I have two words for Fire: Fuck that.
And I have two words for you spectacular readers: Thank you.
Naomi blinked as the refrigerator door was slowly eased shut. "Hello," the man greeted, his grin growing impossibly wider. "You must be Naomi." Even though his smile was wide and his eyes glinted with excitement, there was something terrifying about Emily's dad. Naomi gulped and nodded her head, more than a little intimidated by the way his teeth were bared.
"Yes, I'm Naomi. It's nice to finally meet you," she managed to force out.
"Likewise. I'm Rob," the man gestured to himself and then hitched a thumb to the woman standing behind him. "That's my wife Jenna."
"Emily's told us so much about you," Jenna said, her smile tight as she turned fully to face their guest.
Naomi found that hard to believe, since Emily had spent approximately one day back in her parents' house, but Naomi bobbed her head in agreement and breathed out a quick, "Yeah, me too. About you."
Rob noticed the bottle in her hands and his smile lit up with an entirely different emotion. "Is that for us?"
"Uh," Naomi looked down at the bottle, towards the hallway where she had last seen Katie, then back to Rob as her eyebrow quirked. "Yes?"
He held his arms out and stepped forward, wrapping her up in a hug. His right hand squeezed her shoulder fondly as his left deftly plucked the wine from Naomi's grasp. "Well, that's lovely! This is Jenna's favorite!"
Jenna's smile was a little less forced as her husband released Naomi. "That's very thoughtful of you. And of Emily to let you know the kind to get."
Naomi chuckled out a 'yeah', making a mental note to thank Katie. Save her ass, indeed. Naomi shifted uncomfortably, watching as Rob looked over the bottle with an approving nod and trying to ignore how Jenna was surveying her from across the kitchen.
"So, Naomi," Jenna's voice was calm, pleasant even, although there was a thread of hesitance in her tone, "Emily tells us you two roomed together? That's how you became friends?"
Jenna had an intense, almost accusatory, look in her eyes, and Naomi hoped that Rob might be a little less strange, but he was just staring, a soft and expectant, vacant smile on his face. "Yeah. Yeah, Emily's great. We hit it off straight away. Kept in touch the whole time she was in Greece." Naomi was nodding to herself, half-mumbling and unsure of what she should say. What she was supposed to say to the parents of her best friend. She'd hardly done the whole 'friend' thing before, and certainly never the 'friend's family' thing. So she smiled and waited for one of them to say something. Anything.
But the only reaction she got was Jenna's eyes narrowing and Rob's head tilting curiously as he said, "Emsy went to Greece?"
Well… shit.
As if on cue, rushed footsteps thudded down the stairs and Naomi craned her neck as a very apologetic looking Emily barreled down the hallway, an amused Katie trailing in her wake. "I'm so sorry," Emily started to say, drawing to a stop next to her friend. "Mum, Dad, this is Naomi," Emily gestured between the groups gathered in the kitchen. "Naoms, Mum and Dad."
"We've already introduced ourselves, Emsy," Rob said, his grin much more relaxed. "Look at the gift she brought!" He set the bottle down on the counter and Emily's eyebrows shot up.
She opened her mouth and then shut it quickly as she saw Katie, smirk firmly in place. Naomi tried to subtly nod in Katie's direction and Emily caught on instantly. "Yeah, she wanted to make a good impression and I remembered how much Mum liked that?" Her mouth twisted in amusement as Katie rolled her eyes.
"Well it was very sweet," Jenna commented. "Thank you both. Now, Katie," she turned her gaze on her oldest child, "did you pick up the olive oil?"
Katie held up the canvas bag and handed it off to her mother. "They didn't have the brand you wanted so I had to get the cheaper stuff."
Jenna's eyes flashed momentarily, and then softened as she met her husband's warning gaze. "I'm sure it'll be just fine. Thank you." She fiddled with the handle of the bag for a moment and smiled gratefully as Rob clapped his hands together.
"Let's all crack into that wine, shall we? Emily, get some glasses!"
Rob turned his attention to digging out a cork screw from one of the drawers, as Jenna turned back to the ingredients cooking at the stove. Emily shot Katie a relieved look and mouthed a 'thank you', which her sister brushed off with an air of being completely aware of, and confident in, her amazingness.
Emily crossed to one of the cupboards to get some glasses, and Naomi's nod of appreciation to Katie was treated with far less dismissiveness. Katie shot her a look that clearly said Naomi was in her debt, and Naomi could only wonder as to why, exactly, Katie had thought to help her in the first place.
Naomi stood and watched as the Fitch family moved around the kitchen. They started up their own conversations, Rob warning Emily not to drink too much as she steadied the glasses while he poured the wine, and Jenna instructed Katie to take the roasted chicken out of the oven while she finished up the vegetables. Rob handed out glasses, which Naomi accepted with thanks, and Emily came back to Naomi's side.
"Emily, where's your brother?" Jenna asked, pouring a fair amount of olive oil into the pan.
Emily swallowed a mouthful of wine and glanced at Naomi. "He was still getting ready."
"Yeah," Katie cocked a hip out to the side as she lifted her gaze to Naomi, "he said he wanted to look fit to impress the company."
Naomi looked back and forth between them, an eyebrow rising in curiosity. Rob groaned and downed half his glass in one large gulp. "I might need something stronger if he's planning on dressing up."
Jenna sighed heavily and groped across the counter for her own drink. "Well go fetch him. I don't care if he hasn't finished yet, supper's almost ready and it's his turn to set the table."
There was a devilish glint in Katie's eyes as she set off to retrieve the youngest member of the Fitch clan. "I feel like I'm missing out on something," Naomi stage-whispered, nudging Emily with her elbow.
"James is a rather unique boy," Rob clarified, looking forlornly into his almost empty glass.
"Naomi," Jenna jumped in quickly, her voice calm and contradicting to the slightly manic look in her eyes as she spun around and looked at their dinner guest. "I do hope you like chicken? We've also got quite the selection of vegetables, if you don't eat meat. Emily didn't really say, so I thought it would be best if-"
"Oh, shit!"
