Author's Notes: I felt, having foreshadowed them, I needed to actually write the movie trip and the present-giving.

I cut them down to what I feel is the minimum necessary and I hope you feel this chapter serves the characters and there is some entertainment.

Chapter 34

Day 17

Steve sat in the cinema a few seats from the centre and a few rows back with Aimee beside him, Ola beside her, then Eric then Otis with Maeve seated closest to the aisle. Each pairing had a container of popcorn and separate drinks.

Eric glanced away from the opening credits and looked around the theatre, noting the other groups of people present.

"I thought it would be packed," he said to Otis.

"Maybe people don't like musicals," Otis said.

"But it's Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway," Eric protested.

"And Russell Crowe," Otis said.

"He can leave," Eric said, dismissively. "I don't need him."

"Here's a few more people," Otis said, noting a few stragglers enter the theatre.

As the credits faded and the establishing caption appeared onscreen, Maeve looked around the theatre, bit her lip and leaned closer to Otis. "Let's go up there," she whispered. "Up the back," she clarified.

Otis frowned at her. "Why?"

"You still like Alanis, don't you?" Maeve smirked. "Come on. Don't spill the popcorn."

Maeve stood and hurried along the aisle, turning back once she reached it and tilting her head, questioningly.

Otis turned to Eric and murmured, "We're just going to sit up the back."

"I heard," Eric said, a little frostily. "Alanis. I know."

Otis startled then stood up and hurried along the rows of seats to the aisle, trying not to spill his popcorn or his drink.

Steve leaned close to Aimee and murmured a question into her ear to which she nodded enthusiastically.

"Hey," Aimee said to Ola. "Me and Steve are going to move up there for a bit. We're probably going to make out and we don't want to disturb you."

Steve and Aimee shuffled to the other end of the row and hurried up the aisle to the back row.

Eric and Ola looked at each other.

"Do you ever get the feeling we're being treated as fifth wheels?" Eric asked.

"Fifth wheels can come in useful. I get the feeling we're being treated as spoilers on a Volvo," Ola said.

"What's a spoiler?" Eric asked.

Otis sat nervously in the seat closest to the wall in the rear row, Maeve beside him and the moveable armrest separating the seats now pushed upward so she could snuggle against him, her hand on his thigh and her lips on his lips.

"Eric heard you mention Alanis," Otis said when the kiss was over.

"Oh?" Maeve said, rubbing Otis' thigh. "Maybe we shouldn't disappoint him this time."

Otis shuffled in the seat, flustered.

"You still like Alanis, don't you?" Maeve asked.

"Yes, but…" Otis stammered.

"Let me be Alanis for you," Maeve said, running her hand along his thigh, slowly moving toward his groin.

"Are you sure…?" Otis asked nervously, looking at her queryingly.

"Yeah, I'm sure," she said as she bit her lip and nodded expectantly. "Take him out."

After a moment's hesitation and with a heavy sigh, Otis reached for his zipper.

Maeve slapped his hand, sharply.

"Fuck off," she said. "I'm not really going down on you in a theatre."

Otis slumped down, relieved. "Then what was that all about?"

"Told you," Maeve said as she reached over for the popcorn that had been placed on the seat beside her. "I need to try harder to see Cute Otis these days."

She handed the popcorn container to Otis who took it.

"So why are we up here then?" Otis asked.

Maeve snuggled against him and grabbed a handful of popcorn. "Because I've never been to a movie with a boyfriend and I wanted it to be just us to start off with. We'll move back down later. Won't spend the whole movie up here."

As Steve and Aimee settled into their seats next to Eric, Maeve sat next to Ola who glanced at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry if it felt like we were abandoning you," Maeve said. "It's just—"

"You wanted to make out. I understand," Ola said. "I got fingered for the first time up in that corner."

"We didn't do anything like that," Maeve said. "It's just… Otis is the first boyfriend I've gone to the movies with."

Ola looked at Maeve, thoughtfully, as the second half of the movie began to play. "Y'know, there wasn't an intermission the first time I saw this."

"Helps them sell more ice cream," Maeve shrugged and licked the ice cream held in her hand.

