Chapter 42

"So what do you think so far Nic?" Roman asked his daughter.

"The place is lovely. You could fit our entire house in just Mike's room!" she gasped.

He pulled his daughter towards him and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

"I did actually mean the city not just El's place." He grouched.

Nicole laughed.

"I know I was just winding you up. But seriously, why don't you guys buy somewhere bigger in the Bay. I've seen you looking on the Internet at houses."

Ella laughed.

"Because we are too busy to look properly." She told her.

Ella looked over at Ruby and Annie who were doing their best to ignore each other. She walked over to them and put her hand through Annie's arm and then the same through Ruby's.

"And are you two ok?" Ella asked them.

"Fine." They answered at the same time then glared at each other again.

Ella pressed a kiss to Annie's cheek and then likewise with Ruby.

"I so believe you." She told them.

She started running pulling them with her. They had no choice but to keep up with her and after a couple of minutes she stopped and looked at them. Roman followed dragging Nicole who'd groaned.

They were both smiling despite themselves.

"El." Roman said.

She laughed at him.

"Uh huh." He said.

"Right ladies and him. This is my favourite place the market. I love buying my ethnic skirts here and my lacy tops. There is a stall that does hand made candles. I get my fresh fruit and veg here." She told them. "Lots of funky jewellery too."

She looked at them and saw that they looked happier than earlier.

"So what first? Do you want to look at material?" Ella asked them.

Nic nodded.

Ella led them through the stalls and watched as Roman made another beeline for the stall that sold baby stuff. She waggled her eyebrows at him and shook her head.

"One item." He said to her.

"No." she said.

He folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine." He muttered.

She laughed at him and turned her attention back to Nic and the material.

"Come on Nic. What are you thinking?" she asked her.

Nic looked at Ruby and Annie and narrowed her eyes.

"Structured bodices exactly the same on each dress. With pin tucking to the waist. Embodied bands around the waist. Ruby's skirt bell shaped. Annie's skirt straighter." She murmured.

The other girls looked at each other.

"What do you think?" Ella asked them.

Annie nodded.

"Sounds nice." She said. "What do you think Ruby, you've got a better eye than me." Annie asked the other girl.

Ruby looked startled by the question coming from Annie but then she smiled and tucked her arm through Annie's.

"Perfect." She said.

"Ok I want Gold." Nic said.

She pulled out her phone and clicked it open so she could look at a picture she had taken off the waistcoats she wanted to use.

Ella found a bolt of cloth that was gold with fleur de lys embroidery in a different shade of gold and she showed it to Nic who nodded.

"Maybe for the band." She murmured.

Annie and Ruby went round the other side of the stall. They worked together to go through all the material until they came across a bolt of cloth that was pale gold colour with mutli-coloured flowers in.

"Nic?" Annie called.

She walked over to them and looked at their find.

"Yes. For the band. Perfect." She said.

She put her phone next to it and checked the colour against the waistcoats. She nodded again.

Ella walked round to them.

"That's nice." She said. "Will it go with this?" she asked showing Nic round to where she had found more cloth.

Nic looked at it.

"It's a match but the fabric will be hard to cut."

"Well it's up to you Nic. Can you do it?" Ella asked.

Nic nodded slowly.

"Yes." She said.

Ella looked over at the stall holder.

"Can we have both bolts of cloth?" she asked.

"Certainly. Would you like them delivered this evening?" she asked her.

Ella nodded.

"Saves us lugging it around. Thank you." She told her.

She pulled out a business card and handed it over.

"What sort of time were you thinking?" she asked her.

"Around half seven if that is ok."

"Great." Ella told her.

She handed over the money just as Roman joined her.

"Hey you." She said to him and then saw that he had another bag.

She grinned at him.

"Another mysterious purchase?" she asked him holding out her hand so the woman could give her the change.

He smiled.

"Might be." He said.

"Right girls. Shall we leave you to it?" Ella asked them.

They nodded.

"We'll be over there in Harry's café. You can't miss it." Ella told then.

She took hold of Roman's hand and went into the café.

"Are you ok?" he asked as soon as they were inside.

"I don't know." She answered. "I'll be back in a minute." She pressed a kiss on his cheek and went into the bathroom.

She came out minutes later.

"El?" he questioned when she joined him.

"I don't know Roman, I feel funny not like I'm cramping just strange I know I've been doing a lot."

She said looking worried.

He pulled her gently toward him and put his arm around her.

"And running." He muttered.

She grinned.

"Sorry I had to do a something or you would have been with 3 very stroppy girls." She told him.

He smiled.

"We'll have a drink and if you don't feel any better after we'll go home." He told her. "Ok?"

She nodded.

"El, I love you." He said.

"I love you too." She smiled at him.

Harry walked over and handed Roman a coffee and Ella a banana milkshake.

"Hey Harry" She said to him.

"And how are you two today?" Harry asked.

