Chapter 57

I woke early the next morning, my legs tingling. Over the last week my legs had become increasingly restless in the mornings, and there was nothing for it but to get up and walk. The house was still dead quiet. Sensing that Richard might need to catch up on some sleep I got dressed, snuck downstairs and took the pack of dogs on a morning walk. I left Richard a note, promising I hadn't kidnapped them. Having only ever owned one dog at a time in my life, walking four of varying sizes was a new and trying experience, but I enjoyed the fresh air and being around lots of animals again. Returning from the grey, miserable November-morning outside I met Richard in the kitchen, he had evidently just gotten up.
«Hello!» He greeted his dogs as they all ran towards him to say good morning. He hunkered down and scratched them all, talking midly at them. «Emily is pretty neat, huh? She gets up early to take you guys for a walk! We like this houseguest, don't we guys?»
«I woke up early, was restless,» I shrugged and shivered a little, still cold from having been outside. «It's miserable out there, grey and... british.»
«It rained last night. Perfect for mudding!» Richard said happily, and started on breakfast. We ate quickly, packed lunch, dressed warmly and threw ourselves in the old, battered Land Rover. Richard drove along disused country and forest roads, aiming for any mudhole, creek or rock he could lay his eyes on. He jabbered constantly, excitedly explaining various techniques and principles of mudding, wading and whatever else. He was just as eager about letting me have a go, and calmly guided me up craggy hills and through what felt like gigantic rivers while I squealed with fearful joy. We laughed a lot, playing around and having fun, joking and teasing each other like schoolkids. Of course we got ourselves stuck wheel-deep in muck, and since Richard was driving he ordered me outside to see if there was any way out of it, or if we had to shove pieces of wood or rocks behind the tires to try to get any sort of grip. By the time we had gotten out of that hole I was covered in mud nearly head to toe. Richard poked his head out of the open window and guffawed with laughter, still more or less perfectly clean. Quickly he took a photo of me with his camera and told me to get back in. When he had finished tapping on his phone, my own phone pinged with a tweet, complete with photo of me. 'Offroading with @emily, the infinitely better half of @mrjamesmay. I'm sorry mate, I mucked her up a bit.' In the photo you could hardly distinguish me from the muddy road I was standing on, as I was mostly the same colour. Getting back in the car I warmed up, the mud turning into sand as it dried out. Having gotten the hang of it, and finding it fun, I soon ushered Richard out of the driver's seat, wanting to drive more. Finding a particularly gnarly road I drove into what looked like the deepest part, ignoring Richard's incessant shouting, and pretended to get stuck. Richard sighed and grumbled before getting out of the car.
«Hang on, I'll see how bad it is.» Following him with my eyes in the rear-view mirror as he rounded the car I hit the accelerator as he was exactly behind the car, spraying him with mud. I heard him squeal and then swear heartily, and when he reached the driver's door I broke out laughing. He looked just as bad as me now.
«I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say that I should try to put my foot down!» I said, trying to look innocent but failing miserably, my poker-face had always been just as bad as James'. Of course he didn't buy it. While Richard tried to shake the worst of the mud off it was my turn to tweet a photo of him. '@MrJamesMay I got my revenge.' Now that both of us, and the car, were all the same muddy uni-color, we decided that our mission was accomplished and called it a day.

Returning to the house we entered through a sidedoor, coming into what looked like the biggest laundry room I had ever seen.
«This room is handy for whenever any of us or the dogs are... well, as mucky as we look now. Tiled, heated floor, easy to clean and we can just throw everything right into the washing machine. Well, apart from the dogs,» Richard explained. I got out of my mucky wellies and looked down myself, pulling a face. «Just... get out of your wet clothes and leave them here, I'll throw them in the washer later. I can go outside while you.. » he began, gesturing to the door, trying to be a gentleman.
«It's just legs, Richard, you've seen legs before,» I scoffed as I got out of my jacket, then my sodden trousers and socks.
«They're... very good legs,» he observed as he got out of his own mucky clothes, leaving just his t-shirt and boxers on.
«I haven't wanted a shower this badly since when I was in Syria and we had no water for a week!» I said as I padded barefoot through the kitchen, heading for the guest-bathroom upstairs in just my knickers and a top. Richard followed close behind.
