"I'm winning, Mummy I'm winning,"
"Hold on you little cheater," I laugh, catching the ball that Emily has just tossed in my direction from the edge of the pool. I'd been entertaining Olivia with a game of catch for the last twenty minutes whilst Emily decided to look on from the side. I could pretty much feel her look at me a few seconds ago and I knew she was grinning From ear to ear. Now all I hear is her infectious giggle as her little girl proudly claims victory over me. "How come you're winning all of a sudden?"
"You didn't catch that one," Olivia points out matter of fact. "So that's six four to me, I have the most so that means I'm winning,"
"No, wait. The ball went outside the pool, how am I meant to catch it?"
"I don't know silly," She shrugs unsure. Emily laughs again, as do I. "I just know I'm winning,"
"Hmm. You're such a little monkey," I say amusingly, carefully throwing the ball over towards where she's floating in armbands. When she collects it, I call for a little break and swim over to the edge where Emily is soaking up the sun. Still in her vest top and shorts from before. "You not joining us then? I can't tempt you to a game of catch?"
"I'm okay here," She smiles and immediately changes the subject before I can say anything else. "Oh I forgot to tell you, Olivia always wins,"
"Yeah," I laugh, resting my arms on the side of the pool. "I obviously let her,"
"Uh huh, obviously," she grins knowingly. "So how's Zoe today?"
"Hungover," I answer simply. "Turns out drinking several bottles of wine isn't a good idea after all. Said she had fun though,"
"Yeah, I did too. I like her," Emily comments casually, splashing the water a little with her feet. "Seems like she's a really good friend to you,"
"She has been, she is," I confirm, bobbing myself in the water. "I let my Mum know about you being here, she'd really like to see you,"
"That'd be nice," Emily smiles warmly and tells me how much she has missed chats with my Mum. "I'll try and arrange something next week,"
"She'd like that,"
I'd be home by then. Back in Bristol, back at work, a million miles away from Cyprus, my Mum and Emily. It's like it has just hit me hard and the thought of it twists my stomach.
"Are you okay?" Emily questions, a concerned look mapping her face.
I snap out of it and manage a nod and a brief smile. I wasn't ready to go home yet. I wasn't even half ready.
A few hours pass before we venture back into the apartment. After much of the morning swimming and using up her energy, Olivia is tired and soon falls asleep on the sofa, her head resting in Emily's lap. It's cute. It brings a warm feeling to my heart like I've rarely experienced.
"She's worn out, bless her," I smile, screwing the cap back onto my cold water bottle after taking a mouthful.
"You've made quite the impression," Emily informs me, stroking Olivia's hair. "Whilst you were off getting changed, she did nothing but talk about you, Naomi this, Naomi that,"
"Sorry," I apologise in reflex. "I guess you don't need that,"
"It beats talking about monsters under the bed, I've had to spend the last few bed times promising her they don't exist only to find that she's woken up during the night and snuck in beside me because she didn't want to sleep in her own bed,"
"Didn't you once tell me you used to do that?" I smirk, her face letting me know that she instantly remembers.
"Katie used to tell me horror stories before sleep,"
"Why doesn't that surprise me in the slightest?" I ask, Emily just grins knowingly back at me and continues to brush her fingers through her sleeping daughter's hair. I observe for a few moments. "I've been thinking and I know you might be busy at the club or you might not be able to get a babysitter or whatever so if you say no, it's totally okay and I will understand,"
"You do realise that you're rambling, right?"
"What? No, no, sorry," I'm still doing it. Shit. I clear my throat and compose myself before proceeding. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner tonight? My treat of course,"
"Are you asking me out?"
"Erm, no I mean, yeah, I don't know,"
"Naomi, relax," Emily bursts into laughter. I feel my cheeks flush pink. "I'd love to go out to dinner with you tonight,"
"Really?" I widely grin whilst Emily nods.
"Yeah. Katie loves having Liv over to stay, so I'm sure she won't mind,"
"She might when you tell her you're coming to dinner with me,"
"Then she'll just have to deal with it, won't she?" Emily says with a smile which then brings an even wider one out of me.
I leave not long after that, promising to be back at Emily's apartment for 7:45pm. Previous to me asking her out to dinner, I'd already booked a table at The Blue Water for 8:00pm. It wasn't confidence, in fact, I was more than a little surprised when she agreed but I knew that particular restaurant was the most popular here and it was always busy. I had to be sure we had a table. Emily deserved the best and this place was definitely that.
"Hey," Zoe's voice from the doorway is followed by her smile as I go through the majority of my clothes, annoyingly throwing some onto the bed behind me. "What's up?"
