by Beth Abbott
Sally brushed her hand across Ellen’s head.
“It’s beautiful!” She announced. “What do you think Carl?”
Carl grinned at her.
“I think that Ellen could parade around in sackcloth and ashes and she’d still be the most beautiful woman for a hundred miles! Except for you, of course, my dove!” He winked at his wife.
Ellen grinned and blushed at the same time, while Luke made gagging noises.
“Enough with the bullshit.” He announced. “My woman needs to eat!”
Sally pulled a round coffee table closer to the bed, and both men deposited the contents of the trays. There were four bowls of soup and plates of sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and glasses of milk.
“Sorry it’s not a proper cooked meal.” Sally smiled, handing Ellen a plate. “JT picked us up in Southampton this afternoon, brought us back here so he could explain what happened to you, and then left with a request that we make something for lunch for the four of us! Honey?” She wagged her finger at Luke. “If you want cordon bleu, you’d better stock your fridge/freezer better!”
Luke grinned, tucking into a sandwich.
“This is great!” He said with his mouth full.
“It really is great!” Ellen agreed. “Thank you so much. And don’t be too mad with Luke for not telling you sooner. There was nothing you could have done, and it would have upset me to know that your holiday had been ruined.”
“Nonsense!” Carl exclaimed. “You are part of our family now.”
Sally nodded in agreement.
“So what are your plans now?” She asked Ellen. “Now that you can go anywhere, where do you plan on living?”
Ellen looked up at Luke. Had she been wrong in expecting that she and Luke would be living together? Had he not said as much?
“Ellen will be staying here with me!” Luke announced, as though the arrangements had been discussed and agreed.
Immediately Ellen’s hackles went up. Whoa there!
Whilst that might be exactly what she wanted, if Luke thought he could dictate things, he had another think coming!
“Oh?” Ellen said calmly. “And when did we make that decision? While I was in a coma?”
“What? No, of course not! That’s preposterous.” Luke spluttered.
Yeah? Right on the money, is more like! Ellen thought.
“Well, I sure as hell don’t remember that conversation!” She smirked at him.
Luke tried again. “Well, you said…. When I said…” His frustration grew. “I told you all of this.”
“You told me?” Ellen’s voice raised an octave, as Luke’s mother and father grinned at each other before looking back and forth between Ellen and Luke.
Sally pulled a face at Luke that said “Uh-oh! You’re gonna get it now!”
“You’ve done a lot of that lately, haven’t you?” Ellen accused Luke. “Telling!”
“What do you mean?” Luke blushed. “Couples always tell each other stuff? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?”
“Not that kind of telling, dumb-nuts! I mean, you’re always telling me what I’m going to do, making decisions for me!”
“Am not!” Luke pouted. “Give me one thing I’ve made a decision about without asking you about first.”
“One?” Ellen almost screeched. “I’ll do better than that. I’ll give you three!” She stated, holding out three fingers.
Sally and Carl couldn’t have been more amused. This was great entertainment, watching this little wisp of a girl tie their hulking, former-military bad-ass son in knots!
“Firstly…” Ellen wiggled a finger around. “You told me that I was going to move in with you and live with you forever. True or false?”
Luke opened and closed his mouth several times before finally conceding. “True!”
“Secondly, did I or did I not hear you tell me that I would be marrying you by the end of the year?”
Luke gasped. “Yes, but you weren’t conscious at the time!”
“No excuse!” Sally batted his argument away.
“Mother!” Luke whined, looking to Sally for back-up.
“Psht!” Sally made a zipping motion across her mouth, telling him to ‘Zip it!’.
Carl just grinned at everyone.
“And lastly…” Ellen climbed up onto her knees, pausing for effect and wiggling her third finger in his face. “Did you or did you not inform me that we would be having six children, and that I’d better hurry up and come out of my coma so we could get cracking, because, and I quote, you’re ‘not getting any younger’!”
Sally gasped, her hand across her mouth.