«Emily...» Richards hand closed around my wrist, pulling me backwards. Suddenly I was pinned up against the wall, and Richard's hands were on either side of my face, his lips on mine, kissing me passionately. The shock of it paralysed me, making me unable to stop him or push him away. To my horror I realised I was even kissing him back.
«What are you doing?» I huffed between kisses. They were so different from James', playful and full of lust. Still holding my head in his hands Richard pulled back an inch.
«Kissing you,» he said breathlessly. «I have to know what it's like, I've been driving myself mad, wondering.» Before I had time to process what he had said, let alone think of a response, his lips were on mine again. I huffed against his mouth, not knowing what to do with my own hands. This was all kinds of wrong, yet part of me didn't want to stop.
«Richard, we can't...» I said, hearing the feebleness in my own voice. Richard ignored my lame protests, moving his kisses over my jaw and neck.
«Tell me 'no' and I'll stop...» he challenged, breathing against my skin. Surprised I realised my hand was tangled in his short hair and my other arm was wrapped around his waist.
«You're married, you have kids... I have James...» Richard ignored all of these arguments, continuing to kiss and lick the side of my neck and shoulder. His hands, which had been on the walls either side of me, pinning me to the spot, now traveled down my sides and over my hips. I shuddered as I felt his fingertips reach the top of my bare thighs. His hands were smaller than James', their touch different. God damn it, why was this so hard to put an end to? I was fighting an all out war with myself. Richards body pressed against mine, his lips, his hands on me, all of it had ignited that overwhelming arousal and excitement in me that was so easy to awaken these days. It was muddling my brain, making me weak. I wanted him, I was curious as to what it would be like. «Richard, stop... This is wrong...» His mouth traveled up my neck again, grazing that sensitive spot that caused me to shudder and give an involuntary wince.
«You're still not telling me no...» he observed, then found my mouth again. His tongue grazed by bottom lip, and as if I was standing next to myself with no real control I watched in horror as I opened my mouth to him, running my tongue against his. I was losing this battle, and fast. Richards palms were rubbing my hips firmly, and I found myself half wishing that he'd slip them inside my knickers, that he would touch my skin, I wanted his palms on me. Instead of doing as I wished, his hand travelled up my body. As I felt his palm against my tummy, I had a sudden and vivid flash of what it felt like to have James palm there, his tender, gentle hands caressing me and the baby growing in me. That gave me the strength to push him away.
«Richard, no. I love James!» I said, my chest heaving. «And you love Mindy. This is wrong.» As I pierced him with an angry, shocked look it was as if all the air went out of him, his shoulders sagged and he hung his head in shame.
«Jesus, Emily...» he began. He took a step towards me and I was prepared to push him away again, but stopped myself when all he did was bury his face against my shoulder and wrap his arms around me. All the heated urgency was gone from his voice and his body. «I'm so, so sorry, I don't know what came over me. Just... please, don't hate me, Emily, please? I can't believe I did that, I'm really sorry, I'm such a clot..» His face was still hidden against my shoulder, hiding away from me while pleading for forgiveness. There was so much remorse, shame and sadness in that voice that my heart went out to him.
«Oh, Richard...» I sighed, feeling the anger and defensiveness recede as quickly as it had flared up. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him briefly before pushing him away, forcing him to look at me. «It's all right, I'm not angry... You just a weak moment, you know? We both did. A very, very... weak moment,» I sighed, blushing as I found myself looking him up and down. My heart was still racing, the fire still burning within me and a horny devil in my head was urging me to jump his bones again. «Lets just... go have a shower. Separate showers, mind, and very very cold ones. And we should get some bloody clothes on, and then we'll... talk about this, okay? Whatever the hell that was,» I rambled, gesturing to the empty air between us.
«Yeah, I... Um... Yeah, cold shower, we should do that,» Richard was flustered and awkward, avoiding my gaze. Gesturing towards the stairs he kept rambling. «I'll... go away now, quickly, and.. Yeah...» My eyes tracked him as he ascended the stairs, my heart still hammering. I wasn't angry with him, even the shock had started to wane a little. Realising that the reason I was still shaking was uncontrollable lust I huffed with frustration and stomped upstairs and into the guest bathroom. Desperately needing a release I ended up having a very private and rather enjoyable moment in the shower. I knew that if I didn't do anything about it, if I didn't get this out of my system one way or another I would never be able to clear my head and have a normal conversation with Richad.

