned if I'm sleeping another! Now come on with you!" She wrapped her hand firmly around his upper arm and led him down the hallway to their bed. He staggered a bit and it made her giggle.

"Elsie...I don't mind to let you..." He protested when they reached the bed.

"Hush now! You are sleeping right here." She countered.

"You aren't strong enough to be helping me into bed! Now stop that." He swatted at her hand as she tried to help lift his legs onto the bed. She got tickled and started laughing which made him start laughing as he struggled to get on the bed.

"Els..." his words were broken, the more he tried to talk, the more he laughed which made her laugh. "Elsie...you must stop...you are..." Tears were running down her cheeks. "You are in no shape..."

"I'm going to pee myself if I don't stop..." she squealed with laughter.

"You're going to hurt yourself!" He sat on the edge of the bed, she in front of him. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "But oh how I love to hear you laugh." His voice softened and he pulled her into his arms.

She smiled and ran her fingers down his cheek. "I love to hear you laugh as well. You know I don't think I've ever heard you laugh like that!"

"To be honest, I'm not sure when I've laughed like that." He was eye level with her breasts and his desire was growing but he knew that would be futile so he pulled away. "We better get in bed babe." He patted her thigh.

Elsie sensed his reservation and considered how the next few weeks would be for him...for her too. They had just spent the most intimate two weeks of their lives and it all came to an abrupt halt without warning. Her body was confused, her hormone levels off kilter but her heart was very much intact. They had suffered, together, a huge loss but she was thankful every minute that she did not have cancer and that Charles was by her side. In the quietness of the last few days she had considered how all of this would have been without him and the tears would come out of sheer gratitude.

She didn't move immediately. She wanted him to know how she felt about this new development in their love life. She brought her hands up to cup his cheeks. "Charles...I'm sorry we can't make love." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry..." a tear escaped down her cheek. "I want to please you….I want to…."

He brought his arms around her bottom and laid his head at her breasts. He took in a deep breath, her scent, and then looked up at her. "I do love making love to you. I love your body, the way to taste, smell, and the way you move. But my love for you is not dependent on me being inside of you, Elsie. This is temporary...I know that. We will find our rhythm again and it will be better than ever."

Much to her surprise, she felt that familiar tingle inside and she knew she had better just get in bed and go to sleep before they were both miserable. She leaned down and kissed him tenderly but quickly. "6 weeks...Dr. Clarkson said 6 weeks without any complications."

"You talked to him about...that?" he asked surprised as he got under the covers and helped her get in beside him. She backed up to him, could feel that him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and closed his eyes against the softness of her braid that tickled his chest.

"Yes...I did." she answered, her tone laced with confidence and . "He's a doctor sweetheart...and whether you like it or not, he does know that you and I are…lovers." She smiles and pats his arm.

"Okay...okay...I know. I'm glad you did." He whispers back into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "Your self-assurance...your confidence in us...makes me...very..." he closed his eyes and took in a deep respiration. She turned over in his arms, nestling her leg between his two, laying her cheek against the soft curls at his chest. "...makes me...mmmmm..." he groans and they both laugh. "It's such a turn on…

"I know what it does to you..." she coo'd and reached up to caress his cheek with her hand.

They chat quietly, laugh and nuzzle against one another. She was glad when the conversation lulled and she heard the respiration's that signaled he was asleep...satisfied. She was sure he had not slept, deeply, since last being in her bed, wrapped around her. She stroked the arm that lay peacefully at her abdomen. "I love you Charles." She whispers into the night.

Elsie rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She could tell by the sunlight through the cotton fabric at the window that it was late in the morning. She could hear him, in the kitchen and it made her smile. She looked around for her robe and couldn't find it, puzzled, she walked to the chair in the bedroom where his clothes were and slipped on his white button down. It smelled so good...him...his essence. She drew in a breath and closed her eyes while buttoning a few of the buttons, just enough to cover.

When she reached the kitchen she giggled and leaned against the wall to watch him, he was at the stove, in her robe. He didn't hear her and hummed loudly while he scrambled eggs. "You look darling...darling," she called.

He spun around, his grin was delicious. "You like it?" He pulled the fabric out and daintily did a curtsy. "It's just a little something I threw together!" He joked. She giggled.

"Well it's a little feminine for you but I personally am enjoying that is it three times too small!"

Charles glanced down to the rather large gap revealing the biggest part of his undershorts. He blushed even though he had planned it that way.

"Oh beg pardon milady! Forgive me for embarrassing you." He sung out.

"Oh not at all sir...you're not embarrassing me atall. Why I am rather enjoying the view." She sang right back.

His gaze fell on her, in his shirt, and his tone grew more serious. "And aren't you a sight?" He reached her in two steps , wrapped one arm around her small waist, leaned down and kissed her warmly. "Good morning my beauty. How did you sleep? How do you feel?" He questioned with sincerity.

She ran her hand inside the robe and across the soft curls at his chest. "Mmmm...better than I've slept in a week! I don't like being away from you." They kiss again and again and once more before he turns to rescue the eggs.

"I feel good...better. I'm so surprised at my lack of strength but I guess..." She sat at the table and he poured her a cup of tea. "Mmm...thank you sweetheart."

"You nearly died my love. You are going to be weak for a while. And I want you to take it easy! NO work!" He plated their breakfast and sat it down in front of her and the seat beside her.

"I'm so bored Charles. I'm so tired of lying around." She took a bite of the food. "Oh darling..this is wonderful! I didn't know you cooked so well! I should've known...you're good at everything you do." She says lovingly and gives him a longing look.

"I can make due when I need to Mrs. Carson. You can walk with me to the Abbey where you will rest, in your sitting room or my pantry, whilst I work. You may not do anything to over exert yourself!" he gave her a playful glare; his bushy eyebrows wrinkled low over his eyes.

"Oh would you take me with you today? I shall love to be there. I can work on invoices, which I'm sure are backed up!" She had set her fork down and reached over to take his cheeks in her hands and kissed him hard on the mouth. "Thank you love…thank you…"

TBC…..