Chapter Eleven
“ W here are you?”
“I'm stuck in fucking traffic. I’ll be like five minutes.”
Sienna laughed, leaning against the side of the building, basking in the subtle heat of the early summer sun.
“It’s fine. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
“I know, but I—”
“Hate being late. Yeah, I know.”
The past two weeks had been a flurry of action for Sienna and Debs. After her breakdown in the restaurant, they’d stayed for another hour or so, scrolling through adverts for kittens, both cooing and laughing over the photos as they ranged from adorable to hilarious. Once Sienna had returned home, they hadn’t stopped, Debs sending her screenshots of more kittens she had found, ridiculous inventions she was looking at for new pets, water fountains and odourless litter trays, and the most extravagant cat towers she’d ever seen, distracting Sienna from spiralling into her own thoughts.
Sienna had gone home feeling like Debs would probably want to never see her again, the messages only a way to end the evening without appearing rude and harsh. What she hadn’t expected was the text to check on her the next day, or the way that Debs so effortlessly glided into other conversations, asking about her day or giving her insights into what she was doing.
They met up again a couple of days later. Sienna was determined that they needed to get back to the topic in focus, determined not to see this more than anything but two people working together on a project. But it was difficult when Debs would let the conversation meander off-topic or enquire about Sienna’s day or ask about how Max was. In the end, Sienna stopped trying to convince herself this was just a business arrangement. Max was right; Debs was fast becoming a friend, and Sienna was trying to see past her initial attraction to what could be a wonderful friendship. Which in itself was simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing to do.
It was easy because talking to Debs was fast becoming second nature, their easy conversion always present. But with it, Sienna was only finding more and more things she liked about Debs.
She couldn’t help but draw parallels and make comparisons to how her friendship with Max had bloomed; the attraction was instant, Max’s personality winning Sienna over in seconds, and they jumped feet first into being together. But after a few months, it was apparent that they were really not compatible in a long-term romantic way, and it scared Sienna to think she could lose Max in her life, that the awkwardness of everything else they had shared would be a cloud which forever hung over them. But they quickly found their stride, redefined the boundaries of their relationship, and now, Sienna couldn’t imagine life without Max as her best friend.
“I’m just coming round the corner now,” Debs’ voice announced, and Sienna pushed off the wall, taking a step towards the road to look out for Debs’ sleek black Audi.
“I see you,” she said before hanging up as Debs pulled up beside her. She slid into the passenger seat, leaning in towards Debs who pressed a kiss to her cheek. It was another thing she tried to not think too much into, a small gesture that had started as they said goodbye to each other one time and had become their standard greeting. “Hey. Rough afternoon?”
“Urgh, my last meeting ran a little longer than I planned. Then I got caught in those roadworks on the ring road.”
“We’ve still got plenty of time. Did you get everything else?”
“Yes. It’s been hidden in the car since I picked it up yesterday.”
“Why?” Sienna looked over her shoulder at the boxes on the back seat. “I thought the kids were at James’ last night?”
“Okay, I just couldn’t be arsed to carry it all in the house on my own.”
“So you thought you’d wait until I was around to help you?” Sienna laughed. “At least I know what I’m here for!”
“Hey! You’re here for other reasons too!” Debs said, flashing her smile, which made Sienna’s insides warm.
“The kids still have no idea?”
“Nope. I really hope they love it.”
“They will—trust me.” Sienna let her head fall back onto the seat, closing her eyes behind her sunglasses.
“Long day?”
Sienna peeked sideways, watching as Debs’ gaze flickered from the road in front of them to Sienna, concern painted over her features. Debs’ concern had also become something Sienna had had to get used to, her daily and frequent questions always seeming more than just courteous check-ins, the offer to talk or unload only a breath away.
“Yeah. I mean, nothing bad, just long. I needed to ring back a bunch of people for the auction, and I only got through, like, half the list because of my actual job.”
“You love your actual job.”
“I do. And I love organising this auction. But I need more hours in the day.”
Debs laughed. “Ah, a problem I am intimately familiar with.”
“Of course. Sorry. Here I am complaining because I have, like, two things to do, and you’ve got a million more.” Sienna hung her head, looking out the window at the barely moving traffic they were sitting in.
“Hey, no.” Sienna felt Debs’ hand slide across her knee, squeezing it gently. “That’s not what I meant.”
