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Nick and Charlie disembarked the train at Canterbury West heading for Wellington House where Tori and Michael were to meet them. As promised they were waiting outside right on time.
“You’re really going to do this now?” Tori confirmed.
Charlie and Nick looked at each other and smiled before looking back at Tori. “Yeah, we really are.” Charlie replied.
“After you then.” Tori turned and with the slightest movement of her hand gestured up the stairs.
—--------------
Forty-five minutes later all four exited the building. Nick and Charlie glowing, and with their arms linked, stopped to kiss feelingly as they reached the pavement. Tori and Michael followed them down the steps and waited patiently for them to finish their kiss before the four walked swiftly in the cool winter air to their destination.
On entering they hung up their coats and scarves before heading for the function room at the back of the restaurant. Tori and Michael slipped into the small crowd in the room without notice.
Charlie released Nick’s hand and reached for the small ancient bell near the door of the room and rang it to get people’s attention. It was one of the reasons they had chosen the venue. As the hubbub died down he slipped his hand back into Nick’s.
“Uh, Hi and thanks for coming.” Nick started.
“Sorry about the short notice.” Charlie added.
“I thought Charlie wasn’t allowed to say sorry” Tao called out to general amusement.
Charlie made a face at Tao. “Well, I’m saying it anyway. Nick was concussed a few weeks back, the same day we got engaged actually, we waited till he was allowed to drink again to celebrate” Charlie continued.
“On Wednesday I got the all clear from the doctor. I am officially concussion free and therefore no longer considered mentally befuddled.”
“And that means I can no longer be accused of taking advantage of his head injury to have my wicked way with him. So as of…” Charlie looked at his watch ”…thirty-four minutes ago. We are married.”
The silence was palpable, then Olly jumped up yelling “Yes!” then came over to hug them both before grumbling “How come Tori got to be there?”
“She’s both old enough to be a witness and good at keeping surprises secret.” Nick replied into Olly’s ear as he hugged his, now officially, little brother, not that it would change much in the grand scheme of things. Olly was the first in a long line of hugs and congratulations as all their guests gathered around before settling into the celebration with rounds of champagne and finger foods.
They had invited whoever was available to their ‘engagement party’ and were pleasantly surprised by the number of friends and family who had been able to make it with just a few days' notice after the doctor gave Nick a clean bill of health.
Nick’s mother and Charlie's parents and siblings were there, of course. Nick’s maternal grandparents, though getting on in years, were sitting at a central table with Phe, David bringing them all champagne and plates of food. Stéphane was at the other end of their table with baby Fleur in his arms.
A few of their closest friends from University and work had been able to make it, and it appeared Imogen had taken it upon herself to introduce them to the school friends in attendance. Nathan Ajayi and Youssef Farouk were there, the two of them in conversation with Halani from Charlie’s time at the Canterbury Roman Museum. Nathan and Youssef, despite being authority figures in their youth, had transitioned to close friends in the years since Nick had started teaching at Truham.
The Paris Squad were there, most of them. Aled had drifted away after they had finished school. Darcy and Tara had broken up and got back together multiple times before they had broken up for good, and after a year of awkwardness for them all they were back to being comfortable in each other's company again.
Tao appeared at Charlie’s shoulder, punching him in the arm. “I can’t believe you didn’t invite us to the wedding.”
“Ow!” Charlie rubbed his arm. “It would have spoiled the surprise if we had told you.”
“Fair.” Tao gave him a hard stare. “You will have to placate us with the story of your engagement to be forgiven.”
Isaac grinned “I bet it’s romantic.” He turned to face Nick and Charlie. “I always did love a bit of romance.” he almost sang in expectation.
“Okay, okay.” Nick held up his hands. “So we had both been thinking about marriage, but not really talking about it to each other…”
“...then Nick managed to get concussed by a junior tackling him and was taken to hospital.” Charlie picked up the story
“ A junior! What happened to Rugby King Nick Nelson?” Tao exclaimed.
“He became a coach.” Nick responded dryly. “And was knocked out in line of duty.”
“Anyway I got to the hospital and they nearly didn’t let me in because I was’t Nick’s legal Next-of-Kin, but Sarah vouched for me and…”
“...his first words to me when he reached my cubicle was “Marry Me.”
“Seriously?” Elle interjected in disbelief. “You proposed in a hospital cubicle? We went shopping for a ring months ago, you’ve had ages to plan something and you proposed in a hospital cubicle.”
“Uh, Yeah.” Charlie said defensively. “It’s not like I planned it to be in the hospital, but …” He looked at Nick and shrugged. “...but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It seemed like the only thing to do at the time.” Nick looked back at him softly.
