AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wait for him to connect the laptop on his desk to the projector. When he joins me with a remote in hand, we choose a comedy and sit on opposite sides of the couch, silent and tired though enjoying the scent of the baking cake.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and blink as the light from the screen blinds me. “Hello?” I whisper.
“Hey,” Nathan whispers back. I’m unsure why he’s whispering. “Why are you whispering?”
“Because it’s quiet.” What kind of explanation is that? “Is everything okay? Are the kids okay?”
“They’re fine, sleeping.” He falls silent for a long moment. I catch Kerim’s eye and mime an apology for disturbing the peacefulness. “Can I stay tonight?” My lips part. “Just on the couch. I’m tired; I just woke up and I don’t think I should be driving.”
Who am I to deny him such a request? It is his house too. “Of course you can.”
“Thank you.” He mumbles and I hear him drop, no doubt onto the couch. “I love you, Gwen. I know I don’t show it as well as I should, but I do.”
“Me too.” I whisper even more quietly than before. “Goodnight.”
“Don’t work too hard.”
If only he knew what I was really doing. Am I being as bad as he was, withholding information from him? No, this isn’t the same thing. I’ll tell him in the morning. I can’t help it if Kerim wants to stay. I certainly didn’t ask him to.
“Are you enjoying the movie?”
I nod in reply and snuggle deeper into the side of the couch. “Don’t let me fall asleep.”
“I’m going to say the same to you.”
Laughing through my teeth, I try to prop myself into a more uncomfortable position, purely so I don’t doze. That cake can’t be in for a second longer than necessary or it’ll dry faster than the desert sands.
The movie drones on and even though it keeps us occupied it doesn’t stop my head from drooping with exhaustion. I have never been more relieved when the chiming bell of the timer on the oven goes off, signifying the end of cooking. Jumping up, I almost collide with Kerim who does the same. We laugh and he pulls me back to race me to the cake.
“Ladies first then,” I call after him and he quickly stops and allows me through, too proud to be called a lady. That’s a win for me.
He still beats me to the oven and removes the cake carefully. It looks wonderful. I’m so excited for it to cool so I can cut it horizontally and add the frosting.
“The icing is ready; shall we finish the movie?” I suggest. It seems better than standing around doing nothing.
He nods.
When I woke up this morning I had this feeling of impending doom, as though something really bad was going to happen, so when I made it to midnight and all was well, I felt relieved and I unfortunately let my guard down. As I lifted the cut, frosted and decorated cake to place it into the box, it slipped off its stand.
“Oh my God, Gwen!” Kerim yells angrily as I try to catch the cake between my arms and chest. I drop the stand in my attempt to save the cake but it’s unfortunately not to be. I miss and it topples in the wrong direction when I try to correct its descent.
It smashes on the tiled ground, sending chunks all large and small in different directions.
“What the fuck happened?” He yells, looking as angry as I feel. His anger isn’t helpful; I feel awful as it is. “Hours of wasted effort. Hours!”
“I don’t know,” I scream back at him. “I guess I must be fucking stupid!”
He throws the box across the room and it folds in on itself, becoming little more than a piece of shiny white card.
Then I feel him, his hand on the back of my head, his other at the base of my spine, and then firm lips on mine. My gasp only proceeds to allow him entrance and he swiftly pushes his tongue into my mouth.
A deep groan rattles through his throat as he holds my tight, unsure body closer to him. My dazed, confused, tense form does nothing as he prompts me to kiss him, giving me no escape, and for a stupid fraction of a small moment I lose myself in the passion that just built up between us. But then reality hits and I shove him away from me.
“Oh my god,” I breathe, choking for air, my lips swollen and tingling. I touch them with the tips of my fingers. “Oh my…”
“Gwen,” he whispers, stepping into my bubble, so I take a step back. “I apologise. I see that I’ve upset you. That wasn’t my intention.”
“You just kissed me.” I shake my head and place my hand against his quickened heart to stop him from coming closer. “I love my fiancé.”
