by Jay, Libby
He sent me back a blank message; I’d rendered Fraser Lewis speechless.
*****
From: Fraser Lewis
To: Emily Watkins
Sent: Monday 29th May, 2017 14:26
RE: Leaving the nest
Hey Piglet,
Well, I’ve finally done it, I’ve moved out of home. I bought a two story house in Brighton which overlooks the bay. It’s awesome, I can’t wait for you to see it. Mum and her interior decorator have furnished it for me, in similar tones to my Sydney apartment. The only thing it’s missing is a pool but we can build one later, there’s plenty of room for one.
I also wanted to apologise, I’ve been so caught up with work and other things I haven’t arranged for you to meet my family. It’s time to start that ball rolling. I haven’t forgotten about you, it’ll be sometime soon, probably in June.
We’ll talk soon though.
Fraser.
‘It’s time to start that ball rolling.’ The ball which would ultimately result in me becoming Mrs. Fraser Lewis. The contract stated that sometime after my sixteenth birthday, which had come and six months prior, I would begin to have public outings with the Lewis family. This was so that the media/paparazzi would see me with them socially and wouldn’t be surprised later down the track when Fraser and I started dating and then became engaged.
Now that the time was near, I began to feel some anxiety about it. I had pushed that part of our arrangement to the back of my mind; for the last few years I’d just been the girl who’d won a scholarship. But now, things were going to start getting serious.
*****
From: Fraser Lewis
To: Emily Watkins
Sent: Wednesday 14th June, 2017 20:12
RE: This weekend
Piglet
Just thought I’d email you a brief itinerary for this weekend. Friday night you’ll meet my brothers and their wives at the penthouse apartment in Sydney. We’ll all have dinner together. Saturday we’ll have a family picnic in the park. The weather is supposed to be good. Remember at this stage we’re still just friends so no public displays of affection, if you think you’ll be able to resist me. ;)
Saturday night and Sunday you’re free to do whatever you want.
I’ll see you Friday.
Eeyore.
From: Emily Watkins
To: Fraser Lewis
Sent: Wednesday 14th June, 2017 20:17
RE: This weekend
Eeyore,
I’m looking forward to seeing you again, to put a face to the emails and phone calls. I still picture you as the fresh faced fourteen year old you were when we first met.
From: Fraser Lewis
To: Emily Watkins
Sent: Wednesday 14th June, 2017 20:22
RE: This weekend
I’m twice the man I was then. Looking forward to seeing you too.
I waited for Greg at the pick-up area of school. I kept my eye open for a black car and a man in a black suit, but he wasn’t there. I checked my phone messages and looked further up the driveway to see if I recognised anyone.
A guy standing casually against a parked black car got my attention. We didn’t see too many young men around the school premises.
I watched him for a second before I put my head back down, only to look up again seconds later. He was smiling at me that time. It was his smile that gave it away.
I tilted my head to the side and frowned. “Eeyore?” I said.
He laughed. I recognised his laugh instantly. I stood up, picked up my bag and walked to him. “I didn’t recognise you, Fraser.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He leant down and took my bag from my hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.”
He opened the car’s back door for me.
Once we were on the move, he reached over and took my hand. “It’s really good to see you, you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Well you’ve changed a lot. You’re tall and big and your hair is darker.”
Fraser smiled.
“And your braces are gone.” I looked away from him as I felt my cheeks redden. He was incredibly good looking. His boyish look had completely gone and he was a man, a young man, but a man none the less.
He squeezed my hand. I looked back to him. “Are you nervous about meeting my brothers?”
“Should I be?”
He shook his head.
“I’m not nervous. So far everyone in your family has been nice so why should your brothers be any different.”
“Brothers can be a bit rowdy when they get together.”
“I can handle rowdy.”
Fraser looked down to our hands. He narrowed his eyes when he saw I was wearing his bracelet.
“I wear it all the time,” I said.
“Are you wearing last years’ present?”
I showed him the watch he’d bought me. “Tempus.”
Last year I’d given Fraser my time, and a promise that I’d always be there for him if he needed me.
“Tempus,” he said.
Once we arrived back at the apartment, Fraser reminded me that dinner was at seven and then left. I still had two hours, so I decided to go for a swim.
I loved swimming laps in the pool, in all the years I’d been swimming there, I’d only once had to share it and that was with Georgiana who, for one day, was so inspired by my dedication she decided to join me for a few laps. She never did it again; I guess I wasn’t so inspiring after all.
As I turned and pushed off the end of the pool, someone dived into the lane next to me. My initial reaction was, ‘it’s a five lane pool, why right next to me?’ But it didn’t deter me. I knew my time was almost up anyway. Then there was a big splash next to me and I saw a pair of feet standing in front of me. I stopped swimming and lowered my legs. When I looked up, Fraser was grinning from ear to ear.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hello.” I lifted my goggles from my eyes and put them on top of my head. I tried not to look at Fraser’s chest. For someone who only a few years ago said he didn’t swim or run, he sure did look fit.
“Am in interrupting you?” he asked, still smiling.