Sienna focussed on the feel of Debs’ grip, the subtle brush of her thumb across the fabric of her jeans, how it almost burnt through with care and affection. The touches had become more deliberate of late, each one bestowed upon Sienna with a gentleness that made her chest ache and heart flutter. She still tried to not read too much into them, still tried to put a distance between what she wanted them to mean and what the reality was. But she couldn’t help the warring feelings of sadness and security they brought, the way she felt so wanted when Debs had her whole attention focused on Sienna.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“No, there’s also no need to apologise. Everyone’s stress is relative to them.”
That was another thing that had subtly shifted in the past weeks. Ever since Sienna had inadvertently opened up a little about her past, it was as if Debs saw some of the reason behind her self-doubt. As if Debs understood a little more where her lack of confidence and tendency to dismiss came from. It was never said with pity, Debs never made Sienna feel patronised, but it was as if there was some deeper understanding between the two of them. Sienna still wasn’t sure if she was comfortable with it, if she liked having someone else know her so intimately, even if Debs didn’t know everything.
“Hey, how about we get dinner after we pick up this furball? Your choice.” Sienna turned her face to Debs. She must have felt her gaze on her or was waiting for an answer to the question because she turned, giving Sienna a soft smile. “What?”
“Nothing. My choice?”
“Yeah.” Debs chuckled lightly, facing the road again.
“Chinese?”
“Done.”
“I did not think this through.”
Sienna’s laugh drifted from behind her, a socked foot nudging her shoulder as she sat on her hands and knees, scrubbing chili sauce out of the rug in front of her.
“You didn’t think that the cat would try to eat prawns when you ordered them?”
“No.” Debs sat back on her heels, blowing the hair from her eyes. She stared at the rug, throwing the cloth down where previously there had been a pile of prawns and noodles after the newest member of her family had got a little too curious about the container on the coffee table, catapulting it all over the floor. “Does this mean I can never have prawns again?”
“No,” Sienna said with a chuckle. “I think it just means you might have to shut the cat in another room when you eat them.”
“Yeah, that seems like a more sensible suggestion.”
“I have my moments.” Debs looked over at Sienna, slouched on her sofa, the small fluffy bundle of ginger and white fur which only moments ago had launched her dinner across the living room sprawled out over her shoulder, looking innocently adorable. She smiled, lifting herself up to her feet and taking a seat beside her, fingers instantly reaching out to run down the kitten’s soft fur. “He seems to like you.”
“Ah. That’s just because you were the one who shouted at him for trying to steal her prawns. Plus, it’s been a busy afternoon. Lots of new things to explore, exciting things to sniff.”
“Like my shoes?” Debs asked with a scrunch of her face as she remembered how there was now a pair of tiny teeth marks in the straps of her heels.
“Like your shoes. What are you going to call him anyway? Not sure ‘fucker’ is entirely appropriate.”
Debs snorted back a laugh at the recent memory of her shouting in shock as noodles went flying through the air. “I don’t know. I thought I’d let Charlie and Thea name him.”
“I think they’ll like that honour. Are you coming to the centre tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I think so. Thea was excited about it, but that was without knowing about this fluffball. I imagine it’ll be harder to drag them out of the house now.”
“Mmm, I’m kind of seeing how hard that might be.”
Debs’ smile grew, her chest swelling with something akin to contentment at the scene in front of her. The sight of Sienna in her home, sprawled out on her sofa, the two of them sharing dinner and laughing together, had become something which had become more frequent of late; something she cherished and looked forward to whenever she knew it was upcoming. The warmth she felt at watching her now, the tiny orange ball of fluff dozing on her shoulder, the love and affection which she was bestowing upon it was unsurprising; she had long come to terms with the fact that Sienna was going to be one of those people who made a lasting impression in her life.
Maybe she should have been alarmed by it, the sheer vastness of her appreciation of her, but it felt so organic and natural she hadn’t spent any time trying to dissect it. She didn’t see the point when she was so happy when they were together. Not after months of feeling lonely and unsure. Sienna gave her peace of mind and Debs wasn’t the kind of person who would risk that by over-analysing it.
“You’re always welcome to visit him whenever you want.”
“You think Charlie and Thea would let me have any time with him?”
“I think Thea especially wouldn’t mind. You’re, like, one of the coolest people ever. And that’s a direct quote.”
“Aww, really? She’s pretty cool herself. She must get it from her dad.”
“Hey!” Debs said, nudging Sienna with her elbow slightly so as to not disturb the slumbering cat.
“You’re okay, too, I guess,” Sienna replied with a sly smile and a playful twinkle in her eye. It only served to bolster the warmth in Debs’ chest.