Hi friends! Sorry for the time it took to post this, I've been traveling a bit and I am LOVING the snow! I hope you tulips enjoy this chapter.
Elaine's knee bounced nervously while she sat in the terminal. Airports, no matter what country, were always hectic so after navigating her way through the labyrinth of gates and terminals and rushed pilots and passengers, Elaine arrived at the right door. Attempting to remain calm and keep her heart at an average pace, Elaine's knee bounced faster as a woman approached her. Unable to control herself, Elaine squealed, running to her while ignoring the people she knocked into.
"Ellie!"
She was engulfed in a massive embrace.
"What's it been? A month?" Elaine asked, breathless with excitement.
"Three, you wart!" The blonde accused.
After bouncing on their toes and exchanging unintelligible greetings, Elaine shouldered Maisy's carry-on and led the way out of the crowded London Airport.
"Coffee. It's just around the corner and we'll catch up and then I'll show you Muffy's flower shop and then we'll have a sleepover in London and then we'll make cookies in the middle of the night and then w-"
Maisey pretended to gag.
"Oh god, I almost missed your aggressively affectionate personality," Maisy complained dramatically, trying and failing to hide the loving look in her eyes.
"You wanna go home? The airport is right here." Elaine suggested, making a show of looking insulted.
"Ugh, I just need that coffee you mentioned to deal with all of this. With London!" Maisy squawked, spinning in a circle, no doubt taking in the rush hour traffic and the overcast sky as her heel tapped on the concrete.
Elaine looked down at Maisey's feet and nearly slapped her.
"You're wearing stilettos," Elaine deadpanned.
Maisey shook her sleek shoulders poshly and flipped her blonde extension filled hair with polished nails.
"One must always travel fashionably," She said in a sultry voice and a funny face.
Elaine covered her face with her unmanicured hand.
"Why are we friends? You wore stilettos on a plane!" Elaine nearly yelled though she was closer to doubling over with laughter than actual anger.
"Why are you so surprised, bitch?" Maisey simply ignored Elaine and linked her arm through hers as they exited the terminal. "You've known me forever. I came out of the womb wearing heels, dammit."
Elaine rolled her eyes with a laugh and led them to coffee.
Twenty minutes later, they were both sitting in a cinnamon-infused cafe. Elaine had her peppermint tea and Maisy had a double shot caramel non-fat latte. No whip.
"You still have Hershel, right?" Maisy asked.
"Are you kidding? I couldn't live without him." Elaine said.
"Yes, all that shedded cat hair must be full of vital nutrients."
Elaine threw a muffin crumble at the blonde sitting across from her.
"So, Maisy-daisy, what have I missed in Minneapolis?"
Maisy took a sip of her latte, smiling across the two-seat table and bouncing her feet. Elaine gave her a suspicious look. One should always be suspicious around a silent Maisy. Especially if she wasn't swearing.
She snapped her left hand out across the table.
"No!" Elaine gawked, almost dropping her tea. She snatched her friend's hand closer and inspected the stunning diamond ring. "Daniel?"
"Who else?" Maisy smiled.
Unable to contain herself, Elaine jumped up to embrace her friend and squealed.
"He is the luckiest man on the frickin' planet," Elaine gushed as she embraced her.
Maisy returned the embrace even tighter before asking the real question.
"Will you be my maid of honor?"
Pulling back to hold Maisy at arms distance, Elaine feigned seriousness before bubbles of laughter erupted. She was about to answer before being engulfed in another hug.
"Do you even have to ask?" Elaine cried.
Maisy gave her a peck on the cheek and rolled her eyes as Elaine squealed again and bounced up and down. Once they were seated again, Elaine looked longingly at the ring adorning Maisy's sleek finger.
The coffee shop they sat in was close to the airport, so there was too much traffic and customers to do the screaming and dancing Elaine and her friend actually felt like doing, but they managed just fine. A couple people overheard their conversation and congratulated Maisey, who accepted their words with bubbles of laughter.
And that's how Elaine knew Maisey was elated; she didn't just tell random strangers who tried to talk to her to get lost.
After the hype and excitement of Maisey's news had fallen from the spotlight, Maisey turned the conversation on Elaine and began the interrogation.
"Speaking of engagements, any boytoys hanging around?" Maisy wiggled an eyebrow.
"How long have you known me?"
"Answer the question." Maisey snapped.
"No. I'm not Evie." It took Elaine a moment to realize what she just said. She was about to address it but turned to her tea. There was a moment of silence between them as they sat drinking, the flow of customers brushed past their table.
"Are you okay?" Maisy asked.
The bubbly and excitable tone that had previously filled the blonde's voice not a minute ago was replaced by careful and hesitant worry.
"Okay with what?" Elaine asked innocently.
She knew the woman sitting across from her didn't buy it.
"It's been three months. What's past has passed."
