Room Wanted Ch. 03

"That's up to Daddy Darling," she saw Carla struggling with a thought and spoke, "Carla baby girl..."

"Yes?" She was lying back with her head on the pillows, her face surrounded by her dark locks. Naomi stroked them back from her face and stroked her hair.

"Would you like to call me Mummy? You don't have to, it's just no one ever has before and I... well... I thought it might be quite nice..."

Carla lost the look of confusion and grinned; Naomi had done it again.

"Yes please... Mummy," said Carla.

With Carla in bed, Naomi suddenly realised that tonight she could finally sleep with Rob and not have to get up at five in the morning to go back to her bed. She ambled across to his room and looked around at the scene she was going to get to know so well. It would be their room now. She walked up to her flat and retrieved her T-shirt Nightdress and trotted back down stairs, thinking about whether it would be sexy enough wear to bed and figured tonight she probably wouldn't wear anything; she grinned as she slowly came into the hallway.

She could finally make love, no condoms, no worry about pregnancy; they could make love and fall asleep being held by him just as she had always wanted to. She folded her nightie and lay it on the pillow next to his and his PJ shorts and T-shirt. That would do for the time being.

She thought about Rob's room and where she would put her clothes, seeing as she would be moving in to that room. Love, family, children, their baby, home; it all slotted into place and by the time she got to the bottom of the stairs her cheeks ached from the huge smile on her face.

That evening she sat with Rob conscious of the smiles she was getting from Carolyn and Lizzie. When Matt showed signs of tiredness both Rob an Naomi took him to bed and he wished them both a good night, and Naomi hugged him.

They slowly walked downstairs stopping to kiss halfway down. When they arrived still flushed from their embrace there was bound to be comments.

"Oh get a room you two," said Carolyn, giggling along with her sister.

"Thank you Carolyn," said Rob, reappearing with mugs of tea and the biscuit tin.

"You have to thank Carolyn for a lot of things Rob," said Naomi sitting in her now accustomed place on the sofa, "she decided we were getting married back when we went to Suzi's wedding last autumn."

"Oh it was way before that even," said Carolyn grinning at Naomi. Rob and Naomi leaned forward, interested at what she had to say. "Remember when Dave and Sue came over for that barbecue in the spring and Dave said that we had to find you a good woman and get you married off Dad. Sue told me that Dave had this really nice girl that had just started teaching at Priors that had chaperoned at the year eleven prom. She said you were gorgeous and just a tiny bit lonely, and she was going to find some way of getting you two together! Fortunately for us the summer ball came along, I whispered to Carla that Daddy should take No'mee to the ball and you all went with it. I emailed Sue and suddenly she and her husband were interested in going again after thinking of all sorts of reasons not to, mostly because they hated that bitch Jen Harvey. Barbara was in on the plot too of course."

Rob looked wide-eyed, "well from that moment on, neither of you stood a chance, what with Sue's planning, my styling and fashion sense, it was only going to be a matter of time. Then Nanny met you and that was it, job done."

"Thank you Carolyn," she beamed back at her friend, "just wait until I see Darnell next week," she chuckled.

"No need," said Lizzie, "they'll both be here for your engagement party tomorrow."

"Engagement Party?" both Rob and Naomi asked together.

"Yes," said Carolyn, "We've had it planned for weeks, we've got everyone on 12 hours' notice, they weather forecast says it's going to be dry and warm tomorrow so we sent the Facebook invite our an hour ago. Nanny should be here early to help us set up."

"We'd better all get to bed then," said Rob with look all surprise. They all stood and Naomi kissed and hugged Lizzie, then put her arms around Carolyn,

"Thanks Darling," she said, "Thanks for everything."

"You're welcome Nomes," said Carolyn with a tiny choke in her normally cool exterior, "you're the best and so is my Daddy; you both deserve each other."

Rob kissed both his daughters goodnight and taking Naomi's hand they went to bed - together.