Jenna's eye twitched as her lips pursed. Naomi turned around to look at the disturbance and then her eyes grew wide as she saw the young boy in a light yellow sundress only slightly too large for his frame. James' mouth dropped open as he said, "She's fuckin' fit, Emily!" And then three hands reached out of nowhere to smack him upside the head.
James staggered in his heels, shooting dirty looks to his older sisters and father. "What? She is!"
Several statements were made at once, filling the air with noise that made Naomi's head hurt trying to distinguish it all.
"Watch your language, young man, or you'll spend all of dinner on the naughty bar!"
"Don't talk about her like that, you little perv!"
"Please, in that top she's as attractive as Nan getting a sponge bath."
"The vegetables are burning!"
Everyone in the kitchen looked at Jenna, who was flapping the bottom of her apron at the stove, where it appeared a small fire had broken out in the pan. Rob rushed forward, his empty wine glass abandoned on the counter, and grabbed the handle of the pan, shoving it into the sink. Jenna flipped the tap on, effectively extinguishing the fire as steam rose up in coils towards the ceiling. She coughed and waved a hand in front of her face, Rob quickly pushing the window above the sink open to try and vent the kitchen.
James tapped Naomi on the shoulder, and when she looked at him, the corners of his mouth turned up. "That fire is like the one in my loins that burns for you."
Emily dropped her head onto the counter with a loud thud.
Katie choked on a huge gulp of wine and sputtered with laughter.
And Naomi asked, almost impressed, "Did you apply that lipstick yourself?"
Jenna managed to salvage some of the vegetables, but kept apologizing for supper being ruined, which it wasn't. Rob threatened to take away James' make-up kit if he didn't behave himself, which he did. James pouted when Emily refused to let him sit next to Naomi's spectacular tits, which he stared at. Katie had a wildly amused smirk on her face and a glass in her hand, which was always full. Emily fielded questions from her family, and kept her hand on Naomi's knee, which was nice. And Naomi tried to keep up. Which was difficult.
Naomi had dealt with a lot of different people throughout her short life, but the Fitch Family was a different beast entirely.
"So what made you decide to study politics?" Jenna asked with an all-too-innocent smile, only to be interrupted by Emily muttering, "Don't answer that, it's a trick," while Rob huffed and speared some broccoli, groaning about all politicians being "rotten, lazy liars," as Katie grinned and said, "Yes, what did attract you to our fabulous parliament?" and James kept shooting glances at her chest.
"Well," Naomi started, ignoring the way Emily's head dropped in defeat, "my mum was always a bit of an activist. I practically grew up in protests and rallies, so I guess I was raised with an interest in our system and its shortcomings."
Katie's eyes lit up with poorly suppressed glee as she looked back and forth between Naomi and Jenna. "Hear that, Mum? Its shortcomings."
Emily stared at the ceiling and downed her glass of wine as Jenna cleared her throat. "Hmm. So do you take after your mother? With the… protesting and all?"
"Oh, let's not talk about this," Rob groaned before Naomi had a chance to answer. "We're having such a lovely meal, let's not ruin it with politics." Emily shot him a grateful smile while Jenna sipped her wine and gave him a tight smile. "So, Emsy, Naomi said something about you going to Greece?"
Katie and Emily had identical reactions of startled panic, and Naomi smiled sheepishly at them. "I might've slipped up and mentioned it."
"Well at least someone did," Jenna said, casting an accusatory glare at Katie.
"It was just a little trip. For class," Emily said quickly.
"Hardly worth mentioning," Katie added.
"Over before I even knew I was there."
"I only found out yesterday."
Naomi was amazed at just how quickly both Katie and Emily regressed back to guilty children who had been caught with their hands in the biscuit tin.
Jenna held up a hand to silence her daughters. "It would just be nice if, the next time one of my children decides to flee the country, they informed me of their plans first. But it's already done, so there's no point in getting upset over it."
Emily gave her mother a cautious smile, which Jenna returned, and Naomi and Katie both visibly relaxed in their seats. Right up until James adjusted the straps of his dress and asked his sister, "Did you spend a lot of time in Lesbos?"
"It wasn't that bad," Naomi said reassuringly. "Honestly, the food was delicious and James is actually really funny."
Emily shook her head, her hair draped around the knees pulled up to her chest. "I'm mortified. I want to die, Naomi. Don't look at me."
Naomi chuckled and rubbed her back lightly with her left hand. "It could've been worse. Your mum was pleasant enough, at least."
"Only because she was more embarrassed of James than concerned with you."
"That's still something," Naomi shrugged, lifting her right hand up to take a drag of her cigarette. They'd been sitting on Emily's front step for several minutes, waiting while the table was cleared for dessert. Emily had her face buried in her hands, bent over in embarrassment while Naomi just sort of watched her. Amused.
Emily jerked up suddenly, a wild look in her eyes. "We could run. Right now. Just go back to Gina's and I can continue not talking to any of them ever again."
Naomi gave her a sympathetic sort of smile, her hand still resting on the small of Emily's back. "You know we can't." Emily sighed in defeat and returned to her distraught position, letting her hands drop down by her feet. Naomi couldn't hold back a bright smile as she looked at her friend. She'd never really seen Emily like this. So thoroughly and adorably embarrassed. It was a new side of Emily and Naomi definitely didn't mind seeing it. "We should probably head back in." Emily grunted in response. "Jenna worked hard on this meal and she's really trying to be pleasant." Another grunt. "Rob might think I'm taking advantage of you and threaten me with the naughty bar."
That caught Emily's attention. She lifted her head, a smirk tugging at her mouth. "I'd like to see you try even one set on the naughty bar."
Naomi feigned indignation, curling one arm and trying to flex her bicep. "I'll have you know I'm capable of feats of strength you can't even imagine."
Emily chuckled and nodded her head, sitting up fully. "I'm sure you are, Campbell."
"Hey, I could take you."
Emily's lips twitched and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Yeah, I'm sure you could."
"That sounded suspiciously like a challenge."
"Maybe it was."
The door behind them opened and Katie huffed. "If you two are finished licking each other's fannies or whatever, Mum needs help in the kitchen."
Naomi grimaced at the crude comment, but Emily just stood up and trudged inside. Naomi stubbed out her fag and went to stand, but a quick hand on her shoulder kept her seated. "Easy, tiger."
