Beyond the Family Ties

Part 22

After the first night, they slipped back into their usual rapport, the easy nature of their friendship coming back to them as the distance between them was closed. It wasn't the same, being in different countries, no matter how often they talked on the phone, or video called each other. Being together was like feeling whole, the hollow loneliness filled by the warmth that Freen brought to Becky. It was like she came alive in the presence of her friend, her laughs quick to come, smiles ever-present, and a light in her eyes whenever she glanced over at Freen. Laurel was likewise excited, coercing dozens of hugs and cuddles off of Freen, begging her for bedtime stories every night, and insisting on holding her hand whenever they went out. For the first time in weeks, Becky felt normal again.

She took them to do all the typical touristy things, making Freen pose before the gates of Buckingham Palace, standing down the street from Big Ben and laughing as she tried to take a photo that made it look like Freen was holding it by the top. They went for high tea three times, having proper grown up tea parties with Laurel, who thoroughly enjoyed the finger sandwiches and little fruit tarts as they poured tea out of the fine china teapot. Becky ordered all the best takeout that London had to offer, and even let Jack babysit Laurel for the evening when her offered, taking Freen to the local pub her and Jack went to to discuss work sometimes. They drank cider and sang karaoke, and later on that night, they stumbled back to Becky's apartment in the light drizzle, drunkenly thanking Jack and collapsing into bed next to each other. Nothing happened, but even through the heavy-lidded eyes and the fogginess in her mind, Becky's whole body hummed with the tension between them. She found it hard to sleep that night.

One of the biggest moments of relief for Becky was when they were talking late into the night, nursing glasses of wine as they huddled up underneath the blanket, a pizza abandoned on the coffee table, and mention of Imra came up. She didn't even know how much it'd been bothering her, until Freen mentioned that Imra had brought her new girlfriend bowling with everyone, and Becky had choked on a mouthful of red. Turning it into a muffled cough, she made a raspy excuse at the wine having gone down the wrong way, and felt herself perk up slightly, tension she was unaware of fading from her body as she settled back against the pillows. She'd been afraid that she was going to lose her friend to one of her other friends, and she hated to admit it, but she'd been mildly jealous at the idea of being left out. That's the assumption she came to at any rate, and she had no other reason to think anything more of it.

By the time the two weeks were up, they'd been to every major tourist attraction, Freen had become invested in Coronation Street , and Becky found herself growing agitated as the day of departure drew nearer. Unwilling to let it show that she was already secretly mourning Freen's leaving, Becky grew terse and flippant over the last couple of days, unable to speak more than a few words at a time in fear that she'd give herself away with a tremble in her voice. The day that she left, she managed to muster some fake enthusiasm though, her eyes holding a bright shine, her smile bordering on looking too forced, and she babbled the entire way to the airport, trying to keep the tense awkwardness at bay as they.

She left Laurel with Jack again, at his insistence, as if her sensed that she'd need the ride back into the city to compose herself, and her daughter had already said her tearful farewell while Becky avoided being in the room, excusing herself to take Freen's suitcase down to the car, even though Jack offered to lug them downstairs for her. He'd been a frequent visitor, popping in and out of the apartment to drop off some work for Becky, or joining them for a roast dinner at their pub, and he hugged Freen goodbye before they left for the airport. Seeing how good he'd been to Freen, and how flexible he'd been about work, had made Becky warm to him a bit more, and she found herself trusting him more than she'd originally anticipated. It was a small relief to her to know that this time she wouldn't be alone after saying goodbye to Freen.