“It was the right thing at the right time. Tell them the rest.” Nick prompted. “Maybe we can salvage the romanticism of the story.”
“So when we got home I made us dinner and gave him the ring that, Yes, I had had for a while, and he pulled out a ring that he had apparently been sitting on for a while. A perfect-for-me ring, I might add, and practically proposed right back.”
Elle grabbed his hand and examined the ‘perfect for Charlie’ ring, before doing the same to Nick. “That is satisfactorily romantic. You are forgiven.” and she gave Tao a look.
“Yes, OK. That is sickeningly sweet. Very on brand.” Tao admitted. “But why the quick wedding?”
“Because we didn’t want to wait, We didn’t have any need or reason to wait. And… Look Tao, You know us, you know our history. What’s the date today?”
“January 4th.” Nick looked purposefully at Tao waiting for the penny to drop. Tao looked at him, his eyes narrowed in thought. It took a moment then he spoke. “It’s the anniversary of when you met.”
“It’s the anniversary of when we met.” Nick clapped Tao on the shoulder. “So shall we celebrate? Surely it’s time to break out your patented dance moves.”
“I have new ones. You just wait, Nelson. Or is it Spring? Nelson-Spring? Tell me later.” Tao turned to Elle, grabbing her hand. “Let’s dance.”
—-----------------------
Waking the next morning felt like any other morning, but better. Same apartment. Same bed. Same warm body cuddled up next to him, but that body was no longer his boyfriend. That body belonged to his husband.
Charlie wriggled out from his position tucked into Nick’s side with a leg slung over Nick’s and into a position draped over Nick’s chest, hands folded as a cushion for his chin. The wriggling woke Nick who opened a bleary eye to peer down at Charlie. “Morning” Nick rasped out, Charlie giggled. Nick had obviously drunk a bit more than he was used to and was suffering the consequences.
“Morning. Husband.” Nick blinked, and grinned, suddenly fully awake and hangover forgotten as he pulled Charlie up his body for a kiss.
An hour later after a bout of enthusiastic lovemaking, they were snuggled up in bed with the cups of tea Nick had dragged himself into the kitchen to make, exchanging observations about the celebrations the night before.
“Tao brought up something. We haven’t talked about names.”
“Names?” Charlie queried.
“Yeah. I guess it’s a pretty standard question after a straight wedding, but I haven’t thought about it, and we definitely haven’t talked about it.”
“I guess I just assumed we would keep our own names when it hadn’t come up yet.”
“Yeah? You don’t want to be a Nelson then?” Nick asked in a tone of mock-upset.
“Why would I be a Nelson? You could be a Spring!” Charlie said in faux-outrage, depositing his now empty mug on the bedside table and grabbing a pillow off the bed before instigating a pillow fight. Nick likewise put his mug in a safe place and pummelled Charlie with a pillow of his own. The two men giggled as they traded pillow hits blow for blow until suddenly they were snogging, pillows forgotten next to them.
“Keep” … “our own”.... “names then?” Charlie snuck in between kisses.
“Yeah” … “Hyphenate “...”kids.” Charlie drew back his head to look at Nick with a question in his eyes. “You know, Someday.” Nick continued, Charlie nodded and leaned in for another kiss. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Were we expecting anyone?”
“No? Who would visit us today?”
“Should we answer it or just ignore them?”
“Hello? Charlie? Nick?” Tao’s voice came through the letterbox. “I don’t want to interrupt the..uh….honeymoon period so I’m just dropping a thing on the doorstep and going away. I just wanted you to know something was out here. I’m leaving now. Bye”
Nick and Charlie, still locked in each other's arms, looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Charlie ventured out to the front step while Nick cooked breakfast and found a long thin flat package wrapped in thick paper. He set it on the table and set out about making more tea.
It wasn’t till they sat down to eat that the package was opened. Tao had put a note on the outside. ‘This is what we’re calling you now.’ followed by a smiley face. It was a brass house sign. The type that people attached to the front of their house so that people knew who lived there, or had a house name on it.
Tao had got them a house sign. In the middle in large letters was written “THE NELSPRING’S” and it was followed by a rainbow etched into the metal.
The two men looked at the sign, then each other, and burst into giggles. “I guess that’s an option.” Charlie stated with as straight a face as he could muster.
“Maybe we just keep it as our celebrity couple name.” Nick suggested.
“I think that would be best.”
************
Charlie stretched and yawned as he waited for the database to return the results of his query. He was hoping beyond hope this would be the last search he had to do for the literature review that would make up the first chapter of his dissertation. Once a draft of that was written he would be able to move on to examining coins and the occasional bit of pottery.
