Falling Like The Stars (Book 3)

Chapter 2 - The Gift Of A Friend

" The world comes to life
And everything's bright
From beginning to end
When you have a friend
By your side
That helps you to find
The beauty you are
When you open your heart
And believe in
The gift of a friend. "

'The Gift of A Friend' - Demi Lovato
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Emily had finished her last shift finally and Kali had kindly helped her to pay half of the taxi fayre home, as Emily was smothered in gifts and cards.

As she was struggling to get out of the taxi outside her building complex, Bryce was coming down the front steps. He looked up from buttoning up his suit jacket and saw Emily struggling with a particularly large gift bag whilst also trying to coralé a cluster of balloons which didn't seem to be going all that well from what he could tell.

It also didn't help that it was a particularly blustery day and the wind kept whipping blonde tendrils of hair in her face, obscuring her vision in the process.

"Emily! What are you doing? There's no way you're going to be able to manage all of that on your own. Here, let me help you."

"It's OK. I was going to get one of the bell boys to help me with everything. I don't want you to be late for wherever you're going."

"Trust me, I won't. I was only going to meet a friend for coffee."

"Oh really? I just finished my last shift today at the coffee shop I work at."

"Oh, is it that time already?" Bryce looked at her, taking in the size of her bump. "I take it you're due soon then?" He reached out to take the large giftbag from her hand.

She hoisted up her handbag onto her shoulder and bent to pick up a small one whilst wrestling with the collection of balloons and followed Bryce inside.

"I'm about 30 weeks now, so about 6 more weeks to go, but the doctor has said my baby is big for how many weeks he is, he's long as well so he's going to be tall. James is tall so it figures."

"Do you ever see or speak to him? You guys made a great couple."

They made their ways over to the lift.

"No. I don't do either. Although I've tried. Believe me, I've tried. James has a new girlfriend. She's a complete bitch. She's the one preventing me from getting in touch with him. I know she is."

The lift pinged to announce its arrival at her floor, and the doors slid open.

"What about you and Shannon?"

"No...I-I ended things with him. I'm flying solo at the moment." Emily shrugged, opening the door to her apartment.

"I'm sorry to hear that Emily, you seem like a lovely girl."

"What's the saying? God loves a trier." She sighed. "Would you like to come and see Alex's nursery? It's just about done now. Well, it certainly will be now I've been gifted all of this stuff."

Bryce laughed. "Sure, I'd love to see Alex's nursery. Is that the name you've decided on?"

"Yeaha. It was that or Theo, but I don't know."

"Well...you could always save that for baby Number 2?"

"Jesus...don't. I haven't had this one yet." She walked through her lounge and down the corridor to her nursery and switched on the light.

"Oh it's lovely Emily. You've done an incredible job. Did you do all this on your own?"

"No, my work colleague Kali has a friend who's an interior designer, so she helped me as well, but I picked out the colours and chose the theme. I was gifted a beautiful baby blanket by the creative director of Gucci, Alessandro Michel, and it gave me the idea for the woodland/mythical creatures theme. Here. Isn't it gorgeous?" She handed Bryce the linen blanket and he looked at it.