Ella dressed quietly after her shower and walked downstairs. Roman was still asleep in bed. She saw the two girls dressed and sitting in the kitchen.
"Hey Step-mama!" Nic called.
"Hey girls!" She said softly. She reached into the fridge and pulled out the last bottle of chilled water and then went over and sat at the table.
"Now would anyone like to explain your guilty looks this morning?" Ella asked taking a long drink.
Annie and Nic looked over at each other.
"Do we look guilty?" Nic asked the other girl.
"Yes!" Ella answered for her. "Might it have something to do with the sofas being moved?" she said quietly.
"She spilled it not me!" Annie said quickly.
"What?" Ella asked.
"I had a glass of red wine last night when I couldn't sleep." Nic said "And we had a pillow fight and the glass got knocked over. I tried to clean it but I picked up bleach instead of the carpet shampoo."
"We thought if we move the sofa then Roman might not notice!" Annie spoke up.
"Uh huh." Ella smiled. "And by what stretch of the imagination would you think he wouldn't notice?" she asked them.
They looked down at the pieces of toast on their plates.
Nic shrugged.
"Perhaps if you were to distract him?" she said to Ella.
"And how did I get involved in this?" Ella asked.
"Well you let us stay here last night and you bought him the wine." Nic explained trying to sound as though what she said made sense.
"Uh huh, but he'd never fall for me buying cleaning stuff Nic!" Ella said with a laugh.
Nic looked at Annie.
"Well we tried." She said.
Ella stood up and walked over to the cooker. After a moment she remembered how it worked and switched the grill on.
"Nicole pass the phone book." She instructed and nearly laughed at the connection with last night's conversation.
Ella opened the fridge again and pulled out the fixings for her famous cheese on toast. She put the bread in the toaster and opened the phone book.
"How bad is it?" she asked them.
They looked at each other and then moved over to the sofa and moved it so that Ella could look at the damage.
"Ok then." She said and closed that section of the book and opened it at Carpet warehouses. A couple of phone calls later she had carpet fitters lined up to come within the next hour and replace the carpet.
She added the cheese to the toast and put it under the grill, making sure she wasn't distracted as she watched it melt. Normally she went off and did something else and came back to charcoal. Pulling it out she placed it on a plate and fixed a cup of coffee, grimacing at the strong smell.
"Ok, you two will need to move all the ornaments and books and thing out as soon as I drag your Dad out for a walk. The carpet fitters will measure up and replace the carpet." Ella outlined the plan. She carried the coffee and toast up the stairs and went to distract Roman.
Annie smiled at Nic.
"She really is a bad cook isn't she?" Annie said. "I thought you were joking."
Nic looked at her.
"What makes you say that?" Nic asked.
"Because she left the grill on and everything has been left out on the top." Annie explained.
Nic swore and reached out to switch the grill off.
"Perhaps its just hormones?" she suggested as she put everything away.
"Uh huh?" Annie said.
"No, she's terrible. She gets distracted. I have no idea how Mike survived aside from living on take-away of course." Nic said.
"You should tell her." Annie told her.
"I can't she's got enough to deal with." Nic chewed on another fingernail. At this rate she would have none left for the wedding.
"Uh huh Nic, we just gave her a big problem and instead of getting upset she just dealt with it. What makes you think that she won't do the same for that?" Annie said confidently.
"Since when did you get all grown up and bossy?" Nic asked her.
"It's Ella she kinda turns things around!" Annie said with a quick grin.
A knock sounded at the door and they looked at each other.
"This had better not be the carpet people arriving early." Annie said fearfully.
"If it is then Ella will manage to keep him entertained upstairs." Nic said and then looked at Annie as she realised what she had said.
Annie pushed her.
"Stop giggling and answer the door before he comes down." She instructed.
Nic walked over to the door and opened it wide.
"Oh my god Ruby!" she exclaimed seeing the other girl there. She glanced back at Annie and then at Ruby like in a comic soap opera.
"Well aren't you going to invite me in?" Ruby asked smiling,
She looked up and saw Annie and the smile disappeared.
"Oh!" said Ruby.
Ruby had had a feeling that she would have to deal with this but not quite so soon.
"Hello Ruby." Annie said calmly.
"Come in." Nic instructed grasping hold of her hand and pulling her inside. "We don't have time to have any drama today we need your help!"
She dragged her into the kitchen.
"I had a glass of wine last night and I split it." Nic started to explain, then hearing her Dad and Ella coming down the stairs she placed her finger over her lips and cautioned Ruby not to say anything.
