A/N- Another chapter closer to the end. Join me on a little trip back into the mind of Emily Fitch...
Waking up to a sleeping Naomi was different this morning. Good different. In fact, bloody brilliant different. For the first time since she had been staying over, my first thought wasn't Naomi going back to England. I didn't quietly question when or if I'd see her again and the unbearable feeling of dread that had crippled me the last few mornings was replaced by a somewhat giddy feeling I hadn't experienced for as long as I could remember. She was staying, staying with me. The piece of jigsaw that I lost six years ago, I had back and despite their being new segments, Naomi still slotted in perfectly to complete the puzzle.
I spend most of my early morning doing nothing other than watch over her sleeping peacefully. It made a welcome change to be awake before her. Roles were usually reversed, I'd lost count of the amount of times I'd woken to find her watching me sleep. I softly trace my fingertips up and down her arm that's closest to me, smiling slightly when she stirs briefly.
She doesn't wake properly and I realise it's nearing nine o'clock. I carefully slip out from underneath the bed sheet, being sure I don't wake her. A tricky challenge when her arm has been comfortably draped over my torso for hours. I shower quickly and re enter my bedroom with my hair up in a towel and a somewhat smaller one almost fully covering my body. I creep across my bedroom floor, searching through my drawers for some underwear when two arms wrap themselves comfortably around my waist.
"Hmm. In all my time in Cyprus I can honestly say that's the most stunning view I've seen yet," her lips press lightly against my ear. I giggle instantly, leaning back into her body.
"You're such a perv," I comment, twisting my body around so we're now facing each other. Straight away she leans in, placing a soft welcoming kiss on my lips. I could defintely get used to this. "I thought you were still asleep,"
"I heard the water running," She says, running her hands from my shoulders, down my arms, teasing the outline of the towel wrapped around my body. "A little bit disappointed about the lack of invite, I must say,"
"Next time," I promise, clutching at my towel, barely keeping it in place. She gives me one of her highly amused looks. "What? I didn't realise I picked up a small towel,"
"Uh huh, sure," She grins, biting her lip before leaning in towards my neck. I feel her teeth graze my skin, her lips tease upwards near my earlobe. "You'd look great without it,"
"Naomi," I instinctively groan, enjoying her attention. For a moment, I throw my head back, allowing her more access to my throat, where she is already setting about leaving her mark on me. "Naomi. Katie will be here any second with Liv. I can't, we can't,"
"At least if she found us, you wouldn't need to have that chat,"
"Jesus. Don't even joke about that," I say, trying my very best not to laugh. I briefly peck Naomi's lips and playfully push her from me. "Go on, get dressed, I'll even do you up some breakfast if you're quick,"
After finishing off getting myself ready for the day, I made my way down into the kitchen where Naomi's friend Zoe was waiting. I had almost forgot she stayed over last night, a mixture of the fact she was an extremely quiet guest and the fact I'd consumed some wine and vodka the reason behind my forgetfulness. For a while, we chat over a pot of freshly made coffee then I set about cooking the bacon and eggs for breakfast. Naomi joins us several minutes later and the three of us tuck into the food together, talking and laughing about different moments from last night.
"That was wonderful Emily, thank you," Zoe comments first, settling the cutlery on her empty plate.
"You're welcome,"
"Oh no you don't," Naomi jumps from her seat before I get out of mine. She takes the empty plates from me, stacking them together. "You cooked, so I'll clean up,"
"You really don't have to,"
"Have you banged your head or something?" Zoe laughs, looking from Naomi to me then back to Naomi. "We've lived together for years, I think I've seen you wash up twice,"
"Three times actually," Naomi comments, poking her tongue out. I laugh loudly at the pair of them. "I would have a go at you for making me sound so terrible in front of a girl I'm trying to impress but it's Emily and she knows exactly what I'm like,"
"That's true," I steal a kiss from her cheek when she brushes past me. "But it means you don't have to try and impress me, at least not by doing some washing up,"
I say that but she does so anyway, washing up a few plates and some cutlery before making another pot of coffee. Naomi barely sits herself back at the table when Katie arrives with a predictably over excited Olivia who tackles her immediately and as usual, the swell in my heart matches the gleeful grin on my face. I'm not sure I could have ever dreamed that they would get on so well, especially so quickly.
"Excuse me you little terror, where's my cuddles huh?" I stretch my arms out and she wriggles off Naomi's knee and jumps onto mine. She giggles cutely when I kiss her cheek several times. "I've missed you munchkin,"
"I was only gone one night silly," She says innocently, making Naomi and Zoe laugh lightly.
"How was she?" I ask, turning to my unusually quiet Sister. She was too busy shooting Naomi predictable daggers from across the room. I clear my throat to get her attention back. "Good, I hope,"
"As gold," She answers, ruffling up Liv's hair. "Couldn't wait to get home though, could you?"
"Nope," She says simply. "Did you sleep over with my Mummy, Naomi?"
"Erm," Naomi stutters sending me an unsure glance. Despite being an innocent kid, Olivia sure did know how to make a room full feel ridiculously awkward.
"Yeah sweetie, Naomi stayed here," I answer, sending a reassuring smile back in Naomi's direction.
"See, Auntie Kay, I told you my Mummy likes it when Naomi has a sleepover,"
See what I mean about awkward?
Katie's pissed off expression dominates her face, she manages some sort of forced smile for Olivia's sake but no sooner has she shown it, she basically orders me into the front room before stomping off.