Aimee frowned at the screen then leaned closer to Eric.

"When did Ella Enchanted get her hair cut?" she asked.

"When she had to sell her hair so she could get enough money to feed her little girl," Eric said.

"She has a little girl?" Aimee asked.

"Cosette," Eric said.

"Is Hugh Jackman the father?" Aimee asked.

"Adopted father," Eric sighed.

"We should have been watching," Aimee said. "These seats are awful for making out. I've got a stitch right under my left boob."

Eric blinked and leaned closer to Ola and whispered very softly, "Do you want to swap seats?"

Maeve snuggled against Otis as he put his arm around her.

"She's got a really good voice," she murmured.

"Mmmm," Otis agreed.

"And she still looks fucking stunning even in that dress with that haircut," she murmured.

"Mmmm," Otis agreed.

"Maybe I could rock a burlap sack," she murmured.

"Will you lot fucking shut up?" came a voice from the darkness.

"Fuck you," Maeve yelled and gave them the finger.

Jean looked up from her cooking preparations as the group entered the kitchen, carrying their shopping bags.

"Did you enjoy yourselves?" she asked.

"Very much," Eric said. "It was a Hugh Jackman threefer so it was magnificent."

"What were the movies?" Jean asked.

"Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman and Eddie The Eagle," Otis said.

"I like Eddie The Eagle," Jean said. "But I would have thought Australia would be more suitable with the other two."

"Glad it wasn't," Maeve said, stretching. "We'd still be there."

"You didn't enjoy them?" Eric asked, surprised.

"Nah, nah, they were great," Maeve said. "But it's a long time sitting down even with the intermissions. I think my bum's gone into a coma."

"We were almost kicked out," Aimee said proudly.

"I almost got us kicked out," Maeve corrected her.

"Should I ask?" Jean asked.

"Some dickhead thought we were talking too much so I told him to get fucked and the ushers came," Maeve said. "Otis managed to convince them to let us stay and we promised we'd be good."

"And you were a very good girl from that point on," Otis said, pompously indulgent.

Maeve gave him a desultory finger then looked at him and enjoyed his smile.

"May I get a drink, Jean?" Aimee asked. "That popcorn is still making me thirsty."

"Help yourself," Jean said. "There's more in the back room if you need some. Otis can show you where."

"This should be fine, Jean," Aimee said and walked to the fridge.

"Mum, we're going to need to borrow your bedroom for a bit so we can wrap presents," Otis said. "One in each. I'll take your room."

"Who's wrapping first?" Aimee asked.

"Why don't the boys do it first then it's our turn?" Maeve said.

"Okay," Otis said. "Eric, you can use my room and you know where the downstairs bedroom is, Steve. I'll get the sticky tape."

Otis left the room and Eric and Steve moved into the loungeroom to wait.

"Can I help, Jean?" Ola asked, walking over to her.

"I should be fine, but thank you," Jean said.

"Have you heard from dad?" Ola asked. "Does he think they're going to be finished by the end of the weekend?"

"He hasn't called," Jean said. "He said he'd call me tonight after they've finished up but it's getting late."

"He said it was an above rate job," Ola said. "Maybe they're working long."

"I'm just going out to the balcony for a ciggie," Aimee said. "Coming, babe?"

"I'll be there in a sec," Maeve said. "I just want to talk to Jean."

"I'll get some fresh air," Ola said and moved to join Aimee.

Jean glanced at Maeve curiously but held her tongue.

"Did someone drop anything off for me today?" Maeve asked, quietly. "A girl."

"No," Jean said.

"Shit," Maeve muttered.

"Was it something important?" Jean asked, concerned.

"Otis' Christmas present," Maeve said, glumly. "She said she'd bring it over today because she was going away. I shouldn't have fucking asked at the last minute."

"If you like I can give you a lift to go shopping tomorrow," Jean said. "We're sure to find something suitable in your price range."

"I had an alternative that I was going to give him as well but me and Aimee couldn't find anything that fit. Fuck, I always fuck things up."

Maeve turned and walked to join the other girls on the balcony.

Jean opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again, staring after the girl with tender compassion.

