To Have and To Hold – by LoobyLoo 15 – Pure unashamed Fluff!



Chapter 1

It was at that point Buffy’s heart was broken. William held her, tears coursed down their cheeks. Neither could speak for a while.

The boy she loved, the boy whose ring she’d worn for the last eighteen months, had told her he’d got to go away back to England.

“I’ll ask mom if you can live with us…I’ll save up and come to England … I’ll … I’ll…run away and…please don’t go!” The tears fell again.

“It’s no good babe…we can phone…and write, and as you say, we can save up. Gods babe, I’m going to die without you” Buffy cried even harder; holding tightly onto him.


Three Weeks Later

The airport farewell had been dreadful; on the way home Buffy was taken with huge wracking sobs so she was eventually physically sick, and she could hardly breathe, had her mother worried.

“You’ll get over this crush love…time is a great healer”

“IT’S NOT A CRUSH, I LOVE HIM, DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND? I. LOVE. HIM!” Buffy tried the car door handle; she really would throw herself out of the fast moving car if her mother didn’t shut up now!

“BUFFY! For goodness sake! You could have fallen out” Joyce slowed the car, seeing her daughter’s hand on the handle. This nearly caused the car behind to rear-end them, and the driver blared his horn.

“GOOD! I want to die!” Buffy sobbed. Joyce heaved a sigh and steered the car towards the right hand lane so she could turn for home.

So for the first month after William had to go back to England with his father, they phoned, and wrote. Everyday. Both ran up horrendous phone bills, and they both had to get jobs to help pay for it.

Buffy had been grounded.

“Where the hell do you think that I can get $338 to pay for a phone bill?” Joyce asked, angrily pacing around her in the kitchen, waving the said bill around.

Buffy sat there in tears…her mom just didn’t understand how much they loved each other…

“You’ll have to help with this Buffy, you can come every night to the gallery after school, and vacuum and dust, clean the toilets and fill the dispensers and earn the money to pay for it!”

Much the same confrontation had taken place in England too. William had been summoned to his father’s study one day after school.

“Kindly explain to me William, why I suddenly find myself with a telephone bill for £279, and forty five pence”

“Sorry” William looked at his feet, wanting to be anywhere but here…

“Sorry? – Is that all you can say for yourself, sorry? Well let me tell you young man, sorry just doesn’t cut it, you will go and get yourself some work, and pay for at least three quarters of this, do you understand?”

“Yes dad” William said miserably, which led him to the Circle K 7-11 store shelf stacking and pricing up, for the next two months.

Buffy was supposed to be doing her homework. Instead, in front of her was a piece of pale blue note paper with little pink, yellow and pale green hearts on it. Buffy had written her own and William’s initials in each one, with an arrow through it, she’d written,

‘Dearest darling William, I miss you so much. Sorry I didn’t phone you last night, but mom gave me SUCH a telling off, and now I’m grounded.

There’s also a lock on the phone because the bill was nearly $350. I want to die. No, I want to be with you…I miss you very much…I know I said that already, but it’s true.

Oh, and I’ve got to go to the gallery and work to help pay for the phone bill…we had a French test today, and I flunked…and the math.

When will I ever use long division when I’m older? I don’t care if I don’t pass any exams. It’ll serve HER right, I don’t care………’

She always ended the same.

‘Love you, millions and trillions and tons of sugar, Your Buffy, Forever’

There was a light tap on her bedroom door. Buffy scowled and hid the letter in her bag.

“WHAT?” She snapped

“Buffy, what have I told you? I’ll send you to live with your father in Dakota if you don’t speak to me with a civil tongue in your head”

“What do you want?” Buffy asked testily.

“Have you finished your homework?” Joyce asked
**Finished? Haven’t even STARTED it** Buffy thought.

“Why?”

“Your suppers ready”

“Not hungry”

“Buffy…it’s your favourite, cheese feast pizza” Buffy salivated, but steeled her resolve.

“Don’t care, I DON’T WANT IT, ok, now leave me alone!” Joyce frowned…

“Buffy – I –“

“And DON’T come in! I didn’t say you could come in! I don’t barge in your room do I?” Joyce had the door open a foot wide, and then closed it to a few inches.

“You’ll make yourself ill if you don’t eat”

“Oh yeah, like YOU care about me!”

“BUFFY, How could you say such a terrible th-thing…I um…oh!” Joyce could be heard running downstairs. Buffy frowned, and went and listened at her bedroom door. She could hear her mother crying.

She felt a slight twinge of guilt, and then slammed the door shut hatefully.

“Good, I’m glad your sad, SO AM I!”

Buffy stood with her back to the closed door, eyes closed. She hurt, all over this pain of being apart was tearing her up and her mother just totally didn’t understand………

Chapter 2



Joyce was on the phone to her ex-husband and Buffy’s father, Hank…

“………No, I’m not getting hysterical Hank, I’m ok, really, it’s just well, I know she was with him for a while, I really thought it was just a crush thing…I’m at my wits end that’s all”

“Well, sorry Joyce, I can’t take her, I’ve got a conference in NY next week, I’m sure she’ll come round” Hank said.

“Don’t be late with the maintenance check will you, she’s run up a $350 phone bill”

“She’s WHAT?”

“Honestly…I’ve told her, she’s got to come to the gallery, do some cleaning to earn money to help pay for it”

“Don’t be too hard on her”

“Don’t be…HANK – have you listened to a word I said? She’s practically getting off Scott free as it is…she’s failed some tests at school, she speaks to me like I’m something she’s trodden in, I was hoping for some support from you, but as usual, you’re about as useful as a chocolate teapot, sorry I troubled you!” Joyce slammed the phone down on her ex.


Buffy stood at the top of the stairs and asked,

“Was that Daddy?”

“He’s gone”

“Fine! Not EVEN allowed to speak to my own dad now!” Buffy huffed, slamming her door again.
Joyce sat on the third step, eyes closed, rubbing her temples.



The following morning, Joyce had put out three choices of cereal, had pancake mix made up and bread ready in the toaster, thinking how hungry Buffy must be not eating supper last night...

Buffy came downstairs, and made straight for the fridge. She grabbed a carton of juice, and just to annoy her mother, she drank straight from the container.

“Cereals or pancakes, the batter’s all-“

“Bye”

“BUFFY! You can’t go to school without breakfast!”

“Watch me!” Buffy snapped, grabbing her bag and making for the front door.

“You didn’t have supper last night either…here’s your…(SLAM) lunch – oh!”

