The Ultimate Gentleman (Part 2)

Twenty Nine

"For the love of god. Lottie!! I told you, do not leave your toys on the landing!!" Holly yelled with a basket of laundry under her arm. She thought back to years prior when she insisted Hilda went part time as she could run the house easily. Now with four children and a Johnny under her roof it was a difficult task let alone in between pregnancy symptoms.
"Pippa!! Give that back!!" She heard Jack yell. "Pip!! Can you get out your brother's room please??" Holly yelled. The toddler came out looking sheepish with a fist full of paintbrushes. After wrestling them off her youngest, Holly made her way down the stairs and heard Johnny blaring music from his office. I mean what was the point of having a sound proofed studio in the house if he was gonna just blare music in his office opposite? Rolling her eyes she headed down to the laundry room and began piling the clothes into the machine. She heard the buzzer go, and waited for it to stop. It didn't. She rolled her eyes as it went off for a third time, with a husband, two grown up children in the house and a security detail in the annex could somebody not answer the door? With a huff she began climbing the stairs to the ground floor. "Can somebody get that??" She yelled with no response. "Anyone???" She rolled her eyes once more. "Don't worry, I'll go!" She said talking to herself, she approached the intercom but nobody was at the gate. She checked the camera once more and saw nothing, rolling her eyes before a large knock on the front door was heard. Her eyes went wide, surely somebody wouldn't have been allowed access unless they were on the approved list? She slowly approached the front door and sighed before opening it.

"SURPRISE!!!!!!" Yelled Kate, Emily and Tara, her three closest girlfriends from school, their children, and Jamie and Max were stood there with flowers and balloons. "Happy Birthday!!!" Gushed Kate wrapping her arms around the woman. "Well for Wednesday anyway." She was hugged by Emily, and then Tara, who let's face it was more interested in seeing Travis her longterm boyfriend. "Surprise Auntie Hols!!!" Stanley yelled from his spot beside his mother. Holly scooped him up onto her hip "thank you little man!! Come in, come in!!" Holly beamed. "What's going on? How are you all here??" She said hugging the guys and then returning to the girls once more. "Happy Birthday..." she heard her husband say from behind her where he was stood on the stairs with Pippa on his hip, and the other three children around him. "You organised this?" Holly asked. "Well yeah... you said you didn't want a fuss. Well we wanted to make a fuss over you." He said proudly. "Tara!!" Travis said loudly as he emerged from the security office and swept her up in a large hug and span her round. Soon Theo her 4 year old was yanking at his trousers wanting similar attentions, when initially he didn't get a response the four year old stomped his foot. "Daddy!!" He yelled loudly silencing everyone. The comment made Tara's eyes widen. "He umm..." Travis began before Tara kept her face hidden in her boyfriend's chest where he was cuddling her. "Yes... he did." She said quietly before the group just stopped and stared. "Well I guess you are. In umm every sense?" Tara said pulling back. "But umm we can talk about it, we don't have to get that serious." Travis nodded before smiling. "No, I umm I like it. A lot." He said proudly as Tara beamed. "There's my main guy. How are you buddy??" He said ruffling the child's hair and scooping him up onto his hip. "Come on in guys, get settled." Johnny said welcoming everyone in, easing the tension before finding his wife and kissing her passionately as she thanked him for her lovely surprise.

The guys were in the wine cellar later that day, and the women were in the sitting room with the children all playing nicely together. "Look at Pip, Jessie and Rosie. They are thick as thieves!" Lily said gushing at the three youngest in the corner giggling with one another. "That's the new generation!" Kate said proudly before they turned to Tara. "Come on.. what's up?" Holly asked. "Nothing, nothing. It's just hard, although I love being here and I know Theo and I are staying longer than everyone else. I just know at some stage I have to go home again you know?" "Come on you've been doing this how long?" Emily asked. "Officially? Three years. Almost 5 unofficially." Tara replied. "Well why not get him to move in properly?" Kate asked. "What and quit protecting Holly? Never. I couldn't ask him to do that. Besides he LOVES the job. It's who he is." "Tara. We've often spoken about T taking a step back, he doesn't need to be where the action is all the time." "I know. It's just he lives for it, I couldn't see him sat at a desk working out your travel logistics day in day out could you?" Holly shrugged before the woman added "Besides we are here to celebrate you, not worry about me!!"

Meanwhile in the cellar, Travis turned to the guys who had fast become friends of his. "I need to tell you all something...." "Well shoot..." Johnny said picking up a few bottles and discreetly picking up a few bottles of bubbly too. "I've got a ring." "Hey??" "What??" Said Jamie and Max loudly. "A ring??" Johnny said shocked. "As in an engagement ring?" He added. "Yes.. I've had it ages." "You're gonna ask Tara to marry you??" Jamie said smiling. "Yes... but boss that could mean big changes. I can hardly expect her to marry me and me be in America for months on end. And we've got to think about Theo too. He starts school next year. I've got to be around you know?" Johnny nodded touched actually how well thought through Travis' plan was. "Hey we will work something out. Don't you worry. When are you gonna ask your girl??" "As soon as, if I'm honest..." Max slapped him on the back "Congratulations pal. Welcome to the club!!" "Yeah.. welcome!" Jamie said shaking his hand. "Let's hope she says yes." "She will." Johnny said with a smile. "She would be mad not to."