Sweet Thing (Pretty Boy) by Isobel Starling

Author:Isobel Starling [Starling, Isobel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-09-07T16:00:00+00:00

chapter 18

(she can) do that

Emily was not expecting a visitor, but receiving one was a welcome surprise. “Come on up, honey; I’ll buzz you in,” she called into the intercom. Speaking to any grown-up without a child in tow was a treat these days. Emily found that within a few months of motherhood, she was already bored with the women in her ‘Mother & Baby’ group who were completely obsessed with their offspring. They changed their entire lives to suit their babies, rather than fitting the baby into their lives. Emily didn’t get it. She loved Lukas desperately, but she didn’t want to lose herself in baby La-La-Land.

At five months old Lukas was a placid, happy little boy. Pieter was a very hands-on father, and Emily was itching to get back to her studio to do some large scale paintings, rather than be restricted to her notebooks.

The front door had been left ajar. Simeon just walked on in, closing it gently behind him. He strolled down the corridor and into the main open-plan living space, and took in the wonderful view of the Berlin skyline through the walls of glass.

Emily had just put the kettle on. “Hello Honey,” she welcomed drawing him into a hug.

Sim had separated, bunched, and dried the huge Lavender bouquet that Bastian sent him weeks ago. “It’s from the fields beside my ancestral chateau in Provence. I thought that maybe some would be soothing to put in Lukas’s bedroom?” Sim offered, neglecting to mention that he’d been gifted with a bouquet the size of a wheat sheaf, and his apartment smelled like a perfumery.

“Oh, thank you. That’s so thoughtful. I love Lavender”, Emily enthused, placing the bouquet on the kitchen island.

“To what do we owe this pleasure? I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. Pieter’s at the recording studio with his musos, and I’ve just put Lukas down.”

“I know, Peety told me he’s recording some violin lullabies today. I can’t wait to hear.” Simeon said enthusiastically “I… actually came to see you, is that okay? Do you have time? I don’t want to assume,” Simeon stuttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious about what he wanted to talk about. It was a delicate subject, but Pieter once said that Emily was a walking encyclopedia, so she might know what he could do to help.

“Tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Pieter made almond cookies last night; you wanna try?” Emily asked as she prepared the cups and tea bags.

“Really? Sure! What doesn’t kill you…” Sim laughed as he slumped on the gray fabric, L-shaped sofa. Simeon had been the victor in their ‘cook-off,’ and now there was an ongoing rivalry when it came to baked goods.

Simeon’s pixie-crop hairstyle had grown out quickly, and his dark fringe was now a thick mop that he dragged across to the left. Sim thought it added an air of mystery, and it gave him something to fidget with when he was nervous. He was fidgeting now. He watched Emily making tea and wondered where he should start with his problem.

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