Joyce let her arm drop. She flung the paper sack of sandwiches and fruit on the counter. Buffy ran across the grass, and watched with a grin as Xander drove up.

“Can you do this every morning?”

“Sure, let’s go get Willow”

Buffy went on playing ‘Prize Bitch Teen From Hell’ until she was so close to being grounded forever, that her mother had seriously threatened to put her daughter in care.

Then the need to study became urgent.

Although William had been well ahead of his new fellow students in such subjects as computing, science and maths, he seriously lagged behind in English, and history, having studied American history rather than British.

Their letters came less frequent, and slowly trickled to birthday cards and Christmas cards.

Then Will and his dad had to move again, and he’d meant to send her his new address, but, well, you know how it is…exams, life…

Chapter 3


Five years and several boyfriends later, Buffy’s steady, a guy she’d know in High School had ‘popped the question’, and Buffy, with nothing better to do than seeing years of drudgery working in the burger bar thought that at least she could perhaps look forward to a place of her own and maybe a baby or two, so she accepted Angel’s proposal.

As soon as she told her mother, it was like flicking a switch in Joyce, and things started moving at an alarming pace, Buffy seemingly having little choice or say about things………


“Gods Buffy…less than four weeks until the big day!” Willow grinned at her friend

“Hmm, oh yeah” Buffy said flatly without even glancing up from reading.

Willow frowned, but said nothing; she supposed it could be pre-wedding nerves.

“So, when’s the first rehearsal?” She asked brightly.

“Hmm? Oh…tomorrow night, I think…what day is it – yeah tomorrow? ”

“Is that magazine you’re reading that interesting – coz you don’t seem…excited?”

Truth was Buffy was dreading it. Nothing, and she meant NOTHING had gone her way with the wedding.

It all started five months ago when she, her mother and her very sick grandmother went into ‘Bride Be Lovely’ in the mall to buy her dress, for instance.

Her gran said she’d pay for it. Already stick-thin, the cancer had ravaged her body and everybody knew, but nobody said, that she probably wouldn’t live to actually be at the wedding.

Buffy had immediately seen a silk sheath dress she liked, but her gran and her mother had other ideas, and had gone over to the ‘big’ dresses…

“I really like this one, over here” Buffy said to her mother and gran, turning her head and thumbing towards the sheath dress.

When she looked back, she realised that they weren’t listening to her, and was talking to the assistant.

“Look, Buffy, isn’t this just SO beautiful!” Both her mother and gran were beaming at a great big ‘meringue’ of a dress, all frouffs and flounces, with about a hundred layers of petticoat – not what she wanted at all.

“But I…” she could see the happiness on her gran’s face. With her shoulders dropping and a huge sigh, she went towards them. The assistant helped her on with it. Boy, was it uncomfortable!

“When you have the proper foundation garment on, it’ll be fine”
The assistant said with a grin, coming from under layers of net.

“You mean there’s more to this torture? Buffy said flatly.

She grinned at Buffy, who didn’t even smile, or pirouette, or stand on tip-toe to imagine high heeled shoes – some girls even piled their hair up and just held it to see what the dress would look like with their hair up, but Buffy didn’t anything that normally the brides to be did…the assistants smile became frozen, and she knew no amount of,

‘You look SO beautiful’ or your fiancé will fall in love with you all over again’ was going to convince Buffy otherwise.

“Is she ready, lets have a look…” Buffy heard her mother say. The curtain was drawn back, and both her mother and gran raised tissues to tearful eyes.

“Oh darling, you look so beautiful…doesn’t she?” her mother said to the assistant.

“Oh yes, beautiful!” The assistants smile now almost maniacal.

“Oh Buffy!” her gran said.

“Um…can I take it off now, it’s irritating my skin?” Buffy asked grimacing, and fingering the itchy neck. Her mother frowned.

“Buffy! Don’t be so…ungrateful!” Joyce hissed at her.

“Leave it on a little longer please dear…it’ll probably be the only time I’ll see you in it” her gran said. Buffy winced…ouch, all aboard for the next guilt trip…

“Sorry gran”

“What do you say to your gran dear, after all, she has just forked out $800 for your dress”

“Sorry, thankyou gran” Buffy kissed her cheek.

“You’re welcome dear” her bony fingers squeezed her arm.

“Shoes next, and a veil”

“Veil? Oh no, I don’t want to wear a…but my hair will…I’M NOT WEARING THAT! I mean…a tiara – no thankyou – it’s, it’s tacky, it’s SO pretentious…well, for me it is…I was thinking………flowers, fresh flowers, and…oh!”

Ignoring her protests, Joyce placed the veil, complete with tiara on her head.

“But look love…it sparkles like real diamonds! See how pretty it looks, AND it’ll match the lace on your dress”

Three weeks later, the call that everybody was half expecting came. Her grandmother wasn’t expected to last the night, and Buffy and her mother drove for 4 hours to go see her.

She died two hours after they got there, without waking from the sleep she’d been in. Buffy tried to phone Angel, but he wasn’t in.

Back home the following day, when Buffy quizzed him as to his whereabouts when she’d phoned, Angel had said he’d been listening to music on his headphones, and hadn’t heard the phone.


A month later

“Who are Norman and Sheila Todd?” Buffy asked her mother, frowning, looking at the guest list her mother was writing.

“Hmm? Oh, cousins of your father’s”

“Raymond Trevelyan and Michelle Newman?”

“Friends”

“Of whom?”

“I went to school with her…she’s bought some pieces from the gallery.” Joyce said dismissively.

“Uncle Seth? Oh mom no! Last time I saw him, he was in that home…he smelt really awful – like cooked cabbage!”

“Well, he’s in a different home now, one that looks after him properly, and they wash him”

“But I bet he can’t even feed himself!” The exasperation wasn’t lost on her mother.

“He’ll have a nurse with him…oh, that reminds me, I must put her down for a meal too, it’s only fair.” Joyce said.

“Mom…I don’t know over half of these people!”

“Buffy, will you please be quiet and let me get on with things…now, I’ve ordered fresh flowers for the tables, in lilac and lemon, the napery will be white, well the table cloths will be, the napkins…what do you think, bottle green or the burgundy?” She held out two samples. Buffy shrugged

“Whatever”

“The green…yes the green I think, now-“
The telephone ringing interrupted Joyce.

“I’ll get it” Buffy jumped up and answered it. She came back two minutes later.

