The Lady & The Nurse / Shivian

The day after Chapter 17

Dalia put her coffee cup down with a loud bang. She squinted her eyes and rubbed her temples.

She wanted to scream, but Jamie was just a few metres away from her on the carpet in the living room, colouring in his colouring book.

She took a deep breath and spoke in a calm voice, but the anger could still heard. "She kissed you?"

Vivian, who was sitting opposite her with her cup in hands, answered simply with.
" Yes."

Dalia had to take another breath. "And are you happy about it?" Her voice trembled slightly with anger.

" Yes?"

Dalia ripped her eyes open and stared at her. " Are you serious?!...I need a cigarette!" She jumped up from the chair.

"I thought you had stopped?" Vivian spoke calmly.

Dalia wheeled around. "Would you rather I shout at you?"

With that, she stomped off, rummaging in a jacket lying on the sofa. She pulled out a packet of cigarettes, tore open the balcony door and slammed it shut behind her.

Vivian took a sip from her cup. It could have been much worse, she thought to herself.

She looked briefly at her son, who was still engrossed in his colouring book.

Vivian carefully opened the balcony door.

Dalia stood there, clutching the railing, staring out over the rooftops of London.

" Dalia..."

" No! I don't want to hear it! Damn it Vivian! Of all the people in the world, hell even of all the people in London! Why does it have to be her!" She took a drag from her cigarette.

Vivian approached her. "Why don't you give her a chance? She's not a bad person."

The platinum blonde laughed out loud. "Yes, she's great! She only nearly killed my best friend!"

"Could it be that you're projecting something? This hatred you have for Siobhan. Where does it come from? I don't blame her in any way."

Dalia threw away her cigarette and simply continued to stare ahead.

"Dalia, I know you're very protective."

The blonde looked down. "That's just the way it is when your mother dies young, you're the eldest of three siblings and your father cares more about alcohol than his children."

Vivian came a little closer, she now stood next to her. " I know... so what's really going on."

" I....... I don't hate Siobhan, but she reminds me of my own failures..." she looked at Vivian. "... If I hadn't called you, you wouldn't have brought Siobhan out of the pub with you home, and that arsehole would never have attacked you..."

The black-haired woman put her hand on Dalia's. " No one is to blame for what happened, except Roger..... At least try to tolerate Siobhan."

" Does she make you happy?"

Vivian smiled. "Very much."

" Ok then."

The two hugged each other.

" But if she breaks your heart, I'll break her legs!"

" Dalia!"

Siobhan opened her front door.

"Hey Shibby." Mia grinned at her.

"I already regret calling you!"

The redhead laughed. " Don't be a spoilsport." She walked past Siobhan and sat down on the sofa and immediately put her legs up on the coffee table.

Siobhan just raised her eyebrow.

"So what can I do for you? What do you need my advice for?"

The blonde sat down opposite her. " I think you're the only one who can help me."

Mia put her arms on the knocking back of the couch. " Don't make it so thrilled. What's going on?"

Siobhan ran her fingers through her hair.
" Well... I kissed a woman yesterday..."

"No way!" shouted Mia. "Who? .... No, let me guess. It's the nurse who took the blow for you, isn't it?"

Siobhan looked up in surprise.

"HA! I knew it. Charlotte owes me twenty quid!"

Siobhan rolled her eyes.

Mia seemed to be enjoying the whole thing just a little to much. " Man Siobhan I'm proud of you. So the call has been coming from the house all these years.... but you look like you have a problem with it."

" No... it's just... What if this is just a phase?"

Mia sat up straight. " Ok stop. Feelings are not a phase."

Siobhan thought about it for a moment, Mia was right. She just felt so much for Vivian. She was loving, respectful and simply made her feel safe.

"When did you realise that you liked women?" she asked Mia cautiously.

" Well... I was at a house party and that's where I met May. She was just the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. We were both drunk and we kissed. From then on I knew that the feeling I had felt there. No man in the world could ever give me. But then the prom night thing happened and you know the rest of the story."

Siobhan nodded, she still had something on her mind that she wanted to talk to her about. "Mia, I'm scared. If this gets serious with Vivian. And we want to do you know what.... the last time I was intimate I was raped by Roger. How do I get over that?"

Mia was the only one who would understand, after all, she had been through the same thing with Roger. "Don't let that arsehole control your life. I know it's hard to confide in someone again and let yourself fall, especially when something like this has happened. But you don't have to rush things Siobhan. Give it all the time in the world."

"You're right..."

"Of course I am." Mia grinned again. "Is that all? Because I still have a breakfast date with Char."

" Breakfast date?"

Mia stood up slowly. "Yes, I'll make Char some breakfast and bring it to her in bed. She loves fried eggs and biscuits. I, on the other hand, will eat something else." She winked at Siobhan.

"Mia! Just because Charlotte's not here. Doesn't mean you can say anything!"

The redhead just grinned and made her way out. But she stopped and leant towards Siobhan.

"I have to say, though. I'm a bit jealous. I almost had you wrapped round my finger on Halloween. I would have loved to have been your first kiss. Vivian is damn lucky. " she winked at her again and then disappeared.

Not only Vivian is damn lucky, Siobhan thought to herself.