“Okay Angel, I can order us some room service and a drink, and we can relax tonight.” He looks at me and I see the lines furrow on his forehead. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I nod smiling.
“Yes, I’m okay, room service sounds good, that burger we saw earlier looked good maybe I can have that with sweet potato fries, oh and a pink gin and tonic please.” I say as I head to the bathroom. Turning the taps on I pour some of my favourite bath oil, which I always keep in my wash bag, under the running water and the scent of white lotus and lime fills the room. I undress letting my clothes pool around my feet, climb in and sink into the water. I hear Matt’s voice on the phone ordering our food.
This week has been magical, the more I’m with him the more I want to be with him and after eighteen months of being together, I hate sleeping alone. We haven’t disgusted moving in together. Matt rents and when we met, he had signed a two-year lease and I don’t know exactly when it’s up, but it can’t be too long I don’t even know if he’s already renewed it.
Matt gently knocks on the door before opening it, he comes in and takes a seat on the closed lid of the toilet and smiles at me, I feel the familiar butterflies and I wonder if he will always make me feel like this.
“Pass me your foot and I will rub it for you.” He offers, I lift a wet soapy leg up and he moves taking my foot in his hands, I close my eyes as his thumb kneads my foot. “Better?” He asks.
“Hmmm mmm.” Is all I can manage.
“I take it that’s a yes.” He says laughing. After a few minutes he speaks again. “Come on get dry, dinner will be here any minute and we can lay, and watch TV and I will rub your other foot and back, how does that sound?” He releases my foot and I lower it into the water and sit up. Matt reaches up to the shelf above my head and grabs a towel holding it out to me. I stand taking the towel from him as there is a knock on the door. Matt leaves the room closing the door behind him. I hear the muffled voices and then the door closes. I step out of the bath and quickly dry myself before wrapping the towel around me.
“All clear.” Matt calls through the door.
I sit cross legged on the bed in one of Matt’s t-shirts tucking into my burger and fries, smacking his hand away as he tries to pinch my fries.
“Get your hands off my fries you have your own.” I say trying to have a stern tone.
“But yours are so much nicer.” He says grabbing a few of my fries and biting them. “I should have ordered sweet potato fries too”. I pinch one of his chips.
“You can have them I’m stuffed.” I lean back against my pillow and watch TV sipping my gin. Matt finishes his dinner and then mine. I watch him take the tray’s and set them on the floor outside the room, standing back up the steps back into our room pulling his t shirt over his head as he kicks the door closed. He vanishes into the bathroom returning a few minutes later in his snug fitting boxer shorts. He drops his clothes on the chair and drops down next to me.
“Do you want to pack tonight and get it done.” I ask glancing over at him. Even though we’ve been here at this hotel for only one night I like to unpack everything.
“Not really.” He states. “I’m shattered, we can do it in the morning we have until 11.00 am to check out. I would rather lay here with you.” He shuffles down the bed and holds his arm out to me, I slide down the bed and rest my head in the crook of his arm. He kisses the top of my head and I lay there staring at the movie not really watching it until the credits start to scroll across the screen.
“I think I’m going to try and sleep.” I say as I stretch out sitting up, I swing my legs off the bed.
“Sounds good to me.” Matt says pushing his boxers down as I stand and pull the t shirt I’m wearing over my head, pulling the duvet back I slide into bed, Matt slides in the opposite side, he turns off the light and pulls me to his chest. “You okay Angel?” He asks.
“Yes, just tired I guess.” I squeeze my eyes shut. Tight.
“Okay, goodnight sweet dreams.” He says softly in my ear his breath caressing my cheek.
“Sweet dreams.” I whisper back.
I feel Matt’s breathing even out and know he must be drifting off to sleep, but the longer I lay here the more my mind seems to go around and around. All I can think about is that tomorrow he will return to his flat.
“Don’t go home.” It’s out of my mouth before I even realise what I have said.
“Ugh.” Matt mumbles. I turn over in his arms to face him.
“Don’t go home, I don’t want you to go home. I don’t want to sleep alone or wake up alone, I want this every night. I want us to be together it’s been eighteen months and I…” I know I’m waffling, but I need to say it all now I have started. Matt sits up turning on the lamp I sit up turning to face him.
“Slow down, I’m going nowhere. Are you saying you want us to move in?”
“Yes, I want us to live together, not just at weekends and the odd night in the week, I want this, us, I want us to live in the same place, have one place. It can be your place if you don’t want to live at mine.” He cups my face kissing my lips smiling against them.
“You know when you’re nervous you talk at a hundred words a minute.” I smack his arm lightly.
“Well, what do you think? Did you renew your lease?” He takes a deep breath.
“Is this why you have been so off today?” he asks me. I nod my head.
“Yes, I like this, and I don’t want to have you leave me.” I know I sound needy, but I don’t care I love him and want to live with him.
“I have actually been thinking about this too, with my lease ending at the end of February, I was going to bring it up after Christmas.” He reaches for my hand and presses his lips to my knuckles.
“You were?” I say surprised. I never had a clue that he was thinking about it.
