He takes a deep breath in and tucks a strand of my hair that’s blowing across my face behind my ear, his eyes scan the view of the Mornington Peninsula that’s laid out behind me, I know he’s struggling to put into words how he’s feeling so I give him a minute. “No one gets a second chance like this, you, the babies, our life; it’s so much more than I ever dreamed of, even now I have it, every day, every moment is more, is better than I thought it could be and I just need you to know, that I’ve resolved myself to let you know, to make you know, every single day, that you and our life together are my world now, I’m sorry for my past crap but I can’t change it but our future is what we want to make it and I’m so grateful and honoured and so fucking proud that you have chosen to be with me Lauren, to love me so much more than I deserve.”
“Gabe, don’t go there again, you deserve to be loved, to love, to be happy, neither of us is perfect, I proved that just last week, I could have destroyed us by going to Jason’s, we’re too fuckups together, we’ll find our way, whatever gets thrown at us, we’ll get through it, as long as I have you beside me I will fight anyone and anything that tries to come between us, I’ll fight for us. I love you”
His hands are gripping my shoulders as he kisses me gently on the mouth; he pulls me with him as he leans his back against the rails of the balcony…
“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
“Shitting myself.” I admit. “But more about the results than the procedure.” He looks away from me again and nods.
“But we are on the same page right. If the results aren’t good, we won’t panic, we’ll discuss our options with the doctors?”
I nod my head. “Like I just said, whatever life throws at us, we’ll discuss and decide on our choices together.” He plants a kiss on my forehead.
“I love you future Mrs Wilde.”
“I love you too future husband.”
Gabe leaves before the Palmers arrive, I show them around as I did him and they are more than happy with everything, I’ve been sending Karen picture updates as each room has been dressed for the past week so she had an idea anyway, she tells me an interiors magazine want to do a feature article on the place and that she has given them my name and number. She pats my hand in a patronising gesture. “It will be great publicity for your little business Lauren; you will probably get lots of work from it, I will be sure to tell everyone what a great job you’ve done.”
I should keep mouth shut, but I can’t, it’s just not in my nature. “Actually, I’m going to be pretty busy for a while, Gabe and I have bought a large block of land together, we’re going to subdivide and put townhouses on it, he will handle the build, I will deal with the interiors, then on top of that, I have a wedding to plan and the birth of our twins to look forward to.”
Her jaw hits the floor. Good, I hope it hurts, but she probably didn’t feel a thing, her face is probably numb from all the Botox that’s been pumped into it. Thoughts of the film ‘Flubber’ enter my head and I imagine Karen’s face bouncing from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling and in the end give up my attempts to wipe the smile off my face.
“That’s right, you’re engaged to the youngest Wilde boy aren’t you Lauren? I still forget you’re not with Jason anymore.”
Steve Palmer says. “Didn’t think anyone would ever tame him, Wilde by name and nature, been the same since he was younger that one, although I have heard rumours that there’s been a few that have tried to tie him down.”
He looks pointedly at his wife. Fuck, he knows and yet he still does business with Gabe’s family? Her mouth opens and closes a couple of times but nothing comes out. “He just never met the right woman.” I say with a smile.
“Apparently not.” He replies. “Glad it’s all working out for you, twins you say? You’re really going to have your hands full there, still you’re young, you’ll handle it.”
“Don’t be silly darling, Lauren’s only a few years younger than me.” Karen comments.
I’m pretty sure Steve Palmer is aware of this; his hands are dug deep into his suit pocket as he turns around and winks at me. “No, I’m not having that, what are you Lauren, thirty five, thirty six?”
“I’ll be forty-six in March.” I reply.
“Bloody hell. You really need to find out what her secret is Karen, perhaps not having Botox every other week is the way to go.”
When I get home, after my little detour to the shops on the way, I find a massive bouquet of my favourite Australian native flowers sitting in a vase of water with a note propped up against them.
Congratulations my clever beautiful girl.
Hope you like the flowers, they reminded me of you, orange for your hair,
red for your passion and your temper!
I fucking love you future Mrs Wilde x
PS: Didn’t go into work, surfs up so gone to the back beach with Zac,
I will pick up dinner on my way home, put your feet up and rest up coz I plan on getting naked and wearing you out later baby xxx