Why are you still here Rob?" Karen looked up at the man who had walked into the office. She knew he was alone as the kids had gone home together.
"I thought you might want to talk." Rob started towards the desk.
"I didn't mean that...why are you still here with me?" She put her head into her hands.
"What the hell has bought this on...you know how I feel about you, about the kids...I don't understand Karen." He walked behind the desk and crouched down so he could look at her. He put a hand on her knee and turned her towards him. "Talk to me Karen..."
"I don't understand why you would want to be with me when...well when it's obvious how much I've let my kids down." On the last word her voice cracked and she started sobbing.
Rob pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. He held her while trying to calm her sobs. "You have done nothing of the sort, what's bought this on?"
"What do you think?" She looked up at him. "My daughter was having a relationship with my deputy head and became pregnant by him...that's along with Bex disappearing for two years and Harry struggling with bulimia...oh and my husband running off to have an affair with someone...nothing much." She pulled out of his hug and stood up angrily wiping her eyes. She didn't want to look back at him.
"Fine...you really want to play it that way? I'll raise your family troubles with my teenage son getting another girl pregnant and my ex wife deciding to walk back in and out when she wants to...oh and the fact that at the age of 48 my greatest achievement is becoming a site manager..." He stood up and looked towards her back. He wasn't angry despite the fact he may have sounded it. He just didn't want to see her beating herself up over this anymore. "Karen we can't change what's happened...but we can use it to help everyone move on...and like it or not I want to be right by your side through all of this." Now he started walking towards her.
"Don't tell me you've never felt like the worlds worst parent." She turned and looked towards him.
"God Karen...so many times, but look at how he is now. Aiden's got friends and he's doing well. No he's not perfect...but who is?" He stepped close enough to rub her shoulders. "I suggest that we go back to yours and get a take away...if that's ok with you?"
Karen nodded. "Now who's being silly? You know how much I enjoy you being there...and each of the kids seems to have given their approval." She lent her head forward so her brow touched his.
"I know...but I also know that Jess needs her Mum...and she doesn't need to feel that our relationship is taking priority." He tipped her chin up and kissed her gently before speaking again. "That doesn't mean that I love you any less...or that I want to be with you any less. In fact..." He stepped back and fumbled in his pocket.
Karen looked at him. "What are you doing?" She fell silent as she watched him pull a box out of his pocket.
Quickly Rob spoke. "This isn't what you think...well not really." He laughed and opened the box. Inside was a simple silver band with engraving on the inside. He slipped it out.
"Rob?" She didn't say anything else, she wasn't completely sure what was happening.
"I love you Karen...and I think...well I'm pretty sure that you love me too. I also know that one day I'm going to marry you." Rob stopped her looked at her. There was no look of disgust at his words so he carried on. "However, I'm not sure when that can be...so this." He held up the ring again. "This is my promise to you. Inside it says "Love is my promise." He took the opposite finger to where a wedding band would sit and slipped it on. "I promise you Karen Fisher that I will one day make you my wife..."
Karen looked at him. There were tears rolling down her cheeks again, but this time she didn't move to wipe them away. "I love you so much..." She kissed him with all the feelings she could muster.
"Now...lets go back ho..." He broke off. He needed to stop. So many times he had started to say home without thinking, but it wasn't his home. It was Karen's and he had just told her that she needed to focus on Jess.
"Rob...I want it to be yours...you know that don't you?" She hated the idea that he wouldn't always be there. It seemed wrong that he actually had his own place when he seemed like he had always belonged at hers.
"I know...and well I want that too...but we need to think about the kids, I need to talk to Aiden, and we need to figure out what's going to happen with Jess." He kissed her again. "But not tonight..."
Karen nodded. "Well then Mr Scotcher...let's go home." She looked at him and smiled. It still amazed her the fact that someone like him could love her the way he did.
"Sounds good. Let's get a bottle of red on the way."