“Luke Roberts!” She admonished him. “There should have been at least three questions in there, not three orders!”
Luke looked shell-shocked.
“Carl!” Sally said to her husband, her tone brooking no argument. “You’d better take Luke out and give him a good talking to! I thought we’d raised him better than this.”
“Yes, dear!”
Before Luke knew what was happening, his father had dragged him from the room and was pulling him down the stairs.
Left behind, Sally and Ellen stared at each other for a long minute before collapsing on the bed laughing together.
“Oh, sweet Jesus! You are a wicked girl!” Sally giggled.
“Too much?” Ellen grinned.
“Hell, no! It’s about time that boy learned to take orders from someone other than JT! You have him eating out of your hand. It’s marvellous.”
“I really do love him, and want to marry him and have his babies.” Ellen frowned. “Well, maybe not six of them…!”
“I know, sweetheart!” Sally smiled, cupping her cheek. “But you deserve to be proposed to properly!”
“Yes, I rather think I do!” Ellen grinned.
Chapter 51 - Luke
Luke and his dad were sitting in the kitchen, each sipping from a bottle of beer, when Sally appeared about ten minutes later.
“Ellen’s having a nap.” She grinned at him. “She’s all tuckered out.”
Luke nodded.
“Did I get everything wrong?” He asked, obviously perplexed.
Sally shook her head, and moved in for a big hug.
“No, Luke, you did everything right.” She smiled up at him. “You’ve picked the perfect girl, brought her back to us, when we could have lost her, and now you’re planning to love and cherish her for the rest of your life. That’s almost perfect!”
Yeah, Luke noticed the ‘almost’ in that sentence.
“So, what’s missing?” He asked.
“Oh, Luke!” Sally sighed. “You have to ask a woman to marry you, not tell her she’s doing it. That girl up there adores you and would walk through fire for you. But it doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve flowers and romantic dinners and a marriage proposal she’ll remember and cherish for the rest of her life.”
Luke nodded in understanding.
“Ellen doesn’t want grand gestures, or some over the top ‘to be seen on u-tube’ stunt-proposal!” Sally continued.
“Stunt-proposal?” Luke grinned.
“You know the ones I mean… One minute they’re at the Aquarium looking at the Stingrays – next thing she’s looking at the sharks swimming around when her boyfriend pops up in front of her in a scuba diving suit holding a diamond ring and a sign that reads ‘Will you marry me?’ Then twenty of their closest friends pop-up behind her, filming it all for posterity!”
Luke grinned again. “Too tacky?” He asked.
“Not at all! For some people that’s just right. Just not Ellen!”
“I always meant to propose.” Luke said honestly. “There just hasn’t been time to get her a nice ring.”
Sally grinned up at him.
“Then I think I may have just the right thing.” She reached to her right hand and slid off the Sapphire and diamond ring that she had worn for as long as Luke could remember, holding it out to him.
“Here, how about th
is? It belonged to your great-grandmother on your dad’s side. Rosalie married Edgar in a little church in the Cotswolds in 1930. Edgar was very much like you. He was a twin, he had the dual colour eyes, and he was an army officer. I only knew them in their later years, but you never met two people more devoted to each other. He may have worn the trousers, but she ruled the home, raised the kids, and during the war, even grew the food that fed them! And he would have moved mountains to make her happy. They were married for nearly sixty years, and when she died, he only lasted two weeks without her.”
Sally sniffed, tears in her eyes.
“It’s the perfect colour to match Ellen’s eyes.” She smiled. “I think Edgar and Rosalie would be very happy if she were to wear this ring.”
Luke stared at his mother in disbelief. “But you’ve always worn it.”
“Exactly!” She laughed. “Now it’s time for it to go to the next generation. Unless you think it’s too old-fashioned?”
“Mum, it’s beautiful, and I think Ellen will love it.” Luke was choked up.
“OK, then!” Carl patted him on the back. “Just don’t wait too long to ask her.”
“I guess waking her up now would be a bad thing?” Luke asked him mum hopefully.
