I'm back! This is long long overdue, I can only apologise. It took me longer than expected to get back into the swing of things after getting over my post-holiday blues. Do forgive me if it's a little off, I'm kind of rusty. I promise there's not going to be a massive wait for the next one. Thank you as always for all the kind words on the previous chapter, and for sticking with this of course, especially after such a long wait. I do hope you guys enjoy this one :)
Chapter 25: County Fair
Emily stretched out, a delicious kind of soreness engulfing her limbs as she did so. She bit back the grin that slowly began to creep onto her lips, feeling Paige pressing one last kiss to her inner thigh before beginning to make her way upwards. First Paige's hands, slowly ghosting along her sides, then Paige's lips, trailing across her torso, until finally Paige was hovering above her, grinning like an idiot and leaning down, pressing the quickest of kisses to the tip of Emily's nose.
"Hey there," Paige grinned. Emily simply shook her head with a smile, her hand slipping into Paige's hair, her fingers playing with the soft curls.
"Hey," Emily spoke softly, using her grip to press their lips together chastely. Paige moved slightly, settling against Emily, her lips soon finding Emily's neck once she'd done so. "Our plan to escape for the day has kinda failed, huh?" Emily mused as she continued to play idly with Paige's hair, tilting her head towards the clock on Paige's bedroom table.
"Oh, wow."
Emily's smile only grew wider as she caught the slight blush creeping onto Paige's cheeks, both of them realising that their morning in bed had somehow managed to bleed into the entire day. Paige's lips turned upwards into a smile as her eyes met Emily's.
"I don't really know if failed is the right word."
"Elaborate?" Emily asked playfully, sensing a hint of bashfulness in Paige's tone.
"Well it's…I mean, that has to be a record. We've never…I mean, we haven't stopped for…I mean…" Paige shook her head, swatting Emily's stomach playfully, mistakenly interpreting Emily's adoration for amusement. "What's so funny?"
"You're adorable," Emily answered simply, tilting her head to press her lips to Paige's.
"You're laughing at me," Paige grumbled, though her attempts to mask the smile tugging onto her face failed the second Emily's lips met hers once again. "Are you sure you don't want to do anything today? Not that I'm in any rush to move, but I feel kind of bad. You took the day off for us to get away and all."
"I'm fine just here," Emily smiled, turning more comfortably into Paige's arms, her eyes closing in contentment as they instinctively tightened around her. "I took the day off to be with you," Emily paused, pressing their lips together chastely. "I guess if you think about it we made our own little escape right here. There's nobody but us, nobody knows we're here…"
"I think it's safe to say Mrs Wexler next door knows you're here," Paige remarked, earning herself a questioning look from Emily. "How do I put this subtly…you're loud Em. So loud."
"I…" Emily faltered, her nose scrunching up in annoyance as she struggled to think of a retaliation. She quickly gave up, shrugging in agreement. "I never hear you complain."
"Why would I?" Paige grinned, looking particularly proud of herself. Emily couldn't help but roll her eyes fondly at that. "It's…"
"Elaborate?" Emily teased much like earlier when Paige stalled, Paige decidedly unimpressed.
"I think it's hot and you know I do," Paige shook her head with a smirk.
Emily smiled, shifting to connect their lips once again. Her fingers trailed idly along the skin of Paige's back as she melded into the kiss, whimpering a little when Paige deepened it. She felt the familiar want rising within her once again, surprised that it was even possible after their morning together, yet when Paige's lips began moving across her skin once more Emily felt an indescribable need rising throughout her, regardless of how much her mind told her that it should be fully sated by now.
"You should probably get that," Paige pulled back, her reluctance clearly noticeable in her voice. She rolled away from Emily with a sigh, Emily's phone blaring out throughout the room. "Your friends are probably beginning to think I've kidnapped you."
"To be honest I think they've already given up all hope of me ever coming back home," Emily shrugged with a wry smile.
"Does that mean I get to keep you?" Paige mumbled into Emily's skin, her arms having wrapped around Emily's waist as she'd sat, fumbling around for her phone. Emily smiled at Paige's words, suddenly feeling incredibly warm, safe. Paige's front was pressed firmly against her back, her spare hand drawing lazy shapes across Emily's torso, her lips leaving lazy kisses along the column of Emily's throat. Emily's smile only widened once she noticed just who was calling, her hands stopping Paige's own as it began moving dangerously lower, her back straightening instinctively as she answered the call.
"Dad!"
