A Cherry Sunset

“So yeh realleh don’t mind meh stealin’ yeh from Oleh?” Tom grinned as he arched one eyebrow. I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my plastic chair. We were sitting in the food court of a mall. I wasn’t quite sure how far we were from Sheffield, but I didn’t think it was that far.

“It’s fine, Tom. I’ve been around Oliver constantly for the past five days. I think an afternoon away is just fine.” I shrugged and he chuckled.

“Yeh sick of ‘im alreadeh?’ I laughed too and shook my head.

“Quite the opposite.” I dropped my eyes to the table between us. I was trying to fight the blush that was coming on, but I know I was failing. “I don’t even want to go home anymore.” I admitted and then bit my bottom lip.

“Then don’t.” Tom said the two words like they were easy, like it wasn’t some life altering decision.

I raised my eyebrows and glanced at him. “Right, because that sounds like a brilliant idea.”

He shrugged. “It doesn’t sound so bad. We could get yeh a place if stayin’ with Oleh was teh much. We could even get yeh work if yeh couldn’t keep yeh’re job afteh movin’.”

I stared at him for a few moments. “Have you thought about this much?” Tom chuckled and looked away, shrugging again.

“I’ve told yeh ‘fore, yeh good fer Oleh. Yeh make ‘im ‘appeh. An’ yeh a riot. We’re all ‘opin’ yeh stick ‘round.”

“We? As in, you’ve talked about me staying with other people?” My mouth fell open and Tom rolled his eyes.

“Yeh, Em. We all want yeh teh stay.” He grinned and my chest squeezed. I was partly flattered, but mostly I just felt loved. I didn’t feel loved too often, so this was special to me.

I smiled a little. “I’m afraid to ask who else is counted by ‘we’.” I mumbled and Tom snorted. “But you can reassure them all that I do plan to stick around. At least for a bit longer.”

“Good.” He smirked. “I’m sure Oleh will be ecsta’ic teh ‘ear.”

My eyes widened and my cheeks heated up again. “Don’t you dare, Tom!” He laughed hard and shook his head. “I can get some blackmail material from Dee if I have to.” I warned and he put his hands up.

“I was onleh teasin’ Em. I wouldn’t do tha’ teh yeh.” He chuckled and went back to smirking. “Yeh practicleh like part of the famileh, ‘cept yeh betteh.”

“Awe, I’m part of the family.” I put my hand to my chest and tilted my head. “I’m so touched.” I batted my eyes and then giggled.

“’Onest, yeh are. Mum’s alreadeh plannin’ yeh an’ Oleh’s weddin’.” I choked on my soda at his words and started coughing something awful. Tom just laughed.

“Oh my God.”

“Calm down, Em. ‘S alrigh’. She’s jus’ gettin’ ahead of ‘erself. I told yeh we were all ‘appeh.” He shrugged and tried not to smirk, but it wasn’t really working. “Mum’s jus’ a bit more ‘appeh then the rest of us.”

“Oh my God! A wedding?” I was really starting to freak out. There was way too much talking about babies and marriage than I would like to have, probably ever. I loved Oliver, but marriage? I could hardly imagine myself married, to Oliver or anyone else. What if I ended up like my parents? My head started to spin.

“Emileh?” I hadn’t noticed that Tom had moved to sit beside me. He also had a hand on my back and one on my knee. His eyebrows were furrowed together and his blue eyes were worried. I focused on him and that helped to push away the horrible thoughts clouding my mind. “Emileh, yeh’re not breathin’. Do yeh ‘ave asthma or somethin’? ‘S there an in’aleh? Come on, Em.”

I shook my head slowly, clutching his arm. “I’m …. I’m f-f-fine.” I gulped for air and closed my eyes. “Just …. let me breath …. for a few minutes.” He nodded and held onto my hand tightly. As I slowly started to get my breathing and all back to normal, the grip I had on him loosened too.

“Bloodeh ‘ell, Emileh.” Tom muttered and sighed with relief after I let his hand go. “What jus’ ‘appened?” His eyebrows rose as I bashfully dropped my eyes.

“I, uh, I overreacted, I guess.” I liked my lips and then frowned. “The whole ‘wedding’ thing freaked me out.” I admitted sheepishly.