A gloomy Maeve leaned over the balcony railing, smoking a cigarette, staring at the ground below as Aimee leaned against her, arm around her, talking low.

Ola leaned against the railing a short distance away, wishing she were elsewhere.

"Never mind, babe," Aimee said gently. "Wrap a bow around you. Wear some tinsel like a feather boa. He'll love it."

"I couldn't give him that tonight," Maeve muttered. "Stand there flashing everybody?"

"I don't think Steve would mind," Aimee said brightly, smirking. "We could cover you up so nothing's actually showing."

"Why didn't I think of Christmas sooner?" Maeve muttered.

"I could give you a lift somewhere tomorrow," Ola said. "Both of you. Caerdon's got a lot of good shops. I can check up on my dad, see if he needs any help while you look around."

"Caerdon's fucking expensive," Maeve said.

"There's a lot of cheaper shops there, too," Ola said. "They're not all millionaires over there."

"You don't mind?" Maeve asked, looking at her.

"If we're going to be friends when school starts, may as well start now," Ola said. "That's the sort of thing friends do."

Maeve quickly looked away, pressing her lips together and rapidly blinking. "Thanks," was all she trusted herself to say.

Ola studied her for a moment then said, "I'm just going to check if Jean's changed her mind about needing help."

Aimee watched Ola disappear into the house then squeezed Maeve gently.

"Will you get angry if I say I'm proud of you?" Aimee asked gently.

"What for?" Maeve muttered.

"For not being too proud to let Ola help," Aimee said as the front doorbell rang in the distance.

Lily stood in the open front doorway of the Milburn house as Maeve stared, overcome with emotion, at the elaborately and very prettily gift-wrapped frame containing the drawing the artistic girl had been asked to provide.

"You've put so much effort into wrapping this," Maeve said.

"We had a lot left over," Lily said. "Mum bought too much so I thought I'd make it fancy. You seemed to think this was a very important drawing."

"It is," Maeve murmured. "I wish I could see it."

"I took a photo," Lily said.

Lily held out her phone and Maeve studied her commission.

"That's perfect, Lily," Maeve said. "I so owe you."

"Have you changed your mind about posing naked for me?" Lily asked.

"No," said Maeve without force, still staring at the photo on the phone.

Footsteps approached and Jean said, "Lily, how nice to see you."

"Hello, Mrs Milburn," Lily said.

"Jean, please," Jean reminded her. "Would you care to stay for dinner? We're just about to start."

"Mum gave me a lift," Lily said. "She's waiting at the top of the stairs."

"Ask her if you can stay," Jean said. "I can give you a lift home later."

Lily thought for a moment then nodded – "Okay" – and walked over to the edge of the porch, looked up at her mother's car at the top of the stairs and took out her phone.

"We don't have any presents for her," Maeve said softly. "That's going to be shitty if she's not getting anything while we're giving each other presents."

"Oh," Jean said, grimacing as she realised yet again that she had not considered the consequences of her words. "Well, Lily's been here before. I know she likes things sexually-related based on the outline of the story she told us. I'm sure Otis and I can find some knick-knack for her that I can bear to part with. She'll understand why the others haven't had a chance to get her anything."

"Mum's okay with that," Lily said as she rejoined the two women. "As long as it's not too late. We're leaving early in the morning."

"Just let me know when you're ready and I'll give you a lift," Jean said.

"You know most of us but I'll introduce you to Ola," Maeve said. "She's nice. I think you'll like her."

The entire group sat in the loungeroom surrounding the tree which now had a modest array of wrapped presents beneath it. They all watched as Lily tossed aside wrapping paper and opened the box which it had been covering.

She took out a figurine with large breasts and a huge penis and studied it, intrigued.

"It somewhat represents the multiplicity of sexuality," Jean said. "It obviously is close to impossible to encompass the entire spectrum of sexuality in one figurine but if you look closely you will see the penis is fulfilling the role of the clitoris and there is the opening to the vagina below it."

"Thank you," Lily said, turning the figure to study it. "This is someone Glinoxi would love to meet."

"I am so glad you told us about your story last time," Jean said. "When Otis and I saw that, we both agreed this would likely be most suitable for you."

