Chapter 36
Chapter thirty-six
“Okay, let’s get a group picture and then say bye,” Billy said, holding out a long arm with her phone in her hand. Everyone huddled in behind—the girls up close, Meredith and Schultz, Carl, and then Rosa. “Squeeze in, Rosa.”
“I’m squeezed in,” she said, just as Billy pressed the button and snapped five pictures, one after the other.
“Right. Mum, Schultz, thanks for having us.” Billy hugged them both.
Imogen moved in next. “See you soon.”
Robbie and Janka followed, then Rosa shyly sidled up and leant in to kiss them both on the cheek.
“Thank you for making Imogen’s day so special.”
“Anytime, and you know you are always welcome to visit, with or without Billy,” Meredith said, smiling warmly. “You’re still family.”
“Thank you.” Rosa smiled in return. “That means a lot.”
“Ready?” Billy asked.
“Yes.” Rosa nodded, gave Meredith’s hand one last squeeze, and then they all walked away, stopping to turn and wave every few steps, until the point where they could no longer be seen.
The girls grouped together ahead of Billy and Rosa, engrossed in a conversation that was making memories, Rosa was sure. She smiled at them as they skipped and laughed and bounced their way forward.
When there was enough of a gap between them and they couldn’t be overheard, Billy leaned sideways and said, “I missed you.”
Rosa glanced at her. “I haven’t gone anywhere.”
“Still, I missed not being able to—”
She stopped speaking as the girls slowed and Imogen turned back to see if they were still there.
“At least they’d notice if we got lost.” Rosa chuckled.
Billy ignored the change of subject. “We didn’t talk about what happens next.”
“What do you mean?” Rosa asked, keeping a very firm eye up ahead, and on Imogen especially.
“Well, how are we going to see each other?”
“Oh, I hadn’t really thought about it…I mean, allowed myself to in case this was just…”
“A fling?”
Rosa winced. “No, not that…but maybe once we were home you’d have second thoughts and—”
“I love you,” Billy said. “I don’t care who knows it. I’m respecting your boundary on this.”
“Okay.” Rosa nodded, trying to think of their options. “So, did you have any ideas?”
“Many, all of which cross your boundaries so…I’m asking you.”
They were nearing the line for security. People up ahead were bunching closer together. They’d soon be right beside the girls.
“Let’s talk about it on the plane.”
The steward passed down the aisle, stopping to check that everyone had their seatbelts on.
The girls were in the same seats they’d flown out on.
Billy and Rosa, however, had had to take different seats.
A man in a suit, bulky and very busy with his laptop, filled the aisle seat, meaning Rosa took the window and Billy slid into the middle space.
She glanced back to where the girls were, one row behind and on the opposite side of the plane.
Without a word, she slid her hand across and rested it intimately on Rosa’s thigh.
“What are you doing?” Rosa hissed, lifting the offending hand back onto Billy’s own leg.
“They can’t see us,” Billy whispered. Rosa craned her neck and peered through the gaps in the headrests.
“Just…don’t get too relaxed about it.”
“Alright. I was just trying to show how I feel.”
Rosa turned and saw the hurt as Billy’s face tightened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound annoyed about it. I’m just aware that our daughter is right there.”
“So, how are we going to do this?” Billy asked, before clarifying. “When we’re home?”
“I suppose we can utilise the time when Imogen is busy. She has piano and guitar lessons on Monday nights. She’s gone for at least two hours.
But I do have to drop her off and pick her up.
On Tuesday and Thursday, she has football practice straight after school.
She walks there but I need to pick her up at eight. ”
Billy grinned and fidgeted in her seat to fish out her phone from her pocket. The man beside her huffed when her arm moved against his as she typed.
“Sorry,” she offered, then smiled before opening her phone’s diary and filling in the details. “Okay, Monday between…”
“Seven and nine,” Rosa answered.
She typed the information in. “Got it…and then Tuesday and Thursday, all day until eight?”
“I mean, yes...I guess so, but we both have to work.”
“You work mostly from home, and I can clear my schedule here and there for a few hours at the end of the day.” She held Rosa’s gaze.
“I don’t want you to think that this is all on you to find time for me, or that all I want is to sneak around, have a quickie, and leave.
I want us to spend time together—maybe go and do something now and then. ”
Rosa’s lips twitched into a reluctant smile. “I want that too.” She hesitated and then reached for Billy’s hand. “I just don’t want to mess this up again.”
“We won’t. I won’t let us.” Billy grinned excitedly.
“She’s got football on Sundays. Every other week is an away game and I don’t go to those. Sometimes there is a weekday game in the evening, and Fridays she tends to stay at Robbie’s if she’s not with you. But Saturdays, Robbie and Janka will stay at mine.”
“So, maybe we have lots of time to fit things in?”
“I think we can definitely try.”