Rhode opens the door for us and stands back to let me in, propping the door open with his hand. I shuffle myself in slowly and wait for him to shut the door before he helps me out of my coat."How was your walk you two?" Eloise calls out from the kitchen. Rhode and I exchange a look, smiling widel
"You've had a ring since the christening?" Bianca asks in quiet disbelief. Rhode looks over at me and smiles warmly as he nods."Just waiting for the right time" He answers Bianca's question, but his eyes remain on me."Well I think this calls for champagne!" Eloise says excitedly as she opens the
Later that night, I get on FaceTime with Poppy to break the news to her. She answers the phone after the third ring. The screen focuses on her with her hair pulled up into a high bun and the top of her sweatshirt as she smiles back at me."Hey babes! Merry Christmas Eve!" She calls out as soon as s
"Would you rather I be a dick about it?" He murmurs with a quiet chuckle."No I'd rather you fuck me" I reply with a smirk as I draw my head back to look at him. I take advantage of his look of shock at my use of words to kiss him, flicking my tongue against his."Amelia Rose Kendrick you are insati
"Lena Lena Lena!" Briella excitedly cries out as she bursts into my room on Christmas morning. I squint my eyes open to watch as she clambers up onto the bed beside me and Rhode hurried through the doorway behind her."Hey Briella, merry Christmas" I say sleepily as I reach my hand out towards her
"Are you comfortable, do you want a tea?" Rhode asks me quietly as Briella squeals excitedly about a doll. I shake my head and take one of his hands in mine."I'm good thank you, everything's good" I tilt my head up and smile up to him as I speak. In all the madness these past few months have been,
"Another one of mums traditions" Rhode begins to quietly explain as Michael digs a present out from the pile and hands it to Briella. "She makes the young ones help to hand out the presents, supposed to be some sort of psychological thing that helps them learn about sharing and giving back. So they
"Mum you might want to come get a cuddle from her" Rhode tells his mum after helping me to turn the material around to show the rest of the room, obviously catching sight of my teary eyes. Eloise walks quickly over and kneels down beside my seat, hugging me gently."It's so lovely, thank you" I say
"Wanna give one a go?" I suggest to her with a small grin."Might be a bit premature, don't think Max is the marriage type quiet yet" She responds with a quiet giggle, then catches herself as we all stop and gape at her. She hasn't mentioned Max in that context in a very long time. Behind Poppy, Fra
"It's stunning sweetheart, absolutely stunning" My mum comments excitedly as I allow my hands to rest at my sides, my reflection making my heart race quickly. I'm wearing a wedding dress. Maybe not the wedding dress, but a wedding dress none the less. It all seems insane to think that I had spent th
Fran, Bianca and now Sarah are at the racks, perhaps browsing for me or for Fran, who recently moved to London and is flat hunting with her boyfriend Zayn."They have wedding dresses at charity shops? I can't tell if that's bleak or romantic" Poppy comments quietly to me as I sit down beside her."
"You are referred to as exactly what you are, a man, while I am referred to as my relationship to you, a wife. Like the only identifiable thing about me is that now I am your wife but you still get to be a man in your own right" I explain. It's something that's always irked me while watching TV show
"You forget we had sex in a bookstore?" Rhode leans in close and murmurs to me, heat rising on my cheeks instantly. One of my wilder moments I would say."Did not forget that, but I'd rather not have to explain that story to, well anyone" I say with an embarrassed giggle. I definitely told at least
"Please, take it" He states in a soft tone that makes butterflies flit around my stomach. "When?" He adds with a little more urgency."How about, before the years end?" I suggest. It's early October now so going into the colder England months, it's not exactly going to be extraordinary weather but t
"Thank you" I mumble against his lips, brushing my nose against his. His hand lingers on my hip as I come down off of my tiptoes, the wind blowing some of my hair into my face."I'll support you either way, it's up to you" He softly states, his eyes never leaving mine as his hand leaves my hip and t
"Hey, you remember yesterday when we had the family over for lunch?" I say just as we approach the small coffee stand near the fountain at the centre of the park. It's run by a father and son out of a truck that normally attracts a large crowd of locals but today seems a little isolated, supposed we
"To be honest, I feel anxious about taking her out on my own" Rhode states honestly as we wait at the corner for our crosswalk light to turn green. It's a surprising admission that immediately gets my attention."You've never mentioned anything like that" I express as I put a hand on his arm while h