by Anna Samuels
‘Allie!’ Katie exclaimed as we walked through. ‘Cass! You’re here!’
‘Hi Katie! Hi Lauren,’ I smiled, trying to be as friendly as possible.
‘Look at you two! I couldn’t believe it when Katie told me you two were a couple! That happened quickly!’ Lauren exclaimed.
‘I know,’ I gushed, ‘and it’s all thanks to Katie!’ I told her.
Allie frowned down at me in confusion and Lauren looked baffled. ‘How is it thanks to Katie?’ Lauren asked.
‘Because she got the art gift for my thirtieth birthday! I saw the back which had Allie’s name on it and had to go and meet the wonderful woman who created such beautiful art! The ret as they say, is history.’
‘No way! I had no idea that’s how it happened.’
‘Oh, we’ve been inseparable since the day after my birthday,’ I told her all. They were all gathered around us, keen to hear our tale about our new relationship.
‘Really?’
‘Yes. We’ve lived in each other’s pockets since that day and it’s been a whirlwind, hasn’t it, Allie?’ I smiled.
‘It sure has, honey,’ she replied.
‘We’ve come a long way in a few short months too,’ I told everyone. ‘I think sometimes it just happens that way, right? I went so long being alone that I think I’m making up for it now!’ I laughed.
‘You look so happy,’ Emma commented.
‘I am,’ I told her warmly. ‘I have Allie, a new job and we’re buying a house. Life couldn’t be better!’
‘You’re buying a house?’ Katie exclaimed.
‘Yes! We have the money, we found the right place so we’re going for it,’ I told her.
‘But surely it’s too soon?’
‘No, we don’t think so…we have a plan and we’re ready. Maybe we’re going faster than other people around us, but it’s right for us.’
‘And when you know it’s right, you go for it,’ Allie added.
‘Well this is wonderful!’ Emma exclaimed happily. ‘Let’s do a toast! To Allie and Cass!’
Everyone lifted their glasses and repeated ‘Allie and Cass.’ I smiled happily up at Allie who leant down and kissed me softly on the lips. I smiled at her and we shared a moment while the others around us made appreciative noises at our public display of affection. Conversations moved on around us but Allie continued to hold my hand warmly. We joined in with our friends and chatted about this and that and somehow; now I was part of a couple; I found myself enjoying it more. With Allie by my side, it seemed like anything was possible.
Half an hour later, Allie and I were sat at one end of the garden together on plastic chairs.
‘It all seems to be going well, doesn’t it?’ I murmured quietly.
‘Don’t speak too soon…Katie’s been watching me for the past hour. I’m just waiting for her to try and question me about it all.’
‘Well just don’t leave my side…you don’t have to explain yourself to her. You owe her nothing remember?’
She looked at me. ‘Yeah, you’re right.’
‘Hey, look at me,’ I said, lifting my hand to her chin to make sure her eyes were on mine. ‘Forget about her…she didn’t make you happy, remember.’
‘No, you’re right.’
‘Focus on me…that’s what this is all about, remember?’ I murmured, smiling at her.
She nodded, but she still looked a little troubled.
‘I think you need a little distraction,’ I told her, leaning towards her.
‘Huh?’
‘Just go with it,’ I said softly.
I leant in towards her and pressed my lips to hers before she could object. What started as a soft, gentle kiss quickly became more when she tilted her head and deepened the kiss into a moment of passion. Electricity arched between us and I felt myself growing lost in her arms. Forgetting any illusion we were supposed to be creating, I let myself go and enjoyed the feel of her in my arms. She felt wonderful, all soft and womanly. Her taste was incredible too and she kissed so skilfully that I lost sense of time and place. When we finally broke free of each other, it was only because we were so breathless and shaken.
I stared up at her, realising we had got carried away.
‘I, uh…I didn’t quite mean for that to happen,’ I apologised softly.
‘It’s okay…it was incredible,’ she murmured, her eyes dropping to my mouth once again.
‘I…’ I didn’t know what to say so I excused myself to go to the bathroom. ‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ I promised. I got up and hurried away before she could argue.
I went inside and went up the stairs to the bathroom. When I came out, someone was waiting for me. I had been expecting Katie at some point, but instead it was Lauren.
‘Oh Lauren! Hey!’ I smiled.
‘Hey, Cass. Have you got a minute?’ she asked.
‘Sure,’ I replied, feeling unsure.
‘I uh…I just wanted to thank you,’ she began quietly.
I frowned and looked at her with a confused expression. ‘Thank me? For what?’
‘I know you spoke to her…I know you made them split up.’
I gasped. ‘You knew about them?’
She nodded sadly. ‘I was choosing not to address it…the thing is, you did me a huge favour by speaking to them.’
‘I did?’
‘Yes. Once I knew I was pregnant, I hoped things would be different but I wasn’t sure they would be.’
‘She said they would be now.’
‘Yes, and we’ve now discussed it openly and honestly and decided to commit to each other fully. We’re going to get married.’
I smiled. ‘I’m very glad.’
‘And you seem happy too? This new relationship seems to have evolved since you met Allie?’