“That was the Double Meat, they want to know if I’ll do a double shift, Paul’s gone home sick…so I’ll earn seventy dollars and they’ll pay me cash in hand if I help them out, so, that and the thirty dollars I gave Angel to save last week will pay off the wedding video man”

“Good darling…ok off you go then” Joyce said without looking up.

“If Angel calls, tell him”

“I will…oh gods, Pete and Jayne Michaels…and Rueben and Carmel and their daughter Natasha, I completely forgot about them…I wonder if Sharon Thompson still lives next door to them…!” Joyce frantically began to write again. Buffy went to work.

Chapter 4


At ten o’clock, Buffy was a little upset to see that Angel wasn’t waiting outside to bring her home. She’d tried ringing her mother, but the phone was engaged.

She felt footsore and her back ached from the double shift, she wanted a long soak and a good nights sleep. Still. At least it would be another bill paid now. She got the bus home, walked in the house, and flopped on the sofa.


“Mom, did you tell Angel that I was doing a double shift?” she leant her head back against the sofa, talking to her mother who was in the kitchen.

“Yes love, why?” Joyce said, standing in the archway between the two rooms. She was wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

“Only he didn’t come and meet me, I had to get the bus”

“Oh, he said something about having something important to see to”

“Like what?” Buffy asked, frowning.

Joyce turned back to face her daughter

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him yourself tomorrow” Buffy yawned and stretched.

“I’m going for a bath and then bed, I’m shattered”

“Ok love, goodnight – oh, I’m out early in the morning”

“’Kay, night” Buffy called from halfway up the stairs.

At ten the following morning, Buffy answered the front door to her fiancé.

“What happened to you last night?”

“What?”

“Last night, why didn’t you pick me up from work?”

“Oh, sorry, I had to go out, I did tell your mom”

“Where to?”

“Well, see the thing is-“

“Look, before you start, can I have the thirty dollars I gave you last Sunday, I’ll put it with the seventy I earned last night, and that’ll finish paying for the wedding video”

“Um…”

“Well come on” Buffy held her hand out, waggling her fingers with impatience.

“Erm, well, see the thing is…”

“Have you left it at home? – Look, no matter, we can pick it up on the way”

“On the way?”

“To pay for the video! Keep up! Come on, let’s go”

“Um, see the thing is…I haven’t got it” Angel shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

“What do you mean?”

“I er…I went out last night, and um, well you see, if I can get on the Pool team at the Bronze, I thought that I could earn some playing pool” Buffy frowned.

“You PAID to get a place on the pool team?”

“No, not exactly…I bought them drinks, and-“ Buffy saw red.

“You’ve spent the money on BEER?”

“Think of it as an investment, Buffy…good money can be earned playing pool!” Buffy’s blood boiled.

“Here’s me, working my bloody fingers to the bone, working all the hours god sends, and you go and spend $30 on beer! I haven’t been out for weeks! Get out, go on, get out before I really start!”

She was looking for something to throw at him, and Angel thought that now was a good time to leave…

“But Buffy, love…it’ll be money well spent!”

“IF, and I mean IF I thought that you were any good at pool, I wouldn’t mind, but Xander can beat you, so can Willow! You waste $30, just because you think you’re some bloody Paul Newman incarnate…just…just go will you”

“Paul Newman?” Angel asked frowning

“Yes, the Hustler…just go before I really loose my temper!” Angel went. Buffy threw herself on the sofa. Five minutes later, there was a ring on the doorbell. She got up, flung open the door,

“I’m not done forgiving –OH MY GOD!” she had to clutch the door to remain upright, her knee’s had almost given way on her.

“Hello Buffy!”

“Will-William!”

Chapter 5

It took her a second or two to recognise him, his hair was now a two-tone mix of brown and bleached streaks, all tousled curls, but neat… but there was no mistaking those cheekbones or those blue eyes.

His voice had got deeper, and he looked SO good in the designer pants and leather jacket. She clocked the Ferrari parked outside too.

“Um, these are for you…I wasn’t sure if you still lived here” Buffy opened and closed her mouth several times, willing her brain to work.

“Come…come in!” She took the proffered cream and pink roses.

“Oh boy, these are beautiful!” Her heart had missed a beat. Several in fact, and her stomach was doing all sorts of gymnastics, she was finding it hard to breathe and not to shake!

“Coffee?”

“Love some!” he followed her into the kitchen.

“Thankyou…these are beautiful – oh their perfume is exquisite!”
“Like you then…gods look at you…” William looked at her, thinking what a really beautiful young woman she’d grown into. Buffy blushed prettily,

“Look at me, look at YOU!” one word summed him up. BREATHTAKING.

They chatted easily, the years fell away and they laughed and remembered.

And Buffy knew that there was this great big thing she’d eventually have to tell him, but she didn’t want to, she wanted to know about him, what he was doing, where he was going, why was he knocking on her door bringing her flowers after five years…

“So, if I hadn’t have still lived here, what would you have done with the roses?” Buffy asked.

“Um…probably gone and put them on Tara’s grave” Buffy felt another guilty stab; they hadn’t been to her grave for…a good six months, none of the gang had, to pay their respects to a friend who died so young at fifteen in an accident.

“Much to my shame, I haven’t been there for a while…I must go, probably overgrown a bit”

“So, you’ve been busy then”

“Yeah…” here goes, Buffy thought, dreading having to tell him that she was going to get married. The front door flew open, and Willow came in like a grinning whirlwind.

“Hey Buffy…There’s a REAL flash car parked outside – and oh, I’ve got drapes for the rehearsal!” She raised her arm to indicate them.

“Oh gods William!” She stood there, agog.

“Hey, hi Red”

“God, look at you! Is that your car outside?”

“Uh huh!” he nodded.

“Wow…”

“So, what’s this rehearsal then?” Spike asked grinning, thinking amateur dramatics or the like.

“Buffy’s getting married in three weeks!” Willow babbled said excitedly. Buffy felt sick, she couldn’t even dredge up the courage to look at William, and he felt like he’d been punched for that matter…I mean, he didn’t think he could just swan in here after five years and take up where they left off, but Buffy getting MARRIED…oh gods…

“Oh…um, oh. Who –erm, who’s the um…lucky chap?” he forced out, trying to keep it light

“Angel” Willow said still grinning

“Angel? As in Angel Stebson?” William wanted to add, that loser? But he obviously couldn’t.

“I thought that we could tie this heavy one around your waist, to act like the train, and put the lace one on your head like the veil” Willow said, offering the drapes to Buffy.

Buffy hadn’t smiled at all, and William had noticed this.

