by A. E. Radley
“Blight?”
Emily chuckled. “I don’t know much about pig farming… Okay, the pigs are sick and the business isn’t making money. But let’s say Michael’s younger brother really wants a helicopter.”
“He’s got one.” Olivia assured.
Emily sighed and took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s say he wants a speedboat, a frivolous, unnecessary expense. Pig farmers don’t need speedboats, right?”
“Right,” Olivia agreed quickly. “He’s over a hundred miles from any water source.”
At Emily’s pointed look Olivia shut up and silently inclined her head in understanding.
“So, Michael has to say no, his brother can’t have a speedboat. But what if you came along with a pig ornament one day and said “Oh, sure, why not? Buy a speedboat, it’ll be fun” Then where would Michael be?”
Olivia looked horrified by the notion. “But that would be foolish because the business would be in trouble with the pigs having…blight.” She shook her head at the ridiculousness of it. “He should put off any unnecessary expenditure until the business is more secure and they can afford it.”
“Exactly, and Michael would probably not be happy with you for suggesting his brother could have a speedboat, would he?”
“You’re Michael,” Olivia said with understanding. “Henry is the brother. And I’m…me.”
“Yes, and the speedboat is all that hideous giraffe printed merchandise that Henry is pawing at as if his life depended on it,” Emily added with a smile.
“I understand.”
Emily noticed as Olivia’s hands reflexively came together but before Olivia had a chance to pinch the skin, Emily covered her hands with her own. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing.” Olivia swallowed.
“You do that when you want to stop yourself from saying something. Say what it is? It’s okay with me. It will always be okay.”
Olivia took a deep breath before looking over to Henry. “I was just thinking that I still want to buy him the whole store.”
Emily chuckled. “That’s natural, Henry’s ‘pity-me’ look is very tough to ignore.”
Henry let out a huge sigh as he picked up a giraffe ruler and then slowly put it back down again.
“Emily?” Olivia asked softly.
“Yes?”
“Can I wait outside? This is too hard to watch.”
Emily grinned. “Of course, we won’t be long.”
Emily watched as Olivia dejectedly turned and left the shop, then she turned to see Henry sadly cuddle a giraffe toy. She shook her head as she realised she was going to be caught in a lot of these situations if a relationship with Olivia was in the cards. She bit her lip as she thought about how difficult it had been to communicate with Olivia at first, then smiled at the progress they were making. The knowledge that Olivia seemed to have no qualms about embarking on a relationship was a double-edged sword for Emily. On one hand, she was finding it hard to keep her feelings for Olivia concealed. There had been a few times when she had caught herself staring at her, wanting to pull her aside, and kiss her senseless. But on the other hand, she knew she had to keep her wits about her. Life was tough at the moment and she didn’t know if she had the time or the energy to properly devote to a new relationship. She chanced a glance outside the gift shop. Olivia was checking her phone, presumably to distract herself from Henry’s guilt trip. Emily had to admit to herself that she just didn’t know what was for the best and, though she wasn’t aware of it, Olivia Lewis was making it very hard for Emily to ignore her.
Henry tugged on her sleeve. “I’m ready to go now, Mommy,” he said sadly and started for the door.
As heart wrenching as it was to see him upset, she knew that it was the right thing to do and that, within the next ten minutes, he would have forgotten all about the gift shop and would be laughing and smiling again.
* * *
“Henry, get back here!” Emily shouted across the hotel suite, startling Olivia from the book she was reading.
A naked, sopping wet Henry ran into the sitting room with his mother chasing after him.
“Sorry, Olivia,” she apologised as she pursued Henry around various pieces of furniture while Olivia watched the scene unfold in confusion.
“I won’t!” Henry shouted defiantly as he crawled under the large coffee table and curled up in a ball.
“He won’t what?” Olivia asked. She put her book down and watched as Emily sank onto hands and knees and peered under the table at her son.
“Henry, come out right now,” Emily told him firmly before looking up at Olivia. “He doesn’t want to go home.”
“Oh,” Olivia was confused. Henry had been happily talking about flying home the next morning. “What changed?”
“I don’t know,” Emily sighed. “He won’t talk to me.”
“I’m staying!” Henry shouted as he edged away from Emily’s grasping hand.
“Henry” Olivia tried next. “Will you tell me what’s wrong?”
“I’m staying!”
“Henry, come out and finish your bath,” Emily said softly. “Then we can talk about this.”
“No, I’m not going home,” he repeated, quieter this time.
“Is it because you’ll miss the giraffes?” Emily asked.
“No,” Henry said sadly before mumbling something.
“What was that, sweetheart?”
“Olivia,” Henry mumbled.
“I’m here, Henry,” she said.
“Henry, do you want to stay because Olivia is here?” He snuffled an affirmative. “But, Henry,” Emily explained softly. “Olivia’s going back to New York, too. If you stay, she won’t be here.”
“She will later!” Henry said boldly.
Emily looked at Olivia. “Henry, what if we ask Olivia to come to the park with us this weekend?”