Roman walked to the door and stood in the doorway as Ella carried the pots through to the kitchen.
"I've persuaded your Dad to take me out for a walk while I'm feeling so good." Ella explained and then looked curiously at the third girl.
"Ella this is Ruby. I'll let you go as time is moving on and you want to get started on your walk." Nic said sounding slightly desperate.
"Nice to meet you Ruby. I'll talk to you later, obviously." Ella said looking at Nicole. She left the things on the table and turned and took Roman out.
"Nic, do you think you could I dunno, let go now?" Ruby asked.
Nicole looked down and saw that she was still holding Ruby's wrist. She grinned. And pulled Ruby to her giving her a hug.
"I've missed you!" she said to her.
"I missed you too." Ruby replied. "So what is this drama?" she asked avoiding talking to and making eye contact with Annie.
"First off, I insist on a truce between you two. You are my very best friends and my bridesmaids. At least for the next hour. Do you think you could manage that?" Nic said. "I know it's a big ask but please you did used to be besties!"
"Ruby. I would like us to talk but I understand if you feel that you can't" Annie told her.
Nic's jaw dropped. Way to grab the bull by the horns she thought.
Annie picked up the pots of the table and put them in the dishwasher, without waiting for a reply.
"Ok Annie. Nic." Ruby said finally. "Truce for today at least." She conceded.
"Right then. Nic spilt a glass of wine last night on the carpet and then tried to clean it with bleach instead of carpet shampoo. Ella has ordered a new carpet and it will be here soon and we need to clear the living room so they can put it down." Annie told Ruby, looking her in the eye.
Nic glanced at both of them.
Then dragged them into the lounge to clear the room. They worked in silence for the most part until Annie decided to put on some music. She was soon singing along to an old pop song. All three looked at each other when Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive" came on. They stood next to each other and started singing and dancing remembering how they had done this in the past when one of them or the other had had a break up.
They looked up in horror to see the carpet fitters applauding them.
"Right girls I understand you want this replacing?" The foreman said, indicating the carpet.
Nic stepped forward.
"Yes please." She told them.
"You understand how much it's going to cost. My men don't normally move furniture." He said.
Nic nodded understandingly.
"Well it's like this." Annie began, "I had a really bad break up and my friend here tried to console me."
"Yeah I poured her out a glass of wine and then I tripped and it went everywhere!" Nic said.
"Yeah, and I made matters worse because I tried to clean up with bleach. It was dark and we didn't want to wake the grownups!" Ruby said looking at the other two girls.
"Alright, enough of the soft soap. I'll knock a bit off the price if you get us a brew we're gasping!" he said and motioned for the men to start work.
Annie walked into the kitchen followed by the other two.
"Annie we do need to talk. But I can say that I am happy to see you." Ruby finally said.
"Thank you Ruby, I'd give you a hug to welcome you back to the bay but I think we'd get wolf whistled." She joked softly, trying to keep the atmosphere light.
Ruby grinned.
"Well if it gets us another discount Girls, then go for it!" Nic said to them.
"Was I supposed not to notice the sofa had been moved?" Roman asked her when they reached the beach.
"The girls were planning to surprise you with a …" Ella paused as she looked at him. "Cleaning session?" she suggested.
"I see." Roman said. "Ella you are a terrible liar."
"I can't be that bad, you believed me about the post it note!" she said cheekily and began to run off.
He caught up with her easily and catching hold of her waist he swept her legs out from under her and controlled her fall to the soft sand. Laying down with her.
"You do realise if I wasn't pregnant you wouldn't have got away with that don't you?" she asked him.
He chuckled.
"Just because your brother taught you a few moves doesn't mean you can beat me. I'm stronger and I work out." He said logically.
"Oh, so I'm just a little woman to you?" Ella asked him.
"That is so not what I mean." He told her.
"Right then. Stand up." She instructed.
"Ella you are pregnant." He reminded her.
"I do know. " she pushed at his shoulders and he rolled over and stood up. He extended a hand to her and she ignored it standing up on her own.
"Like that is it?" he asked.
She smiled.
"Com'on big boy." She said with a grin.
He moved to sweep her legs again, his hands on her shoulders. Only to find himself somehow looking up at her, laying flat on his back on the sand.
"How did you do that?" he asked puzzled.
She laughed.
"Want to go again?" she asked him stretching her hand out to help him up.
He ignored her hand and stood up.
"Like that is it?" she asked with another grin.
He approached her quickly, reaching out to grip her hand and suddenly found himself flat on his back again.