"Ellie."
"When's the wedding?"
"June. We need to talk about this."
"Of course! Daisies or roses."
"About what happened."
"Because I've always thought of you as a tulip kinda girl. Ya know? Maybe light purple, oh, or pink."
"Elaine, I'm serious."
"I'm serious, too. What's done is done. Evie is gone and I'm finally here to make my own life outside of her. And if that's not okay with you, you can sod off and leave me alone." Elaine stood and turned to leave.
"I flew all the way to London just for you to walk away? Really?" Maisy asked behind her.
Elaine turned the face her bewildered friend.
She took a moment for her head to fall back and her actions to catch up with her. Her sanity was disintegrating before her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Elaine tugged her sleeves and walked back to the table.
"What am I supposed to do?" Elaine asked, the beginning of a sob knotting in her chest. Elaine wore her good makeup today and she sure as hell wasn't going to ruin it. "I've been ripped apart."
It was useless, she started crying anyhow and the tears were silent and suffocating. Elaine hated crying but nonetheless, tear-stained cheeks seemed to be a part of her aesthetic. But she had been ripped right down her middle and thrown across the globe; what else was she to do but run and cry and tell her friends to sod off? Maisy pushed her chair closer to Elaine and held her hand between their warm mugs as she wiped the tears away.
"I know it's terrifying now, but… but everything will work out." Maisy said, standing her ground at Elaine's skeptical look. "I mean it. You've escaped the evil corporation, settled in London, and are surrounded by flowers all day long. You've focused on being Evie for so long. It's time to be Elaine."
Elaine nodded, blowing her nose and sniffling before laughing.
"I put on my Sephora makeup. Fat lotta good that did."
Maisy laughed.
"You know, you're actually starting to sound British."
"Yeah?"
"Mmh. You told me to 'sod off'."
"Sorry," Elaine mumbled. "That was terrible of me."
"I'd say so. But we both know I've done worse. Plus a little tantrum proves you're a rotten human just like the rest of us, not the annoyingly pristine angel everyone thinks you are." Maisy gave her a sly smile.
"Bitch, I am an angel." Elaine threw back.
Maisy scoffed.
"Sure, St. Eleanor. Come on, Let's see London! I'm only here for another four days."
On the third and final night of Maisy's stay, they lied in bed staring at the glowing stars plastered on Elaine's ceiling. It was 3 am, but Elaine knew there was no sleeping when Maisy was there to talk her ear off.
It was silent.
Elaine wore her matching purple cow pajamas. Maisy wore underwear labeled JUICY and an old crop top. In the dark, beneath the faded glow of the plastic stars, Maisy's arm rose up and Elaine could just make out the gleam of her diamond ring.
"I always thought you would be married before me," Maisy said beside her. Elaine turned to look at her sister-not-a-sister, she could tell that the blonde-bombshell was staring at the diamond wrapped around the finger that her now fiance was also wrapped around. "Jesus fuck, I didn't expect to get married, period."
She let her hand fall heavily on the mattress.
"You're getting married to an amazing man who hates the government just as much as you," Elaine said. "As for me, saints don't get married, do they?"
"Oh, hogwash. There's a guy." Maisy said, propping herself up on her side.
When Elaine snorted, she hit her with a pillow.
"Answer!" Maisy hit her again.
"Okay, okay! There is a… guy." Guy didn't seem like the right word to describe Eggsy.
"I will punch your boob if you do not elaborate." Maisy threatened.
Elaine automatically covered her chest, remembering the last boob punch she suffered from Maisy.
"Fine." Elaine relented. "There's this guy who stops by Muffy's a few days a week and I swear I have never seen him in anything other than a suit."
"Suited men have always been your weakness," Maisy commented.
"I realize that. 100 percent. Completely! So I said to myself 'Elaine, you are not going to crush on him. No more crushes'. I made it very clear to myself, Maisy. I put the fist down at the mushy-gushy feelings assembly! No crushes, no falling in love!"
"You're in deep, aren't you?"
Elaine let out a held breath and covered her face with her hands. The bed shifted as Maisy sat up cross-legged on the bed and turned on the lamp. Elaine did the same.
"His manners make me think he is the grandson of Emily Post. He gives me a flower out of every bouquet he buys and he's courteous and kind, mysterious, and handsome as hell. As hell, Maisy. I kid you not, his cheekbones could cut diamonds. And his eyes," Elaine fell back down to the bed with a moan. "What am I doing?"
"Sounds like you're falling in love," Maisy said, laying down next to her.
"How, though? I've known him for a few months and to add to that I've only been out with him once and that was by accident. I shouldn't feel this way! I wish my heart would just harden."
"No, you don't," Maisy said. "I've seen a heartless you and her name is Evie."
"Evie isn't heartless. She was hurt. I hurt her."