“Oh no, you’re actually helping me train for a new idiot-in-the-middle-of-your-lane event,” I said while treading water. The pool was deeper than I was tall.
He laughed and pushed my head down under the water.
When I came up, another guy was standing next to Fraser.
“Hi,” I said looking at him. He had to be one of Fraser’s brothers, the resemblance was uncanny.
“This is Ryan,” Fraser said.
“Hi Ryan, I’m Emily.” I put my hand out to him. But he didn’t shake it because suddenly there were a pair of hands around my legs and I was pulled under the water. I came back up and turned around. Another one of the Lewis brothers stood behind me.
“I’m Chris,” he said, smiling that trademark Lewis smile.
“Hands off my girl Chris,” Fraser said, putting a protective arm around me and pulling me in closer to him. I was still moving my legs, treading water, but in Fraser’s arm I could relax a little bit.
“It’s nice to meet you Chris, I’m Emily.”
“Hello Emily, it’s nice to finally meet you too.”
A loud beeping noise sounded.
“What’s that?” Ryan asked, looking toward the end of the pool.
“It’s my timer,” I explained. “Time for me to start getting ready for dinner.”
“Really? Dinner’s not for an hour,” Ryan said.
“Yes, but under this swimming cap is a head full of curly unruly hair that will need some taming.”
In one swift move, Fraser took my cap off and pushed me under the water. I slowly emerged, giving him my best full blown glare.
He was smiling. “Now you’re going to have to wash it.”
I rolled my eyes and swam toward the edge of the pool. I lifted myself up and out and grabbed my towe
l, fully aware that I had three sets of male eyes watching me. “See you at dinner, boys.”
Lawrence met me at the foyer of the penthouse. He smiled. “Emily, it’s been a long time.”
“It has Lawrence,” I smiled.
Lawrence opened the doors for me and I stepped into the apartment. I heard noise coming from the living room so I headed toward it. Mrs. Lewis was first to greet me with a kiss to each cheek. She smiled down at me.
“I’d forgotten how beautiful you are,” she said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Lewis. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Here she is,” Mr. Lewis said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. He noticed my stance stiffen. “You’re family now, Emily. And we’re a somewhat affectionate family. You’ll have to get used to it.”
“It’s okay, I just don’t get a lot of hugs and kisses.”
“Oh darling, are you feeling lonely?”
I shook my head. “Not at all,” but the truth was I did miss being around people who were affectionate. Kat hugged me occasionally, but there was always stiffness to it and Greg and Georgiana were not affectionate.
“Well you’ll get your fix tonight,” Mr. Lewis took my arm. “Come and meet my sons.”
“We’ve already met,” Chris said from the other side of the room. “Although I almost didn’t recognise you with your clothes on, Emily.” He nudged Fraser. “Your girl’s quite an exhibitionist.”
“At least I don’t go around groping young girls thighs,” I said my face dead serious.
“I didn’t grope you,” he defended.
“There was some definite groping going on.”
A woman with long blonde hair came to Chris’ side. “Moved on from breasts, have you Chris?” She winked at me. “He usually goes for the boobs.”
I looked down at my chest. “I’m a bit lacking in that department,” I said. I looked up at Chris. “You’ll have to stick with my thighs.”
Fraser stood forward. “Or you can keep your hands off her all together.”
The blonde woman was Chris’ wife, Charlotte. We shared the same sort of humour and bounced off each other well.
Ryan’s wife was Susan and they had a small boy called Jake.
Fraser’s eldest brother was Oliver and his wife was Claire. They had two boys, Cameron and Nicholas and a little baby girl, Isla. Oliver wasn’t as jovial as his brothers, but he still possessed that genuine Lewis caring nature, he was just quieter about it.
They welcomed me into their family with open arms.
Not too long after dessert was finished, Fraser came to my side and put his arm around me, lowering his lips to my ear. “Do you want to come back to my apartment?”
I looked at him with wide eyes.
He laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’ve just never seen my apartment and you promised me your time and I want time alone with you.”
I widened my eyes again. He took his arm away from me and stood back, laughing again. He held his hands up. “As friends. Just as friends. I promise.”
I smiled. “Fine.”
Fraser’s apartment was not at all the bachelor pad I was expecting. Other than a large pool table, it was much the same as mine, only his colour scheme was grey, white and black. We shared the same view, water and Opera House.
Fraser handed me a glass of lemonade and sat down next to me on the couch. He took my hand again.
“We need to talk,” he said.
I frowned and put my drink down on the coffee table. “Okay,” I said quietly.
“I umm…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “This isn’t easy.”
“Do you want to end…things?”
His eyes shot open. “No, definitely not.” His grip on my hand tightened as he took a deep breath in. “I have a girlfriend.”
I pulled my hand away from his. “Oh.”
He reached out and took my hand again. “It’s not what you think. It’s purely business.” And there he was, strictly business Fraser, his back straight, his shoulders back, and his face without an ounce of warmth. I hadn’t missed business Fraser. “I can’t go from being a bachelor to meeting you and getting married. The media would be all over it. It’s not easy convincing people that our marriages are legitimate. We have to appear to be normal teenage guys.”
