Chapter 78
Chapter seventy-eight
Billy walked off in silence, but waited at the end of the corridor, away from listening ears and prying eyes. When Rosa joined her, there was a moment where they just stared at one another, and doubt slid under Rosa’s skin.
“I just—” she managed to get out before Billy’s finger landed on her lips.
“Don’t ruin it.” She half-smiled but remained quiet for a moment longer. The finger didn’t move, and neither did Rosa. “I’m trying to process everything. Okay? Just give me a second.”
Rosa nodded and the finger moved away. It hit her suddenly how much she liked that side of Billy. There was something ridiculously attractive about the way Billy took charge of her own emotions.
Billy’s mouth opened as though she was going to speak, then closed again as she thought better of it.
Eventually, she said, “I need to ask questions, but I’m worried that will take the element of romance out of it, so…I’m going to answer first, but then—”
“Then you have questions?” Rosa finished for her.
“Yes,” Billy said.
Rosa waited a beat. “Is that ‘yes’ to ‘then you’ll have questions’, or ‘yes’ is the answer?”
Billy grinned. “Both.”
They took a seat in the cafeteria at a table by the window. The smell of cabbage and coffee wafted in the air around them, but it wasn’t intrusive enough to bother them.
Rosa stirred her tea. Billy stared out into the small garden—empty now, but in summer it’d be full of tables and people.
“I guess I’m trying to work out where this has come from,” Billy said. “Last time we kind of talked about the future, you weren’t sure you wanted to live with anyone again, and now…to be honest, I thought I’d be the one getting down on one knee again.”
Rosa lifted her mug and blew across the top.
“I’m still not sure I want to live with anyone again,” Rosa answered honestly. “But if nothing else, watching Meredith and Schultz, and imagining you and me like that, I know I can’t go back to a life without you.”
Billy looked at Rosa, smiled, but shook her head. Curls bouncing, she laughed. “God, we’re a pair, aren’t we?” She leaned forward and held out her hand. Rosa took it—without the slightest hesitation. “I don’t want a big wedding. We’ve done that. This time, I want it to be just about us. Family.”
“Alright.” Rosa smiled. “But we’re having a proper honeymoon this time.” The first had been a last-minute, long weekend in Bilbao. Hardly the stuff of romance novels.
Billy pulled Rosa’s hand towards her lips and kissed the back of it. “Oh, we’re having a honeymoon, and Imogen isn’t coming with us.”
“I’m pretty sure she won’t want to.” Rosa took her hand back. “Eat your sandwich.”
Picking it up, Billy’s eyes stayed on Rosa. “You really want to get married?”
“Yes. If we’re going to do this again, then I think we should do it properly.
And when we get older, I want to be like them.
” She thumbed over her shoulder, indicating the direction of Billy’s parents.
“I want that. I want you by my side. I want to know someone in this world will be there with me if I should become unwell, and I want to be the one who comforts you should that be the case.”
“So, you’re marrying me for the rights to decide my medical treatment?” Billy smirked before taking another bite.
“If it’s not me, you’d be stuck with Imogen.” Rosa winked, enjoying teasing Billy.
“Oh, good point. She’d switch me off for a new pair of trainers.” Billy grinned when Rosa burst into laughter. “I like it when you do that.” Billy waited until Rosa had semi-composed herself. “The way you laugh—I’ve missed that.”
“We had so many good times,” Rosa agreed. “And we will again.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait until it’s the right time to tell them.
I’m sorry I blurted it all out like that in the corridor.
I wasn’t planning to… I guess I didn’t really think enough about it.
One minute I was listening to everyone and then next, my mind had drifted and all I knew was I had to marry you again. ”
Billy was about to speak when she caught sight of Imogen over Rosa’s shoulder. “Incoming,” she muttered, and took another bite of her sandwich. “Hey, you,” she said loudly as Imogen came into earshot. “I thought you were coming after we got back?”
Imogen shrugged. “Grandpa needs some more tests and scans, so we got chucked out.” She took the empty seat beside Rosa. “Gran’s getting food. Told me to come and join you.”
“Well, it’s nice to have you here.” Rosa patted Imogen’s arm. “The sandwiches are good.”
“I’m having a burger,” Imogen said around a yawn.
“Charming, darling. Maybe try covering your mouth next time,” Rosa suggested.
Billy and Imogen rolled their eyes at each other and tried not to laugh.
“I think Gran is tired,” Imogen said, changing the subject. “Maybe we should take her home for a nap and then come back later when Grandpa is done with his tests.”
Billy finished the last mouthful of her sandwich and said, “Why don’t you tell her that? Just let us know when you plan to, and we can take a step back and out of the firing line.”
Rosa laughed. “It’s a good idea, darling, but Billy is right. Your Gran won’t want to leave Schultz for a moment longer than she needs to.” She glanced at Billy as she added, “I know I wouldn’t.”
“Me either,” Billy replied, “but…I imagine they will kick us out earlier now he’s in a room and not in intensive care.”
“You can tell her that, then.” Imogen grinned. “She’s coming.”
They all looked around and found Meredith carrying a tray. Billy got up and took it from her.
“I’d have come and helped,” Billy said to her.
“I’m not an invalid, Billy,” Meredith answered.
“If there is one thing you’re not, Meredith, it’s someone incapable,” Rosa agreed. Even now, in the worst moments of her life, Meredith was put together—smartly dressed, hair brushed, makeup perfectly applied.
“Thank you, Rosa.” Meredith took her seat while Billy set everything down: coffee, a Coke with ice, and a glass with a wooden spoon marked twelve. “They’ll bring your burger over when it’s cooked. I ordered chips too. I thought we could share them.”
“Ma thinks they won’t let us stay late now Grandpa is in a room and out of intensive care,” Imogen said, opening the Coke. She took a swig straight out of the can, only for it to be taken from her by Rosa and poured into the glass.
“You have no idea what has crawled over that in storage, Immy.” Rosa screwed up her face at the thought.
“You know I drink out of them all the time when you’re not around, right? I could literally have the plague already.”
Rosa glared at her, but it was Billy who stepped in. “Immy, now isn’t the time to be picking a fight over something that really doesn’t matter.”
Imogen blew out her cheeks. “Fiiine,” she said, dragging the word out as much as she could.
Meredith smiled at her antics, then ignored them. “I’m sure they will kick us out. And I’m not happy about leaving him, but he’s exhausted and the rest will do him good—as it will you, young lady, I’m sure.”
Imogen frowned. “I’m not tired,” she argued, then as if her body was betraying her, she yawned.