“Em, I wasn’t serious.” Tom frowned too and rubbed my back still.

“I know. It’s just, I started thinking about my folks and then I imagined myself as them, and you know my folks don’t exactly like each other that much anymore, and when I thought of Oliver like that it was,” I trailed off and sighed. “It was awful.”

“I’m real sorreh, Em. I didn’t mean teh,” I grabbed Tom’s hand again and shook my head at him.

“I know you didn’t. I just freaked. Let’s forget about it.” I smiled hopefully and he bit his bottom lip before letting a grin replace that worried frown.

“Yeah, okay. We’ll let it go.” He squeezed my hand and sighed. “Jus’ don’t do that teh meh again.”

I sighed too. “I’ll try not to. And for the record, I don’t have asthma.” He snorted and let go of my hand as he started collecting the trash from the table. “Also, asking if I have asthma while I was not breathing was not the best idea.” I snickered as he rolled his eyes.

“Next time, I’ll be sure teh start CPR immediately on yeh.” I giggled some more as I watched him throw the trash away.

“’S ‘bout time I found yeh teh.” I knew the voice was December’s. I knew I wasn’t in danger and I knew December wasn’t scary in any sense. I screamed anyway. I also jumped. Tom’s head snapped back to me, but then I could see him roll his eyes as he saw December sit beside me. “No need teh bloodeh scream.”

I exhaled heavily. “You scared me that was reason enough to scream.”

“I’ve been lookin’ fer both of yeh fer ‘bout the last ‘our.” She huffed and frowned a bit as Tom came back to the table. “Oleh was no ‘elp.”

“When is ‘e?” Tom laughed as he took his original seat across from me.

“Well, this time ‘e was especialleh not ‘elpful.” She shook her head but then her eyes focused on me and widened. “I ‘ave plans fer yeh today!” I smiled warily and looked over at Tom.

“Today was ‘posed teh be meh day with Emileh.” Tom winked at me as December turned to glare at him.

“We’re goin’ teh ‘ave a girls day. Yeh kno’? ‘Ave our ‘air done, buy some new clothes, maybeh even buy Oleh a present.” December smirked while I shook my head at Tom. He tried not to grin.

“Since when do yeh ‘ave girls days?” He raised his eyebrows with a serious manner but I could tell he really just wanted to laugh. I was just hoping he wouldn’t leave me alone.

“Since I now ‘ave a girl teh ‘ave girls day, arse ‘ole.” December rolled her eyes and then turned to me. “I was thinkin’, if yeh let meh, we could change yeh coleh? Maybeh a brigh’ red, eh?” My mouth fell open and my eyes turned to Tom, begging for help.

He cleared his throat. “Why don’t we change yeh coleh, Dee?”

“I am.” She beamed and I sighed. Tom was sadly, though he was trying, not helping. “Now, would yeh like teh come with us or not, Tommeh?”

“I think Tom should definitely come with us.” I interjected and grinned big, widening my eyes at Tom.

“Alrigh’ then. Yeh bring the car ‘round fer us, Tommeh?” December winked and Tom nodded as he stood up.

“Yeah, why not? I’m jus’ the chauffeh fer the day, eh?” Tom sarcastically smiled before he started walking away. I pouted slightly as December started rambling on.

“That wasn’t very nice, you know? Dismissing your own brother like that.” I mumbled and pushed my bangs out of my face. December scrunched her nose up.

“Tom can take it.” She shrugged and then smiled wide at me. “’Sides, I jus’ needin’ a few moments with yeh alone.”

“Kay, now I’m scared a bit.” I laughed nervously as she rolled her eyes.

“I wanted teh tell yeh that I’m realleh glad yeh ‘ere, in England.” I smiled back at her, my nerves going away. “Yeh an’ Oleh … yeh jus’ fit.”

“Thanks December. I’m really happy I’m here too.” I blushed slightly and fiddled with my hands. “I love Oliver. A lot.”

“Good.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling me up with her. “Now let’s go an’ get yeh ‘air done. I was ‘onest ‘bout the red, yeh know? I think it’ll look gorgeous an’ Oleh’ll love it no matteh wha’.” She giggled.