So I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written but since we've had such a lack of charriet these past weeks I thought I'd treat you all. I really hope you all enjoy, please leave a review, if you've got time xxxxx
Harriet's POV
I woke up in bed, alone. Cain was called into work early for some "special job", so i wasn't greated by his usual, morning presence. The bed felt alot colder without him there, i was so used to waking up with his arms around me. Him begging me not to get up. As i start to wake up a little more my mind wonders to the night before. I can't believe i slapped Emma and then poured a pint over her, that wasn't me at all. I was never a violent person but she really pushed my buttons that night. It wasn't just her, it was everybodys comments built up and hers just added fuel to the fire. I never expected anyone to be throwing confetti at us but now we were engaged i thought at least people would take us more seriously, that some of the comments and looks would stop but if anything they just got worse. It didn't usually bother me that much but Emma coming over like that, interupting our meal it really wound me up. I hated her bad mouthing Cain, it really annoyed me. He was a nice, loving person underneath that hard exterior. Yeah he had a dodgy past but who didn't around this place.
Having a day off was great, but spending it alone, not so great. With nothing to do I always found myself missing cain even more. He wasn't at work all day though, he was due home around lunchtime. At least that's what the letter said that he'd left on his pillow. Half an hour later I find myself still in bed, contemplating staying there until cain got home. With the time only being 9am, I thought I'd better get up and at least make myself some breakfast.
As I walk down stairs, I can hear the tv coming from the living room.
"Cain?" I call out, standing on the stairs, awaiting a response. I decide to brave it and slowly make my way into the living room. When I get there, I see something that melts my heart. There was Cain, fast asleep on the sofa. He'd been watching some old fashioned cowboy film from the 60's, and had obviously fallen asleep.
I think about waking him up for a second but then change my mind, he was obviously tired. Instead I decide on making myself a cup of tea and some breakfast. Eventually I find myself making some beans on toast, one of Cains favourites.
I made sure I made enough toast and beans for Cain just in case he woke up and wanted some, in instances like that, it was like we were already married.
...
As I finish plating up the beans on toast I see Cain wonder through the kitchen door out of the corner of my eye.
"Hungry?" I ask, putting the two plates down on the kitchen table.
"Yeah, I am as it goes." He replies, sitting down at the table.
"Good job I made you some then isn't it." I say smiling as I take my own seat.
"How's Mike Tyson this morning then?" He asks me, raising his eyebrow.
"Funny. And I'm fine." I reply, laughing at his attempt of a joke.
"Anything you want to talk about? I'm due back at work at 11, but don't worry I'll be home around 2." He tells me, rubbing my arm from across the table.
"Well I've been thinking about the wedding, Emma was going to be one of my bridesmaids..." I explain, there was no way I was going to ask her now.
"Right, have you already asked her?" He questions.
"No, I haven't asked anyone. Maybe I shouldn't have bridesmaids. I don't exactly have friends queueing up." I tell him, hanging my head down a little.
"Well you've got Laurel and Nicola?" He points out, putting his hand on mine from across the table.
"Yeah. I was thinking maybe Kerry too." I suggest, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.
"So Kerry, Nicola and Laurel?" He asks, raising his eyebrow.
"Yeah.. unless you'd rather I had someone else or didn't have any at all." I offer, not wanting him to be uncomfortable on our big day.
"No no. You can have whoever you want." He says, smiling.
"You should probably think about your best man." I tell him, finishing the last of my beans on toast.
"I'm not having one." He reveals, also eating the last of his breakfast.
"What? Oh come on you've got to have one." I say, shocked at the fact he hadn't even considered a best man.
"And who the hell am I going to ask?" He questions, putting down his fork.
"Oh please, please ask your dad." I suggest, I knew how much it would mean to Zak and so did he.
"My dad? That's a bit sad don't you think?" He asks, making a face.
No, it's cute. And you know how happy it'll make him." I point out, smiling.
"Ok ok. I'll ask him." He replies, holding his hands up.
"Thank you, your dad will be chuffed to bits." I tell him before picking up both of our plates and putting them in the sink.
"What should we do now then, it's only 9 o'clock?" Cain asks me before pulling me down to sit on his knee.
"I don't mind." I say, kissing him lightly before cuddling up to him a bit more.
"Fancy going back to bed for an hour?" He asks, rubbing my arm.
"Cain.. I'm too tired." I tell him, standing up which earns me a disapproving look from Cain.
"I meant to sleep, you look like you need some extra kip." He explains also standing up.
"Oh thanks." I say, pretending to be offended.
"You know what I mean. It'll do you good." He tells me, before putting his arm around me a guiding my up the stairs.
