Catherine and Chris were on their way to the Greek Islands and the Italians had gone back to Tuscany. Whether or not they'd go to visit them in the summer, very much depended on Catherine and Chris's success or otherwise in adopting a child. Which just left Jane, who was staying with Graham for the foreseeable future, was the message that had been diluted to make it sound as though this was a good thing and that Harry should be looking forward to his ex-wife gate crashing Finn's birthday. Because for the life of him, no matter what she'd said to Ruth, he was still struggling to understand Jane's motives.

'Tell me again what she said?' he asked her, as he sat at the kitchen table, supposed to be peeling carrots, rather than watching Ruth who was gazing out of the window and dreaming about warmer climes. The other ingredients of the casserole, simmering on the side, which meant that life had returned to what approximated normal for a few days and they were less likely to be interrupted. The boys calm. Curled up on the sofa and watching a Wallace and Gromit DVD.

'Why?' Seemed reasonable, because as far as Ruth was concerned, it was all done and dusted. OK so Harry holding Jane at arms- length as though she'd been an exploding firework when he'd danced with her, might not have been his best decision on the night, but she doubted that anyone other than she or Jane would have noticed. What she didn't want, was for this to turn into one of those in-depth question and answer sessions without a resolution, when all that was required was for Harry to let it go.

'Jane's acceptance and I do mean acceptance, comes from her having seen you dancing with Finn,' she told him.

'When you were laughing.'

'Not in the sense that I thought you looked ridiculous.'

'Which I did.'

'You're missing the point here and please don't say that you do that frequently, just hear me out Harry. I hadn't realised it at the time, but when you and Finn were what I'd call jiggling about, Jane wasn't just looking at you Harry, she was looking at me. There must have been something in my expression, because as soon as the dance finished and you disappeared in the direction of the gents, Jane said that she'd never been able to love you, in the way that I do. She didn't actually use the word, but she was jealous of her children Harry. How they took up what was left of the day when you came home. Whereas Jane realised that I embrace the time that you invest in Thomas and now Finn. She's buried her demons Harry and I know that it's not ideal, but I'm sure that her wanting to come here again, is to prove, if only to herself, that she finally understands what makes you tick. Because whether like it or not, she's already spending time with Alice and if Catherine and Chris do have a child, this won't be the last time that we'll see Jane in our house. Anyway, before all that, there's the not so small matter of us choosing a dog tomorrow.'

.

As long as it doesn't look like whisky, he didn't need to tell her. He'd adored that dog and had been beside himself, when he come back upstairs and told her. Harry rarely cried, but he had then and so much so that she'd needed to keep the boys occupied, until he'd recovered sufficiently that they could tell them. Thomas had known, he could read his dad's mind almost as well as she could and he'd stuck very close to Harry that day. Keeping him occupied with all sorts of distractions and she loved him for it. The decision as to what they came home with today though, would be entirely Harrys, she was determined about that.

As it had been the first time that they'd gone to the pet rescue centre and Whisky had chosen them, rather than they him, the pleading faces and wagging tails were overwhelming. If Harry had had his way, he'd have taken them all home, but in the end, they came away with a small dog called Molly, who closely resembled his beloved Scarlet. Assured as they had been the previous time, that they could take Molly on a two-week trial basis and that if they weren't happy, they could bring her back, she was destined to be theirs from the moment that Harry had clapped eyes on her. House trained, good with small children and as he had with Whisky, he handed over his donation, thanked the woman in charge and carried Molly out to the car. Before heading into town to visit the local pet shop. Because Whisky's bed, lead and toys, Harry had buried with him in the field at the end of the garden and this way, he and Molly could make a new start.

A start which meant that Molly was going to sleep in different corner of the sitting room, but with the rules that had governed Whisky's existence and had seen him living a long and healthy life, still in place. Which meant that Finn already knew, that whatever the weather, that Molly needed to have a morning walk. One that would include him. To school during the week and at the weekends, across the fields or on the beach. That of course was true. But what was also true, was that Harry was imagining the long walks that he and Molly would take on their own, when the boys and Ruth were at school. Added to which Molly was female and if he could charm Jane with his behaviour, then he and Molly were going to become firm friends. Which meant that by the time that Ruth opened the front door and Molly trotted in, she was already Harry's dog.

Finn of course having other ideas, the expression on his face one of pure joy as he knelt down and patted Molly. Telling her to roll over so that he could tickle her tummy. That he was going to teach her all sorts of tricks, just as Harry had with Scarlet, though he'd never confess to any of it, hadn't been in the plan. Except that now and just as it had been with Thomas when he'd been the same age and they'd come home with Whisky, Harry surrendered, if only temporarily, to the needs of a small boy.