Naomi quirked a brow as Katie took her sister's vacated seat. "Yes? Can I help you with something?"
Katie tugged at the hem of her skirt, which seemed to be done more out of habit than actual concern for how much skin was on display. "We need to talk about Emily." Naomi figured that some sort of conversation like this would happen. She wasn't sure which Fitch would initiate it, but she had tried to prepare for it regardless. She figured it was better that it was with Katie, since they were closer in age and Naomi didn't have to worry too much about offending her. She sighed and pulled out her fags, lighting up another one as Katie wrinkled her nose in disgust and then shook off whatever comment she was going to say. Instead, she crossed her arms in her lap and dove right into it. "She cares a lot about you and I have to do my big sister duty or whatever and make sure you aren't about to turn into a giant tosser and fuck her over."
Naomi cocked her head, taking a long drag as she gave Katie a calculating gaze. "Are…" she exhaled slowly, "are you giving me the girlfriend speech?" Katie's eyebrows arched and her head nodded in the universal symbol for 'duh'. Naomi almost choked on the smoke in her throat. "We're not," she coughed, "Emily and I aren't," she shook her head vehemently, "You should be saying this to Shannon."
Katie's eyebrows drew together. "Who the fuck is that?"
Naomi pointed towards the house. "Emily's girlfriend. Sort of."
Katie looked from Naomi to the house. And then back to Naomi. And then back to the house. "Seriously?" She cast a disbelieving look at the blonde. "Seriously?"
Naomi nodded, slightly dumbfounded by Katie's reaction. "Yeah."
They fell into silence, Katie oddly contemplative and Naomi totally baffled. Naomi took another drag off her fag, raising an eyebrow expectantly as Katie turned her gaze on her. "Have you ever thought about Emily like that?"
Naomi… honestly had no answer to that question. Which took her slightly by surprise. She had thought 'No.' She had emphatically thought 'No.' But her throat just sort of constricted and her mouth started spluttering and her eyes may have widened an alarming amount, but the 'No' in her mind never actually made it to Katie's ears.
Katie took Naomi's silence as answer enough, which it rather was, and laughed. "Of course. Unrefined and senseless, I knew it."
"Yeah, about that," Naomi interjected, finally finding her voice, "why'd you buy that bottle and have them think it was from me?"
"I thought you two were shagging and if you made a good impression Mum might be slightly less bitchy which would make Emily slightly less hostile, yeah? I don't want her pissing off again just because they can't get along." Katie added in a much quieter voice, "We're a family but it hasn't really felt like it in years."
Naomi smoked for a minute while she thought about that. "How's it been? Having Emily back?"
"Tense," Katie answered immediately. "But not as bad as I think they were both expecting. Dad and James have helped a bit with that."
"And you," Naomi added. "Can't discount yourself there."
A small smirk pulled up the corner of Katie's mouth. "You're chatting up the wrong Fitch, lezza."
With the exception of a few choice comments from James, dessert was rather tame. Jenna was really trying, asking Naomi about her work, as well as her plans for the future. Naomi answered honestly, and in turn tried to engage Emily's parents in conversation about their own professions. Jenna was polite in her answers, explaining that she had started her own wedding planning business that Katie helped with when she wasn't in classes for her business degree. Rob was much more enthusiastic as he explained about his gym and the machine he was designing that would 'revolutionise the fitness industry.' All in all, it had been a downright pleasant evening.
So Naomi struggled to understand why her nerves were on edge through the whole affair.
"Come on," Rob pushed his chair back from the table. "I'll show you the Hyper Fitch." He gestured for Naomi to follow him as he headed out of the kitchen. "It's gonna blow your mind."
Naomi caught Emily's eye and they shared an amused smile before she got up to investigate this mysterious piece of equipment. She trailed after Rob into the garage, where he was grinning at her with an unadulterated look of pride. He slapped a hand onto the smooth, bright red metal and Naomi started at the loud noise. "Are you leading the busy lifestyle?"
Naomi blinked. "Pardon?"
"Not enough time for a full workout?"
"Um…"
"Well don't worry, 'cause Fitch Fitness has got the answer!" Rob looked exhilarated as he gave Naomi the full Fitch Fitness sales pitch. "The new concept in fitness that gives you," he pointed a finger at Naomi, who jerked backwards, "a full body workout in just five minutes!" He held up an open hand for emphasis and Naomi couldn't stop her eyebrows from rising.
"The Hyper Fitch machine. Don't get Fitch. Get hyper Fitch!"
He was staring at her expectantly and Naomi had absolutely no idea how to respond. Slowly, she raised her hands, and then even slower brought them together in confused applause. It seemed to do the trick because Rob positively beamed at her. "It's amazing, isn't it?"
"Oh, it's something alright," Naomi breathed. Rob either missed the tone in her voice, or it was drowned out by his own obvious enthusiasm, because he set about demonstrating the various workouts that had been condensed and streamlined in the Hyper Fitch as if Naomi actually gave a toss about any of it. But she played her part well, nodding and 'oo'ing at all the right moments, completely charming Rob with hardly any effort at all.
It was a few minutes later when the door opened and Emily stepped into the garage, greeted with the site of Naomi sitting on the machine while Rob hovered over her, showing her exactly how to get the most effective tricep workout that she could. "Dad," Emily sighed, "you can't use Naomi as a test subject."
"I've got to, kiddo. Katie refuses and James broke his wrist a few months ago when it was still in the development stage. Your girlfriend doesn't mind helping your old man out."
There was a resounding clang as the bar slipped from Naomi's grip and the weights plummeted back onto the stack. Emily's eyes tripled in size as she stared at her father and neither girl could manage to say a word as Rob started fussing over the machine, checking for damage. Emily was shocked, embarrassment staining her cheeks, and Naomi had just realised why she had been so nervous the entire evening.
