by Anna Samuels
She looked down and then away, ‘Yes…I’ll forgive you,’ she replied quietly.
A small glimmer of hope flooded through me.
‘I guess you want to go back to being friends then? I guess that would be the easiest thing…’
‘No!’ I exclaimed hotly.
‘No?’ she asked frowning.
‘I don’t want to be friends with you!’
‘Then what do you want?’ she asked, exasperated.
‘I want everything!’ I told her. ‘Alex…this has taken a long time for me to come to terms with and to figure out how on earth to tell you but here goes…’ I took a deep, steadying breath, ‘I love you…I’ve loved you since the moment I first met you here at the beach. The moment our eyes met I felt it and I’ve been fighting the urge to tell you ever since. You’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. You make me laugh, I find your personality incredible and you’re simply the most gorgeous woman I have ever set eyes on. I love you…and I want more than a simple friendship.’
One, single tear made its way down Alex’s cheek slowly. I reached my hand to brush it away gently, mirroring one of the first ever physical contact’s we had shared.
‘You love me?’ she asked softly.
‘I love you,’ I confirmed.
‘You’ve loved me all along?’ she asked.
I nodded. ‘I have.’
‘Why didn’t you just tell me?’ she asked, emotionally.
‘I’ve been wondering the same thing myself…I think because I was scared. I was scared and I didn’t know why. I now realise I was scared of giving myself up to love wholeheartedly in case I lost you…I couldn’t bear to lose you Alex but I also couldn’t give up without the chance to give this a go and see what might be there between us.’
‘So…why this reversal? Why aren’t you scared anymore?’ she wondered.
‘I just…I just can’t go another day being apart from you Alex. I’ve missed you terribly for the past few days. I couldn’t think why I hadn’t tried to tell you sooner. I messed up…but I’m hoping you can find a way to forgive me and give us a chance to try again?’
Alex looked at me for a long moment, her eyes intense on mine. ‘Ally…do you have any idea…do you have any clue how long I have been waiting for you to say those three magical words?’
I stared up at her, eyes wide.
‘I have been in love with you since the day we met too. It’s grown stronger over time but I didn’t want to scare you away with being too intense too quickly. If I had any idea you were feeling the same way, I would have told you sooner. I wasn’t sure though…I think maybe we were both at fault for not communicating with each other properly.’
I nodded, still feeling dumbfounded after hearing her say she loved me.
‘I want our argument to be over, I want to start again and this time with complete openness and honesty about how we’re feeling.’
‘I can do that,’ I whispered.
She took my waist with her hands and pulled me closer gently. ‘I am totally and completely in love with you, Ally.’
I held her wonderfully, deep eye contact and smiled up at her. ‘And I am totally and completely in love with you too, Alex.’
She smiled. ‘So…?’
‘I know,’ I said, reaching into my coat pocket. I pulled out some mistletoe and held it up above our heads. ‘Happy New Year,’ I murmured.
‘Happy New Year,’ she replied.
As her head lowered, I closed my eyes in anticipation. Our lips met in a gentle, exploratory kiss, tentative at first as we rediscovered one another. Slowly, the kiss deepened until our mouths were moving erotically, our tongues dancing in unison. I had to hold on to her tightly to stop from swaying uncontrollably. When she lifted her head, I felt dizzy and lightheaded.
‘Ah Ally…I wasn’t anticipating this tonight…’
‘I know…but I think it’s the right time now-don’t you think?’
‘Most definitely,’ she agreed. ‘Let’s not waste any more time being apart, hey?’
I nodded, ‘Absolutely!’
‘So…are we going back to yours?’ she asked.
I smiled, ‘I hope so.’
Alex smiled back at me. ‘Come on gorgeous…let’s go home.’
I took her hand feeling exuberantly happy. ‘Yes,’ I replied simply.
Chapter 35
Happy ever after
Alex drove us home and we were quietly sombre on the way back. When we reached the house, we walked inside and before I could turn a light on or even drop my bag, Alex took my hand and turned me to her.
