Page 90 of Closer than Ever

Hayley raised an eyebrow. For a second, Anna’s stomach knotted. Her mum had only met Hayley for two seconds and was already nearly embarrassing her.

“It’s so nice to meet you both!”

“Do you need help bringing any bags in?” her dad asked.

“No, thank you.” Hayley shook her head. Seeing her be all polite was endearing.

“Don’t worry about it, Dad. I’ll come back out in a bit and get them.”

“Anyway, come in! Come in!” Anna’s mum said. “Let’s get you both a nice cup of tea and you can tell us all about your holiday.”

Her parents set off back towards the house. Hayley smiled, delighted.

Anna rolled her eyes. It was like she could tell exactly what Hayley was thinking. “After you.” Anna gestured for Hayley to walk ahead.

“Why thank you,” Hayley said.

Anna took a deep breath. Between Hayley and her parents, she had her work cut out tonight. She wished she hadn’t told them about Hayley all those years ago. They knew that Anna had been heartbroken after Hayley had left and that this continued for longer than would be normal for a friendship. It was why they were not surprised when Anna finally came out to them. Her mum had even asked her if it was ‘because of Hayley’. Anna had had to gently correct her mother that being a lesbian wasn’t caused by someone else. You were either made that way or you weren’t. But now they were getting to meet Hayley in the flesh. Anna sighed. What had she got herself into?

Over tea and biscuits, they chatted about the trip. Hayley sat beside her on the two-seater sofa across from Anna’s parents.

“Did you get a clear view of the sky up in Lewis? I hear they are pushing for dark-sky status,” her dad said.

“We did. It was incredible,” Hayley said. “We saw the milky way. I couldn’t believe how clear it was. It was one of the highlights of the trip. Totally.”

Her dad nodded, engrossed. “And what about the midges? Did you get eaten alive up there?”

“No, Dad, they weren’t too bad this year.”

Her mum sat there quietly taking Anna and Hayley in. Anna knew her mind was working on something.

Hayley kept looking over at Anna, smiling, and tapping her leg sometimes.

Anna wanted to hold her hand and sit closer. It was hard to go back to acting like just friends.

“I love these cups,” Hayley said, spinning hers in her hand. “They are so unique.”

“My mum made them.”

Hayley’s eyebrows shot up, and she looked at her mum. “Wow, that’s so cool! Did you take a class?”

“Yes, years ago. I have a workshop in the garage. I can show you, if you like?”

“I would love to see it!”

“Right. I’ll go and get dinner ready.” Her dad left the room.

“Is that you at school?” Hayley said, standing up and walking over to Anna’s high-school picture on the wall, complete with braces and an ill-thought-out fringe. “You were so cute.”

Anna blushed.

“Yes, Anna became very sensible in her teenage years, the complete opposite of what she was like when she was in primary school,” her mum said, walking past. “Shame, that.”

In her mum’s workshop, Hayley and her mum talked for ages about her mum’s pottery stuff. There were shelves and shelves of trinkets her mum had made along with materials and books. A lot of small paint pots and slender brushes were still scattered around. Her mum was never one to clear them up. There was a faint ceramic smell lingering, as usual. It was like home. Hayley was so charming, the way she was all interested in her parents and her home like this. Anna could hardly take her eyes off her.

“Anna used to do her homework in here while I worked on some bits and pieces. Or she would make her own things.”

“Oh yeah. Practically grew up in here.”

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