Charlie was researching the development of social movements in the Roman Empire with a focus on those movements in Roman Britain. Some of the agitators had worked in the mints putting messages on coins. He was going to need to look at nearly a hundred coins in detail, mostly in Britain, but also compare them with coins from other parts of Europe from similar time periods.
There were a few collections he needed to access to compare the coins. Aside from the local Canterbury Roman Museum which he already knew quite well, and the British Museum in London, an easy day trip away; there was one in Cirencester, Two in France, and one in Spain, at Mérida.
Cirencester was only a few hours drive away, but the others would need more planning. Charlie wondered if he would be able to schedule the visits to the two French collections for the school holidays. Charlie would prefer it if Nick could travel with him, for both practical and emotional reasons. Aside from travel in France being much easier with a fluent Francophone in tow, Charlie didn’t fancy being apart from his husband if he could help it.
Charlie opened and printed the files that had been returned from his search and started to pack up for the evening, putting the papers in his bag to read at home and wrapping on the layers of coat, scarf, hat and gloves before heading out to the bus stop.
Gay Nerd:
I’m leaving the office now.
Rugby Lad:
Let me know when you get to the bus
I’ll pick you up this end. Usual stop?
Gay Nerd:
Make it the one by Big Tesco’s. We’re out of teabags.
And Bread.
Rugby Lad:
XX
Nick’s car was just pulling into the supermarket car park as Charlie descended the steps of the bus, stuffing the paper he had been reading, and the highlighter he had been using to mark it up, into his bag as he did so. Nick parked the car and jogged over to arrive at the store entrance at the same time as Charlie. He leaned in for a kiss and simultaneously swung Charlie's bag off his shoulder, and into a trolley.
“How was ancient Rome today?” Nick asked with a grin.
“Dead and buried, as usual.” Charlie replied with a smile. The exchange had become standard, almost an inside joke, since he started his research. “How was school?” he returned as they walked through the entranceway clanging the trolley through the one-way gates.
“Fine. A bunch of kids were out for dress rehearsals. I don’t quite know why there’s so much overlap between the Drama kids and the Psychology A-level class, but I had half my usual numbers. Also, Olly stuck his head in to check if we were home this evening. He wants your help with Maths.”
They made their way through the supermarket finding their bread ( ‘If Olly’s coming over better get an extra loaf’) and teabags and bickering amicably about what to have for dinner and who would cook it, if they needed anything else (They did). While they waited to be processed through the checkout Nick took a moment to appreciate the sheer normality of it. Every once in a while the juxtaposition of their current life with the first year of their relationship struck him.
As they drove home Charlie turned the conversation back to his work. “I’ve nearly finished the literature review.”
“That's great news, and more or less on schedule right?” Charlie made a noise of agreement. “So what’s next? Examining the coins?”
“Yeah.” Charlie paused. “I need to visit some collections on the continent. For the comparison between the movements here and elsewhere. Would you come with me, to the museums in France at least? If I can schedule the trips for the school holidays that is.”
“Charlie, School holidays I am all yours. I’ll go anywhere you want to go.”
“Nimes and Lyon.”
“I’ve never been. Take me to places that I don’t know. You can look at the coins by day, we can honeymoon by night.” Nick grinned and reiterated “Come the School Holidays, I’ll be anywhere you want me.”
Charlie watched as Nick's profile fell in and out of the pools of light cast by the street lamps. Nick noticed his gaze. “What?” He asked with a small huff of laughter, glancing back and forth between Charlie and the road, a grin growing as he did so.
“I’m just appreciating the moment. This. You. Us.”
--
Olly was waiting for them when they got home. He’d let himself in and spread his homework and a mug of chamomile tea out over their dining table. “You’re out of proper tea“ he said as they entered. “Oh, and bread. I used the end of the loaf to make toast.” he added as an afterthought.
“Hello, beloved big brothers. How was your day? I hope you don’t mind me letting myself in. It was rather cold to wait outside. Thank you for the sustenance you so generously provided” Charlie said rhetorically as he lifted the shopping bags onto the kitchen counter.
“Hello, beloved big brother. How was your day?” Olly repeated dramatically, following it with “I hope it was sunshine and roses and a unicorn carried you home along a rainbow road while showering you with sprinkles!” exuding breathless wonder in an increasingly higher pitch, then reverting to a normal voice “Hey, Nick.”
Nick smirked. “Hey. Are you staying for dinner?”
