A/N- Thank you so much for the reviews. I go on holiday for a few weeks tomorrow & wanted to give you guys something before then, so I feel the end of this one is a little rushed. Apologies.
"There's so many choices, I'm not really sure what to order," Emily admits, taking a break from studying her menu. I feel my face break into a small smile at her confused, thoughtful look and I place my own menu down on the table, already knowing what I was going for. We'd been seated at our table for ten minutes or so and I decide to now pour the wine from the bottle into the two awaiting empty glasses. "I've always wanted to eat here, I've heard it's really nice,"
"You've never been?" I'm surprised.
"Nope," she answers coupled with a shake of her head, her glare darts back to the menu for a moment before back to me. "I've never had anyone nice or rich enough to take me,"
"Rich?" I laugh. I'm far from that. "Jesus, I wish Em,"
"Well, nice it is then,"
"You know something, I don't think anyone has ever used that word to describe me,"
"What, nice?" Emily asks, furrowing her brow.
"Yeah," I laugh again, taking a mouthful of wine from the glass. "It's such a blah word, you know,"
"Blah?" She returns a laugh and looks at me with an amused look. "Now that is a word I'd never ever use to describe you,"
"Really? So, go on," I encourage, properly placing down my menu and glass to ensure Emily has all my attention. "A word you'd use to describe me?"
"What? No, I don't want to play this game," she attempts to hide her bashful grin but fails massively. Even her rubbish attempt at changing the subject doesn't work the way she wants it to. She groans. "Naomi,"
"Oh come on," I plead, knowing how well it used to work on Emily. She never could say no to many things where I was concerned, especially if I gave her the type of look I was giving her now. I want to hear this so I continue. "Please, for me?"
"Annoying," she cuts in.
"Huh?"
"A word I'd use to describe you," she teases me from behind her glass, the smirk on her face growing more apparent. "Annoying. Very, very annoying,"
"Harsh," I feign hurt as she pokes her tongue at me before turning her thoughts back to what she was going to order for dinner. "You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Fitch,"
After ordering food, it's another hour before it arrives. I ordered my usual rather predictable chicken dish whilst Emily eventually, after much debate, opted for the salmon. It hadn't felt like an hour had passed, in fact it felt a lot less but the last few days had passed extremely quickly and the only thought at the back of my mind was that I'd be back in England soon. That thought made so many questions swirl in my head. Would I see Emily again? Would she still be here if I came back in six months? If I did see her again, would she be with someone? I didn't have the answers. I wasn't sure I was ready to hear any of them either.
"Hey," I snap back from my thoughts and playfully slap Emily's wandering hand away as she skilfully steals some food from my plate. "Stick to your own plate,"
"Sorry. That was far too tempting,"
"Why didn't you just order the same as me?"
"Well, I get the best of both worlds this way," she winks, tucking back into the food on her own plate. I stay watching her for a moment until she catches me. "What?"
"Not just a pretty face, are you?"
"Oh I'm so much more than that, didn't you know?" she pokes her tongue at me and we both giggle, her face softens soon after and I prepare myself for something serious to follow. "I'm so glad you're here,"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I never thought I'd see you again,"
"I thought that's what you'd want," I reply, pushing some food around my plate with my fork before I eventually place it down properly. "I wouldn't blame you if it was you know,"
"It wasn't," she admits. "I was angry, I was hurt but the constant thought of never seeing you again was so horrible,"
"Likewise," I offer in return, the corners of my mouth curving into the smallest of smiles. I really have missed her more than any words could say. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead,"
"Would you have ever came and found me again?"