“Willow…would you mind, I’ve got an awful headache, and I want to rest a while” Buffy turned away from both of them, she was near to tears.

“Oh…erm, s-sure, okay, I can come back later…” she felt a little deflated, and William also stood.

“Well, if you feel ill, I’d better be go-“

“Please William there’s something I um, I want to show you…I’ll see you later Willow” Buffy said pointedly to her friend

“Oh…Ok, bye, bye then, William…great to see you!” Buffy was SO glad Willow took the hint.

“Yes, and you Red, bye” she left. William looked at her.

“Buffy…tell me to mind my own business…but you don’t look like somebody whose about to get married in three weeks” he could ALWAYS see through her.

She turned tearful eyes on him, and he just melted, and put his arms around her, and at once, they both felt like they’d come home. She felt a peace that had evaded her since he’d left five years ago.

The floodgates opened, and it all came pouring out.

“Oh Will…I don’t love him…I hate my dress, and veil, I don’t know over three-quarters of the guests, I don’t even know what it is were eating at the reception as it’s all in French…I’m sick of working and working, and all HE can do is spend my hard earned on beer trying to buy his way into the pool team because he’s got this crazy idea that he’s Paul Newman’s Hustler, when in truth, even I can beat him blindfold with one hand tied behind my back! ………………

He listened patiently while she ranted, just holding her. She finished up, and looked up to his chin! And, and, and you’ve grown!” she smiled up at him, and then she tucked her head under his chin and cuddled in. William held her tight.

“Then you must stop it love…put an end, right now”

“But…well, mom’ll go spare…Dawn will have a fit…dad will loose thousands of dollars over a reception he’s not even coming to, and-“

“AND… nothing. Listen love, you can’t live this altruistic life.

It’s YOUR future happiness, you can’t marry somebody because a receptions paid for, or because your kid sister will have a fit as she’s not going to be bridesmaid” Buffy sniffed.

“I know…so how do I tell them?”

“Bite the bullet babe, tell them now, today this isn’t The Graduate, don’t leave it until the wedding day, even if you don’t love Angel, he deserves to be told, and the sooner the better”

When William called her ‘Babe’ it took her back.

“Your right”

“Look, I’m here for a week at this hotel, and then I should be moving to my new offices on Mulholland Drive”

“Mulholland- Wow! What do you do?” William smiled enigmatically.

“Oh, bit of this, bit of that…if you need anything, and I mean ANYTHING, money, a place to stay, an ear to listen, a sanctum…call me, promise? – Even if this turns out to be pre-wedding nerves, and you change your mind and want to go through with it, and marry the sod, call me”

Buffy nodded and said a little above a whisper,

“I promise” She couldn’t help it; she reached up on tiptoe, and softly kissed his lips.
She mewled, sweet god in heaven! Her legs almost buckled. It took Herculean effort on William’s part not to deepen the kiss. He stayed her by holding her shoulders, but his thumbs massaged the top of her arms

“Buffy…if things change with you, your situation, then we have all the time in the world” She swallowed and nodded again.

“I’ll hear from you, soon I hope…very soon…I hope with all my heart, soon, remember, you promised me” he kissed his finger and pressed it to her lips, and then he left.

Buffy felt elated, and upset and confused and dazed…and the only thing she could think of was being in William’s arms and kissing him. The phone ringing brought her out of her reverie.

“Buffy…are you alright?” Joyce asked

“Um, yeah, yeah why?”

“Only Willow said I should ring you, you weren’t well”

“Oh. I’ve got a bit of a headache, that’s all”

“Ok, I’ll be home early tonight, for the rehearsal”

“About that mom”

“Sorry love, I must go, somebody wants to buy something, I’ll see you later bye” Buffy put the phone down, and pressed ‘speed-dial’ for Willow.

“Hello”

“Will? Sorry to make you yo-yo, but could you come over…I need to talk to someone”

“Be right over” Ten minutes later, Willow came in. Buffy already had them two soda’s poured and she was sitting at the dining table with her head propped on her hand, elbow on the table.

Chapter 6


“Hi, how’s the headache?”

“About to get worse, I think”

“You’re not getting married, are you?” Willow said, as she eased herself into the seat opposite.

“No, no I’m not. And I’ve got to tell mom, and Angel!” she burst into tears. Tears of relief.

“I don’t love him Willow…I haven’t done for ages, I’ve never really loved him the way I should have… but things just kept on snowballing…”

“And then William arrived” Willow said.

“This has nothing to do with William…he just explained it all, pure and simple made me see sense. He said if I don’t love Angel, then I owe it to him to finish it NOW, not the day of the wedding and do a ‘The Graduate’…and I’ve got nothing in this wedding I want, apart from you and Xander there.

The dress I hate, I know that sounds ungrateful, but how do you say no to a dying grandmother, who thinks the dress she bought you is the most prettiest thing in the world, and ‘keep it on a little while longer, it’ll probably be the only time I’ll see you in it’ guilt trip …I know she was right, and I know she’s dead now…but the reception…I mean, the GOLF COUSRE COUNTRY CLUB!

The menu I don’t understand, I mean, what sort of a bird is ‘voe’?”

“Voe? Never heard of it, why?”

“That’s what we are having…Voe de parmeshan”

“Oh, you mean ‘Veau de Parmesan’, its veal, baby calf with a cheese crust” Willow explained.

“See, thicko me didn’t even know that, I probably wouldn’t know what knife and bloody fork to use, and show myself up even more…the guests – I know 21 out of 96!

Dawn’s dress, Vivian Westwood, I mean, she just bought it to piss me off, or so she thought, the ‘my friends will think it’s SO way cool’ attitude, and she’s right, I hate it, but you should have seen her face when I shrugged and said ‘ok, have it if you want it’ I didn’t add, I’ve got nothing else I want so far, so your bridesmaid dress being another makes no odds to me…and did I tell you what Angel did last night?

Spent my evenings wages of $30 on beer to buy his way into the pool team – money I earned, money I’d needed to pay off the video guy”

“He didn’t!”

“He did, we had a huge row this morning…although now, I’m glad he did, else we’d have been in town, and I’d have missed William”

“Ah, William” Willow said

“I felt…gods Willow…when he held me because I got upset…I just felt so at ease…it felt so right………it’s what I’d missed all those years!”

“So what are you going to do now?” Buffy picked up the phone.

“I’m going to start phoning around and cancelling things, then I’m going to tell Angel, then my mom”

The front door opened, and in walked Joyce.

