That time, it was different. He was more relaxed, more playful, and very eager to please. He took his time caressing and tasting every inch of her body and by the time he slipped inside her, she was half-crazy with the need for him.
Afterwards, she lay in the crook of his arm.
He murmured into her hair so softly she almost missed it, ‘I love you.’
She lifted her head to search his eyes. He looked weary, sort of defeated.
‘I love you,’ she said. It wasn’t a reply, more of a statement.
She had said it before.
She meant it every time she’d ever said it, but this was different.
This was so intense, it kind of hurt.
Chapter 37
May 2016
Emily
‘So, you will come to dinner one evening?’ asks Magda as she puts on her jacket. I’ll finish cashing up then head home, too.
‘That’s very kind. I’d love to.’
‘Tonight?’
‘Er, let me think, I’m sure I was––’
‘You already told me you are not doing anything this evening.’
‘Ah yes, in that case, that would be lovely.’
Magda writes on the notepad, tears off the page, and hands it to me. In neat forward-slanting letters is her address and telephone number.
‘See you at seven,’ she says and heads to the door.
‘Looking forward to it.’
Magda’s flat is small, but tidy and clean. A little kitchenette sits behind the sofa where I’ve been invited to sit.
‘In my home, we drink vodka,’ Magda says, handing me a glass of red liquid. ‘You’ll like it.’
I can’t taste vodka, but I detect cranberry juice and something else, maybe pineapple. ‘It’s delicious.’
A teenage boy wanders into the room, his eyes fixed on his phone. He doesn’t know I’m there.
‘Say hello to Emily,’ says Magda.
His eyes don’t leave his phone. ‘Hello, Emily.’
‘Emily, this is Alfie. He is very rude.’
‘Hello, Alfie.’
He nods at me and goes straight back to his phone. ‘What’s for dinner?’
She says something in Polish. He tuts and leaves the room.