Keeping Jemima

Time to go home

Jemima

Suitcases piled by the door we were ready to leave in a few hours. Peter was coming around later to come to the airport. I wasn't looking forward to it, I'd gotten used to being home, the boys kept saying we were going home but to me it didn't feel like it, it felt like I was leaving home.
"Hey William you mind if I steel your girlfriend for a little bit?" Max asked keeping a poker face
"Suppose not, why?" William asked looking at him suspiciously, Max hardly spoke to William, understandably.
"Just popping out to get some food for the flight, want to make sure she has some trigger free stuff, easier if she just comes and chooses herself." Max shrugged
"Oh right, yeah, thank you max. I put some Percy pigs in your backpack baby." William kissed the top of my head. "They're her favourite, I'm going to ask peter or Fredrick to post you some over once a month. You want me to tag along?"
"Nah we're good" max sang back at him exiting the room
"I suppose it's progress that he's talking to you dude" Ed sniggered at William
"True, I thought it would be Matty I had to work the hardest to impress, guess I was wrong" William joked

Max layered up waiting for me by the door, I joined him putting my coat on, max sweetly wrapping a scarf around my neck and arranging my hat, he paused stroking my cheek looking at me sadly again.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing" he shook it off, stepping outside holding the door open for me. We walked along max leading the way while I tried to keep up with the long strides of his legs that were twice as long as mine while trying not to fall on the icy pavement.

"Max which shops we going to? They're all the other way aren't they?"
"I know, I wanted to do one last thing together before we leave, just you and me. Come on won't take long." He held his hand out for me. I took it and he smiled contently walking us along. We walked until we came across a bridge and max stopped. "It's cool right" max observed a fence on the wall next to the bridge with padlocks on it. "I was reading about it in the local paper that came through the door the other day. They're love locks."
"Super cheesy and a little lame, but it's kinda cute I guess."
"Yeah. Errr super cheesy, totally lame" he fumbled hiding something in his pocket
"What you hiding?"
"Nothing"
"Drumsticks you can't hide from me" I tiptoed to Eskimo kiss his cold nose, not reaching I did a small hop, slipping on my landing I held on to his arms tightly making him smile, leaning down to give me a proper Eskimo kiss.

"I errr thought" he pulled a padlock out of his pocket "maybe we could add one. Me and you. Leave a little of us behind, I know you're struggling leaving Emmy, I thought it might help. I didn't put our names on it, I just put a 'j' and 'm'." I smiled taking it out of his hand looking at the lock he'd decorated "choose a spot Emmy" he turned looking at the fence. I pointed to a spot and he lifted me up to clamp it on. "Perfect spot, right in the sunshine." He nodded "one last thing, he smirked pulling me to the bridge handing me one of the keys "ready?"
"For what?"
"After three we're gonna chuck the keys as far as we can."
"Why?"
"Because, you and me and Emmy. It's forever. We don't need the keys because I don't want you to ever unlock that lock and let me go. We're locked in forever now. Ready one, two, three!" He yelled chucking his key then watched as I threw mine. "Part of us will always be here now Emmy, with Arthur, watching over him and keeping him safe." He pulled me into hug nuzzling in close "I'm gonna miss the cold weather being an excuse to hold you close" he whispered kissing my cheek "I really want to kiss you Emmy"

"Come on, you want to be my plane buddy bestie?" I ignored his not so subtle request
"Would love to be baby" he smirked at his playful tone when he took hold of my hand again "let's go get food, we're leaving early, I think Matty wants to go to the airport via arthur. Pay our respects."
"Yeah, I know. He didn't even ask." I tutted
"You don't want to?"
"Not sure. Maybe. Do me a favour and be nice to petey today. For me. I don't like it when you clash, William I understand but peters my petey, it would mean a lot to me if you could be nice to him and learn how to ignore his sassy ass when he's being cheeky. He can't help it, it's just the way he is a bit like you and your wiggly butt."
"Sure. You should set up a regular time slot with him once we're back, once a week. I know via a screen is not the same but..."
"I like that idea, thank you max." I kissed his cheek taking a photo of our lock before going to buy food. I wondered if it would still be there next time we visited.