She was meeting her girlfriend's parents. She had just had dinner with her girlfriend's parents. Never mind that Emily wasn't actually her girlfriend, or that both of them had some sort of relationship with someone other than each other, because it seemed that Emily's entire family was under the impression that they were dating. That they were a couple. Naomi stared at the Hyper Fitch's foot rest, a strange buzzing in her ears as she heard Emily say something to Rob. Maybe a correction on their relationship, maybe a completely unrelated statement, she couldn't be sure, because she was suddenly wondering what exactly Emily had said to give them that idea, and why she was surprised but not at all bothered by the assumption.
She was pulled back to reality by a strong hand settling on her shoulder. She looked up, rather dazed, at Rob's concerned face. "Are you okay? Did you pull something?"
"Yeah," Naomi said, clarifying as soon as she saw Rob's concern turn to panic. "I mean I'm fine. I didn't pull anything."
He sighed with obvious relief. "Good. I'd hate to hurt you during our first meeting."
Naomi chuckled nervously. "Yeah, save the injuries for at least the second one."
Rob laughed and squeezed her shoulder before letting go. "A sense of humour is important. Especially if you're-"
"It's getting late," Emily interjected. Two sets of eyes settled on her and Naomi was a little alarmed to see the anger bubbling under Emily's calm exterior. "Gina's probably wondering where you are."
Naomi frowned, swinging her legs off the Hyper Fitch and standing up. "I doubt she's even noticed-"
"I'll go see if Mum will let me borrow the van to give you a lift."
Before either of them could respond, Emily had disappeared back through the door, leaving Rob and Naomi staring after her.
Rob leaned into Naomi and whispered, "Was it something I said?"
Naomi looked up and gave him an apologetic smile. "I think it might've been, yeah."
To say the drive back to Gina's was awkward would be a wild understatement. Emily was unusually quiet, refusing to even look at Naomi. And Naomi couldn't stop stealing glances at her. She tried to speak up a few times, but wasn't entirely sure what to say. She wasn't really bothered by the Fitch's assumption, but she was confused by Emily's reaction. Usually Emily handled that sort of thing with a laugh and a teasing jab at Naomi, who more often than not ended up a little flustered until Emily let her off the hook and changed the topic. She'd never reacted quite so strongly and Naomi didn't know how to take it. Silence was still settled firmly between them as they pulled up outside of Gina's.
Naomi started to speak at the same time as Emily, and their actual words were lost in the sudden sound between them. Emily chuckled and Naomi dipped her head, gesturing for Emily to go first. Emily took a deep breath and expelled it in a rushed, "I'm sorry about my family. And them thinking that we're, you know."
"It's nothing to apologise for," Naomi scoffed. "Plenty of other people have thought that as well."
Emily pulled her head back, her eyebrows digging together as her lips quirked in a smile. "Really? Like who?"
Naomi let out a puff of air and started ticking off names on her fingers. "Freds, Anna, Allison, Effy's made some strange comments, and I'm pretty sure my Mum's been secretly hoping we get married so she can actually claim you as family since, like, the moment we met," she trailed off, letting a grin break through. She had expected Emily to laugh, to make a joke like she usually would, so Naomi was taken aback when Emily seemed hesitant, eyeing Naomi warily.
"And that doesn't bother you?"
Naomi shrugged, unsure of how to respond to that. It didn't bother her in the slightest, but Emily's reactions were making her question if maybe it should. "I mean, we know that isn't the case… right?" Naomi looked to Emily, trying to gauge whether the small nod she gave was a good or a bad thing. "Yeah, so that's all that matters."
Emily seemed to think it over for a minute and gave another small nod.
Naomi pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and shrugged, racking her brain for something else to say. "Jenna wasn't as bad as you made her out to be."
"Yeah," Emily nodded, "she's different than she used to be."
"Good different?"
"Definitely."
"Hey," Naomi turned in the seat, facing Emily, who met her gaze. "Promise me something?"
"Anything," Emily answered automatically. A slight blush rose in her cheeks and Naomi held back a smirk. "Maybe," Emily added. "Within reason."
"Try as hard with her as she's trying with you?"
Emily lifted her right hand and sketched an 'x' over her heart. "But I blame you for any and all Fitch Hugs that result from it."
"I will gladly shoulder that burden," Naomi grinned.
Emily chuckled and dipped her head. "Then it's a deal."
"Good." Naomi felt a swelling pride in her chest now that Emily seemed to be a bit more herself. She reached out and rested her hand on the door handle. "You and Katie are still coming for tea? Gina will be inconsolable if you skip out on her." Again, Emily crossed her heart, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."
It wasn't very late, just after ten, but all the lights were out when Naomi walked into her mother's house. So she kicked her shoes off and went upstairs, trying to keep as quiet as she could. She went into her old bedroom and eased the door shut, not bothering to turn a light on as she undressed. Once she got down to just her bra and knickers, she made her way over to her old bed and crawled under the sheets.
And then Naomi lied awake for what felt like most of the night, trying to figure out why Emily had gotten so upset, and why Emily being upset was the only thing that had upset her.
Naomi woke on Sunday morning to the smell of strong coffee. She cracked an eye open and glanced at the clock on top of her bureau. She groaned at the hands indicating it was just past seven, but knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. So she got up, threw on an old shirt and pair of shorts, and trudged downstairs, combing her hair with her fingers to try and flatten some of the bits she could feel sticking up. Gina greeted her with a wide smile as she walked into the kitchen. "Morning, love. How are you?"
"It's Sunday morning and I'm awake, how do you think I am?"
Gina chuckled and started pouring her daughter some coffee. "It's a gorgeous day and I figured I'd get an early start on the shopping for tea later. Care to join?"
"Sundays are for sleeping," Naomi grumbled, taking the mug as her mother offered it. "I didn't even know Sundays existed before noon. You're ruining my perception of reality, Mum."
Gina laughed openly and went to sit at the table, Naomi following close behind. "So how was dinner last night with Emily's family?"
Naomi shrugged, taking a sip of coffee. "It was alright. Her little brother wore a dress and wouldn't stop staring at my tits and Katie was surprisingly thoughtful. Her dad's overly friendly and Jenna was friendly enough. They all thought we were dating, though, and it freaked Emily out." Naomi didn't think it was a particularly startling statement, but Gina was staring at her like it was the most shocking thing she'd ever heard. Naomi glanced around the kitchen before giving her mother a hesitant look. "What?"
