Still Waters Run Deep

Chapter 25: Reality Check

Chapter 25:

Reality Check

The moment they got off of the plane Emily felt that sense of dread returning. Paris had been the perfect escape, in every sense of the word. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. She didn't have to think about real life. She didn't have to face the possibility of losing her life, of losing her family. But when she got back to town reality smacked her in the face. And it left a mark on her soul.

Emily felt queasy as they walked through the airport. Suddenly, reality was all too real. The world around her seemed way too bright and way too loud. Every noise was amplified. Every movement looked like a threat. Ali noticed her tension as they were walking out to the parking lot. Emily saw Ali peering at her inquisitively. Emily rolled her shoulder and tried to play it off as a stiff neck.

"You think jet lag is covered under our medical plan?" Emily asked.

"I'll give you a massage when we get home, babe," Ali replied quietly, thinking of much more than a massage.

She was still riding high on Paris. Emily had been so beautiful and sensual when she made love to her. It had left Ali's heart so full. Emily had handled her with such a delicate touch that it reminded Ali why she'd fallen for her in the first place. Because she cared. She was so good at loving people. And the love they had for one another surpassed everything. It was greater than Antony and Cleopatra. Greater than Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Greater than Pip and Estelle.

"Grandma, I'm coming with you to your house." Lily didn't miss her mothers' closeness. She turned her lip up, every bit a surly teenager at that moment. "My moms are being gooey and gross."

"It's called romance, sweetie." Pam teased her, looking at Emily and Ali with a smile.

"But they're embarrassing me in public." Lily's face was flushed. It was so cute how flustered she was. Ali and Emily couldn't resist embellishing their hand-holding and public displays of affection.

"We're just making up for all the times you and Grace stripped out of your clothes and ran around licking people like you were little hippies when you were toddlers." Ali teased her.

Lily's eyes got huge.

"Oh my God, did we really do that?" Her face reddened immensely.

"We have it on camera somewhere." Emily nodded with a laugh.

"Oh, crap. You're going to show it at my wedding, aren't you?"

They had a quiet laugh at Lily's expense. Lily couldn't help but turn her grimace into a smile. As much as seeing her moms being all lovey-dovey made her roll her eyes, she was happy to see that they were getting along. She knew they'd been navigating some rough waters lately. She pretended not to know about their problems, but she knew all about how much they were struggling. And for once, they were smiling. They were happy.

Lily was skeptical about happiness these days, because in her family it never seemed to last for long. She never could tell one day to the next whether or not it was going to be good day or a bad day. But thanks to her mothers, she had just experienced a trip that most kids only dreamed about. So she stopped walking and took her hand off of her rolling suitcase and wrapped her arms around Emily to hug her. Emily glanced at her in surprise. Lily pulled back and smiled at her.

"What was that for?" Emily felt her tension melting away because of her daughter's love.

Lily pulled back and then hugged Ali.

"Thank you for taking me to France." Because of them she had memories that would last her a lifetime.

"You are so welcome, sweetie." Ali ran her palm against the back of Lily's head, brushing her fingers through her hair.