"Ok, that is weird!" he muttered.
"Are you out of practice Lt Harris?" she asked with a grin.
"You are asking for trouble." He grouched and stood up. He stepped forward quickly and she let herself fall this time, landing softly on the sand. He lay down with her.
"Fine, you have some explaining to do!" he told her.
She put her arms around his neck.
"My brother taught me some moves that's all."
"El, there is a difference to learning some moves and instinctive training." He told her.
"I doubt I could have taken you so easily if I wasn't pregnant and you were going easy on me!" she told him. "But yeah, I told you Dad and Brother in the army and grew up on bases around the world." She said. "I learnt a few tricks."
"Uh huh." He lowered his head and kissed her. "What secrets are you keeping now I wonder?" he asked softly.
She smiled at him.
"I'll tell you one of my secrets if you tell me one of yours?" she suggested.
"No." he said instinctively in a harsh tone and saw her flinch.
"I wasn't going to probe you know, Roman." she pulled away from him and sat up.
"El I'm sorry. I wish I could say I didn't mean it but I did." He said placing a hand on her shoulder.
She flinched and stood up.
"I ran away when I was 15 and joined the army and completed basic training. There, that's the secret. " She walked to the seas edge and looked out at the horizon.
Roman sat and watched her. She had her head bent and he could tell she was upset and angry. And once again he was at fault.
"Ella!" he called and held out his hand,
She turned and looked at him and sighing she walked over to him and sat down next to him almost touching. He put his arm around her and held her close to him.
"I'm sorry. " he said.
"Roman, glossing over what happened, which incidentally I do happen to know about but won't pretend I understand what you feel about it, I am your wife. I feel that there is a brick wall between us sometimes. I don't like not talking about things to you." She grinned. "Now is that vague enough so that you know what I'm talking about without me having to go into more detail and getting you grumpy again?" she asked.
"That was vague enough." He replied. "Did you know before or after you looked me up?" he said.
"Before." She answered quickly.
"Is that why you came to the Bay?" he said, not really sure what he should be feeling.
"No. I came because Mike needed to meet you. I didn't expect this." She reached out and took a hold of his left hand holding it between both of hers.
"I don't know what to say right now." He said.
"It's ok not to say anything." She told him and leaned into him.
"Is it?" he asked.
She put her hand to his face and turned his head towards her.
"I know who you are and I am not confusing this man that I married with the idiot I loved in Afghanistan. Is that what you think?" she asked him.
"I really don't know. I am happy with you El, its uncomplicated and easy and fun and I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't have found me. I was drifting along in the Diner pretending that the whole past didn't exist. I couldn't even open your letter." He told her. "I've done some bad things and I can never wash away the guilt. I.." he stopped.
"Don't feel you deserve to be happy?" she asked in the silence.
"Yes. I don't deserve to have Miles still as a friend or have Nic love me as her Dad or have Mike look up to me or have Aden have his kids call me Grandpa." He said.
"Or me to love you?" she asked.
"Oh I really don't deserve that one." He said, with a fatalistic grin. "What can you see in me? I got your brother killed and I intentionally made you pregnant and didn't even check on you and you lost the baby after flying a hell of a long way to tell me about it because I ignored you when you came back to see me. Then I conned you into a marriage where I stomp around telling you that I can't talk to you about half the things that we need to talk about."
"Conned me into a marriage?" She asked. "I'm sorry did you use rohypnol or something?"
He looked at her quickly.
"I loved you and wanted to marry you. Yes, it has been fast, I don't recommend marrying someone on the third date and yes, we are still dealing with lots of stuff. Maybe it is a bit mixed up that we are bringing a baby into the relationship so soon but hey, I was under the impression that you loved me."
"I do love you El. I can't remember what it was like not to wake up and love you." He said finally.
"Good because we have the kids to think about and I suspect that I am about to adopt someone called Ruby too!" she warned him.
He laughed and reached over and kissed her.
"I love you Roman Harris." She said laughing.
"I love you too Elizabeth Harris." He replied with a smile. She pushed him back until he lay flat on the sand and kissed him before looking at her watch.
"Is it safe to go back now?" he asked catching her looking at the time,
"I don't know, I think they might still be cleaning." She said with a quick grin.
"Uh huh!" He pulled her on top of him. "Perhaps you need to keep me distracted then."
She looked around and said deadpan. "What here?"
"I didn't mean that!" he said with a quick laugh. "Although there isn't anyone around." He looked deep into her eyes pushing her hair back off her face.
"Maybe when it is dark mister!" she told him.
He laughed.
