Happily Ever After?? (Third in the Through The Dark And Free series)

Chapter 3

A few days later, Julie stood in the kitchen preparing dinner.  She heard Harry come down the stairs, and she called out to him.  "Harry?"  She watched him walk towards the kitchen.  "What time is your mom coming?"

"About 3:30 or 4.  She has a few things to do in Holmes Chapel first."  He sat on the stool opposite the counter of Julie.  He reached over and put his hands on hers when he noticed she was a bit anxious.  "Why are you so nervous?  How many times have you been with my mum?  How many times have you cooked for her?"

"I know."  Julie sighed.  "But it just seems different.  She's coming to our home.  A home her son built for me, that we're sharing for the first time, and it just seems like a little more pressure."

This girl. He'd hate to see it if he ever got the courage to ask her to marry him.  "It changes nothing.  Mum's known about this for awhile.  And she knew before that I would ask you at some point.  She knows I'm completely in love with you.  Julie, Mum adores you; she may even love you more than me.  Please stop worrying."

Julie felt a little silly after he put it to her like that.  She and Anne had gotten along wonderfully every time they were together.  She wasn't sure why she felt the need to panic over this.  "You may be right.  She probably does love me more."  Julie took her hands and went back to making dinner.

"There's my girl."  Harry stood up and leaned over and kissed her lips.  "It's going to be perfectly fine."  He smiled at her.  "I'm going to make sure the spare rooms are made up.  Gemma and Michal should be here a bit after Mum.  I'm excited to show them our new place."

"I'm never going to get used to that, am I?"  Julie asked.

"Sure you will.  Cuz it's the only truth now."  He smirked at her as he made his way to the stairs and took them two at a time.

Julie shook her head and continued to cut the potatoes and carrots.  After she put them in the slow cooker with the roast, she looked at her phone which was sitting on the counter.  She still hadn't called and told Panda about the house or the fact that she'd agreed to move in with Harry.  She wasn't sure why, but chalked it up to just enjoying her alone time with her boyfriend in their new home.  She had some time now before she had to shower and get ready, so it'd be a good time.  Except that Amanda was in the States with Niall right now.  She thought about the time difference and had to pull up Niall's tour schedule.  She scrolled to the beginning of August saw that he was on the West Coast.  Ok, so it was 9 am here, which would make it 1 am in California.  It was likely Amanda was still awake.  She decided to text her to be safe.  She sent a brief.  "If you're still awake, call me.  If you're not, call me when you wake.  Love you, JJ."

Julie set her phone down and made herself a cup of coffee, and before she even pressed the button, her phone rang.  Amanda must still be up.  When Julie picked up the phone, she was surprised at the name on it.  Weird.  She put it up to her ear.  "Hey, Marcus.  How are you?  I'm a bit surprised to hear from you when it's 1 am there."

"Hey, JJ.  Yeah, sorry to call you so early.  Or is it?  Well, either way."  Marcus laughed.  "Figured it'd be a good time to catch you."

"Yeah, it's fine.  What's going on?"  Julie asked.  She still talked to Marcus pretty regularly, but mostly when she was in LA.  He generally didn't call when she was out of the country.  "Can't say I'm not curious why you called."

"Yeah."  Marcus stopped for a minute.  Initially he knew why he'd called.  He needed to talk to someone.  And she was always good at listening.  Hearing him out completely before she said anything.

"Yeah?  Marcus, are you ok?"  Julie asked as she poured creamer into her coffee.  "What's wrong?  Did something happen?"

"I'm sorry, yes, something did happen."  Marcus let out a breath.  "I probably shouldn't have called you."