Olivia smiled widely and nodded her agreement. “Yes, Henry, that sounds nice.”
Henry awkwardly angled his head out from under the coffee table to look at his mother. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Emily and Olivia nodded in unison.
Henry scrunched up his face and considered it for a moment.
“Okay,” he said, before slowly crawling out from under the coffee table.
Emily breathed a sigh of relief. “Right, let’s get you in the bath again and then it’s bedtime. I’ll read you a story tonight because I’m going to bed at the same time as you because of the early start.”
Emily lifted him up into her arms and mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to Olivia.
“Right,” Emily said as she carried the boy to the bathroom again. “Bath, pyjamas, and then you have to say goodnight to Olivia.”
Olivia watched the two walk away and smiled as Henry looked over his mother’s shoulder at her. She offered him a small wave and he gave her a tiny one in reply.
* * *
It was sometime later when Olivia looked up from her book to see Emily enter the living room.
“I thought you’d gone to bed?” Olivia clipped her bookmark into place.
“I had. I couldn’t sleep,” Emily wrapped the luxurious hotel-issued bathrobe tighter around her and sat next to Olivia.
“Oh?”
“I can’t stop thinking,” Emily paused. “About us.”
“Oh.” Olivia hesitated, knowing that the conversation had to happen eventually. “Can I help with anything?”
Emily laughed lightly. “You could do something to stop me from wanting to kiss you silly right here, right now.”
Olivia felt herself blush. “I’m not sure I’d want to stop you from doing that.”
“I know, and that’s the problem,” Emily sighed.
“This isn’t a game for me,” Olivia looked down at the book in her hands. “I have strong feelings for you and for Henry. I—I know I’m probably not—”
“Don’t! Don’t be self-deprecating.”
“But I know—”
“Don’t,” Emily repeated. “
Because if you do that then I’ll have to tell you how wrong you are and explain how much you mean to me and then I really will kiss you senseless.”
Olivia grinned. “I’m a terrible cook. I have no head for heights, and I can’t draw giraffes.”
Emily chuckled for a moment before turning serious. “I care for you. And Henry is clearly head over heels for you. But…my last relationship…It really hurt him. And his pain hurt me more than anything. Every morning he would ask where she was, when he would see her again. It’s hard enough having a break-up of your own but when you’re five and your other mommy has left…” Emily stood up and walked towards the window to look down at the street. “And the guilt. My God, the guilt. I cannot put him through that again.”
“I’m not her.”
Emily looked at her kindly. “I know. I just want to make sure we’re doing the right thing. Emotions are high. This situation is bizarre. I want to feel normal again. I want to…to…”
“I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about.” Olivia admitted. “But I meant what I said at the zoo. I’m here whenever you are ready. If you want me.”
Emily looked wistfully at Olivia for a few silent seconds before slowly approaching the sofa and crawling closer to her.
“I want you,” Emily whispered before covering Olivia’s mouth with her own and sealing the words with a passionate kiss. Before Olivia had time to get her wits together and respond, Emily pulled away. “And when the time is right, I’m coming to get you.” With a lingering look she turned to leave. “Goodnight, Olivia.”
Olivia exhaled slowly, raising trembling fingers to her lips. “Goodnight, Emily,” she sighed into the air.
CHAPTER 28
Olivia sat on the sofa in her New York hotel room and stared at the coffee table in despair. How had the day had gone so wrong for her? In the last two hours, she had analysed every interaction with Emily, and played over their conversations again and again to try to figure out what had happened.
She twisted her phone over and over in her hands while she waited for Nicole to return her call so she could discuss the situation with her best friend. In the meantime, she reminisced over the morning in London when Henry had been jumping around in excitement about flying home and seeing his friends.
While Emily got ready for work, Olivia had kept Henry occupied and they had spent some time eating breakfast before watching the morning cartoons. Then they had looked out the window to see who could spot the most red double-decker buses.
Olivia gazed speechless at Emily when she appeared. Emily was immaculately presented with perfect hair and makeup and wearing her striking deep purple cabin crew uniform. Of course, Olivia had seen her in her uniform before, but that was before anything had happened between them. That was back when there were disagreements and misunderstandings rather than sweet kisses and longing looks.
Family Emily, with her fondness for casual clothes and light makeup, was markedly different from work Emily. Emily offered Olivia a casual wink as she noticed her prolonged, hungry stare.
Olivia called the concierge and had their bags taken to the awaiting taxi and all three piled in. She instructed the driver to take a route that showed a few London landmarks. Henry’s curiosity ran at a million miles a second while Olivia pointed to buildings and told him interesting facts about them.
With the London Eye standing high and proud on the other side of the river, Henry pressed his face to the glass until Olivia pointed ahead and showed him the Palace of Westminster with Big Ben striking the hour as they drove past.
Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Wellington Arch, and Hyde Park were passed in quick succession and mother and son were silent as they stared in wonder at the sights.