Cains POV
I was far too awake to even attempt going back to sleep now. I knew she needed the rest though, she didn't sleep that well last night, most likely worrying about Emma. I think she upset herself more than anything, she felt guilty about being violent when she was dead set against it. I think part of her felt bad about me too. All that time telling me she didn't agree with violence but there she was doing the deed herself. I didn't think that at all, I knew the situation she was put in and I knew it was one of those "in the moment" things, but I knew she'd still be "beating" herself up over it.
I look over to the clock which reads 10.49, I really needed to be getting back to work but I didn't want to disturb her. I gently lift her head off my chest and place it on her pillow, she stirs a little but still remains asleep. I climb out of bed as quietly as I can and head for the door. I turn back before I open the door and catch a glimpse of her. She was sleeping but she was still breathtakingly beautiful. I can't help but smile as I admire her. I walk over to the bed a plant a soft kiss on her forehead.
"See you later." I whisper as I once again head for the door.
"Cain?" I hear her murmur as her hand reaches out for mine.
"I've got to go back to work now, you go back to sleep." I tell her, giving her a smile.
"Oh, I'll see you later then." She says, getting out of bed herself.
"Where are you going?" I ask, confused to why she'd got out of bed.
"I can't stay in bed all day." She says laughing, reaching for her clothes that she'd laid out for herself.
"We've done it before." I remind her, of the many times we'd stayed in bed all day.
"Well not today. I think I'm going to arrange to meet the girls. Maybe ask them if they'll do the deed." She replies, brushing her hair in the mirror.
"Okay, just don't be too late home." I tell her, smirking as she puts on her jacket:
"Why..?" She asks, clearly confused about my request.
"You'll see." I reply, before following her downstairs and out the door.
Harriet's POV
Cain insisted on waking me to the pub to meet Laurel, Kerry and Nicola. He'd been so protective since the "fight" - not that he normally wasn't protective, just even more so. He wasn't smothering me though, he knew the difference between being protective and over protective. As we walk inside the pub I spot the girls in the corner and I wave at them.
"Thanks for walking me Frank Farmer." I say, winking at him.
"You're welcome, Rachel Marron." He replies, I look up at him shocked, floored he even got my reference.
"You're full of surprises you, aren't you?" I say, nudging him.
"I think everyone on this planet has at one time in their life, watched the bodyguard." He tells me, nudging me back.
"It's a classic." I reply, smiling.
"My favourite in fact." He jokes, winking at me before nodding over to the girls. "Don't you think you better go and join them?" He asks me, laughing.
"Yeah, better had." I reply, kissing him before turning around.
"Love you." He calls, just loud enough for me to hear.
"You too." I mouth as he disappears out of the door. I then walk over to where the girls are sat.
"You took your time." Nicola says, laughing before moving over in the booth so I could sit down.
"Yeah, sorry." I reply, laughing.
"So then, hows everything going with the wedding? Made any plans yet?" Laurel asks me, smiling.
"Yeah, only a few." I tell her, smirking as I speak.
"What is it?" Kerry asks, noticing my weird mood.
"Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it. Would you like to be my bridesmaids?" I ask, nervously awaiting their response.
"Oh my god! Yes of course!" Kerry screams as she comes round the table to offer me a hug.
"I'd be honoured." Laurel replied which made me smile. I knew our friendship wasn't ideal but since everything with Ashley we'd became much, much closer.
"Count me in as well." Nicola responded, throwing her arms up in the air.
"I'm so glad you've all said yes!" I shout as I stand up.
"Of course we did." Kerry replies, giving me another hug. I could tell this meant a lot to her which is one of the reasons I asked her.
"Right, I'm going to get some drinks in." I announce before heading to the bar.
"Hiya love, what can I get you?" Chas asks me with a smile. I had thought about asking Chas but I didn't really know her that well, I thought it might of been awkward.
"2 bottles of champagne please Chas, oh and 1 bottle of your finest non-alcoholic champagne for Laurel." I did consider just getting non-alcoholic but I'm pretty sure Laurel doesn't mind.
"Coming right up." She says, fetching three ice buckets from out the back. "Celebrating?" She asks, handing me over two of the buckets with champagne in.
"Kind of, Ive just asked those three if they'd like to be my bridesmaids." I tell her, gesturing to where they were sat.
"Kerry? Really?" She jokes, handing over the last bucket of champagne.
"She's not that bad" I reply, laughing as I pick up two bottles of champagne in their buckets.
"Nah, she's alright really." She says, picking up the non-alcoholic champagne bucket. "I'll bring this one over." She says, gesturing towards the table.
"Oh, you sure?" I ask her.
"Yeah, go on." She replies, following me over to the table.
I place the two bottles of champagne down on the table and give everyone a glass.
"That one is yours Laurel." I tell her, handing her the non-alcoholic one.
