Still the One

Chapter 14 - That Was Unexpected Too

"I don't understand how you can eat that."

"It's really good, you should try it."

"Good lord, no. I'm happy for you to have your kooky cravings all to yourself, love." From the look on Ben's face you'd think he'd trodden in something a dog left behind.

"Come on Cumbers, don't be a woose." I held out a heaped spoonful of my current craving; Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream – banana with fudge chunks and walnuts – with added honey, peanut butter and pretzels. When his face screwed up even further, I shrugged, "More for me," and put the delectable goodness into my own mouth, chewing happily.

"I suppose at least it's better than the pickled gherkins dipped in strawberry jam you were eating last week," he observed as he put the kettle on.

"Gherkins!" I exclaimed, looking at him wide eyed. "Oh God yes! They'd be perfect with Chunky Monkey!"

Eyes rolled heavenward as he groaned loudly. "Sweetheart, you can't be serious!" When he looked at me I batted my eyelashes over a pleading look I hoped was worthy of the cutest of Labrador puppies, jubilant when he groaned again and moved to the pantry. "We don't seem to have any," his voice came from the depths.

"Ha! Caught you out, Benedict – Maria got some more yesterday when she shopped for me." I heard him muttering. "What was that?"

"Nothing." The jar appeared before me, opened, along with a fork to fish them out with and a serviette. "Do you still want tea?"

I sent him a speaking glance. "No love, don't be silly. Peppermint won't go with the gherkins. Just a glass of water please."

There was more muttering but I ignored it, lost in my own little culinary heaven. When he came back with his tea and my water he put them on the coffee table and turned to me. "What are we watching?" It was movie night, and my turn to choose.

"Hawking," I said immediately.

He groaned again, running a hand through his hair. "Sweetheart, really? You know I hate watching myself on screen."

"I don't know why; you're brilliant in everything you do." I'd been binge watching all his old movies and TV show appearances and Hawking was one of my favourites. "Please, Benny – you are so adorable in that one." I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Please? For me?" I wonder if it would be too much to bat my eyelashes again.

"I rather think you are using this pregnancy as an excuse to get away with all kinds of things, wench."

I grinned. "Hell yes, Cumbers, I'm milking it for all it's worth while I've got the chance."

His bark of laughter made me laugh too, as it always did, and he kissed me before getting up and putting on the movie, shaking his head at me the whole time, which only made me giggle more. When he settled back down I put my snacks aside and snuggled into his arms, resting my head on his shoulder and threading my fingers through his.

"Awww," I said when he first appeared on screen. "You look so young – and that pudding basin haircut is so cute." At the scene in the hospital when his character was having a lumbar puncture, I turned my face into his chest. "I can't watch this bit."

"Darling, it's not real."

"You make it look real – you're trying to be so brave but the pain on your face and the sounds you make..." I covered my ears as well, grateful that it was only a short scene. As the movie went on he valiantly sat through all the times I squealed and called him cute or adorable as well as telling me anecdotes about the shooting and by the time it had finished I was more than ready for bed.