"I'm taking Emily out for dinner later but I've no idea what to wear," I sigh, continuing to search through my clothes. I wanted to make a little extra effort but soon noticed I hadn't brought anything over that would be acceptable for somewhere like this. "There's nothing here. What the fuck am I going to do, Zo?"
"Skip dinner, go naked?" She laughs, I shoot her a unimpressed glare. "Hold on," she disappears for a few seconds before reappearing with some clothing in her hand. "You can wear this if you like, I know you've had your eye on it for a while,"
"Really? Thanks," I reply, accepting my friend's favourite and yet, rather expensive piece of clothing. "You think this will look okay? I don't want to be, you know, in her face at the table,"
"I'm willing to bet that she wouldn't complain if so," She smirks at me, knowingly. I roll my eyes in return. "Remember, I want it back in one piece, so when Emily sees how stunning you look in it, remind her when she's tugging it off later to be careful, no leaving it tossed on her bedroom floor,"
"It's just dinner," my cheeks flush immediately.
"There's always afters,"
"Well, if I'm that incredibly out of this world lucky to get that far, I'll be sure to tell Emily to be careful with the dress,"
"It's all I ask," she winks, I laugh slightly. "Nervous?"
"A little," I breathe outwardly, puffing my cheeks. "It's just Emily,"
"I think that's the problem," she smiles softly. "You'll be fine, there's nothing to be nervous about,"
"No, I know. I love that she still makes me feel like this," I've never known anything like the feelings I experience when I'm with or when I'm around Emily. In the last week and a bit, it's hit me hard that nothing has changed, in terms of how she makes me feel. I have questioned myself in the last few days, wondering if she even feels half of what I feel. "I think about her, I get butterflies. I see her, she almost makes my heart stop. It's never went away,"
"You make me want to fucking hurl sometimes,"
"Fuck off," I laugh, nudging my friend's shoulder. "You not had these feelings with a certain James Cook yet?"
"Now you fuck off," she laughs, nudging me back straight away. "He's calling me later actually but I think it's more to find out what's happened between you and Em,"
"Rubbish," I say instantly. "Cook knows me & Em, he seems to think us hooking up again is inevitable, so if it does happen, he won't be in the least bit surprised. He's calling because he fancies you, if I'm being honest, I'm surprised he's not jumped you yet but I think that shows how much he likes you,"
"It does?"
"Yeah. I mean, he wants to do it all proper doesn't he? Take you out for dinner, treat you all nice, take it step by step,"
"I'll wait for him to ask then," she smiles happily, patting my shoulder. "Give me a shout later if you want me to do your hair before you go, you know, get you looking all perfect for your date,"
"It's not a date,"
Kieran offered to drop me off at Emily's, Mum was working late so I accepted, safe in the knowledge that she wouldn't be overly eager in my ear all the way there. He didn't ask many questions, he probably sensed how nervous I was & even let me smoke out the passenger window during the short journey as I briefly filled him in on Emily's change of life here. He drops me off at the apartment before Emily's and after thanking him, I slip outside and walk the short distance to my favourite red head's home. I wasn't stood there long, not even a few minutes really when the front door opened.
"You're five minutes late," She says, wearing one of her best grins as she turns and locks the door. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show, Campbell,"
"As if,"
"I was joking,"
"Wow," I breathe as she faces me and takes two strides forward.
"What?" She laughs nervously and self consciously glances down her body to check herself. "I'm not overly dressed or anything, am I?"
"What?" Focus, Naomi. Focus. "God no. You look stunning,"
"Thank you, not so bad yourself there," taking another stride forward, she comfortably links her right arm with my left. "So, you never did tell me where we were going?"
"The Blue Water,"
"Are you serious?"
"Uh huh," I nod. "Our table awaits,"
"Naomi, that place is really expensive," She informs me like I wasn't already aware and it makes me laugh quietly. She makes us stop in our tracks. "I'd be more than happy with a takeaway pizza and a bottle of wine at my place, you know that don't you?"
"Are you shitting me, Em? You could of told me before I went to the trouble of booking us a table," I joke, grinning stupidly in her direction. "I want us to have a nice evening together,"
"I'll pay half," she insists as we continue walking again.
"No you won't,"
"Naomi,"
"Emily," I complain back in the same tone causing her to give in first and giggle loudly.
"I don't sound like that," she protests, nudging me with her arm that's still linked with mine. I only laugh. "I fucking don't,"
"You do a little Em," I prepare myself for another nudge in the arm but it doesn't come, instead, I feel her eyes staring through me. "What?"
"Nothing, I've just really missed you,"