All Good Things

Chapter 21 - In Need of a Distraction

!!CONTENT WARNING!!

This chapter contains explicit sexual content. Please read with caution.

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Victoria

Poor Adelaide had struggled to get herself both down and back up from the loo. She confided in her that the doctor thought they were due for twins judging by her size and how far along she was. They had been making their way back to the table when Tori spotted the tall elvish woman walking away, leaving Poppy practically slumped in her chair, her hands clasped together in her lap. Garreth looked like he'd been under some kind of spell, glancing back and forth between the direction the woman had sauntered off and Poppy. The two women made it back just in time to hear the tail end of whatever conversation had been taking place between the ginger and brunette.

"Tori's got her work cut out for her fighting that one, that's for sure." Garreth had sounded almost disbelieving. What had they missed?

"I've got my work cut out for me with who?" She helped Adelaide back into her chair, making her way back around to Poppy.

Poppy looked exhausted, her skin having paled and her eyes dark, not at all as lively as when they had walked into the restaurant. She was wringing her fingers, her palms marked with the tell-tale crescent moons of her nails having been dug into them.

"Poppy? Did something happen?" Tori hadn't even had a chance to sit down, resting her hand on Poppy's back which seemed to startle the tiny brunette out of whatever trance she'd been in.

"What? Oh. Tori. I'm sorry, did you say something?" Poppy's eyes held no warmth, and a pit began to grow in Tori's stomach.

She had been fine when they left the table, so whatever had happened had to have been because of that blonde woman she'd seen departing. Was that Eliza?

"Are you okay, love? You seem tense." Tori crouched down, looking up into Poppy's face as she ran her fingers over one of the pale cheeks. "Do you want to head home?"

Poppy nodded, sighing deeply. This was not the Poppy she'd fought so fervently to bring back from the shallows. This was not her Poppy. Tori's heart lurched painfully in her chest. She had been doing so amazingly well at recovering from Eliza's influence, and yet here she was, sullen and likely buried in her own thoughts once again. They were going to have to recover some ground before their trip to Norway, she was sure of it.

"Okay, come on, darling. Let's get you back to the house. I'm sure some nice chamomile tea will make you feel better." Tori stood, taking Poppy by the hand and pulling the tiny brunette to her feet. "Garreth, Addy, thank you both very much for the dinner and drinks. It was an absolute pleasure seeing you both again." She leaned over Garreth's shoulder as they passed, whispering down to him. "I want to talk to you during lunch on Monday."

She had to practically steer Poppy wherever they went she was so absorbed in her thoughts. It bothered Tori, seeing her girlfriend like this. Eliza shouldn't have had such a hold on the small woman. There had to be something else at play, but what it was she didn't know. When they finally made it back to the townhome, Tori pushed gently down on Poppy's shoulders to get her to sit on the couch. She didn't want to leave Poppy alone with her thoughts too long, quickly rounding the corner into the kitchen and flicking her wand to get the tea started before returning.

"Poppy, please tell me what happened. You're not yourself." She placed her hand over the small, sun-kissed ones clasped in Poppy's lap.

"Eliza was there. She tried to convince me to come back, tried to say that..." Poppy hesitated, breathing deeply before her chocolate brown eyes met Tori's. "That she misses me."