Half an hour I returned downstairs and found Richard in the living room. The telly was on but he wasn't watching, but stared blankly into space, evidently lost in thought. Noticing me in the corner of his eyes he looked up at me for a fraction of a second before averting his eyes. He was ridden with shame and guilt, fiddling nervously with his hands. I stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
«You all right?» I asked kindly.
«No, not really, no...» he shrugged, still not looking at me. Making my way across the living-room floor I sat down next to him on the sofa.
«Richard, listen... I'm not angry with you, I promise,» I assured him, placing my hand on his arm and squeezing it gently. «I don't have any right to be, I kissed you back for fucks sake.» At this Richard's eyes flicked up to mine briefly. «I'm a little suprised though, I'll admit.»
«God, you must think I'm such an... arse,» Richard sighed, rubbing his face.
«No,» I said honestly. «I'm just wondering why you kissed me.»
«Because I... I'm so damn attracted to you. I have been for a while, I guess. Every time I spend any amount of time with you I can't get you out of my head for days. I'm just.. fascinated by you.» As Richard said this I blinked a few times, surprised and a little flattered. I kept my mouth shut, sensing that Richard had more on his mind. He squirmed and fidgeted some more, trying to find the right words. «And I guess I'm a little jealous.»
«Jealous?» I frowned.
«Jealous of what James have, what you two have in each other. You two are so madly, head over heels in love, unable to keep your hands off each other. Being so... consumed by somebody, having that tension that makes everything feel electric... I miss that passion, being that wrapped up in someone else. I just wanted that.»
«Oh, Richard... James and I have our ups and downs, just like every other couple! Some days I want to poke him in the eye with a fork just for breathing. Besides, we haven't even been together a year, we're still in that... honeymoon phase, I guess. All relationships tend to be intense and all-consuming in the beginning. You and Mindy had that phase too, I'm sure?»
«Yeah, I guess... It just seems like a very long time ago,» Richard said, and he looked up at me with a sadness I had never seen in him before. Now we were getting to the root of the problem. Taking a deep breath as if he steeled himself, Richard straightened up a little and looked straight at me.
«Emily, I think my marriage might be falling apart.»
«Is that why she isn't here this weekend?»
«Yeah... We had a huge fight, she said she needed to get away for a while. Took the kids with her the next morning to her parents.»
«What did you argue about?»
«Everything. And nothing, really, I'm not even sure. I'm away a lot, and whenever I am she says she misses me and wants me home. But when I am home, everything I do or say seem to just annoy her, like she can't wait to get me out of the house again. I've always been worried about being away too much, that it would ruin our relationship, that she'd hate me for never being around and just... slip away from me. I think that's finally happened.»
«If Mindy feels that way, I can understand her.... I don't know, I've never talked to her about it. You know, you've been doing Top Gear for ten years now, and the success it as had has been ridiculous, it's taken up so much more of your time than anyone could have predicted. And you've done loads of other things, documentaries, Crash Course, Wipeout, the books... I don't know, maybe she just feels a little... left out, or even left behind, cooped up here with the kids? Maybe she feels like she wants to realise herself a little? Do something on her own, achieve something... But I'm just speculating, Richard, I don't know how she feels.»
«How do you feel about it, thought? About James being away so much?»
«I'm... all right with it, really. Whenever he is, I miss him an awful lot, of course. But he has his job, and I have mine, it keeps me occupied. Sometimes I even appreciate having some time to myself, doing things on my own, living my own life separate from him. The fact that he's away so much and that we're not always joined at the hip makes us appreciate the time we actually spend together that much more. That's how it works for us, but everyone is different. And I've only had to live with it for a year or so. Who knows, in ten years time maybe I'll be incredibly fed up with it.»
«I've tried to pay attention to them, to Mindy and the girls, to make time for them... I guess I've done a rubbish job at it,» Richard said sadly.
«I'm sure you've done your best, Richard, I don't doubt that, I know you care a lot about your girls. But... your job is always threatening to take you away from her and the girls, one way or another. You're busy, you're away a lot... It even threatened to take your life at one point.» Richard was silent for a long time.
«I've never thought about it that way...» he mumbled. «I'm just... We've been together for a lot of years. I'm scared that we've just... grown apart. People change, you know...»