"I wanted to," she confesses instantly, without flinching. "Especially when I was in hospital with Olivia, I really really wanted you there. After that, I convinced myself that you'd be happily involved with someone else and it was best for me to concentrate on my life,"
"You did the right thing,"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," I repeat strongly. How could I ever say otherwise? I couldn't, especially with how she lives her life now. "Look at you, look at Olivia, she's a credit to you, Emily. I'm so proud of everything you are,"
"Thank you,"
We didn't stay seated in the restaurant much longer. Emily politely declined my offer of dessert and suggested a walk along the beach instead. I accepted, paid the bill and we left, walking arm in arm for fifteen minutes or so before she plonked herself down at a particular spot, indicating me to do the same. I did so and immediately noticed the view that we were now taking in, it was rather beautiful, breathtaking really and I was suddenly so grateful I was overlooking it with my favourite person. We hadn't said anything for ten minutes, five of which was spent with her head contently resting on my shoulder. It was as comfortable as we'd been together for as long as I could remember.
"I can't believe I have to go home soon," I whisper quietly, breaking the peaceful silence that had enveloped us.
"You've still got a few days left, let's not think about that tonight," she raises her head from my shoulder and unexpectedly plants a gentle kiss on my cheek. I'm pleasantly surprised.
"What was that for?"
"A thank you, for dinner," she smiles simply and draws her head back slightly, her glare checking over every inch of me. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say but you look gorgeous tonight,"
"I was starting to think you'd never notice," I joke in the hope that it hides my flushed cheeks.
"Are you kidding? I noticed hours ago," her head shakes like she's said completely the wrong thing. "No, years ago. I noticed years ago,"
"It's erm, Zoe's dress," I choke out. "She let me borrow it for tonight,"
"It's beautiful, really suits you," her eyes glisten over, I feel a lump in my throat and I attempt to swallow it as she continues. "So, we didn't have the pizza but I've got a bottle of wine back at my apartment if you're interested?"
Like i'd say no to that.
"What about Katie?"
"It's nothing to do with her," she answers with a bit of irritation in her voice.
"That's not what I mean," I start to explain. I'm pretty sure how Katie would react to me going back to Emily's was the very last thing on my mind at the moment. "I just meant, when will she be bringing Olivia home?"
"Not until morning at least,"
"Guess I could be persuaded to a glass or two then,"
"How far gone were you in this picture?"
"Oh fuck sake," her face goes red instantly and she quickly places the wine glasses on the table before making her way towards me. "Please don't look at that photo, I look really fat,"
"Emily," I tut and frown my disapproval towards her. "You weren't fat, you were pregnant,"
"Still, I looked horrible. I didn't even want to get that picture taken but my Mum bloody insisted didn't she?"
"Sounds typically like Jenna," I laugh, allowing Emily to take the framed photograph from me. She looks at it for seconds, then places it back in it's rightful position, with the others but slightly to the back. I accept the glass of wine from her and we both take a seat, my mind still on the photograph. "You looked beautiful, you know? In the picture,"
"You would say that," she giggles, tucking her leg under her body as she gets comfortable. "I was seven and a half months in that picture, round about the time I really started to get really scared, probably when I still thought I'd be shit at this whole thing,"
"You did it though, you're an amazing Mother," I smile, almost proudly at her. "Olivia is quite possibly the cutest, most loveable kid I've ever met,"
"Takes it all from her Mum, obviously," Emily jokes with a wink and takes a mouthful of wine from her glass, when I don't laugh or even smile back, she frowns at me, a concerned sort of look on her face. I can't do this anymore. "Naomi, are you okay?"
"Emily, I can't... I can't do," I stutter and struggle but still reach out to remove the glass from her hands. I lean forward and place them on the table, turning back, to find she's so many more inches closer than she was before. Im sure of it because now I can practically feel her breath on my face. I gulp. "This, it's all driving me crazy, Em and,"
"Shhh, it's okay, I know," she hushes against my mouth, gently pushing her lips to mine. I almost fall back onto the sofa in surprise but manage to stay upright as she savours the taste of my lips. I don't know if it's the amount of wine we've consumed, although we both aren't drunk, I don't know if it's genuinely what she wants but I can barely focus when she starts kissing down my neck, leaving her mark on my shoulder as her fingers slip under the straps of material.