.

All of which was just before Finn's birthday, which they were still planning to be a simple and let's take it as it comes day. Along with New Year's Eve, which the previous year, had passed almost unnoticed. Whereas this year they'd promised Thomas and by extension Finn, that they'd go to the organised celebration in the village. Malcolm having said that he was more than happy to come and look after Molly and had been invited to stay overnight, about to arrive. Happy to watch whatever was on TV until the family came home, in a warm and comfortable environment and with the invitation to help himself to whatever he fancied from the fridge.

'It's very slippery underfoot, you'll need to be careful,' he told Harry, who had anticipated as much and was why they were leaving with enough time to negotiate the winding road in the dark. Finn who had grown in all senses during the course of a year, wearing his new boots, gloves and a warm bobble hat that had been presents from Catherine and Chris. Wide eyed at the prospect of going out so late. Thomas in charge of ensuring that he didn't fall over and was keeping close to one side of the lane, with Harry and Ruth on the other. Walk in the middle and there was every chance that they'd slip and slide in the car tracks made by the postie or by their car. The torches that both Harry and Thomas were carrying, plus the light from the bonfire on the village green, helping them to a degree and in the boy's cases, with the additional promise of something to eat.

Even before they'd left home, Ruth had known that as soon as she saw the bonfire and felt the anticipation of the crowd, that she'd go into a reflective mood. Not a negative one, but one that encompassed everything that was good about them living here. As if the village was wrapping its arms around them. Telling them that whatever surprises she and Harry wreaked on it, that it was alright. None more so than this year, when Catherine had got married and Finn was heading into the New Year as their child. This beautiful little boy, who by accident, had wormed his way into their hearts and their lives. Completing them. Which begged the question and despite what she'd said to Harry, was it wrong of her to be glad that Jane was spending the evening with Graham and Lucy? She thought not. This was their night as a family.

'This is lovely isn't it,' she told Harry, when they reached the top of the hill and he bent down to pick Finn up. Thomas linking his arm through hers as they headed in the direction of the church hall, where the smell of sausages and despite herself, burgers, were making her tummy rumble. Happy smiling faces and not only children, most of whom she recognised, confirming what she'd been thinking.

The four of them which became six, when Michael tapped Harry on the shoulder and said that Rose would be here in a moment. Their children were spending the evening with their grandparents thank the lord, was said with a glance heavenwards, as he and Harry joined the queue for the food.

Tucked up in front of their fire, Malcolm was more than happy to be watching the countdown in London on his own. Not live, as Harry and Ruth had done six years ago, but certainly a good deal warmer. He hadn't told them yet, but he'd had an offer accepted on a house, about five miles along the coast from where he was sitting. Fifty metres back from the coastal path, which suited him just fine, but unlike their house, it was ready for him to move into as soon as he wanted to.

What was he going to do with his time? Well, walking every day most certainly, reading and maybe even writing a book. A crime thriller with a hero called James. Not Bond of course and certainly not fiction. Tweaked so that only James's nearest and dearest would know, that it was based on a man, who unlike Bond, had only ever really loved one woman. Both of them captured on film, several times during his daughter's wedding. He had no intention of showing them any time soon, but if either of them ever said to him, 'I'm too old for this' he was ready prove otherwise. For now, with one eye on the TV and the other on the lights from the village, he hoped that the man in his book was in for a long and happy life, with the woman who was almost certainly standing beside him.

.

I'm five which means I'm a big boy now, started when it was still dark and when his Mummy and Daddy were still fast asleep in bed. He was fully dressed, albeit that his heavy jumper was on back to front and he hadn't got his boots on yet, because in a hurry to get downstairs and not wake his brother in the process, he hadn't switched on a light. He knew his Daddy always put wood on the fire before he went to bed, so he wouldn't be cold, but what he hadn't banked on, was that he'd feel hungry. He was far too small to reach proper food and he knew that he wasn't allowed to climb on a chair, so he settled on a packet of biscuits and a glass of milk. The biscuits to share with Molly, because Molly was his friend. Not that the chickens and the rabbits weren't his friends as well, but Molly was special because she understood everything thing he said and he loved her.

Daddy loved Molly as well, and him and Thomas, but not as much as he loved Mummy. He knew this because Thomas had told him. He'd also said that it had something to do with the birds and the bees, which sounded silly because the birds and the bees lived in the garden. Everyone knew that surely. But none of that mattered, especially today, because today was his birthday and was why he'd got up early to take Molly for her walk. The only problem was that he couldn't reach the door handle, so he had to wait for someone else to come downstairs.