«You know what, Richard? I'm not so sure I believe that, that people grow apart. People don't fundamentally change that much, not really. If a marriage falls apart because they've 'grown apart', it might be that they just weren't right for each other to begin with. People can adapt, try to make it work, pretend to be someone they aren't just to keep a marriage going. And some do all their lives. People don't necessarily change as they get older, but they find themselves. Who they truly are. But I don't think that's Mindy and you. Maybe you've just... drifted apart, instead of grown apart?»
«But... I don't know how to find back to her,» he sighed.
«I don't know, Richard... Do something together, a work project or something? Include her in your life. Take her for romantic dinners or... camping trips or whatever you people like to do. Do something together that you used to do together, but never do anymore. Rediscover all the the things about her that made you fall in love with her and marry her! Park the girls at their grandparents and sweep her totally off her feet, take her to some exotic, incredibly romantic place for two weeks. Personally I can recommend Bali...»
«Whoa whoa, stop, I need to write all of these suggestions down!» Richard said, but smiling cautiously now, cheering up a little.
«I bet that if either of you found yourself without the other one day, you wouldn't know how to live your life. It's just that... when you have someone who is always there, you sometimes forget to appreciate it. Richard, you two can fix this, you will fix this, you two are perfect for each other. Everyone else has been jealous of your marriage for the past ten years!»
«God, I hope you're right...» Richard looked up at me pleadingly.
«I am. But... kissing me is not the answer to any of this,» I pointed out with a crooked, little smile.
«I'm sorry. I know that, of course I do. I just...» He squirmed, not knowing what to say.
«Had a weak moment?» I proffered, and he gave a relieved nod.
«Listen, Ems... Thank you for handling this so well. For not getting mad at me. And most of all for listening to me.. I really appreciate your advice. And your support.»
«No worries, Richard, no need to thank me. You helped me once. Hopefully I can help you a little, I'm always there for my mates.»
«Thanks...» He rubbed his temples again and got up with a sigh. «I'm just... getting some wine,» he mumbled as he shuffled past me and headed to the kitchen. When he returned he was carrying two glasses, and proffered one to me.
«Oh, thanks Richard, but I'm..»
«Don't even start that with me right now. I'm not sitting here drinking alone over my marriage problems like a pathetic twat. Please?» He said, waving the glass in front of me. I took it from him, but put it resolutely down on the table.
«Richard, no, I can't.»
«You can drop the diet for just one glass or two, can't you? You going on a diet is ridiculous anyway, you look amazing. I've proved that, I literally forced myself on you earlier!» He pointed out, gesturing vaguely to the hallway.
«Listen, I would've loved to have a glass of wine right now, I really would but... I can't.»
«I'm not trying to get you drunk to get in your knickers,» he argued, and I let out a laugh.
«I wasn't suspecting you of that...! Until now, that is!»
«Good. Then have a drink?» He persisted.
«Richard, I can't!»
«Can't? What, are you pregnant or something?» He asked in an off-hand sort of way as he lifted his own glass to his mouth and had a sip. It was obvious that he didn't even expect an answer to that, he didn't believe I would be.
«Weeeeell...» I said hesitantly. My brain had frozen completely and I was unable to come up with an excuse. I was running out of ways to wiggle out of the conversation or cover it up any longer. Richard choked on his wine and gave me the most quizzical and confused look I had ever seen in my life. «... a bit,» I shrugged stupidly, looking at the floor.
«You're pregnant?!» He repeated loudly.
«A little...» I conceded with a nod. As I tore my eyes up off the floor to look at Richard I felt how I was smiling, unable to stop myself.
«You're just pulling my leg,» he snorted dismissively, shaking his head a little.
«Richard, I wouldn't lie about something like that. Especially not just to get out of having to drink a glass of wine.» Shocked silence followed. Richard stared into space, wide-eyed, processing what I had just told him.
«Wait a minute, hang on... Really?» He repeated, dumbfounded.
«Yes!» I maintained, nodding eagerly.
«Does James know about this?»
«Of course he does! Jesus!»
«I... wow...» he mumbled, taking another absentminded sip of his wineglass. «And he's... okay with it? With you being pregnant, I mean.» He asked after a while. I laughed a little at his hesitant, clumsy question, but I understood what he meant and why he was asking.
«He wasn't at first. But to be fair, neither was I! We were both pretty much... freaking out.»