"We're sorry the rest of us don't have anything for you," Maeve said. "But we didn't realise you would be here. We would have bought you something if we knew you were going to be here. I'm stupid. I should have asked if I could invite you. Let everybody know."

"Does anybody want to pose naked for me?" Lily asked.

There was a chorus of stunned silence from everybody except Maeve who pressed her lips together and shook her head, amused.

Lily shrugged and began stroking the penis of the figurine. "This is really hot."

Ola sidled over to her and studied the figurine.

"Do you think it would be disrespectful to the artist if someone tried putting that inside them?" Ola asked.

"I can't put anything inside me," Lily said. "Not yet. Not something that size especially."

Ola looked at Lily curiously, wondering if she should ask.

Lily glanced at Ola and said, "I have vaginismus."

"What's that?" Ola asked.

Eric knelt near the tree, searching through the presents beneath it until he found the one he was looking for.

"Ah," Eric said, grabbing the present and reading the label. "To Doctor Jean Milburn from All Of Us."

"Oh, you didn't have to buy me a present," Jean said, clearly touched, taking the present from Eric and beginning to unwrap it.

"We wanted to," Maeve said. "It was Steve's idea."

"I just thought we should get you a present," Steve said.

"We hope you'll like it," Aimee said.

"I'm sure I'll love it, Aimee," Jean said as the last of the wrapping came clear and she could see the present in full. "Yes, I do love it," she continued with a soft smile.

Jean stared fondly at the small toy of Lucy Van Pelt in her psychiatrist's booth with the sign reading 'The Doctor Is In'.

"I'm not actually a psychiatrist and I'm not sure how flattering it is to be compared to Lucy but I do love it. It shall hold pride of place in my office," Jean said. "Thank you."

"How are we going to do the rest?" Otis asked. "One person hands out their presents or one person receives their presents?"

"Oh, can I hand out mine first?" Ola asked. "I don't really know much about any of you so I got something practical, as you can probably tell."

Ola pointed at the pile of Christmas-themed envelopes sitting underneath the tree.

"Does anybody have a pen?" Ola continued. "I just need to redirect one."

Jean picked up a pen from the nearby table and handed it to Ola – "Thanks" – who hurried to the tree, shuffled the envelopes until she found the one she was looking for, scratched out the name on the label and wrote another. "Sorry, Otis."

Ola handed out the envelopes to each person they were addressed to, including Lily. Jean and Otis were the only two left out as everybody else unsealed their envelope and looked at the gift certificates for twenty percent off plumbing services.

"I know it's boringly practical and not everybody can probably use it yet but it should be good for a broken sink or a broken loo," Ola said. "Dad said he'll help if I need it and we'll try to keep supplies close to cost where we can."

"This is incredibly generous of you, Ola," Jean said as she leaned over Otis and Maeve who were studying the girl's gift certificate.

"It's not that much," Ola shrugged. "And I need the practice if I'm going to be a tradie."

"You're going to be a tradie?" Otis asked.

"I want to be a documentary film-maker," Ola said, "but dad wants me to have something to fall back on so why not a tradie? It pays well and it's really practical."

"Do you do stables?" Aimee asked. "We don't have horses but I like to go to the old stables if I need to get away from mum but the toilet there's fucked so I always have to hold it. It's really uncomfortable."

"I can do the toilet in your stables," Ola said.

"How long do we have to use these?" Steve asked.

"There's no expiry date," Ola continued. "So unless I'm dead they're good forever even if you lose them. I'll keep track. Unless I'm pissed off with you and in that case fuck ya if you've lost it."

"I think I might like you, Ola," Maeve murmured.

Ola sat cross-legged on the floor with the others watching as she ripped off the wrapping paper from the rectangular box beneath and nodded and smiled in confirmation.

"This is going to be a theme, isn't it?" she said, showing the others the toy plumber's toolkit. "Thanks, kangaroo."

Eric sat near the tree and picked up a small wrapped box and handed it to Ola. "This is from Maeve," he said.

Ola took it, unwrapped it and held up the little Luigi figure, smiling. "Thank you, Maeve."

"I know it's the most obvious thing but…" Maeve murmured.

