Page 37 of Be With Us: An Urban Foursome Love Story

‘I'm confused because everything was- is, normal. Mark and I love each other, we have a life together, we’re talking about kids, saving money, selling our cars, remortgaging, buying a new washing machine. All that normal life stuff and then we met you guys and you just threw a spanner in it all.’

‘Why does that have to be a bad thing?’

‘It doesn't,’ said Amy. ‘But it's different. I don't know, I don't know how to explain it.’

She turned to keep walking and Emilia followed, moving up beside her.

‘I mean let's just say we all fucked. Then what? You want more than that, don’t you?’

‘Maybe,’ said Emilia.

‘I don’t know if I can give you that, if we can give you that, and that’s too much pressure. What next? Move in together? Start a family? We can’t do that. It won’t work.’

‘I don’t know,’ said Emilia, tears starting to form in her eyes, the crack in her heart felt like it was growing now and she bit her lip as more tears began to flow.

They stopped walking.

They were standing underneath a Willow tree on a bend in the path. Emilia could hear the birds singing in the branches above as the sunlight dappled through the leaves and danced on the wooded path they stood upon.

It was beautiful.

Suddenly, Amy took Emilia’s hand and leaned in and kissed her.

It started soft, just a peck, and then the palm of her hand was on Emilia’s cheek, her thumb brushing her ear, and then they were kissing each other deeply. Emilia’s mind went into a haze, as though everything had turned down in volume and become numb.

She put her hand up into Amy’s hair to run her fingers through it, but as soon as she did, Amy pulled away, and before Emilia could process what was happening, she was walking off, fast.

Emilia went to follow, still dizzy from the kiss, but Amy just kept going, almost running back up the path. She called out to her.

‘I'm sorry,’ said Amy, and then she was gone around the corner.

Emilia stood under the tree and touched her lips, she could still feel the warmth of Amy’s kiss on them.

Then the tears really started to flow.

*

When Cassian arrived home, Emilia was making dinner for the both of them. There were pots and pans all over the kitchen surface. She had done her best to make a full home cooked meal, but Emilia wasn't the most organised cook. She was scatty and forgetful and getting timings right was always a challenge for her, and today was far worse than usual but Cassian loved her all the more for trying.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on the cheek, coming away with what looked and felt like raw egg on his lips. He laughed and wiped it away and then squeezed her tight.

‘Don’t be mad,’ she said, turning around and putting her arms around his neck.

‘Why? What have you done?’

She looked up into his eyes nervously and he frowned back.

‘What is it?’ he said.

‘I might have messaged Amy,’ she said.

‘And?’

‘We met up.’

Cassian’s eyes widened.

‘What happened?’

---