«When did you find out about this?» Richard asked, resting back against the sofa and getting comfortable, finally seeming to relax a little.
«I found out while you guys were in Africa. The nausea was unbelievable, at first I thought it was just a tummy bug. But tummy-bugs aren't limited from 8am until around noon each morning, they don't work like that. I took tests, I went to the doctor, I cried and was panicking more or less continuously for about two weeks. I couldn't tell James something like that on the phone while he was half the world away, so... I waited. From what I can understand that last part of your trip was pretty exhausting and awful, James was absolutely knackered when he came home. Which was probably the worst time in the world to tell him something like that. So he freaked and stormed out of the house..-» At this Richard interrupted me.
«He did?!»
«Wait for it, it gets worse,» I said with a sad little smirk, holding up a hand.
«Uh-oh,» he mumbled darkly, sipping his wine.
«In my hormone-soaked, mad little head, James storming out was the equivalent of him never wanting to see me again or throwing me out as soon as he got back. So I packed a huge suitcase and ran for it, to my sister's in Norway. Left all my keys at our house, disconnected my phone...» Richard gave a low whistle, shaking his head.
«Jesus... So, you left him before he could leave you, was that it?» He asked, trying to make sense of it.
«God knows, I had a million different causes or reasons for doing what I did, and it changed several times a day. I was just... very hurt, disappointed, I was exhausted and maybe even a tad psychotic, at least it felt like it. So I left because I was angry with him and wanted to punish him. Or because I honestly thought he didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Or because I wanted to keep the baby, and was convinced he never would agree to that and I'd lose him over it anyway. I wondered if I had done him a favour, taking myself and my little 'problem' with me. And that by leaving I had closed the door on our relationship anyway and he would never want me back. See? A million reasons, most of the just illogical and... absurd.»
«But you went back to London in the end?» Richard asked, looking as if he was on tenterhooks.
«Um, no. I ended up in the hospital, actually. I wasn't eating or drinking enough, I was just too nauseous and miserable. Combine that with pregnancy-related anemia and you get one very, very weak woman who passes out on the sidewalk. At this point my sister was incredibly fed-up with me, she thought I was ridiculous and stubborn or possibly even mad. So she called James herself and he came to Norway, to the hospital. Which was probably a good thing, I was too weak to run away or kill him,» I snorted.
«Are you okay now, though?» Richard eyed me with concern.
«Oh, I'm fine,» I smiled gratefully. «They poured some blood and fluids into me and I was okay. My blood pressure had been low and my heart-rate a little erratic, hence my little swooning episode. I was reaching my second trimester so the nausea disappeared, and with James showing up I calmed down. We talked a lot, worked things out... I came home, and we decided to have this baby.»
«I can't get over that James is becoming a father...» Richard mumbled. «I honestly thought he'd never have kids, he's always said he never would.»
«Frankly I think he did, too! And I had accepted that, I was fine with it really. But suddenly life just happened and I found myself pregnant, and then... Abortion seemed like the last thing I wanted to do, but I thought I had to, that I would have to chose between James or this baby.»
«See, you're wrong then, people can fundamentally change, James did! He said he didn't want kids, and now he's having one!» Richard argued.
«Well... When we talked about this he said he never thought he'd be in a place in his life where he could have kids. He'd never met anyone he could imagine having children with, and he thought he never would. I was worried that he just said he wanted to keep this baby just so he could keep me, or make me happy, or... something. But I'm not worried about that any more, he seems genuinely happy and excited about it.» I was smiling from ear to ear again, and Richard cocked his head and aaaw'ed at me.
«But that's... Amazing! I'm happy for you! Congratulations!» He said, put down his glass of wine and gave me a quick hug.
«I shouldn't have told you any of this, you know,» I admitted. «James and I was supposed to keep this to ourselves for a while, at least until after I've had my ultrasound, and.. James probably wanted to tell you this himself...»
«I won't breathe a word of it and I promise to act incredibly surprised,» Richard promised, hand on his heart. «So, when is your ultrasound? How far are you along?» He was practically bouncing up and down in the sofa now.
«Ultrasound is December 2nd. And I'm fourt-- no fifteen weeks today actually,» I said, counting.
«God, I remember when Mindy was pregnant with Izzy, that was such a... weird time. I was constantly terrified,» Richard mused, eyes sliding out of focus as he reminisced.