"As you probably gathered that was my delightful twin Sister," I sigh, turning from Zoe to concerned looking Naomi. "It'll be fine, we knew she'd be like this,"
"She's going to try and get you to change your mind,"
"Probably," I admit. I knew she'd definitely try. "Doesn't mean I'm going to," I want to lean in and reassuringly kiss her but I'm all too mindful of Olivia's presence and choose not to. It wasn't the right time to cross that bridge quite yet. "Will you watch Liv while I go sort this out?"
"You don't have to ask," She smiles at me and nods. "Of course I will,"
With that, I leave Olivia telling stories to Naomi and Zoe and find my Sister waiting in the front room. She's got her back to me but from her stance I can tell she's about to enter Katie Fitch bitch mode. When it came to a certain blonde, she just couldn't help herself.
"You've done it haven't you?" She puts to me, I frown, questioning what she means before she comes away from the window she was staring out of. "You've asked her to move here, it's written all over your face. Jesus Christ, Em. Just when I think you can't get anymore stupid,"
"If you're just going to go into bitch mode, I'd rather you just fucked off, isn't your perfect boyfriend taking you somewhere to celebrate your perfect relationship?" As it turns out, I can enter my own bitch mode.
"Don't be a cunt, Em. It doesn't suit you half as much," She tells me, taking a seat on my cornered sofa. "I'm on your side. I'm looking out for you because I love you,"
"So accept this," I almost plead to her, perching myself next to where she's sat. "Even if you don't like it, accept it because it's what I want. Please Katie, it means so much to me,"
"You're fucking deluded if you think Campbell is going to give up everything to play second Mummy to Olivia,"
"She's giving up everything to move here,"
"I'm telling you Em, this will all end in tears," She tells me. "What's the betting those tears will be yours, again?"
"It's different this time,"
"Really?"
"Yes really,"
"How do you even know that?" Katie questions forcefully. "You've spent two weeks with her after six years of being apart,"
"I just know. We're grown up, we're not stupid kids anymore,"
"That's no excuse for what she did to you,"
"Of course it isn't," I knew that. "But I know Naomi, I still know her better than anyone. She made a mistake, that mistake didn't mean she loved me any less,"
"No, it meant she was a selfish stupid bitch. It meant she ruined the one chance anyone should get with my Sister,"
"Shouldn't that be for me to decide?" I ask her quietly, attempting to soften the conversation. "I know you're trying to protect me but this is my choice, it's my life,"
"It's Olivia's life too,"
"I know," I nod in agreement. From the moment Olivia was born, I'd put her first. I've only ever wanted the best for my little girl and so far I'd be pretty confident in saying I've provided that for her. "You haven't seen them together, Katie. Olivia adores her,"
"She's only known her five minutes," She tuts.
"Yeah and already she loves her. I've never seen Olivia like this with anyone before,"
"She's just a little kid, they love anyone who shows them a bit of fun,"
"Liv's never been like that and you know it," I hit back irritated that she wasn't really listening to what I was saying. Partly because this was typically stubborn Katie but mostly because I knew she hated hearing me being right. "Look how long it took her to get used to Jake. She wasn't sure of him for weeks, remember? She just clicked with Naomi. You saw that for yourself ten minutes ago,"
"It's all she talked about last night you know? Naomi this, Naomi that, it bloody pissed me off, " Katie admits a few seconds later, a flicker of a smile appearing on her lips when I chuckle. "If Naomi even thinks about hurting you again or Liv, I swear,"
"She won't," I interrupt quickly. "Katie, it's always been her. I love her,"
"I know," She admits with a sigh. "Fuck knows why though,"
"I could tell you," I jokingly suggest, nudging her shoulder playfully to further ease the tension that we'd built up before.
"Eurgh, don't you dare," She says, pulling a somewhat disgusted face. We both laugh but she stops first, clasping hold of my left hand. "All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy, Em. You know that, don't you?"
"I know. The last few days, it's been the happiest I've been for a long time,"
"I have noticed,"
"That's because of Naomi. I know you don't want to hear that but it's true,"
"I've noticed that too," She admits, squeezing my hand in hers then sighing deeply afterwards. "I'm not just suddenly going to be best friends with her or anything. We won't be going out for drinks or dinner and she's got a heck of a lot to prove to me,"
"But?"
"She's what you want, nothing I say is going to change how you feel. So if you're sure it's what you want then I'll accept it,"
"Really?"
"I just said so once, please don't make me say it again," She rolls her eyes at me.
"Thank you," I throw myself at her, hugging her tightly. "Thank you so much,"
"Alright lezzer, get off," She laughs, pushing me out of our embrace. "I'm no good at this heart to heart bullshit,"
"I think you're better than you think you are,"
"Keep it between us though, yeah? Got a rep to protect," She winks, I laugh. "I better go. I told Jake I'd only be ten minutes and I left him to finish packing our bags, potential for disaster right there but listen, Naomi doesn't escape that easily, I'll be wanting a talk with her when I'm back,"
"Katie, please,"
"It's just the simple, hurt my Sister I'll hurt your face chat, Naomi shouldn't be too unfamiliar with them," She smirks but my refusal to even crack a smile makes her wipe it from her face. "Relax, Em. I just want to make sure she's going to look after you both, doing my Sisterly duties and all that. You don't have to worry about anything, I promise,"