“You remind me so much of her,” Lucy said. It was midnight and we had just raided Eleanor’s fridge for leftovers. Lucy and I sat at the kitchen table, our third bottle of wine standing half-empty between us. Our feet were bare and cold below the table but we wanted to feel each other’s touch. “Your eyes are exactly the same as hers, and the way you rock a blazer, like you don’t care how sexy it makes you look, it should be prohibited.”
“I see, so you’re just revisiting an old flame.” I scratched a toenail over her ankle. It was only meant to hurt a little. “And that’s why you said you were in love with me, after we slept together only once.”
“Twice, actually. Anyway, I was twenty-two years old when I fell in love with Ali. And yes, there is a definite physical resemblance. Character-wise though, you couldn’t be more different. I guess, as far as looks go, you’re just… my type.”
“Oh, so now you have a type. I like the swift progress you’re making. Why did you never tell Eleanor? You’re usually so open about everything with her.”
“Some things you just want to keep buried inside yourself forever.”
“Does anyone else know?”
“Nope. Back then, in Austin, I couldn’t tell anyone, and when I came back to the UK, it seemed irrelevant.”
“Irrelevant? It was only the most important affair of your life.”
“I didn’t know that then.”
“Why did you tell me?”
“Because you asked nicely.”
“No one has ever asked you nicely before?”
“No one ever had the chance.” She was quiet then, lost in thought. She looked good in the dim light of the kitchen, her short hair tousled from what we did upstairs, three tiny freckles sitting naughtily next to her nose, her lips stretched wide into a faint smile. “I’m freezing down here, let’s go back up.”
“Are you staying the night?”
“If I may, this is my auntie’s house, after all. I’m supposed to always be welcome here.
“Oh, you are.”

The next morning, at breakfast, Eleanor didn’t look at all surprised.
“I see you kissed and made up, then,” she said. Truth be told, I did feel a little awkward. I had moved into Eleanor’s house only two months ago and now I was shagging her niece under her roof. “Do you want pancakes, Lucy? She used to love these when she was a child.”
“Auntie Eleanor spoiled me rotten,” Lucy said.
“That’s why you’re so used to getting everything you want, including me,” I said.
“I only take half the blame,” Eleanor said, “nevertheless, don’t let this brat push you around, Lee.”
When Lucy had gone upstairs to shower, Eleanor poured me some more coffee and asked me to sit with her for one more minute.
“I’m serious. I don’t know what has gotten into her recently but don’t let her break your heart, OK? I know, from being her aunt all her life, what she’s capable of.” I was taken aback, Eleanor wasn’t one to give speeches like that. She was more the type that observed, listened and dispensed advice casually, straightforward warnings were never a part of it. She believed people could draw their own conclusions.
“What are you saying, Eleanor?”
“Just be careful, dear. And don’t be afraid to question her motives. I love Lucy to bits, but relationship-wise she hasn’t always made the best choices, and, as far as I know she’s straight. We’ve all been there at some point. Falling for a straight girl can be exciting, and we all think we’re the one who’ll make her go off men forever, but it just doesn’t work that way. You know that.” It was not my place to tell Eleanor that her niece was far from straight. Whatever pain Ali, her professor, had caused Lucy years ago, it had been excruciating enough to keep Lucy well-hidden in the closet for well over a decade. “And don’t forget she’s your boss.” Eleanor continued.
“I’d better go shower,” I said.

To be continued…