‘I’ve missed you so much,’ she murmured, kissing me gently.
I sighed against her mouth and kissed her back eagerly. ‘I’ve missed you too, Alex.’
‘I’ve been racking my brains wondering how to get you to see sense but in the end it was you who came to me!’
I smiled. ‘Yeah…I think I just needed a little time to become brave enough to tell you.’
Alex lifted her head and looked down at me. ‘You know you’re going to have to tell me again and again and again,’ she smiled.
I met her eyes and felt myself melting with love. ‘I’ll tell you as often as you like, whenever you like.’
‘I love you, Ally.’
‘I love you too Alex.’
Our mouths met and we kissed long and slow. When the kiss became heated, Alex took my hand and led me up the stairs. Falling onto the bed together, we made love for hours, showing each other the tenderness that we had both been feeling for so long. I fell asleep in Alex’s arms feeling happier than I had ever been in my entire life.
I woke briefly sometime later as I felt Alex’s lips on mine. She kissed me softly, her mouth gentle and loving.
‘Happy New Year, Ally.’
‘Happy New Year,’ I replied sleepily.
‘Go back to sleep,’ she murmured.
‘I love you,’ I told her in the darkness.
‘I love you too,’ she assured me.
I fell asleep feeling happy, content and loved.
The following morning, I woke with a start, panicked that it had all been a dream. When I saw Alex lying next to me, I relaxed immediately and smiled to myself as the memories from the previous night came flooding back.
Alex slept peacefully, her face relaxed in repose. I felt an overwhelming flush of love flooding through me for her and so happy that everything had worked out well in the end.
As she woke, I smiled at her happily.
‘Hey…’
‘Hey!’ she smiled, blinking sleepily.
I held her eyes as we shared a quiet moment of connection.
‘Happy?’ she asked quietly.
‘I’m very happy,’ I told her.
‘Me too… I don’t it has quite sunk in yet though!’
‘I know…I woke panicking that it was all a dream!’ I told her with a chuckle.
‘Oh no…most definitely not a dream. Although I know what you mean…’
‘Hey! It’s New Year’s Day!’ I exclaimed.
‘Oh yes! Happy New Year!’ she grinned.
‘Happy New Year! We’ll be seeing your Mum later!’
‘We will?’ she asked frowning.
‘Oh yeah! I didn’t get the chance to tell you! She came to see me yesterday!’
‘She did?’ Alex looked surprised. ‘About what?’
‘About us!’ I told her wide-eyed.
‘Us?’
I nodded. ‘She was really angry with me.’
‘No way! I can’t believe she came to see you!’
I nodded, ‘She had every right to though…and what she was saying was spot on!’
‘What did she say?’
‘She demanded to know why I had hurt you and wanted to know what I was going to do about it!’
Alex sat up in bed slowly. ‘Is that why you came to see me yesterday?’
‘No!’ I exclaimed. ‘Of course not! I had been ready to come and see you all day.
I was just waiting until I could get you on your own. I told your Mum that and explained how I felt about you and everything immediately changed.’
‘Oh really? How so?’ she asked, looking intrigued.
‘Well, when I told her that you were everything to me and what I had in mind for the future, she hugged me and gave me her blessing.’
‘The future eh?’ she said with a teasing smile.
I shrugged, ‘Well, yeah…’
‘We haven’t talked about that yet…’
‘No. We haven’t. I hope we can though,’ I said hopefully.
‘Of course we can, Ally! I love you. I want a future with you with everything you have to offer me.’
‘Really?’ I smiled.
‘Of course!’
‘I don’t mean immediately but I’d like to get married and maybe have a family.’
Alex literally beamed back at me. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’
‘You want those things too.’
She nodded, happily. ‘I’m desperate to have those things, Ally. To have them with you…well, it’s like every Christmas for a lifetime has come at once!’
I moved across the bed to hug her close. ‘Do you know how happy you’re making me?’ I murmured softly.
