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thegirl20Emma hears the door open and she blinks and swallows, determined not to cry. She's deliberately kept the lights low, the candles on the table burning. She hears footsteps make their way through the hall and the living room door slowly creeps open. Terri moves into the room, her eyes landing on the table set for an intimate dinner for two before coming to rest on the figure curled up on the couch.
"Emma, I'm so so-"
"Save it, Terri," Emma says, not willing to listen to apologies. She's listened to them for weeks, and she's been understanding. But today was meant to be different.
"I know I ju-" Terri begins again.
"I said save it," Emma cuts in, standing up. "You were supposed to be here over two hours ago. Dinner's ruined and I'm going to bed."
She nods her head to the blanket at the pillow she's set out at the end of the couch.
"You can sleep out here," she says, moving past Terri on her way to the bedroom. "Happy anniversary."
She walks briskly to the bedroom and closes the door behind her, leaning back against it briefly, trying to stop her body from shaking. She takes a few deep breaths and swallows down the tears that have been threatening to appear all night.
It's their third anniversary. Three years together. Despite all the upheaval at the beginning of their relationship, they still celebrate on the anniversary of the first time they kissed. Which also happens to be the anniversary of the first time they slept together.
Terri's been working hard recently, trying to get her new store ready for opening. Emma's been understanding, she really has. Even though she misses spending time with Terri in the evenings, she gets that this is important and she hasn't complained about the amount of time Terri's been spending at the store. Until tonight. Emma made it very clear that she expected Terri home straight after her shift at Sheets 'n' Things, and that they would be having dinner at seven sharp. Terri didn't show up until after nine.
Emma sighs and pushes herself off the door, unzipping her dress and letting it drop to the carpet, not bothering to pick it up and fold it. She gets into her pyjamas, ignoring the new silky negligee she'd planned to wear this evening. She climbs into bed and pulls the covers over herself, burying her face in the pillow.
After a few moments, the bedroom door opens and Emma stiffens. She doesn't want a confrontation. The lights are off, but she hears Terri move to her side of the bed and open the drawer to get her own pyjamas out. She waits, holding her breath, to see if she'll get into bed.
When Terri moves away again, Emma's not sure if she's relieved or disappointed. Both, probably. She doesn't have time to contemplate it for long, as Terri comes to her side of the bed and sits on the edge. Emma turns over so that her back is to Terri. A hand comes to rest on her hip, through the blanket and she tenses.
"I know you don't want to hear this," Terri begins, her voice soft. "But I am so sorry. I...I'd left something at the store that I needed to pick up and when I got there I saw stuff that needed done and before I knew it, two hours had passed."
Emma swallows against lump in her throat, still unwilling to talk to Terri.
"I should've been here, there's nowhere else in the world I would've rather been than here with you. I just..." Terri's voice is a whisper now. "I want the store to work so badly...I want you to be proud of me."
Emma bites her lip, closing her eyes. She wants to tell Terri she is proud of her and always will be, no matter what she does. But she can't. She's hurt and she has every right to be. She remains silent, tears very close to the surface. Terri squeezes her hip once before removing her hand. She misses the warmth of it immediately.
"I know we said we weren't doing gifts because money is tight," Terri says. "But...this is just a little thing that I wanted to give you. I'll leave it here and I'll see you in the morning."
Emma's breathing is coming quickly and she knows that Terri must know she's close to crying. But she holds it together until she hears the door click again. She turns her face into the pillow, letting her tears loose for the first time this evening.
When she's cried out, she dries her eyes and turns over, switching on the lamp, curious to see what Terri has left. She's surprised to see what's lying there. It's a small sketchbook that Terri's been carrying around for weeks, flicking it open at all times of the day and night and making quick pencil movements. Emma had assumed it was filled with sketches of the store set-up, or ideas for craft projects for the classes Terri's going to run.
The book is bound in green leather and Terri has tied it closed with a pink ribbon. Emma reaches out and runs her fingers over its surface before picking it up and pushing herself into a sitting position. She tugs on the ribbon, the bow giving way easily. She opens the book to the first page. It's a note, written in Terri's handwriting.
Emma,
I wanted to give you something that shows you what you mean to me, so I thought I'd capture the little moments that I love that are so easy to miss or forget or disregard. I hope you like it.
All my love, always.
Terri.
Emma's hands are shaking now as she traces her thumb over Terri's signature. A single tear makes its way down her cheek as she turns the page. She gasps. There'a sketch of herself, sitting on the couch. Her legs are curled under her and she has paperwork on her knee and a cup of tea in her hand. It's perfectly her. She smiles as she turns to the next page. This one is her and Abby in the garden, watering the plants with their matching gloves and aprons on. Every page has captured some aspect of her life to perfection. Some of them are pencil drawings, some have been filled in later with watercolours. Some are finished off with pastels. Every page is brimming with love and Emma can barely see because of the tears in her eyes.
