Page 89 of Take a Moment

‘You do that.’ I hand her a fork from the cutlery holder on our table.

‘Anyway, we were talking about you. I know you don’t want Matt to see you differently, but you can’t hold this back for ever. The longer you leave it, the more you risk the relationship.’

‘You think I don’t know all this?’ I sink the last of my coconut water. ‘I was shaking and I went onto autopilot. I literally couldn’t tell him. One of the biggest problems between Dom and me was that he mollycoddled me, he couldn’t see past my condition. With Dom, I’m the girl with MS; with Matt, I’mme.’

‘And you worry that it will go that way with Matt when you tell him.’

‘That’s if he sticks around long enough for me to find out.’

‘I do get it, Lex. But you’re now in a relationship that’s not open and honest. Leave it much longer and you’lldefinitelylose him.’

I sigh heavily. ‘I know. OK, let’s stop focusing on my mess and talk about your hot date with Sammy this morning. How was it?’

Her expression immediately turns dreamy. ‘It was amazing. He’s so bouncy and full of life. Such a sweetheart too.’

‘It’s like you’re describing your mirror image.’

‘You know, we are kind of similar. Apart from the band thing. I can’t believe I went on a date with the lead guitarist in a band.’

‘And now you’re having lunch with the lead vocalist.’

‘Right?It’s just so cool, this whole band thing. I want to be a proper groupie.Sooocan’t wait to move down here. Sammy’s already offered to help me move.’

‘Wow, heisa fast mover. Though as he was imagining your children two minutes after I introduced you, not sure why I’m surprised.’

Sasha beams and turns scarlet. It’s so good to see her happy.

‘Did you kiss?’ I ask.

Her expression deepens to a shade of beetroot. ‘We did.’

‘It’s OK. Matt and I kiss too. It’s what grown-ups do.’

‘Stop it, Lex.’

Chuckling, I say, ‘I’m sorry. I’m done. Promise.’

Sasha purses her lips and looks at me as if she wants to say something but is unsure.

‘What is it, Sash? You can talk to me about anything, you know that.’

Sasha squirms a little in her seat. ‘I was actually just wondering… you know how you suffer from that fatigue and can’t do much by way of exercise…’

‘Yeah?’

‘Well… how do you… you know, do the deed with Matt without your symptoms getting in the way?’

I let out a snorting laugh as I take in Sasha’s cringing, mortified-but-not-enough-to-not-ask-the-question face.

‘Let’s just say that good sex doesn’t need to resemble a gyrating Duracell bunny.’

‘Right. Good.’ Sasha’s now so red her face is almost indistinguishable from her hair.

‘Shall we go?’ I grin.

‘Yes, please.’

Chapter 30

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