‘Just about as happy as you’re making me, Ally.’
I held her close and savoured the moment. Alex had become everything to me and was offering me the future I was dreaming of. I couldn’t have felt more content and settled than in that moment.
When Alex released me, she was smiling.
‘Right! Come on, we don’t have long!’
‘Till what? For what?’ I asked with a confused frown.
‘Till we go to work…for making love before we go!’
‘Oh! Are we opening today?’ I asked, faintly disappointed.
‘Oh yeah…New Year’s Day is a big one! We better had…come here though, we have a little time for some shenanigans,’ she giggled.
I laughed aloud, throwing my head back. ‘Shenanigans!’ I chuckled. ‘And I don’t think I’ve ever heard you giggle like that before!’
‘Less talk, more action,’ she instructed, pulling me down to the bed and kissing my neck.
‘You don’t have to tell me twice,’ I murmured and gave myself up to her ministrations.
A little while later, we both reluctantly got ourselves up and ready. We did it with a smile on our faces though and mine hadn’t faded by the time we made it down to the beach. We walked hand in hand up the path and towards the gallery. Alex waited while I let myself in and then stepped in herself. She pulled me close and kissed me long and slow. I pressed myself against her and kissed her back.
‘I’ll come back soon,’ she promised, lifting her head.
‘Good…Alex?’ I said as she went to leave.
‘Yes?’
‘I love you,’ I told her and smiled.
She smiled, the light touching her eyes. ‘I love you too, Ally.’
‘See you later.’
‘Yeah…see you later.’
Once Alex had gone, I found I couldn’t settle to anything, not even my painting. I paced the small gallery, rearranging displays and smiling to myself, remembering the night before. I kept reliving all the wonderful moments we had shared in the last twenty four hours and thinking to myself how lucky I was.
At ten to twelve, I was pleasantly interrupted by a visit from Laurie and the kids. They walked in bringing smiley, faces with them.
‘Hello!’ Laurie called brightly.
I smiled at her and gave her a hug. ‘Hello! Good to see you down here!’
‘I couldn’t help myself!’ she said laughing. ‘I’m so anxious to hear how it went with Alex! Come on! Spill!’
I grinned happily and met her eyes.
‘Oh my goodness!’ Laurie declared. ‘It went well?’ she questioned.
I nodded. ‘It did…it went really well,’ I said smiling from ear to ear.
‘Tell me everything! In minute detail!’ she cried gleefully.
‘Okay! Okay! Let me just give the kids a hug!’
‘Okay,’ she said smiling.
‘Hey Zachy! How’s you?’ I said after giving him a quick hug
‘I’m fine thanks, Ally…what’s Mummy talking about?’ he asked.
‘Oh we were just talking about Alex,’ I told him.
‘What about Alex?’
‘Well, uh…’ I said, looking questioningly up at Laurie. Laurie nodded and smiled at me. I turned back to Zachary. ‘The thing is…do you remember when you said I should get together with Alex?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Well we are together now. We love each other,’ I told him.
His eyes grew wide. ‘Really?’
I nodded, smiling. ‘Yes…we do. So we’re going to be a couple…you know, like a man and woman who love each other but as a woman and woman who love each other.’
‘Yeah, yeah…I get that,’ he said, like I was stupid. ‘So, are you getting married?’ he asked and then frowned. ‘Can you get married?’
I nodded, smiling. ‘Well yes…I mean not yet, but one day we will get married and you can have a very special part of the wedding.’
‘Ah yes! Can I be a shop man even more now?’ he asked. ‘Now you and Alex are in love, I can play in the café more too!’
‘You can,’ I told him. ‘We just have to check with Alex when it’s okay.’
‘Oh…hey, what do I call her now?’ he asked frowning.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
‘Well, I can’t just call her Alex now!’
You call me Ally,’ I pointed out.
‘No, you’re Auntie Ally,’ he stated, despite not always calling me that.