The last drawing in the book is a little different. She recognises it; it's been drawn from a photo that Quinn took of Emma and Terri during one of their family Friday nights. They're on the couch, ostensibly watching a movie, but their eyes are all for each other. Terri's arm is around Emma's shoulders and Emma's arm is draped across Terri's stomach and their noses are touching. Emma covers her mouth. She flicks to the very last page, where there's another note from Terri.
I hope to fill many more sketchbooks in the years to come.
T.
x
Without another thought, Emma throws back the covers, clutching the book to her chest. She hurriedly glances at herself in the mirror and wipes the worst of the tears from her face. Then she heads out, along the hallway and into the living room.
Terri's left a lamp on so there's a little light. She can see Terri on the couch with the blanket over her. She approaches, putting the book down on the coffee table as she does so.
"Move over," she says, without preamble.
Terri looks up at her in confusion, but obeys; shifting to make room for Emma alongside her on the couch. She lifts the blanket and Emma climbs underneath, stretching herself out beside Terri, her back against Terri's front. Terri's arm comes around her waist, tentatively and she snuggles back into her embrace. They lie in silence for a few moments.
"So," Terri begins. "You realise that making me sleep on the couch is less of a punishment if you actually sleep with me?"
Emma smiles, but doesn't turn around.
"Hmph," she huffs. "I wanted to be angry at you. And then you have to go and be completely wonderful and I can't stay mad. It's infuriating."
"Well, I'm sorry for being completely wonderful," Terri says, amusement clear in her voice.
"So you should be," Emma retorts.
"I take it that you looked at the present?" Terri asks.
"Mmmhmmm," Emma says. "It couldn't be more perfect. I love it."
Unable to stop herself, she turns over and kisses Terri tenderly.
"And I love you," Emma says, grudgingly.
Terri laughs in relief.
"I love you too. And I really am sorry about today," she says, her face becoming serious.
Emma sighs.
"I know you are," she admits. "And I know you didn't do it on purpose."
She looks up into Terri's eyes.
"And I am proud of you. It doesn't take a store, or anything other than you being you, okay?" she says, earnestly.
Terri leans forward and kisses her.
"Thank you," she whispers, moving to kiss her cheek, her neck, her shoulder.
Emma catches her chin and brings her back up with a stern look.
"No. There will be none of that," she warns. "I'm still punishing you."
Terri nods, her lower lip protruding slightly.
"Okay, but can you punish me in our bed?" she suggests.
"No, you're sleeping on the couch," Emma says, decisively turning back over and getting as comfortable as she can in the small space. "It just so happens I'm sleeping here with you."
Terri pulls her in tighter against her body.
"I can deal with that," she concedes. "Happy anniversary, baby."
Emma smiles.
"Happy Anniversary."
"Emma, I'm so so-"
"Save it, Terri," Emma says, not willing to listen to apologies. She's listened to them for weeks, and she's been understanding. But today was meant to be different.
"I know I ju-" Terri begins again.
"I said save it," Emma cuts in, standing up. "You were supposed to be here over two hours ago. Dinner's ruined and I'm going to bed."
She nods her head to the blanket at the pillow she's set out at the end of the couch.
"You can sleep out here," she says, moving past Terri on her way to the bedroom. "Happy anniversary."
She walks briskly to the bedroom and closes the door behind her, leaning back against it briefly, trying to stop her body from shaking. She takes a few deep breaths and swallows down the tears that have been threatening to appear all night.
It's their third anniversary. Three years together. Despite all the upheaval at the beginning of their relationship, they still celebrate on the anniversary of the first time they kissed. Which also happens to be the anniversary of the first time they slept together.
Terri's been working hard recently, trying to get her new store ready for opening. Emma's been understanding, she really has. Even though she misses spending time with Terri in the evenings, she gets that this is important and she hasn't complained about the amount of time Terri's been spending at the store. Until tonight. Emma made it very clear that she expected Terri home straight after her shift at Sheets 'n' Things, and that they would be having dinner at seven sharp. Terri didn't show up until after nine.
Emma sighs and pushes herself off the door, unzipping her dress and letting it drop to the carpet, not bothering to pick it up and fold it. She gets into her pyjamas, ignoring the new silky negligee she'd planned to wear this evening. She climbs into bed and pulls the covers over herself, burying her face in the pillow.
After a few moments, the bedroom door opens and Emma stiffens. She doesn't want a confrontation. The lights are off, but she hears Terri move to her side of the bed and open the drawer to get her own pyjamas out. She waits, holding her breath, to see if she'll get into bed.
When Terri moves away again, Emma's not sure if she's relieved or disappointed. Both, probably. She doesn't have time to contemplate it for long, as Terri comes to her side of the bed and sits on the edge. Emma turns over so that her back is to Terri. A hand comes to rest on her hip, through the blanket and she tenses.
"I know you don't want to hear this," Terri begins, her voice soft. "But I am so sorry. I...I'd left something at the store that I needed to pick up and when I got there I saw stuff that needed done and before I knew it, two hours had passed."
Emma swallows against lump in her throat, still unwilling to talk to Terri.