“Well that’s that plan up the Suwannee, say nothing about William!” Buffy warned, replacing the receiver, and her friend shook her head.

“Got away early as I clinched a $5000 sales deal!” Joyce smiled and put her bag down on the dining room table. Buffy looked at her hands that were entwined on the table.

“Mom…I’m going to tell you something, and you’re going to hear me out, without interrupting, ok?” It was only then she looked up into her mothers face. Joyce looked at her daughter, sat at the table opposite.

“Um…I’ll be off then” Willow went to leave

“No, Will, you can stay” Buffy took a deep breath and said,

“Mom, I’m NOT getting married”

“But-“

“A-a, you promised not to interrupt. I HATE the dress…well, ok it’s not the dress itself, but I HATE me in that dress.

You’ve only gone to town on the reception to sting dad out of every last dollar you can, you’ve picked the most expensive menu, and the guests…you’ve even invited the bloody Avon lady for gods sake…”

Joyce at least had the decency to look sheepish about this.

“Angel can’t be trusted to keep a job, he spent my wages last night on beer to buy his way onto a pool team, money I’d earned, and he can’t even play properly…I’m not big on religion, I never wanted to get married in a church, I hate camping so the honeymoon would be a washout, I hate currents, icing and marzipan is the devils own, so the wedding cake is one big yuk as far as I’m concerned, Dawn only bought that Vivian Westwood dress to piss me off, and last, but not least…I don’t love Angel…mom, I’m nearly 22 years old, and I’m still a virgin, doesn’t that tell you something about mine and Angel’s relationship?”

If Joyce was surprised at this information, she did a good job hiding it.

“Well…it um…it shows restraint! That you didn’t erm, well, haven’t given in to your…baser instincts and desires”

“Mom, there are NO baser desires, that’s what I’m trying to tell you…”

“I see. And there’s no changing your mind, and this isn’t just pre-wedding nerves?”

“Wild horses wouldn’t drag me down that aisle” Joyce stood, her manner frosty.

“Well, you’d better start cancelling things then hadn’t you!”

“Actually, that’s exactly what I was going to start doing, but you came home”

“When are you going to tell Angel?”

“Actually…right now, well, I’m going to call him”

Buffy went off to call Angel over to the house.

“She means it then, this isn’t just wedding nerves?” Joyce said resignedly to Willow.

“Oh, she means it…I mean, she’s not been that enthusiastic at all, really, has she?” Joyce sighed.

“No…no I suppose not…I’ll let you into a secret…when I put her dress in the wardrobe, covered in plastic, I put a piece of cotton across the door, to see if she went to look at it”

“And she never did?”

“The cotton was never broken, in fact, it got a line of dust on it…I know she only had it to please her gran, but I thought she’d come round…”

“…………And I’ve learned something, so I want you to come over, now please Angel” Buffy said on the phone.

“Oh, oh, kay” fifteen minutes later, a worried looking Angel stood on the doorstep.

He was trying to pluck up the courage to knock, and aborted the attempt twice, but Buffy saw his shadow and opened it anyway.

“Come in Angel” she walked into the lounge, and turned to face him.

“Buffy, can I just say this first…I’m sorry, and it, well, she, meant nothing, honestly…it well, it just sort of happened, and we regretted it after…and then you wasn’t there again and well things got out of hand again…”

“What are you on a…explain”

“How did you find out?” Angel asked, pained.

Buffy was wondering what the hell he was on about, but thought if she gave him enough rope…

“Never mind, GO ON” Joyce and Willow were listening in the kitchen, pretending that they weren’t.

“Cordelia said that she’s never tell, and well you weren’t here, when you went to Pasadena to see your gran…and you would never let me touch you, and Cordy was just there, and we-“

“You cheated on me?”

“What?”

“You cheated on me?” Buffy repeated

“Well yes, isn’t this …um, isn’t this what you’ve er, hum… learned?”

“No…(Buffy smiled, her get-out-clause! She wasn’t the big bad now after all! With a big grin, she said,

“You cheated on me!”

“Ok, colour me confused!” Angel said, frowning and biting his lip and twiddling his thumbs. Then Buffy’s face went like thunder,

“YOU CHEATED ON ME WITH THAT SKANK? – GET OUT, I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!” She literally threw him out of the door, slamming it behind him.

“Buffy, Buffy…does this mean the weddings off?” Angel asked, through the letterbox.

“He cheated on me!” Buffy said to the couch! Joyce and Willow came into the lounge.

“Did you hear?”

“Yes love, you found out, just in time too!” Joyce said smiling.

“Oh, those are beautiful…who are they from?” Joyce asked, suddenly just spying the roses…

“Ah, those, well…”
After Buffy told her mother who the roses were from, she said she’d got to make a phone call………

Chapter 7

“So kitten…want to go for dinner?”

“Can we meet now, for a coffee or something?” Buffy asked

“Sure…come to the hotel, I’ll send a car for you” William said. Buffy ended the call, and couldn’t stop smiling.

Buffy’s eyes went huge when she saw the suite he’d got.

“So?” William asked, he was practically holding his breath.

“It’s all over…everything’s cancelled, I’ve finished it with Angel, I’m not marrying him” Buffy said, smiling, William exhaled and pulled her into his arms, to which she went to willingly.

“Was he very upset? Stupid question, I’m sorry, I-“

“Actually…I found out he’d been cheating on me”

“WHAT? Well, that confirms it then”

“What’s that then?” Buffy asked smiling, William sat down.
“He isn’t worthy of you, and he MUST be TOTALLY CRAZY!”

“You gave me the courage”

“No kitten, you did it on your own” Buffy looked around

“All this eh…you must be doing well”

“Well, what can I tell you…thanks to the great American schooling I got in computing, I was streets ahead of my peers at school in England, and I made my first million on my eighteenth birthday…seven months later, I sold my first dot com company, for a very handsome profit, started another one, sold that, another big profit…and now I’m into investment banking and property”

Buffy felt overwhelmed. And here was she, working in a burger bar…

“So, what have you been doing with yourself?”

“Not as good as you…that’s for sure…I’m too ashamed to say” Buffy looked nervously at her hands until William gently lifted her face to look at him.

“Don’t be kitten…nothing you ever did or do would make me think bad of you” he dared to stroke her cheek.
She closed her eyes an nuzzled into his touch.

“Double Meat Palace”

“Really? Hey, I love their double meat patties…better than MacDonald’s any day!” She slid down, and rested her head on his shoulder, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He put his arm around her.

