A/N- once again, thanks for the reviews people. I always love reading them. Sorry for the little delay in getting this next chapter up, I've been suffering from a bit of writers block and couldn't seem to get this right. I'm blaming that for the reason it's so short as well but I may just make it up to you all in the next chapter ... *cough* smut *cough* ;) Hope you enjoy this for now...
"You'll text me as soon as you land yeah?"
"Yes," Zoe typically laughs at me, tightening her arms around my shoulders for a moment before pulling out of our embrace. To be fair to her, I had asked her the same question a fair few times since we left my Mum's apartment to travel to the airport in order for her to catch the flight back to England. It felt weird, knowing I wasn't going back with her. Two weeks ago, I was over at the arrival gates, ready to begin my two week break in the sun and now I'm at the departures as I should be, except I'm not stepping on the plane as I once assumed. "Jesus. There isn't gonna be any tears is there, Naoms? You know I don't do all the soppy shit,"
"No. No tears," I smiled my best smile and despite the emotions I was feeling, I wasn't going to let them surface. She wouldn't thank me for it. "I best not start on the, 'you're my best friend and I'm really going to miss you' speech then,"
"Don't you fucking dare," She warns playfully. "Anyway, I'll be back as soon as you've set a date for the wedding,"
"Oh piss right off," I laugh, pushing her shoulder. "Anyway, if that ever happens, I'll be sure to write the invite to you, Cook and Cook junior,"
"Hilarious," She replies straight faced, trying her very best not to show any signs of laughter or smiles. However much she couldn't resist teasing me, it always worked both ways and since I found out about her little crush on Cook, I more often than not used it to my advantage.
"Is he still picking you up from the airport?"
"Yeah," She nods, I grin. It made me feel less guilty about staying here, knowing Zoe had Cook around.
"He better look after you,"
"Naoms,"
"I'm serious Zo, he's the Brother I never had and everything but if he's even a little bit of a cock to you, I'm coming back to kick his ass, he knows it,"
"It's usually me protecting you," She smiles at me.
"Well it's about time roles reversed ain't it? In all seriousness, I don't think I have anything to worry about with you two, he's liked you from day one,"
"We haven't even technically been on our first date yet," She laughs.
"Oh please, you've wanted each other for ages, it won't take long, especially now I'm not around the flat. Which reminds me, in the bottom drawer next to my bed, there's a small sealed box under some old shirts, it's just got some photographs and something of Emily's that I kept, can you send it over?"
"Of course. I've got the list of things you asked for as well, anything else you've forgotten, you can let me know before I send it,"
"Great. Thanks,"
"You aren't getting rid of me that easy though, you know," She comments, trailing her hand luggage across the airport floor to a couple of empty seats. "Your Mum's already told me I'm welcome anytime, Emily too,"
"Well, that's because you are," I answer, sitting myself down on the less than comfortable chair. "Next summer, you're definitely coming over to spend a couple of weeks with us, Cook too, I know Emily would love to see him again. We've got plenty room, so you could stay with us and all you'd need is flights,"
"Ah yes, at Fitch mansions. I'm telling you Naoms, you've landed right on your feet with Emily. I mean, she's successful, she's clearly not short of a penny or two, what with the big fancy house and flash car, plus she's friggin' gorgeous. I mean I would, if I was, you know," She winks, grinning cheekily at me. I giggle at her, giving her a gentle shove before her face turns into a more serious, thoughtful one. "Joking aside, you are definitely doing the right thing by staying here. You deserve to be happy, especially after all that shit with Lucie,"
"Long forgotten," I insist, she smiles once more. She really could never stand her, however much she tried, for me. "It's always been Emily,"
"You old romantic sod,"
I sit for thirty minutes more, casually chatting over coffee before the call is made for her flight. I stay sitting still for seconds afterwards whilst my departing best friend double checks her bag for all her needed flight information. She stands first, clicking up the handle on her luggage.
"Come 'ere then,"
"I thought you don't do all the soppy shit?" I question with a slight grin, raising my eyebrow before she looks at me predictably.
"I'm making an exception just this once," She laughs, pulling me into a tight, friendly embrace. I cuddle her back, promising that we'll Skype at least once a week, insisting that even though I'm here, I'll always be there for her like it's always been. Reluctantly, she pulls away, placing a kiss on my cheek as she does so. "Take care of them, yeah? Be ridiculously happy, don't let anyone ruin it, promise me,"
"I promise,"
"Now fuck off," She laughs, rubbing her eyes. "I promised myself I wouldn't get upset,"
"I won't tell," I say smiling.
