Chapter Fifty-Seven

Monday 2nd September

'Bonheur de Vivre'

"I can't believe it's really ours!"

"You will when you see your bank statement!" Harry laughed. "You don't expect me to carry you over the threshold do you?"

"I don't think so, you'd probably trip over one of those stone lions and we'll both end up in A&E!"

"I'm glad they left them,"

"The lions?"

"Yes,"

"I am too."

"I like the idea of Leo here on the doorstep watching our comings and goings."

"Do you think he'll mind?"

"No, it'll be just like the old days, except then he used to peer out at us from his office."

Harry smiled, he was discovering his new hobby of finding ways to make Nikki smile, it was just as much fun as singing with Jorge and Beto.

He opened the door and stood back to let Nikki walk into their new house. Their own house. She went straight through to look out into the garden as she had done the first time the funny old estate agent had fumbled through her collection of keys before opening the door.

"Harry look!" she called. Harry meanwhile was picking up the pile of adverts, free newspapers and letters that accumulated on the doormat.

"Don't tell me the grass is a foot tall, I've had enough trouble with the grass at Leo's old place."

"Come and look!"

He looked up then, saw her bouncing about at the window and felt his chest suddenly constrict. He hadn't thought it was possible to love her more than he already did, but each new day was a revelation, something new he found adorable about her. He shuffled the mail into a neater pile.

"Harry!" she squeaked.

He joined her at the window.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked pointing to the flowers along the back wall in the garden.

"The helianthus?" he queried. She turned and gave him a trademark under the eyebrows hard stare.

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew, it wasn't difficult. Helios is Greek for sun, I guessed the rest."

"You never told me!"

"I just assumed you knew. Your one might get a bit of a complex next to those giants though." Harry said indicating the row of large headed sunflowers along the back wall.

"And you said this wasn't the right house!" she insisted.

"No, I said 'I couldn't afford to buy this house,' I never said it wasn't the right house."

"It couldn't be more perfect." Nikki exclaimed.

"You do remember the orange bathroom suite."

"I do, and that's why I'm staying at Leo's until the builders are finished," she said smugly.

"Well wasn't it lucky your house sold the day it went on the market, so we can stay at Leo's. I told you to price it higher!"

"Harry! We needed a quick sale, and we got what we needed."

"You may be right," he said with a half-smile.

She gave a theatrical gasp. "Really?" she said sarcastically.

"Yes. You were right. You've always been right. If I'd have listened to you, I would never have left in the first place!"

"I'm glad you did," she said quietly.

Harry looked into her eyes; this was still a topic they steered clear of despite resolving so much of their complicated relationship. He asked her why with his eyes.

"We would never have got here if you'd have stayed Harry. We needed that time apart. We needed the space. You needed a kick up the backside which Jorge and Beto and Mrs Finkelstein all gave you. And I needed to realise what I had lost and to know what I really wanted. It's been a long road and it's been a painful one but I wouldn't change this, here, now, with you for anything."

"I love you," Harry replied.

"I love you too," she said reaching up on tiptoe to kiss him. "Very, very much."

"I wish it hadn't had to hurt so much,"

"Me too," she said ruefully.

"It just makes this, even more precious," Harry said.

"THIS?" she asked, her eyebrow raised theatrically.

"No, THIS!" he laughed gesturing at the house. "Let's go and see how they've left the annexe."

The place was clean and pristine, all except the big hole in one of the walls.

"Looks like they took the safe with them," Harry commented.

"Looks like we found a place to put Leo's Matisse!" Nikki smiled. It was odd, usually once the furniture was moved out of even the cleanest house it made it look tatty but the annexe was spotless. "You'll be able to start seeing clients soon. It won't take long to fix up."

"Dalton Pathology," Harry stated.

"Is that what you decided on?" Nikki asked.

Harry nodded. Leo and I agreed it ages back.

"It's a good name," Nikki agreed.

"You should have heard the others!" Harry laughed.

"Leo would be very proud,"

"What of the business; or of us?" he asked giving her a squeeze.

"Everything," she smiled but he could see her tears hovering behind the smile.

"It's going to be alright," he assured her, pulling her to him. A mixture of happiness and sadness; wasn't that what his fortune cookie had promised him the first night he returned. The sadness was still there but thankfully the scales had finally tipped.

"I'll go and get the sugar soap and buckets from the car, shall I?"

"Not yet," Nikki said snuggling into his chest. "Just stand here with me here, for a bit longer."

"Welcome home, Nikki."

"Welcome back, Harry."


Bonheur de Vivre/The Joy of Life: Matisse. Leo's last painting in his office