A Different Class - 28 The End

Chapter 28 - The End

Rebecca looked in the mirror and sighed, she was huge. There was no way she could go to this ball. It was ridiculous. The peacock blue gown should bring out the blue of her eyes, but with her huge distended abdomen, all she could see was the beach ball she felt she'd become.

With another sigh she dissolved into tears. 

Nate heard the sob and climbed the stairs at a jog. In the month since they'd moved into their town house in an exclusive London neighbourhood, Rebecca had been unsettled. He knew that since their wedding, and so rapidly after that had been Christmas, then the move to the new house, she'd barely had the time to get to grips with her expanding body and the changes that the future would hold. Then there was the reconciliation with her family. Poor Becca he thought as he reached the bathroom. She had really had a tough few months.

She took his breath away, over the last few months he'd been in awe of the changes her body made, the way it expanded to accommodate his baby, those divine breasts, the long shapely legs that seemed to defy gravity and support her asymmetrical body. Smiling he crossed to her and took her hands.

"Hey babe, what's the matter?"

Bec looked up at him, mascara-laden tears coursing over her face, "Look at me!"

He walked up to stand behind her, and linked his arms around her, settling them over her stomach, "look at what?" He rubbed his hands lovingly over her, "you are THE most desirable woman I have ever met. And I have to say, that the last few months you have become more and more sexy!"  As she made to protest verbally, he planted his lips on her neck, his hands rising to her ample breasts. "I've always loved you...and these...but now...beautiful." He gave her stomach, hips and then her face the same attention to detail. Turning her in his arms, he devoured her lips greedily before eventually holding her at arm's length. "Look the last few months have been hectic, but we have this new home,  and we have a date with your family for a huge party to celebrate Aunt Bea's Eightieth birthday, and as far as I recall you are the unofficial guest of honour!"

Rebecca groaned and closed her eyes, "I look like an over inflated beach ball!"

Nate cupped her face in his hands, "NO! You look beautiful. I love you...you know that! And pregnancy has only made you sexier...Let's go and Wow the crowds Mrs Groves...we can always come home early if you're shattered. Ok?"

Nodding she agreed reluctantly. It was still a lot later when she had reapplied her make up and was sure that she was really happy to leave the house. The drive to the Burford-Mills' home took ninety minutes, and when they pulled up at the regal doorway, they were both aware they were later than planned.

It had been a hard reconciliation with Michael, Bea and the rest of the family for Rebecca, and Nate wished he could make things better. She was angry, resentful and they were filled with guilt. It was a hard combination, and the only thing Nate was sure of, was that the last thing his wife...he still scared himself with that word, his wife and baby needed was that sort of stress.

"Do you want to go home? You look really pale!"

Rebecca took his hand and squeezed it, "I'm always tired at the moment, you know that. But I want to be here. It's important!"

He nodded, "well I won't touch a drop of wine and I'll drive you home. Ok?"

Smiling she tucked her hand into his elbow and nodded towards the door to the house, "shall we?"

It was a beautiful sight, the illuminated ballroom filled with elegantly dressed people milling around. Michael instantly rushed over when he saw them enter the room, and other than a glancing smile at Nate, he was completely focused on Rebecca.

"I'm so glad you came! Gran will be so pleased!"

Bec accepted his hug generously, she was growing to really like her cousin, he was so friendly and so understanding. "I wouldn't have missed it!"

He nodded "are you up to meeting more of the family, or shall I tell them all to stand back?"

Nate placed an arm around her shoulder, "she's a bit tired Mike..."

"She's thirty five weeks pregnant boys! Of course she's tired, and no she's not up to meeting the rabble!"

All three spun around to see Bea stood there, a vision in a silver intricate floor length dress, beautiful and elegant, her grey hair pulled up in to a regal pleat.

"Aunt Bea!" Bec sighed favourably, "you look stunning! I'd love to have an ounce of your class!"

The older woman pulled her granddaughter into a warm embrace, "you've got more class than anyone in this room Rebecca Groves, and don't you forget that." For a moment tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked furiously, "I never thought I'd have Peter's child here at my birthday...it's a dream come true Rebecca, it really is!"

She linked her arm through Bec's, "come and sit, you've got a seat at out table. You look like you could rest those legs." With a giggle and a glance over her shoulder, Bec allowed her grandmother to lead her across the room.

Bea protected her from everyone, letting her relax before the meal started. And it wasn't until they were sat for dinner, that she spotted Sir Edward across the room, holding court at a table in the typical gaudy and noisy way that he did. Immediately her eyes snapped up to Bea who was studying her from across the table. Bec felt horrendously betrayed. She hadn't seen Nate's father for months, and had no desire to. But he was here, with his thick skin and rude ways.

