AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay, but we have, like, a million questions,” Sammi said. Nova put a hand on her shoulder.
“I think we should save the questions for another time.”
“You dumbasses better not fuck up my wedding,” Lara said and that earned her a sharp look. “What? I don’t have time to rearrange bridesmaids and deal with other shit. I’m at the end of my rope.” She burst into tears and then the heat was off me and Emma, which was nice. We had a mini therapy session with Lara, who was breaking under the wedding pressure, and we managed to make her laugh and give her the support that she really needed. After we ate, we all headed to a farmer’s market that also had live music and great food trucks. Not that we needed any more food, but I was dying for some fried Oreos at the very least.
Emma and I didn’t hold hands on the walk over, but it felt like we should have.
“What is the protocol?” I asked her when we reached the market, and all pulled out our tote bags to fill them up with fresh produce.
“The protocol for what?” she asked, looking at some completely enormous heirloom tomatoes in various colors ranging from a sunshine yellow to a deep purple with green accents.
“The protocol for us being with our friends. We’ve held hands in public, why not now? It’s not like they don’t know.” She glanced up from the tomatoes.
“I was giving you space to think. I keep trying to do that and you keep seducing me.” I gasped dramatically.
“Excuse me? I think you’re the one who’s doing the seducing, Emma Christine.”
“Are you serious right now?” Her voice was a little loud and people were staring, including our friends, who weren’t even pretending to sort through the fresh herbs.
“Fine, I won’t hold your hand or kiss you or act like I like you in any way, happy?” She picked up a tomato and for a second I thought she was going to throw it at me.
“You don't have to do that, but I thought you were the one who had to figure out her feelings.” She grabbed a bag and put the tomato in it and started picking some others.
“I do! But I can figure out my feelings while making out with you and holding your hand in public.” A woman behind me made a disgusted noise. Mind your business, Brenda.
Emma gave me a look and picked another tomato.
“There’s a guy selling figs over there who I don’t think heard you.” I made a frustrated noise and almost smashed my face into a wooden box of peppers. That probably wouldn’t be too pleasant for my eyes.
Instead I mumbled and grumped and was insufferable for the rest of the time we were out with our friends. I just wanted to go home and cuddle our puppy.
“You’re being a dick,” Nova said. “Get your shit together.” She gave me a hug and a glare, and Sammi pretty much said the same thing.
“Get your shit together before my wedding,” Lara said.
“I don’t have my shit together, so I can’t really tell you to, but I wish you would figure things out so you could just be happy together,” said Willa. Things had gone well with the bartender, and they were tentatively seeing each other. I was happy for her.
“Okay, I’ll get my shit together, god,” I said to all of them, before storming up the street with Emma.
“I know they’re right, that’s why I’m so mad,” I said to her.
“It’s okay, a lot has happened in a short period. You’re allowed to take your time to figure things out. I had a lot of years to get where I am.” That was true. I was frustrated that I was expected to just KNOW. To just go forth. Granted, that’s what I usually did, but this was different. This was love. Love was the most important thing in the world, and this was a decision that would completely alter the entire course of the rest of my life. You didn’t make those things lightly, and I couldn’t be with her unless I was sure.
I didn’t know how togetsure. What was it going to take?
I was training with my new boss at the co-working space on Monday when I got a phone call. They said it was fine to have my phone on, but I didn’t recognize the number, so I sent it right to voicemail, and went back to what I was doing. Five minutes later, another call.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take that?” my new boss, Sofia, asked.
“They left a voice mail, hold on,” I said. This better be an emergency and not some fucking phishing scam. I was going to rip someone a new asshole if it was. I didn’t want to make a bad impression on my first day.
I started listening to the voicemail and nearly dropped the phone.
“Oh shit, oh shit, oh fuck,” I said, not even trying not to swear. The voice on the other end of the phone said that there had been an accident and they were calling to speak to Emma Vitali’s wife, and to get to the hospital.Iwas Emma Vitali’s wife.
“What’s wrong?” Sofia said as I stared at them, completely stunned.
“My . . . my . . .my wife has been in an accident and is at the hospital.” Sofia grabbed my hands and squeezed my fingers.