"Hey, at least it's Luigi, not Mario," Ola said.

"I tried to get Mario but they'd sold out," Maeve said, sheepishly.

Aimee and Steve looked at each other then Aimee patted Eric's hand and pointed at Steve.

Eric nodded and handed over another parcel. "This is from Steve."

Ola opened it and laughed as she saw it was a little Mario figure.

"Sorry, Maeve," Steve said. "I think I got the last Mario."

"Now mine," Aimee said.

Eric handed over a reasonably-sized box – "From Aimee to Ola" - and Ola began unwrapping it.

"It's a re-gift, sorry," Aimee said. "But when I knew what Steve was going to try to get you, I thought it was perfect."

Ola chuckled as she held a Barbie Bathroom Set in her hand.

"I hadn't played with that in years," Aimee said. "I almost couldn't find it. It's a little bit broken but that's what plumbers do, isn't it? Fix broken bathrooms."

"Thanks, Aimee," Ola said and set the box down, placing the other figurines on it. "It's like they're going to fix a Giant's bathroom."

"There's also a Barbie in the box," Aimee said.

"Are you sure you want to give her away?" Ola asked. "I know a lot of people keep their Barbies."

"Barbie's a sexist stereotype – ow!" Aimee snatched her hand away with a giggle as Maeve gently swatted it.

"She's a doll you loved, Aimes. You don't need to pretend you didn't love her because of something I may or may not have said about her in the past," Maeve said.

"I stopped playing with her for a month after you said that," Aimee mock-pouted.

"You had stopped playing with Barbie years before you met me," Maeve protested.

"I know," Aimee said. "I just wanted to have an argument."

"Not while we're here pretending it's Christmas Day," Maeve said. "When we're in private."

"Isn't Christmas Day the time to have arguments?" Ola asked. "My sister's broken up with three boyfriends on Christmas Day. Not the same Christmas Day," she clarified.

Maeve bit her lip nervously as she watched Eric unwrapping the gift from her.

"Awww, he's so cute," Eric said, holding up the Care Bear to show everybody. "Which one's he?"

"Brave Heart Lion," Maeve said.

"I thought I was a gazelle," Eric said. "Why a lion?"

"You're a Leo," Maeve shrugged.

"I'm a Libra," Eric said.

"Otis said you were a Leo," Maeve said.

"You said you were a Leo," Otis said.

"Lee-bra, Otis," Eric said. "Lee-bra. Not Lee-oh."

"I always thought you were a Leo," Otis said, defensively.

"Leo is July/August. Libra is September/October. How can I be a Leo if my birthday is when we're back at school?" Eric asked.

"I don't know star signs," Otis said, lamely.

Eric shook his head in disbelief. "Nine years we've known each other and you think I'm a Leo."

"You behave like a Leo," Aimee said.

Eric glanced at Maeve and took in the unhappiness she was trying to conceal.

"Oh, no, Maeve, I love him," Eric said, wrapping his arms around her. "I love him."

Startled, Maeve waved her arms about, unsure how to respond.

Eric suddenly realised what he had done and murmured, "Are you going to kill me?"

"No," Maeve murmured with a soft smile in her voice, relaxing and hugging him back.

"Thank you," Eric said softly. "I do love him. Even if a lion will try to eat a gazelle."

"Think of it as the duality of human nature," Maeve said. "The gazelle is your true self and the lion is all those things that try to prevent you from being your true self."

"That's very deep," Eric said.

"Merry Christmas," Maeve murmured.

Maeve stood near Lily and in front of Otis, now wearing a new Pussy Riot t-shirt, a beautiful 'M' necklace around her neck, a Nigerian-influenced bangle on her wrist, a Kermit the Frog earring in one ear and a Cookie Monster earring in the other, nervously carrying the gift-wrapped frame.

"I asked Lily to draw this for me and – I've seen it. It's really good. Captured exactly what I wanted it to be. You're really good, Lily," Maeve said, handing the present to Otis.

As Otis began to unwrap it, Maeve said, "She also chose the wrapping paper and the frame. So it's kind of really from me and Lily."

Otis removed the last of the wrapping paper and stared in awe at the revealed drawing.

