A favour

Third Person POV

Peter and Saba arrived home from the run, Saba transformed back into Felicia, and the siblings settled on the couch in the lounge. ‘

‘So what do you think little sister,’ Peter asks.

‘You mean other than the fact that she is very, very human? She seems nice’

‘Nice…. nice… what do you mean nice? She is amazing, adorable, perfect… although clearly very fragile and feisty at the same time… Do you think we will see her next week?’

‘Well she said you would, so I would guess so’

….

Emma and Jo drove off, hot and sticky from their respective runs and definitely in need of a shower.

‘Well mum…..’ Jo opens.

‘Yes thank you’ Emma shoots back.

‘You know damn well that is not what I mean…. C’mon spill… I want to know all about Mister tall, handsome and mysterious’

Emma coloured slightly, her heart rate accelerated as she thought of Peter, he was so big and good looking, and for some reason she wanted to get to know him better. The feeling was a foreign one for her.

‘Not that it is any of your business, but we just talked.... about films and books and music and his travels…. I will probably see him here next week’

‘What he didn’t ask you out,’ a disappointed Jo shoots back.

‘I didn’t give him the chance, and I already told you I am not ready to date yet. I feel like a bloody stuck record.’

….

Over the next week both Emma and Peter found themselves thinking about the other at the oddest moments. Peter read up a bit about cat owners, and invested in a cat mom mug from Etsy that he could gift her at some point.

The next Saturday Felicia and Peter from the Bilavoda family and Emma and Jo from the Ecles one all turn up to run.

Winter has definitely arrived and the ground hard and icy underfoot. A couple of times Peter helped Emma avoid a tumble as her footing slipped on the course. Revelling in the excuse to touch her, even if it is just her arm, and she finds his strength reassuring.

At the end of the run Peter produced a single white rose, which he presented to Emma with a flourish. ‘Will I see you next week m'lady?’ he asked, a cheeky grin on his face.

‘Oh thank you,’ Emma giggled, glad that her face is so red from the run that there is no way anyone can tell she is blushing. ‘It will be a fortnight, next weekend I have my granddaughter, Rosie’

His heart sank, fourteen days without seeing his love lays heavy on his heart. ‘Maybe we could catch up for coffee or something’ he asked hopefully.

Fear filled Emma, no, no, no, screamed her internal voice. He will hurt me, I am too insignificant and plain and stupid that a god like him would actually be interested in me.

‘I’m really busy with work at the moment,’ she stuttered. ‘I have to go’

Emma disappeared in the crowd and then into her car as fast as her legs would carry her. Her heart was thundering as if she was still running, adrenalin flooding her body. The word shit running on repeat through her head.

….

Over the next 2 weeks, Emma seriously considered finding a new ParkRun to attend. Work was quiet, and there was no reason that she couldn’t have met up with Peter, other than fear of getting close to another human being, especially a man.

But she was conflicted, the single rose took pride of place on the table in the front room, she would look at it and smile, as it started to fade she pressed it. The rose was a treasure for her, a symbol that maybe she was more than just the mum, grandmother, worker of everyday, but maybe there was another persona waiting to be uncovered. It was a gesture that had touched her, but she wasn’t blind; Peter and his sister are what she would call ‘Beautiful People’, people who are so blessed that others around them raise them up making their lives perfect and smooth.

Emma knew she was ordinary, a bit brighter than some, and not ugly… just normal. And Beautiful People don’t choose normals, so for whatever reason Peter was obviously playing with her. Changing ParkRun would be admitting he had won whatever game he was playing, and require too many explanations to Jo. So gathering her courage she decided she would front it out, they moved a lot, so doubtless they would be gone soon, and she could return to her lonely life as a mad cat lady.

….

In the run up to Christmas Peter, Felicia, Saba and Braon mix and match to attend all the runs, Emma is there most weeks, except when on babysitting duty, and Jo accompanies her mother, but leaves her to get to know the siblings, in 30 minute segments. Gifting her mother the chance to maybe connect with someone else, the chance to develop a real friendship.

Each time he sees her Peter presents Emma a new and different flower, a red carnation, a calla lily, red tulip, blue hyacinth, lavender rose and a red flower made up of many small blooms on a single stem which she didn’t recognise. Peter informed her it was a salvia.

Unknown to her each flower was a declaration of his feelings; a commentary from his heart. White rose for their new start, red carnation for his aching heart, calla lily beseeching her to think of him, lavender rose to represent love at first sight, red tulip confessing his love for her, blue hyacinth reassurance that his heart would be constant and red salvia stating that she would forever be his, as he is forever hers.

….

Felicia works hard during this time, trying to get to know her potential sister-in-law and make friends with her. She hadn’t realised that the life on the road had left her short of girlfriends, and Emma clearly had no one in her life. The two women started forging their own relationship much faster than Peter could, as Emma wasn’t afraid of Fel in the way she was of Peter.

....

The Christmas Day parkrun was even busier than usual, with runners in Santa hats and others dressed as elves and reindeer… like a massive charity fun run, with hundreds of people celebrating the day by starting it with other like minded folk.

The entire atmosphere was joyous, with mulled wine and mince pies at the finish. Peter presented Emma with a carefully wrapped package containing the mug he had bought her months ago.

Emma blushed, ‘You shouldn’t have…. I didn’t realise we were doing gifts, I haven’t got you anything.’

‘Spending time with you is gift enough,’ he knew he sounded cheesy, but he couldn’t help it. Her blushing cheeks and earnest apology did something to him he didn’t quite understand. He was desperate to move their relationship on, but had no idea how to. Every time he suggested meeting up outside the run she knocked him back, but her behaviour said that she missed him when he attended the runs as Braon.

….

That evening Peter and Felicia discussed his problem, they were running out of time and would need to return home soon. Three more pups had gone missing from families living on packlands, and it was inconceivable that they were all runaways.

‘I have an idea big brother’

‘Spill Fel, I am at my wits end’

‘Well,’ she says ‘How about an undercover mission?’

‘Huh?... what is going on in that scheming head of yours…. what do you mean undercover?’

‘Well it is obvious to anyone with eyes she likes you’ Fel replies, she pauses for effect. ‘How about you get her to look after Braon for a few days to get an insight into what is blocking her’

Peter looks confused for a moment, then understanding dawns. ‘Isn’t that underhand and deceitful?’

‘Maybe, but we are running out of time, and it is the quickest way to cut through the crap’

….

Emma expected to see Peter at the New Year’s Day run, but there he wasn’t, instead she spotted a worried looking Felicia dressed for a meeting not a run, with Braon in tow.

‘Hey Fel, I thought Peter said he was going to be here’ Felicia could clearly hear the disappointment in Emmas voice.

‘Oh Emma, thank Goddess you are here, something came up at home, Peter has gone already, but we need someone to look after Braon for a few days, and you and Jo are really the only people we know round here.... plus Braon likes you.

I realise it is a massive ask, but it would be great if you could take him, I am going straight from here to the airport’

Emma is shocked. Clearly her friend has a lot going on, ‘Oh my god, I hope everything is okay. Of course I will look after Braon. Let me give you my number so you can get hold of me when you get back.’

They exchange numbers, and as Fel isn’t running she hands over a chill bag with meat in for Braon, before heading off.

Emma is left in the carpark, holding a dog lead and wondering what the hell she has agreed to and praying that the cats won’t be too pissed with her bringing a dog home.