“Yes, it would!” she agreed. “She needs her rest. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sleeps until morning.”
Ok then, Luke thought. Tomorrow it is!
Chapter 52 - Ellen
Ellen woke early, before the room was fully light, her bladder insistent that she pay a visit to the bathroom.
Luke’s arm was wrapped around her and she could feel his breath on her neck. It felt so good and she grinned stupidly, before sliding out from under his arm and padding across to the bathroom.
In the hospital, once she’d had a private room, Luke would climb up beside her and hold her while she slept, but with all the clothing and bedclothes and people coming in and out, even at night, it never felt really intimate. They hadn’t had any skin on skin contact in almost two weeks.
She quickly did her business, washed her hands and face, and brushed her teeth.
God, that felt so much better.
She crawled back into bed and snuggled back into Luke’s arms.
She tried not to wake him, because he needed his rest, probably more than she did.
He’d refused to leave the hospital, using her en-suite bathroom to shower, and sending Matt to buy clothes for him to wear when he’d run out of clean stuff.
He’d snatched the odd few hours here and there, but only while she’d slept, and her sleep pattern after the coma had been erratic at best.
Ellen luxuriated in the warmth of his skin, and the solid heartbeat within his chest.
“Are you ever going to kiss me?” Luke’s deep voice rumbled, thrilling her.
“Nah! Morning breath!” She grinned to herself. Luke never suffered with morning breath, but it felt good to tease him.
“Yeah?” He murmured.
Two seconds later, she was flipped onto her back, Luke’s bulk leaning over hers, and his tongue alternating between licking every inch of her face and slipping between her lips!
“Ugh, Luke! Gross!” She squealed between kisses.
Luke flopped back to her side on the mattress, propping himself on one arm to look down at her. She wiped at the damp spots on her cheeks with her pyjama sleeve.
“So…” He grinned. “If you don’t like me ‘telling’ you stuff, how ‘bout you tell me stuff?”
“Like what?” Ellen turned her body to face him.
“Tell me you love me!” Luke grinned.
“I love you!”
“Tell me that you’re mine, now and forever!”
Ellen rolled her eyes.
“I’m yours, Luke, now and forever.”
“Tell me that I’m yours, and that you’ll kick the shit out of me if I ever look at another woman!”
Ellen giggled, then tried to put on her fierce face.
“You’re mine!” She poked him in the chest. “And if you ever look at another woman, I’ll not only beat the ever-loving shit out of you, I’ll also cut off your balls, and feed them to the fish in your mother’s pond!”
Luke winced.
“Ok, that was harsh, but fair!” He agreed.
“Tell me you agree to have at least… four children. And that you’ll let me watch while you breastfeed them!”
“Luke!” Ellen giggled, smacking his arm.
“Go on!” Luke insisted.
“Oh, God!” She breathed through the giggles. “All right! I agree to have four children, and, if you happen to be passing by while I’m breastfeeding, I promise not to cover up.”
“Good enough!” Luke agreed.
“Now, tell me that you’ll make me the happiest man alive, by allowing me to love you every day of forever, to worship the ground that you walk on, to support you every day, to carry you when you’re tired and to make love to you every night!” Luke paused, but didn’t stop.
“Tell me that you’ll go out into the light and make a proper life for yourself. Tell me that you’ll find something you want to do that will bring you joy, and that you’ll let me help you achieve your dreams.”
He ran his thumb over her cheek as he cupped her face.
“Tell me that you’ll support my dreams, and that you’ll love and support our children through whatever trials and tribulations they may go through.”
Ellen stared at him, astonished to see that Luke’s eyes were bright with unshed tears.
“But mostly, I want you to tell me that you’ll agree to be my wife, to walk this path together with me, and promise me that you’ll never, ever, leave me or scare me like you did this past few weeks.”
Ellen’s own cheeks were now wet with tears.
When she looked down, she could see that he held an engagement ring in his hand, a beautiful antique ring with a centre sapphire and four diamonds making a square setting. It was exquisite!