They said farewell to each other at Heathrow airport, and Emily and Henry walked into a staff area. Olivia spent three hours walking around the airport attempting to kill time, suddenly desperate to be reunited with the mother and son duo. Emily had appeared in her life such a short time ago, dressed to perfection in her impressive airline uniform and introducing colour to an otherwise black and white existence. For the first time in years, Olivia had been captivated, she could immediately sense that there was more to Emily and she was eager to learn what that more was.
Olivia had never really seen the appeal of children. Not until she met Henry. The talkative and inquisitive boy had left her little choice but to engage with him, and, as soon as she did, she found him as captivating as his mother. If someone had ever told her that she would relish spending time counting double-decker buses with a child, she would have laughed in their face.
Things had changed for her. In a short space of time, she had gone from being a loner to desiring a family. But not just any family, the White Family, with all their quirks and routines that she couldn’t wait to learn and to be a part of.
The three hours prior to boarding the flight had given Olivia time to realise her feelings and time to reflect on the hectic couple of weeks. Her conclusion was that she simply didn’t want there to be any more time apart, not even three short hours.
However, when Olivia entered the first-class cabin she was confused to note that Emily was nowhere in sight. As Kerry greeted her and offered to take her coat, Olivia saw a man sitting in Henry’s seat. She paused for a moment frowning at the man.
“Is everything okay, Miss Lewis?” Kerry asked.
Olivia snapped out of her stillness and moved to her seat.
Emily appeared in the cabin, escorting another passenger to his seat, before returning to the first-class galley. Soon after, Emily reappeared with a tray of champagne flutes and began to hand them out the passengers, including the impostor sitting in 10K.
When Olivia noticed that Kerry was occupied, she slipped out of her seat and followed Emily into the galley.
“What are you doing in here?” Emily whispered in shock.
“Where is Henry?” Olivia demanded.
“Picking up some duty free,” Emily replied tersely.
Olivia paused for a moment as if deciding whether or not the comment was a joke. Emily continued pouring champagne so Olivia grabbed her elbow and turned her around.
“There’s a man in his seat!” Olivia implored her to understand the seriousness of the situation.
“I know,” Emily said and shrugged her arm out of Olivia’s grasp. “When the passenger was a no-show they offered him an upgrade from premium. Please don’t grab me like that again.”
“But—” Olivia started.
“Olivia, I appreciate what you tried to do but it didn’t work. Now, please, go back to your seat before someone wonders why you’re in here.” Emily looked around nervously.
“Henry is in economy?” Olivia asked.
“Yes, please, go back to your seat.”
“Let me speak to your manager, I can explain—”
“Olivia.” Emily interrupted. “Please go back to your seat. You’re just making this more difficult for me. If anyone sees you here, there will be questions and I really can’t risk my job.”
Olivia clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration before finally nodding her head and turning around to leave the galley.
Olivia sat in her seat and watched as the two flight attendants served the passengers. Her mind whirled for a resolution to the situation, for a way to get the interloper out of Henry’s seat and to bring Henry to the front with her where he belonged.
Emily moved around the cabin with ease as she put hand luggage into overhead compartments and served drinks as if nothing was wrong. Olivia looked at her sharply, surprised that Emily wasn’t outraged at the injustice of the situation.
Before long, the aircraft was taking off from London to begin its journey back to New York. As the nose of the aircraft tipped into the air, Olivia wondered where Henry was and if he was afraid. Her memory unhelpfully provided her with an image of Henry looking terrified on the take-off from JFK. Olivia could feel her breathing constrict as she panicked.
; As soon as Olivia heard the click of the cabin crew’s safety belts, she also undid her own lap restraint and followed Kerry and Emily towards the galley. Kerry entered the galley without seeing Olivia but Emily stopped her in the corridor.
“What are you doing? Go and sit down, the seatbelt sign is still on,” Emily told her firmly.
“You’re up.” Olivia challenged.
Emily blinked at Olivia’s behaviour. “I’m allowed to be. What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going back to the economy section to check on Henry; he doesn’t like take-off,” Olivia hissed.
“I’m well aware. I have someone looking after him.”
“I can’t believe you left him in economy when I could have sorted all of this out.” Olivia shook her head and made a move to pass Emily.
Emily held up her arm to block her way. “He is my son and he is with a member of the cabin crew who I know and trust to look out for him. I assure you that he is fine,” Emily said steadfastly. “Now, please, sit down before I have to inform the captain that you are not complying with regulations.”
“Emily,” Olivia pleaded quietly. “Let me deal with this. I can sort this out. Henry can sit up front, with us.”
Emily took a step forward and stood directly in front of Olivia. “There’s nothing to sort out. Henry doesn’t need a first-class seat in order to be safe and looked after. I know exactly where he is and my colleagues are watching out for him. The only person giving me cause for concern right now is you.”
“But I can—”
“There’s nothing you can do, Olivia.” Emily stared at Olivia’s face in wonder. “What’s gotten into you?”
“How can you not be worried about Henry?” Olivia demanded. “Am I the only person who is willing to sort out this mess?”
“Wow.” Emily blinked. “There it is. You want to wave your money around and fix everything, or at least have it the way you think it should be.”
