Falling Like The Stars (Book 3)

Chapter 6 - Still Learning

" But I'm still learnin' (I'm still learnin') to love myself
(To love my, to love my, to love my) Yeah, yeah
I'm still learnin' (I'm still learnin') to love myself (To love myself)
(To love my, to love my, to love my) Yeah, yeah (Oh, oh)

Oh, I try and I try to remember sometimes
If I breathe, it's alright, but some things don't change
I'm still learnin' (I'm still learnin') to love myself (To love myself)
(To love my, to love my, to love myself). "

'Still Learning' - Halsey
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Shannon had so far stayed with Emily for two weeks. Nothing had happened between the two of them other than flirty comments and gestures and the odd holding of hands the few times Shannon had dragged Emily out at his insistence for her to get some fresh air.

She had liked the familiar feeling of his hand in hers. It made her feel safe and no longer alone. Even if they weren't doing anything together, just the feeling of Shannon's presence and knowing he was around was a comfort to her.

They had gone for lunch earlier, and Shannon had said that he would cook her whatever she wanted for dinner, which had led to a lot of teasing from Emily of suggestions for difficult dishes, which had earned her many an eyeroll from Shannon, before they had both finally compromised with deciding on vegetarian tapas.

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Currently, Shannon was in Alex's nursery, having promised Emily that he would put up the shelves that she had mentioned to him the day of his arrival into Anchorage. He was trying to do it as quietly as possible whilst Emily took a relaxing soak in the bath.

Holding a screw in his mouth, Shannon was just about to start drilling the last screw to the second shelf, with one more to go, when he thought he heard a faint voice and paused in what he was doing.

"Shan! Shannon!"

He realised Emily was calling him.

Quickly throwing down the screwdriver he had been holding, and placing the screw from his mouth next to it. He quickly rushed next door to Emily's room.

"Em! I'm here! Are you OK? Is it the baby?" He reached her bathroom door and called through to her.

"No. C-can you come in here?"

"Yeah, sure. What's wrong?" Shannon cracked the bathroom door open. Emily was still sitting in the bath. She turned her head to look at him as he walked in.

She had dimmed the lights, lit some candles around the bath to try and help her relax, and had added some lavender drops to the water, giving the room a heady scent.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I erm..." She could feel herself starting to blush at his presence in the room, with herself being in such a vulnerable state. "I didn't think this through very well. I need help getting out of the bath." She laughed, embarassed.

Shannon did the same. "Jesus Em, don't do that to me, I thought the baby was coming. What would you like me to do?"

"Sorry, no. I just - I can't easily stand up on my own and climb out. There's a towel hanging there on the towel rail." She pointed to the large, tall, silver radiator across from herself.