Clare was very excited. It was the Saturday after their wedding and she and Alan were going to Bath to visit Philip and Libby and meet the children, Daniela and Gheorghe. They had been so busy planning the wedding and extra busy at work, they hadn't found the time beforehand. They had bought them each a book, an item of clothing and some chocolate buttons.

It was a strange day. The weather couldn't quite make up it's mind what it wanted to do. One moment the sun was shining brightly and then the next it had disappeared and it had started to rain. Half an hour later it was bright sunshine again.

Alan pulled his BMW up on the driveway outside of Philip's house. Philip and Libby were standing in the doorway, anticipating their arrival. Philip came across to meet them and gave Clare a kiss and a hug.

"Hello Darling. Congratulations on the wedding."

"Thank you, Philip. It was something of a whirlwind."

Alan came around the car and slapped Philip on the back.

"Sorry we couldn't invite you bruv, but we're having a post-wedding party to make up for it."

"Sounds good to me." said Philip and he led them to Libby, who also greeted them warmly and then took them into the house.

In the lounge, in a playpen under the window, sat a beautiful little girl with very dark hair and dark eyes. She was wearing a pink sweatshirt with a small silver pony motif and a pair of blue leggings covered with white spots. On her feet were pretty pink trainers.

"This is Daniela." said Libby. She reached into the playpen and picked up the child, who immediately pushed herself away from Libby and struggled to get down. Libby set her on the floor.

"This is your Auntie Clare, Daniela. Say hello."

"Hello Daniela." said Clare, bending down to the child. "How nice to meet you. Aren't you pretty? Oh, look at your lovely shoes!"

Daniela walked across to a cot where her little brother, Gheorghe was sleeping. She pointed at him and said a word which they couldn't understand. Alan knelt down by her side and spoke to her.

"Hello Daniela, I'm uncle Alan. Is that your brother? He's fast asleep isn't he? Gosh, Libby," said Alan, looking up at her, "he's almost identical to Daniela."

"Yes, they're like peas in a pod."

Clare walked across and looked into the cot. The sight of the baby boy lying there made her feel emotional. She was very tempted to touch the child's lovely face, but she resisted.

"Oh, isn't he gorgeous? What lovely children they are." she said.

"How are you coping?" Alan asked Libby as he rose to his feet.

"Come and sit down and I'll fetch some drinks." said Libby. "We'll talk in a moment."

"Dink." said Daniela, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Yes, Daniela. You can have some juice. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Dink. Juse." said Daniela. She led Libby out of the room while Clare and Alan sat on the sofa opposite Philip, who sank down into a chair.

"That sounds promising." said Clare. "Daniela is picking up English already. How clever!"

"Yes. Bearing in mind what those two have been through we're surprised how well they've settled in." said Philip. "I suppose being together is a help for them both. They are having problems being cuddled or receiving affection, as they've never had it before. Sad isn't it? But we'll get there. Libby is determined. She's a rock."

Libby returned at that moment with coffees on a tray and a small cup of juice for Daniela. She set down the tray on a large coffee table and then sat Daniela on Philip's lap.

"There darling. Sit with Daddy and drink your juice."

Daniela, however, was having none of it. Immediately she was placed on Philip's lap she struggled down and went to stand by her drink, still on the tray.

"This is what it's like." said Libby handing Daniela her cup and Alan and Clare a mug of coffee each. "But we knew it would happen, so we're just going from day to day. We've been told it takes as long as the period the child was in the orphanage to recover from it's effects. So Daniela, luckily, will recover in two and a half years and Gheorghe in nine months. If we had taken an eight year old it would take eight years for them to recover from the awful experience. We met a couple from America who were adopting a six year old girl and an eight year old boy. I think they'll be in for a rough ride. I admire them, I really do. I can't begin to tell you the horrors these poor children have been through, it makes your skin crawl. I've had bad dreams since we came home and I think it will take me some time to recover, let alone these two."

"I know, I've read lots about it, but they're young enough to forget." said Clare. "Love conquers all, I really believe that, so you're doing a wonderful job."

"They've completely changed our lives." said Philip. "We love clothes shopping and toy shopping and going around the supermarkets finding the best food for them. Daniela wouldn't eat much at first, but she has a better appetite now and is putting on weight."

They continued to talk about the children until Philip decided they just might be able to eat lunch in the garden as a brilliant sun had magically appeared. Gheorghe woke up and wanted a drink and he surprised them all by walking two steps on his own without holding on to the sofa.

Libby sat Daniela and Gheorghe on a rug on the grass and they sat and ate, whilst the grown ups sat at the patio table. Later on, Alan played ball games with them and he succeeded in making them laugh.

"My brother has hidden talents." said Philip to Clare. "This is the first time they've laughed since they've been here."

"Yes, it's been good for them having you here." said Libby.

"I'm hoping some day soon they will have cousins to play with." said Clare, although deep down she harboured fearful feelings.

"Would you like to come up and see their bedroom?" asked Libby.

"Yes." said Clare. "I'd love to."

They left the men in the garden playing with the children and went upstairs to the childrens' room. It was a large room, decorated in white and yellow with alphabet paper on three walls and the other a plain cream colour. The view from the window was lovely as it looked out over the extensive, beautiful garden. In the room was a normal sized bed and a cot and modern white furniture; drawers and cupboards. There was a bookcase full of books and a trunk on which were several soft toys.

"We put them in together as we felt they needed each other's support. They have settled in quite well. I feel exhausted, though. It's been harder than I imagined." Libby sighed heavily and Clare gave her a supportive hug.

"You'll get used to it Libby, it's bound to be hard. Especially having two. If you ever need a break, we could have them for you for the weekend, it would be lovely for us. Alan adores children." said Clare.

