delicate ~ L.W

Chapter 22: Turning Page

As we get out of Leah's car parked in front of Clovers Cafe, I take a deep breath, still fighting off my own thoughts and memories, hoping today will keep me distracted enough to allow me to function at a normal level. As if she could hear what was going on in my head, Leah takes my hand in hers and just like that, my thoughts settle to a distant murmur. She murmurs softly, “are you sure you're up to this, Els?”

I hesitate before turning to her, gazing down into those blue eyes of hers, speaking softly, “I'm sure. If anything, it'll help distract me a bit.”

Leah sighs, concerned. Her lips part, her mouth open as she brings herself to speak, but then Clover appears in the doorway, holding onto a zimmerframe, interrupting the moment with a motherly smile, “good morning, my lovely girls.”

I raise my eyebrows and speak sternly, “Clover, what are you doing? Go back to bed and rest. You shouldn't be walking around.”

She laughs softly, warmly, “oh, lovely. I'm okay. It's just a precaution. I'm fine, just sore.”

I huff and gesture to Clover, expecting Leah to share my dismay that Clover is up and about.

Leah laughs softly at my reaction, but ends up agreeing, “she's not wrong, Clover. Even if she could do with fixing her attitude slightly”

I gasp, “Beth sy'n bod ar fy agwedd i? Ddylai hi ddim bod yn cerdded, mae angen iddi orffwys-!”

I notice both of them looking at me with their eyebrows furrowed and I sigh softly, cutting myself off, “sorry, I slipped into Welsh. It doesn't matter. Look, the point is, you need to go back upstairs and get some rest, Clover. Please?”

There's silence for a moment before Clover speaks softly, “is everything alright, dear? You seem rather stressed.”

I sigh softly and take a deep breath, “I'm fine, just… Please go and get some rest.”

As soon as Leah gently rubs my arm up and down, her touch lingering for a few moments longer than it would if we were really just friends, my body visibly relaxes. I take a steady breath, my muscles relaxing, calming down significantly under the simple touch. I notice Clover look between us, seeing the moment she realises there's something between Leah and I. I bring myself to speak before she can comment on it, “so, is there anything we should know before we get the cafe ready for customers?”

Clover shakes her head and speaks softly, “just be careful in the kitchen, it's quite cramped when two people are in there. Though, I don't think that'd bother the both of you very much now, would it?”

I clear my throat and quickly speak, “okay, I'm sure we'll be fine. Go get some rest”

—

As the dark settles outside and the last stragglers leave the cafe, I walk over to the door, closing and locking it, flipping the open sign around to say we're closed. I pull down the blind and walk over to Leah who's started cleaning the kitchen, speaking softly, “do you want anything to drink before I start cleaning the machines, blue eyes?”

She shakes her head and smiles softly, reaching up and looping her arms around my neck. I gaze down into her eyes softly, my hands moving to her waist, the only light source in the room being the kitchen fridge left open from Leah packing things away.

For a moment, we just stand in the silence, basking in the comfort provided when we're close. I see the radio on the counter and turn it on, a gentle melody flowing from the speakers as the lyrics of Hozier cover of ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ fill the room. I gently guide her into a slow dance under the low light provided by the still open fridge.

I lean down and connect my lips with hers, kissing her softly before pulling away and resting my forehead against hers as I continue to lead the gentle dance. As we dance, my hands slide beneath her shirt, my calloused fingertips meeting the soft, bare skin of her waist. I hear the hitch in her breath. I hear the things she doesn't want to say. I hear the things she can't say yet. I hear them because I echo them silently.

She speaks softly with a gentle smile, gazing up into my eyes, “what are we doing, Ellie?”

I hum softly and murmur, “we're dancing.”

She sighs softly, gazing up into my eyes, “you know that's not what I'm talking about…”

I gulp softly and murmur, “I know…”

We continue the gentle dance, ignoring the tug on our hearts, knowing this isn't what friends do, knowing this isn't how friends feel, knowing friends don't kiss like we do. For a moment, we just bask in the contentment of the moment. We don't speak, our breathing being the only sound joining the music, our breathing synchronised in the tranquility each other's presence provides.

AN: We're back. Only a small one because I need to get back into the groove of writing. But, here you are. The newest chapter of Delicate has arrived almost a year later. Enjoy. If anyone has any ideas please tell me. Until next time... xx