Finally Feel Good (Book 2)

Chapter 19 - Photograph

" We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
Times forever frozen still. "

'Photograph' - Ed Sheeran

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**8pm**

Emily and Shannon had a cab drop them both off on Kali and John's street, and Emily led Shannon up their garden path to the front door.

"It seems like a really nice neighbourhood around here." Shannon told her, turning away from Kali's front door momentarily to look around the street at the weatherboard houses that were painted brightly and the deciduous trees that lined the streets on either side.

He could imagine that come Autumn, the street would look like a painters pallet, decorated in an abundance of different colours and hues once the leaves started changing and falling to decorate the asphalt.

For a moment, he could actually imagine himself living somewhere like this with Emily and the baby, maybe even possibly another little one; his own?

The whole white picket fence, wife and 2.4 children actually seemed like a possibility for once and within his grasp. He'd never ever imagined himself settled like that with someone before; not even Cara.

Was this what it felt like to truly be happy, content in life and in love with someone?

He started to freak himself out, but was luckily saved by Kali opening the door to them both and greeting them with a cheerful smile.

It was then that he realised he was being asked a question and attained that he hadn't heard a single word of what he was being asked by her.

Shaking his head to clear it, he responded to Kali, "I'm sorry, what did you say? I-I was just taking in your neighbourhood."

"That's OK, Shannon. I just asked if you'd like to come in and if you'd like a beer? John's just in the kitchen at the moment, putting the finishing touches to his dessert."

"He's a dessert man." Emily chipped in.

"Sounds like a man after my own heart." Shannon laughed, "and sure, I'd love a beer."

Kali stood aside to let them both in and Shannon gently guided Emily in with a hand to the small of her back.

They stopped in the hallway and Kali took their coats, hanging them up before calling through to her husband. "John! Emily and Shannon are here!"

"Ok! Tell them to come through to the kitchen. I can't really leave the soufflés right at this second."

"Told you he was a dessert man." Kali rolled her eyes at both Emily and Shannon, who both in turn, laughed back.

"Come follow me." Kali led the way into her kitchen, even though Emily had been round numerous times and knew Kali's house like the back of her hand. It was one of the few places that Jason had actually allowed her to go.

John was stood at the kitchen table with his apron on and flour down the front of it.

"I see you're busy hard at work John." Emily teased him.

He looked up from mixing a bowl and smiled at her. "Emily! It's great to see you. Sorry I can't hug you. I'm right at a crucial point in soufflé making."

"It's fine. I know what you're like when you get engrossed. Oh this is Shannon by the way." Emily introduced Shannon who was stood next to her, as Kali walked to the refrigerator and took out a beer for Shannon.