Emma Ch. 45

Maisie was very sad. She had hoped this would never happen, but when Tanya had suggested she move in to her city flat, so close to everything that was happening, she knew that there was really no choice. Emma was no longer what she had been in her eyes anymore. And although she knew there was no lessening in Emma’s love for her: she was a young girl. She had a life ahead of her. She was too young to settle down.

“I’m sorry,” Maisie sniffed, weeping despite herself. Although it wasn’t love like it used to be, she still loved Emma. “It’s better if I leave. I love Tanya. I love her so much. I want to stay with her. It’s not because I want to leave you. It’s because I want to be with Tanya.”

Emma cried out loud in despair despite herself. How had this happened? How had Tanya, who she’d trusted and loved … How could she? Emma grasped Maisie to her chest, hoping that naked body against naked body, that somehow everything would be reversed, and Maisie would say that she was sorry, that she hadn’t meant it, that really she still loved Emma more than Tanya.

But it wasn’t to be. Maisie disengaged herself from Emma’s caress politely, but firmly. And after a few embarrassed moments of sniffled remorse and apologies, she left Emma’s home and spent the night at Tanya’s flat. The following evening, when Emma came home from a miserable, unproductive day at work, she found that all Maisie’s possessions were gone. On the table was Maisie’s house key and a scrawled note from the young girl saying: “I love you Emma. But I love Tanya more. I’m sure you’ll find someone else. rr”

Emma burst into tears and didn’t stop crying. She had never wanted someone else. She had only ever wanted Maisie. Her first evening alone was spent sat naked on the sofa with the company of a bottle of gin and the backdrop of a succession of plaintive ballads mournfully selected from her CD collection.