That night their lovemaking was wonderful and he brought her to orgasm several times and she had to keep her noise to a minimum! She cried when she felt his heat splash into her, and thought about the dozens of times they'd done this and she hadn't been able to enjoy it this fully.

She woke naked and in his arms at five; OK, she hadn't switched off her alarm on her phone. They came together again and smooched, him spooning her back to sleep again. They had just started to think about making love at 8.30 when there was a knock on the door and Carolyn, Lizzie and Carla all brought Mum and Dad breakfast in bed. Naomi had just enough time to slip on her nightie before Mattie was brought in his chair by Lizzie. Breakfast in bed was a concept that Paul was happy not to have to consider.

The caterers arrived an hour later, closely followed by Mum.

"Darlings!" she squealed seeing her son and soon to be daughter in law bringing chairs from the garage and putting up a large gazebo.

Naomi ran to her,

"Mum," she said, hugging her, and quietly half chuckling and half weeping into her shoulder.

"Thank you Darling," said Mum hugging her and patting her back, a crack in her voice, "thank you so much Naomi!" They separated both grinning, "What's the other news Carolyn says you have for me?"

Naomi grinned, and with her arm around Mum's waist put her other hand to her as yet flat belly.

"Due September," Naomi whispered.

"Darling girl!" she squealed, grabbing Naomi again and Rob came over to investigate what the noise was.

By this stage Carla had arrived, leaping up to tell Nanny the good news that Mo'mee was her Mummy now, and she was going to have a baby brother or sister to help look after.

Carolyn and Lizzie were next rolling out a pre-prepared banner "Congratulations Rob and Naomi."

By twelve o'clock everything was ready and tables were spread with covered over food, a barbecue was heating up and Naomi and Rob banished while the guests arrived.

Naomi and Rob came out of the conservatory to see Dave Darnell and his lovely wife Sue laughing with Carolyn, Pete and Julie and the kids, Suzi and her husband and lots of friends and colleagues.

Pete and Julie were delighted when Naomi announced that he was going to be giving her away, and that they were looking at options on bridesmaids and pageboys. Their children beamed, neither of them had done such a thing before.

Next it was the turn of the Darnells, and there were hugs and handshakes as necessary. Sue and Carolyn were joined by Mum and Barbara and they admitted their plans to get the lovebirds together. Even Suzi had arranged a spare seat at her wedding weeks before just in case, once Carolyn had shared the secret.

It was the best party she'd been to and felt the love would keep her warm for ever.

Naomi had three bridesmaids, Lizzie, Carla and Pete's daughter Bella, all in matching cream dresses and one page boy, Pete's son Simon in a very smart suit. She would also have a very special maid of honour, carrying her usual wedding dress repair kit.

Miss Williams became Mrs Stanley over the Easter Holidays six weeks later just as Carolyn had predicted and to some extent planned. Naomi married Rob wearing a pale ivory lace and silk gown her daughter made for her that looked romantic, stylish and sexy all at the same time with a veil that Pete raised once he'd walked her down the aisle. He pecked her on the cheek,

"Congratulations Lil' Sis," he whispered and turned to Rob and smiled.

Fortunately for the groom, the next bit was scripted and his tongue didn't trip when he took his first look at his bride. Stood to one side was Carolyn looking across at the only man she'd ever called Daddy lost for words as the veil came up, and she couldn't hide her look of pride and triumph in her work.

Her friend and soon to be Mum Naomi was dressed in the simplest of wedding gowns carefully cut so those in the know could tell that the bride was in her fourth month of pregnancy. The make-up she had selected and the hairstyle, headdress and veil all complimented the natural bloom of a healthy pregnant woman and even Carolyn glowed and shed a tear, getting a hug from someone she'd started calling Uncle Pete just a few days before.

The vicar looked at the happy couple, smiled and commenced the service telling the congregation that they had all come together in the presence of God to witness the marriage of Robin and Naomi; as usual there was the short holding of breath while he asked if there was anyone there present who knew a reason why they should not be married. Bride and Groom smiled at each other and soon they were declared Husband and Wife and walking down aisle to the joy of everyone there.