“Yeah, Mum and Dad are going to… something... in Canterbury and said it was fend for myself or bludge off you or Tori and Michael. You’re a better cook and Charlie is better at Maths.”
“It’s nice to be loved, isn’t it.” Charlie said dryly to Nick, who half-snorted in amusement, and started unpacking the groceries. “Let’s see the maths then. Get it out of the way.”
Nick busied himself chopping ingredients and dry roasting spices putting together a chicken curry, half listening to Charlie explained the intricacies of writing, expanding and solving algebraic equations much in the same way he used to explain it to Nick when he had been doing his GCSE’s. The biggest difference was that Olly didn’t throw his books away halfway through the explanation. Though if he was perfectly honest it was the presence of his boyfriend, rather than frustration at the Maths itself that had led to the frequent interruptions. The explanations seemed to go much more quickly without the interruptions, or maybe Olly just had a greater aptitude for Maths than Nick.
“Nick, I have a question.” Olly started as he tucked into dinner. “I’m thinking about doing Psychology for A-levels.”
“Okay.” Nick said, confused where the question was.
“Do I need to transfer to Higgs?” Olly asked.
“Why would you need to go to Higgs?”
“Cause you teach the A-level Psych class and you’re my brother, or close enough to make no difference. Wouldn’t it be like a conflict of interest or something?”
“I…” Nick started, then stopped to think. “I have never considered it. Maybe.” He pondered some more.
“The actual in class teaching would be fine, maybe a bit weird to start with, but we’d get used to that. I have to get a selection of assessments cross-checked by teachers from other schools anyway, so your work would need to always be included in that for transparency. I guess it’s the degree to which I would be seen to be helping you prepare for the assignments. I shouldn’t think it would be a problem. I’m pretty sure there are teachers who teach their own kids without issue, but I can check.”
Charlie started sniggering. Nick and Olly looked at Charlie confused at what he found funny. “What were you saying about the crossover between Drama kids and the Psych class? You’ve found another one.”
******************
‘...Happy Birthday dear Fleur, Happy Birthday to you!’
The assembled family broke into applause. Fleur tried to grab the candle from her place on Phe’s lap, her little hands being pulled back just in time and held out of the way until the flame was safely extinguished and a small plate with cake was set in front of her diverting her attention. Soon she was a mess of crumbs and icing.
“I’ll take her”.' Nick appeared as if out of nowhere, dropping his own plate on the table and lifting her out of Phe’s lap. “We’ll go get cleaned up, won’t we Fleur. Yes, we will, and maybe we’ll let Henry help. Henry likes cake.” Indeed Henry had been hiding under the table snuffling up crumbs that had fallen from Fleurs enthusiastic, but not particularly finessed, cake consumption. Fleur giggled at the attention, looking down at Henry, then up again at Nick before smooshing his face between her hands. “Um, I may need a little help.” He said in a slightly distorted voice through his narrowed cheeks.
“Thank you Fleur. He’s been doing that to my dimples for years. About time he knew what it felt like.” Charlie laughed. Nick gave him a look, one that said, ‘ Oh really? I’ll get you for that comment later ’ and turned to go inside to commence the infant clean up, Henry trotting at his heels.
“Don’t take too long. It’s time for presents!” Sarah sang out and started stacking plates and passing the dirty dishes along the table. By the time Uncle Nick returned with a much cleaner Fleur the leftover cake had been packaged up and the table was clean with an assortment of wrapped packages and gift bags on it.
Nick sat with Fleur in his lap and helped her open presents, but she soon lost interest, wriggling down to play with Henry and Henry’s Mr Carrot. David took to opening Fleur’s gifts on her behalf, unwrapping the usual present assortment of clothes and toys. He looked suspiciously at one of the two that had Nick and Charlie’s name on it. A larger somewhat irregularly shaped package.
“Before you open this one, I’d just like to say it was Charlie’s idea.” Nick averred.
“Oi! Throw me under the bus why don’t you. You’re lucky I love you.” Charlie protested, but then admitted to Phe and David. “That said, I’ll understand if this is one gift that stays at our place for when she visits, but I couldn’t not get it.”
“He almost bought it last year,” Nick admitted resignedly.
David looked at them oddly before unwrapping a “My First Drum Kit” and laughing. “We might have to take you up on that, if Fleur’s musical talents are anything like mine and Nick’s that is.”
“I resent the implications of that statement.” Nick puffing himself up in mock offence, before wilting and admitting as Charlie laughed at him “no matter how accurate”.
—---------
Charlie set up the kiddy drum kit in a corner of their living room, right next to his adult sized kit. “What do you think they want to talk about?” David had escorted them to their car as they were leaving Sarah’s the night before, and asked if they would be home this morning as there was something he and Phe wanted to discuss with them.