That someone being Harry, who despite having gone to bed quite late, hadn't been tired and still wasn't. A glance at the clock, had told him that if he got up now and went downstairs, he could get a head start on the day, by laying the breakfast table and stoking up the fire. Besides he also fancied a chat with Molly. His though with a cup of coffee in his hand. What he actually got was a surprise, which had it not been Finn's birthday, maybe wouldn't have made him smile as much as he did. Bare footed and still in his pyjamas, whereas Finn, was fully dressed and deep in conversation with the new edition. The contents of a packet of biscuits being shared between the two of them.

'Coffee before we do anything else,' he told Finn, who had followed him into the kitchen. At which point Harry turned on the light on and saw the full extent of what Finn was and wasn't wearing. Making the decision that an early morning wash was out of the question and that as soon as he'd downed his coffee, after a few adjustments to Finn's clothing, he needed to get dressed as well.

'We need to leave Mummy a note,' he told Finn, passing him his pad and crayons, as he buttered himself a slice of toast. A note that with his help, told Ruth, as though it was normal behaviour to leave the house at five in the morning in the depths of winter, that they'd gone a for a walk with Molly. A note that was signed love from Finn and Daddy and with two kisses.

Although quite what Ruth would make of it if she did wake up before they got back, he had no idea, as they left the house looking remarkably like one giant and one very small pixie. Finn with his clothes on the right parts of his body, plus and extra layer, and him with his pyjamas, underneath his warmest trousers and jumper. Hats, gloves and scarves adding the final touch. Molly in her new coat, trotting along beside them quite happily as they kept to the well-trodden footpath in an easterly direction. Harry still refraining from telling Finn, that this was the one and only time that they'd be doing this at this ungodly hour, until perhaps the warmer weather. At the same time, envying Ruth the warmth of their bed.

.

Ruth who when she woke up, no matter what day of the week it was and before she opened her eyes, always reached out for Harry. If he was facing away from her, she generally snuggled in behind him, if he was facing her, nine times out of ten she just thanked her lucky stars. The alternative and only if it was really early and she could guarantee that the boys were asleep and her body and head told her to throw caution to the wind, or in other words she couldn't stop herself, did she instigate sex. Harry had always been easily aroused and she knew exactly what to do to get him to respond, even if he was asleep. No such luck this morning, when she woke up really fancying sex, only to open her eyes to an empty bed. As was the downstairs of the house, when she padded into the kitchen and was where she found the note.

It was twenty minutes later, by which time Ruth had rung Harry and been assured that they were fine, that the door opened and with it a blast of cold air, the birthday boy and Harry. Snow all over his boots and despite having a broad grin on his face and being well wrapped up, Harry looked frozen. If only thought Ruth, reliving her waking thoughts, as Finn raced towards her and flung his arms around her legs, asking her if she remembered it was his birthday. Dismissing any hope of writhing between the sheets, overtaken by a birthday breakfast, the opening of presents and in Harry and Ruth's case, a sense of fulfilment of a different kind. As the boys played twister, something that they refused on the grounds that it was much more fun to watch and with Christmas and the turn of the year over and done with, that today was a stand-alone day. A day to be enjoyed with their sons.

Added too, when two more presents were torn open by the birthday boy, followed by a thank you and a cuddle for both Jane and Malcolm. Jane who when Harry had been hanging her coat up in the hall, had kissed him on the cheek and told him in a few words, what he now knew. That she'd also like to watch a repeat performance of his dance with Finn, if Malcolm could call up the music, there was no chance, he'd told her.

Which was followed by a very good lunch, but before it was served, saw Jane following Ruth into the kitchen to lend a hand. Leaving Harry and Malcolm to relax and the opportunity for Malcolm to tell Harry his news about the house. Thomas never one to hold back where Malcolm was concerned, wanting to know when they could go and see it and resulted in Malcolm ringing the agent and the confirmation that he could collect the keys in the morning.

.

All of which, had culminated to make it a perfect day. Only to be climaxed when Malcolm said that they ought to be going and that he'd drive Jane back to Grahams. As ever was and always would be in their case, assessing the situation that was in front of him.

Because from the moment that Harry had accepted what she'd said about Jane, Ruth had had nothing but positive thoughts and despite the many misunderstandings that had dogged their path through life, including this one, there had always been one irrefutable fact. The door had never closed on what Malcolm was going to describe in his book, as the romance of the decade. Which meant that now, when the house had been returned to them and the boys were safely curled up in bed, she could finally give herself over to Harry.

Harry who'd had a kiss in his pending tray, since Finn had been blowing out his candles and he and Ruth had looked at each other. Both of them knowing that whatever happened in the future, good or bad, the only thing that mattered, was the depth of their love for one other and by extension, the love they felt for their boys.