Emily couldn't help but be pulled briefly from the elation the sound of her Father's voice gave her, her attention drawn to Paige and how she was scrambling away hastily. Emily had to stifle a laugh as she watched Paige trying to distance the two of them, as if her Father, miles away in Texas, would somehow be able to tell that they were here together in a state of undress, that he would somehow guess exactly what they'd been doing with the majority of their day.
Emily tugged the covers up around her as she focused her attention back on the phone call, pulling them from Paige with a little difficulty so she could stand, tucking the sheets awkwardly beneath her arms once she'd done so before slowly making her way across the room.
"I haven't, no. I had the day off today," Emily explained absently, feeling somewhat guilty that she wasn't giving the conversation her full attention.
Recently she'd been lucky enough to speak to her Father at least once every fortnight, which she considered a luxury in comparison to her teenage years, but her eyes couldn't quite help but be drawn to Paige. First in watching her girlfriends attempts to cover herself up, followed by the somewhat expected and ridiculously self-assured grin that Paige plastered across her face when she realised it wasn't really possible to do so. Paige sprawled out on the mattress with a soft sigh, her fingers tapping against her stomach as she patiently waited for Emily's return. Emily's heart swelled, so happy that they could be so comfortable with one another, so happy that they were here inside Paige's room, inside their own bubble that no one could burst.
"Sorry, what?" Emily's attention snapped back to the phone call, having become so enamoured with Paige she hadn't quite caught that last part and she didn't know whether or not to fully trust her ears. "Really? For how long?" Emily quickly began to grin, her eyes catching sight of a knowing smile tugging onto Paige's lips. "Does Mom know?" Emily beamed as she listened to her Father laying out his plans, explaining how he'd initially wanted to surprise them both, but that he'd decided he wasn't a good enough liar to keep Pam in the dark without enlisting Emily's help. "She's going to be so happy!"
Paige had begun to move, the smile on her face only growing wider as she made her way towards Emily. Emily loosened her grip on the sheets when she felt Paige tugging at them, a quiet "I'm cold," mumbled against Emily's neck as Paige's arms wrapped around her. Paige carefully tangled the two of them together in the sheets, Emily sinking into the contact as Paige tugged her close. Their bodies had barely parted all day, and now Paige was around her again Emily realised that the brief distance, no matter how brief, had lasted too long. Lips found her neck and Emily's smile only grew.
"There's someone I really want you to meet," Emily bit her lip. "Yeah, how did you…Mom," Emily shook her head, rolling her eyes fondly, Paige's eyes finding hers with a raised eyebrow. Of course her Mom had gushed about Paige. "We will…she is. I'm with her now actually, we decided to…get away for the day." Paige laughed at that, Emily feeling teeth softly grazing the column of her throat, a shiver running along the base of her spine at the contact, the sheet slipping slightly as Paige's hands began to roam. Emily cleared her throat as her skin began to flush; she didn't want to rush the call but found herself unable to bring herself to push Paige away. "I…yeah, I guess it is. Call me before you get here? Okay…I will. And I won't tell her, don't worry. Love you."
"My…" Paige's lips cut her off, her tongue soon swooping across her lower lip, asking for entrance. There wasn't much Emily could do but submit, the kiss so passionate it took her by surprise, her hands falling backwards, gripping at the desk behind her.
"…dad's coming home," Paige finished the sentence for her as they broke apart, a warm smile tugging onto her lips as she reached down and tugged the fallen sheet up around them once again, pulling Emily closer. "Soon?"
"Next week," Emily smiled, unable to hold back her elation at the news. It hadn't been as long as usual between his visits, but it had been more than long enough for Emily and her Mother, and from the sounds of it, this time he was going to be returning for longer than usual. "He wants to meet you. My Mom's been gushing about what a sweetheart you are."
"I want to meet him," Paige nodded with a smile, Emily sensing a slight hint of apprehension in her tone but knowing it was simply nerves and nothing more. "Gushing? Really? I hope she didn't tell him about…oh god, where do I start? The flowers, then the wine, and the…oh shit, the dish…"
"My Mom's the 'scary' one," Emily cut Paige off, watching amusedly as Paige's face crinkled into a worried frown. "My Dad's a piece of cake, honestly. You don't have to get all nervous. Again."
"I thought I was cute when I was nervous?"
"You're always cute."
"Even when I'm teasing you?" Paige quirked a playful eyebrow, causing Emily to roll her eyes.
"Maybe not then," Emily added, shaking her head. Paige had done plenty of teasing that morning.
Emily couldn't keep the smile off her face for very long, her smile widening as she rested her head against Paige's shoulder. Her Dad was coming home. Not just for a weekend, not just for a fortnight.
"I can't believe he's coming home. Six whole weeks Paige, maybe even until after Thanksgiving!"