"It freaked Emily out?"
"Yeah. She got, like, angry and upset when her dad called me her girlfriend. Still haven't figured out why."
"Did you get upset?"
Naomi shook her head. "I was more concerned with her reaction. It was so unlike how she normally handles things."
Gina frowned to herself and they both lifted their mugs to take a drink. "Maybe she thought you would be bothered by his assumption? And so she got worried that you would be upset?"
Naomi shrugged. "She tried to apologise but I just told her it was fine. Other people have thought that, as well."
Gina's eyes narrowed at her daughter. "How'd she react to that?"
"She was a little surprised, I guess. But once I told her not to worry she seemed alright again."
"Hmm." Gina set her mug down on the table, her fingers tapping at its sides.
"What?" Naomi sighed.
"Nothing," Gina said entirely too innocently.
Naomi rolled her eyes. "Mum, I've known you my whole life, and I can tell when something's bothering you. Spill."
"You're awfully cheeky for so early in the morning." Gina couldn't hold back a smile. "And I was just thinking."
"Yes? About?"
"Have you ever… thought about Emily like that?"
Naomi, even after having been asked that exact question less than twelve hours before, still couldn't manage to vocalize a 'No'. Of course, she didn't try as hard as she had with Katie. Maybe because it was so early and she was still just waking up. "Katie asked me that same thing yesterday," Naomi said instead, deflecting the question entirely.
Gina was having none of it, though. "And what did you tell her?"
"Nothing. I couldn't exactly," Naomi waved her hand up her throat and let her wrist flop once it reached her mouth, "form an answer."
"Does not being able to answer seem like it might be an answer?"
"Too early." Naomi screwed her eyes shut and shook her head. "Emily's my mate. My best friend. Nothing's going on between us and that's all there is to it."
"If you say so, dear. So did you want to help me with the shopping or not?"
They both pretended to ignore that Naomi had failed, yet again, to answer the question.
Late afternoon rolled around and Naomi watched, silently amused, as Gina fussed about the kitchen, preparing for Emily and Katie's arrival. Kieran had been tasked with setting up the table in the garden, and the occasional crash and burst of profanity signaled that he was having some trouble moving the iron furniture on his own. "You could lend him a hand," Gina chided when a particularly loud metallic clang echoed through the open window, followed by a string of what Naomi assumed were Irish expletives.
She shrugged and picked up a scone, taking a quick bite before Gina could smack her hand away from the plate. "It sounds like he's managing just fine."
"We never have guests over, Naomi. Just once I'd like to have a nice gathering and I'd appreciate it if you would be slightly more accommodating with the preparations. You aren't some stroppy teenager so buck up and act like an adult, please."
Naomi rolled her eyes and took another, much larger, bite of the scone; a final, silent, completely immature protest against her mother before she headed out to the garden to save Kieran from himself.
The Irishman was indeed struggling with the table, his face contorted in obvious discomfort as he strained to move it out of the corner of the closed off backyard. "Easy there, Superman!" Naomi called as she walked across the grass. "Help has arrived," she announced with a slight bow.
Kieran blew out a puff of air and jerked his head towards the table. "It's about fucking time. Now hurry up before I give myself a hernia."
"Alright, alright," Naomi mumbled, grabbing onto the opposite end of the table.
After several minutes of struggling, they had managed to shimmy the table just as many inches.
Naomi took a deep breath, feeling the strain in her muscles and lungs. She thought briefly about giving up smoking, but quickly dismissed the idea. "Come on. We've only got the whole rest of the yard to go," Kieran said in an encouraging voice. His words were greeted with a scowl from Naomi. They gave another mighty try and managed a few more inches.
"Jesus," Kieran breathed. "I've gone a bit soft in my old age."
"We're digging an irrigation system in the grass," Naomi noted, glancing at the ground.
Kieran waved off her concerns and with several more bursts of effort, they'd gotten the table exactly halfway to where it needed to be. "Why was this in the corner anyway? Who keeps a bloody table shoved up in a corner?" Naomi panted, palms resting on the glass top.
"Your mad mother, that's who!" Kieran answered the rhetorical question, just as out of breath as the blonde across from him.
"How heavy is this thing?" Naomi kicked one of the legs in contempt.
"It's like lifting an elephant." Kieran blew out a rather large puff of air and seemed to give up on the whole affair, letting himself fall to the ground with his arms outstretched to the sides.
"Yeah," Naomi nodded to herself, glancing from Kieran to the table, "it's good enough where it is."
Light laughter rang through the yard and Naomi jerked her head, seeing two small figures emerging from the house. "Really?" Emily chuckled. "You're giving up? Just like that?"
Katie leaned against the doorframe, her lips curled up in a smirk. "I'm disappointed in both of you."
Kieran threw a hand up in a rude gesture, never even looking at them as Naomi scoffed. "Yeah, alright, I'd like to see you two do better."
Naomi suddenly wished that she hadn't said what she'd just said, because Emily's lips twitched into a smirk that matched her sister's, and they both looked dangerously smug as they fucking strutted to the table. Kieran turned his head and Naomi folded her arms, both of them watching as Katie and Emily stood exactly where they had been just moments before.
"You have got to be kidding me," Naomi muttered in disbelief and they lifted the table and walked it sideways all the way over to where the chairs were set up just outside the door.
Kieran barked out a laugh and let his head fall back onto the grass. "That's fucking perfect."
Katie bent down and flicked a bit of grass off her heels while Emily dipped into a mocking bow. "Don't feel too bad, Naoms," the redhead said as she straightened up, "our Dad is the owner of Bristol's number one independent fitness center, after all." They both walked back over, looking entirely too pleased with themselves.
"And I had to do two sets on the naughty bar every time he caught me snogging a boy before I turned sixteen," Katie added, putting on an air of indifference as she cocked her hip to the side. She folded her arms across her chest and Naomi was surprised at the way her exposed biceps flexed with the motion.
"So that was what," Naomi started, "about thirty sets a day?"
"More like fifty," Emily muttered, resulting in Katie giving her a hard punch to the shoulder.
