Forever Love: The Complete Collection by Charlie Novak

Author:Charlie Novak [Novak, Charlie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

Gem arrived just as I’d finished making a mountain of sandwiches, and Chantelle gave me a knowing smile as we ate while Kelsey peppered Gem with questions ranging from whether seals could fart to whether penguins liked the chocolate biscuits named after them or not. Gem answered all the queries with a surprising amount of good humour and wasn’t bothered about sitting in the back next to Kelsey as we drove to Skegness. I was still partly surprised he’d wanted to come with us, but when I’d tentatively suggested the idea the other night— after we’d cleaned up and been stretched out on his bed, and Gem had insisted I stay, and I’d caved without question—he’d said he’d love to. And I wasn’t going to turn down spending more time with him.

The drive gave Chantelle and me a chance to catch up, but I kept getting distracted when I heard Gem telling Kelsey Scottish folk stories and answering her questions about fairies. He was so good with her, and it made something inside me twist and squirm.

“You like him,” Chantelle said, noticing I wasn’t paying attention to her.

“What?”

“You like him.”

“No, I…” I lowered my voice. “This isn’t the time or place.”

“Fine, but I’m getting an answer out of you,” Chantelle said. She would, and by the end of the day, I knew I’d have told her everything. Not that there was much she didn’t already know.

Considering it was a cold, blustery Saturday in March, Skegness was busier than I’d anticipated, but I managed to find somewhere to park, and the four of us headed to the Natureland Seal Sanctuary. I hadn’t been in years, but I remembered coming with Mimbles and Mum a couple of times when I’d been growing up. Kelsey had decided Gem was much more interesting than me or her mum, so she’d taken his hand, and the two of them had walked off towards the sanctuary, leaving Chantelle and me to follow.

As soon as we got inside, Kelsey let out a gasp and headed straight for the main pool where several large seals were gliding leisurely through the water or stretched out on rocks. They were very cute with their fat, speckled bodies and puppylike faces as they bobbed in the water, but the sweetest thing was watching Kelsey as she peered into the pool with a look of awe on her face.

There was something about the wonder of children that was utterly adorable.

It suddenly made me wonder if I’d ever have kids of my own. I had the sneaking suspicion that having biological children in the UK was quite difficult for LGBTQ parents, especially if you were a same sex couple, but I’d be very happy to adopt. And just thinking that made me realise I’d probably already made a decision about what I wanted for my future without consciously thinking about it. It was terrifying and freeing all at the same time.

I watched as a member of staff walked past and stopped to answer Kelsey’s questions as she pointed at one of the seals.

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