‘Yes, it has,’ I told her. ‘She’s committed to me now so you don’t need to worry anymore.’
‘It seems to have worked out for both of us in the end.’
‘It has,’ I smiled.
‘Thanks Cass.’
‘And same to you,’ I smiled.
We hugged briefly and then I waved goodbye as I headed back down the stairs. I found Allie and we decided to make a move. I wanted to go home; I wanted to go back to Hope.
Chapter 15
Happy endings
Once we were in the car and finally alone, I spoke.
‘You’ll never guess what?’ I said to Allie as I began to drive.
‘Lauren spoke to you?’ she said quietly.
‘Yes! How did you know?’
‘Because Katie came to speak to me when you went upstairs,’ she revealed.
‘Ah!’
‘She explained that she had had a heart to heart with Lauren and explained everything. They’re getting married and are very happy.’
‘Yes, Lauren said,’ I smiled.
‘So, all has ended well,’ she commented.
‘It has…were you, uh…were you okay with it all.’
‘You know something? When she was talking to me, it occurred to me that I feel nothing for her any more. I don’t know if I ever really did actually. What we had wasn’t real. It wasn’t a proper relationship. I’m glad she and Lauren are sorting things out and moving forwards and I’m happy not to be involved in that.’
‘Good,’ I smiled.
‘So, tonight wasn’t too bad, was it?’ she chuckled.
‘No, it was fun actually. They all seemed so happy for us, didn’t they? I felt like part of the group for once now I was part of a couple!’
‘I had the same thought,’ she murmured.
‘Funny isn’t it…how things change once you look at them from another perspective.’
‘It sure is.’
We continued to drive home in a quiet atmosphere. I was thoughtful and it appeared that Allie was too.
When we arrived back in Hope, it was very dark and the walk through the village to Allie’s house was quiet. After Allie let us in, I found nerves crept through my stomac
h at the thought of being in this one room with Allie all night long. The idea of it was fine but the actuality was something else.
‘So, uh…are you tired?’ Allie asked, turning to face me.
Her eyes were dark in the dim light of the room and she had a strange expression on her face. ‘I guess so…’ I murmured. ‘I mean…it’s late…’
Her eyes dropped to my mouth. ‘I haven’t been able to stop thinking about kissing you since we were in the garden,’ she said then, surprising me totally.
‘You haven’t?’
‘No…’
‘I, uh…’ I didn’t know what to say.
‘I can’t help feeling this attraction,’ she said then, making me yearn for her in a way I had never felt for anyone ever before.
‘Me too…’
‘You feel it as well?’ she questioned.
‘I do, yes.’
‘What are we going to do about it?’ she asked suggestively, her eyes holding fast on mine.
My eyes dropped to her mouth and suddenly I was lost. Without considering the consequences or whether this was a good move, I moved into her arms. My mouth was on hers before either of us could speak again.
We kissed passionately, my hands roaming freely now I knew she wanted this. We fell to the bed, our mouths entangled. It was most erotic moment of my life to date and I let myself go, keen to experience everything on offer.
Her mouth moved over mine in a slow dance and I felt the world melt away and everything become about the woman in my arms. As we explored the passion that had been there between us since the day we met, I lost all sense of time, place and reason.
I awoke feeling euphoric. I could feel Allie’s body lying behind me warmly and as the memories from the night before flooded back, I felt heat fill me.
Allie and I had shared the most wonderful night of passion in each other’s arms. We hadn’t slept until the early hours of the morning because we were so busy exploring each other’s bodies. I smiled to myself feeling so happy. This was going to change everything, I thought to myself. All the good that had come to me lately was going to improve further still.
I rolled onto my back to greet Allie who had moved slightly, indicating she was awake. My smiled faded when I saw the expression on her face. She didn’t look happy. She looked downright pissed off.
‘Allie?’
‘This shouldn’t have happened,’ she said, sitting bold upright and swinging her legs out of bed.
I watched, stunned as she began dressing quickly and efficiently, throwing clothes on and getting to her feet.
‘But Allie!’
‘This was a mistake! This shouldn’t have happened!’ she said, sounding distressed.
I watched from the bed as she pulled shoes on and headed for the door.
‘Allie!’
She slammed the door behind her and was gone. I was left sat on the bed in stunned shock. What had just happened? Why was Allie so upset? I knew she had enjoyed our time together because it had been evident. Why was she reacting like this now?
I sat there for a moment more in shock and then snapped myself out of it. I wasn’t going to allow her to just walk away with no explanation. There was too much at stake! Way too much!
I climbed out of the bed and dressed hurriedly. I then pulled on shoes and headed for the door. Whether she liked it or not, she was going to talk to me.
After locking the front door of the house, I made my way down the hill. I walked through the quiet village and down to the beach. I knew where she would go because it was where I would go in the same situation.
Sure enough, I found her sat on a rock looking out to sea. She looked miserable. I approached her slowly but with determination. Without her consent, I sat down on the rock beside her.
‘You can’t just walk away like that, Allie.’
She just shook her head.
‘Allie, talk to me. What’s going on in your head?’
She glanced at me and I saw tears in her eyes.
‘Oh Allie, talk to me! What’s going on?’