“This belonged to my great grandmother and then my mother. If you’d prefer a new ring, I’ll be happy to buy you the biggest rock on the planet. But it would mean a lot to me, if you’d wear this one.”
Ellen put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from sobbing. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
“Luke, nothing would make me happier than to marry you, and I would be honoured to wear this ring.”
Luke gently slid the ring onto her finger, and then leaned down to kiss it.
Then he took Ellen’s lips in the gentlest, most loving kiss imaginable, and they lay there for the longest time, just touching and kissing, basking in the intimacy of finally being alone.
She’d gone from hell to heaven in less than two weeks!
Chapter 53 - Ellen
At around ten o’clock, there was a light knock on the bedroom door.
Ellen and Luke were still lying side by side, kissing, touching and whispering nonsense to each other. Ellen had been giggling like a teenager, and Luke had never been happier.
“Come in!” Luke called.
The door opened and Sally stuck her head through, her hand covering her eyes.
“Are you two decent?” She asked.
Ellen laughed.
“Perfectly decent, honestly.”
Sally removed her hand and grinned at them.
She handed Luke his phone.
“Matt rang a little while ago. I only answered it because I could see it was him, and he kept ringing. He said to tell you that the team will be over for brunch in half an hour, and they’ll be bringing the food with them.”
“Ok, thanks. I’ll just jump in the shower.” Luke sat up and swung his legs out of bed, heading for the bathroom.
“There’s coffee in the kitchen when you’re ready.” Sally smiled at Ellen. “Unless you’d like me to bring you some up?”
Ellen shook her head, sitting up.
“I need to prove to Luke that my legs work.” She smirked. “He thinks he needs to carry me everyw
here!”
“He’s just like his dad.” Sally pointed out. “He likes to pull the ‘Me Tarzan, you Jayne!’ crap sometimes too. Wait until you’re pregnant! He’ll be unbearable!”
Ellen blushed. She rather liked that thought.
Sally linked her arm with Ellen’s.
“Come on. I’ll hang onto you while you go down the stairs. I don’t want you to get dizzy and fall!”
Ellen’s tears stung behind her eyes.
It had been so long since she’d had a mother figure taking care of her, she’d forgotten what it felt like.
“Thanks.” She managed to whisper.
Sally looked at her strangely, but didn’t say anything else.
It was going to take some getting used to, having family around.
Sally insisted that she take a seat at the breakfast bar, while she brought Ellen a cup of coffee and a shortbread biscuit.
“I have no idea what ‘brunch’ will consist of, but as there’s a distinct possibility it could come from McDonalds, I don’t think a biscuit will ruin your appetite.”
Ellen grinned.
“After nearly two weeks of hospital food, a McDonalds doesn’t sound half bad!” She confessed.
Sally laughed. “Point taken! I’d forgotten you’ve been living on hospital food.”
“It wasn’t too bad, but trying to avoid the stodge, you virtually end up living on ham salad and ice cream.” Ellen grimaced. “Luckily there were some decent shops nearby, and Suzy would pick up a piece of cooked chicken and a pasta salad that could be eaten cold. If only the hospital would provide microwave ovens on the wards, it would save the NHS a shed load of money on in-patient food. I’d be more than happy to live on ready meals! Save the hospital food for those with nobody to bring stuff in for them.”
“How did Luke manage then, if he didn’t leave the hospital?” Sally asked.
“Hmmph!” Ellen snorted. “Every time Matt and Suzy would come in to visit, Luke would sneak downstairs with Matt to ‘leave us girls to talk!’ Yeah, that was code for ‘Danny’s downstairs in the car with a takeaway’!” She laughed.
“I think Luke thought if he came straight back and brushed his teeth, I wouldn’t notice. But I can tell you with some certainty that on two nights he had Chinese food, twice he had curry, a couple of times it was KFC, I think that was Danny’s contribution, and one night I think it was Kebabs or something similar. It was very spicy!”