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Lilly
Just like the first time my life splintered, today started off beautifully. It’s the last day of our trip. Everyone was heading home tomorrow, including me. Harry and I were planning to talk about where we’d go from here. But we’d agreed-we're doing this.
The lot of us had taken a train down to Richmond. My mother's obsession with all things Tudor, the unseasonably clear weather and the prospect of adventure led us to wandering Henry the Eighth's great palace by the river, Hampton Court Palace. The palace, which is over five hundred years old, sits on the outskirts of London, overlooking the Thames River. We'd toured the Great Maze, the most famous of its kind in the world. As we worked our way through, the many hidey holes and alcoves provided Harry and I ample opportunity for sneaked kisses, desperate and hot each time. And when we managed to break apart from the group, it was like we were sixteen again. Kissing in cushions of bushes, our hips grinding, our hands grasping and groping. Jumping apart when the snapping of a twig told us someone was coming.
Our relationship wasn't a secret. But we also couldn’t get enough of each other. Our kisses were all moments of discovery - I found out that when Harry's tongue swipes the inside of my lower lip, it tickled. We learned that it was worth braving the cold so that Harry lift my shirt and suck my nipples until they throbbed. I now know that if I need to, I can be off my knees in a split second.
All of the possibility and thrill of newly discovered love and insatiable lust created a bubble around us that felt impenetrable and made us feel invincible.
But it wasn't. And we weren’t.
We're lounging in the family's library after dinner. Everyone is full and lazy from the dinner of Cornish hens bursting with chestnut stuffing and roasted baby potatoes dripping in butter and herbs straight from the garden. Desert had been a warm sticky toffee pudding that had everyone sighing in ecstasy. The children have gone to bed. Cara and Louis are already on their honeymoon so, it just us - My parents, my sisters, Dean and Harry, and his parents. Simon and Kyle have both had to go back to London. And last but not least, Freya isn’t here.
She hadn't joined us at Hampton Court and I knew it was because of me. She didn't try to hide her dislike and disapproval when she realized that Harry and I had reconciled. I'd tried to talk to her at the wedding breakfast and she'd told me that she had nothing to say to me. She’s avoided me since then.
Milly and I are playing a game of Gin Rummy, my parents and Louis' parents are playing Uno. Harry and Dean arguing about football and Addie is asleep on the lounge chair in the corner.
When the door bangs open, it’s not just the sound that disturbs the tranquil atmosphere, but raw anger that is rolling off Freya in waves as she enters the room.
No one else seems to pay her entrance much attention. Barely glancing at the door before returning to their entertainments, but I do. Because her eyes are trained on me and they are fully of fury.
I sit up straight, completely forgetting that Milly is waiting for me to take make the next move. In the fringes of my awareness, I hear her say, "Lilly, come on. You better not be cheating."
When I don't respond, I see her, in the periphery of my vision, sit up straight and follow my gaze.
Freya, looks like a gladiator entering the ring as she walks into the room, clutching my phone in her hand. And right away, I know. I shake my head at her. Hoping that she has a shred of mercy in her, pleading for her to please, don’t.
She ignores my silent entreaty with the shake of her own head and the flare of her nostri
l. My eyes follow her as she turns her head to look at Harry, whose head is thrown back in laughter at whatever Dean just said.
He's her brother. She loves him and she knows that I’ve deceived him. I stare at him, memorizing the way his cheek bones announce themselves when he smiles, at the way his curls bounce on his jostling head when he's laughing. I close my eyes and commit to heart the sound of his unfettered laughter. And then I look back at Freya. She's watching me, too. Her lip curled in scorn.
"Freya, please,” I say before I can stop myself and everyone looks at me. I stand up, wiping my damp palms down the front of my jeans and look around the room.
Addie is awake, her eyes darting between the two of us. My parents are staring at Freya, both of them with alarm in their eyes. Milly is looking at me and at then at my phone in Freya's hand. I finally let myself look back to Harry and he's standing too, looking at his sister.
"Fre, what's going on?" He asks slowly.
Her triumphant glare sweeps over me before she turns to face her brother.
"What's going on, Harry is that your girlfriend here has a baby.”
She holds my phone up to the room and shows them the picture I knew she'd found as soon as she walked in.
Everyone, my family, Harry, Dean, everyone walks over to her so they can see what she's talking about.
I charge at her, white hot rage, the likes of which I've never felt before propelling me through the people in my way. I lunge as soon as I’m close enough to make sure I can reach her.
"Give me my phone, you fucking shit faced thief.” I scream as I reach for it. Her eyes widen and her face drains of color. My father’s arm comes around my waist and hauls me back just before my open palm reaches her face. I struggle in his hold and the whole room erupts in pandemonium. Everyone’s talking at once, but Freya’s voice rises above the din.
"I didn't steal it. Camille did. She brought it to me tonight." She hisses at me, her eyes full of venom but her composure reeks of satisfaction. She’s accomplished what she came here to do.
"You don't know anything. Give it to me. Now." I snarl, completely out of my mind with fury and grief. I lunge again and this time Dean has to help my father when I break free and my hands fly towards Freya. I can’t see anything but her and my phone.
"I will not.” She says haughtily. Harry stares between us dumbfounded.
“You. Fucking. Will.” I scream.