"A little stressed actually. Mike is being a pain. And we have Nicole and friends staying." Ella told him.

"I told you enrol Mike in the army and he'll be fine." Harry said.

Roman laughed.

She turned and glared at him.

"It's a valid suggestion." Roman said. "And leave my ribs alone before you even think about hitting me."

"No it's not. I will not have my son in the Army." She hissed at him. "That is one tradition that he will not follow." She stood up and walked out.

Harry caught Roman's hand.

"She'll be back in a minute. What do you know about her family?" Harry murmured.

"I served with her brother. That's how we met." He told him.

Harry nodded slowly.

"I thought so. Well after he died her mother committed suicide. Then she lost Jennie. She took care of Mike, while her father is still in the Army and she hasn't spoken to him since her mother's death."

"Woah." Roman gasped. "She'll kill you for telling me. And she refers to him as being dead."

Harry nodded.

"I'm not surprised. Michael was the favoured child. She sometimes had to grab attention for herself." Harry told him.

"So?" Roman questioned.

"Grandbabies are a good way to bring people together." Harry murmured.

"Yeah and I would like to have the equipment left to father some more of them" Roman told him with a grin. "If you feel the need to meddle then go right ahead."

"Who's meddling?" Ella asked folding her arms across her chest.

"I am." Harry told her.

"Harry I swear to god if you have opened your big mouth I will never speak to you again."

She told him her eyes shooting sparks at him.

Harry leaned over and kissed her.

"Tough Elizabeth," He told her.

She swore.

"Damn you Harry you had no right." She told him.

"And what about you Elizabeth. Shouldn't your husband know?" Harry asked.

"What that my mother never gave a damn about me and took a bottle of pills rather than help me when I needed her?" Ella said dashing tears from her eyes.

"El." Roman said standing and reached for her trying to calm her.

She pushed Roman's hand away.

"Harry you can go to hell." She told him and walked out.

"And I thought I was the only one who could get her that mad." Romans said softly. "Is that true?" he asked Harry.

The other man nodded.

"She was selfish woman who only thought of her pain." Harry said softly.

"Did you know about…." Roman began to ask.

"Yes." Harry said interrupting the other man.

"I think that is why she keeps things to herself. Her mother blamed the platoon leader for her son's death. And when Elizabeth came home and found she was pregnant by the same man, all hell broke loose." Harry said. "I gather you have more information." His eyes twinkled.

"She was told not to have anything more to do with this man but she told her family that they would lose another child and grandchild if they blamed him. She was there and knew he was blameless. In fact risked his own life to try and rescue her brother."

Roman sat down heavily on the bench seat.

"She really said that." He said softly.

Harry sat opposite him.

"Just in case this man has been carrying around any guilt." Harry murmured. "Anyway she went out to see him and had to come home. By that time it was more or less known that Jennie wouldn't make it and she had the baby to take care off. She attended 3 funerals in the space of months."

"That must have been rough." Roman sighed. "And her father never came around."

"Well that is another story. The man was hurting and he shut down. He never blamed anyone, being Army but by the time he was able to cope with his loss he had an additional one in his daughter." Harry finished.

"Have you finished telling my life story." Ella muttered from behind Roman.

He held out his hand and she took it. She sat down next to him and he pressed a quick kiss on her lips pulling her close, his arm going around her shoulders. She leaned into him needing his warmth.

"I knew there was something more." He told her.

She half smiled.

"Yes. It was a long time ago." She said softly.

He looked down at her.

"Why didn't you come and find me sooner?" Roman asked.

"Because I had Mike. He was my priority." She said.

"And he's not one of mine now?" Roman asked.

"I can't explain it. I had to create a family for him that didn't involve the Army. I don't doubt that you would have been an excellent father for him but well I needed to heal and I couldn't have done that as part of a couple." She said. "It's all very mixed up I know. I was just hurting a lot."

Roman put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the identification tags.

"I know. I remember." He told her.

She looked at him.

"I asked you to marry me El, and these were your engagement ring." He said to her. "That's why you kept them all this time."

She started crying.

He placed them in her hand.

"It's why when I asked you to marry me again I didn't buy you a ring. I thought it was strange. The words felt so familiar when I said them to you."

She looked at him unable to stem the tears.

"I think I blocked it from my memory because losing you was so hard for me. I thought you blamed me for Michael." He said emotionally.

She shook her head.

"No I knew what happened and what you risked for him and for me." She told him her voice breaking. "And I held you in my arms that night, all night long. If I blamed you could I have done that?"

He looked at her.

"I know but it was easier to believe that you blamed me than you didn't want to be with me." He said. "I know that wasn't what happened now but then it hurt. I love you El."

She leaned forward.

"I love you, but can I have a diamond ring please?"

He laughed.

"Of course. For our anniversary." He grinned.

She snuggled as close to him as she could get.

"Uh huh. Harry I still hate you." She told the other man.

Harry stood and leaned over the table and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"It was worth it." he told her.