Two minutes later, Issy and Alice crashed into the kitchen, laughing and giggling over something that they chose not to share, they were already becoming extremely close and I knew that the bond they were forming would be life-long. My heart began to swell with the thought of just how these two had changed our lives in such a short period of time. Issy started telling Rachel about all the things she had done with Jane's parents over the weekend, usually throwing in comments about how Tim and Grampa had ganged up on her or had upset her in some way. Within a couple of minutes Rachel had Issy on one knee and Alice on the other and was laughing with them as they competed to tell the most exciting story about their weekend. Tim sat there for a while, quietly pensive but enjoying the scene almost as much as I did. Rachel looked at us as she listened to the girls and raised her eyebrows and smiled as if to say "these two are as mad as each other," but the look of utter contentment on her face was absolute, and I could see the happiness she found from this scene was something she wanted as much as I did. I said a silent prayer of thanks at that minute for the arrival of this remarkable woman in our lives.
The rest of the evening was a blur of domestic activity, I sat enthralled as I began to watch the relationship between Rachel and the children strengthen, Issy loved her to bits, I knew that she would one day call Rachel Mum, sitting on the large squashy sofa in the family area of the kitchen. I questioned myself on how I would react when that happened. Issy was so young when Jane died, she was only just five, and even now it was hard for her remember Jane as she was before she became ill. The love of someone like Rachel was so badly needed in her life; she was a wonderful little girl, who had been deprived of her mother's love in the most heart wrenching way possible. I knew I had to talk to the people most affected by this tragedy, specifically about what had been agreed between Rachel and I over the last two days. I decided that the children would be fine with things moving on as they were, but Jane's parents needed chatting to and to a lesser degree so did mine, although in reality I knew they would be happy as long as the children and I were.
For those people who have suffered this type of bereavement, you find yourself worrying about the reaction of the deceased partners family as much as you worry about yourself. I stood up from the sofa and walked over to Rachel who was standing at the Belfast sink looking out of the window which overlooked the pool house to the right and the lawns and tennis court to the right, putting my arms around her waist, I nuzzled into her neck and whispered that if she didn't mind I needed to make a few phone calls which would take fifteen minute or so. She turned in my arms and gently kissed me on the lips, telling me she would get the girls off to bed, and perhaps when I had finished we could sit quietly and think about the holiday and where we could go with the kids that would be suitable for both ages. I smiled into those lovely eyes that I had come to adore so much, agreeing that it would be great to spend some quiet time together. Kissing her deeply trying to show how much I loved her, I moved away and began to saunter across the large farmhouse kitchen towards my study. Just as I reached the doorway into the hall she called out in a slightly questioning tone;
"Steve?"
Stopping and looking back at her as she lit up the room with her smile she said;
"Do you know how happy you have made me? And how much I love you?"
Speechless I replied; "Rachel, I love you so very deeply, more than I could ever have believed possible, and if I have made you as happy, as just thinking about you makes me, then I am the happiest man alive!"
Pirouetting with clear joy she ran across the kitchen, and into my arms again, kissing me and telling me that she wanted to be with us for always and kissed me in a way that shook me to the core. Just at that moment Tim ambled into the room looking for food and drink and laughing he muttered;
"Gross…… Is this what its going to be like from now on? Having to knock on every door before I enter, so that you two have time to get decent!"
Before I could answer Rachel, pulled him close and kissed his forehead, laughing telling him that he better get used to us being like this, because she was too happy to start hiding all of us how happy she was, and just because he was growing up, he was still not too old for a cuddle from her either!!
He just laughed, wriggled out her grip and told her she would have to catch him first, laughing I left them chasing each other around the kitchen in shrieks of laughter. I walked over to my study and began to call Miles again, asking him if I could leave Scooby there until the morning as I was shattered and didn't feel like getting him tonight. Laughing he said he was sure I had far better things to do tonight than get the dog, as he put the phone down, he told me to have fun, and that he would drop him into the house on his way to work. Thanking him I promised him that I had no ulterior motive for not leaving the house tonight, he just laughed again and said he would see me in the morning. Smiling, I put the phone down and began to dial Rob and Claire's number.
As usual Rob answered, slightly gruffly, which even after all these years made me feel uneasy, Jane used to tease me about it so much when we first got together, telling me he was a teddy bear really, but I never got over the feeling, even after so many years. As I let him know who it was, he immediately asked if there was anything wrong, and I assured him there was nothing out of the ordinary, and that I had rung to check they got home ok, and to thank them for having the kids. His tone immediately warmed and said they had been fine, other than Issy had wanted to spend all her pocket money within the first half hour of arriving there. I laughed, as he said she reminded him of her mother so much, I agreed with him, she was the spit of her in so many ways. I chatted on for a moment or so, and I knew I needed to get to the real reason for my call, which was to invite them out to dinner later in the week as I wanted to chat to them about Rachel and I without any external influences. I used the tack that I hadn't seen them properly for ages and I wanted to take them out for a meal to catch up. He checked with Claire who took the phone off him and after much discussion we decided that the following evening would be ideal. She told me to take care and that she thought Rachel was lovely with kids, and that Issy had told her that we were sleeping together in Mum and Dad's room. I blushed and stammered an answer, but heard the warmth in her voice as told me that she was teasing me, and that I needed to move on. With that she told me to get off the phone and to ring them if there was a problem with tomorrow. The obvious warmth in her tone of conversation about Rachel made me feel much happier about the forthcoming meal.
I quickly phoned my own parents and told them that I was going to ask Rachel to marry me, and did they have any issues with it? My dad was pleased for us, but my mother was worried that it was so soon after getting together, but as long as I was happy then she was sure that everything would be fine. I assured her that I knew exactly what I was doing and that whilst I accepted that we had only known each other a short time; I had never been so sure of anything in my life. After this, I received their blessing and told them not say anything to anyone until I had seen Rob and Claire tomorrow. To which my mother dutifully agreed, that she wouldn't breathe a word to a soul, I could almost hear the clock in her head ticking as she counted down to the time when she could break the news to her friends, that her poor bereaved son was remarrying a successful vet with her own practise. I loved her dearly, but on times she was hard work, but at least they were happy for me, and I was really pleased for that, putting down the phone after saying goodnight I walked out into the hall and headed for the living room where Rachel had taken a bottle of my favourite Chablis and was standing next to the centrally located coffee table pouring two generous glasses for us.
She had put the girls to bed as it was gone 9.30 and Tim was in his room on the playstation and going to bed himself at 10. Whilst upstairs, she had changed into a matching turquoise sheer silk halter neck pyjama set and sheer full length wrap, which made her complexion, and eyes look exquisite in the dimmed light of the room. The top obviously tied at the neck and had intricate detailing inlaid with beads around the neck and ankles with satin kitten heel slippers. Her long hair loose and trailing over her shoulders, smiling at me mischievously she looked amazing, as she grinned at my obvious shock in her appearance. Laughing she said;