"You're so beautiful," Paige remarked offhandedly as she looped her arms around Emily's neck, shaking her head in apology when Emily shot her a questioning look. "I mean…you're so happy. It's…it's really beautiful. I'm so happy for you."
Emily leant in, smiling softly as she pressed her lips to Paige's. She let them linger, not for the first time that day, melding into the kiss, unable to stop herself from grinning as they broke apart.
"I'm so excited," Emily beamed, sending Paige into a fit of giggles as her arms tightened around the girls waist, Emily lifting her briefly and squeezing her tight, so glad that this was happening, so glad Paige was here to share her elation. "He's going to love you so much."
"I hope so," Paige smiled nervously, her eyes falling to her fingertips as they fiddled lightly with the tips of Emily's hair. "Your Mom must be ecstatic."
"She doesn't know," Emily smiled, a grin tugging onto her lips. Her Mother was a sucker for surprises, especially when her husband was involved. "He's going to surprise her. Gosh, she's going to cry when she sees him. I just know it."
"You guy's really missed him."
"Yeah," Emily smiled fondly. "It hasn't been as long as usual, and since he's in the states we worry less and we can talk more but…so much has changed since the last time he was home. We have so much to talk about and then there's you and…my Dad is coming home you know? Whenever I find out he's coming back I always realise just how much I've missed him being around."
"I'm really happy for you," Paige smiled, pecking Emily's cheek softly before awkwardly reaching around Emily to grab her shirt, discarded the night before. Emily tugged the sheets tighter as Paige moved away from her, playfully nudging Emily out-of-the-way so she could gain access to her dresser. Emily studied Paige in confusion for a moment, suddenly noticing just how quiet Paige had become, suddenly noticing the distance between them.
"I'm sorry," Emily shook her head, mentally smacking herself when she remembered why they'd decided to hide away today.
"For what?" Paige's eyes met hers with confusion as she finished tugging on her underwear, and Emily's stomach sank as she considered the possibility that Paige really didn't have a clue what she was apologising for.
"Talking about my Dad so much…"
"Why would you…" Paige's face shifted in realisation, making her way back to Emily with a sigh. "Em, don't be ridiculous. You're allowed to be happy your Dad is coming home. I'm happy for you. It's not going to send me into a spiral of self-pity. Trust me."
"Sure, but today was about forgetting about your…"
"And we're talking about yours," Paige assured her steely, her hands softly grazing Emily's forearms. "I can't wait to meet him. Private McCullers reporting to Lieutenant-Colonel Fields for daughter-loving duty."
"You're such a dork," Emily laughed, shaking her head with a smile as Paige stood to attention before her.
"Perhaps," Paige simply grinned goofily, earning herself a quick peck.
"How are you feeling?" Emily asked tentatively as they pulled apart. "Be honest."
"Honestly, all I've had time to think about today is you," Paige smiled softly, entwining her fingers with Emily's. "And you're all I want to think about today."
"Okay, but…"
"I know, I shouldn't ignore how it makes me feel," Paige cut Emily off. "And I won't. But I really do mean it when I say I want today to just be about me and you."
"Okay," Emily didn't push, tugging Paige a little closer.
"Come on, we should grab breakfast."
"It's three in the afternoon."
"Late lunch then," Paige simply shrugged in response, tugging impatiently on Emily's arm.
"Can't I get dressed first?" Emily quirked an eyebrow, motioning to the sheet that was currently the only thing guarding her dignity. She watched in amusement as Paige gave her a contemplative once over, Paige biting back a smirk as her eyes eventually made their way back to Emily's.
"Absolutely not," Paige shook her head after some deliberation, a goofy grin tugging onto her lips. "I much prefer you like this."
"You were allowed to get dressed," Emily pointed out, stepping forward and running her hands over Paige's t-shirt, tugging slightly at the hem. "Hardly seem's fair does it?"
"Mmm," Paige was barely listening to her, her hand on Emily's shoulder guiding her backwards, Emily soon collapsing back onto the bed in a heap of giggles as Paige clambered on top of her, impatiently tugging off her shirt. "I'm not all that hungry anymore."
"No?" Emily asked, the familiar thrum of arousal returning to her body as Paige's hands pulled her closer. Paige's lips began trailing kisses along her side, across her hips, pausing only to flash Emily a quick smirk, nipping softly at the skin beneath Emily's navel and continuing her path downwards. Paige was taking her time, too much time Emily decided, biting her lip to stop herself from expressing her impatience.
At this point begging Paige for more would surely be considered just plain greed?
