Growing Old With You (Part of Those Three Little Words threequel)

Part 18

28th September 2000
Roger's POV
Being home was nice, especially on our anniversary. It was nice to sit down and just cuddle up together like we did when we were first married. We knew it wasn't really our anniversary since we'd technically been divorced for a few years now but we wanted to get re-married sometime.

"Maybe when the kids grow up we can have a wedding and they can all be there... most of them can't remember it and I'd like them to" Brian said and I hummed, pulling my feet up onto the sofa, "it would be nice. Maybe we should start planning it now, we might be finished by the end of the decade" I laughed and he chuckled, "I know, we're so fussy"

"Mm-mm, not we, you. Sweet, you are the biggest perfectionist I've ever met and, I mean, that's coming from me" I looked at him and his face dropped, "I'm really not, love" he looked down at me and my heart sank when I realised what he was on about, "no... no you're not. But that wasn't with everything, mind, he wasn't always that bad. Not like you"

"Yeah, I guess not" he sighed then pulled me closer to him, "can't believe it's almost nine years... it's gone too quick. I miss him" I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as he put his hand on my head and massaged it a little, "I do too, love. And I'm sure John does, as well. Why don't you give him a call?"

I reached over and grabbed the telephone, dialling in John's home number and holding the receiver up to my ear. It rang for a while then someone picked up, "hello? It's Rog" I smiled and heard a little noise.

"Hi Roger. Um, John's not home at the moment so... do you need him for something?" Veronica asked and my smile dropped.

"Oh... it's okay, I just wanted a chat with him. Can you tell him I called when he comes back?" I asked and there was a hum before another voice was in the background.

"Shh, it's Roger" I heard Veronica day and I could've sworn it was John talking to her.

"Is that-is he there?" I asked and the line went dead on me, "oh... bye then, Ron" I said quietly then put the phone down, tears coming to my eyes for some reason.

I buried my face in Brian's chest and he ran his hand through my hair as I cried everything out, "hey, what's wrong?" He asked once I'd calmed down a little and held my cheeks as I explained everything.

"Everything's going wrong, its nine years this year, John won't talk to me, the kids are all growing up. I need my cats! Where are they?!" I made myself cry more and bundled myself up with a pillow as Brian left me and came back with Rosie. I held her to my chest and petted her soft fur, calming myself down enough for me to carry on, "I just feel so old and I hate it. I hate it so much"

"You're not old, love. You're still young at heart. I mean, most fifty year olds aren't jumping around like you are" he ruffled my hair then got up and looked in the cabinet across the room. "If you really need a pickup then have a look at this" he handed me a brown book and I opened it to see the picture I'd gotten Brian for his birthday stuck onto the first page.

Brian left me on my own as I looked through the pictures of the kids and us until I got to one that I had no idea even existed. It was obviously Brian's creation because there was no way Rory could've done it by herself...

I'll show you.