61

Her parents had been more than understanding. Surprisingly. Briefly telling them of events on the phone and they had appeared at the manor as it grew darker outside, not even questioning why Rose would be waiting here.

She had heard from Rob a handful of times in the last hours, all calls brief due to having to keep going back to check for updates on her condition, the phone a bit of a walk back to the ward. Morag was out of surgery and in recovery and he was waiting to see her, waiting for the sedatives to wear off. He wanted to see to her before he left and came home, so he was hanging about endlessly waiting.

They all ate dinner with Alice and Tommy. Courtesy of her parents appearing with a huge Domino’s pizza and a can of food for Muffin. Alice had shown them all into the cosy TV lounge by the kitchen after and left them to it, alone at last and sitting face to face. Rose had finally told them everything, feeling unable to continue without being honest.

It had been so much easier than she could have imagined. From their first few weeks sneaking around, to the break up over Morag’s mental state and finally leading up to the events this morning. She had of course skimmed over the dirty details of how many times she had ended up naked with Rob Munro, but they got the just of the situation.

Her dad had been silent and thoughtful. Her mother more verbal and breaking in with small remarks and all the right noises of a protective mother hen. She was more sympathetic to Rob’s part than Rose had expected.

The end result was that both had suspected something was going on with Rob and their daughter already. Her behaviour at the bakery barely masking it, and neither had wanted to question her. The chemistry between them was apparently undeniable and Rob’s attention to her a little bit of a giveaway that they were more than they pretended to be.

Imparting their words of wisdom, they had sat and mulled through all of it with her, their blessing, despite all the heartache she had suffered in recent weeks and finally their love in the form of supportive hugs and kisses before they finally left. She had told them she was tired, she wouldn’t wait up for him but go to bed and wanted to sleep off her hangover.

Really, she had just wanted to be alone to wait by the phone and hope he came back sooner rather than later, he had her mobile number now and she had been keeping one eye glued firmly to it.

She gave them the cottage keys so they did not have to go all the way back to the hotel and so they could take Muffin home with them to his own familiar surroundings to settle. She wanted them close by tonight, in case she needed to see them but far enough to give her breathing space. They finally left. Promising to come back before they had to start home the next day.

Rose watched them drive off from the open door, feeling a little vulnerable. The moon now high in the sky and the air dark and twinkling; It was late, and it had been almost two hours since he had last called. Abby was apparently asleep under some plastic chairs in the waiting room by then and suffering an awful hangover and the after effects of shock. He had been waiting to see Morag, talking to staff and trying to catch some sleep in the hard-backed chairs and sounded even worse than before. His own hangover and fatigue setting in amongst stress and worry.

Unable to keep pacing the halls erratically, she slid into Rob’s room, turned on his tv and channel hopped for a while. The feel of his bed around her offering comfort, knowing he would come back at some point.

Alice had left some time ago to go home to her little cottage nearby with Tommy, showing Rose how to set the alarm and lock up. Her daughter, who normally cooked for the big house was away so that left this big old empty place with only Rose in it, like being locked in a big empty museum for a night. Eerie and echoey and a tad uncomfortable considering she had only just got back with Rob less than twenty-four hours ago and here she was alone in his huge house and nestled in his bed.

Stripping off and pulling on one of Rob’s t-shirts for comfort in lack of his actual self, she climbed into bed. She wanted to stay awake for his return but the combination of tiredness, remains of a hangover and all the emotional turmoil had her drifting off before long, despite her efforts not too.

* * *

She awoke to warm arms pulling her against a hard, hot body, under the covers. Startled momentarily but immediately soothed by his familiar scent and touch, she would recognise anywhere. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, feeling him sigh and relax, burying his face in her neck and catching her naked legs in his. The room was pitch black.

‘This feels too good. It’s what I have been needing all day.’ He murmured from the hollow of her throat. His voice soft and full of exhaustion. She could already sense the way his body had sagged against her and his eyes were closed. ‘You don’t know what it feels like to come home and find you here in my bed. I don’t ever want it any other way.’

‘I think I do.’ She kissed his head through his ruffled hair softly, equally overjoyed at finding herself back in his embrace, so much better than the dreams she had been having about him.

She had so many questions, but she could see he needed sleep more than she needed answers right now. Curling around one another, she closed her own eyes and found falling back into slumber effortless now he was home right beside her finally. Wrapped in his secure, safe arms. Warm and peaceful, the steady breath and heartbeat lulling her into sleep.