Family Affair (Part 6)
Title: Family Affair (Part 6)
Author: xjekkix
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1, 107
Disclaimer: I don't own Skins, or its characters.
Summary: Naomi and Emily go to a family reunion.
They walk inside the house. Naomi’s knees are shaking and they knock together as Emily holds tightly to her hand. “You don’t have to do this y’know?” the redhead whispers, squeezing Naomi’s fingers gently.
Naomi forces a smile. She’s never been so terrified of anything before now. In fact, she’d much rather be free falling from the top of Big Ben - much more her style.
Loud singing voices bounce off the parlour walls as the girls approach the sliding doors. Bravely, Naomi pushes it wide home and pulls Emily closely behind her.
Naomi’s grandmother sits behind a large white piano, pounding enthusiastically away at the keys. She smiles in the girls’ direction. Naomi swallows hard and tries to clear her throat. The sound is drowned out by her grandfather’s deep bellow.
A friendly aunt sneaks in behind them and ushers them inside ahead of her.
Her grandmother waves her over; Emily lets go of her hand and encourages her to go. Naomi, looking apprehensive at first, joins the elderly woman at the piano bench. She mouths the words of the song being sung, knowing she will go unheard amongst the off-key voices of the rest of her relatives. She holds back a giggle when she catches Emily singing along also.
She bobs her head along with the tune, strangely happy to feel at home with her family. Emily looks as though she’s enjoying herself too; she wonders if Emily’s family ever has united moments like this.
The porcelain faced redhead smiles in her direction; her heart skips a beat and for the first time in awhile, she feels like she really belongs somewhere. She also realizes her nerves are unnecessary - the girl will stick by her for as long as it takes.
After the family sing along, Naomi’s relatives disperse quickly for dessert and more drinks. Emily slides next to Naomi on the piano bench and nudges the blonde playfully in her ribcage.
“Didn’t know you sang,” Emily says, touching Naomi’s foot gently with her own.
Naomi blushes and leans comfortably against the girl. “Guess I better get this over with then.” The last of her relatives leave the room. She scrunches her face uncomfortably, knowing she’s about to make a spectacle of herself.
Emily forces a smile. She knows Naomi isn’t ready for this - and that’s perfectly okay - but she’s not about ready to stand in the way of the blonde girl’s strong will and stubbornness. When Naomi is determined, absolutely nothing gets in her way - Emily finds this most appealing.
She watches as Naomi gets up and walks out of the room. She gets up from her own seat and stands by the parlour door to listen; she braces herself for a lot of yelling and gnashing of teeth. Naomi’s claws are about to come out.
When Naomi enters the room, she’s surprised to find just her mother standing there. “Where’s everyone, mum?”
“Grandmum’s taken them to see her garden. You alright, dear?” Naomi’s mother asks, reaching out to touch her daughter’s forehead; Naomi knows it’s clammy - from nerves, not a fever. Her teeth won’t stop chattering and bile burns in her throat.
“Yeah, fine mum. Listen, I’ve got something - well, someone - I need to tell you about…” she starts. A moment ago she had practically an entire monologue memorized to spew out as quickly as possible but now the words have escaped her.
“It’s Emily, right?” the woman says, unable to look her daughter in the eye.
“Yeah,” Naomi says, stunned. “Wait, how’d you know?”
Her mother shrugs. The woman’s face-hardens and Naomi can tell she’s fighting tears. “I may be a drunk, Na, but I’m not stupid.” She spits out the last word venomously.
The words cut at Naomi. The bile rises higher in her throat and she’s afraid to speak.
“How long have you known?” The blonde’s chin quivers.
“A while, I guess. Little things about you changed and I pay more attention to you than you think.”
Naomi watches the woman carefully. Her expression softens and she invites Naomi to sit next to her on a sofa.
“You talk about her a lot more than any of your other friends. And you always wait by the phone until she calls.” Her mother looks at her, finally. “You’re my daughter - of course I notice when something’s different.”