‘Well you can call her Auntie Alex too if you like,’ I told him.
‘Can I?’
‘Yep! Now, how about a hug for Katie?’ I asked, turning my attention to her.
‘Ally hug me!’ she grinned.
I lifted her into my arms and gave her a cuddle and a tickle. She giggled happily and then squirmed to get away. I placed her down and she sat down on the floor, playing with her wellies.
‘So, how did it happen?’ Laurie asked me as Zachary went to sit on my chair behind the desk.
‘I waited for her last night and then confronted her out by the car. I told her how I truly felt and she admitted she felt the same. We’ve both been feeling the same since day one but neither of us had said anything.’
‘I knew it! I just knew you two were meant to be together!’
‘I really think we are. It has never felt so right, so natural with anyone else before. I’ve never felt love like this,’ I told her smiling.
‘You’re absolutely glowing honey,’ she told me warmly.
‘I’m walking on air today,’ I told her.
‘Did you talk about the future at all?’ she asked.
I nodded, ‘We did, and we’re on the same page there too. Long term we both want the same things-marriage, children etc., etc. but for now we’re just going to enjoy being together I think.’
‘Sounds perfect. Enjoy the relationship for what it is now…’
‘Exactly.’
We were interrupted then as the door opened and Alex walked in.
‘Aunty Alex!’ Zachary called and ran to hug her.
She hugged him back and then looked up at me questioningly.
‘We told Zachary that maybe he could call you Auntie now,’ I told her smiling.
She looked down at Zachary, ‘Yeah, ‘cos you and Ally love each other now.’
She laughed at that, ‘That’s right,’ she smiled. ‘We do,’ she replied, giving me a fond look.
I smiled back and felt butterflies skipping through my stomach merrily.
‘Can I then?’ he asked impatiently.
‘Yes of course,’ Alex told him kindly. ‘I’m very honoured to be your Aunty now.’
‘Will you let me be a shop man?’ he asked eagerly.
‘Sure
! Anytime!’ she told him.
His eyes lit up in excitement and he fist pumped the air. ‘Yes!’
‘You can come over for a bit now, if you like?’
‘Well, we were coming over for a drink and snack anyway,’ Laurie said, ‘so that would be lovely!’ she smiled. ‘Congratulations by the way,’ she said to Alex, smiling knowingly.
‘Thanks,’ Alex replied and accepted the warm hug Laurie offered.
I smiled at them and we all shared a moment where I felt like all the members of my family had come together.
‘We’ll pop back and say goodbye before we leave,’ Laurie promised.
‘Okay. See you soon.’
‘I’ll come by about four,’ Alex told me. ‘We closing up early.’
‘I’ll do the same,’ I told her.
Alex leant over and kissed me softly before leaving with Laurie and her children. I watched her leave feeling somewhat complete with my life. Everything was falling into place in the most wonderful of ways and I felt incredibly happy. I went back to my painting with yet another smile on my face.
I worked until quarter to four and then began to clear up and prepare to leave. I knew Alex would come to collect me soon and I didn’t want to waste one minute more without her.
When Alex arrived, I greeted her by throwing myself into her arms and kissing her hello.
‘That’s a nice greeting!’ she said when we eventually pulled apart.
I smiled up at her, ‘I missed you,’ I told her.
She smiled. ‘We can spend some time together now.’
‘We have to pop into your parent’s house get together,’ I reminded her.
‘Oh yeah…we’ll do it briefly…maybe share our news and then leave. They’ll understand we want to have some time together.’
‘Yes, I’m sure they will,’ I replied.
‘Was Laurie happy about it all?’
I nodded, ‘She was absolutely over the moon for us.’
‘Good. I like Laurie…and the children…I was bowled over by Zachary when he said he wanted to call me Aunty Alex.’
‘I know! He is such a sweetheart. He’s been rooting for us from the beginning though!’
‘He has?’ she smiled.
‘Oh yeah...he asked if we loved each other absolutely ages ago,’ I told her.
