Hello

Bliss

"Luce, I need a towel please!"

I walked in and found the love of my life covered in milky vomit. Roger laid Henry back down in his baby jumper and pulled his shirt over his head, rolling it into a sticky ball. I returned with a bath towel and let Roger wipe off his 'swanky pins'. I looked at Henry, who just smiled contently at us.

"It's fun to cover daddy in regurgitated breastmilk, isn't it?" I giggled, feeling Roger gently fall into me.

"Lie down on the couch, you hunk cake. I don't want your internal fluids on the carpet too." I demanded, guiding him towards the white leather couch. I could hear Vivienne tutting me for babying him in the back of my head.

"It's not as bad as having to wash it out of THIS hair." I ran my fingers through my mop of curls, grabbing Roger's messy shirt and throwing it in the washing machine. I kissed to top of his head as I lifted Henry up and headed for the stairs.

"Dad better get better or there's no beef stroganoff for him."

"There's beef stroggie?" Roger demanded, flinging up from the couch. So much for being sick!
__________\\_________

"Hey. Lucy made you some dinner in case you didn't feel like eating with us. Uh, if you're not hungry, I can put it in the fridge and you can grab it later?" Roger stumbled through his sentences, opening the spare bedroom door. Vivienne looked up at him, knees against her chest. The bruising around her face had darkened, taking Roger a little by surprise.

"Thanks. I haven't eaten in a while. Are you really okay with me staying here? If you're not, I'll get out of your hair." She replied quietly as Roger sat down beside her slowly, scared he would shatter her.

"Viv, I love having you around. You've stuck by Lucy when I couldn't be here for her. You were her only support when she crashed the car. She adores the shit out of you and I guess I like you too. You stay as long as you want. You'll probably be moved back in by the time tour kicks up again." Roger joked, handing over the bowl of beef stroganoff and a fork. He watched her take the first piece of beef and swallow it, her eyes rolling back in delight.

"God, that's good." She sighed, dipping her fork in again. Roger stood up and walked to the door.

"Hey Rog?" Vivienne began. Roger turned to face her.

"Thank you."

Roger returned to the kitchen as I gently hung up the phone, watching him strut in.

"who was that?" He asked, returning to sit it the table next to Henry, who was watching the world go by out the window. The sun was a most pastel burnt red, it's rays smudged by clouds slowly passing through.

"Matron for Children's Ward wanted to check up on Vivienne. Nothing too important." I reassured. I dished up our two bowls, giving Roger an extra ladle than me. We sat down closer than usual and I rested my head on his shoulder. His left hand laced through mine as he took the first bite.

"You know, Viv was right when she said it was good. Orgasmic, even." Roger complimented with a mouth full of hot food. He looked at Henry, gesturing with his fork.

"I wonder what he's thinkin about"

"Probably my boobs." I joked. Roger cocked an eyebrow at me.

"He isn't the only one." I smacked his upper arm as he completely dissolved in laughter. A voice from the downstairs doorway snapped us back to reality.

"My ex-hippie son and his beautiful wife!"

"In the kitchen, mum!" Roger called in reply as Winifred Taylor made her way up the stairs to us.

"I'm not his wife, Win." I corrected, standing up to greet her.

"Well you should be. That's a hint, Roger Meddows! If she's willing to have your kids, you need to keep her." Winifred demanded over my shoulder as I hugged her.

"Muuuuum, one step at a time." Roger complained. Winifred kissed the top of his head and set her sights on Henry.

"You look healthy and plump! You're basically a man, Henry Oliver. Oh gosh, the things I will tell you about your father when you get older."

"Win, sit down and have dinner. Beef Stroganoff with the approval of Chef Roger." I coaxed, setting another bowl on the table. As she took her seat, I sat down between Roger and Winifred to stop any bickering. Secretly, I just loved being in the middle of it.

"Chef Roger? He burns toast." She scoffed. Roger glared at her and then at me as I snorted with laughter.

"Well she ain't wrong, is she?" I laughed, kissing him quickly. He laughed sarcastically back at me, checking on Henry and returning to his food. I rested one hand on Roger's far shoulder and used the other one to eat my dinner.

"Where's your friend Vivienne, my dear? Roger said she was staying with you." Winifred asked.

"She's in her room. She's not feeling up to being out just at the moment." Roger replied for me as Henry stirred beside him. I checked the clock next to the window, realising it was feeding time once again. My son was making a dairy cow out of me. I stood up and took Henry into my arms as he squirmed.

"I'll be thinking of you." Roger joked as I left the room, shouting at him to shut his mouth.

By the time I finally made it to bed, I collapsed on top of the covers. If my pregnancy had gone perfectly, I would have still been pregnant, not soothing his stomach pains in the darkness as he cried.

"Don't worry about getting in." Roger chuckled gently, inching the blankets down from underneath my body and covering me. I rolled away from him as he hooked his arms around me, resuming our normal sleeping positions.

"I love you." Roger whispered. I twisted myself to come face to face with him.

"I guess you're not too bad yourself." I replied, kissing him deeply and falling asleep in his arms. After a year of being together, I found myself as deeply in love with him as when our relationship was new. I truly felt loved as his hands clasped over my belly, completely ignorant to the fact that it may never return to its original flat state. This was bliss. Our lives were far from perfect, but they were as beautifully peaceful as they could possibly ever be.