"You aren't allowed to watch me go either," She insists. "That is far too tragic for us,"
I laugh, grabbing the opportunity for one more hug with my best friend before she basically made me leave the airport. As it turns out, she hated goodbyes almost as much as I did. As I reach the entrance, I pull out a cigarette from my pack and take a couple of drags, only pausing when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Two new messages. One from Zoe. One from Emily.
I open Zoe's first, which simply reads, 'Love you, Naomikins xxx'
I grin, replying back quickly before I open the other text from Emily which lets me know that I'll find her in car park C. Smoking the rest of my cigarette, I make my way there, finding her little red Mini Cooper after five minutes of searching. I slip into the passenger seat, noticing that Olivia has fallen asleep in the back. I was gone longer than I thought.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be so long,"
"It's alright, she was tired anyway," She smiles, that Emily smile that always makes me feel so much better. After mindfully glancing back towards her sleeping daughter, she leans forward, drawing my lips to hers. God, I really needed that. "Are you okay?" She questions, gently caressing my cheek with her thumb.
"Hmm. I am now," I offer with a warm smile. "It was just weird seeing her go, you know? She's been my best friend pretty much from the first day we met, it'll be strange not having her around,"
"She's welcome here anytime,"
"She told me you said that, thank you,"
"You don't need to thank me for anything," She replies, kissing me once more before readjusting her seatbelt and turning the keys in the ignition. "So, where to? I can drop you off at your Mum's if you like?"
"Can we just go back to yours?"
"Ours," She quickly corrects me, smirking whilst glancing at me from the corner of her eye. I'm not sure I do a good enough job of attempting to disguise the incredibly goofy grin that plasters across my face because I hear her stifle a laugh too. "Back to ours it is,"
I fall asleep during the journey back to the house, only waking from my slumber when Emily places her hand on my knee, letting me know we've arrived back at the house. Back at ours. It was probably going to take me a little while to get used to the fact that this beautiful house was now our beautiful house.
We spend the rest of the day inside, the weather being more unkind to us than usual. Emily has to busy herself for a bit with paperwork and orders for the club so I leave her to it and keep Olivia occupied with a film before deciding to do dinner. When I say do, I mean, walk to the nearest pizza place and order. Pretty much my speciality. By the time I arrive back, two of my favourite girls are cuddled up on the sofa, watching another one of Olivia's favourite films. I'd be lying if I said the sight before me didn't melt my heart a little and I find myself taking it in for an extra few seconds before I join them with pizza.
"How's it looking out there?" Emily asks as I gaze out the front room window.
"Not great. I think there's definitely a storm coming,"
"Will it thunder again like last time?" Olivia questions her Mum and for a minute I think it's something that she might be a little frightened of but she soon lets me know otherwise. "That was so cool. It was really really loud Naomi, wasn't it Mummy?"
"Yeah darlin', it was,"
"Can we play twister now?"
"Twister?"
"It's Liv's favourite game," Emily informs me, ruffling up Olivia's hair before she rushes off to get the game. Emily agreeing that both of us will play.
"Twister?!" I laugh aloud. "Bloody hell, talk about blast from the past,"
"Panda's pyjama party,"
"So you remember then?"
"Kissing you? Most definitely," She answers, chewing her lip in the most sexy seductive way I think I've ever seen. I cross the room, resting my arms comfortably around her shoulders. "The twister part, I can't say I remember very much of that,"
"Well, Effy's special chocolate brownies made sure of that,"
"Yeah,"
"You lost by the way," I point out correctly after a few seconds. "Too busy perving,"
"You're such a liar," She laughs, her face flushing red to prove I'm right. I didn't let on at the time but I knew she spent most of that night watching me. "Those pyjama's really were something else though,"
"Without doubt the worst thing I have ever worn,"
"Even worse than that time you wore that silly costume for JJ's fancy dress party?"
"Yes, even worse than that," We both laugh and I silence her infectious giggle by softly kissing her lips, quickly parting when Olivia re-enters the front room and immediately sets out the map on the floor. I look at Emily knowingly, her silly grin matching mine. "No perving at me this time,"
"Oh you don't have to worry about that, your amazing physique ain't what it used to be," She winks at me, ignoring my fake offended look.
"Guess you won't want to see it up close later then," as usual, I bounce straight back, sticking my tongue out in Emily's direction, who now wears the fake offended look.
"I didn't say that,"
"Mummy, Naomi," Olivia calls over to us both, putting an end to our teasing. "Come on, I'm waiting to play,"