"I thought you had out of control hormones!" he said.
"Out of control yes but they would prefer not to get us arrested!" she said.
"I thought you liked a hint of danger." He told her grinning.
"A hint of danger is eating my own cooking not making out on a public beach!" she told him.
"Making out?" he asked quickly.
She nodded.
"I was trying to phrase it so it wouldn't seem so…." She began to say.
"Uh huh!" he interrupted. "You were trying to say it so that the words wouldn't turn you on a little." He grinned as he saw her blush. He caught hold of her head and pulled it towards him gently. He kissed her deeply before whispering some words to her that had her blushing some more.
She pushed away and stood up. Walking away she bent and picked up the sandals she'd dropped earlier and held out her hand to him.
"Come on then!" she instructed and lead him to the dunes his favourite spot on the beach.
He laughed.
"El I wasn't serious!" he said.
"You messed with my hormones You better face the consequences." She told him and pulled him down beside her in the middle of the dunes.
He kissed her quickly and found her hands pulling his top off.
"El!" he protested.
"Hurry up!" she grouched and kissed him again. He pulled her hands away and pinned them to the sand.
"Are you serious?" he asked quickly.
"Yes. Aren't you turned on?" she asked.
"Yes I am." He confessed with a quick grin.
She smiled and pulled him to her, looking at her watch again she grinned. The things she had to do to distract a man she thought laughing.
They walked towards the diner, Ella was laughing and they were brushing sand off each other. She kept giggling every time he looked at her.
"It happens to every guy." She told him. "Don't worry about it!"
"Ella." He cautioned.
"Some men just aren't comfortable with taking chances." She said.
"Ella." He muttered.
"I won't tell a soul." She told him. "Not even Miles!"
"Right that's it." he muttered and picked her up and over his shoulder carrying her back to the dunes.
"Well." She said later.
"Yes." he said.
"I think that was…" she trailed off.
He rolled over and looked at her.
"Yes." He said again. He pulled on his clothes and looked around making sure that no-one had seen them. Or, he hoped, heard them.
He reached out and pulled her to her feet and she adjusted her clothes.
"I think we should take up skinny dipping too!" she said with a grin.
He tugged her against him.
"These hormones of yours are going to get me arrested aren't they?" he kissed her quickly.
She put her arms around his neck.
"Uh huh. You might need to carry me home Mister. I can't find my sandals"
"Where did you drop them?" he asked.
"Near the diner when you went Caveman on me." She laughed.
"Oh my God, did anyone see us?" he asked. He groaned.
"I don't know." She answered him. "But if Colleen did she might be a bit jealous!" Ella laughed at him.
"Ella this is serious I've just picked you up and dragged you…" he stopped and looked at her and laughed.
"Caveman!" she said. "And you stopped asking me if I were ok every 5 minutes too!" she grinned at him before setting off along the beach.
He ran and caught up with her, putting his arm around her and pressing a quick kiss to her temple.
They walked into the Diner and saw Miles and Kirsty sitting at the table.
"Hey!" Ella called and walked over to them. "Is Ollie ok?" she asked them.
"Funny you should ask. He's been in a bad mood. I take it he and Mike had a fight?" Kirsty asked.
"I have no idea what happened I just got a text from Mike saying he didn't want to come home this weekend." Ella said. She sat next to Miles.
Roman walked over and handed her a bottle of mineral water. She smiled up at him as their fingers touched for a second.
He had a cup of coffee and as soon as the smell hit her she flinched.
"I was like that with coffee too." Kirsty said.
"Sorry." Roman said standing.
"Don't be silly hun, sit and drink it. I'll be ok. I feel really good today." She caught his arm and he sat down again, she smiled at him, stroking his arm.
He caught hold of her hand and sat there holding it, his thumb rubbing her fingers.
"Miles don't you remember what it was like to be like that?" Kirsty asked him with a glint in her eyes.
"To be in love? Or to be carried off into the sand dunes?" Miles asked.
Roman and Ella looked at each other and both of them blushed.
"Please tell me Colleen didn't see that?" Roman asked his friend.
Kirsty grinned.
"Well." Miles said. He reached down beside himself and handed over Ella's sandals.
"Thank you." El told him with an embarrassed grin.
"We were just arriving when we saw you do your caveman thing." Miles explained.
"I was jealous!" Kirsty confessed.
"But in answer to your question, no Colleen didn't see it!" Miles told him. "Doesn't mean that I won't keep reminding you at certain moments. I don't think I've ever seen you face that particular shade before!" Miles laughed.