Forked Roads Back

110 - ARCHIE

TO MAKE SURE SHE was okay, I rang the GP. After a night of getting up and down to the toilet, she was exhausted, and the exhaustion can't have been good for her, let alone the baby.

Although he doesn't usually make house calls, he made an exception when I explained she was so exhausted she couldn't even get out of bed. When he did come, he reassured us both that she was okay, and that the baby was okay, and that it was most likely just a nasty cold from being out in the. He prescribed rest, and for once, Tessa actually listened.

She slept. She really slept. She was asleep on and off for four days.

Millie and I took turns in keeping her company. I've heard Millie in there, recounting every single detail of her US trip. Whenever I was passing, I listened at the door as she tells about the Empire State Building, the Colombia campus, the theme parks, the California desert, Yosemite, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. She talks and talks, allowing Tessa just to rest and listen, and slowly but surely, she starts to get her strength back. When it was my turn, I just slid into bed next to her and we just slept, Tessa exhausted by Millie's captivating stories and me just the warm radiator she needed. She snuggled close, snoring softly, and the two of us would just drift.

With Millie's bakery almost near completion now, our eyes are now turning to more of the big house things. This unfortunately means making decisions, and I still have no idea what I wanted.

"Arch, you can't just paint it one colour," Millie complains, gesturing wildly towards the area of unpainted wall going up the stairs. "It needs to be a forest, or a landscape... just not... yellow." I'd suggested that once and she jumped down my throat. "Anything but yellow."

"Murals have to be thought out and drawn. I haven't done that in-"

I stop when footsteps echo down the stairs just as Tessa comes into view.

"I hope our arguing didn't wake you," I say as she pauses briefly to look up the stairs.

She shakes her head with a smile when she looks at me.

"Not at all. Today's the first day I actually feel like i have strength." She looks back at the walls. "You guys can't decide what to do, huh?"

She has that look in her eye, and I have a feeling a few ideas might be brewing in that beautiful head of hers.

"Archie wants yellow," Millie blurts and I groan.

"I do not want yellow," I tell her again, firmly.

"Well, why did you say it then?"

Tessa laughs, a beautiful chime laugh, and it sounds like music. "Can I help at all? Before it comes to blows."

I put up a finger. "For the record, I did not suggest yellow." She grins and pushes me before I continue as she settles on my lap. "But how's your painting arm these days?" I ask her.

Her expression falters slightly but she's still smiling. "I haven't drawn for a while to be honest." She frowns. "Not since Art A-Level."

The thought saddens me, as she was always so good at it at school. She sees my expression and her smile lessens too.

"Well, let's get you drawing again then, shall we?" I lift my smile back up to my cheeks and Tessa's grows too. "You're okay if we head upstairs?" I ask Millie.

"Yeah 'course," she says, giving me a knowing smile and we head upstairs. "I'm experimenting so you may not want to be around for that."

Tessa and I both laugh as she leaves the room, but I kiss her cheek quickly before we head upstairs. I bring her into the guest room first, where Millie and I have no idea where to begin.