Sunbeam

23) The Wedding

"You slept with Grace?" Ada whispers, and Kez nods, "I regret it, it never should have happened."

"You still haven't answered my question," Ada points out, "...are you in love with her?"

"Yes," Kezia states, "every night I think of her, and I think to myself 'how the fuck did it go so wrong? How the fuck have I ended up in this position?' I don't like it, Ada, I'm not used to it... it makes me feel so fucking pathetic that I'm hung up on somebody who can't even admit how she feels about me. She's told me to move on... I mean we sort of mutually agreed to move on."

"You know who you should talk to? Bea, she's going through something similar, she's going through a bad break up, and she's seeing a new man, perhaps you could speak to her, get some advice on how to move on, how to find someone new," Ada suggests.

It was like a dagger to Kez's heart, like someone was repeatedly stabbing her heart. It hurt, it really fucking hurt. Bea was seeing someone new?

"I... I didn't know that," Kez mumbles.

"Maybe if you weren't being an arse to her she'd talk to you about things like this," Ada responds, "she can't always come to me recently, you'll take care of her when I'm not around, won't you?"

"Course I will, anyone that matters to you, matters to me," Kez replies.

"She's more than just my friend to this family, Kez, we've all known her for two decades," Ada scolds, "stop making it seem like she's a stranger. You should care because you spent every day with us during the war."

"You're right, once again, I'm sorry," Kezia says, as Bea reappears with two drinks in her hands, "is the private conversation over?"

"Yes," Ada nods.

"Right, I got a whiskey for Kez," Bea smiles, handing her the cup.

"What about me?" Ada asks.

"You're pregnant," Bea states.

"Oh, come on," Ada complains.

"She's right, Ada," Kezia says, "shouldn't drink when you're pregnant, thanks Bea."

"You two get on my nerves sometimes," Ada groans, to which Kez shrugs and downs the glass of whiskey, "I'm going to get a refill."

-

"I still haven't seen you dance," Grace comments, approaching Kez, who was leant against a wall, hidden behind one of the wagons, "you said a few drinks would do it, but it didn't the other night."

"I had more than just a few the other night," Kezia laughs.

"So there's an optimum amount of drinks that'll get you dancing?" Grace hums.

"Let's go with that," Kez nods.

"There's something different about you tonight," Grace says, resting her hand on Kez's arm, "is everything okay?"

"Yeah, no, I'm fine," Kez replies, straightening herself up, pushing herself off the wall she'd been leaning on.

"I was surprised I was invited today, was that your doing?" Grace asks.

"No," Kez shakes her head, "everyone that works for us is here."

"I work for you?" Grace teases, "could have told me."

Kezia knew this was wrong, but damn it she was hurting, Bea was already seeing someone new. Bea had told her to move on, Bea had told her to try things with Grace. Bea had made it clear there was no future between them.

"Working for me has its benefits, you know?" Kezia says, turning slightly so Grace was between her and the wall.

"Does it now? What sort of benefits, Miss Shelby?" Grace whispers, the hand that had been resting on Kez's arm was now pressed against her stomach, "are they benefits I've already experienced?"

"The benefits are a lot better when I'm not plastered out of my mind," Kez says.

"Then I'm very much interested," Grace states.

"A little eager, aren't we, Grace?" Kezia asks, brushing a strand of the blonde hair behind her ear, resting her hand there.

"Oh I'm always ready to please my sexy boss," Grace teases, "even if she does whore me out."

"Don't go pretending like you don't enjoy being treated like a whore," Kez laughs, caressing Graces jaw, tilting it up slightly, "isn't that true, Grace?"

"Treat me however you fucking want to, just kiss me already," Grace says, practically pleading with Kez, who was more than willing to oblige, leaning down to brush her lips against Graces, one hand on Graces cheek, the other on her waist, as Grace claws at Kez's shirt pulling her closer.

Kez trails her hand down from Graces jaw to her neck, softly choking her, laughing when Grace moans against her lips, her hands untucking Kez's shirt so she could run her hands over Kez's torso.

"Kez, we need to go," Bea states, "Ada's waters just broken. People have been looking all over for you."

Kezia pulls away from Grace, turning to look at Bea, whose eyes were flickering between her and the blonde, "we need to go, Grace, you should probably go to the pub, the men will want to wet the baby's head, I can't go, I've got to help Ada. Hurry up, Kez, your sister is about to have a baby. Tommys said Freddie can come, Finns off to go get him."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Kez says, jogging after Bea whilst tucking her shirt in.