Chapter 71
Ella grinned at Mike as he looked round the shop. He wanted to buy Nic and Geoff a wedding present and came up with a state of the art DVD player. She let him pay for it with money from his trust fund. They he said he wanted to get a personal present for her as part of her something old, something new bit and was looking at earrings. Finally he pointed to a pair of studs.
"I know they are a bit more expensive than I was looking for but can I get her those?" he said.
Ella grinned looking at the diamond studs.
"Yes." She said. "But." She added. "It means that next months money won't be as much." The interest form his trust fund was paid to him as an allowance.
Mike nodded at her and pulled out his wallet. He opened it up and handed his Mum some money.
"I've been putting a bit aside from my allowance." He confessed. "He handed her the money so she would put it back into his account.
She hugged him.
"Well let's get them." she said. "And then I suppose we should go home."
"Did you get her anything?"
"I'm giving her something borrowed. "Ella told him softly. "Your mums cross. When you get married I will give it to your wife." She looked at him. "Or civil marriage partner. Whichever."
Mike looked at her.
"Wife. Definitely wife." He said. "Not that I'm ever getting married its too yucky you have to kiss all the time."
She grinned at him as they made their way to the till.
"You don't have to its just nice." She told him.
"Yes madam." The assistant said.
"I would like to buy those diamond earrings." Mike told her causing the assistant to do a double take.
"Certainly. You are aware how expensive they are?" she double-checked he understood.
Mike nodded and pulled out his debit card.
The assistant nodded and gift-wrapped them, putting the purchase through on Mike's card.
She handed it back to him with the receipt and the gift back. They went outside and walked up the street to meet with Roman.
"Hey." She said.
He was looking in the window of an antique shop.
"What you looking for?" she asked him.
Roman looked at them.
"Ok she has something blue in her bouquet, something new that Mike has bought her. The something borrowed that you've got her. I think that leaves something old." Roman said.
"You will be walking her down the aisle and you are old." Mike said to him grinning.
Roman looked at him.
"You are not too big for a spanking you know." He said and caught Ella trying not to laugh.
"Or you." He groaned.
"I'm sorry but that was pretty funny." Ella leaned over and kissed him.
They went inside the store and started looking around.
Ella went to the textile section and was looking through a box of old material. Roman grinned at her as she picked up a baby's cardigan and looked at it. She put it down but couldn't resist stroking it.
"Nesting?" he asked her.
She grinned at him.
"Maybe."
He chuckled.
"Would it hurt to buy one thing?" he asked.
She looked at him. He picked up the cardigan seeing that it was hand knitted. Tiny buttons down the front and ribbon tie in the centre. As he looked at it he caught sight of a lace handkerchief in the same box. The lace had turned to a cream colour with age but it was still pretty in a girlie way he supposed.
He took both items to the counter and paid for them.
"Are we done shopping?" he asked them
Ella nodded.
"I'm actually feeling tired. Why don't' you drop me off at home and go to the diner?" she suggested.
Roman looked at Mike and saw him nod.
He grinned.
"Ok." he said.
She handed him the car keys and he drove them home. They unloaded the car and Mike put the gift wrapped DVD on the table. He then handed his mum the other gift for safekeeping. She smiled at him.
Roman handed over his packages and watched as she took out the cardigan. And held it to her.
She could still hear his chuckle as they went out to the dinner.
Ella climbed up to bed and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Mike and roman walked into the diner. He immediately saw Natalie sitting at a table and was torn between ignoring her and sitting with her. He decided to walk over and say hello.
"Natalie." he said.
"Roman." She said standing. She offered him her cheek and he awkwardly pressed a kiss on it.
"This is my son Mike." He introduced.
"Your son?" she asked arching a brow at the statement.
He nodded.
Mike sat down on the spare seat and left Roman no choice but to sit there too.
"I'm sorry we haven't been introduced. I'm Roman Michael Harris, but people call me Mike." He said to her. "And you must be Nic's real Mum."
Roman hid a grin by picking up the menu and handing it to Mike.
"Real Mum?" Natalie questioned, before pouncing on the Roman bit. "He's called Roman?" she asked.
"Yes, he was named after me." Roman chuckled and caught Mike grinning.
"What can I get you Darl?" Irene came over and asked.
"Can I get a shake and burger please Irene?" Mike asked her.
Irene grinned.
"Sure thing. Roman?" she asked.
"Just a coffee for me Irene but can I get a banana shake to go."
Irene chuckled.
"Everything sorted for tomorrow?" she asked. "Geoff is a bundle of nerves."
"Nic is the same she's at the house now making curtains to give her something to do." Roman said.
Natalie looked up.
"House?" she asked.
"Yes, we bought them a house for a wedding present." Roman said eventually.
"My word." Natalie said.
Irene looked at Mike who was grinning and disappeared into the kitchen to do the order. She bought part of it out minutes later.
