"I'm really craving a potato omelet." Becky says while the three of them were out near the lake.
Lyra and Freen were playing with Zimba. The sight brought a strange sense of comfort and happiness to Becky.
"Me too!" Lyra says jumping into Becky's arms.
"Well, you're in luck, because that's my specialty." Freen says joining them.
Becky places a hand on her chest as if she is offended, "What do you mean? It's my specialty."
"Yes, it is." Lyra says.
"Potato omelet and pasta are my specialties." Becky says.
"Have a contest!" Lyra excitedly announces.
"Should we have a contest?" Freen asks Becky.
Instead of answering Becky sprints back inside.
"Go!" She yells looking back at freen who was frozen on spot.
"Game on." Freen yells back following them inside.
Once it's night and Becky had put Lyra to bed, both Becky and Freen were in the living room.
"She had a great time." Freen says.
"Yeah. She really did." Becky says with a smile.
After they held their gaze for a moment, Freen speaks, "I didn't come here
to intrude on your life."
"I know."
"I came because I needed to understand who my husband was and why he killed himself."
"Of course. I understand."
"I think Saint was murdered."
As soon as Freen says that Becky's smile vanishes replaced with worry.
"Why do you think that?"
"Apparently he had a lot of money
on him when he died.
1.2 million euros.
It was the first time he'd carried that much money."
"How did he have that much money?" Becky asks frowning.
"He'd been laundering money
for some really bad people for four years."
Becky stands up immediately from her spot, and starts pacing back and forth.
"This key was with his things."
"Do you know what it could be for?" Freen asks showing her the key.
"No, I don't know what it could be for."
"He received the last delivery two days before he died."
"Two days?"
"Maybe he was killed for the money, or it was revenge or someone settling a score."
"There are so many lies now, I don't know what to think." Freen says finally her frustration evident in her voice.
"What do you think?"
"That if you think he was killed, I'm helping you find whoever did it." Becky says.
"And then what?"
"We'll think about that later." Becky says before moving on to her bed.
"It's late. Do you want me to go?" Freen asks, since she technically no longer lives here. She had no idea where they stood in case of what happened between them that night.
"No."
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Becky says.
Freen takes it as permission to stay the night as she goes upstairs to her room to sleep.
Barely a moment passes before Freen rushes back downstairs towards Becky,
"Where's my bed?"
"I burned it. And all the ugly explorer outfits you had. And your bird books. I burned it all. " Becky says nonchalantly.
Freen for a moment doesn't know how to react to that. She visibly gulps not knowing what to do now. Is Becky still angry with her? Where was she supposed to sleep?
“Ok. So, will it be too intrusive if I share the bed with you tonight?” Freen asks sheepishly.
“Of course not.” Becky turns to her side and finally looks at her and smiles. Freen feels like she has been offered a lifeline.
“I could take the floor.” Freen suggests.
“No, you’re taking the right side of my bed like how you did the last time.” Becky insists.
Freen remembers that fateful day. The day they shared their first kiss and first of everything and fell out right after.
Becky notices Freen standing there looking slightly awkward until she checks on her.
“Are you...worried something would happen again?” Becky asks and then assures. “I’ll stay on my side, don’t worry.”
But Freen shakes her head and mutters. “I’m not worried. I’m just….I mean I was the one who made the move to kiss you first so… you should be worried...about me..”
Becky chuckles for a bit but then looks at Freen who seems even more awkwardly shy now. She decides they should open up and talk about what happened. “Do you wanna talk about it? Like, what made you kiss me? And what happened after.”
“I didn’t know what came over me..” Freen tries to explain but doesn’t know how to put it.
“Maybe you’re confused. Or maybe you just wanted to experiment kissing a woman or…. kissing your husband’s lover?” Becky shrugs.
“No...not like that. Becky..I-I know that I like you enough to want to kiss you. And have sex with you. I just felt like it then.” Freen admits.
“I like you too, Freen.” Becky smiles but it turns into a sad smile. “But...we both just lost….him and what happened could have been a spur of the moment thing.. Because we were both lonely?”
Becky is right but Freen can’t help but feel the ache of sad dejection.
Becky feels it too but she knows that now is not the right time to get all tangled up in anything sexual with Freen. Friends yes but lovers? Not….yet perhaps? If Freen is not Freen and is a fictional Sam who is a stranger without any connection to her past, yes, Becky would have done all kinds of things with her again already. They can have as much sex until they grow tired of each other. Truth is Becky doesn’t want to grow tired of Freen. Becky wants to be as careful as possible in making sure they both don’t get hurt again.
“I understand..” Freen nods, as she holds in the slight heartache. She tries to cover up her slight disappointment by bringing up something light. “But you did say I should move on already..Remember how you dragged me to a club?”
“Freen, that was Sam who wasn’t a widow.”
“So, I shouldn’t move on then?”
“No, you should, in your own way.” Becky explains. “Everyone has different ways of moving on when they just lost a partner. Some have mindless sex with others. Some start dating a few people casually so they still have time to decide who and what’s best for them.”
“And I can’t do that with you?” Freen blurts out.
“I…” Becky is surprised by Freen's blunt questions so far.
For the first time, Becky is actually…unsure or afraid? It is so unlike her. Becky is so free spirited she would definitely be doing what she advised Freen to do but…. She can’t bring herself to do casual flings and dates with Freen. She probably could do so with others but…..just not Freen. Freen is so much more than that. Instead, she sees Freen just lying next to her, looking and smiling at her dreamily.
And she wonders how long she is going to be able to restrain herself from feeling things with this woman.
She doesn't answer instead they just lay there looking at eachother, until eventually sleep catches up on them.
YOU ARE READING
Hidden
FanfictionUpon her husband's death, Freen discovers that he was leading a double life, one with another woman, Becky. She secretly befriends Becky, to uncover how the affair started and what really happened the night he died. But things don't go as planned. A...