"Oh Clare, that is so kind, but we couldn't do that at the moment, they're not settled enough. Later on, perhaps. On the whole Philip's been wonderful, I wasn't sure he'd be much help, but he's been so supportive. Harding men aren't known for their patience, but he's been marvellous. Especially as Daniela doesn't sleep well. She keeps getting out of bed and disturbing Gheorghe, but Philip often comes in and settles her again. He even sings to her. I didn't even know that he could sing! I'm amazed."

"You're both amazing." said Clare. "You're great parents. In six months' time you'll really see a difference in both of them."

"I do hope so." Libby said. "There is one problem though, Philip absolutely refuses to change a nappy!"

Libby and Clare laughed together and Libby told Clare things about Alan that she hadn't heard before. Libby had been against Alan marrying Marie, but he'd still gone ahead, partly she thought, because he and Philip didn't get on living in the same house together. They were forever arguing and Alan felt he needed to move out. It saddened Clare to hear what Libby said, but all in all, they had a lovely time with them and the children and felt sorry when they had to leave to go home.

* * * * * * *

During the sixth week of their marriage, they had their first argument and of all things, it was about where to place the kettle in the kitchen.  Alan was in the kitchen making them a cup of tea. He called to Clare who was watching television in the lounge.

"Why do you keep moving this kettle? I like to keep it on the other side."

Clare walked into the kitchen.

"I can't hear you talking if I'm in another room, I keep telling you that. What did you say?"

"I said, why do you keep moving this kettle? I like it on this side. This is my flat after all." Alan lived to regret those words. If there was one thing Clare couldn't stand it was any kind of male chauvinistic talk.

"Oh, this is your flat is it? What does that make me? Am I your lodger or am I your wife? If you remember rightly, Mr Harding, you told me on our wedding day, when we said our vows that now, what was yours is mine and I said the same thing to you. If this flat is yours, I had better leave then hadn't I?"

Clare marched angrily to the front door, slammed it and was gone.

Alan sighed. Clare had been in a strange mood all day long and now he'd really put his foot in it! He went into their bedroom to look out of the window and spotted her sitting on a park bench. She wasn't wearing her jacket and it was cold outside. Alan hastily put on his jacket, grabbed his keys and her jacket and left the flat.

Alan walked up to Clare and sat down beside her on the bench.

"I've brought your jacket. Please put it on." he said. "If you end up in the ICU again next time you might not be so lucky."

Clare took the jacket and put it on. She looked at him, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry for what I said, but it was just a slip of the tongue, that's all. Of course all that I have is yours, of course it is." said Alan. "And that includes the flat."

Still Clare said nothing.

"You've been in a mood all day long, perhaps it would help if you told me why?"

There was a long pause. Clare looked at him and he saw tears in her eyes. Alan drew her to him on the bench and put his arms around her.

"Oh darling, aren't you happy? I thought everything was fine. We've settled down really well together I thought...."

"I am happy...but I'm so disappointed. I wanted to be pregnant by now...but I'm not."

Nothing more was said at that point as Charles Wheeler was walking arm in arm with Mel towards them along the path and had spotted them on the bench.

"Hello Alan. Hello Clare. I was so pleased to hear about your wedding." said Mel.

"Yes." said Charles. "And we have some news too. We're getting married in September."

"Congratulations!" said Alan. "It's been quite the year for weddings. Us, Clare's mum and now you."

"We're both retiring." said Charles. "We're going to do some travelling, while we're still young enough to enjoy it."

"I'm selling my house and coming to live with Charles." said Mel. "I really can't wait."

"That's wonderful." said Clare. "I'm so pleased for you!"

They watched as Mel and Charles walked away.

"I'm sorry I've been in a bad mood." said Clare. "I should have asked you if I could move the kettle. I just thought seeing as everything else is on the other side, the fridge, the mugs and the tea and coffee that the kettle should be there too. And the other side, where you had it, the steam goes up under the wall cupboard, it didn't seem sensible to me."

"I never thought of that before. How stupid!"

"You're not stupid, this is all my fault."

Alan shivered.

"Come on Clare, let's go in. I fancy a Chinese take away tonight, that'll make you feel better. And think of all the fun we'll have trying to get you pregnant. There's always an 'up' side." said Alan, grinning wickedly.

Clare smiled at him and they walked arm in arm, back to the flat.

* * * * * * * *

Alan and Clare's Friday night post-wedding party took place at the Golf Club and Alan arranged for caterers to prepare the food. He also booked a band to play Glen Miller music. Angie had to rehearse with the band as Alan wanted her to sing 'Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me' and a couple of other songs from that era. When Angie sang, she brought the house down.

It was a wonderful evening and £250 was raised for the Romanian orphanage fund. Alan and Clare had decided they wanted no presents, but people could give to the fund if they so wished. They did receive a few presents, though. Their office colleagues bought them a camera as each of theirs had been destroyed in the hotel fire and Frank and Kathy gave them a beautiful oil painting of Venice. A place which they longed to visit.

Sophie, Laura and Toby made friends with Daniela and Gheorghe, but Philip and Libby didn't stay very long as the children found it all a bit overwhelming being with so many people, so they left early. Clare met Frances, Geoff's wife and Helen, Bob's wife for the first time and, all in all, the party was a great success.

The next event was Kathy and Frank's wedding on the 26 May. It was a truly beautiful wedding, although it rained hard all day long with no let up whatsoever and no photographs could be taken outside.

Clare wore an off white trouser suit, with a pale peach blouse underneath. She felt very proud giving her mother away and the family and guests had a wonderful day together. The girls looked lovely in their apricot coloured dresses and Toby looked smart in trousers, shirt and waistcoat. Frank was positively fizzing all day long and it was a joy to see Kathy and Frank so happy.