"Don't you think we've…oh," Emily trailed off, her hands twisting into the sheets. She could feel Paige smirking against her briefly before she began moving more intently, a heavy whimper escaping Emily's lips. Suddenly her mind was blank once again, any thoughts of getting up disappearing, her mind filled with nothing but Paige and the two of them alone in this room, focused on the way Paige moved against her and how electric it felt whenever their skin touched.
"Spencer!" Hanna called out as Emily made her way into the apartment, her eyes narrowing instantly as she caught sight of the mischievous smile on Hanna's face. "Spence, quick! Some strange woman is breaking into our apartment!"
"Very funny," Emily rolled the eyes, closing the door behind her. She kicked off her shoes, pausing for a moment as she took in the familiar surroundings. Admittedly it did feel a little strange to be coming back to her apartment after work and not heading straight for Paige's like she had so often as of late.
"I'd almost forgotten what you look like," Hanna sighed dramatically, setting down her magazine and turning to give Emily her full attention.
"It's been…three days," Emily counted in her head, shaking her head at Hanna's dramatics.
"Uh, four and a half, learn to count" Hanna corrected, a small smirk gracing her face. "I was kind of hoping you weren't coming back."
"Charming."
"Hanna seems to think that if you move in with Paige, I'm going to let her live here in your place," Spencer explained as she sauntered into the room, nursing a cup of what Emily assumed was coffee in her hands.
"Imagine how it feels for me to know that you, one of my best friends, would rather move in a complete stranger and effectively make me homeless rather than be my roommate," Hanna huffed.
"I love you Hanna, I do," Spencer began, shaking her head. "But living with you twenty-four/seven is taxing, to say the least."
"We'll living with you is hardly a picnic," Hanna grumbled, soon perking up again. "But it's not that bad really, is it? We could make it work…"
"Guys?" Emily cut in, sensing the two were actually about to start seriously debating the subject. "I still live here."
"Could have fooled me," Hanna teased. "Just admit it, you basically live with Paige now."
"I do not," Emily pouted.
It was true, lately it had become a bit of a habit for her to head straight for Paige's apartment after work, and to spend the night. If she was truly honest she'd only really came back to her own place tonight because she'd run out of clothes.
"I stay over occasionally," Emily shrugged. "It's closer to work, if anything it's handy."
"Occasionally?" Emily turned her attention to Spencer, frowning that the more rational of the two had decided to join in. "You spend at least five days out of seven at her place each week."
"I…" Emily began to protest, quickly floundering as she gave it some thought. "Whatever."
"What brings you home tonight?" Hanna asked. "Is Paige busy? Did you guys have a fight?"
"No. I just wanted to come home."
"And?" Spencer asked with a smirk, Emily huffing slightly before relenting with a sigh.
"I ran out of underwear."
"Like that's a problem," Hanna scoffed, earning herself a swat from Emily.
"Shut up Hanna."
"Is it something the two of you are thinking about?" Hanna asked casually. "Getting a place together?"
"What? No," Emily shook her head.
"Why not?" It was Spencer, not Hanna asking the question now, much to Emily's surprise. Hanna was the one that usually got carried away with this sort of stuff, the one that ignored all the rational reasoning and went straight for the happy ending. Emily knew Spencer was asking the question seriously, she could even see the cogs turning in Spencer's mind, sure she had even caught sight of a brief, resigned frown; probably the result of Spencer considering the possibility of actually living with Hanna without Emily as a much-needed buffer.
In truth, the thought had crossed Emily's mind over the past few weeks, albeit fleetingly. Spencer was right in a way, she did spend the majority of her time with Paige, at Paige's apartment, and considering Dawn's shift pattern kept her out most nights, it did occasionally feel like they were living in their very own place, just the two of them. It was easily for Emily to imagine living with Paige, sharing a space together, spending all that time with one another, because lately that was what they did.
"It's too soon," Emily shook her head, not allowing herself to get ahead of herself as thoughts of herself and Paige finding their own place and everything along with it began to flood her mind.
"Why?" Hanna asked, having the courtesy to flash Emily a slightly apologetic smile as she continued to press the matter. "It's not just because I want your room, I swear. Spencer's right, you're with Paige more than you're here, doesn't it kind of make sense for the two of you to live together in the city? You said it yourself, it's a long drive home after work if anything."
"We're in a good place. A great place," Emily countered, knowing what she was saying was true. "I don't want to rush into anything and risk messing that up for the sake of a shorter commute."
"Okay, sure, but what if it just makes things even better?"
"Hanna," Emily sighed, rubbing her temples. "Can we stop talking about Paige? I actually have good news."