"I showed her what I wanted her to draw, but everything else is her," Maeve said.

"What is it, Otis?" Eric asked.

Otis slowly turned the frame around and let everyone see the incredibly fine drawing of Xena Warrior Princess and Kermit The Frog holding hands. Xena looked like Maeve and Kermit was clearly giving off vibes of Otis.

"That's so good, Lily," Ola murmured to the girl next to her.

"What's it called?" Aimee asked.

"Maeve commissioned it," Lily said. "It's up to her to give it a title."

"What's it called, Maeve?" Aimee asked.

"Now I've seen it, it's really Lily's present to Otis," Maeve said. "You should name it, Lily."

"It's yours," Lily said. "You commissioned it. You designed it."

"Pope Julius II commissioned Michaelangelo but nobody thinks of him when they see the Sistine Chapel," Maeve said.

Otis carefully put aside the frame and rose to his feet, walking slowly toward Maeve.

"I'll always think of Pope Julius II when I see that drawing," he said as he took her into his arms. "I'll see if I can hang it from the ceiling and we can look at it from the bed."

"You really like it?" Maeve asked.

"I love it," Otis said and leaned in for a kiss.

When the kiss was over, Otis looked at her fondly and murmured, "What's it called?"

"The Blue-Eyed Prince and The Winsome Princess," Maeve said, tentatively.

"Winsome?" Otis asked.

"Shut up," Maeve murmured with a smile. "You're making me soft."

Maeve leaned against the railing on the balcony, cigarette in hand and staring peacefully into the darkness.

Jean sat at the chair at the end of the table, sipping a glass of wine.

They both looked up as a horn beeped in farewell and the dim shape of Ola's van could be seen to disappear around the corner of the drive.

"I don't know about you, Maeve," Jean began. "But I found this a pleasant evening."

"Yeah," Maeve murmured. "Was a good day."

Maeve walked over to sit in the chair closest to Jean, stubbed out her cigarette, took a sip from the drink that she had left upon the table then picked up the elegantly-presented book that was sitting on wrapping paper to protect it from dirt on the tabletop.

Maeve held the book tenderly as she studied it. "I thought he would have bought The Bell Jar if he bought an edition like this. I'm just amazed he knew Persuasion was my favourite. I never told him that."

"We had an Austen marathon last year," Jean said. "I wanted to watch Pride and Prejudice again and we just went on from there. We watched two versions of Persuasion."

Otis stepped onto the balcony and approached the chair beside Maeve, sitting in it and saying, in a quizzical tone, "Ola said she'll come here tomorrow and pick you up first then out to Aimee's."

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Maeve said. "Won't be going riding with you and Eric tomorrow. Ola's giving us a lift over to Caerdon."

"What for?" Otis asked, puzzled.

"I just want to get you something to give to you on Actual Christmas Day," Maeve said quietly. "Couldn't find what I wanted today."

"You've already got me something," Otis protested mildly. "Something wonderful."

Maeve waved the book in her hand and put it back upon the wrapping paper on the table, waved her hands in the direction of her new earrings, then waved her hands the length of her new t-shirt and then pointed behind her. "And there's still that one under the Christmas tree that you said was for London. I want to get you something for London."

Otis nodded, conceding the point, before stifling a half-yawn.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," he said. "I don't know about you but I'm feeling really tired. It feels like it's been a very long day."

"Do you mind if I sit up for a bit longer?" Maeve asked. "I think I need to still unwind."

"Okay," Otis said, leaning over and kissing her. "Good night. Good night, mum."

"Good night," Jean said as Otis walked into the house.

"This is the first Christmas that felt like I imagined a Christmas should feel like," Maeve said after she noticed Jean gazing at her. "I just want to stay with the feeling for a bit."

"Christmases were never like this," Jean said quietly. "Not even when Remi was here. This was a new experience for me. So many young people around."

"So many new experiences for me, too," Maeve murmured. "Today was the first time I'd ever been to the movies with a boyfriend. First time I've ever been with people for Christmas for a long time. Other than mum and Sean. Oh, Aimee and I would swap presents on Christmas Day," she corrected herself. "But that was just me and her, not… everybody."