Naomi lowers her head and blushes, smiling to herself. It’s true - all the tell-tale signs are there. “I love her, mum.”
The woman nods quickly and looks away.
“Please don’t be mad.” Naomi’s voice shakes as she speaks. She takes her mother’s hand in both of her own and pleads for her to just look up.
When the woman doesn’t respond, Naomi takes this defeat and stands up. “Guess I better hit the road if I’m going to make it home before dark. I’ll see you.”
The woman nods once again, quickly. “Drive safe, then.”
Naomi feels a lump developing in her throat that is hard to swallow past. She turns to find her mother looking straight at her. “I love you, mum.”
“I love you, too.”
Naomi smiles and feels her eyes begin to well up. Before the tears start, she bolts out the door through which she came.
Emily is startled by her entrance despite hearing Naomi make her exit.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have been so nosy,” Emily says, looking ashamed. Naomi smiles.
“So you heard everything, then?” Emily nods, looking even more bashful now.
“That was really sweet, you know,” the redhead says, grinning. “Though, I can’t picture you waiting by the phone for anyone,” she teases, following Naomi to the front door.
“Wasn’t as hard as I expected, actually. Easier one at a time, I’d imagine.” As they reach the car, Naomi opens Emily’s door for her and closes it behind her.
She starts the car and is about to shift into drive when her mother comes running down the front steps onto the sidewalk. The woman scurries around to the passenger window. Emily begins to roll it down. She hands the redhead a disposable container.
“Noticed you didn’t get much to eat and saw you had your eye on that piece of angel’s food cake.” She smiles and steps back from the car. “Take care, yeah. See you soon.”
The woman waves goodbye to Naomi and blows her a kiss before running back inside the house.
Emily opens the container to find a heaping piece of delicious cake and a fork inside. Her mouth waters and her heart swells at the woman’s thoughtfulness.
Naomi reaches her hand into the redhead’s lap and squeezes her fingers gently. “Welcome to the family.”
Author: xjekkix
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1, 107
Disclaimer: I don't own Skins, or its characters.
Summary: Naomi and Emily go to a family reunion.
They walk inside the house. Naomi’s knees are shaking and they knock together as Emily holds tightly to her hand. “You don’t have to do this y’know?” the redhead whispers, squeezing Naomi’s fingers gently.
Naomi forces a smile. She’s never been so terrified of anything before now. In fact, she’d much rather be free falling from the top of Big Ben - much more her style.
Loud singing voices bounce off the parlour walls as the girls approach the sliding doors. Bravely, Naomi pushes it wide home and pulls Emily closely behind her.
Naomi’s grandmother sits behind a large white piano, pounding enthusiastically away at the keys. She smiles in the girls’ direction. Naomi swallows hard and tries to clear her throat. The sound is drowned out by her grandfather’s deep bellow.
A friendly aunt sneaks in behind them and ushers them inside ahead of her.
Her grandmother waves her over; Emily lets go of her hand and encourages her to go. Naomi, looking apprehensive at first, joins the elderly woman at the piano bench. She mouths the words of the song being sung, knowing she will go unheard amongst the off-key voices of the rest of her relatives. She holds back a giggle when she catches Emily singing along also.
She bobs her head along with the tune, strangely happy to feel at home with her family. Emily looks as though she’s enjoying herself too; she wonders if Emily’s family ever has united moments like this.
The porcelain faced redhead smiles in her direction; her heart skips a beat and for the first time in awhile, she feels like she really belongs somewhere. She also realizes her nerves are unnecessary - the girl will stick by her for as long as it takes.
After the family sing along, Naomi’s relatives disperse quickly for dessert and more drinks. Emily slides next to Naomi on the piano bench and nudges the blonde playfully in her ribcage.
“Didn’t know you sang,” Emily says, touching Naomi’s foot gently with her own.