"Paige knocked you up?" Hanna asked, earning herself a snigger from Spencer and a scowl from Emily.
"No," Emily rolled her eyes. "My Dad is coming home next week, until at least thanksgiving. Maybe even longer."
"That's great Em," Spencer beamed.
"It is," Emily matched her friends smile, an instant smile tugged onto her lips every time she mentioned it. "I know it hasn't been as long as usual but I can't wait to see him. I feel like we have so much to catch up on."
"When does he get back?"
"Monday night," Emily smiled. "My Mom doesn't know, he's surprising her."
"I bet you twenty bucks she cries," Hanna smiled.
"Probably," Emily smiled fondly. It had always been hard whenever her Dad was away for so long, and she knew it had only gotten harder for her Mom since she'd left for college. She felt slightly guilty for being so tied up in Paige lately, making a mental note to be around more when her Dad eventually went back to Texas after his pending visit. "So…what have I missed?"
"Not much," Spencer shrugged. "Hanna locked herself in the bathroom for three hours yesterday morning because there was a moth in your room."
"Moth?! Don't be so naïve Spencer. It was a bat."
"It was a moth," Spencer corrected her, rolling her eyes at Hanna's dramatics. "A regular-sized moth. You're such a baby."
"Is it dead?" Emily asked apprehensively.
"Lord. You're both as bad as each other," Spencer shook her head with a despairing groan.
"Caleb killed it. He got us a fly trap."
"Caleb?" Emily asked, looking at Hanna expectantly. "Wait, do fly traps work on moths?"
"They kill anything with wings," Hanna explained pointedly.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Caleb?" Emily pressed, wanting to know how things were going between the two of them. As much as she'd resolved to trust Paige's judgement on the matter, she realised that in her absence she hadn't been there for Hanna as much as she wanted to be, silently hoping his re-emergence hadn't thrown her friend's life into chaos.
"What about him?" Hanna shrugged. "He bought us a fly trap. He calls by sometimes. We hang out."
"A lot," Spencer muttered under her breath, earning herself a scowl from Hanna.
"That's good, right?" Emily smiled.
"It is," Hanna nodded, smiling briefly. "It's still kind of weird. But good."
"Well, great," Emily smiled, trying her best to express her enthusiasm.
"Oh my god," Hanna smirked as Emily's phone began ringing, catching sight of the caller ID. "Seriously? Missing you already?"
"Shut up Hanna," Emily blushed, feeling like a lovesick teenager as she hurried into the kitchen to answer Paige's call.
"Come over?" Paige pleaded once Emily answered, Emily shaking her head with a smile.
"Paige," she said warningly. "Do you really want to be one of those couples that spends every waking moment with each other?"
"Yes," Paige answered bluntly, earning herself a brief chuckle from Emily. "No. I just…I miss you."
"I miss you too."
"I actually called because I have something to ask you," Paige explained, piquing Emily's curiosity.
"Okay?"
"Well, on Sunday it's the County Fair in Rosewood," Paige began. "And my Mom wants to know if you'd like to help out on our stall for the day."
"Seriously?" Emily asked, smiling in surprise. She'd assumed Mrs McCullers was simply being polite on the phone earlier in the week. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."
"Are you sure?" Paige asked.
"Are you?" Emily asked, hearing the hesitation in Paige's voice.
"Of course," Paige began. "I just don't want you to feel like you have to say yes."
"I don't," Emily assured her. "I'm really looking forward to it."
Paige tried her best to subdue the smile on her face as Emily tugged impatiently on her hand, pulling them forward determinedly as they made their way towards the county fair. Her stomach had churned all morning at the prospect of it, Paige full of nerves and unease, but there was something about Emily's almost giddy impatience that helped calm her. For the most part, at least.
There was a definite chill in the air, and Paige found herself smiling at the knowledge that winter was well and truly beginning to creep in. She'd never felt a particular excitement for any season, and the holidays had hardly been the best time for her over the past few years for obvious reasons. But suddenly there was something about the idea of enjoying the winter with Emily that had her feeling almost giddy at the thought. Lately images had begun to fill her mind; images of the two of them snuggling up on the couch while the rain poured outside, with blankets and pillows and sharing warm beverages, images of the way Emily's hands were sure to sneak beneath her shirt whenever they got cold, Paige knowing she'd chide her but eventually cave in, intently finding more inventive ways to warm Emily up…
"What are you smiling about?"
"Hmm? Oh, you," Paige grinned, leaning to peck Emily's cheek lightly. "Always you."