"I should've been here, there's nowhere else in the world I would've rather been than here with you. I just..." Terri's voice is a whisper now. "I want the store to work so badly...I want you to be proud of me."
Emma bites her lip, closing her eyes. She wants to tell Terri she is proud of her and always will be, no matter what she does. But she can't. She's hurt and she has every right to be. She remains silent, tears very close to the surface. Terri squeezes her hip once before removing her hand. She misses the warmth of it immediately.
"I know we said we weren't doing gifts because money is tight," Terri says. "But...this is just a little thing that I wanted to give you. I'll leave it here and I'll see you in the morning."
Emma's breathing is coming quickly and she knows that Terri must know she's close to crying. But she holds it together until she hears the door click again. She turns her face into the pillow, letting her tears loose for the first time this evening.
When she's cried out, she dries her eyes and turns over, switching on the lamp, curious to see what Terri has left. She's surprised to see what's lying there. It's a small sketchbook that Terri's been carrying around for weeks, flicking it open at all times of the day and night and making quick pencil movements. Emma had assumed it was filled with sketches of the store set-up, or ideas for craft projects for the classes Terri's going to run.
The book is bound in green leather and Terri has tied it closed with a pink ribbon. Emma reaches out and runs her fingers over its surface before picking it up and pushing herself into a sitting position. She tugs on the ribbon, the bow giving way easily. She opens the book to the first page. It's a note, written in Terri's handwriting.
Emma,
I wanted to give you something that shows you what you mean to me, so I thought I'd capture the little moments that I love that are so easy to miss or forget or disregard. I hope you like it.
All my love, always.
Terri.
Emma's hands are shaking now as she traces her thumb over Terri's signature. A single tear makes its way down her cheek as she turns the page. She gasps. There'a sketch of herself, sitting on the couch. Her legs are curled under her and she has paperwork on her knee and a cup of tea in her hand. It's perfectly her. She smiles as she turns to the next page. This one is her and Abby in the garden, watering the plants with their matching gloves and aprons on. Every page has captured some aspect of her life to perfection. Some of them are pencil drawings, some have been filled in later with watercolours. Some are finished off with pastels. Every page is brimming with love and Emma can barely see because of the tears in her eyes.
The last drawing in the book is a little different. She recognises it; it's been drawn from a photo that Quinn took of Emma and Terri during one of their family Friday nights. They're on the couch, ostensibly watching a movie, but their eyes are all for each other. Terri's arm is around Emma's shoulders and Emma's arm is draped across Terri's stomach and their noses are touching. Emma covers her mouth. She flicks to the very last page, where there's another note from Terri.
I hope to fill many more sketchbooks in the years to come.
T.
x
Without another thought, Emma throws back the covers, clutching the book to her chest. She hurriedly glances at herself in the mirror and wipes the worst of the tears from her face. Then she heads out, along the hallway and into the living room.
Terri's left a lamp on so there's a little light. She can see Terri on the couch with the blanket over her. She approaches, putting the book down on the coffee table as she does so.
"Move over," she says, without preamble.
Terri looks up at her in confusion, but obeys; shifting to make room for Emma alongside her on the couch. She lifts the blanket and Emma climbs underneath, stretching herself out beside Terri, her back against Terri's front. Terri's arm comes around her waist, tentatively and she snuggles back into her embrace. They lie in silence for a few moments.
"So," Terri begins. "You realise that making me sleep on the couch is less of a punishment if you actually sleep with me?"
Emma smiles, but doesn't turn around.
"Hmph," she huffs. "I wanted to be angry at you. And then you have to go and be completely wonderful and I can't stay mad. It's infuriating."
"Well, I'm sorry for being completely wonderful," Terri says, amusement clear in her voice.
"So you should be," Emma retorts.
"I take it that you looked at the present?" Terri asks.
"Mmmhmmm," Emma says. "It couldn't be more perfect. I love it."
Unable to stop herself, she turns over and kisses Terri tenderly.
"And I love you," Emma says, grudgingly.
Terri laughs in relief.
"I love you too. And I really am sorry about today," she says, her face becoming serious.
Emma sighs.
"I know you are," she admits. "And I know you didn't do it on purpose."
She looks up into Terri's eyes.
"And I am proud of you. It doesn't take a store, or anything other than you being you, okay?" she says, earnestly.
Terri leans forward and kisses her.
"Thank you," she whispers, moving to kiss her cheek, her neck, her shoulder.
Emma catches her chin and brings her back up with a stern look.
"No. There will be none of that," she warns. "I'm still punishing you."
Terri nods, her lower lip protruding slightly.
"Okay, but can you punish me in our bed?" she suggests.
"No, you're sleeping on the couch," Emma says, decisively turning back over and getting as comfortable as she can in the small space. "It just so happens I'm sleeping here with you."
Terri pulls her in tighter against her body.
"I can deal with that," she concedes. "Happy anniversary, baby."
Emma smiles.
"Happy Anniversary."
no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 05:27 pm (UTC)