Love Is Won

Part Nine

"Hey, sleepy," Jessica whispered, leaning down to kiss Danny on the forehead.

"...Oh, god," he stirred. "I didn't."

"I'm afraid so, my love," Jessica sung, sitting beside him on the couch.

"Are they in bed?"

"Yeah, just about."

"I'm sorry Jessie," he said. "Were they okay?"

"They were absolutely fine, back in their own room and they say goodnight."

Danny chuckled and leant forward in a bid not to doze off once more.

"It's a lot, isn't it?" Jessica said, reaching out to run her nails in wide circles across his back.

"I've just never done this with two," Danny yawned. "I underestimated them and they've completely worn me out."

"They're much easier to wrangle now, imagine what they were like when they were tiny."

"Oh god," Danny repeated. "No, they're good girls. Really good girls."

"They are," Jessica smiled. "We're so lucky."

She sat and rubbed his back for a while, then stood and drew the curtains. She opened the wood burner and poked at the base, before adding another three logs and adjusting the oxygen for a minute. Once she was satisfied, Jessica turned to Danny just as he slumped back onto the soft mountain of cushions behind him.

"No," she said firmly, grabbing his hands and pulling him to his feet. "Follow me."

Jessica dragged him out of the living room door, through the hall and into the open plan dining room and kitchen. He stopped, motionless in the doorway, when he saw the space in front of him.

"Jess, how...?"

"You were asleep for quite a while, mister," Jessica grinned as she walked ahead of him into the room.

The curtains were drawn and the lights were out, the only source radiated from the dozens of candles covering all the available surfaces. A perfectly white cloth adorned the wooden table, along with napkins, cutlery and two empty dishes. The scene was simple, set for two, but the effect was magnanimous.

Jessica adjusted the needle on her record player, which resided in the corner of the dining room, and the air was filled with the sound of soft jazz.

"Oh my god," Danny sighed. "You're amazing."

"Takes me back to when we first met," Jessica breathed.

Danny bit his lip and grinned down at the floor as Jessica giggled, delighting in his happiness. She moved to open the fridge and produced a bottle of champagne.

"Where were you stashing that?" Danny asked as she efficiently popped the cork.

"I have my secrets," Jessica said, winking at him while filling a flute for each of them. "But not too many."

She walked across to where Danny was still rooted in the doorway, passing him his glass and clinking the rims together.

"I love you, baby," she said, standing tall to kiss him tenderly.

"I love you," he hummed. "More than I could ever tell you."

Jessica draped her free arm around his waist and turned to face the room from his perspective.

The candle light flickered, casting their long shadows up the wall. The crystal in the antique cabinet glimmered beside them. The glow was perfect, just enough to illuminate the other person, barely enough to ignite their familiar surroundings.