For the first time ever the maid of honour had brought something else with her, a rather nice post-graduate student called Mark who she'd known from Uni and who she'd been on a few dates with.

Rob's best man was wearing a suit the same as his Dad, and was carrying the ring in his inside jacket pocket with the speech he'd been learning with Chrissie and Nanny to support him. No one minded that he didn't stand up from his wheelchair to hand over the ring. Paul was with his Nanny just behind Matt, to make sure he was OK of course.

Naomi's older brother John and sister Ruth and their immediate families were invited out of spite by Carolyn and Julie. Carolyn had heard about Nomes' obnoxious brother and sister during one of their wine and fashion evenings and although she'd never met them, she already hated them. Seeing as they had both loudly proclaimed that Naomi was just a 'friend that lived with them for a time', they were third or fourth row back on the bride's side behind Naomi's college and work friends and then seated way back in the function room that held the very grand reception with all of the other 'friends'.

As the photos were taken it was with great delight that she heard about them and their partners bitching quietly that they should have been closer to the front and it should have been John that gave Naomi away and just as they started to throw nasty looks towards the glamorous wedding party they were joined by a rather batty old dear called 'Jean' who'd been stood with the weird looking dark haired boy in glasses.

She told the Williams' group in hushed tones that she was so pleased the lovely young boy Pete was giving the bride away;

"Because her other brother and sister were so unchristian they chucked the poor kid out of the only home she'd ever known days after her mum died and virtually abandoned her own devices without so much as a ha'peny to her name - disgraceful! Can you believe it? They hadn't even had the funeral!" The mad old lady tutted loudly and the Williams' considered moving away, but she wouldn't let them, laying a conspiratorial hand on Ruth's, "That was just downright evil!" She snarled. "Ooooh, it's a good job Naomi didn't invite them heartless bastards because I'd give them so called Christians a real piece of my mind and remind them what the Bible has to say about looking after your family!" She folded her arms in parenthesis

The Williams' all kept quiet, except for Pete's wife Julie holding hands of the two smallest bridesmaids and giggling to herself some feet away, silently promising to buy Nanny Jean the largest gin and tonic the bar would sell her.

The reason they weren't at the front of the not overly populated 'Brides side' of the church was that some other relatives of Naomi were there.

She had desperately wanted to invite her half-sister Rosie, but still the Salvation Army respected Mum's orders, censored their emails and wouldn't put them in touch.

"I don't even know her surname Rob," said Naomi. In an effort to find out more she had finally opened the letter from her mother.

The letter smelt of Mum's perfume but that was almost all of the comfort she could draw from the thing.

"Naomi," Not "My Darling Naomi", "My Daughter Naomi" or even "My Dear Naomi,"

"This is the hardest letter I've ever had to write and I hope you never find yourself in my situation." She wants sympathy? "Your father and I were once in love and you were the best thing to come out of it. Sadly, your father left us for his wife and his other family, after promising me that we were his future.

I found myself hating him and eventually you. It is to my shame that I reached a point where I began to blame you for what were my and his choices. One evening when you asked for the tenth time when Daddy was coming to see us I was on the verge of hitting you for it. That I could never allow.

So, coward that I am, I took the decision that you would be better off with a new family, one that wouldn't forever hold grudges about how you had changed their life and despite your Grandmothers pleadings I handed you over to the Social Services because of my mental state and the stress that you and your father had caused me."

Naomi wanted to spit and was half minded to throw this delusional self-pitying crap on the fire,

"So I looked into several charities and found a home that eventually took you on. I hoped that your new life would start and you'd soon move on from my unhappy situation.

I confess that I still find myself angry that you are back in my life, but I realise that's my fault not yours, I hope someday I can find enough peace to allow you back into my life.

D Carter-Howell (Mrs)."

Rob put the letter down,

"Glad I never bothered to read the thing before," said Naomi looking somewhere between sad and angry.

