Love Triangle

SEVENTY FIVE

I laughed as Kath and Charlie incessantly cooed and tickled baby Ace.

We were stood in the airport.
Eden had his suitcases packed ready for a five-year long course in Germany.

"Are you okay?" I called to Jesse, who was leaning over to a chair, making a bottle for Ace.
"Yeah." He called back, screwing the lid on and handing the bottle to me, before retrieving Ace from Kath and Charlie and handing him to me to feed.

As we all huddled there, Scott and my mum came over, holding hands.
Jesse and I raised our eyebrows at each other before he turned to them. "So I guess you two are dating now?"
They turned to each other and gave each other a mushy smile. "I think it's more than that." My mum smiled.

In the midst of our happiness for the romance in the air, an announcement was made to board the flight to Germany.
Eden took a deep breath. "That's my cue." He looked from Kath and Charlie, to me, and then to Ace and sighed, "this is going to be really hard."

Eden approached Kath and Charlie first and they exchanged hugs.
Kath was already crying.
"Don't set me off!" Eden laughed.

He then turned to my mum and Scott.
Scott wished him luck with medical school, and my mum pulled him in for a tight hug.
"Thank you for looking after my daughter." She said to him.

He turned to Jesse next and they gave each other a hug, a sight I didn't think I'd see again.
"I can't thank you enough for being there." Jesse told him again.
"Anytime." Eden promised.

He then approached me and took Ace's hand. "You're the hardest goodbye." He chuckled. "Goodbye baby Ace. I'll see you soon. Don't forget me, yeah?"

I passed Ace to Jesse and led Eden off away from the group by the hand.
I already had tears in my eyes before I even started speaking. "I love you so much, Eden. I can't thank you enough for everything you've been for me."
Eden smiled, tears welling in his eyes too. "I love you, too. Massively." He sighed, and I knew that there must be big emotions behind him saying that. "And I'm so happy for you and Jesse and baby Ace. It was always supposed to work out like this. It is what it is, you and me."
I cried and nodded, holding onto his hands. "I'm really going to miss you."
"I'll miss you, too."

The airport announcement sound interrupted our moment and Eden sighed. "I have to go."
I nodded.

I watched as Eden waved and walked off with his suitcases and out of sight.
Jesse came up behind me and hugged me tight. "He'll be back soon. I promise."
I nodded, still crying. "Yeah, I guess."

Jesse hugged me tighter. "Would it cheer you up if we went and looked at wedding dresses?"
I spun around and smiled through my tears. "Definitely."