Chapter 62

Ella waited at the hospital impatiently for Roman.
He turned up an hour later that he said he would.
"I'm sorry. There was a rush at the diner." He said placing a kiss on her lips.
She folded her arms and glared at him.
"Uh huh." She said. "I just want to go home." She said, "Come on."
He grinned at her.
"Impatient." He grinned at her.
She turned and looked at him.
"You know I like instant gratification." She said and watched as he blushed.
"I see you have calmed down." He told her lifting up her bag and walking out with her.
"Nope, I want sex. If you are lucky I may wait until we get home." She told him grinning.
"You may have to wait a bit longer than that we are surprising Nic with the house. I've got Irene there and Geoff and Nic will be meeting us in about 30 minutes."
She looked at his profile as they set off and folded her arms across herself.
"And did you think about asking me first." She said grumpily.
"Ella I've had a tough day. I've been planning a lot of things and the timing hasn't quite worked out. Today is the only time we can do it. I'd appreciate it if you didn't give me a hard time." he said to her.
She went silent and let him concentrate on the driving.
They pulled up outside the house and went inside. Irene was already there and they joined her upstairs in the bedroom where Roman busied himself finishing putting together the wardrobes. Ella gave Irene a hand making the bed.
Roman turned to her.
"I managed to get all those things you gave Nic and put them downstairs in the kitchen." he said.
She nodded.
"He's been flamin' busy I can tell you." Irene told her. "We were here painting until after midnight. And he had to wait for the bed to be delivered too."
Ella didn't comment nor did she see the look that Roman gave Irene.
They went downstairs and waited for Geoff and Nic to arrive. Ella went into the kitchen and looked at the worktops and new cupboards.
Roman came up to her and opened a cupboard to show her the dishwasher.
"You went for it after all." She said.
He smiled.
"Yes." He said.
She smiled.
"Ella" he began and stopped as they heard a car arrive.
They walked to the door and opened it.
"Ella?" Nic asked puzzled.
"Hey Nic." She said softly.
"Ok what is going on?" She asked walking into the house. She turned to Geoff as she saw Irene standing there.
"Irene?" Geoff asked.
Roman stepped forward.
"We've bought you a wedding present." Roman told them.
"This house?" Nic gasped.
Roman nodded.
She turned to Geoff and looked at him. She clutched his hand unable to speak.
"You bought us this?" Geoff asked slowly.
Roman nodded again.
"It needs some work on it. But we've put in a new kitchen for you and bathroom. The rest is up to yourselves." Roman told them.
Geoff stepped over to him and shook his hand.
"Oh my god." Nic said. "Thank you!"
"I bought you a little present too. It's upstairs in the bedroom." Irene said.
Nic grinned and caught hold of Geoff's hand and ran dragging him up the stairs.
They heard every door open and close and looked at each other and grinned.
"Are they excited do you think?" Irene said to them.
Ella laughed.
"That could be a yes." She said, hearing Nic squeal upstairs.
She walked over to Roman and put her arms around his waist and kissed him.
He sighed putting his arms around her.
"You been stressed?" she asked him.
He nodded.
"Been trying to do lots this week. I have to help Alf tonight too." He added.
She looked puzzled.
Irene said softly.
"Alf has hired a dance floor and a disco for the party tomorrow night. It's his wedding present to them "
"We got the marquee up today." He said.
She rubbed his back.
"How about some TLC this weekend." She said and kissed him again.
"Yes please." He said and gave her a squeeze.
They saw Nic and Geoff coming down the stairs.
"Thank you thank you thank you" Nic said and threw herself at Roman.
He picked her up as he hugged her.
"You are wonderful Dad." She said to him. "I love you. I'm so glad you came and found me."
Ella looked at her husband and saw a glint of tears in his eyes.
"I'm so proud of you Nic." He said softly.
Geoff put his arms around Irene.
"Thank you Irene. Thank you for taking me and Annie in when we had nowhere to go and looking after us." He said emotionally. "Thank you for this present. We were so lucky to have you."
Nic looked over at Geoff and smiled at him.
"We decided that you can have the furniture from your room too Nic." Roman told her.
"You need to know that this is from your Dad. I didn't pay for it Nic." Ella said.
Nic looked at her and smiled even wider.
"Thank you Step mama." She said.
She looked at Geoff and went into the kitchen. She opened all the cabinets and saw that the bits that Ella gave her were put in them. She gasped.
"A dishwasher." They heard Nic exclaim.
Irene and Roman grinned at each other.
They came out of the kitchen and once more hugged everyone.
Roman pulled the deeds out of his pocket and the keys.
"Irene and I have spares but these are for you." He handed one to Geoff and one to Nic, before placing the deed to the house in Nic's hand.
"It's in your name at the moment but you just need to get it amended after you get married." Roman told her.
She nodded and reached for Geoff's hand.
Geoff looked at her and smiled.
"Seriously, we can't believe you've done this for us. It's awesome." Geoff said.
Roman grinned.
"I think we'll leave you to it." he said to them.
They said their goodbyes and watched as Nic closed the door and checked that the key worked. Roman chuckled.
He drove them home and carried her bag upstairs to the bedroom. She followed him.
"Roman?" she asked cautiously, once inside the room.
"I heard what you said about the other bed." He said.
She walked over and touched the wrought iron headboard.
"So you bought us a new bed?" she said.
He nodded.
"I probably should have waited for you to help me but I had Nic take that catalogue into the hospital and do some spy work for me."
She looked at him grinning.
"I thought she had guessed what we were doing with the house. I nearly blurted it out."
"Did she guess the right one?" he asked.
Ella nodded.
"It is the right one yes. And I love that she used that material I bought to do the bed cover."
He grinned at her.
"Yeah, I noticed that you hadn't used it."
She kissed him.
"Thank you. It's wonderful."
"Great. So you get in bed and rest I need to go lay a dance floor and if you could just not demand sex from me for about a month that will be great."
She chuckled.
"I will give you a very special massage when you get in. Text me when you are on your way home and I'll a have dinner ready."
He pulled her into his arms.
"I love you Ella." He said.
"I love you too," she told him, pressing her lips on his.
He grimaced and turning went to help Alf put down the dance floor.