They were silent for a long time. Maisy turned off the lamp and the two of them started once again at the plastic glowing stars above them.
"You're irresistible, Elaine. He would be brainless if he didn't feel something back. You got me to love you and I'm a heartless bitch."
"Yeah," Elaine said in the dark. "You are."
She yelped when Maisy hit her chest, which in turn started a pillow fight at 3 am.
"Not once, though."
Elaine and Maisy sat on the steps outside her apartment and ate the cookies they had just made. The blue sky and bright sun warmed the stone steps they sat on and made for one of the last enjoyable days of autumn. Hershel brushed against their knees and mewled for attention.
"We were only at the flower shop two times, and only for an hour." Elaine pulled apart a particularly gooey cookie. "Besides, he travels a lot and I thought our plan was to help me fall out of love with him."
Hershel's tail flickered.
"That's why I need to meet him," Maisy said with an eye-roll. "I'll gage from an objective standpoint to see if your boy-toy likes you back. You sure Hershel won't run for it?"
"But how can I be in love! It's crazy; borderline insane!" Elaine yelled to no one in particular. "And no, Hershel always stays on the steps."
Just as Elaine reassured Maisy, Hershel cowled and ran from the apartment and out of sight.
"Hershel!" Elaine and Maisy called at once.
"You just had to say he always stays on the steps!" Maisy called as she ran after Elaine.
Spotting the grey cat dash around the corner a block down the avenue, Elaine let out a rare curse and followed. Calling out her beloved cat's name, Elaine was frantic, searching the steps of the apartments lined down the avenue and even up the trees.
"Ah, fuck that." Maisy came up behind her, breathless. "I should not have worn stilettos."
"Hershel!" Elaine spun around, scanning all the places she would hide if she were a cat. "He has never done that before."
"Is this who you're looking for?" A voice called behind her. Elaine froze.
"You have got to be kidding me." She mumbled under her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maisy raise an appreciative eyebrow. Turning towards the voice behind her, Elaine saw Eggsy holding a purring Hershel in his arms.
"Eggsy! You found Hershel!" Her smile felt too forced.
"So Hershel's the name, eh?" He held the cat up to inspect. As always, Eggsy wore a tweed, three-piece suit tailored all too perfectly with his black-rimmed glasses and signature Oxfords. "Great name."
"Thank you so much, I don't know what I would have done," Elaine said as Eggsy handed over the cowling grey ragdoll.
"Yeah, that asshole is basically Ellie's kid," Maisy said. "Hi, you must be George. I've heard all about you! You and your abs are all Elaine can talk about."
Elaine kicked Maisy's shin while holding Hershel close.
"No," Eggsy scratched the back of his neck. "Not the boyfriend, just the friend. I'm Eggsy." He held his hand out to Maisy who shook it vigorously.
"George isn't my boyfriend-"
"Yet." Maisy intruded.
"He just this… this guy… that I know." Elaine had never felt so awkward in her life and attempted to hide behind Hershel. "My apartments this way." She gestured as best she could with a cat in her arms.
"I'll walk with you ladies." Eggsy said, falling in stride beside Elaine.
The remainder of the short walk back to her apartment was filled with small talk and Eggsy's usual charms. Elaine made sure to keep a tight grasp on Hershel.
Once Eggsy had walked Elaine and Maisy to the apartment, he said his gentlemanly farewell and went on his way.
"George!?" Elaine yelled. Hershel growled in her arms, scratching at her. "Who the flippity-flop is George?"
"Just someone to get the green little monster stirring in your man."
"Stop," Elaine begged.
"He likes you, he really really likes you." Maisy sang.
"Stop!" This time Elaine couldn't help but smile.
"Okay, okay, I surrender. But you are keeping me updated on everything. It's part of your duties as Maid of Honor."
"Is it?" Elaine bit back with a smile. They climbed up the steps to the apartment and Maisy grabbed the plate of cookies.
"Yup. I'll be tied to Daniel, so no more-" Maisy stopped.
Following Maisy's gaze, Elaine looked to her front door, which was slightly ajar. Maisy stared at Elaine, hesitant to open the entrance further and there seemed to be a moment where both of them were too scared to open the door. Jolted out of her stupor by the cowls of Hershel, Elaine rushed forward through the door to find her apartment ransacked.
"What the hell!?" Maisy said.
They both stood like statues at the threshold, taking in the ripped up curtains, broken photographs and pulled out drawers. Elaine walked further in, speechless.
"The hell are you doing!?" Maisy grabbed her arm.
Elaine shook it off, unable to believe that this had occurred in the time it took for Hershel to run into the streets and back. It was a disaster. Stepping over a shattered frame of her and her sister at Cape Cod, Elaine looked back at Maisy and quickly fell into a panic.
"What's 911 in London?" Maisy called from the kitchen.
