Not Everyone || Emily Prentiss

9.

«They say it's real if it comes back
I say it's real if it never left.»

"What's going on?" - Alice asked suddenly.

April's head shot up from her Christmas dinner and she realized both Alice and her husband Liam were staring at her.

"God, sorry. Just a lot on my mind."

"That's an understatement. I've never seen you so quiet." - Alice admonished.

"It's nothing. Mom called earlier, you know how mothers get." - April replied, shrugging.

Alice eyed her carefully before turning to Liam.

"Darling, would you mind getting another bottle of red?"

"Subtle, Al." - he said, shaking his head and getting to his feet.

"Liam, don't leave me!" - the read head pleaded.

"Sorry April, but you know how she gets. Behave." - he whispered, with a wink towards his wife before excusing himself.

April liked Liam. At 6'5" he towered over everyone. He had a relaxed demeanor, his sandy blond hair just a touch too long. In his glasses, he reminded April of an old history professor, with that squint of someone who spent too much time pouring over books. She always thought of him as a gentle giant. She could never imagine him raising a hand against anyone. His ability to temper Alice was an added bonus.

"Spill." - Alice ordered.

April sighed.

"It's nothing Alice, really."

"I wasn't born yesterday April Kipling; that is not a Mom face." - she said, waving her hand in the direction of the younger woman's profile.

She rolled her eyes in response.

"Fine. Cliff notes version is I ran into an old friend, some things were said after the fact, and now they're angry and I'm not sure how to fix it."

"They?"

"Yes, they. I'm not saying anymore."

"Well, you don't have to. How is Emily by the way?"

You have got to be kidding me.

"Alice." - April said in warning.

"Oh calm down, I'm not going to say anything. But seriously, I was at that party, April. You could feel the sexual tension from a mile away."

April balked.

"Sexual tension? You have got to be joking."

"Oh April, come on. You do realize the only person you're fooling is yourself?"

"There's nothing to fool anyone about. There's nothing going on between Emily and I."

"Keep telling yourself that. What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It was so stupid."

"So your plan is to brood for the next few weeks and hope it sorts itself out? How very un-April-like. You're not about to tell me you're afraid of the Dragon Lady are you?"

April bristled.

"No, of course not!"

"Of course." - Alice said with a smirk as she speared a piece of roast turkey.

Liam re-entered with a bottle of wine clutched in his hand.

"Is it safe to approach?"

"Please." - April begged.