Emily rolled her eyes fondly, stopping for a moment. She cast her eyes over Paige curiously for a moment, much to Paige's confusion, her curiosity only growing as Emily took a step towards her, tugging the lapels of her coat together until she could work the zipper up, stopping when it was just beneath Paige's chin.
"I don't want you to catch a cold," Emily explained with a shrug, pressing a quick peck to Paige's lips before linking their fingers together and tugging Paige onwards once again. Paige didn't bother to stop the smile tugging onto her lips then, instead picking up her stride until she and Emily were side by side. Paige looked down at their hands, interlocked and swinging between them, sighing for a moment in contentment. They slowly drew closer to their destination, and it wasn't long until Paige felt the churning again, her smile fading when she recalled why they were en route to the county fair in the first place.
"Wait," Paige stopped still, using her grip on Emily's hand to pull her to a halt also. "We don't have to do this you know. We can just get back in the car, go home. Go anywhere. Is your Mom home? Maybe we can we give her a surprise visit instead…"
"I'm starting to think you don't think your Mom is going to like me or something," Emily sighed, Paige's mouth flapping in a panic only to realise that Emily was simply teasing her. "Why are you so nervous?"
"How are you so calm?" Paige asked, not even bothering to pretend she was in any way calm and collected, knowing Emily would see through the façade in an instant. "When I met your Mom I was a nervous wreck the entire day."
"I've met your Mom before," Emily shrugged, using her grip on Paige's hand to guide them to the edge of the pavement, out-of-the-way of passers-by. "Maybe only briefly, and in less than desirable circumstances, but she was nice enough then. I don't feel like I have anything to worry about."
"No," Paige shook her head, unconvincingly. She'd been a mess of nerves all morning; her Mother had roped Paige in to helping out at her stall in the county fair this fall, and had somehow managed to convince Paige to bring Emily along as a 'extra pair of hands' along the way.
"It usually gets pretty busy at these things, we probably won't have too much time to talk anyway," Emily shrugged. "Besides I'll have you with me, and didn't you say Evan would be there?"
"He's helping out," Paige nodded. "Kind of. He didn't want to spend the day with our Aunt Meredith, she's a little…overbearing." Paige explained. Overbearing was a kind way of putting it. "Caitlin is going to swing by later too I think."
"Well, when your Mom see's how much the three of you adore me, I'm sure she'll follow suit," Emily smiled, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. "I'm actually kind of excited to meet her."
"Really?" Paige asked sceptically.
"I'm looking forward to seeing where you get some of your, you know, you-ness from. The only thing making me nervous is how nervous you are. Do you really think it's going to be that bad? Do you think she's not going to like me?"
"No, she'll definitely love you," Paige assured Emily with a small smile, slowly beginning to move in the direction of the fair once again. "To be honest I actually think she's excited to meet you too. If anything it gives her something else to focus on other than…well, you know."
"Yeah," Emily nodded in understanding. "Well I think it's going to be fine."
"I hope so," Paige bit her lip nervously.
"It will be," Emily assured her. "My Mom actually said she might head down for an hour or so, say hello."
"Oh god…"
"Remember, she really likes you," Emily insisted, laughing at little at Paige's nerves. "Just don't mention the D word."
"D word?" Paige asked in confusion. "Ah, Dad. When does he get in again?"
"Tomorrow night, I'm picking him up after work," Emily explained. "Hey…do you want to come with?"
"To the airport?"
"Yeah," Emily shrugged. "It might be a little less daunting meeting him that way, instead of over dinner or something. Just an idea."
"I'll pass," Paige said, giving Emily an apologetic smile. "I don't want to get in the way. I know how much you've missed your Dad. You guys should enjoy some quality time."
"Okay," Emily smiled, giving Paige's hand a quick squeeze. Paige dropped her gaze as she caught the look on Emily's face, knowing exactly what her girlfriend was about to ask. "Have you heard anything from…"
"No," Paige cut Emily off, thankful that Emily seemed to understand her reluctance to talk about her own Father, especially considering she had to spend the rest of the day with her Mother. He hadn't contacted her since the last time they'd spoke, not that she'd expected him to, and for all Paige was slowly beginning to accept that treating their last conversation as a goodbye was for the best, it hardly gave her much closure. In truth it just sort of ached; she found herself disappointed, more so than expected, that he didn't seem to want to fight for their relationship for all it wasn't surprising, and saddened at the prospect of this finally being the end. She wanted to just forget the whole thing and focus on the better parts of her life, like Emily. She smiled faintly, squeezing their entwined hands.
"If you think she's excited to meet me, and I'm excited to meet her, then why are you so nervous?" Emily asked, steering the conversation back in the direction of Paige's Mother.
