Chapter Text
Eve moved away from Suki like she had just been slapped across the face. “You’re sleeping with him…what the...?” Her eyes closed briefly and she shook her head. An attempt to dispel the images now flooding her brain. She struggled to comprehend the fact that Suki had basically jumped straight from their bed in Leeds to her marital bed with Nish. A man who she said she despised. A man who she said made her flesh crawl.
“Don’t be so stupid Eve…I’m his wife.” Suki moved towards Eve.
Eve moved to put the kitchen table between them. Her hands were out in a clear gesture to tell Suki to back off. “I can’t…I can’t do this anymore Suki.” She ran her hands roughly through her hair. “I don’t want to…All this sneaking around, it’s doing my head in.”
“It’s the way it has to be…You know that…We’re not love-struck teenagers Eve.” Suki butted in. Her voice taking on a cold edge.
“I love you.” Eve looked imploringly at Suki - desperately wanting to hear the same in return. The silence that followed was utterly devastating. She felt her throat constrict. Tears threatening behind her eyes. “You don’t…do you?” Eve asked quietly. Disbelievingly. “DO YOU?!” She shouted.
Suki flinched. “Eve…it’s not…”
“Don’t bother” Her shoulder catching Suki’s as she moved back around the table. Two long strides and she was through kitchen door. She marched down the hall to the Panesar’s front-door. Yanking it open, she heard Suki call her name. But she was done. Done with all the sneaking around. Done with the grubby feeling that came with each of her dealings with Nish. Done with never really being sure how Suki felt about her.
Her anger propelled her through the door of number 31. She slammed it shut and slid down the wooden surface until she was sitting on the floor with her head in her hands. She sucked in a shuddering breath and let out a painful, heaving sob.
Eve wasn’t aware of how long she sat there. Tears running down her face. Chest aching. Head feeling fit to burst. As all her hurt from months and months of trailing around after Suki Panesar, ran forth.
The next thing Eve knew, the door was being pushed from the other side. “Hang on...Hang on!” She called. Her voice hoarse.
She struggled to get up as Stacey continued to push from the other side. “Eve! What are you playing at?” She shouted. Squawking as she stumbled through the door. Eve caught her before she fell.
Stacey took one look at her friend and declared “God! You look rough!” She unzipped her green fleece and threw the hood over the end of the bannister. “Woman trouble?” She guessed as she took in Eves devastated appearance. “And don’t say “no” cause we both know, I know you and the ice queen are back on”
Eve followed Stacey into the kitchen. She sat down at the table while her wife boiled the kettle and made them both a cup of tea.
When Stacey sat down, Eve wrapped her hands around the scalding ceramic. The sting of the heat something else to focus on. “She’s still sleeping with Nish and she can’t say – or doesn’t – love me” She explained sadly. The oranges and lemons of the table cloth blurring together the more she stared at it.
Stacey sighed. “He is her husband.” She started tentatively. She jerked back a little as Eves head shot up and she glared at her. “Well he is! And he’s gonna...expect things.” she stated carefully.
“Doesn’t mean she has to...If she really loved me she wouldn’t.” Eve countered, somewhat petulantly.
“Look Eve...I’m pretty sure Suki has feelings for you but you’re about the only person ‘round ‘ere who thinks she’s capable of love.” Stacey shrugged. She hated to see Eve so torn up over that battle-axe. “And at the end of the day, you’re ‘er bit-on-the-side...You’re the one she leaves to go home to hubby...It’s called ‘avin an affair.”
Eve let Stacey’s words permeate her Suki-addled brain. “I thought I could hack it...you know?...I thought it’d be enough until she could leave him.” She took a sip of her hot tea. Her throat suddenly dry. “But today...thinking...knowing they’re together like that...It was like a sucker punch to my gut” Stacey reached over the table and patted Eve’s arm. A comforting gesture. “I told her I couldn’t take it anymore because I loved her...And she just...looked at me like it was...I dunno...some alien concept or summat.”
“What are you gonna do?” Stacey asked gently. Breaking the momentary silence that occurred while they each drank some more of their tea.
Eve looked up with tears in her eyes. “I think I’m done...I was so busy trying to save her from Nish that I’ve let her treat me badly for too long.” She nodded her head decisively. “We’re done” She said as her voice cracked and the tears broke their dam.
Stacey rounded the table to give her friend a hug. “It’ll be OK...I still love ya!”
Eve let out a wet, snotty chuckle. “Thanks Mate.”