“Of course, I love being with you on the weekends, it is getting harder and harder to go home and leave you. I want to be with you all the time.” He grins his soppy grin and I throw my arms around his neck.
“I will move into your flat you know.” I say pulling back to see his face.
“I know you would, but your place is fine it’s where we spend the majority of our time, it’s bigger and closer to work too.”
“Really, so we’re going to move in together?” I say grinning.
“We are, but I have one condition.”
“And that is?” I ask, ready to agree to anything to have him move in.
“That we get a joint account, we work out what all the bills are, and food shopping and we both put the same amount into the account. If we are living together, I want it to be as equals.” He says squeezing my hand.
“I can live with that; we can do it as soon as we are home.” I hug him again. “We can set it up ready and you can start paying half of the bills from March once your lease ends.” He has so much pride when it comes to money, he just wants to take care of me. Money doesn’t matter to him and I think that makes me love him more. “Sounds good to me, it looks like you got yourself a roommate Angel.” He says. He turns and switches off the light before pulling me close again.
“I know you have your lease till February, but I want you to stay with me tomorrow night and then every night after that?” I ask, hopefully. February seems so far away.
“Okay, we will figure it out, now stop talking and kiss me.” He says as he rolls me on to my back, I kiss him grinning against his lips as his arms hold his weight off of me.
Chapter 31
Matt
I have so many memories here in this flat, but I’m moving onwards to a better future. I went to a local shop and got packing materials like bubble wrap, boxes and tape ready for the nights we have ahead of us. Our first night back from Edinburgh we got a takeaway and a bottle of wine, I set the table and even lit a few candles. I wanted our first night in the apartment together to be special. Yes, we had spent many nights here together, but this time we were living with each other and that is huge.
The day after we got back, I spoke to Neil about the furniture and white goods I have in my flat, to see if any of the parents at the centre needed anything I had. It’s all in such good condition, it makes sense for it to go to someone that needs it and can’t afford to buy new. Anne has everything we need already since her apartment is set up. So, my crockery will be going to the centre, as they always need stuff apart from a couple of bits that are personal to me.
We made a start in my bedroom first putting the clothes that I left here into my suitcase and some bags, most of my stuff is already at Anne’s since I pretty much moved in after we came back from Edinburgh. I pick up the picture I have of myself and Mum from a couple of years ago and grab a sheet of bubble wrap, wrapping it around it tightly. I put it into the case with clothes padded all around it, I know I have many pictures of Mum and me, but this one means a lot to me. I continue going around the bedroom packing stuff I want to take back to our apartment and stack it along the right side of my room, Anne helping where she can. Dismantling the bed and bedroom furniture I stack it on the left side of the room ready to go where it is needed.
The kitchen takes us the longest to pack up since all the plates, bowls and cups need to be wrapped individually and packed into crates to go to the centre.
Anne packs up my books into the extra strong boxes and I pack my DVD collection into plastic boxes separating the ones Anne already has so they can go to the centre since we don’t need double. Anne copied a list that she had made up for herself to keep track of the DVD’s she owns.
Removing the photos from around the living room I wrap them all in bubble wrap before putting them into boxes. Anne said something about buying new frames for my pictures, so they match hers, but I still want to take my frames.
It takes us two weeks to get everything packed up and ready to move. Working every night after work and still volunteering at the centre has been hard and tiring, but it’s all done now, my flat is officially all packed up. It’s Friday night and I’m looking forward to going back to the apartment and having a takeaway with my girl.
My phone starts to ring so I pull it out of my pocket and see Neil’s name flashing on the screen.
“Neil, hey what’s up?” I ask.
“Matt, hey. I just thought I’d call and let you know we’ve managed to find homes for all the bits you are offering.” He informs me.
“That’s great.”
“It is. Thank you so much for donating it all.” He says again.
“It was no problem, I rather someone who needs them get use out of them.”
“I’ve managed to arrange a truck for tomorrow to come to get them and drop them off to the homes they are going to.” He tells me.
“That’s good, do you need a hand moving them?” I ask. “I know I’m on shift tomorrow there, but I could help on the runs after that.” I offer.
“I was going to ask.” He chuckles. “But I didn’t want to take the mickey since your donating so much.” He tells me.
“It’s no bother, I’m happy to help anything I can do.” I tell him.
“Thanks Matt I’ll see you in the morning.” He tells me.
“Will do bye.” I say hanging up the phone.
“Neil needs your help tomorrow then?” Anne asks as she slides her arms into her coat.
“Yeah, sorry tomorrows going to be a long one for me.” I tell her sadly.
“It’s okay, I was planning on going Christmas shopping with your Mum anyway, so I’ll be busy.” She grins at me.
“I didn’t know that.” I love that she’s spending time with my Mum, it’s important that the two main ladies in my life get along. “I gave Mum my Christmas list, so she knows what I want.” I poke my tongue out at her.
“I can’t believe you still give her a Christmas list.” She chuckles.
“Mum’s the one that demands it, you two will have a lot to talk about if you tell her you like lists too.” She pokes me in the ribs.
