“Okay, princess. I'm glad you're having a good time with your uncles... Of course mummy's having a good time too... Okay bye. Mummy loves you. And oh, continue to be a good girl, okay? Don't forget to brush your teeth before going to sleep.”
Hanging up, a smile touched Emma's lips at the happiness that'd sounded in her daughter's voice. She'd gone over to Carlifornia together with her grandaunt to spend a week with her grandpa. Poor Maggie had left her heart with Theo the last time they'd been there.
Returning her attention to the food she was preparing, she hummed a soft tune and swayed her hips to it, still giddy with excitement from what she'd discovered today.
Just then she heard the laughter coming from the living room and grimaced. They were here, and she was just only now putting the homemade desert into the microwave.
Regulating the temperature, she maneuvered out of the kitchen and into the large living room just in time to catch the joke the woman was telling, and she burst into laughter along with the trio.
“Hey, sugar.” Her husband, noticing her, spread his wide arms as he advanced towards her. She fell into his embrace, then pulled back to kiss him on the lips. Stepping away but wrapping her hand around his waist, she glanced at their guests.
“Zain! Oh my God it's been so long.” Smiling she moved to kiss the man on the cheek, tilting back to look at him for any differences in his features that could've occurred since the last time she'd seen him this close about a year and a half ago. There wasn't anything to notice, except he'd allowed his stubble to grow a little too much than usual.
“Well yeah. Almost two years is a long time. I'm sure we have a lot of things to talk about. Anyways let me introduce you to someone very special.” He turned to the striking red haired beauty standing beside him, putting a hand at the small of her back. “Sweetheart, this is Emma. And Emma, meet my sweetheart and fiancee, Ariana.”
“I'm so glad to meet you, Ariana.” Holding out her hand, Emma pulled the other woman into a hug, feeling happy that Zain finally had someone who seemed just right for him.
“Likewise, Emma. I've heard and seen so much about you. You're much more beautiful in person this close. And you don't know how much I admire you. You're a great fashion designer! I follow you on every one of your social media handles, I watch all your interviews, I go to every one of your fashion shows.” Ariana mused, her voice getting more excited towards the end.
Which made Emma look at Zain. Just how much of this did the man know? And just how much did Ariana know about the two of them? She didn't doubt Zain would tell her, but for him to have moved on, he probably wouldn't need reminders of her which wouldn't be possible if Ariana shared her admiration for her with him constantly. Or perhaps they hadn't been together that long and Zain had gotten over her before their relationship started.
“Calm down, sweetheart.” Zain coaxed as he shook his head in what looked like wonder.
“How can I calm down when I'm finally meeting Emma Taylor? The Emma Taylor. Currently one of Forbes's 50 most beautiful and influential women! The one because of whose single design the country came on top at the international fashion competition this year!”
Emma looked towards George who was looking at Ariana intrigued, and returned her gaze to the woman. “Oh why, thank you.” She said, feeling proud at the admiration that burned so brightly in Ariana's eyes. “But I won't give myself all the credit. The other designers' hard work also contributed to the victory.”
“She wants to be a great fashion designer someday.” Zain explained, then grimaced. “She won't take my help though. Insists on reaching that height by her own merits.”
That had Emma chuckling. It was obvious the woman was confident and independent, and Emma liked her.
Ariana reached and unexpectedly took Emma's hand. “I want you to know you're an inspiration to me. I wish I can be like you professionally or even more than that.”
Emma smiled at the frankness. “Then what if I guide you till you've mastered the art enough?”
Ariana's eyes widened, excitement flashing through them. “Really? You would do that?”
“Of course. Now this is a friendly dinner and you guys are at our house. What if you come to my fashion house tomorrow?” She'd never felt insecure about letting others in on the secrets to how she got her inspirations for her designs and made them. It rather filled her with pride to know she was helping to make another's dreams come true.
“Thank you so much, Emma. You're so down to earth.”
They resorted to the sofas, cracking jokes and laughing until Emma remembered five minutes later that she'd left the desert in the microwave. George got a call and excused himself to answer it.
“Guys, I will just go and bring the rest of the dishes to the table so we can start eating already.” Emma announced as she stood.
“I'll go with you.” Zain offered just when Emma made to go. Emma subconsciously let her eyes trail to Ariana and found her smiling.
“It's not really necessary, but if you want to...” Emma shrugged as she led the way with Zain stepping beside her two seconds later.
Once in the kitchen, Zain just stopped and watched as Emma made to remove the dessert from the microwave. Turning to him, she wondered what he was thinking. “What?”
“Are you happy?” His question caught her a bit off guard.
“Of course.” She replied, uncertain what he was getting at. “What about you?"
