Back to Belfast by Emma L. McGeown

Author:Emma L. McGeown [McGeown, Emma L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Belfast, Canada, Contemporary, Family, Family Relationships, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Long Distance Relationship, Sapphic Romance, United Kingdom: Northern Ireland, Vacation/Travel
Amazon: B0DD94FNFQ
Goodreads: 217507961
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2024-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Stacie Farran

I wasn’t a clock watcher, someone who counted down the minutes until five p.m. so they could dash out of work. I always kind of judged people who were, but today, I was one of them. With eight minutes left, I’d washed my cup and cleared my things away. With five minutes, I’d saved everything and was shutting off the PC and left before it had even struck five. It was pathetic, but I actually felt a little rebellious. I didn’t really care who saw me leave three and a half minutes early because I had to get home fast.

I walked rather than take the train. The train would have most certainly been quicker, but I wanted to go by the butcher shop and bakery before they closed. I bought some duck for dinner and a couple of desserts. The independent fruit and veg shop nearby the apartment was my last stop for some plums and a couple of veggies to go alongside my main.

I wanted to do something nice for Claire. Today was going to be hard enough without her having to start cooking by the time she got home. Duck with plum sauce was my speciality, though I never had anyone to cook it for. My family had always been very traditional in their mealtime preferences, and considering Melissa and I had been long distance for most of our relationship, I hadn’t got the opportunity to cook for her much.

I was glad to have the house all to myself to start prepping, and Claire arrived home a little bit later. “In here,” I called, and soon enough, she was standing in the kitchen doorway.

“Cooking again?” she asked in a voice that sounded empty.

Her complexion matched her energy. She was hugging Freddie, and even he looked a little concerned. She had the faintest hint of a smile, but it was lost behind a tiredness I’d never seen on her.

“Are you okay?” I asked. She shrugged, avoiding eye contact, and said nothing. It prompted me to move on quickly. “I thought I’d make us something for dinner.”

“Oh,” she said softly, and it took everything in me to focus on cutting up the carrots.

I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. She had been so appreciative of breakfast this morning, such a small gesture, that I wanted to go over and above for dinner. If this could make her day just a little easier, I’d feel like I was helping. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through, and she couldn’t even come home and decompress alone.

“Thank you.” Her light voice made it sound like she was smiling, and that made my chest light like I was floating. “What are we having?”

“Remember that duck and plum sauce I was talking about?”

“Yes.” Her voice dropped in anticipation. We had discussed her love for duck with orange at the weekend, and I had boasted about my plum sauce recipe. She was excited to try it, and I promised I’d make it for her eventually.

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