"Whatever, at least I didn't have to do a set whenever Mum caught me clipping out pictures from her lingerie catalogues."
Kieran grunted and pushed himself to his feet. "And on that note, I'm off before the hair pulling starts. I don't even want to ask what the 'naughty bar' is."
"So," Naomi tried to sound casual as they all watched Kieran wobble off towards the door, "how long were you watching us before you came to save the day?"
"Only a few minutes," Emily shrugged.
"We were chatting with your Mum about how long it would take the two of you to move it, but when it looked like you'd given up, we took pity on you," Katie clarified.
Naomi nodded and crossed her arms. "Hmm. Yes, that is totally embarrassing. Thank you for that, Katiekins."
"Anytime, lezza."
Emily smacked her sister's arm. "Be nice. And you," she pointed at Naomi, "Gina wants you to help her bring everything out; no complaining, no refusing."
"Jesus, Ems," Naomi grumbled, "you're as bad as she is."
"Gina gave me the important duty of keeping you in line, so off you go," Emily shooed her away.
Naomi rolled her eyes and gave Emily a sarcastic salute. But she heard Katie give her sister an exasperated "Seriously?" as she walked away.
Naomi had sometimes felt like a third wheel with her Mum and Kieran, but she'd never had the completely unnerving experience of being a fifth wheel. Not until she was stuck at that table between Kieran and Katie having a snark-off to her left and Emily and her Mum bonding to her right. It was a little disorienting and she certainly didn't care to ever relive the afternoon. Emily, at least, would try and incorporate her into the conversation, but then Gina would start fawning over the redhead and Naomi would be left to her tea and scones again. It was bloody annoying.
Naomi should have been glad that her Mum and Emily got on so well. They always had, and she didn't know why she expected anything to happen other than the mutual adoration that was currently on display. Part of her really was ecstatic that they enjoyed each other's company. But mostly she just felt left out. She grabbed a fruit scone and sunk into her seat, the very model of the moody adolescence she thought she had already outgrown. She took a bite of her snack and let her eyes wander up to the sun above them. They had to have been there for over an hour already. She and Emily would have to leave soon to catch the train back to London. Well, Naomi thought as she swallowed, at least she'd have the trip back to spend with Emily. Between a drunk Katie on Friday, then the entire Fitch family Saturday, and now the two completely separate conversations that she wasn't a part of, Naomi had felt thoroughly ignored the entire weekend. She wouldn't have any fun stories to share with Panda and Cook when she got back, that was for certain. Well, maybe drunk Katie would be a source of amusement for Cook. Although he'd probably just harass Emily until she caved and introduced them. Naomi almost choked on her scone as she imagined the two of them together. Katie and Cook? Absolutely ridiculous. There was a better chance of Cook and Panda getting married for fuck's sake.
Naomi felt the attention of the group shift and she blinked, pulling herself from her musings to find four people staring at her.
"Are you ready?" Emily asked, her voice lilting with amusement. "Katie's gonna give us a lift to the station."
"Oh, yeah," Naomi sat up and put the rest of her scone on her empty plate, brushing a few crumbs from her lap. "When are we leaving?"
"Pretty much now, dear," Gina smiled.
"So," Naomi sighed, settling in as they waited for the train to depart, "was your weekend everything you had hoped it would be?"
"Better even." Emily smiled, pulling her left leg under her so she could face Naomi. Once again Emily had taken the window seat, but Naomi really didn't mind. She'd seen the view before and the sun was setting anyway, so most of the trip back would be in the dark.
"Good," Naomi said with a nod. "I'm glad you didn't get done for murdering your mother."
"I came close this morning," Emily chuckled, tucking some hair behind her ear. Naomi's smile tilted in confusion and Emily rolled her eyes. "She didn't want me going over to Gina's. She wanted to take me to the station herself."
Naomi's eyebrows drew together. "Why didn't you let her? I thought the point of this whole thing," she waved a hand in the air for emphasis, "was so you could talk to her again? Try and reconnect?"
"It was just a lot to take in, is all," Emily sighed. "I mean, it was nice that she was acting like a normal human being, but I haven't spoken to her in almost three years. I've barely even spoken to Katie except for random, usually drunk, calls to chat and catch up. It was overwhelming and once I explained that to her she backed off."
Naomi was quiet for a minute, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. "Rob stepped in and took your side?"
Emily broke out in a smile. "One meal and you already know them so well."
"When are you going back next?" Naomi leaned her head back as the train started to pull out of the station.
"End of next month. Apparently it's going to become a pretty regular thing."
"That's good," Naomi said reassuringly, giving Emily's knee a soft pat.
"Yeah, well," Emily didn't put much effort into her attempt at shrugging it off, "I made a promise to a girl that I'd try."
Naomi nodded solemnly. "She sounds like a decent girl. And you should never break a promise to a girl, especially if she's as intelligent and gorgeous as that one."
Emily shrugged, her lips twitching. "Eh, she's alright."
"Oh," Naomi pressed her palm over her heart, "that hurts, Emily."
"I'm sure you'll live."
Naomi clicked her tongue. "Dunno about that. Wounds to the heart rarely mend, and there's no coming back from one that bad."
"I'm sure I'll live, then," Emily said with a cheeky grin. Naomi rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. "You're in an awfully playful mood."
Naomi mouthed 'playful' back, her eyebrows rising. "I'm a young woman, Ems, not a puppy."
"Sorry." Emily held her hands up in surrender, sliding her foot back to the floor as she settled into her seat normally. "Forget I said anything." Emily bent over and dug a book out of her bag.
Naomi watched, her mouth hanging slightly open, as Emily cracked it open and started to read, completely ignoring the blonde. "Seriously?" Naomi asked, not really expecting an answer, exactly, but certainly unable to predict the continued cold shoulder. "Hello?" Naomi waved her hand between the book and Emily's face, the only reaction being Emily literally burying her nose further into the book. Naomi huffed and crossed her arms, turning her head away, only to steal glances at Emily out of the corner of her eye. "I bet you aren't even reading," Naomi muttered.
"'Course I am," Emily answered, turning a page.
"No, you're not. You're just messing about to teach me some sort of stupid lesson."
"And?"