«Believe me, so are we!» I laughed. A ping from my phone tore us out of our conversation. It was from James. 'Saw the photos on twitter. Had fun? He was careful with you, right? Miss you.' I shook my head and laughed. «It's James, he's worried that offroading and mudding isn't a suitable activity for an expectant lady,» I snorted. «Asking if you were 'careful with me'.» I added. At this Richard laughed out loud in that childish way only he can manage.
«Really? He wrote that?!»
«Something to that effect,» I confirmed. «Lately he's been incredibly overprotective, he's fussing over me constantly. I can barely get him out of the house, he even talked about cancelling this documentary. Basically he's nesting for dear life,» I snorted, and Richard giggled. «It's adorable though, I appreciate all his fussing.»
«Well, you know how he gets. When James has made up his mind about something, made a decision to do something... He always gets excited about things he cares about, he gets completely carried away,» Richard observed.
«I know....» I nodded. «That's one of the things I love about him, though. How incredibly... passionate and childishly excited he can be about things.»
«I didn't think it was possible, but I feel like even more of a twat for kissing you now...» Richard admitted, staring into his wineglass. «I mean... You're pregnant. With my best mate.»
«Which is why it was so bloody hard to stop you!» I retorted, feeling like I needed to make some admissions myself. «Do you have any idea what these pregnancy hormones are doing to me? I feel like a.. horny, 14 year old boy with a constant boner!» I complained, waving my arms. «And you're not a man it's easy to turn down, I'll tell you that much!»
«Emily, that mental image is so disturbing,» he whined, rubbing his temples and shuddering. «But.. you know, thanks. I think.» The rest of the evening passed with the two of us talking, about relationships and marriages, and his marriage in particular. Richard was genuinely upset, terrified that his marriage would fall apart, and it was obvious that he had desperately needed someone to talk to. Now that he had, the floodgates opened and there was no shutting him up. All his fears and worries and regrets poured out of him, and I realised that emotionally he was a lot more torn up than I had thought. I tried to be as helpful as I could, giving him advice on how to try and fix it. Around midnight we were both yawning and decided to call it a night. Trailing after Richard up the stairs, I was just about to head off into the guestroom when I felt Richard's hand around mine, holding me back. «Emily... I don't want to sleep alone tonight,» he said quietly, almost like he was ashamed.
«Richard, no...» I sighed heavily.
«I meant just... sleeping, nothing more.»
«I know, but.. I can't sleep in Mindy's bed, I just can't.» Somehow, the thought of crawling into Richard's and Mindy's bed, even if nothing happened, it would've just felt wrong. I wriggled my hand out of Richard's grasp, feeling guilty. Mostly because I understood him. He didn't want to feel alone tonight, he needed some sort of comfort and closeness, even if it was just friendly.
«Oh. Okay...» Richard said, trying his best to sound understanding. «Night, then.» He turned on his heels and headed towards his own bedroom. I took a few steps towards the guestroom, and stopped in the doorway, grumbling at myself.
«Richard,» I said and he stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at me. «Sleep in here, then.» Without waiting for a reply I entered the guestroom, took my jeans off and got into bed, leaving my top on. Richard appeared in the doorway, looking tentatively at me.
«You sure...?»
«Yeah, come on,» I said with a little smile. Richard got out of his own jeans and crawled under the covers. I held out an arm for him, and after a moments hesitation he inched up to me and rested his head on my shoulder. I ran my hand over his back a few times. «Better?»
«Yeah... Thank you, Emily,» he mumbled, squeezing me a little.
«It's okay. I know what it's like, feeling alone and abandoned, terrified you're losing the most important thing in your life. With that being said, if you try any funny business I will kick you in the plums.»
«Duly noted,» Richard said, giggling his Goofy-like chuckle. Sighing contentedly he placed his hand on my tummy, caressing it a little. «You know, when James met you... I was so happy for him. He's always been a bit of an outsider, and even though he makes it seem like he wants to be, I know how lonely he's been. He's been on the sideline, watching as Jezza and I lived our busy family lives, having children, going on family holidays... I'm glad he gets to experience all that. And he couldn't have found a better person to do it with. You changed his life for the better.»
«Aw...Thank you, Richard,» I said, swallowing back a lump in my throat, feeling genuinely touched. «Now get some sleep, yeah?»
«Mm...» he mumbled tiredly, already dozing off.