Chapter 60
Nic walked into Ella's hospital room carrying a blue plastic crate, walking backward through the door. She placed it on a chair by her bed and waited for her to wake up.
"Hello Step mama." Nic said.
"Hey daughter." Ells replied. "What's all this?" she asked.
"I'm going to keep you company." Nic told her "And you are going to help me."
Nic pulled the table toward her and set up the glue, sequins and ribbon. She added scissors, needle and cotton. Then opening a bag she pulled out one of Amy-Belle shoes.
"This is what I've done." She said.
Ella laughed at her.
"Very creative." She said with a smile.
"Yes isn't it?" she asked. "Now you are going to help me with the rest of them. I've drawn out the pattern on all of the shoes. The ribbon is pre-cut. All you have to do is glue the sequins on and sow the ribbon to the back."
Ella nodded. She pressed the button and raised the hospital bed.
"I've checked and this glue is safe for ladies in your condition." Nic told her.
She handed her a pair of shoes and Ella applied the glue before picking up sequins with tweezers and pressing them on.
"I should tell you I took back that really expensive wedding dress." Nic told her. "I'm making my dress."
"Why?" Ella asked.
"Because I felt guilty about it being your money. You've done so much for me without spending all that money." She explained.
"Nic, I can afford it." she told her.
Nic nodded.
"Mike said something about you being a gazzilionaire and I figured that meant you were quite rich."
Ella laughed.
"Not quite."
"Uh huh, well I've seen your studio and your wardrobe of designer gear. So I know you don't have to worry about money but that isn't really the point. You are precious to me Ella and I want you to know I respect you not just the money bit."
Ella listened to her and burst into tears.
"Hey that isn't meant to upset you."
She shook her head.
"I just think I lucked out when it came to stepchildren." Ella said.
"Well get gluing." Nic told her. "I have lots of shoes to work on."
Ella wiped the tears and smiled getting back to work.
"How are things with the party planning?" she asked.
"I got Mike involved at the weekend and we created these invites for everyone. He used your laptop and did something clever with some pictures. We've got silhouettes of disco dancers and a sixties chick in opposite corners. They give the date and time etc. " Nic grinned at her. "Ruby and Annie and Aden are in charge of handing them out. I've ordered a limousine to take us to the city to go back to that salsa club." She smiled. "I think Aden is planning something for Geoff."
"And how is your Dad?" Ella asked.
"He's ok. He's started sorting out the food for Saturday." Nic told her.
"It's coming around quick." Ella said.
She finished one shoe and started on another.
"I know. 12 days and counting." She said. "I can't wait. Luckily I've finished the bridesmaid dresses and I've cut out the parts of the wedding dress ready to start sowing tonight."
Ella grinned at her.
"And where are you going on honeymoon?" she asked.
Nic grimaced and smiled at the same time.
"Dad booked the honeymoon suite at the Sands." She began. "I thought he did it for you at first but anyway," she paused as she blushed at Ella's quick look. "we have the first night there and then we are in a tent in the bush for a few days. We are coming back so I can move into Irene's and get settled before I start work. First thing we are going to save for is a holiday. Then we will put together the deposit for a place of our own." Nic explained.
Ella looked at her and had to bite her lip from blurting it out about the house. She grinned.
"You two are sorted aren't you?" she said to the girl, although she would have to start thinking of her as a woman, she'd grown up so much.
Nic smiled.
"I have never been as sure of anything in my life as I am of how much I love Geoff and how much he loves me. You know some of things we have been through Ella, but we are here now and it is wonderful." She glowed as she spoke of her love for Geoff.
Ella chuckled.
"Ok Nic, these are done." Ella said presenting the ballet slippers for inspection. She'd glued all the sequins on and sown the ribbon strips to the back.
"Perfect." Nic told her and handed her another pair of shoes.
Ella grinned at her.
"I am supposed to be resting you know!" she grouched.
Nic looked at her.
"You're in bed." She said.
"There's room for you too." Ella told her.
Nic looked for a moment and considered it before she shook her head.
They finished the shoes and Nic wrapped them in tissue paper before putting them in bags.
"Now what would you like to do tomorrow?" Nic asked her.
"I get a choice?" Ella chuckled.
"Well no, I have to do ribbon bunches as part of the floral displays." She told her. "And there are also the wedding favours to put together. Ruby and Annie have bought all the things needed so I thought a production line. If you are up to it."
Ella burst out laughing just as Roman walked in.
"I thought you were supposed to be resting?" he grumbled and looked at his daughter.
Nic smiled at him.
"I've been having fun and Nic brought me something to do instead of lying here bored. And what happened to my hello kiss?" Ella said to him.
He frowned at them.
"What happened Dad?" Nic asked him "You were in a better mood earlier."
He sat down.
"Sorry. It's nothing." He said.
Ella smiled at him and held out her hand. He took hold of it looking at her fingers and the slim platinum band on the third finger. His thumb touched it relevantly. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly.
Nic groaned.