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re moving down? David has been making noises about moving out of London since Fleur was born.”
“Last time they wanted to talk like this it was to negotiate détente.”
“Bit of a dramatic term there Charlie.”
“Not from where Sarah and I were sitting.”
There was a knock at the door, then it opened and a female voice called out. “Hello. Have you eaten? We brought croissants.”
Nick hugged Phe then went to help David lift Fleur’s buggy up the front steps and into the entranceway. “We thought about leaving her at your Mum’s but I didn’t think you would forgive us if we came without her.” Phe said hugging Charlie. “She fell asleep on the walk over. We’ll have a bit of time before Uncle Nick is completely distracted.”
Fleur slept peacefully while a round of tea was made and the croissants were warmed, and eaten. Charlie was getting up to refresh the pot when the conversation turned serious.
David dug in the storage basket under the buggy, careful not to jostle it too much, and withdrew an envelope, handing it across to Nick. “I’d like you to look at this. Page 3. By the Post It arrow.”
Nick slid the papers out of the envelope. The words Last Will and Testament of David Stéphane Nelson were on the top sheet. He looked at David. David looked back, nodding slightly, encouraging him to continue. Charlie sat back down next to Nick and looked over his shoulder, a note of confusion on his face as he read the cover.
“Page 3?” Nick confirmed, flipping pages, skimming them as he did so.
Running his eyes down page 3 till he found the Post It arrow indicating a paragraph.
“In the event of my death, should my wife OPHELIA SAMANTHA NELSON, nee PARKER survive me by a period of less than 14 days, I appoint NICHOLAS LUKE NELSON as the guardian of my child/ren.
I appoint CHARLES _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _SPRING, husband to NICHOLAS LUKE NELSON, as co-guardian.”
Nick distractedly handed the papers to Charlie looking disbelievingly at David and Phe, over to where Fleur was still sleeping in her buggy, then back to David and Phe. They waited for him to speak, but he was having trouble putting words together.
“Phe’s says the same, other than a few reversals of names.” David said quietly. “We haven’t signed them yet, but only because we wanted to get your agreement first, and Charlie’s full name, before we did.”
Nick was still struggling for words. Charlie held his hand, surprised, but able to formulate sentences. Just. “But… us?” Charlie managed to get out.
“Why not you? If you don’t want the potential responsibility...”
“NO! “Nick burst out. “I love Fleur, I.. We “ Nick looked at Charlie who nodded at him supportively and squeezed his hand “ would take her in a heartbeat if…. If it was necessary. But….” Nick trailed off.
“Phe’s got siblings. Siblings that she wasn’t estranged from for years. Why not them?” Charlie filled in. “And is it norm-” He caught himself “ Uh…customary to name spouses as co-guardians?”
“Freddie is a party boy who has seen Fleur twice in a year, and one of those was at the family Christmas. He's not in a position to take on a child, even if he wanted to, or if we trusted him with her. My sister, Grace, …her kids are much older, she’s coming out the other side of parenting with no desire to do it all over again. Plus her husband was sent to boarding school at age eight, so their boys were sent then too. That’s not the life we envisage for Fleur.” Phe explained.
“And we were estranged, but…I feel, I hope we have…are mending our relationship.” David checked for the acknowledgement in Nick's eyes before continuing. “Simply put, when we thought about who would love and support Fleur the best if we couldn’t, it was you.”
“You love Fleur. You see her often enough to have a proper relationship with her and she adores you. You’re settled, unlike Freddie you know what you are doing with your lives. You can continue bringing her up bilingual. You’d have Mum around to support you. ” David ticked the points off on his fingers as he went. He met Charlie’s eyes almost apologetically. “You’ve dealt with trauma before, and come out the other side. If we’re gone, Fleur is going to need that. ”
Charlie and Nick sat quietly for a minute, still absorbing what David had said.
“Why name me as well though?” Charlie asked. “Isn’t naming Nick sufficient?”
“Because my brother-in-law is a homophobe.” Phe said bluntly.
“Naming Nick guardian makes our intentions clear, and is probably sufficient” David confirmed. “Naming you simplifies the legal process in the event of our death, and means Nick can name you guardian in his will without Grace or her husband being able to challenge it should something happen.” David lapsed into silence, glancing at Phe, taking her hand in his, and waiting.
Nick and Charlie looked at each other, each searching the other's face for signs of indecision or reluctance.
“Francis” Charlie said decidedly, turning to look at David. “My middle name is Francis.”