Naomi blushes and leans comfortably against the girl. “Guess I better get this over with then.” The last of her relatives leave the room. She scrunches her face uncomfortably, knowing she’s about to make a spectacle of herself.
Emily forces a smile. She knows Naomi isn’t ready for this - and that’s perfectly okay - but she’s not about ready to stand in the way of the blonde girl’s strong will and stubbornness. When Naomi is determined, absolutely nothing gets in her way - Emily finds this most appealing.
She watches as Naomi gets up and walks out of the room. She gets up from her own seat and stands by the parlour door to listen; she braces herself for a lot of yelling and gnashing of teeth. Naomi’s claws are about to come out.
When Naomi enters the room, she’s surprised to find just her mother standing there. “Where’s everyone, mum?”
“Grandmum’s taken them to see her garden. You alright, dear?” Naomi’s mother asks, reaching out to touch her daughter’s forehead; Naomi knows it’s clammy - from nerves, not a fever. Her teeth won’t stop chattering and bile burns in her throat.
“Yeah, fine mum. Listen, I’ve got something - well, someone - I need to tell you about…” she starts. A moment ago she had practically an entire monologue memorized to spew out as quickly as possible but now the words have escaped her.
“It’s Emily, right?” the woman says, unable to look her daughter in the eye.
“Yeah,” Naomi says, stunned. “Wait, how’d you know?”
Her mother shrugs. The woman’s face-hardens and Naomi can tell she’s fighting tears. “I may be a drunk, Na, but I’m not stupid.” She spits out the last word venomously.
The words cut at Naomi. The bile rises higher in her throat and she’s afraid to speak.
“How long have you known?” The blonde’s chin quivers.
“A while, I guess. Little things about you changed and I pay more attention to you than you think.”
Naomi watches the woman carefully. Her expression softens and she invites Naomi to sit next to her on a sofa.
“You talk about her a lot more than any of your other friends. And you always wait by the phone until she calls.” Her mother looks at her, finally. “You’re my daughter - of course I notice when something’s different.”
Naomi lowers her head and blushes, smiling to herself. It’s true - all the tell-tale signs are there. “I love her, mum.”
The woman nods quickly and looks away.
“Please don’t be mad.” Naomi’s voice shakes as she speaks. She takes her mother’s hand in both of her own and pleads for her to just look up.
When the woman doesn’t respond, Naomi takes this defeat and stands up. “Guess I better hit the road if I’m going to make it home before dark. I’ll see you.”
The woman nods once again, quickly. “Drive safe, then.”
Naomi feels a lump developing in her throat that is hard to swallow past. She turns to find her mother looking straight at her. “I love you, mum.”
“I love you, too.”
Naomi smiles and feels her eyes begin to well up. Before the tears start, she bolts out the door through which she came.
Emily is startled by her entrance despite hearing Naomi make her exit.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have been so nosy,” Emily says, looking ashamed. Naomi smiles.
“So you heard everything, then?” Emily nods, looking even more bashful now.
“That was really sweet, you know,” the redhead says, grinning. “Though, I can’t picture you waiting by the phone for anyone,” she teases, following Naomi to the front door.
“Wasn’t as hard as I expected, actually. Easier one at a time, I’d imagine.” As they reach the car, Naomi opens Emily’s door for her and closes it behind her.
She starts the car and is about to shift into drive when her mother comes running down the front steps onto the sidewalk. The woman scurries around to the passenger window. Emily begins to roll it down. She hands the redhead a disposable container.
“Noticed you didn’t get much to eat and saw you had your eye on that piece of angel’s food cake.” She smiles and steps back from the car. “Take care, yeah. See you soon.”
The woman waves goodbye to Naomi and blows her a kiss before running back inside the house.
Emily opens the container to find a heaping piece of delicious cake and a fork inside. Her mouth waters and her heart swells at the woman’s thoughtfulness.
Naomi reaches her hand into the redhead’s lap and squeezes her fingers gently. “Welcome to the family.”