Chapter 95
"Hey." Miles called out, letting himself in.
"Come through." Roman told him.
"Have you told her that you've been recalled yet?" Miles came out and asked.
He shook his head.
"I've put in an appeal to try and stop it." he muttered.
"So she bought the excuse we were having a beer and didn't suspect you were off having a medical."
"Of course, that would be why she isn't talking to me." Roman grinned. "If she thought anything else I would be capable of talking."
"So why are you checking through your uniform if you think you can appeal the recall notice." Miles asked walking into the kitchen and helping himself to a beer. He caught Roman looking at him and he picked out a second beer and handed that over to him.
"She's away for the night so I thought I would use it to check this stuff. That way if the appeal goes through I won't upset her for no reason."
"Sneaky." Miles grinned sinking down onto a sofa.
"Miles you will take care of her for me won't you." Roman said quickly into the silence.
The other man looked at him.
"You think you are going don't you?" he asked quickly.
Roman nodded.
"I don't think I'll get out of going. I think the appeal will just delay it if I'm honest." He sighed.
"So what is scarier?" Miles grinned. "Telling Ella or going off to war."
Roman grinned.
"What do you think mate?"
"Good luck with the whole telling Ella thing. Let me know how it works out." Miles chuckled.
Roman grinned.
"I might just send her a letter after I go." He mused.
"Yeah like that will soften the blow and she'll get over it by the time you get back. Unless of course you are planning to be gone a few years."
"Miles don't give me any ideas."
Roman drained the beer and went through to the kitchen. Miles heard the other man sigh and he went through to stand next to him.
"Roman." Miles said softly.
"Miles I think I'm going to someplace hot and sandy and I'm scared that Ella will leave me." He said finally. "I've already missed a wonderful dinner how is she going to react when I miss out anniversary, let alone the little things. And Nic is pregnant."
Miles sighed and reached for more beers.
"You've tried to stop it. Ella loves you and well I don't think Nic will be able to cross her legs so you'll just have to spoil your grandchild when you get back."
Roman grinned.
"She loves me but I don't think she'll stick around when I go. She doesn't want that life and I can't blame her."
"And what kind of life do you want Roman? Admit it a part of you is looking forward to going. Maybe a tiny part."
Roman took a long swallow of beer.
"Of course. I wouldn't have stayed in the army if I didn't enjoy it but I don't want that now Miles, I want to be home with Ella and this is a really bad time to be going. I can't leave her alone to deal with Nic."
Miles looked at him.
"She struggling." He said simply.
Roman nodded.
"I know it hurts her."
Miles patted his back.
"Thanks Miles." Roman grinned at the other man.
"No problem." Miles grinned in return.
Ella climbed out of bed and went into the kitchen. She told herself she was going for a glass of water but she knew she wanted another slice of cheesecake.
"Busted Step-mama," Nic called sleepily from the sofa.
"Sh… you are dreaming! Go back to sleep." Ella said softly.
"Admit it you are missing him." Ruby said from the other sofa.
"I'm just getting a glass of water." Ella said.
"Well the cheesecake is over here." Nic told her.
"You are eating my cheesecake?" she muttered.
Nic nodded.
"And Ruby has been eating those chocolates you didn't want."
"I hate you." Ella muttered and stormed over to the table and looked at the cheesecake.
"Hormones?" Ruby asked Nic.
"Super hormones." She replied.
"Shut up." Ella said and picked up the box she went back to the kitchen and took out a spoon and went back to her room slamming the door.
"Wow. Probably a good thing she didn't go home to your Dad." Ruby told her.
Nic nodded.
"At least this way I still have a dad."
"I can still hear talking," Ella shouted from the bedroom.
Ruby and Nic started giggling.
Ella pulled out her phone and dialled.
"Hey," he said, answering on the first ring.
"Hey." She replied.
"I was just thinking about calling you."
"How did you know I would be awake it's like 1am." She grouched.
"I said I was thinking of it I didn't say I was stupid enough to do it." he told her softly.
She chuckled.
"I love you." She told him softly.
"I love you too. Will you be home tomorrow?" he said.
"Yes." She said quickly.
"So what was your favourite?" he asked.
"The bear." She grinned. "He's with me now."
He chuckled.
"I expected you to say the cheesecake."
"Er…maybe." She said and put the spoon down.
"How about we spend the day together tomorrow? Just us doing some romantic stuff. Let me make it up to you for the other night."
"No. You don't need to make it up to me. I was worried because you didn't text and then got myself mad. I overreacted." She murmured.
"No, I should have texted and let you know I was going to be late."
She laughed.
"Are we arguing about who's wrong now?"
He chuckled.
"How about we call it a draw?" he suggested.
"Just one question. How did you know I was at my studio?"
"Well that would be because I heard you talking to Nic about going to the city today and maybe meeting her for lunch."
She laughed.
"Did everything go ok?" he asked.
"What?" she said quickly.
"I don't know you were just worried that it might not go ok whatever it was."
"I'll tell you about it tomorrow." She promised.
"I love you El." He said again.
She laughed.
"We should probably get some sleep." She said.
"Well I would go to bed but it was so much fun sleeping on the doorstep last night I thought I would try standing up against the trunk of a tree tonight." He told her and heard her giggle.
"I love you." She told him after a moment.
"Goodnight El." He said softly.
"I'll see you in the morning. Night." She said and clicked the phone shut.
She put the cheesecake to one side, pulled the teddy bear closer to her and snuggled up. If anybody asked she would deny that she pretended she was snuggling up with Roman.
"It's been weeks now, when exactly are you going to tell him?" Nic hissed at her as they took the dishes through to the kitchen. They had moved to the lounge to have desert after a lovely dinner cooked by Roman. He had suggested the other couple come over.
"Soon." Ella told her.
"Not good enough Step-mama." She said and placed her hand on her bump.
"Baby kicking?" Ella asked.
Nic nodded.
"All the time especially at night." She grinned.
Geoff walked up behind her and put his arms round her.
"We should go." He said. "We need our rest remember."
Nic grinned at him.
"In a bit. I just want to catch up with Ella." She told him.
"Ok that sounds like my cue to go talk to your Dad again." Geoff told her and placed a kiss on her lips.
Nic smiled and waited until Geoff had disappeared back into the lounge before she looked at Ella and put her hands on her hips.
"Nic." Ella said pleadingly.
"Ella." She said looking her in the eye.
"It's been magical the last few weeks. I know I should tell him but I'm scared." She said finally.
"Scared of my dad?"
Ella nodded.
"But more than that. I don't want to tell anyone in case something goes wrong."
"Oh Ella." Nic said softly.
"It was bad last time with all the pitying looks." Ella said with a sniff. "And yes I know they mean well but it was still horrible."
Nic took her in her arms and tried to hug her but the baby kicked protesting.
The two women laughed.
"Promise me step-mama. You have a week."
Ella looked at her.
"Ok. The end of next week if I don't tell him you can." Ella said to her.
Nic took a step back and looked at her.
"Deal." She said and held out her hand.
Ella shook on it before the two women went into the lounge.
"I'm ready to go now." Nic said to Geoff.
He grinned and stood up.
"Come on wife." He said to her.
She grinned.
Roman stood and held out his hand to Ella. She grinned and moved over to him.
"Know your place." Nic told her.
"You are not too big for a spanking young lady." She told her.
"I keep telling her that too." Geoff said quickly.
"You.." Nic muttered blushing.
Roman and Ella laughed.
They walked the couple to the door and wished them a good night.
Nic turned round and ran up to her and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"Goodnight Step-mama, don't keep him up too late now that you have the house to yourself."
Ella laughed.
They watched them go before closing the door.