Valentine's Dinner?

63. Increasing Comfort

Valerie and Lorne had almost finished dressing when there was a knock on the door to their suite, followed by a muffled voice. "Mummy, please may I come in?"

Lorne zipped his fly and buckled his belt as he strode across the room to the door and opened it. "Yes, you may."

"Daddy! When did you get home? We've been waiting for you."

"A while ago." He spread his arms and Chloe stepped into a hug.

"Oh!" She tilted her head up with a quizzical expression. "How did you sneak past? I've been in the foyer reading and watching for you for the past two and a quarter hours, and Chianti's been lying at the door."

"Maybe I climbed the façade and came in through the window." Lorne chuckled as he moved a stray plait of hair from her cheek."

"Why would you do that?" She scowled then giggled. "No, you didn't. You're joshing, Daddy."

"Maybe I arrived before you began your vigil."

"That makes more sense. So, why have you ... Oh!" She grinned as she looked at her mother, the bed and then back into Lorne's eyes. "I see."

Valerie adjusted the sleeves of her jumper as she joined them at the door. "We were just about to head down, Sweetheart. What were you reading?"

"On my iPad – reviews on alternatives to Autodesk Homestyler."

"Why do you need alternatives? I thought you were impressed with Mrs Haskett's software."

"I was until I discovered it's for PC only and not available for Mac."

"Hmmm. So you came up to ask my opinion? I know nothing about interior design software."

"No, not that. George sent me up to ask when you wanted dinner."

Valerie pointed out through the doorway. "Well then, let's head down and tell him we'll eat whenever it's ready." She linked her arm in Lorne's and led the way to the stairs. When they reached the floor below, she paused. Still a tad confused. No place to relax down there. "We'll sit here while you go tell George, Sweetheart."

Lorne pointed toward the furnished end of the drawing room. "No, I'll go talk with him; you relax here." As he headed around to the descending stairs, he continued, "I need to find out what we're having so I can choose an appropriate wine."

As they settled into one of the davenports, Valerie asked Chloe, "So, what do you think? Does it feel like home?"

"I want it to, but it still feels strange."

"How so?"

"Like, we moved here on Monday, but we really didn't move here until today, and I haven't even slept in my bedroom yet."

Valerie nodded. "Yeah, we've been changing beds each night for many days now, haven't we? Today is actually our first day here – our first officially-moved-in day." Oh, God! It really has happened. So fast. From intriguing conversations to respect. To love. To sweeter fucking than I ever imagined –

"Your eyes have gone strange, Mummy. Are you okay?"

"Hmmm." She trembled. "Just thinking about the past few days. So many changes."

Chloe pointed to the front of her mother's jumper. "You're thinking about Daddy, aren't you?"

Valerie glanced down, then blushed. "Yes, Sweetheart." Should have worn pasties. Or a bra.

"This feels like home for you already, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." She bobbed her head as she sighed. "Yeah, it does."