"999," Elaine called back, dropping Hershel before going through her apartment to survey the damage. Maisy's call carried through the apartment. Tears prickled in Elaine's eyes when she realized who she suspected. He had found her. About to break down, Elaine attempted to center her breathing by counting out deep inhales, but only got to three before a hand wrapped around her mouth and pulled her into the bathroom.
"Maisy! What the hell!?"
"Shh!" She covered her mouth again. And that's when Elaine heard it; heavy footsteps walking through the apartment.
It became apparent that Elaine was mad. Furious. Of all the shit she had gone through in the past year, of all the escapes and the fights and the fear, she just wanted peace. Boiling, she crept out of the bathroom and picked up her pink umbrella.
"Don't!" Maisy whispered furiously from the bathroom. Elaine waved her off.
Slipping around a corner, she heard him approaching. Raising her umbrella, she swung as hard as she could only to be grabbed by the wrist and legs kicked out from beneath her. Hitting the ground with a wheeze, Elaine couldn't think much as Maisy ran out screaming from the doorway and threw a loofa at the intruder.
"Eggsy?" Elaine asked, still sprawled on the floor.
"Elaine!" Faster than she had been knocked to the floor, Eggsy took her hand and helped her up.
"What happened? You alright?" Eggsy asked, gripping her arm and turning her towards him.
"Fine." She mumbled.
"No! She's not fucking fine her place was robbed!" Maisy yelled. Hershel growled beneath the couch. "I'm calling the cops. Again."
Once more, Elaine ghosted over shattered glass and broken vases, taking in the disbelief. Her apartment had been robbed and her good Sephora makeup ruined. Eggsy stood beside her with a hand pressed to her lower back.
"Talk to me."
She ignored him, walking out of his grasp.
"The 999 shit ain't picking up! What the fuck is this!" Maisy yelled from the front room. She barged into the destroyed living room Elaine stood dumbstruck in. Maisy's anger seemed to dissipate as she watched the state Elaine and her apartment was in.
"Elaine." Eggsy set his hand on her back. "We should go. I'll call a cab."
"Your flight! It leaves at four and you still need to pack and-"
"And we have time. Everything is going to be fine, Ellie." Maisy pulled Elaine in for a hug. "I didn't pack much anyway. Besides, I'm more worried about you."
"I have an uncle in the upper ranks of the Ministry of Justice, he owes me a favor and I'm sure he'll take care of this mess."
"Thank you." Elaine touched his arm. She honestly didn't know what to do.
Once Maisy was packed and had boarded the flight back to the states, Eggsy called the fanciest cab Elaine had ever seen. Black and sleek, Elaine slid in and caught strange insignias printed on the seats; golden K's turned horizontal and set inside circles. Thinking nothing of it, she slid further in and waited for Eggsy. She left Hershel at the apartment and she made a mental note to find a kennel.
"You're not staying there. Not now." Eggsy said as he slid into the cab next to Elaine, pausing to give the driver an address. He was talking but she didn't listen. Elaine sat stoic, eyes molded to the seat in front of her. "I have a friend you can stay with. She's very trustworthy an' she's not the nosy type so ya don't have to worry about explainin'."
Memories of him surfaced in her mind, undertoned with feelings of fear and resentment. She had let all of this happen. This had come about of her own volition.
"It was him," Elaine whispered in the cab. Eggsy's shoulder grazed her's in the small backseat. She kept her gaze forward, refusing to see the confusion in eyes of the man next to her, but she did see him look down to where her hands tugged at her sleeves. Eggsy took her hand in his.
"Who."
She was choked with fear for a few breaths, unable to speak and instead contemplated the sight of her shaking hand in his steady one. The thick callouses of his palm brushed over her skin. When she stayed silent, he brushed his thumb along the back of her hand.
"You asked me, that night in the coffee shop, why I left Minne… why I moved to London." She took another breath. "I was running." Her voice cracked. "From him." The hand not engulfed in his wiped away the tears she had fought to hide. Swallowing a sob, Elaine looked out the window to avoid the gaze she felt on her. The touch on her jaw startled her, but she kept her face towards the cab window, not wanting Eggsy to see any more of her tears. But he persisted, coaxing Elaine to look back at him.
"Don't be scared of him, 'cause I'm here and I've been told before I'm pretty tough in a fist fight."
Elaine let out a pained laugh at that; a fighting tailor.
"When I got on that plane to London, I was sure he would never find me again. Once I got on that plane… I could breath." Her voice caught again and Elaine looked straight into his eyes, not caring that the tears fell down her cheeks like rain.
"And you're gonna to continue to breathe." The hand not wrapped around her's brushed Elaine's hair out of her face to wipe her tears. "This bloke ain't gonna touch ya."
The bubble of fear knotted in the center of Elaine's throat sank with his words. Unable to speak, she gave Eggsy a small smile and returned her gaze to the passing streets of London.