The Salvation Army were still insistent that no contact could be made with her sisters until Mum agreed.

Rob has said that there must be some way they could find the girl and happened to discuss it over breakfast while Paul was sat there. Paul picked up his tablet computer.

"Did you say Rosalind and Celia?" said Paul.

"Yes," said Naomi.

"And they come from the Oxford area?"

"I think so," said Naomi, "my previous surname was Carmichael, not sure if that was Mum or my Dad."

Naomi packed more lunchboxes and forgot what Paul was doing, until he raised his head and asked, "Is this Rosalind?" and holding up the tablet.

Naomi looked at a Facebook page.

"Yes," she said, "How..."

"Search engines; Rosalind and Celia don't have the correct security protocols on their Facebook pages Mummy." he said happy with that particular change in his life. Naomi knelt next to him and gently put her arms around him and looked again.

"You're my clever, wonderful Paulie," she whispered and pecked a tiny kiss on his cheek, and he smiled. Still a rare thing in itself.

And so her half-sisters Rosie and Celia became 'Facebook friends', messaged and came to her wedding and they were really close friends now, 'Mum' never knowing.

In the second week in August the Stanley family was delivered of its sixth child, a boy named Peter Thomas for his soon to be favourite uncle and Matt's Dad.

Because Naomi was, in the terminology of the maternity ward, a geriatric mother and Peter was almost three weeks early, they were kept in under observation for a few days while she recovered and he put on weight.

Because she'd had the good sense to give birth during the school holiday, that evening the entire family came in to visit including Matt in his wheelchair; at Naomi's mention that the entire family was coming in she was moved into a side room, and she was very pleased about it.

The whole family didn't do any of that step-brother/step-sister thing, so Matt was first to have his new baby brother placed onto his lap and into his arms.

His face erupted in smiles, and Naomi was just too far to reach for his hand, he looked at her and smiled, and fat tears ran down her face. Carolyn was stood behind Mattie's chair and was looking down at her latest sibling with real pride on her face.

Since Naomi and Rob had married and moved into the same room, the flat was finally given up as her room, so she could finish her degree in some kind of peace. Naomi's wages had added to the family income so even though Rob had always been reasonably well off, they could all now live very comfortably without the £400 per month the flat could bring in.

Next, Carolyn held her new brother and rocked him gently murmuring sweetly and ducking down level to where Lizzie was sat, and handed him over, still watching his sleepy face.

Lizzie couldn't stop smiling; she'd admitted one day to Naomi that they'd never had a baby in the house and she was really looking forward to it. Carla, overjoyed to see her mummy after even the briefest separation had sat patiently in the chair beside the bed waiting for her turn to meet her new brother. She was finally not the baby of the house and at last her Daddy lowered her new brother in her arms.

She hugged him to her and beamed at Naomi,

"Thank you for my new brother Mummy," she said.

Naomi leaned across and kissed her, and with her eyes closed remembered her own childhood and foster parents. She opened her eyes, gave a slight shake and looked again at Carla, her daughter.

"You'll always be my baby girl," she whispered in her ear, "always".

Paul polished his glasses with the end of the T-shirt and, seeing his look, Naomi asked him if he'd like to 'get used' to holding his new brother. Paul looked quizzically at the tiny person, and saw the sense in Naomi's suggestion; he'd have to do it sometime, best to start now.

Rob bent to his wife,

"Paul is so lucky to have you," he kissed her cheek looking across to their son holding their new son, "Not half as lucky as I am though."

He kissed her on the lips.

A nurse stopped and spoke,

"Doctor says you can go home this evening Mrs Stanley."

Her bag was packed in moments and she walked downstairs and climbed into the new Torneo van that they'd bought prior to the baby's arrival. He was strapped into a baby seat next to Naomi in the front, and as she checked his temperature she looked back at the family, her family, and knew that life could not get any more perfect.

It could of course and did; two years later their daughter Claire was born, it was a nine seater after all...

The End.