To have and to Hold

pictures,pizza, and a whole lot more

At first Rachel was a little nervous about driving in the new car, but thankfully most of the roads she took were almost empty. So after a while she started to relax as she got used to the feel of it. She even found herself a little flattered that Adam seemed impressed with her driving skills.

By the time they returned back to the apartment, she had quite enjoyed the experience, It left her in a much more upbeat mood, but also reminded her suddenly, that she hadn't really eaten very much all day, and was feeling hungry now.

Adam was feeling similar hunger pangs.

When he remarked on them, Rachel glanced in the direction of the kitchen, "I guess I could make us something," although the thought of actually trying to cook anything in the kitchen was a little daunting for her. Finding it was all unfamiliar and not knowing where anything was. She was also a little concerned she might mess the shiny kitchen up.

Sensing her reluctance, and the fact he didn't really want her cooking on her first night in their new home, Adam suggested they should order something and have it delivered to the door already made.

"Oh pizza would be great!" Rachel exclaimed enthusiastically

In truth Adam had in mind some more upmarket cuisine than Pizza. But decided not to say anything, deciding to just to along with the Pizza idea, seeing Rachel was so keen on it. Getting on his phone, he found out the nearest pizza place so he could put in their order.

Whilst they waited on the pizza to arrive, Rachel noticed a few personal photo's Adam had around the house. One in particular of his younger brother Kevin and his family who had died.

Kevin was quite different looking in many ways to Adam, he had short sandy hair, and blue eyes and seemed less serious looking than his older brother, Although Rachel could see a little resemblance in the shape of the mouth and nose like Adam.

Adam pointed out to her that Kevin resembled their mother more. To prove it, he went of into his study in search of his photo album to show Rachel more photos of his family.

When the pizza arrived, they ended up sitting together on the sofa, tucking in to their food with relish, and going over Adam's photo album.

Adam had shown Rachel a picture of his mother, and she decided Adam was correct that his younger brother did look a lot more like the woman in the photo, whilst Adam looked more like his father.

But she found herself paying attention the some of the other photographs, especially ones that Adam had of himself with his family on holiday in the Bahamas, when he was about eleven or twelve.

Before today, she had a hard time thinking of him even being a child. So she was delighted to come across the photo's of him looking a little scrawny and awkward, with a mop of unruly dark hair, but smiling and looking relaxed as he posed with his mother and younger brother.. Much to her amusement, he even seemed momentarily sheepish, when she teasingly told him she thought he was a cute kid.

Whilst finishing of her pizza, she reckoned, with some surprise, that this had the first time the two of them actually felt completely relaxed around each other. Adam had even loosened up a little, as he let her into a more personal side of his life, by letting her see the photo's and talking about them.

But as she looked through the photos, especially of Kevin and his pretty dark haired wife Michelle, and their two sons Kevin Junior, and Alex, the youngest, which had been taken just a few weeks before the terrible accident that had ended all their lives. It suddenly made them seem all the more real to Rachel.

It brought it home to her in a bigger way, how devastating and tragic their deaths had been. Her mood became more sombre again

Thinking about the young boys having all their life ahead of them, then it being so horribly cut of, brought tears to her eyes. She imagined the loss Adam had to be feeling, having the distinct impression he had been close to his brother, especially from their mother died.