“You’re not funny Mr Richardson.” She says playfully.
“But you love me anyway.” I say leaning forward slightly so I can kiss her lips, but she does that move where you turn your head quick. My lips meet her cheek. “You’re a funny girl Miss Ryder.” I reply as she laughs at me.
“Let’s get this last load down to the car then we can go home.” She gets this happy look on her face when she says it and her whole face lights up. I pull her into my arms and plant a kiss on her lips before she gets the chance to pull the last trick on me.
“I like the sound of that.” I tell her.
“Me too.” She replies.
I unload the last box and I stack it in the spare room with my other stuff for now. I’m not going to get a chance to unpack this weekend so it will be fine here for a couple of days. Anne can’t see it in here, so it won’t drive her mad.
“I called and ordered Indian.” Anne says as she meets me outside the spare bedroom.
“Indian sounds good to me, we haven’t had it in ages.” I say as we walk back to the living room and I sit on the sofa pulling Anne onto my lap. “So, that’s it I’m officially moved in.” I tell her.
“You are, it’s so exciting.” She says with joy in her voice.
“You say that now, but now there’s no going back when you get fed up of me leaving wet towels on the floor or dirty socks everywhere.” I tell her teasing.
“You don’t do any of those.” She says giggling.
“I didn’t before, but you never know.” I say with a wink.
“I know you are perfect just the way you are and I’m so glad we’re living together, it’s like we're starting a new chapter.” Anne says.
“Well I have been here every night for the last two weeks, so we started the chapter then.” I say to her.
“Yes, but with your flat packed up and all your stuff here, I know your never leaving.” She says.
“I would never leave you anyway.” I tell her just as the intercom goes off.
I sit on the balcony with my cup of tea in hand just watching the city life start as the day begins. Even in a city as busy as this, the first thing on a Saturday morning it’s so still and peaceful. I hear movement in the apartment, a few minutes later Anne appears with a mug of coffee in hand.
“Morning.” I say as she looks at me oddly. “You okay?” I ask. She opens the hand without the coffee in it revealing a Rolo.
“What’s this?” She asks.
“It’s a Rolo.” I reply.
“I get that.” She rolls her eyes at me. “I found it on the side in the kitchen.”
“It’s my last Rolo, I had a couple in my jacket pocket that I finished last night.” I tell her shrugging my shoulders.
“Your last Rolo?” She asks before I see understanding cross her face. “Oh my god, that advert from years ago.” I nod my head.
“I love you enough to give you my last Rolo.” I tell her. A grin spreads across her face.
“At least now I understand why random Rolo’s were left on my desk at work, Matthew Richardson you are a true romantic.”
“Only where your concerned Angel.” I say as I stand and take her coffee from her hand, I kiss her and then take the Rolo from her popping it into her mouth.
Chapter 32
Anne
Matt has finally moved in and all his things are in our apartment. I love how that sounds ‘Our apartment’, but it feels nice and it is comforting when I’m here alone and he’s at the centre. It’s nice to know this is our home now and every day he will come home to me. He has stayed every night since we returned from our trip to Edinburgh. When we finished work and went to his place every evening packing things up to come to the apartment, for the centre, or rubbish. It took two weeks for us to get everything sorted, but by the 21st November it was done, and he officially moved in. He only brought his clothes and personal items to the apartment as it was fully furnished, and he had helped chose the furniture and set up the home a year ago.
We celebrated him moving in with
a special meal at home and I couldn’t have been happier. Matt is finally here, and next weekend is December already. I sit on the sofa my legs over Matt’s lap as he rubs my feet as we watch Twilight.
“It’s the first of December a week on Monday can we put our Christmas tree up next weekend?” I ask a huge smile on my face. He turns to me laughing.
“Really that early?” He says still laughing.
“Yes, then it’s up for the first of December and it won’t be just the advent calendars.” I say hopefully.
“Advent calendars?” He’s asks, I swing my legs off his lap and sit up tucking my leg under me as I hold his hand.
“Yes, advent calendars I have yours already. This is our first Christmas living together and I want it to be really special.” His hand squeezes mine.
“You really love Christmas don’t you.” He replies as he pulls me onto his lap.
“You only just figured that out? It’s too late now you moved in and you can’t leave, so you best find some Christmas spirit.” I kiss his lips.
“Well I can’t refuse you anything, so yes, we will put the tree up next Sunday. How’s that? And I’ll make sure I have your advent calendar ready too.”
“You are the best boyfriend ever do you know that.” He doesn’t answer me, he just lifts me up laying me back on the sofa, hovering over me. His lips and hands move over my body and all thoughts of Christmas are gone for now.
~~~
I walk out from the kitchen with two mugs of hot chocolate and walk to the glass door leading to the balcony. I stand smiling at Matt as he wraps fairy lights around the railing on top of the balcony, the small real life tree stands in the corner near the bistro table, the white lights on the tree twinkling in the moonlight. He plugs in the lights he has just finished wrapping around the balcony and turns to face me his smile lighting up his whole face.
Anne Page 19