Charming Mr Stewart

15b. Significant Other and Company

By the time they'd all helped in devouring Bert's barbeque lamb, salad, and mash, Elle discovered how quickly her entire family had all fallen in love with Dean, especially Maya. For a moment, Elle's heart tugged wildly at the fantasy of a happy family.

Ethan helped Bert clean up. Anna, Harold, and Bree disappeared into the house to help clean dishes and get dessert going. Elle laughed, watching Dean surrounded by the children fighting for his attention.

"Shall I rescue you?" She smiled down at him as he sat there teaching the kids how to make a finger shadow of a rabbit.

He looked up with a smile. "Please."

"Who wants to watch a movie?" Elle asked.

"Me, me, me!" Chirps filled the air with the children all jumped to their feet.

"Right." Elle clapped her hands together. "Plates in the sink, hands washed, and get your little tushes onto the couch. One, two, three." And they darted into the house with a flurry of laughter and shouts, their plates in hand devoid of all food as the debris rained to the ground.

Ethan whistled to Elle. "It's time, Elle!" A wide grin appeared on his face as he left Bert to finish up.

"I would love to join you on the grass, but Ethan will kill me for missing his proposal." She held out her hand to Dean and waited.

It was the first time that evening he had almost had Elle's full, undivided attention. He reached for her hand and pulled himself up, feeling a sensation he could only describe as vertigo at the touch of her hand against his. "Is Ethan about to?"

Elle nodded. "That's what the whole evening's been about."

Dean watched Bert struggle with the barbeque cover. "I have the worst sense of timing." He turned to Elle. "It's a family affair. I am sorry, Elle, I shouldn't have turned up today."

"Mummy!" Maya flung open the screen door, interrupting everything. "Movie."

"Coming!" Elle went to walk away till she realised her hand was still in his.

"See you on the inside." Dean let go and headed for Bert. "Can I give you a hand, Mr Grace?"

"Can't see very well in this blooming light!"

"Let me." Dean tugged at the other end of the folded cover and together they fitted it over the machine.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Bert stood a moment, staring Dean down.

"Of course."

"You like her?"

Dean felt lost for words. He nodded rather too vigorously. "Yes." He shuffled. "I respect Ellenor a lot, and wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Bert glanced through the kitchen window at his wife making tea. "When I first saw Trish, I was exactly where you are, waiting for her to say yes." He turned to Dean with a snort. "Guys in our family do that, I've noticed." He smiled warmly. "I waited a year for Trish, my brother Steve waited God knows how long for his wife to wake up and smell the roses and leave a broken marriage. Then there's Pete, whose story you know well, I guess." Dean nodded. "The poor bugger waited almost a decade." Bert laughed and Dean couldn't help but join him.

"And now we're waiting for Ethan to ask his girl." Bert turned back to the kitchen window.

"Why are you telling me all this, Mr. Grace?"

Bert turned to Dean. "Elle cares about others more than herself." As laughter floated out to them, he dropped his voice. "I just wonder how long you may have to wait, or how long you're willing to wait."