Our Love (Advent Calendar 2015)

EPILOGUE: The 31st of December

Rob walks into the pub, scanning the crowd, searching for his friends. His eyes land on a smiling Tom. He smiles back and walks over to him and their other friends. They greet each other with smiles and hugs.

As Rob's opening the beer he's just been handed, Sam asks, "so... where is she?"

"Who?"

"The Queen," Marcus says. Rob furrows his brow. Marcus rolls his eyes. "Kristen, you wanker!"

"Who says that she's comin-" his friends all raise their eyebrows at him "-okay, she'll be here in a few minutes," he admits chuckling.

He starts chatting with Marcus and some of their other friends, discussing the best matches of the year. The small pub on the Isle of Wight is filled with laughter and happiness, and soon love is to be added to the mix. When Rob sees Tom and Sam smiling at someone behind him, he turns around to see who it is. When he notices Kristen by the door, his lips break out into a huge grin. She gives him a slight wave and walks over to him and their friends.

"Hey babe," she greets him, stroking his forearm lightly. "Hey," he says smiling, leaning down to place a kiss on her mouth. When they pull back, he puts his arm around her shoulder and pulls her close against his side. They look up at their friends, and see that they're all wearing matching shocked expressions on their faces.

"Hey guys..." Kristen says, furrowing her brow, concerned about their British friends.

Rob pushes his eyebrows together in confusion as well. Then he realises: "fuck, we haven't told them."

When they got back to their London flat on the 25th, Rob had planned to call his friends and tell them the great news, but he didn't even have time to pull his phone out of his pocket before Kristen jumped him and attacked him with her lips and hands; he pretty quickly forgot everything about calling his friends.

"Told us what?" Bobby asks.

"Uh, Kristen and I, we're, uhm, we're kinda back together," Rob announces, failing to hold in his smile.

Their group of English friends starts hollering and whistling with joy. Rob and Kristen chuckle at them.

They all sit down and order their food. Rob sits next to Kristen, stroking her thigh. She places a light kiss on his shoulder, smiling against his t-shirt. The friends sitting across from them all have big grins on their faces, happy to see Rob and Kristen like this together again.

Everyone is eating and chatting around the table when the familiar, piercing sound of a knife hitting a glass quietens all chatter, and everyone looks to Tom.

"I'd just like to propose a toast. To the new year, and the former one. It's gonna be a good year. I'm gonna be a father for the second time-" He puffs his chest out with pride. Sienna smiles at him. "-and it has been a good year. At least the last part of it has been really good, I think. Rob and Kristen have finally pulled their heads out of their arses and realised how bloody in love they are with each other. I wonder how long it'll take before we get a wedding invitation," Tom says jokingly. Everyone chuckles apart from Robert and Kristen. They exchange a quick glance, Kristen biting her lip. Their friends notice, including Tom.

"What? No! No way. You're engaged?"

All eyes are on Rob and Kristen. Kristen squirms in her seat, Rob clears his throat before he speaks.

"Yes."

Their friends are too shocked to say anything.

"Really?" Tom asks.