Holding On

Fourty-One

Her emotions were spiralling out of her control, and she couldn't seem to find the boulder that could prevent her from plunging into the abyss of uncertainties.

Only God knows how she'd been able to construct a façade of happiness in the car on the way home just as she should be after winning the competition. Playing with Amy and holding an unusually lively conversation with her aunt when inside and behind her walls she felt like she was dying.

God, she was in love with two men at the same time. How twisted was that? She'd thought those things only happened in movies and novels, and the fact that it had happened to her was a shocking scariness she was still not prepared to deal with.

Knowing her princess was exhausted after such a night, Emma immediately took her to her room where she helped her take a bath before tucking her in bed.

“Mummy, tell me a story.” Amy requested, a sleepy, expectant and lazy smile on her face.

Smiling down at her daughter, she searched her mind for stories, but only one dreadfully relatable one popped into mind. “Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl who loved each other very much. But they couldn't be together because the girl was always afraid of getting hurt. Eventually, when they got together, they got separated for a very important reason.”

God this was crazy. “After the separation, the girl decided to move on with her life. She fell in love again and got married this time around. But shortly after her marriage, her first love came back. The girl realized she still loved him.”

“What happened after that mummy?” Amy asked, tugging on her hand after Emma hadn't said anything for some time.

“That's it.”

“That's it? So she love him too?” Intrigue and disappointment laced Amy's voice.

“Yes.” Emma replied, sighing, feeling the emotions spilling. And yet she couldn't even cry in front of her daughter. “Now go to sleep, sweetheart.”

Drawing the blanket up on Amy's body, Em kissed her goodnight and switched of the lights as she exited. As soon as she stepped out, her eyes fell on her and George's bedroom door which faced Amy's somewhat directly, and her knees buckled instantly. How was she going to face George alone after what she'd done today? Most especially, would she be able to hide her emotions from this very perceptive man who really loved and cared about her?

Taking a deep breath, she entered the room, and a low growl from behind the door made her gasp and jump, uncharacteristically startled.

Tilting, she sent George a glare. “Don't do that.” She realized her voice was much sterner than intended, such a contrast to the usually mock angry reprimands.

“Hey, I'm sorry.” He chuckled softly, and despite the rich sound making her stomach flutter, she ignored him as she made her way to the dresser and begun removing her earrings.

Hugging her from behind, he intertwined his fingers on her abdomen. She shivered as he pressed a soft kiss to her neck, which made her feel disgusted and pathetic. Hadn't she been feeling these same sensations with another man about two hours ago?

“Hey, I've missed you.” He said and purred on her skin, eliciting a sensation that scattered goosebumps on her arms.

His tongue drawled to tingle the shell of her ear. She thought of feeling the same thing alone with Zain and guilt assailed her immediately. “George, stop. I'm very tired.”

“Hmm.” He mumbled noncommittally, and his caresses increased in momentum, like a starving lion who'd just found food.

Before she knew what was happening to her, she'd already tore apart his intertwined fingers and stepped away from him. Turning, she saw the confusion in his eyes and nearly cringed, realizing her action would just provoke questions; questions she still wasn't ready to answer.