"It's just my Mom," Paige sighed, glancing at her watch briefly. "I've never actually introduced her to anyone I've been dating before. When I was meeting your Mom at least you had a rough idea of how she was going to act…I have nothing to go on. I have no idea how she's going to act."
"Okay, sure. But if that's the case, then you don't know it's necessarily going to be bad, you can't just assume so," Emily pointed out.
"I guess," Paige sighed, unconvinced. "It's…I know she'll be polite it's just…what if she's only okay with the idea of you and me? What if she sees us together and suddenly..."
"Maybe seeing you with a girlfriend is going to be new to her. It doesn't mean she's going to have a meltdown about it," Emily assured her. "Give your Mom the benefit of the doubt Paige. She invited me, that has to be a good sign right?"
Paige relaxed a little, knowing Emily was right. Her mind flitted back to when her Mother had first found out about their relationship and how it had been her, not her Mom, that had freaked out about it. She remembered how hurt her Mom had seemed to be when she discovered that Paige had kept Emily from her, remembered how her Mother had simply asked her for a chance. Paige knew it was only fair to give her one.
"I'm sorry Em, I just…"
"Worry, I know," Emily smiled, giving Paige's hand a brief squeeze. "The only way you'll ever know is if we go. And the more she meets me, the more she'll see that what we have is very special, and the more she'll understand that what we have is just like any other relationship. Because it is, and it's very special."
"How do you always know the right thing to say?" Paige asked with a warm smile, pulling Emily towards her. "I really love you, you know that right?"
"Come on," Emily smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to Paige's lips. "Don't want to be late."
"Have a nice day!"
"We should have you with us at everyone one of these Emily," Mrs McCullers beamed as Emily waved off another customer, patting Emily on the back with a grin. "You're a natural with the customers! Isn't she Paige?"
"Yup," Paige nodded, giving her Mother a forced smile. Emily rolled her eyes at her girlfriend, smiling to herself as she stuffed her latest profits into the tin.
Anne McCullers was nothing like Emily had expected her to be, and nothing like Paige had led her to believe. The only awkwardness came at the beginning of the day, the usual kind; the awkwardness you naturally feel when introduced to someone you barely know. She'd been nothing but welcoming ever since, doggedly taking a genuine interest in all things Emily. Anne was funny, funnier than Emily had expected her to be, and far chirpier than she'd expected too, especially given everything that was going on at home. If it was a front, she hid it well, Emily guessing Paige had inherited her inability to lie from her Father. Still there was a lot of Anne in Paige, Emily had started to notice; they shared mannerisms, their eyes, the tone of their voice.
Emily was thoroughly enjoying the fair, and the company. Aria had dropped by earlier, Emily finding time to take a quick break to catch up and have a walk around, buying a few things for herself and a few early christmas gifts as they did so. Her own Mother had dropped by a little later, Paige and Emily both surprised to discover their Mother's knew each other in passing from church years back. She hadn't stayed long, but had been happy to see her daughter, and Paige of course.
Emily had noticed that Paige hadn't eased up much throughout the day, still too much in her head, regardless of how well Emily knew it was going. She'd tried to sooth her girlfriend with touch, knowing that it usually did the trick, but Paige had quickly flinched away, clearly mindful that her Mother was nearby. Emily understood it. For all Paige was certainly out and proud, Emily knew that until recently relationships were something Paige had kept staunchly private from her family, and that like everything new, it was going to take time for her to adjust to it. Emily only hoped for Paige's sake that her girlfriend was paying enough attention to notice just how well the day was going.
"I'm just going to go check out Evelyn Saunders stall, you girls don't mind?" Anne asked, both Paige and Emily shaking their heads in response. "Paige, follow Emily's lead. I won't be long."
"I think she likes me," Emily beamed as soon as Anne had disappeared off into the crowds, shuffling along until she was standing elbow to elbow with Paige.
"It seems like she does," Paige nodded, managing a small smile.
"Are you okay?" Emily sighed, deciding that now was a safe enough time to run her hand down Paige's arm soothingly. "You're awfully quiet. It's going well Paige, don't you think so?"
"What?" Paige asked distractedly, frowning apologetically when she met Emily's gaze. "Sorry. It's…I know it's going well. I do. It's just odd, new. I'm happy though, really. Thank you, you're…you're being really great with her."
"I'm glad you think so," Emily smiled, looking around before pressing a quick peck to Paige's cheek. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, its just…do you think Evan's okay?" Paige asked, motioning in the direction of the boy. "He seems a little down today."