“You um…you don’t have a girlfriend?”
“No…I tried, but…well…there was this one girl see, and she just ruined me and try as I might, I hold her as a yardstick to all the girls and, well, they just never measure up to her – don’t even come close.”

“Oh. Is she English?”
William chuckled.

“No, silly kitten, it’s you” Buffy sat up, huge eyed

“ME?”

“Yes…gods, when I saw you on Tuesday…all the feelings, all the love I’ve held for you came flooding back…I’m sorry, you’re just trying to get over one relationship, you don’t want to listen to-“

Buffy silenced him with a kiss. Spike pulled her close, deepening the kiss, a kiss full of want, and passion and feeling that left her breathless!

“Oh god Buffy!”
“Will, I never stopped loving you either…I’d hear a song, or see a photo…you were always in the back of my mind”

“Tell me love…do you think, well could there be a future for us, do you think?” William searched her face.

“Oh, Yes! Please?” Buffy whispered, they both broke into grins and started to kiss each other again.


“You need a holiday,” William said, as they lay in each other’s arms. Buffy looked at him and smiled

“What’s one of those?”

“Hold on” William sat up, and took a brochure out of his nightstand draw.

“Fancy a cruise on that?” Buffy looked huge eyed and mouth agape at an eighty-foot Yacht of pure floating luxury.

“Oh my gods…but I could never afford to…and you shouldn’t have to pay for me, and-

“Babe…”

“Hmm?”

“It wouldn’t cost me anything”

“How come?”

“It’s already mine!” Will said, grinning

“It’s already…… oh my gods!”

“And um…what do you think of here?” He showed her picture of paradise. A white sandy beach, with a couple of palm trees, and water and sky so clear and blue.

“The boat has a glass bottom at the stern end, and you can see all the tropical fish, and the coral, it’s just amazing, and scuba diving is wonderful, the water is clear, and warm, you’d love it…let me show it to you…please?”

Buffy put her hand over her mouth, tears sprang to her eyes and she nodded.

“Great!” he cuddled her up.

“I’ve only just acquired it, haven’t been there myself yet, but Rafiq assures me, the one I’ve bought is just like this” Buffy went round eyed

“You own that island? Whose Rafiq?”

“He’s the guy that crews the boat for me…his wife Milly is a fantastic cook, and yes, I own that island…it’s called Baku, which means Beautiful…just like you”

Buffy smiled and gave him a light kiss.

“But how will we get to the boat?”
“Well, Rafiq’s family are nothing if not resourceful…his brother, Omar is a pilot, we’ll go in the Lear”

“Don’t tell me, you’ve got a Lear jet?”

“Uh huh”

“Just how rich are you?”

“Not counting off shore investments the Times Rich List puts it at about 100 million, that’s pounds, not dollars…with my investments…getting on for two hundred million” She scrambled to sit up.

“So what are you doing with me then? You could have your pick of women”

“But I’ve told you kitten…it’s you, it’s always been you…and it always will be you…there’s no comparison…when we were kids, and you used to wear your mum’s high heals, and put a lace curtain on your head to be a bride, and I was the groom, I aways thought, even then, that I’d marry you one day, I’d give up everything for you love if I had to…the boat, the jet, the money, the island, all the businesses, everything…if you wanted me to, and I would never cheat on you, if you say you’ll be mine”

Buffy was totally stunned!

Chapter 8

Three months later, looking fit, toned and tanned, Buffy said to Willow,

“We’re getting married on the beach, I’m going to wear a sarong, with real orchids in my hair, the gardens are all lush with fruit trees and tropical palms, flowers you wouldn’t believe, and the clear blue water is so warm, lapping onto pure white sand…and then we’ll dance by moonlight to a band and eat barbecued king fish, and giant crab and lobster…baby chicken and roast suckling pig!

Oh, and the wedding cake will be three tiers, chocolate! A caramel fudge cake at the bottom covered in chocolate, then next a chocolate cake covered in chocolate, and finally, a vanilla sponge covered in soft white chocolate frosting, soft enough for William to be able to feed me with his finger…”
Willow had a dreamy look in her eye.

“I’m so happy for you Buffy” Buffy beamed,

“Good, coz we want you, Xander, Anya, Oz and all the wedding guests to come over for the wedding – and before you say anything, everything is settled.
You’ll fly in the Lear jet, to the Elizabeth Anne, that’s what he’s called the boat, by the way, and it’s five star luxury all the way, for 10 days, you’ll stay at the Mariana Hotel, its right on the beach, air conditioned and everything, you’ll love it parrots sometimes fly in, and the little bush-babies are SO cute.

I’ve even thrown in a complete wardrobe of clothes for you, that’s the wedding outfit, and a dozen bikinis and sarongs for you!” Willow screamed with joy. Joyce came in smiling.

“I take it she’s told you then!”

“Oh wow, like, wow WOW!”

“Um…did you two say you were going into town?” Joyce asked

“Yes, why?” Buffy asked

“Oh…just check out who’s ‘Mr Gummi-Bear in the mall” Was all Joyce would say.


Buffy and Willow had to go to the food court to try and stop laughing, when they saw Angel dressed in a fur bear-suit, handing out sweeties to the kids in the mall.

Eventually, they calmed enough to go over.

“Buff, Buffy, is that you, wow, what happened to you?”

“My fiancé…William Giles, remember him?”

“What that British nerd from school?”

“Yeah well, the nerdishness paid off, couple of hundred million times…beats, how much are you on an hour?”

“Four dollars, fifty” Angel said flatly.

“How’s Cordelia?”

“Um…she dumped me…said I wasn’t good for her image”

“What image is that then, Sunnydale skank? – See you, or rather, not!” Buffy walked away, and said to Willow,

“Bloody hell, how close did I nearly come to marrying him!”





Two weeks later, everybody on board the aircraft, Buffy grinned at her friend Willow as she said excitedly,

“Buffy…this is really happening!”

The Lear taxied down the runway and took off for Baku in the Indian Ocean.

Besides Willow and her boyfriend Oz, Willow’s parents, Xander, Anya, Buffy’s mother, and sister, they’d allowed her sisters boyfriend to come too, but they were to be heavily chaperoned, her dad and his girlfriend, (Buffy wasn’t a bit surprised that her father could suddenly ‘change his schedule’ to accommodate the all-expenses paid trip to Paradise) they invited several aunties and uncles, with their spouses. William had invited a dozen or so guests, having Rafiq as his Best Man.


