Page 5 of Lily, Unwritten

“That was Hannah,” Zack explained. “She was quizzing me about you, she wants to arrange a night out.” Hannah was one of Zack’s older sisters; she was brilliant fun. I loved his whole family, to be fair. From the first time I met them, they’d welcomed me wholeheartedly.

Whatever or whoever I’d smelled was gone. I smiled at Zack and tried to get the idiotic notion out of my head. “I’d love that, I’ll message her tonight.” He rubbed his fingers up my arm in a playful manner before Ruby and Emilia launched themselves at him, wanting a hand each. “I guess I’ll have to get in line to hold your hand, hey?”

“I don’t know what to say. When two pretty blondes demand me, what can I do?” He teased as we started to walk back towards the house. For me, though, a joke about two blondes was a little too soon.

As late afternoon rolled around with no let up to the temperature, we heard the rumble of a car pull up the wide driveway. Ruby and Emilia ran to the front door and jumped on Cassie and Guy with giddy squeals as they walked inside; both looked infinitely more relaxed. Then the girls ran straight back to Zack, he was like a magnet for small children and puppies.

“Welcome home! You two have a great time?” I asked.

“It was amazing.” Cassie pulled me into a hug. “Thank you so much for staying with the kids.” Her blonde bob shone in the sunlight, and, as always, her smile was infectious.

“It’s been great fun, never a problem.” I looked over to the kitchen where Zack and the girls were engrossed in a game.

“He’s so broody, you know this, right?” Cassie asked. She dug her elbow into my side.

“Erm, I don’t think so.”

“He is.”

“What are we talking about?” asked Guy as he reached down and brushed a friendly kiss across my cheek, before placing a large weekend bag down beside the door. Guy was very tall and with Cassie so petite, both features seemed accentuated. I was glad Zack was only a couple of inches bigger than me, I could make that up with my many pairs of heels.

“Zack being broody.” Cassie’s voice was louder this time. I kicked her foot and glared, seeing Zack look over to us and listen intently.

“It’s because he has that special birthday coming up,” teased Guy, even louder. “He’s probably feeling old.” Zack would be turning thirty in the new year, and it wasn’t a milestone he was particularly enamoured with. I was sure I’d be the same when it was my turn.

Zack wandered over with Emilia sat on his shoulders and Ruby holding his hand like they were best friends for life. “Why are we talking about something that’s ages away?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Blame these two!” I exclaimed. “I’m just going to get our things from upstairs.”

I’d left the carrier bag from the supermarket on the bed earlier. I grabbed it to put in the bin, but a piece of paper fluttered out and landed on the carpet. I reached for it, assuming it was a receipt, but could see longer words printed on it. I sat down on the bed, wiped the back of my neck which was clammy from the heat, and began to read.

It was almost beautiful fate

but we were in the wrong place,

the wrong time, the wrong state

My eyes watered up. It was beautiful. I wondered if someone had mislaid it at the shop? Or was it a promotional flyer? There wasn’t anything else on the paper. I wondered if I should take it back to the shop, but there were hundreds of people in and out, it could belong to anyone.

It was too poetic to throw away. I tucked it into my handbag with a smile. It made me happy to know people loved with such passion and intensity.

Half an hour later we drove the short distance to my mum and dad’s house. I reached over to stroke Zack’s hand as he gripped the leather steering wheel.

“Ruby and Emilia are besotted with you.” I teased.

“All the girls are.” he shrugged. “Why does this surprise you?”

“Cassie reckons you’re super broody and want to impregnate me as soon as possible.” I said it casually, but I did want to know his actual opinion on this. We’d skirted around the issue before everything had changed.

“And what do you think?”

“I don’t know. For someone I know so well, you’re still a bit of a mystery at times.” I admitted.

Zack glanced over at me as we waited at a busy set of traffic lights. “I’m a mystery?” he laughed. “You want to try figuring you out.”

As the cars began to move forward, I was fully aware that the question hadn’t been answered. He parked on my parents’ driveway, took my hand and placed a single, soft kiss to my lips.

“Right, let me get every issue that’s floating around addressed before we go inside. Yes, turning thirty sounds hideous and old but… I’m with you, so I don’t care. Wouldn’t care how old I was as long as we were together.” He stroked my cheek. “As for babies… you know I want us to have babies. Not right now though. For now I need to concentrate on making sure you’re OK. We’ll know when the time is right.”

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