Taylor's POV
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Rachel, soon to be Mrs Rachel Brown has chosen, she has said yes to her dress and now the only thing to do is to keep it all under wraps until she walks down the aisle. A pale ivory draped silk train and a demure neckline, it’s the most sophisticated look I’ve seen her in and it brought tears to my eyes.
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"I will cry when he says I do" she announces and I don't doubt her, even for a minute.
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"I know you will it's a big deal" I say slowly as she eyes me walking through town with our bags the sun setting behind us. Matthew had taken Henry on the pizza excursion with the boys and I trust him implicitly with my child.
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"The boys better have saved us pizza" she laughs as I smile and she pushes the rustic door open to the eatery.
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"Matthew will have pizza waiting for us" I say as she smiles graciously and we walk through the scattered tables.
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"Good with babies isn't he" she laughs as we spot them on a table at the far back next to a fireplace. Matthew has Henry in a high chair a bowl of pasta before him as he feeds him with a baby spoon. Henry eagerly awaits each mouthful and I smile on my approach pulling my sunglasses off and holding my purse.
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"He is" I say as I embrace Henry kissing his head as he reaches his small arms out for me, tomato sauce over his chin as he garbles something close to momma. His speech is nowhere near clear yet but Matthew claps him and the others gasp as I smile down at Henry, my clever boy.
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"I'm glad you saved us pizza" Rachel declares as she takes a seat next Christopher and I slot in between my baby and Matthew.
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"Thank you" I whisper to him as he plates up for me and I wipe Henry down before holding him in my arms.
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"No problem" he whispers back as Rach gushes over the details of the gown she has purchased, a few alterations will be required before it is sent to the farmhouse.
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The hot and spicy pizza hits the spot and once all of the olives and the stuffed peppers have been devoured we find ourselves on the way back to the cars. Walking past the pretty terracotta and stone buildings before we finally reach the cars.
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"I can drive if you like" I tell Matthew as he places the pram in the boot and shakes his head.
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"I've got it" he laughs as I brush past him to the passenger side. The mustang tears off ahead as we take our seats and he looks down at the dash firing up the car whilst Henry sleeps. Matthew navigates us with ease back to the main highway and I sit back sipping the green tea I ordered in a takeout cup from the restaurant. He sips his coffee and looks out at the setting sun on the horizon line as he drives. Pushing brunette curls back as he thinks, he’s been meaning to say something for around thirty minutes and I’m just waiting for the confusion to clear from his face and for him to open up his mouth and tell me what’s on his mind.
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"The thing is that the pictures that I took of you know in New York" he begins out of the blue as I look over at him. He launches into a discussion about the morality of the whole thing. How he feels he has capitalised on the attack and I just listen watching his brain work over the details of the entire thing. The emotions flit over his face as the sun sets and I watch the first man I ever loved go through the process of accepting what happened and what he’s been through.
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“Despite the horror and the blood” he begins.
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“The bodies Taylor and the ones I had to leave to die” he whispers as I rub his thigh.
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"Well it was a big earner." he says with a look of irony and pain on his face.
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“You helped so many people Matthew” I say slowly and he shakes his head.
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“I had to” he replies softly looking from me to the windscreen.
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“The money, I’ve put some of it back into charities. One for the paramedics. But there was some left over and it afforded me something” he says slowly and carefully.
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"A house in England" he says softly and I smile lightly rubbing his thigh as I squeeze my eyes shut aware that this is our goodbye. We will save one another the pretences and the promises of returning for one another. We will be final and direct in this moment.
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When I open my eyes, I briefly look into his own and I tell myself to let him go.
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“It’s just bricks and water. Without you” he says clearly.
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“I mean it when I say that Taylor” he whispers as I shake my head looking forward at the open road.
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“My home is here Matthew” I explain slowly, home encompasses not only the Italian countryside but also my husband and my baby. My unborn child, I have chosen my life. I clutch at my waist and he watches the road.
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“What I mean is and don’t get me wrong here but should someday you decide that things have changed…” he begins as we near the farmhouse.
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“Then we have a cottage in England to make our home. Sash windows and picket fences and all” he says on a lighter note.
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“Bluebells in the yard and daffodils in the spring” he smiles before turning onto the gravel of my home.
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“Keep it in the back of your mind” he whispers slowly as I stare at him.
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“I am always going to be in love with you” he says swinging the car around the front and pulling up outside the farmhouse.
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“Have you told the others” I say softly as he shakes his head.
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“Ross is aware, but only Ross” he explains and I nod.
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“I care for you Matthew” I say before he opens the door, he falters turning to face me and plants a soft kiss on my cheek before he removes himself from the Ferrari. It’s a simply goodbye, a small kiss that I imagine will remain in my heart for many years.
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The kitchen invites me in when I return from setting Henry down with my mother upstairs in his bedroom. Evelyn is pleased to see him and she smiles hugging him into her chest. She pulls me in before I leave to assemble dinner, my child she says to me brushing my hair back and smiling. Giving me a knowing look before I leave the room and think more and more about Matthew and how he has just told me that he has brought us a home.
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I carve up the meat and distribute the roast vegetables and potatoes over the serving trays hearing the laughter of Ross and Chris as I stand by the gas oven. Rachel has taken more of a hands on approach to cooking informing me that she is now going to be a wife and that means she must be able to cook and clean. I scoffed and told her that being a wife doesn’t mean you’re suddenly somebodies cleaner. Matthew has been watching me carefully as he sips his brandy, and it would be a lie to say I haven’t had one passing thought about laying in a field of daisies in the British summer time. However my dreams, I know will not align with my reality.
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With the candelabra lit and the serving trays on the large oak table, Rachel and I top up the brandy glasses as the front door clicks shut as if the person wishes to remain deliberately quiet. My head cranes into the hall as I catch a glimpse of him. Dropping the remaining plates in my hands as they land with a thundering crash to the floor. It’s just his back, so far, pulling off a soft suede jacket as I take in my husband and his new look. He’s every bit the man I love. And as I rush to him, I hear the others gasp mainly at the crash of the plates but also at my abrupt departure.
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“Hey” I hear him say before I crush my lips on his and take the breath out of him. One arm around my back as he embraces me and the other holding a bunch of tulips.
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“It’s different” I whisper between kisses as my hand runs up the back of his neck and into his new slightly darker blonde hair. The sides are shorter but the top is still fluffy and curly.
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“Surprise” he whispers kissing me back fervently, it would be juvenile to say that his new look is the only reason for my behaviour. Because really it’s a manner of things, missing him and the shock of him coming back early.
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“You look like you” I say finally as he smiles appreciatively placing the tulips down on the glass console table. Jay has ordered white tulips for our wedding day, it’s a nice touch that he has brought them back with him.
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“I couldn’t be away from you any longer” he whispers lifting me into his arms and carrying me straight up the winding stairs. Rachel giggles and I sigh slightly before his mouth catches mine again.
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