The day of the wedding arrived, and keeping in tradition, Buffy stayed at the hotel, and William stayed on the yacht. Buffy looked so beautiful, she was already tanned, and looked stunning in a sarong of purest white, tied over one shoulder.

Spike had opted for the traditional male sarong, in black, and he too looked wonderful.

She had some real orchids put in her hair, and carried a fragrant bunch of exotic mixed blooms. She went barefoot.

They had written their own vows, and a helicopter bought in a registrar from the Mainland to conduct the ceremony.

An archway decked with every kind of flower had been erected at the front of a little walkway, and Buffy was led to her waiting groom by her father. Holding hands, they said their vows………

“My Darling Buffy, my soul mate, I promise to love and honour you, cherish you in everyway, and to keep you from harm, always, and give you this ring as a symbol of my promise to you, I love you, and will love only you always” William slipped the gold band on her finger.

“To My Darling William, You are the love of my life, my soul mate and my salvation, and I promise to love you, cherish and care for you always, and I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, I love you now and always” Buffy slipped the ring onto his finger, and looked into his blue eyes.

All the women had a little sniffle; they thought that it was the most romantic thing they’d ever seen. Truth be known, Xander and Oz blinked away tears too.

“………And by the powers invested in me by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, I now pronounce you husband and wife…you may kiss your bride”

To whoops and whistles of joy, the guests showered them with flower petals, and William signalled for a flock of white doves to be released.

As they walked down the little walkway, they saw two birds alight on the flower covered arch, and Milly, their cook, (but today she was a guest, as was her husband and brother-in-law) said with great delight,

“Look, Love birds! Real love birds! This is an excellent omen, means you will have long and happy life together, she added with a huge grin, - And many babies!”

The birds looked like they were kissing, and the happy couple had many photographs taken, under the archway, the birds could clearly be seen. They were also on the video. They went into the hotel to sign the certificate, and while they were signing, Buffy whispered,

“Did you arrange for those love-birds?“

“No my darling, that was mother-nature herself, I just organised the doves!” He searched her face grinning.

“Gods…you’re my wife…MY WIFE! I can’t-“ he felt suddenly really emotional, and picked her up and swung her round, they were both laughing. He set her down gently, and they kissed so tenderly…

“Gods! William Giles, my HUSBAND, I love you SO much!” They kissed again.

“Ahem…plenty of time for that later…come on, the food is being served!” Dawn said, grinning. They both turned and grinned at her.

Suddenly everyone was congratulating them, corks were popping on the ice-cold Champagne, and masses of the most delicious food served on huge platters were placed out in a Marquee.

It was photographed and videoed, and a rich aunt of Buffy’s said she’d never seen better; not even on the QE2 liner!

“Baby…would you put this on for me?”

She handed him the huge solitaire diamond engagement ring, and he slipped it on her finger, to rest against her new wedding band. She’d had a manicure and tanned with pale peach nails, looked wonderful.

After eating their way through masses of smoked salmon, quails eggs, caviar, cold chicken and exotic salads and fruits, they all had some chocolate wedding cake, all washed down with the finest Champagne and cocktails.

Huge ice sculptures, with gently blowing fans kept the air cool for them, and afterwards they all went to their room to rest.

Buffy and William went to the boat to be alone.

“Happy, my darling?” William asked his wife. He was holding her around the waist, and she had her arms draped around his neck.

“Blissful, you?”

“Never been happier, ever”

“What, not even when you made your first million?”

“Not even close” Buffy beamed, and then she gasped as he began to kiss her neck, making her shiver with delight… She smelt of coconut sun lotion, and exotic blooms.

William kissed her bare shoulder, and undid the knot holding up the sarong… it felt to the floor, all she had on was a tiny scrap of lace thong. Their kisses became more urgent, and William gently pushed her back towards the bed. She bought him with her as she lay back; he’d braced his knee so not to crush her.
He suckled her nipples, and Buffy writhed and squeezed his shoulders, gasping with pleasure, murmuring her love for him. He went to carry on kissing down her body, but she had other ideas.

“There’s no need…I’m so close…I love you so much” Buffy arched her back raising her hips as he entered her slowly, they rocked gently building to an earth-shattering crescendo, crying out a mutual deep and powerful climax, that left them breathless and sated.

They lay in each other’s arms.

“We’re married!” Buffy said. William had his eyes closed, but he could tell she was grinning.

“I know…gods, I can’t believe it…I’m in Paradise…”

“We are!”

“Not the island…I mean, right here…lying in your arms, this is my Paradise”

William kissed the top of her breast. Buffy grinned and turned more to face him.

“Tell me something…if I hadn’t have been in when you called that morning the first time, would you have tried again?”

“Certainly…in fact, when I was driving up the road, I was thinking, ‘why didn’t you check the phone book first…but I definitely would have…you know…I wasn’t supposed to go to Cali until round about now…I was due to open the London office first…but my secretaries, a husband and wife team, well, they were having a baby, and I said it would be easier to go to London later on in the year”

“So, I could have been…ugh! That doesn’t bear thinking about!”

“What’s that petal?”

“I could have been married to, to THING!” She shuddered again. William chuckled.

“What’s funny?”
“You wouldn’t have gone through with it, I’m sure”

“No…you’re probably right…gods, we’re married! I mean, little old me, MARRIED – To the most fantastic man in the whole wide world!” William laughed, and leaned over her, looking down into her big green eyes.

“I can’t believe my luck…I’m married to my gorgeous green-eyed goddess…I love you, so much baby!” He began to kiss her. They made love again, and then rested.

Chapter 9

At seven o’clock, after a leisurely afternoon making love, they got ready to return to the island, and called Rafiq to come and collect them in the rowing boat. Buffy had changed into a sarong of soft peaches, apricots, and gold.
They could hear the music begin, and see the fires of the barbecues burning bright.

They walked up the beach hand in hand, grinning. Her mother was sitting on the terrace of the hotel, sipping a cocktail, and talking to a member of William’s family.

“Hey!” Willow came running up. She’d changed into a sarong of many shades of green that contrasted beautifully with her stunning red hair. She’d left the orchid in, and she looked wonderful.

“Enjoying yourselves?” Buffy asked

“Man, like wow!” Oz said. He had, like William ‘gone native’ and wore the traditional black sarong tied at the waist.

“Well, anytime you want to come, you only have to ask…I was going to say to you, have you ever been ski-ing?” William asked. Willow looked big-eyed, and shook her head.

“Love to go though!”

