Page 47 of Festive Flings

I nod to her. “Yeah, we are all set for Saturday. I have booked the hotel and arranged for the children to go and stay with my mother and father for the night.” Her excitement is palpable, and the way she jumps and hugs me tight is all I need to confirm this is something we both really want and are both eagerly anticipating.

Everything has a rosy hue over it, like we are living life inside a kaleidoscope, and all because we no longer have to hold back that part of us. This release has been exactly what we needed as a couple, and I cannot wait to give my wife her final gift from this experiment.

~ Lauren ~

Tim introduces me to his sister and her family, and beforehand, I thought I would feel shy and out of place, but I instantly feel part of the family. The house is beautiful; clad in all its Christmas gear, it looks like something you would find in a film. The children are adorable, and as I watch Tim play football with his nephew, Lyndon, my heart flutters at the prospect of him doing that in the future with our own children.

Children have always been high on my agenda. I would love a small brood of my own; however, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome a couple of years ago and although I was not declared infertile, the consultant basically explained that I would have a very hard time conceiving.

Tim’s sister, Felicity, hugs me when he introduces me. She gently places her hands either side of my face. “Yes! You are exactly as I pictured you. Tim didn’t exaggerate how beautiful you are. And yes, Tim, I see how cute the dimples are.” My face flames with embarrassment, but her partner, Marie, laughs as she pulls her wife away from me.

“Fliss, give the girl some space. You’re going to chase her off.” She looks at me apologetically.

“Oh, Lauren, I’m so sorry! I am over excited to meet you because it’s the first time I’ve seen my little brother in love.” Marie rolls her eyes at her again and we all end up laughing.

Last night, I dyed my hair again; it's now a deep purple and little Celeste looks at it in awe. “Mummy, I want purple hair, too.”

I quickly apologise to her mums, but they wave it off.

“Don’t worry, as soon as Celeste is old enough, she can have whatever hair she wants. It's good for her to have positive role models and feel able to express herself.”

I don’t think I’ve ever been called a role model before, but a warm feeling, a sense of pride I suppose, fills me up inside at the thought of being a positive role model for this little girl.

I tell Celeste to go and get her hairbrush and bobbles and allow her to brush my hair and play with it. When she is finished I wouldn’t look out of place in an 80’s rock concert, but boy, does she look happy about her masterpiece.

Tim laughs when he comes back in with Lyndon. “Who did your hair, Flower?” he asks with a sparkle in his eye.

“I did, Uncle Tim; do you like it?” He lifts Celeste up to him as she chatters away, and he tells her how beautiful I look with my newly styled hair while winking at me.

Before we leave, Fliss calls Tim upstairs, and he looks upset when he returns. “Come on, Flower, let's get the tube back before it gets too late.”

We are staying at Tim’s flat tonight because it's closer to the tube station, and I will be going home and out to Open Mic Night tomorrow night.

“Are you okay, Tim? You seem distracted, and a bit upset. I thought everything went well.” I hope I didn’t do something to change their minds.They all seemed nice and welcoming, but I can’t help noticing the sudden change in Tim’s demeanour.

“It went better than well; it went perfectly. They all love you, and you just slot right in like you’ve always been a part of our family.” I let it lie because I truly want to believe that I could slot right into his family. How perfect would that be?

As we get to the steps of Tim’s building, there is a drunken man waiting at the entrance.

“Tim? Where the fuck have you been hiding, buddy? Any chance I could crash with you tonight?”

I recognise him. He’s the one Eryn went home with the night I met Tim. I think his name is Jason.

“Sorry, not tonight, Jason. I’m busy.” Tim tells him bluntly.

Jason looks between the two of us, squinting as he tries to focus. “What the fuck are you doing with the beach whale, Timmy?”

~ Owen ~

My world has just flipped on its axis. I need to talk to Jamie, but I don’t want to upset her, and I certainly don’t want to put a jinx on us. The timing is far from ideal, but that's something I have no control over.

I wait in the lobby for her, and she smiles luminously when she sees me. My heart pounds against my chest reminding me that this is what it means to feel alive.

We get into my car, a pretentious sports car I have as part of my employee benefits that Jamie is not even slightly impressed by. “I need to talk to you, babe.” She nods at me; she already knows something is happening because I didn’t return to the office.

“Okay, tell me. I can take it.” She assures me as she flinches away; it is as though she expects this to physically hurt her, which it may well do.

“I have been offered a promotion,” I tell her bluntly, and I can tell from her look of pride and happiness that she doesn’t understand just yet. But she will.

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