"Aw thank you Harriet, you didn't have to." She replies, pouring herself a glass.
"I wanted to, now drink up, we've got celebrating to be doing." I tell them all, taking a large gulp from my champagne flute.
As the night went on, we had more and more glasses of champagne. I'd had a little more to drink than the rest of them but I was having a great time. My eyes shift focus onto the door and I see Emma walk through it.
"I want no trouble from you." Chas tells her, before looking at me.
"There won't be." She replies, sitting in the corner.
A few drinks later, I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"Harriet can I talk to you." Emma asks me, as I turn around.
"Depends what it's about." I reply, I probably sounded more cocky than I had intended but I had, had a few.
"I want to apologise, if you can spare the time." She asks, she actually seemed genuine and I did actually feel for her, anyone can see she's not herself.
"Yeah, ok." I agree, as we head outside to talk.
"Look Harriet, I'm so sorry for what I said yesterday. It was totally uncalled for and pathetic. I'd had a bad day - which I know is no excuse. I had no right saying what I did to you and I am truly sorry. All you've ever done is try to help me." Her apology actually seems heartfelt and as if she actually means it.
"Apology accepted, I shouldn't have said what I did either and it wasn't just you." I reply, kind of apologising myself.
"Thank you. You've done so much for me and that was how I chose to repay you." She says, looking like she was really upset.
"It's ok Emma. I forgive you, i would invite you to join us but I don't think it would be that wise with Laurel there." I tell her, smiling.
"I wouldn't expect you to, don't worry. Thank you again Harriet. You're a good friend to me." She says, pulling me in for a hug.
"Woah woah, what the hell is this?" A voice calls from behind me. "You two made up then?" Cain asks as he gets nearer.
"Yeah, I guess so." I reply, accepting his arm as he puts it around me.
"Good, wouldn't want you loosing friends because of me." He says, giving my side a squeeze. "You ready then, your surprise is at home" He tells me, ushering me down the steps.
"Yeah, just let me say goodbye to the girls first." I say before heading back inside.
Cains POV
I stood outside, awaiting Harriet's return. Emma was still stood with me, she kept giving me odd looks every few seconds.
"I do love her you know." I say, turning towards her.
"I can see that now." She replies, looking down at her feet.
"I'm not going to hurt her." I tell her, shifting my feet across the floor:
"I hope not, she's been hurt enough." She says, although I think it's a bit rich, coming from her. I let it slide though, because she is right.
"Bye!" I hear Harriet call from inside the pub as she appears at the door. "Come on then, let's go see my surprise." She says grabbing hold of my arm. "Bye Emma." She calls as she walks down the steps.
It was a fairly quiet walk home, we didn't really speak much. Although Harriet did fill me in on all the antics in the pub.
"Thanks for what you did back there by the way" she tells me, smiling.
"What?" I ask, unsure of what she was thanking me for.
"For being so civil with Emma, I never expected that at all." She admits, drawing me closer to her.
"Well it was obviously torture, but what can I say, you're worth it." I tell her, rubbing her arm as we walked.
We soon arrived at our house, and with a quick fumble with the keys we were inside.
"So then, where's my surprise." She asked, clearly getting rather impatient.
"I'll go get it now." I tell her as I disappear upstairs. "Close your eyes." I call from the top of the stairs, as I begin to walk down, her present in my hands.
"There closed." She shouts back, unaware that I am now in the room. And there she was, stood in the middle of the living room, her hands over her eyes.
"Hold out your hands." I tell her, placing the box in them as she does it. "Ok open." I say, standing back to await her response.
"It's a box." She says sarcastically.
"Well Yeah, open it then." I tell her gesturing towards the box.
"Ok, ok." She replies, taking the lid of the box. The look that came next on her face was priceless, I'd pay thousands just to see that look. I think I hear her gasp as she looks closer at her gift.
"It's Beautiful Cain." She says, placing her hand on her heart.
"You deserve it." I tell her, taking it out of the box in order to put it on her. "Here let me put it on." I say, taking hold of her arm and fastening the bracelet around it.
"It's perfect." She tells me, tears evident in her eyes. "What did I do to deserve you."
"You deserve everything you've ever wanted and more. You're so special to me Harriet, you've changed so much in my life and that's defiantly not a bad thing. You've not really changed me, you've just brought out the person inside. And I love you so much for that." I tell her, pulling her in for a hug.
"I love you too, thank you for being the man of my dreams and so much more. I never thought I'd ever find an Us but I did and now I can't imagine my life without you." She says, stroking my face with her thumb.
"You're the best." I tell her before giving her a quick but meaningful, passionate kiss.
"So are you." She says, pulling my neck down so that my lips were level with hers.
"Take me to bed." She whispers, before pulling me by my shirt and up the stairs.