"You're seeming in a much better mood," Jean said. "It's nice to see."

"What do you mean?" Maeve asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jean said, apologetically. "I just can't seem to help myself."

"It's okay, Jean," Maeve said. "Just… I don't know what you mean."

Jean hesitated a moment then began, tentatively, "You were so down on yourself earlier this evening. Taking responsibility for things that I don't believe you have a reason to take responsibility for. Talking about yourself as if you can never do anything right."

"Sometimes I think I can't," Maeve muttered.

"You were considering Lily's feelings about not receiving a present while I was obliviously thoughtless about it," Jean said. "You obviously spent time trying to find appropriate presents for what I gather was a last-minute gift-giving get-together."

"And I screwed Eric's up," Maeve muttered.

"Was that your fault?" Jean asked.

"No," Maeve murmured.

"No," Jean agreed. "So why take responsibility for things that aren't your fault?"

Maeve was silent for a moment then murmured, "I suppose I'm just used to it."

"It's easy to default to the patterns we're used to, isn't it?" Jean said. "Rather than embrace the changes."

Maeve snorted. "Aimee thinks I'm stupid. She says that I'm the happiest she's ever seen me and I'm so miserable about it."

"What's making you miserable?" Jean asked.

"Just… feeling so different to what I'm used to," Maeve said. "Aimee says I'm like I was when she first met me. Otis thinks maybe because I feel so safe with him, I'm letting other people see me as I used to be."

"Are they right?" Jean asked.

"I don't know," Maeve sighed. "Maybe. It's just… it's happening so quickly."

"Is there really a timeframe for these feelings to happen?" Jean asked.

Maeve shrugged.

"What's concerning you, Maeve?" Jean asked gently. "I think you know even if you think you don't know."

Maeve was silent for a long time until finally murmuring, "I don't want it to be over."

"What makes you think about it being over?" Jean asked.

"Most kids who get together in high school never make it to graduation," Maeve said.

"Most isn't all," Jean said. "And no-one knows which statistical category we'll be part of until we become a part of it."

"Maybe that's why it's happening so quickly," Maeve said. "I just want to hurry up and experience all these things before it's over."

"It's obvious your life hasn't been easy, Maeve," Jean began slowly, "and it's understandable you may have learnt to curb your expectations but by focussing on the end of your relationship while you're still at the beginning, you could end up making it a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"You mean I'll fuck it up just because I think I'm going to fuck it up?" Maeve murmured.

"I can't guarantee that things will work out between you and Otis, but you both seem so happy together. It would be a shame if it was to end because of shadows and dust."

Maeve carefully and quietly closed the bedroom door behind herself and gazed fondly at Otis lying on his bed, eyes closed.

She took off her earrings, bangles and necklaces and quietly placed them in a tray before the mirror that she realised had only been placed there earlier this evening.

She reached under her t-shirt and removed her bra, tossing it aside, then reached down and dragged off her knickers, allowing them to join the bra.

Quietly, she walked to the bed and carefully slid between the sheets to settle down, staring fondly at her boyfriend as he made a noise and slowly opened his eyes to gaze back at her.

"Sorry," she said, apologetically.

Otis shook his head. "Did you talk to mum?" he sleepily asked.

"Yeah," Maeve whispered.

"Was it good?" Otis murmured.

"Mmmm," Maeve said then leaned forward to kiss his lips firmly.

"Did she help you understand?" Otis asked.

"I think so," Maeve said. "I'm here. It's now. I'm with you. We're going to London to celebrate Christmas with your Gramps. We're going to celebrate my birthday with our friends. We're going to do things we don't even know yet that we're going to do."

Maeve leaned forward and kissed him again, then snuggled against him, grabbing his arm to drape it across her waist.

"I love you. I'm happy with you," Maeve said. "That's all that matters right now."

Maeve closed her eyes, settled her head and let her breathing slow. Otis tenderly kissed her hair then closed his own eyes, settling his own head.

"I love the way you snore," he murmured.

"I don't fucking snore," Maeve snapped with a giggle.

Author's Notes: The next chapter will be along as soon as I can get it to you.