Aden and Belle sat on the sofa after Belle was eventually happy with where it ended up. Well he hoped she was happy because quite frankly his back was sore and he doubted he could move it or indeed another box anytime soon.
"Its good." She said.
"To be back in the Bay Babe?" he asked with a smirk.
"Yes!" she smiled. "And the kids will know the beach and all their friends and Nanny Rene and Grandpa Roman!" she laughed.
Aden pulled her to him for a kiss, her happiness was infectious he thought.
"They might not have a grandpa Roman much longer." He said and told her the story of what happened. Just as he finished there was a knock at the door.
"Hey!" Nicole called. "I was going to bake a cake to welcome you back but thought that even though Aden is a doctor giving you food poisoning wouldn't be nice."
Geoff handed over a cake box.
"So we went to the Diner and got one instead. Colleen is dying to know who the mysterious people are who moved here." He looked down at Nic who was smiling.
"I told her it was ex-Russian spies who just wanted a nice quiet life." She chuckled.
"You have been hanging around with Ella too long! Belle said. "And tell me there is chocolate on that cake."
Nic looked at her and smiled.
"As if I would bring you anything else?" she asked feigning being affronted.
Belle giggled and carried the box through to the kitchen as Geoff and Aden sat on the sofa.
"How's it going?" Geoff asked him.
"Not too bad but I swear that if I see another box it will be too soon" Aden smiled. "You and Nic thought about where you are going to live?"
"No not yet." Geoff looked amused.
"What's that?" Nic asked. She walked over to him and handed him a slice of cake while Belle was doing likewise for Aden. She sat on a chair next to them whilst Belle took the last space on the sofa.
"A place to live." Geoff said.
"I thought we were going to come and live here?" Nic said with a grin.
"Cute Nicole!" Belle said raising her eyebrows.
Whilst Aden chuckled and said. "One Princess in the house is bad enough! Amy-Belle won't answer to anything else." He glared at Geoff and added "Now."
Nic smiled and prodded Geoff in the ribs. He looked a bit bashful as he pulled out a Notebook from his back pocket. And handed it over to Aden.
Aden opened and looked at it. He read the first couple of paragraphs.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "You did this?" he asked. He passed it to Belle who looked as if she were debating whether to put the cake down on the nearby coffee table or not before she took it and had a read.
"This is great. Amy-Belle will love it!" she said eventually.
"Geoff did the story and came up with the idea I just helped with some of the illustrations." Nic said and they could tell she was proud of Geoff.
"She'll be back from my mums tomorrow she'll adore it." Belle said. "Only thing is now you have to come up with one for Brett."
Nicole chuckled.
"He's working on it!" she confessed much to Geoff's chagrin.
"But getting back onto the subject of where we are going to live. I honestly don't know." Nicole said, "I suppose we might have a chance of staying at the beach house. Things would be different if I'd got this cool job in Yabbie Creek because then we could have saved up a deposit." She smiled at Geoff.
He reached out and took hold of her hand.
"I've already asked Irene." He confirmed.
Nicole chuckled.
Belle finished her cake and looked at the other woman. Is it possible that she had really grown up so much? Belle thought. Which of course was followed by how could she get Aden and Geoff to leave so that she could ask about the dress and have more cake.
"What was the job?" Belle asked eventually.
"It was for a boutique. They have a chain of 30 across NSW and they promote in house designers." Nic told her and recognising the light in Belle eyes she went on to discuss clothes for the next 5 minutes, pretending not even to notice that Geoff and Aden excused themselves and went for a walk to the surf bar. She stopped and then said. "Go ahead."
"That was good!" Belle acknowledged. "How did you know I wanted to talk about the dress?" she asked.
"Well it was either that or another slice of cake and if you had to include the boys then the slice would have to be much smaller. " she grinned. "Either way I win because I can talk about the dress or eat more chocolate!"
Belle took the plates to the bar in the kitchen and Nic sat the other side whist she cut a slice of cake.
"The dress is beautiful. I started to cry when I put it on and then I started to cry again when I saw the price tag! It makes me look like a princess from an old time fairytale book. Ella made me get it but honestly its so expensive Belle. " She smiled. "I feel greedy for wanting it!"
"How are Roman and Ella? Have they made up yet?" Belle asked.
"I think so," she said and blushed a fiery red colour. "My Dad kicked me out and carried her upstairs. She taught me this neat trick though!" Nic said and told Belle about the radio and the phone.
Belle laughed.
"Beats mine. I used to put the washing machine on when I knew Aden was talking a shower so that it would take all the hot water and leave him in the cold!" she confessed.
"I was going to ask because Geoff has Aden for a best man I was wondering if the children would like to be unofficial attendants?" Nic said clearing up the last of her cake.
Belle looked up in surprise.
"I plan to have Ruby and Annie as bridesmaids but I thought Amy-Belle would like the chance to wear a pretty dress." Nic explained. "And then of course include Brett. He could help Aden."
"Nic that is so nice." Belle walked around the breakfast bar and gave the other girl a hug.
Aden and Geoff walked back in at that moment.
"See Aden I said they were eating the last of the cake!" Geoff said.