‘This wasn’t meant to happen like this!’ she said quietly.
‘Okay…but it has. We deal with it. Allie, we’ve bought a house together, we’re living together already. We can’t just storm out of rooms and not discuss things when they don’t go our way. Tell me what you’re thinking. I thought last night was incredible…I’m feeling awful right now that I did something wrong!
‘You did nothing wrong,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘It’s not about that…last night was the most wonderful night of my life,’ she told me.
‘It was?’ I questioned.
‘Yes!’
‘Then why this reaction?’
‘Because this wasn’t what I planned.’
I frowned. ‘I’m not following, Allie…’
She sighed, heavily. ‘Cass, I have wanted this to happen since I met you. That being said, I was determined not to rush it and I had a plan to make it happen the right way. We’d move in together, you’d slowly grow to like me even more, we’d begin thinking about dating and then go out a little. After that things might have become a bit more physical and a bit more serious and then bit by bit…’ she trailed off.
‘What, Allie?’
‘You’d realise you felt more for me and it would have been the beginning of a future together,’ she murmured sadly.
‘Oh Allie…’ I said quietly.
She looked over at me with questioning eyes.
I met her deep, green eyes and knew it was the right time. ‘Allie, do you have any idea…any inkling how I feel about you?’ I asked.
She shook her head. ‘I guess you’re my friend…maybe you’re attracted to me too?’
‘No, honey…Allie, I’ve been besotted with you since the day I met you. I loved your company from the beginning of our friendship and have since fallen head over heels, completely and utterly, life-changingly in love with you.’
Hope sprang to her eyes. ‘You have?’
‘Yes, Allie! Why do you think I agreed to the house? I didn’t do it because I don’t see a future with you-I did it because that’s what I want desperately! The story you told me about living in that house and getting married and starting a family…well, I want that to be with me, Allie! I’m in love with you! I don’t care how fast or slow we go…I just want to be with you.’
‘Oh, Cass,’ she said, breathing out a sigh of relief. ‘I can’t believe I’ve been such a fool.’
‘If you hadn’t gone storming out of the house just now, I could have told you that.’
‘But I thought I had spoiled everything! I thought you’d run a mile now that things had changed so drastically.’
‘Not a chance,’ I replied. ‘It might not have gone to your plan, but I’m more than glad last night happened,’ I said, lying a hand on hers.
‘I am too, now!’ she chuckled.
‘So…’
‘So, I guess this is where I tell you what’s been going on in my head?’ she said quietly.
I nodded. ‘That would be nice.’
‘I realised a little while ago that I liked you way more than a friend. It was there from the beginning but since that night you stayed over…well, I’ve been thinking about you more and more. When the house came up, I saw it as the perfect chance to bring you closer into my life. With you saying yes, I felt hope for the future.’
I smiled at her.
‘When you were waiting in the house that day-the day we got a yes on the offer and you surprised me with wine, cake and balloons…well, I knew then, Cass. I’m in love with you. I want to start a future with you in Hope House, Cass. Say yes and let’s make this façade real. I love you, Cass. Tell me you love me too?’
‘Oh, I do, Allie. More than you’ll ever know. I love you. I want everything you’re offering…the house, marriage, children…all of it.’
She smiled at me and pulled me close. ‘We’re going to have the most amazing future together, Cass.’
‘I
know,’ I replied happily. ‘My life’s been amazing since I met you.’
‘Ditto,’ she murmured happily.
She lifted her head and gazed down at me. We smiled into each other’s eyes and the love she had spoken of was apparent in her green depths.
‘I love you, Cass.’
‘I love you too, Allie.’
Epilogue
Two years later
‘Allie!’ I called, rushing through the front door of Hope House and dropping my bag in the foyer.
‘I’m in the bedroom!’ she replied.
I rushed up the grand stair case and along the landing to our bedroom. We had chosen the master bedroom with the best views of the bay to sleep in. It was a wonderful room, full of light and airiness.
‘Hello wife!’ I said happily.
‘Hello, wife!’ she replied, never tiring of our usual greeting.
We had been married on the beach a year ago now and had been loving every minute of married life.
‘I have some news,’ I told Allie, barely able to contain the grin on my face.
‘You do? You went to the doctor?’ she asked, her eyebrows raising high.
‘Yes!’
‘And?’ she prompted.
‘He confirmed it! I’m pregnant!’
Allie let out a sound of pure pleasure and lifted me into her arms with a squeal of delight. ‘Oh Cass, this is excellent news!’
‘I know! I didn’t want to assume just by the test but he said I needn’t have booked the appointment really…if the line says yes, then it’s definite. He says they’re very accurate these days.’
‘Is that true?’ she asked frowning.
‘Yeah…why?’
‘Well, I realised this morning that I felt sick again…I have been for two days running so I wondered if maybe it had happened for me too,’ she said quietly.
Allie and I had been inseminated together. We both wanted a baby and had both wanted to carry a child so we had decided to do it together. ‘Well, have you done a test?’ I asked.
‘I did, just before you came home.’
‘And what did it say?’
‘I haven’t been brave enough to look yet,’ she said, frowning.