"Let him disgrace himself," Bea whispered. 

Nate spotting the whispers followed the glances of the women and froze.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" he hissed at Bea and Michael. Both glared at him, as did Rebecca, he never swore. "I can't believe you've done this Bea. I promised Becca she wouldn't have to see him again."

Bea sighed, "to not invite him would hint that we're all scared of him. As much as I don't want Rebecca exposed to him, I am making the grandest of statements by having my beautiful granddaughter here in the place of honour beside me. Why do you think he's so overly animated? He's humiliated. And if I know Edward he will hang himself with the rope I've fed him and completely disgrace himself."

Nate shook his head, his arms around Bec protectively, "she's pregnant Bea, she doesn't need stress!"

Nodding Bea smiled, "the only stress is you squeezing her."

Bec contemplated the words of both people for a moment, then realised that if she kept hiding and avoiding Sir Ed then she'd live a life tinged with shame and embarrassment, and that wasn't how it should be. "Aunt Bea's right, I'm fed up with hiding. Let him do his worst Nate," she lifted her hand to cup his cheek, "I've got the best part of him, he can't hurt me anymore."

Nate finally felt relaxed, he'd been tense for longer than he cared to admit, but the last few months, Rebecca was getting stronger and more confident, and now he could at last let out that breath that he felt as though he'd held since the day he first met her. "You sure?"

Her smile was confident and complete.

After a beautiful meal, there was a round of dancing and despite her cumbersome figure, she insisted on joining the people gathered. Nate held her close and waltzed her around the floor, trying his best to avoid anywhere that his father was. 

"I'm going to dance with him...if he asks!" Bec smirked at Nate's look of horror. "I'm not scared Nate, and he is our baby's only grandparent. This really is the last chance saloon. He doesn't deserve that chance, but the baby does. Don't you think?"

Nate had stopped his elegant path across the dance floor and looked down at her, "I think you are too gracious. I want to punch him, scratch his eyes out!"

It was such a girly answer that she chuckled, "is it wrong that I can actually visualise that? Trust me, ok?"

Half an hour later Bea spoke to the gathered room, thanking everyone for their birthday wishes, and telling everyone how happy she was. Glancing at Rebecca she added, "this is a special year for me, and I'm so happy that as I age I'm graced with the good fortune to see mysteries solved and problems cured. As I stand here tonight I am more content than I ever have been!"

"She means you!" Michael leaned in and whispered, and Bec glanced at him with a smile. 

"She's a wonderful woman."

He nodded, "dance?"

Taking his hand she allowed him to lead him onto the dance floor. He wasn't as aware of Sir Ed as Nate had been, and they'd barely seen half the song completed when an oh so familiar voice cut in from her right.

"Can I step in Mills?"

Michael's eyes widened as he recognised first the voice and then the face of Sir Edward Groves, "I don't think..." he stammered completely wrong-footed.

Bec placed a hand on her cousin's arm, "it's ok. Honestly. I'll be fine." With a nod she stepped into the embrace of her father-in-law.

Instantly she knew that things were different. He wasn't as overconfident as he had been, but he was anything but amicable.

"I need my son back in my life."

Staring at him for a moment she formulated a reply, "I honestly think you've done too much. I don't think he wants you any more. You never appreciated him."

Sir Ed's eyes widened in surprise, "maybe...he knows more about...things."

She stopped dead in the middle of the dance floor aware that the already tense crowd who were already straining to hear any snippets of conversation stopped too. Everyone watching the two.

"You mean it's only now that you realise how much Nate does? did? He has run your life for you, kept the house in order, brought up your children...and what did he get for it? You expect him to forget it all? You're crazy!"

Sir Ed looked angry, and she instantly knew it was frustration at the fact that she was right, "you know nothing!"

"I know everything! You're a sad old man who has blown EVERYTHING that mattered to him. And NO one in this room gives a shit about poor old Sir Edward. Your fault. No one else's."

"If he hadn't met you..."

He was interrupted by her laugh, "Nate knew the realism of what his father offered long before I came along. Though I admit that it was your treatment of me that made him take that final step. I pity you, alone and sad, ruing your mistakes." She placed a hand over her stomach protectively, "this baby will have unconditional love and devotion, from two people, and for various reasons neither of it's parents had that. We won't let anything or anyone upset our family. Do you hear?"

