Cemetery Girls

Her kisses are soft against my lips, and she tastes sweet yet with a hint of sour, like a chocolate mousse with a dash of lemon. Her face breaks into a happy smile as she pulls away from me.

‘Hey, Ava,’ she whispers, ‘you taste like strawberries.’ Her eyes twinkle in the moonlight.

‘You taste like chocolate,’ I reply, ‘but with just a hint of lemony goodness.’

She chuckles quietly, and kisses me again. It almost hurts to break off the kiss but I have to.

‘Ellie… You know we can’t keep this up forever.’ I truly hate to have to say this - the time I’ve spent with her has been the best time of my life, but I can’t leave my family.

‘Why do you have to be such a pessimist?’ Ellie says. ‘We could do with a bit of optimism in this relationship.’

‘That’s the problem. This isn’t a relationship. It’s a… a passionate affair.’ My own words tear at my heart - I love Ellie more than I love him. There’s no question.

‘Are you saying I’m just your bit on the side?’ Pain crosses her face.

‘No! But, Ellie, I’m married. I have a child!’

‘You know you’re happier with me!’ Tears fill Ellie’s emerald eyes and a single droplet trickles down her cheek. I reach out to wipe it off but she slaps my hand away and turns her back on me.

‘Ellie, please…’

‘No, Ava! We’ve been doing this too long for you to turn around now and say you can’t do it anymore. I can’t walk away from what we have. I won’t walk away from it. You know I’ll fight for you ’til the end.’

‘I know, Ellie, and that’s what I’m afraid of. I… This… It’s all moving too fast. I’m falling for you. I don’t want it to end.’

She turns back to me, emerald eyes wide.

‘You’re… falling for me?’

‘I really think I am,’ I whisper.

‘So don’t end this! I don’t understand why you’d rather be with a man you don’t love than with a woman you do!’

‘For the sake of my daughter! I can’t just take her away from her father and I can’t take myself away from her!’ I, too, am in tears now. ‘How could you ever imagine I’d do this because I wanted to?’

‘But Grace would understand.’

‘She’s seven years old, Ellie. How would you explain to a seven-year-old that Mummy doesn’t like Daddy anymore but she actually likes this other lady very much and wants her to come live with them?’

‘Shouldn’t you talk to Kai about it first?’ Ellie frowns.

‘And that’ll be a fun conversation. “Hey, honey, I just thought I’d let you know I don’t love you anymore - I’m leaving you for another woman and I’m taking our daughter with me. See you later!” Yeah, that’d go down really well.’

Ellie opens her mouth to reply, but it’s not her that speaks - it’s a male voice, and one I know very well.

‘I’d have to agree with you on that one, honey.’

I look up, and there stands my worst nightmare. My husband, in all his glory. Kai stands above us, looking down with utter contempt at Ellie and me.

‘I should’ve known.’