"Right I'm going to go. I'll see you tomorrow Wicked Step Mother." She said.
She turned and picked up the crate with everything in it. Roman held out his hands and she grinned and put it in them letting him carry it.
"Back in a minute." He told Ella.
He walked out with Nic.
She waited until they were out of earshot of Ella before she asked him what was wrong.
"I need to tell Ella something and I don't know how. " he said. "In fact I'm not sure how to tell you." Roman grimaced.
"Dad?" she asked quickly.
"Before you panic over this you need to be aware it doesn't mean I am going anywhere." He said. "The Army has decided to retain me in the reserves." He said softly.
He took a quick look at her face and put the crate on the floor pulling his daughter into his arms.
"Nic it doesn't mean they are going to send me anywhere. It just means they could." He kissed her as he felt her tremble. "Chances are I'm going to be too old anyway."
She looked at him.
"You can't tell her at the moment." Nic said.
He nodded.
"And you think she won't worm it out of me within five minutes?" he asked.
He picked up the crate again and carried out to her car. She pressed the button disabling the lock and he put in on the back seat.
"You could tell her you've been having an affair."
Roman groaned.
"And that will help how?"
"Well then you turn around and tell her you're in the reserves and you lied about the affair and if she put it in context it will be the lesser of two evils." Nic said with perfect Nicole logic.
He smiled at her.
"That so won't work." He grinned.
She put her head on one side.
"Well if you think about it what is worse being in the reserves or fooling around behind her back."
Roman threw his head back and laughed.
"Well if I actually had the energy left for another woman no wonder they've called me back into the reserves I'm superman."
Nic was torn between laughing and blushing.
She climbed in her car instead and with a wave out of the window she left him too it.
He went back to Ella's room and paused outside the door for a long moment before going in.
"Hey." She greeted him.
"Hey." He said softly.
He leaned over and kissed her before pulling up a chair.
"So what is going on?" she said immediately.
"Nothing. " he tried.
She nodded, as if she believed him.
"What is Aden planning for you men?" she asked.
He grinned.
"We are going into the city. I know of a few places to go into." He looked over at her.
"I bet you do Roman Harris." She said.
"You don't have to worry about me, Miles is coming with us."
She let out a short bark of laughter.
"How could you be that cruel to him?" she asked.
"Cruel?" he murmured.
"You know what you are like when you start drinking! It's a good job this has been arranged the week before the wedding because I can only imagine the state you lot are going to be in the following morning!"
He laughed and then his mood sobered.
"I have something to tell you." He said finally.
"I know." She smiled at him.
"I've been…" he stopped.
Nic's words burst to the front of his brain and instead of the words I've been retained in the reserves, he blurted out other words which he'd had no intention of saying.
"Having an affair." He groaned as the words escaped.
Ella's head snapped up and she scrambled out of the bed to slap him round the face.
"No wonder you wanted me to leave." She hissed the words at him.
"Ella." He said hastily, one hand rubbing his face.
She glared at him.
"Out." She told him.
"I need to explain." He tried again, cursing Nic for even putting the stupid idea in his head.
She shook her head.
"Tell me you at least showered between her bed and mine? Or was it in our bed. Although it isn't ours is it? Because you slept with half of Summer Bay in the bed in our room." She looked down on the tiled floor for a minute. "Oh my god!" She muttered. "You've been having unprotected sex with me. Do I need to be tested for anything?"
Roman started laughing unable to stop himself even as he felt her hand connect with his face again.
"Ella." He said again catching hold of her.
She glared at him.
"I've been retained in the reserves. The army contacted me today."
She laughed.
"Ella?" he asked cautiously.
She stopped laughing and looked at him.
"You are in the reserves?" she said seriously.
He nodded.
She giggled.
"That wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting." He said after a minute.
"Because you told Nic before me and that is where the ridiculous bit about having an affair came from."
He looked at her and stroked the hair from her face.
"Ridiculous?" he asked.
She nodded.
"When do you have the time? Let alone the energy?" she murmured.
He grinned.
"Are you saying I couldn't manage it?" he said.
She nodded.
"You can't even keep up with me." She said a light in her eyes.
He grinned and stood up lifting her back on to the bed.
"Behave yourself." He muttered.
She smiled at him.
"No." he said folding his arms across his chest.
She looked into his eyes and grinned at him.
He lent over and kissed her. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back passionately.
"I'd like to point out you are in hospital and supposed to be resting." He said. "Not to mention where the hell did you get this wanting to do it in places where we could get caught from."
She looked at him.
"You said the beach not me!" She pointed out.
He felt his body react automatically at the memory of that encounter and how wild she'd been with him. He couldn't help grinning.
She pulled back and held his hand pulling it to her belly. He pressed his hand on her, feeling their baby kick.
"I guess Junior is saying we should behave ourselves." She told him with a smile.
He laughed and pressed a kiss to her lips just as Rachel came in.
"Will you two cut it out." She said to them.
They broke apart and looked at each other, both of them thinking about what Rachel could have walked in on and blushed.