He was nodding in a resigned manner, a shadow of the man who she'd met more that a year earlier, when Nate stormed across the room towards them. Grabbing her arm rather forcibly, Nate pulled her from the floor and away from his father. Dragging her out into an adjoining room it was moments before he turned to actually look at her. A grimace marred her face.

"What is it?" He was suddenly the picture of concern.

"You're hurting me!" She glared at his tight grip on her upper arm. Immediately he released her and she rubbed her arm briskly trying to mask the pain he'd caused. He looked devastated, but Rebecca wasn't in the mood to be charitable. "I told you I wanted to talk to him. I finally got somewhere, I think he was realising where he went wrong. I didn't want the door to be permanently closed to him. But you undid that in ten seconds! Stop thinking of yourself Nate. You're not normally so selfish!"

"I...I..." he floundered to reply as the door burst open and Michael dashed in, hot on the heels of Sir Edward.

Spinning around the three men squared up, and within seconds were shouting at each other, over the top of each other, all three egos suddenly wanting to launch at the other.

Rebecca slumped in a chair, she'd struggled to keep up the facade all evening, and things were all a bit much now. Shaking her head she only looked up when Bea entered her line of vision. 

"Are you ok Rebecca darling?"

Nodding in a knowing way, Bec merely smiled.

Placing a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder, she raised her voice, "for God's sake men. can you put down your handbags and stop bickering like children. It's like a kindergarten in here!"

Nate turned, "I'm not having him here...near Becca, he's a bastard!"

"Even she was thinking of giving me a second chance!" his father retaliated, "but then you always were a stubborn bastard!"

Stubborn? Bec could almost laugh at that irony, Nate was many things, but stubborn was definitely not one of them.

"So I DO get some traits from you! There was me presuming that my father was the milkman as I have NOTHING in common with you."

"Gentlemen! Can you please stop making this evening about you?"  All three once again turned apologetically.

"Sorry Bea, this is your party, I had no right!" Nate offered.

Shaking her head, Bea stared at him, "no you had no right Nathaniel Groves. Now please go and get your car. We'll meet you at the front door!"

He flushed red, "are you throwing me out?"

Bea laughed, "you never were a selfish young man, what happened?" He looked puzzled, for the second time in ten minutes he'd been called that, she added, "I think we are in labour!"

If she wasn't in pain, Rebecca would have laughed at his slow motion turn to look at her. She'd hoped the niggly back pain would ease much earlier in the day, but somewhere mid dinner she started to realised that it was more than that. The last hour she'd been having contractions, and the last half an hour they'd been strong...and very regular. Bea had obviously guessed by just looking at her.

In two strides Nate had crossed the room to her, his face a mix of panic, fear and concern. Bec tried to smile, knowing that once this was all over he'd be so angry that he'd let his anger at his father come first, before her, and anger she felt was nothing compared to the self loathing he'd inflict on himself.

"It's ok Nate, honest. We just need to get to hospital."

He nodded trying not to dissolve in panic, for someone so organised he was having a horrendous time trying to think straight. "I'll get the car..."

"I'll drive you!" The voice stunned them both, and they turned to see Sir Edward holding his car keys, "Michael and Bea are needed here, and you'll need to be able to support Rebecca. It's the most logical choice."

Nate made to shake his head, but Rebecca placed a hand on his arm and gave a squeeze, it was a very logical solution.

Bea sighed, "he's right Nathaniel. Rebecca needs you more than you hate the thought of your father helping. Go to hospital, have this baby. Michael will bring your car to you tomorrow."

Nate bewildered looked between the two women as Bec added, "my bag is in the car, can you get that first?"

"You knew?"

She shrugged, "it was always going to come at some point!"

Eight hours later, hot sweaty and completely exhausted, Nate tie undone, shirt loosened, hair very ruffled,  looked down at an equally shattered Bec who cradled their very tiny, very beautiful little girl. Emma-Rose, named after both their mothers, she had a shock of dark hair, and rosebud lips, just like her mother. Nate was completely in awe of both her, and his wife, she'd delivered the baby with so little fuss, the pain had been obvious, but now as she lay there, Emma-Rose in her arms, she looked like the cat that had the cream. 

"I love you," he breathed, looking down at them and knowing that he was referring to them both.  Bec smiled up at him, her brave man, who had found the last twenty four hours so difficult. But as she handed him their little bundle, she thought of all she'd gained since meeting him. Him, this beautiful baby, her new family, who she was starting to realise had missed her more than she thought possible, even Sir Ed had played his part. 

Life was never easy, but as Nate's lips covered hers in a grateful and devoted kiss, she knew that every battle was worth it.