“Good, I’ve got this huge lodge in Lausanne, it overlooks Lake Geneva, easily sleeps a dozen with ease, fancy it the New Year, our treat, of course, I’ll ask Xander and Anya, few others, it’ll be a great laugh!”

“Gods, isn’t he WONDERFUL!” Willow laughed.

“Hmm, isn’t he!” Buffy leant forward and they kissed.

“Will you two pack it in – as if you haven’t been bonking all afternoon!” Buffy frown/smiled.

“Dawn, where did you hear such terminology?”

“School…anyway, I think mom’s got herself a boyfriend!” Dawn had also changed, into a sarong that was a mixture of various shades of bright blue. Her boyfriend favoured his old jeans cut offs rather than a sarong though.

“Who is that?” Buffy asked, smiling

“That, my love, is my uncle Wesley…my very rich, uncle Wesley!”

“Go mom!”

“Oh gods…look, look! Dad’s going to embarrass us now!” Dawn said, cringing at her father trying to ‘rock ’n’ roll’ with his girlfriend.

“Xander, Anya,” William called over to his friends and they came running over.

“Willow and Oz have said yes, New Year, come ski-ing with us, Switzerland, got this great lodge, ski-ing, tobogganing, husky rides, reindeer sleigh rides, hot tub, real Swiss chocolate, bearskin rugs real log fires to make love in front of…”

“Wow, we’d love to!” Anya said excitedly.

“Yeah man…we’ll start saving, sounds terrific!”
“Our treat, you won’t have to pay anything at all!” William laughed.

“Isn’t it fantastic!” Willow said.

“Um can I come?” Dawn asked, grinning.

“NO!” Buffy said

“Oh, but…”

“We’ll see, after all, she will be eighteen then…”

“Oh, yeah! Did I say, I LOVE my brother-in-law!” Dawn draped her arm around William. Buffy rolled her eyes grinning.

“See what your mum says” William added, and gave Dawn a little squeeze.

A delicious odour of barbecue wafted across the beach, and they sat eating King fish, and steak, chicken and lamb, suckling pig off banana leaf plates, while they watched Mother Nature at her resplendent best, and witnessed the most spectacular sunset imaginable, the sky pinks and purples, oranges and fiery reds, and the sun a huge orange ball, as it looked like it sank into the water on the horizon.

The landscape came alive and cicadas and birds added to the music being played. The evening cooled and the fans could be switched off.
Later everybody slow-danced on the beach, swaying to the music…having the most fantastic time imaginable. William and Buffy went for a walk along the shoreline, the warm blue water lapping around their ankles.

“I want to stay here forever” Buffy sighed. William smiled.

“Well, we could, pretty much for a while at least…I could work from the Elizabeth Anne on my laptop…but there’s so much else I want to show you of the world…I want to take you site seeing and designer shopping in Paris…(Buffy squealed in delight) I want to take you ski-ing in Switzerland…I want to show the Pyramids and the black night sky in Egypt, the stars look like diamonds on velvet…I want to take you on the bullet train in Japan…show you the Great Wall of China…I want to show you the view from the Sears Tower in Toronto…take you on top of a Red London Transport bus to show you the sites…we could listen to Pavarotti sing at La Scala, Milan…or the Sydney Opera House…or see a rock concert in New York…we shall go swimming with dolphins in Adelaide, I want to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain with you in Rome…and see the wild life on the Serengeti…” Buffy was overcome, and hugged him tight. She let her arms go loose, and looked in his eyes.

“You want to show me all that?”

“All that my darling, and more…and then we’ll pick where we want to be most, and buy us a huge house, and have babies”

“Oh gods yes…I want your babies…”


Epilogue
Five years later.

“Da!” The tousle haired blonde moppet held his arms up to his daddy.

“Gods, isn’t he the best!” William put his briefcase down, and kissed his wife, scooping his 15 month-old son out of her arms.

“He is, and he’s been calling for his ‘da’ all morning! Buffy said, grinning. William ‘munched’ his son’s cheek, making him giggle.

“Want some lunch honey? Millie’s baked a ham, and there’s some nice bread and salad”

“Sounds wonderful, but come and sit with me for a minute.”
Buffy sat next to her husband.

“What would you say, to living in England for a few years…I’ve just acquired Dunsmoor Castle…it’s set in the heart of the Shropshire countryside” Buffy grinned

“I think, well, as you said, you’d like an English education for our children…it would be a great idea” Buffy said. She was nibbling on her son’s fingers, as he kept on holding his hand out to her, then giggling into his daddy’s neck.

They both grinned at their son’s antics.

“Right then…I believe you said something about lunch?” William said

“Yes, darling, I was going to wait until tonight, but well…I’ve got something to tell you”

“Oh”

“Da, dad-dee!”

“Ow, dat’s my dose!” William said, as Billy held his dad’s nose and giggled.

“Go on babe”

“Um…we’re having another baby” The joy on William’s face lit up her face, and she grinned.

“Oh baby, you’re so, this is…oh gods, come here!” He gave her a squeeze and a kiss.

“You’re such a clever girl!”

“Wasn’t just me, you know…you don’t think it’s too soon?”

“Are you happy about it?” William asked grinning

“Oh yes!”

“Then so am I, I’m not just happy, I’m deliriously happy” There was a knock at the door, and Rachel, their English nanny came in.

“Billy ready for his lunch now?”

“Want some num-nums?” Buffy asked, tickling Billy’s tummy, he giggled.

“Here you go then…” Rachel took Billy and William kissed Buffy properly.

“I love you, I’ll love you for always, my gorgeous wife!” Buffy closed her eyes and hugged him.

“You are my life, and I’ll always love you too…”

“Who else knows about the baby?”

“Well, at the moment, just you, me and the Predictor stick in the bathroom. And Billy of course!”

“Let’s phone dad, your mom and uncle Wes, get them over for dinner, and give them the good news”

“Tonight, um hold on…………Wesley said he’d love to, I think he wants to talk investments with William anyway” Joyce said

“Well, not too much business talk, we’ve got news”

“Ahem…can I have everybody’s attention, please!” William said. He dabbed his lips and dropped the napkin on top of his plate.

“I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Buffy and I are having another baby!”
Buffy’s mom shrieked and ran round the table to them, and hugged them both. Everybody was grinning and congratulating them.

She went onto have a baby girl, and William’s business went from strength to strength.

Joyce was a doting grandmother - when she was around that was! She’d also taken to the high life with Uncle Wesley…

The End