"And it's annoying?" Naomi ventured, glad when a smirk broke through Emily's façade.
"Wrong answer."
Naomi sighed and fidgeted in her seat. "Fine. Yes, I'm in a playful mood and you ignoring me is thoroughly unsatisfying, so, pay attention to me?" Emily looked up from her book, one eyebrow arching in disbelief. Naomi batted her lashes and put on her best sad puppy face. "Please, Emsy?"
Emily made a show of debating whether or not to cave, and Naomi tried to bite back her grin knowing full well that she would. "If it'll stop you staring at me like that," Emily said, fighting back a grin of her own as Naomi breathed out a victorious 'Yes!' Emily closed her book and set it in her lap. "So," a teasing glint shone in her eyes, "how may I satisfy you?"
Naomi opened her mouth, completely at a loss for words, and just let out a hollow laugh as she shook her head. "You say shit like that and then wonder why people think we're shagging."
"Oh, I never wondered," Emily said casually. "You may have been blindsided, Naoms, but I've always been completely aware."
Emily left Naomi to ponder that as she opened her book again and continued reading, knowing full well that Naomi would be stunned into contemplative silence for the better part of the train ride.
Naomi struggled to pull her key from the lock, bracing the toe of her left shoe against the bottom of the door as she threw her whole body into removing the small piece of metal. "Bollocking piece of shite," she grumbled, finally managing to free it from the lock. She pushed the door shut with her foot, shooting it a glare for good measure, before actually looking around the rest of the entryway. It seemed like none of the lights were on, and the house was entirely too quiet. Granted, it was a Sunday night so she wasn't expecting the others to be throwing a mental party, but it wasn't even nine yet. Someone should've been up.
With a frown, Naomi headed towards the kitchen, stopping to check the lounge for any signs of life. No go. Her brows drew deeper together as she entered the kitchen and saw the small light on above the sink, and then the note and her mobile charger next to it. She picked up the cord as her eyes read over Cook's messy scrawl.
Our Dearest Darlingest Naomikins,
Naomi snorted out a laugh at that.
We've gone down the pub. We'll be back later, but not too late, since P's got class and I've got work tomorrow. Eff found your charger in the bathroom, thought you might need it at some point. We'll see ya in the morning, yeah?
Love, Your Adoring Cookie Monster
And Panda!
There was a squiggle of ink and then an addendum from Panda underneath it.
(We had to force Effy to sign the note)
Naomi smiled at the small arrow Panda had drawn pointing up to what appeared to be Effy's coerced signature and rolled her eyes at how excruciatingly adorable her friends could be. She debated with herself for a minute about taking the short walk to the pub and joining them for a pint or two, but decided against it as a yawn chose that exact moment to surface. She folded the note and grabbed her bag on her way upstairs.
She hit the light switch with her elbow and threw her bag on the floor with a sigh. Her eyes roamed her room, and she marveled for a moment how this place, this room in this house usually filled with friends, had felt more like home than the room she'd spent the weekend sleeping in. The room that she'd spent years sleeping in. Naomi glanced at the note in her hand and dropped it onto the small table next to her bed. She plugged her charger into the wall and then set about digging her dead mobile out of her bag. Once she'd fished it out, she sat on the edge of her bed and connected it, tossing it onto the table next to the note.
And then she must have lied down and fallen asleep, because she when she opened her eyes again, sunlight was peeking through her window and Cook was standing in her doorway staring at her. "Jesus!" Naomi jerked upright. "What do you think you're playing at?"
Cook shrugged, his arms folded over his chest and his mouth turned up in a lazy smile. "Just seein' how long it'd take for you to realise I was here. 'Bout ten minutes, if you were wonderin'."
"I wasn't," Naomi grumbled, standing up and running her hand through her hair. "Did you need something or is this just an alarming new habit of yours?" She gestured to his body in her doorway and he lifted a shoulder.
"How was the trip? How's Red?"
"It was fine. Emily's fine." Naomi tried to stretch out a crick in her neck as she opened her drawer in search of a change of clothes.
"Anythin' interestin' happen?"
"Not really," Naomi glanced over her shoulder as she shoved the drawer shut, a clean shirt in her hand. "Her family wasn't that bad."
"You gonna be hangin' out with her more? 'Cos for a while there ya weren't, really."
Naomi pursed her lips as she turned to him, an inscrutable look in her eyes. "Of course. We are friends, Cook. Why?"
His shrug turned into just leaning on the doorway, his eyebrows lifted innocently. "Just wonderin'."
Naomi narrowed her eyes. "You sure about that?"
Cook nodded, humming a noise of agreement. His eyes drifted away and Naomi followed his gaze to her mobile, which was flashing with ignored messages. "Think you might've missed a thing or two while you were gone, Blondie."
Naomi let out a mumbled 'Fuck!' as she tossed the shirt onto her bed. Cook pushed off the door frame and disappeared down the hall, leaving her to scroll through several texts from Anna, and what she assumed was a voicemail as well. Naomi chose not to listen to it, instead going right to her contacts and ringing her instead. Several moments later and Naomi physically flinched at the beep indicating it had gone to voicemail. "Anna, hey, sorry about that. I couldn't find my charger before I left and my stupid battery died on the first night. I guess you can call me back, or I'll just see you later after my morning class? Yeah. Alright. Later." Naomi flipped her mobile closed and dropped it back on the table with a sigh.
When Naomi went into work, she was expecting a sarcastic remark of some sort from Anna about her phone, or disappearing for the weekend, but none came. If anything, Anna was overly polite to the point that anything she said to Naomi was completely professional and borderline boring. Which had the blonde very worried. On top of that, J.J. was having a panic attack about a problem that he insisted Naomi help him with immediately when she walked into the office. The rest of her day didn't improve much, and although it was more annoying than stressful, Naomi still needed a stiff drink at the end of it. Plucking up her courage, Naomi headed back into the office to deal with her other problem. "Hey," she said as she approached Anna's desk. "What are you up to?"
Anna glanced up from a report and shot Naomi a tight smile. "Just giving myself a headache. Are you headed home?"
"I was thinking I might get a pint, actually. Care to join?"
"Yeah," Anna sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Give me a few minutes and I'll join you out front."
