The place seemed so empty and the sound of her footsteps seemed to echo through the entire place. She heard the sound of Sprout running around enjoying the open space; the furniture had left early this morning, which had made the move all the more real. She couldn’t believe she would be leaving the place she had started to make her home in with Ernie many years go. She felt it had been so long, but life sometimes threw you curve balls and this was one of them. A baby was on the way; she was now well into her fifth month heading towards her sixth and things had just changed for the worst between Ernie and herself. They argued a lot and she always seemed to find things to nag Ernie about. It was making their entire relationship rather rocky. This was why Susan was packing up the last of their things, carefully putting them away into boxes. It was funny how one little thing like a move could change the tone of their entire relationship. Maybe it was the idea of going to a new place that had made things change. Susan really liked the idea of having a less stressful life without her greenhouse to worry about, but most importantly was having her husband home more often.

Susan had her tearful goodbyes with her greenhouse staff yesterday when she official handed over the reigns to her manager Kathleen. She trusted Kathleen to do the right thing with greenhouse and believed it would flourish under Kathleen’s care and green thumb. She would miss the greenhouse but she promised herself to grow her own personal greenhouse in the garden of her new home in Salem. It was just strange to think this time tomorrow she would be in her new home.

She moved her hand over the growing swell of her stomach and smiled as she looked around. There were just two pictures left on the mantle to pack. She moved over towards them picking up the wedding pictures of Ernie and herself smiling happily. She beamed as she looked down at them, her hand still absentmindedly rubbing her stomach.

The last day of work had been rough. They had been through a lot. He had said goodbye to his friends from the Magical Law Enforcement Office. Making his way through the last of the things in his office he packed them up in boxes. They had been all kind enough to say their goodbyes and leave him to his emotions. Ernie tried hard not to tear up at work, grabbing the last of his things from his office he blew out the candle near his desk, scooped up the box and apparated to his now empty flat.

"Susan" he called out and felt himself exchoeing against the bare walls. The pictures were gone, boxes upon boxes had already made their way to the new home. Having shipped them off to their new place earlier Bartley, Ernie's cousin, had been helping to make them comfortable as they could be.

Knowing it was a big step for Susan to close her green house, it killed him a little but the fire in their marriage was slowly coming back to life. They were spending more time just holding one another in bed rather than bickering it was almost as if the idea of a fresh start had helped ease them out of the darkness they were living in. "I'm home," speaking out loud again. He finally came upon her and wrapped his arms around her to hold both her and her stomach. "Hey love, you almost ready?"

She just packed away the last pictures when she heard Ernie come home. She smiled brightly as she turned to him. She loved to hear his voice it always did brighten her mood. She nodded her head, “Yes I am ready.” Well she was as ready as she would ever be. Susan wrapped her arms around Ernie and rested her head on his shoulder. “I am ready to go.” She was sad to leave but this was the step that they needed take for the sake of their marriage and their happiness.

“You know I am going to miss this place.” Susan said as she pulled back from the hug but not too far. She would miss the smells of the house she had become so accustomed too. It would be strange not living in the United Kingdom, where she had spent the majority of her life. She was scared but she knew as long as she had Ernie she would be fine.

“We are going to have to thank you cousin for making the move so easy.” She knew that without Ernie’s cousin helping with the relocation of all their things this move would have been more stressful than helpful. They had spent many nights together arm in arm, the way things used to be.

The smile had returned to her face again. Ernie was thankful for the lack of fighting between the couple. If he had known this would be such a positive change he might have inquired about moving months ago. However everything happened for a reason. "As ready as I'll ever be myself," he whispered softly in her ear kissing her cheek again and giving her another tight hug.

His parents had thrown a fit at first, but with the possibility of moving their family as well, they seemed to calm themselves. They had wanted a change, and Ernie suggested at least spending a summer with them if they were interested. Their new house was five times the size of their flat and had plenty of room for a couple spare visitors.

"I think it's because Bartley thinks you're pretty," he teased in a playful fashion. Granted Bartley was married long ago and happily he might add it was still fun to joke about. "He is just glad we wanted to move out that far. He set up a portkey for us to our new place, and our portkey is just down the street a bit." It had taken them some time to perfect it, but Ernie wanted to be certain nothing would go wrong for his pregnant wife on such a long journey to the states.

Holding out his hand to her, "The rest of the boxes will be shipped to the home tomorrow I made sure to drop off our spare keys..." he gulped hard knowing this was the last few steps to change. A forever change. Bigger than just going on vacation this was a total change.

Susan felt the weakness in her knees that only Ernie could produce with such a soft whisper in her ear and a few kisses. She trembled a little but tried to keep her composure.  She was nervous about leaving, especially since her parents were here. She of course insisted they come visit, just as Ernie’s family would once they had settled in their new place. Susan just wanted to get there to start getting the feel for their new home.

She gently pushed Ernie, “I seriously doubt he does.” She laughed at the idea of Bartley thinking her pretty. She was sure the only one who thought her pretty was Ernie and she was just fine with that. She nodded her head as she looked around their flat, they were exchanging the flat for something much large a place that Susan had yet to really see. She knew this was going to be a big change but it was going to good she could tell.

“Well I suppose she should get walking to the portkey.” She said taking his hand giving it a squeeze before calling Sprout. “I never thought I would miss this place this much.” Susan said looking at Ernie before leaning in and giving him a tender kiss. She was ready to leave and she feared if she waited any longer she might change her mind.

Thankfully for Susan he was clinging to her so if that weakness was to spill over she would be okay. They were going to raise their family somewhere else, who knew what would come of them. Their life, their world was shifting before their very eyes. Ernie was terrified that he might be making the wrong decision for them both. Taking too big a risk, going too far.

The look in Susan's eyes told him otherwise. She believed in him. Susan knew that no matter what they were heading towards they would be doing it together. So the fear subsided as he squeezed that out stretched hand. "You never know Bartley was quite the stud before he met Margie." Ernie rolled his eyes thinking about his whipped cousin and how he worshiped the ground Margie walked on.

"Yes so I suppose this is it." Giving her a kiss he moved to blow out the candles of the living room and opened the door leading her out much like he did when they were married and he carried her out. Ernie hugged her into his arms and lifted her over the threshold. Closing the door he closed and locked it. "Alright Mrs. Macmillan time to take the next steps towards our future." Taking her hand he lead her towards the direction of her green house where he had the portkey or flower pot set up. It wouldn't be that much longer before they were in their new foyer and closing the book on their former life.