Page 53 of Sorry, Not Sorry
They looked at each other in silence, and then she said timidly, ‘So now what? Can we be friends?’
Noah shook his head. ‘Nah. I’m sorry, Del, but after everything that’s happened, there’s no way I can be friends with you.’
‘Oh!’ She stared at him, stricken. He had every right to be upset with her but after he’d made her admit her feelings for him, the words were like a brutal kick to the stomach.
‘Don’t look so sad, Del. I’m just being honest,’ he said softly, then his lips broke into a teasing smile. ‘Let’s face it, there’s no way you and I could ever just be friends.’
‘Oh?’ she said again.
Noah reached out and pulled her up to him, and when his mouth sought hers, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. As his warm lips devoured hers, she tugged him closer, tracing the hard muscles in his back through the thin knit of his jumper. His fingers slipped under her top and cupped her breast and she groaned and kissed him harder. Somehow, through the haze of passion, she remembered where she was and pulled back, her heart pounding as she gasped for breath.
‘I thought you wanted us to start a new chapter,’ she murmured breathlessly.
Noah’s breathing was as ragged as hers, and he pulled her back into his arms, holding her so tightly she could have sworn she felt his heart thumping. He nuzzled her neck and said huskily, ‘I just realised we haven’t finished the last one yet.’
Without warning, the kitchen door slammed open and Maya barged in.
‘Arin wants to come out of the play pen,’ she announced. Her eyes homed in on Delilah in Noah’s arms, and she eyed them curiously.
‘Auntie Del was feeling sad and crying before you came, Uncle Noah. Are you kissing her better?’
Noah linked his arms loosely around Delilah’s waist and gazed into her eyes for a long moment. Then, he turned and nodded solemnly.
‘I’m doing my very best, Maya.’
35
It felt like three months rather than three weeks since Delilah’s last session with Arne, and even the reliably aloof Sigmund appeared to have missed her. Sidling up to where she sat, the cat allowed her a few strokes of his fur before shrugging her off and padding over to stretch out under the desk. While Arne made them coffee, Delilah scanned the room, her gaze falling upon a large sepia-toned photograph of a forest. Sunlight streamed through tall leafy trees with trunks that appeared enormous.
‘Is that a new photo?’ Delilah asked curiously.
Arne glanced up and followed the direction of her gaze. ‘Ah, yes. I took the picture some time ago, but I had it framed only last week.’
He walked over with a brimming mug of milky coffee and set it down on the table next to Delilah. Instead of taking his seat, he went over to the picture and studied it while tugging gently on his beard. ‘I like this photo very much. I lay on the ground to capture the trees at that angle. It speaks to me of perspective.’
‘You mean the way the tree trunks seem so huge?’
‘Indeed. It is a useful reminder how we can look at the same thing – or situation – in different ways. The position we choose will inform how we see things.’
‘That’s pretty deep. I only meant it’s a nice picture,’ Delilah teased. She grinned widely and Arne’s eyes twinkled in response. He walked over and settled himself in the chair facing her.
‘You look happy, Delilah.’
‘Very happy!’ It was impossible to hide her excitement, and she gave him a huge smile. ‘I can’t wait to fill you in on everything that’s happened.’
‘I was concerned when you cancelled not one, but two of our sessions, so I am pleased to see you back.’
‘I know.’ She scrunched her nose in apology. ‘I’m really sorry about that. I know what a busy client schedule you have, and it won’t happen again. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about signing me off. I’ve learned so much from our sessions, but I’m ready to go back to work. I tried telling Polly, but she won’t hear of it until you give me the all-clear.’
Arne didn’t appear surprised at her request, and he gestured as if inviting her to take the lead. ‘Perhaps you can tell me what has brought you such elation.’
Delilah wriggled deeper into the armchair to make herself comfortable before relating the tumultuous events of the past three weeks. When she finished, she picked up her mug and swallowed the coffee thirstily before sitting back to gauge Arne’s reaction. If her therapist was happy for her, his face clearly hadn’t received the memo.
‘It’s all worked out well for me and Noah,’ she added reassuringly, in case he was in any doubt. ‘We’ve been together literally every day since then and it’s like we’ve never been apart. We are so making up for lost time!’
Arne’s expression didn’t shift, and Delilah tried to rein in her mounting frustration. Things were back on track with Noah, and she was desperate to move on from therapy and get her job and her life back. But for that to happen, she needed Arne on her side.
‘You do realise this is good news, Arne?’ Delilah pointed out. ‘Why don’t you look happy about it?’