I nodded my head. I clenched my teeth to stop the tears. And yet I didn’t know why I felt like crying.
“Nothing is going to change between us. We’ll be seeing each other a bit more now, a few times a year and it’s only two more years before we can go public.” He shrugged his shoulders, relaxing a bit. “But in the mean time, I’ll be dating other girls.”
I nodded again, unable to speak.
“Emily, Piglet. Talk to me.”
I shook my head.
“Please don’t be upset. It doesn’t change how I feel about you. You’re still my best friend.”
A tear escaped. “I’m a pretty lousy best friend, I can’t even be happy for you that you have a girlfriend.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be happy for me. Like I said, it’s a business arrangement. She needs some media attention and being seen with me in public will give her that.”
“Who is she?”
“Amelia Stone.”
“The actress?”
“Yeah.”
I scowled. “She’s very pretty.”
“Yes she is. But that’s all she is. She has no sense of humour and she didn’t even pass year nine at school. All she can talk about is herself.” He reached forward and tucked one of my curls behind my ear. “She’s got nothing on you.” He wiped the tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Nothing between us is going to change, I promise you that.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Are you okay?”
I smiled a real smile. “Yes, I’m fine.”
He pulled me in and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ll always be your Eeyore.”
I laughed and took a deep breath in. “And I’ll always be your Piglet.”
The Lewis family picnic was just like any other family picnic. We spent the afternoon in the winter sun, eating, kicking footballs and I was even challenged by Ryan to a tree climbing race, which I won in record time. I noticed people hiding behind trees taking photos but Claire told me not to worry, it was fine as long as they didn’t get too close to the children.
It was not long after five when Fraser mentioned he had to get going. It was then that I realised that he was going out with Amelia. I drove with Chris and Charlotte back to the apartment.
“It’s not easy, is it?” Charlotte said sympathetically.
I knew what she was referring to and I didn’t try to pretend I didn’t. “No it’s not.”
“Just remember, you’re the one who’ll get him in the end.”
“What if he falls in love with someone else in the meantime?” I said.
“You’ll still get him in the end. And I don’t think you have to worry about him falling in love with anyone else. I’m pretty sure he only has eyes for you. All I’ve heard about the past two years is Emily this and Emily that. I know every single one of your race results and school grades and you like to run in the morning and swim in the evening.” She drew breath. “You have nothing to worry about.”
But Charlotte’s reassurance didn’t stop me from worrying. Once we got back to the apartment, I said my goodbyes to Fraser’s family and went straight down to the pool to swim. I swam for a long time, enjoying the solitude and washing away the pent up stress from the last twenty four hours.
But I still felt restless. It was close to midnight and I was still wide awake, so I decided to go for a run on the treadmill in the basement gym.
I ran for an hour and surprisingly I felt myself calming down. Then I was very tired.
I entered my code for my floor and the elevator started to move. Then it stopped again at the lobby floor. The doors opened and my eyes met with a beautifully round face framed by long strawberry blonde hair. I knew the face. It was Amelia Stone.
“Hello,” Amelia said as she stepped into the lift.
“Hi,” I said, my voice whisper quiet.
I watched as Fraser entered the code for his apartment.
“You’ve been for a late night run,” Amelia said, looking at my sweaty attire and the towel wrapped around my neck.
“Yes.” I kept my eyes down as the tension in the elevator built. The small space seemed to get smaller and smaller by the second.
“Do you always run late at night?” Why was she talking to me?
“No, I couldn’t sleep.” Why the hell was I talking to her? I forced myself to take a breath.
I heard Amelia giggle and out the corner of my eye I saw her wrap her arms around Fraser’s neck. “We’re not going to be doing much sleeping either,” she whispered, just loud enough for me to be able to hear.
The elevator finally came to a stop at my apartment level. I quickly exited and fumbled with my security key to open my apartment door.
Once I was inside I burst into tears. I couldn’t do this. It was all too much. I couldn’t stay in my bed knowing what was going on in the apartment above me. My future husband…I wanted to be the girl upstairs with Fraser. I felt sick to the stomach. And I knew he’d want to talk to me in the morning and I just couldn’t bear to see him. I went straight to my phone. I called Greg.
“Emily, is everything okay?”
“Yes, I want to go back to the dorms tonight. I’ll be ready to leave in fifteen minutes.” I switched my phone off while I showered quickly and packed my bag.
The dorms were quiet. Too quiet; all I could hear was my blood pumping through my head, along with my anger and frustration and fear and hurt. And yet I didn’t know why I was so hurt. I didn’t love Fraser. I liked him, a lot. He had been a good friend, even though our friendship had been unconventional. But I felt like I could tell him anything and I wanted him to be able to tell me anything. But now he’d be sharing his thoughts and feelings with other girls, while I was still not permitted to even speak to a boy without Fraser’s consent.
As the sun came up and light came in around the curtains of the windows, I got up and put on my running gear. I’d be able to think clearer after running.