Naomi nodded and headed for the front door, a cigarette pressed between her lips before she'd even reached it. She was almost done with it by the time Anna walked out, hands tucked into her pockets and a frown creasing her brow. Naomi took a final drag as Anna jerked her head towards a pub down the street and Naomi just followed her with a nod.
It was strange. Anna was unusually quiet and Naomi couldn't figure out why. Sure, she'd forgotten to charge her mobile and Anna hadn't been able to get a hold of her, but it was only a couple of days. Hardly worth getting upset about, really. They sat down at the bar and were halfway through their first round before either of them spoke. "So how was Bristol?" Anna asked, a forced levity seeping into her voice.
"The same as when I last left it," Naomi shrugged. "I was bored to bits. Kieran's still mental. My mum loves Emily more than me. The usual." She didn't think anything of her statement, but Anna's head cocked to the side and her brow furrowed.
"Emily?"
"Yeah," Naomi grinned awkardly, "little redhead. My best mate. Gina's favorite human being?" She teased. "Ring a bell?"
Anna turned away, her shoulders tense and the smile slipped from Naomi's lips. She had the distinct feeling like she'd said something wrong, but for the life of her she didn't know what it had been. Anna's chest rose with a deep breath as Naomi saw her grip tighten around her glass. Anna's brows turned up and when she looked at Naomi, the hurt was clear in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you went with Emily?"
Naomi frowned and wracked her memory. Emily was the whole reason she'd gone back there. She must've mentioned it. "Didn't I?"
Anna just shook her head. "No, you didn't."
"It's not like I deliberately neglected to tell you," Naomi tried to defend herself, "I just… forgot. To mention it. Her."
"Fuck's sake, Nai." Anna downed the rest of her drink as Naomi sipped awkwardly at her own. "I've been thinking a lot lately. About us." Naomi didn't like the direction the conversation had suddenly taken. "And I thought that I was okay with you not feeling the same way I did. I thought I could live with it, because I really do love you a stupid amount." Yeah. Naomi definitely didn't like this turn of events. "But then you disappear for three fucking days because of fucking Emily?" Anna laughed hollowly and shook her head. "I can't do it anymore." Something inside of Naomi splintered, just a bit, and the sharp pang in her chest didn't take her by surprise, but it did hurt. "I don't think this," Anna gestured between them, "is working."
With Effy it had been a silent, but mutual, dissolving of their relationship. But Anna was a bus blindsiding her at full speed. Well, maybe not full speed, Naomi thought as they sat in silence at the bar, Anna simply flagging down the barman for a refill. Yeah, not top speed, but maybe granny-speed. Enough that it still hurt but not enough to crush her ribs and make it hard to breathe. She felt like she should say something. Anything. Protest Anna's decision and insist that no, they could work, that they did work, but she was unable to. Which hinted that maybe Anna was right. Because Naomi couldn't find the fight inside of herself to try and save them.
"Did anything happen this weekend? Between you two?"
"No!" Naomi balked. "Emily and I are just friends," she insisted, "and it's very annoying to have to keep telling people that."
Anna sighed and set her glass down rather harder than was necessary. "No one can tell you how you feel, but you're thick as shit if you truly believe that."
"We are just friends, though," Naomi insisted. "She has someone and I have," Naomi paused as Anna's gaze lifted to meet hers, "had," she corrected, "you. Emily is only my friend."
"But is friendship really all you want from her?" Anna questioned.
Naomi remembered picking Emily up from the airport. The way she'd melted when she heard her voice again. The way Emily had clung to her as if the entire world would stop existing if she let go. She remembered how fucking miserable she'd been when they stopped speaking. And it was brief, granted. Barely a blink in the entire span of their friendship, really, but at the time it had felt eternal. Like Emily had let go and the world really did just cease. Naomi's voice was very small when she finally answered. "It's all I have of her."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Anna's hand shift, like she was contemplating reaching out. Naomi wasn't sure if she wanted her to or not. Anna's hand dropped as she sighed. "I love you and I want you to be happy, but I don't think that's going to happen until you start being honest with yourself."
Naomi reached out to pick up her drink, but let her hand drop onto the bar instead. She was embarrassed at how pathetic and pleading her eyes were as she looked at her now-ex-girlfriend. "Are we going to be okay?" she almost whispered. "I care about you, I really do, and I don't think I could stand losing you as a friend."
"Yeah, Nai," Anna nodded and tried to smile. "Give me some time, but we'll be fine."
The sharks have all abandoned our side of the tank and Maya stares at the group of people blocking them from view. "So that was the end of Anna?"
"You make it sound like she died," I chuckle.
"I didn't mean to." She looks up at me and smiles. "Did you stay friends?"
"Yeah, we stayed friends. After a few weeks she was back to her normal, cheeky self."
Maya hums to herself as she flips through her notebook and jots something down. "Have you figured it out yet?" I ask her quietly.
Her nose scrunches up and she shakes her head. "Almost, but I need to hear more of the story. Is there a lot left?"
I take a deep breath before answering, trying to prepare myself for what's to come. "Yes and no."
Anna left soon after that, but not before being reassured by Naomi that she was fine and not about to do anything drastic.
Naomi stayed at the pub, though. She fell deep into thought, contemplating everything that had just happened. She ordered another drink and digested what Anna had said. She thought about what had happened over the weekend. And then she got another drink. She remembered every time her heart had started racing just because Emily was looking at her, and she downed an entire pint when she realised that she couldn't even keep count because her heart raced every time Emily looked at her.
She was half drunk on lager and her own melancholy when she walked through her front door. She followed the sound of muttered expletives to the lounge, where Cook was perched on the edge of the sofa, a game controller clutched in his hands as he raced a car through the streets of Tokyo.
"Cook," Naomi said quietly.
He turned his head towards her but didn't look away from the screen. "Naomikins."
"Cook," she said again.
He glanced at her and then back to his game. "What's up, muff monkey?"
"Cook," Naomi persisted, taking a small step into the room. "Am I in love with Emily?"
His eyes slowly dragged to hers and they stared at each other in silence, neither one hearing as Cook's car ran off the road and crashed.