"He does seem a little quiet," Emily mused. Emily had noticed he was a little quieter than usual, and lacking his usual cheeriness. Emily frowned; it wasn't nice seeing him so subdued, so used to his cheerful and kind-hearted persona.
"He doesn't seem like himself."
"Do you think maybe he's missing…you know who?" Emily asked, Paige's heavy sigh giving her an answer. "Maybe you should talk to him about it."
"And say what?"
"I don't know," Emily sighed apologetically. "If he's going to talk to anyone about whats bothering him it's going to be you."
"Yeah," Paige agreed, waving to try to catch his attention. "Hey Ev? Can you come over here a sec?"
The boy simply looked up in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to the ground, focused intently on the heel of his boot as it scuffed along the floor.
"Evan…"
Paige let out a heavy sigh as her brother ignored her completely this time and began walking away, shoving past the seller on the stall next to theirs before weaving his way quickly through the crowd.
"What the hell?" Paige exclaimed, turning to Emily questioningly.
"Go after him. I'll be fine here," Emily waved her off, watching Paige hesitate for a moment before running off in Evan's direction.
Paige dodged her way through the crowd as best she could, trying her best to keep up with Evan, her heart leaping into her chest with concern whenever he went out of sight. Today had been a good day, a great day even, especially considering her earlier worries. She'd enjoyed spending time with her Mother and Emily, surprised and overjoyed by how easily the two of them seemed to be getting along. She didn't want the day to end on a sour note because she'd managed to lose her little brother.
She caught a glimpse of Evan making his way out of the main tent, picking up her stride until she finally caught up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to get him to slow down. He shrugged it off and charged on determinedly, Paige following with a sigh.
"Evan, slow down," Paige called out, letting out a relieved breath when he eventually did so. He still insisted on ignoring her, taking a seat on the wall nearest to them. "Evan you can't just run away like that, not cool."
"Whatever."
"Evan," Paige sighed, taking a seat beside him, moving to wrap her arm around him before deciding against it. "What's wrong today kiddo?"
"Nothing."
"You can tell me you know," Paige said softly. "We're best buds, right? You can tell me anything. Can't you?"
"I want to go home."
"Okay," Paige straightened up, happy that it was a problem she could easily solve. "The fair is only going to be on for another hour or so, but if you really want to leave right now maybe Emily and I could take you? Mom can pick you up later…"
"I don't want to go to Auntie Meredith's," Evan proclaimed determinedly. "I want to go home."
"Ah," Paige sighed in understanding, a frown pulling onto her lips. This wasn't a problem she could easily fix. "Evan, you know you can't do that right now…"
"Why not?" He looked up at her pleadingly, Paige's heart breaking a little. It wasn't a question she had a reasonable answer to. "Why can't you just take me home?"
"That's not up to me kiddo," Paige sighed. "It's up to Mom."
"Mom doesn't want to go home."
"Not right now," Paige agreed honestly. "Maybe I can talk to her though, ask her if you can go home for a few days?"
"It won't work," Evan huffed. "Why can't you take me home?" He asked her again, becoming more agitated. "Please Paige."
"Evan I can't," Paige apologised, kneeling in front of him pleadingly. "Living with Aunt Meredith is only temporary. And you'll see Dad soon, I promise."
"I want to see him now."
"Evan…" Paige trailed off hopelessly, drawing a blank. Evan pushed past her, storming off. "Ev!" Paige called out before chasing after him once again.
Emily stifled a yawn, glancing down at her watch. For all it had been a fun day, it had been a long day. The stall had been fairly quiet since Paige left; a few more people had made some quick purchases and Emily had managed to clear another tray, happy that the fair had gone so well. The McCullers' stall was making a decent profit so far, and they still had a good hour to go.
Another few people passed through without buying anything, including a few familiar faces stopping just to say hello, and soon enough there was a lull in activity. Emily could see no sign of Anne or Paige, or Evan for that matter, deciding to lean back against the stool behind her for a moment, taking the opportunity to relax a little as the crowds of people passed her by.
"This is the McCullers stall?" Emily looked up at the voice, having drifted off a little.
"Sorry, yes," Emily jumped up, making her way to the bench. "Can I get you anything?"
"You're not…this isn't your stall? It's Anne's."
"Oh no, not mine," Emily shook her head. "I'm just helping out for the day. I'm Emily. Anne should be back in..."
"You're Emily?"
Emily stalled, taken a back by the sudden terseness of the mans voice. She studied his face for a moment, recognising something about his features, but certain she'd never met him before. Eventually something clicked into place, her stomach dropping when she realised who was standing in front of her.
"...Mr McCullers."