A huge sigh blew past his lips, his relief palpable. “I thought I was going to have to feel bad about being this happy. I've known Ariana for almost two years now, and we started dating officially a year ago, but it feels like I've known her forever. She makes me so deliriously happy.”
His eyes twinkled with life and a leash on it that hadn't been there the last time she'd talked to him in his car. As for her, the several months that had passed had only confirmed the fortress that deciding to be with George had been, not that she'd ever doubted her love for him.
After a pleasant dinner, filled with laughter from Ariana's several jokes and hilarious personality, the women retreated to the living room while the men made for their study to discuss a little business. Think of them to forget that this was a pleasure dinner and not a business one.
George and Zain had resumed doing business on a more direct level months ago, becoming fast friends later on.
Ariana made them talk a little about the fashion world before the talk led to their love lives and how the men in both of their lives served as a major inspiration. When she talked of Zain, her eyes gleamed with happiness, but there was something more about that gleam, something familiar.
Emma remembered seeing the same gleam in her own eyes when she'd looked in the mirror after hearing the news. It wasn't hard voicing her suspicion. Ariana confirmed it, joy flooding her eyes.
“Have you told him?” Emma asked, referring to Zain.
“No. I plan to do it when we get home.”
“I plan to tell George as well later tonight.” Emma confessed, imagining the happiness it would give George, and her face broke into a smile.
“What? You too?”
Emma nodded, and they both squealed excitedly. By now the men had returned from the study. George was holding a bottle of champagne while Zain held four clustered wine glasses. George eyed them curiously. “May we know what you guys are so excited about?”
Emma met Ariana's eyes, and they both struggled to return their expressions to normal. “Uhm, nothing?"
“Hmm.” He said as he begun pouring the alcoholic drink into the glasses Zain had set in the centrepiece after popping the cork.
“Leave two of the glasses, coconut. I'll get juice for Ariana and myself.” Emma requested as she stood.
George looked at her, a questioning eye brow raised. “Is something the matter?”
“Uhm, the thing is. . . we can't take alcohol.”
George and Zain exchanged funny looks which made Emma and Ariana burst into laughter as they run of to avoid getting exposed.
***~***
Standing at the balcony and enjoying the cool air as it swirled around her, Emma gasped when two arms wrapped around her and fingers interlocked at her stomach. Knowing it couldn't be anyone else, she let herself melt into George's warmth.
“Hey, Gustavo called. Amanda just confirmed her first pregnancy today!” George informed her excitedly.
That made Emma turn around so that she could face him as she stared at him in a pleasant surprise. “Really? This is such a lovely coincidence. How far is she along?”
“Gustavo told me the doctor said she was a month along. But wait. Why is it a coincidence?”
“That's a double coincidence!”
George regarded her with a confused smile. “Now you got me on the blind side, sugar. Why double coincidence? Why is it a coincidence in the first place?"
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Emma twisted her lips teasingly. “Just guess.”
George groaned. “Love, you know I suck at guesses.” He sighed, then tilted his head a little as if in deep thoughts. “However when I consider...”
He trailed off, his body freezing, and the enquiring look in his eyes made her realize he'd thought of it. She nodded, unable to hide her excitement. “Yes, coconut. Yes. We're going to have another child!”
He stood for a while, then as if the need had finally set in, he gazed at her in wonder. “We're expecting? Our Amy is going to get a baby brother or sister?”
He looked as if the news was too good to be true before he bent down to his knees and begun kissing her stomach. “Hello there, baby. This is daddy. God I'm so happy, sugar.”
Emma threw back her head and laughed as she ruffled her hand through his hair lovingly. “Come on. I only found out today, and I'm a month along. It certainly can't hear you.”
Standing up, he held her face between his palms and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I can't wait for that feeling again. And oh, from now on, please don't strain yourself so much when...”
He trailed off when she frowned at him. “Are we gonna pull the safety rules so quickly?” Smiling, she turned so that he once again wrapped his arms around her while they gazed into the dark sky scintillating with thousands of bright stars.
Tilting her head, she met his lips in a sideways kiss. As the kiss broke and she looked back into the sky, he purred softly against her neck, and she shivered from his warm breath on her skin instead of the cool night air.
“You make me the happiest man on earth, Emma Taylor.” George whispered, caressing her neck, leaving patches of sensitized skin where his lips drawled.
Angling her neck to the side so he could have more access, she smiled, a proud warmth blooming inside her. “And you make me the happiest woman on earth, George Lancaster.”
The End!
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A gazillion thanks to everyone who has read this story from start to finish. This one tool way longer than my usual stories so I'm very grateful to everyone who stuck through with it. I know you might no agree with who Emma ended up with, but I hoped you enjoyed the whole story. Thank you for reading!