Present Day
Gia walked quickly into the crowd, just as Lin was looking away.
Iris went back to the kitchen and picked up a knife, angrily starting to slice a selection of cakes and placing them onto platters with other pastries.
She heard the kitchen door creak
and turned quickly, gasping.
"Gia... I..." grabbing for the knife she moved it out of reach.
Gia laughed.
"Relax. I'm not going to stab you Iris."
The two women stood quietly staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
"That's about the same size."
Picking up a large eclair Gia held it up and inspected it.
"No, actually Lin is a bit bigger, and definitely more girth, don't you think?"
"I... "
"Oh come on. Don't act coy with me Iris. You and I are two of very few people who know my husbands anatomy intimately. I can't play this game with anyone else - so. What do you think?"
She held up the eclair to Iris's face then laughed and bit the end off angrily. "This is good! Want some?"
"Erm, no.. "
"Right answer."
Gia finished the pastry and sucked her fingers locking eyes with Iris. She grabbed a towel and wiped her hands.
"Ok. Let's get one thing absolutely clear here. You may think you've had some intimate relationship with Lin but let me put you straight.
"You had sex with him. That's it.
Believe me, there are thousands of people who think they know him and know who he is despite only meeting him a handful of times. He is an open book yes, but this open book has a whole other library that people don't see unless he lets them in, and to be let in you need to be one of the very chosen few.
I'm one of those lucky ones, but I have worked hard for that privilege, as has Lin with me.
We got into a routine. We both let our guards down.
Strangely you coming along has shocked us both into turning things up again, we needed this bump in the road, and that's all you were."
Iris started to cry quietly. Her head down.
"I am sorry Gia. I don't like what we did."
"Oh come on. Don't pretend to me Iris. Don't pretend you don't relive those 2 nights in your head. You see, I know. I know that no matter whether my husband is having sex or making love. He is always thoughtful. He wouldn't have left you feeling unsatisfied."
Iris took a deep breath.
"You're right. Yes. I do think about him. I think about us in bed when I'm alone, but that's not all it was. He made me feel good about myself, he made me smile. I also think about that when I'm running, when I'm cooking, when I'm doing the laundry. He has left a lasting Lin shaped hole in my heart, and yes I know that there isn't an Iris shaped one in his.
I KNOW that. I KNOW there isn't any room because you occupy all the space. I KNOW it was just sex for him. I may be naive Gia but I'm not stupid."
She turned her back and breathed in deeply, turning slowly back she carried on.
"Look. We made a mistake. I have nothing but absolute respect for you...."
Gia looked at her in disbelief.
"Christ Iris, don't patronise me."
"I do! God Gia, how could I not be amazed by you. You've been to hell and back and are still running a very very successful business, while supporting your amazingly talented husband and looking like a million dollars at the same time! I was never going to win this competition. Ever."
Gia shook her head and laughed quietly.
"You don't do so bad yourself. Do you know you look like I did 10 years ago. Lin said that was part of the reason he was drawn to you. You reminded him of the good times we had in the old days. A word of advice though. Don't get a pixie cut. You will regret it. Our faces are too round."
Iris smiled.
"Noted."
"I guess I've said all I want to say. For the record. I don't hate you Iris."
She turned and started to walk away.
"Gia"
She stopped and turned back looking at Iris expectantly.
"Yes?"
"Thank you. I promise I will never go to the press or go public with any of this."
Gia nodded, and turned to go again.
Stopping briefly at the kitchen door she looked over her shoulder.
"Take care Iris. There is a Lin out there for you."
Iris watched the door swing back into place as she left. Breathing a sigh of relief she quietly whispered.
"No there isn't. He's unique"
Lin was still scanning the room starting to panic.
"Shit Jon, where are they?"
"It's ok! Gia is there look!"
Jon nodded his head towards her as she spotted them both and walked towards them smiling.
"Ok boys?"
Lin looked at her suspiciously.
"Yeah... just wondered where you'd got to?"
"Ah nowhere. Just thought I'd take a look round."
Lin caught her eye and she raised her brow at him.
Jon saw the glance.
"I'm going to go find Niall, catch you later."
He kissed them both quickly and walked away.
Lin looked at her.
"I hope you were nice."
She nodded.
"I said what I needed to say to close this chapter, I will never like her, but I wish her the best."
She grabbed onto his jacket lapels, and breathed out slowly.
He looked at her frowning.
"You ok?"
"Yep. Just wondering if we should sack this party off and go home."
"Oh God are you ok? Of course it's been a long day. You must be feeling shattered. Why didn't you say."
"I'm not shattered Lin. I'm horny. I just need to swing by a shop and pick up some cream first. Got a taste for it."
Lin smiled over her shoulder and turning his head whispered back.
"And what are you wanting to do with that might I ask?"
"Well..... "
She moved her hands to his neck and gently scratched her nails into it. Lin moaned quietly as she carried on.
"I want to eat it. But I need something to dip in it first. I need to make sure the carton is big enough."
Moving her hands further down she fleetingly ran them over his cock, feeling him gently she felt him shiver and start to harden as she touched him.
He gasped.
"Fuck Gia."
"It's also been 2 months since the op. I want you. NOW."
"I... ? So we can...? It won't hurt?"
She leaned into him.
"Yes, once I've sucked you clean I can have that beautiful cock inside me."
Lin's eyes widened.
"And that's exactly where it belongs. You're going to have to shut up now though."
"Why?"
"Because otherwise I am going to explode right here."
She stroked his face gently.
"I love you Lin."
"I love you, and what's more I really really like you."
She laughed quickly, as he smiled at her.
"Ok. Let's go!"
They ran together up the stairs hand in hand laughing.
Jon turned to Niall.
"And they all lived happily ever after."
Niall nodded but turning his head spotted Iris.
"Maybe not all..."