"So what is Nic doing tonight?" Natalie asked.
"I don't know actually. I think we are keeping it low key tonight." Roman said. "You could phone her and ask her."
Natalie shrugged.
"I wondered if she would like to go out for a drink with me." She said softly.
"Ask her Nat." Roman said.
"Or you could come to ours for a drink?" Mike piped up. "Mum wouldn't mind."
Roman grinned at Mike.
"Why don't you come over. I'm sure Ella would be ok with it. We will probably grab some takeaway…"
Mike interrupted Roman.
"Pizza." He said
"Well yes. And some drinks. I don't know if Annie will be there but you'll meet Ruby, one of her bridesmaids." Roman concluded.
Natalie looked down for a moment and grinned.
"I would like that very much. What time?" she asked.
"About 8ish." Roman suggested.
Natalie nodded.
"Now I need to work on my tan." She grinned. "I'll see you alter." She walked out of the diner.
Irene came over to the table.
"Is she coming back?" she asked him.
Roman shrugged.
"I don't think so." He said. "Why?"
"Well she forgot to pay." Irene looked at him.
"I'll sort it Irene. Just put it on my tab." He smiled at the other woman.
She came back a moment later and brought out the burger.
"Just how you like it." she said to Mike.
"Thanks Irene you are the best." Mike grinned at her and took a big bite.
"You know I'm going to leave it to you to explain why Natalie is coming over tonight don't you?"
Roman told him.
Mike nodded his mouth too full of burger for him to speak.
Roman grinned at him.
After Mike had finished eating he collected the shake for Ella and they went home. Ella was still asleep so they left the shake in the fridge and decided to take the wedding present over to Nic's place. Roman grinned as he thought of the house as Nic's place for the first time.
He knocked before walking in.
The lounge was now decorated in a soft blue. Nic had made curtains in a dark blue cord and hung them and the TV was set up in the corner next to the bookcase. She had put out some photos in frames and scattered some magazines on it. He saw that she had placed her bible too and grinned.
In the corner was an overturned Tea chest serving as s table. Her bedside lamp was on there, along with one of the glass dishes from one of the sets Ella had given them. It was filled with Potpourri.
He noted that the settee still had the plastic cover on and his smile got broader.
"Dad?" Nic called out coming down the stairs. "Did you knock?" she added.
He nodded.
"I did." He confirmed.
"Why?" She muttered.
She placed a couple of huge cushions on the floor that she'd made out of the same material she'd used on the curtains.
"Well my daughter is about to be married and I wanted to get into the habit of giving her some warning when I come round."
Nic blushed a fiery red colour.
"Er… thanks." She said eventually. She turned to Mike. "What is that?" she asked suspiciously looking at the gift wrapped box.
"I think it is a wedding present." Mike told her.
"Mike seriously you didn't have to." Nic said. "Oh, god that wasn't very gracious was it. Mike I'm gong to cry if you start being too nice too me."
Mike chuckled.
"Don't worry it won't last." He said.
"We've invited your mother round tonight. She wanted to take you out for a drink so if you want to do that instead you should give her a call." Roman told her gently. "Are the girls there tonight?"
Nic nodded.
"We are trying on dresses tonight and checking everything is ok before tomorrow." She said.
"I thought takeaway, a bottle of champagne or two and an early night." Roman grinned at her.
She smiled.
"That sounds ok." she muttered.
"Don't worry Sis I'll sort her out for you." Mike told her. "I'll be obnoxious so she leaves just give me the signal."
Nic laughed.
"I don't think he's joking he introduced himself to her a Roman Harris." Roman senior said softly.
Nic chuckled.
"I wish I'd seen that." She said.
Mike put the box on the shelf.
"Do I get a tour?" he asked.
Nic grinned.
"Come on then." She said.
She turned to her dad.
"I'll bring him home in a bit if you want to shoot off."
Roman chuckled.
"I'll see you later." He said.
He walked home and got the milkshake out of the fridge and took it up to Ella.
"Hey." He said softly.
She stirred and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Hey." She said to him and smiled. "What's that?" she asked.
"Your milkshake." He grinned at her.
She sat up arranging the pillows behind her.
"Thank you." She grinned.
He sat next to her and put his arm around her.
"Your son has invited Natalie round tonight." He said to her. He told her the story of running into her at the diner.
"My son is a little trouble maker." She said.
"Uh huh." Roman grinned. "I wonder where he got it from."
She grinned at him and leaned over and kissed him.
He put his other arm round her and kissed her back long and hard. She pulled back and yawned.
"Still tired?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I know we haven't tested the bed yet but I am so exhausted." She told him.
He smiled and watched as she snuggled down again. He curled up next to her and held her as she went to sleep.
He kissed her softly and stood up checking on his suit and tie for the morning. He knew that he still needed to work on his father of the bride speech so he went downstairs with it and started reworking it.