Short Kings Anthem

Part 24

"It still doesn't feel real somehow," Lauren mused as she looked around the emptying apartment. Her and Chris had picked up the keys the day before, the moving truck was outside and the pair along with Cal and Harry's help were placing boxes in the van. There were a few important boxes which were in the car.

"You're not changing your mind are you?" Chris chuckled slightly nervously as he placed an arm around Lauren and planted a kiss on her head.

"Get a room guys," Cal said before pretending to be sick.

"Although I think you can do it from now and my prediction will now be right so as soon as you get to the new house go wild," Harry chipped in and Lauren groaned.

"Are you still on this? Have you seriously not got anything better to do?" Lauren groaned and removed herself from Chris's embrace and went to see the progress of the truck.

Nearly half an hour and a multitude of boxes later everything was ready to go. Lauren locked the door for the final time and turned to Cal and Harry with tears in her eyes.

"Okay this bit sucks," Lauren choked out.

"We're going to spend a long weekend together soon, you'll be sick of us!" Harry replied and nudged Lauren slightly on the shoulder. Chris had told Arthur about wanting to go away and it had snowballed into a group of them now going skiing, Lauren and Chris would then be making their way over to Iceland after, hopefully without any broken bones.

"I know. Just the end of an era." Lauren parroted what Harry had said before and the two hugged before she turned to Freezy.

"Thank you for all of the weird and wonderful food!" Lauren said as she went as high on her tiptoes as possible.

"Look after her," Cal said to Chris and the much smaller man nodded.

"Every day," Chris replied and took Lauren's hand in his before giving it a little squeeze. They swapped some 'see you soon's' and before long Lauren was sat in the driver's seat of her BMW iX Chris next to her hand on her leg and they were on their way to their new life together.

"This all feels very grown up," Lauren commented after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"I know, when I told my friends from Jersey they all called me an old man. Although house prices in Jersey are crazy high, even compared to London.

"Yeah but no tax so swings and roundabouts."

"Are you happy?" Chris asked after a few more moments of silence.

"Very," Lauren replied and flashed Chris a very wide smile as they were currently at a red traffic light. Chris sent one back, showing his smile lines which Lauren loved so much and he squeezed his hand which was still resting on her leg.

"Good. Me too," he replied. Lauren was about to speak but the light was about to turn green so she closed her mouth and instead focused on the road.

The couple beat the moving truck which didn't come as a surprise to them, they passed it on the roads miles back. Lauren had the keys in her hand and she let out a little girlish squeal as Chris placed his hand on hers and they both opened the door together.

"I'm surprised you didn't pick me up and carry me in," Lauren joked to Chris when they were firmly inside their new living room, their's. It felt so weird to think but so lovely, it was like they were truly starting their lives together away from the pain of any ex's.

"One day," Chris gave his biggest hint yet that he was planning something. Lauren started to giggle like a schoolgirl, it was crazy the effect he had on her, there was little things he did or said which just made her feel giddy and he was exactly the same with her. The more he thought about it, the more he was absolutely sure she was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and was regretting leaving the ring back in Jersey as a just in case.

"I look at my life nine months ago and I just can't believe how much has changed. I didn't believe that I would be here, be happy, have my shit together again and it's all because of you." Lauren turned to Chris and placed a hand on his elbow. He wasted no time in pulling Lauren in for a hug, his love language was touch and so was Lauren's so hugs were common place but every now and then there were really special moments like this one where it felt like they were the only two people in the world who simply moulded together perfectly and this was one of those times.

"You know I would give you the world if I could," Chris said, his voice slightly muffled as his chin was resting on Lauren's hair on the top of her head.

"You already have," Lauren replied. The only thing missing was Maple who was staying with Cal and Harry for two nights while the pair got the house ready not having to worry about crushing the tiny dog while trying to set furniture down. It made the emotional goodbye all a bit silly considering they would be seeing them again to pick up the dog and settle her in their new home before holiday. Maple was an incredibly chill dog when it came to change, she didn't mind being looked after by other people so it was a lot easier for Lauren and Chris to plan some trips away. Of course they planned on taking her with them when they next went to Jersey, knowing she would love some of the walks.

When the truck arrived the movers helped to put boxes and the bulky items in the correct rooms and then Chris and Lauren took it from there. They had set off from the flat at around nine AM that morning and by the time they had sat down on the temporary chairs until their sofa was delivered the next day it was nearing seven pm.

"I don't think I need to go to the gym tomorrow," Chris groaned as he finally sat down.

"I know, my arms are going to ache tomorrow!" Lauren replied letting go of a satisfied sigh, they had already moved gym membership to a local one but it didn't look like they would need it currently with all the lifting they did.

"What did you think about putting the Christmas tree over there?" Chris pointed to a spot in the corner which was currently occupied by some power tools. He wasn't usually a big Christmas fanatic, he liked it but didn't go overboard with it. There was something about this year and it being his first with Lauren that excited him and hopefully it would be the first of many. Lauren loved Christmas, she wasn't a put the decorations up first of November person but she enjoyed the magic of it and has done since she became an aunt. She didn't have a lot of family left so really embraced the ones she did have and spent time with them, that led her to think about what she would do this year, it was almost a guarantee Chris would want to go to Jersey at some point.

"I think it would look good. Do you usually go home for Christmas? I tend to go to my brother's in Canterbury," Lauren explained.

"Usually do but I was thinking as it's our first Christmas in our new home maybe we could have a quiet one here, just me, you and Maple? If you wanted to go to Jersey we could go for new year? I can't promise it will be out of control, wild and exciting but there's some lovely spots on the beach to watch fireworks," Chris suggested.

"You know what? That sounds perfect."