You Got Me Poppin Champagne

ALEX'S POV

I stared at her, both of us in shock. I knew I shouldn't have just left it there, but what the hell was I supposed to do with it? I couldn't just throw those things away. But I couldn't tell her either. And now she wanted to know why.

'Please Alex, just tell me. I just need to know why you'd keep so much from me. Especially if I was your...your wife.'

'Was?' I took a few steps and kneeled beside her. When she refused to look back at me, I cupped her face in my hands and forced her to focus on me. 'Erin...you still are.'

'Your sure about that?' she asked with a weak laugh. Because I'm not wearing my ring. And neither are you. If you wanna get away from me, I understand. I can pack a bag.'

'What? No! No you can't! Look!' I reached around my neck and produced the chain that held my wedding ring. 'I never stopped wearing it. I never stopped loving you.'

Erin was silent for a while and for a moment my worst fears were confirmed. She didn't love me anymore. I couldn't blame her. And then she opened her mouth, and, very quietly, said, 'But our children...why wouldn't you tell me about our other children.'

'Because it upset you. So much. You - we, lost a daughter. You were convinced our kids hated you for losing Maria. You got depressed, and I didn't realise how much you needed me...I didn't realise. I didn't want you to wake up and remember that I let you down. I didn't want you blaming me for everything, even though it was my fault. I didn't want to face up to the fact that I was the reason you tried to kill yourself...I wanted all the bad stuff to go away. Even if you did forget everything.' Erin bit her lip and looked down. I sighed desperately. 'I'm sorry. I just wanted you to be happy. I didn't want you to go back to that place...I didn't want you knowing how bad I was at being your husband, at loving you. I'm sorry.' I licked my lips and unfastened my necklace, holding the ring in my hand. Erin looked at the ring with wide eyes. 'Here, take it, I don't deserve it.'

She bit her lip, drew in a breath and took the ring from my hand, staring at it. I tried to stay sat there with her, but my heart couldn't bear the confirmation of rejection. So I left. But just as I reached the stairs back up to the ground level of the house -

'Wait.'

I turned and saw Erin standing up. 'Yeah?'

'I...I don't blame you. I never could. You're the one who saved me. When I felt so alone...you were there. Before I really knew you...you never have up on me. You never failed me. I don't want you to ever think that I tried to kill myself because of you. I know that I would never do that. You're the best thing in my life, you always have been. I was the one who lost the baby. It was my fault. I let you down, not the other way round.'

'No!' I hurried back to her and gripped her shoulders with everything I had. I needed her to feel it, feel that nothing was her fault. 'No. No, you couldn't help it. Nobody could have done anything. It was nature, we just weren't meant to have another daughter. I don't want you to think like that. That was what triggered...uh...'

'The depression,' she finished for me with a small voice.

I bit back the tears and nodded. 'Yeah. And I don't want you to ever go through that again. You are my world. I can't lose you.' God I wanted to kiss her, but now wasn't exactly an appropriate time.

When Erin looked up at me her eyes were filled with tears too. But she was also smiling that beautiful, breathtaking smile. The one that caused me to fall in love with her in the first place. 'I love you too.'

I grinned as I let out a relieved little laugh. 'I never said it in the first place.'

'Yeah but I can read your mind.'

I raised an eyebrow. 'Really? Then what am I thinking right now?' Hey come on, I'm a guy! We have needs!

'You're thinking it's way too late to be stuck in the basement.'

I grinned wider and kissed her forehead. 'Uhuh. What else?'

'Before that, I'm gonna tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking where the hell is...uhm...'

'Noah,' I told Erin, brushing hair back from her face. When she looked down I thought I caught a hint of shame in her face. She was trying to hide it but I lifted her chin and have her a tender smile. 'It's okay. We have all the time you need. And he's at my parents. So -'

'We have the house to ourselves.'

I smiled and held my wife close to me. 'We don't have to, you know. It's enough just to have you back. To know that you still love me.'

'Of course I love you. How could I not? It's okay though, I'd like to redeem our marital rights...as soon as you propose to me again.' Now she was smiling, a hint of cheekiness playing about the corner of her mouth.

I smiled right back at her and lead her up the basement stairs, through the house until we got outside to the drive. I made sure she was sat comfortably in the car, despite her confusion and protests, and started the engine.

'Don't worry, where we're going, there's room for two.'