Emily had known that sleeping with Juliette would be a mistake, but she had no idea how big it was until the next day. If Juliette was cold before she was now at Arctic levels, barely even looking at Emily, let alone talking to her. And when she absolutely had to talk to her, it was nothing nice.
Normally a whine or complaint about her current circumstances, or sending Emily off to get her a snack or something to drink. At least Emily could do the latter, the fact that she could do nothing about the former upsetting her more than it should.
She had always wanted to help the other girl, but ever since they had slept together it just reached a whole new level. Not that there had been any sleeping involved, Emily thought with a blush, but even though it had been obvious that she was just performing a service, doing Juliette a favour, somehow she had developed feelings for the other girl.
Which apparently had started before the sex, but that incident had just escalated whatever feelings were creeping up on Emily, and now she couldn't stop thinking about Juliette Barnes, the pregnant singer consuming nearly her every waking thought.
"She wants to see you."
Emily blinked herself out of her thoughts and intelligently replied, "Huh, what?"
"Juliette." Glenn Goodman, Juliette's manager, said as he collapsed exhausted onto the seat next to her, "She just kicked everybody else out and told us all to go home, that you would take her home."
"Oh." Emily murmured.
Sighing Glenn turned to her and said, "Look, we knew this was going to be no picnic, but as she's been... well, you know, worse than we thought, I could offer you another raise?"
"No, that's okay." Emily blushed at the thought of getting extra money in light of recent events.
"Are you sure?" Glenn pushed, "Because you really have been a star today, and I'm, I'm not sure I could do this without your patience. Your kindness. Your unwavering support."
"It's fine." Emily tried to smile, unable to look him in the eye.
"I just don't want to lose you, is all. And I know that would devastate Juliette too." Glenn said.
Finally looking at him Emily smiled, squeezed his hand and said, "Glenn, I promise you I'm not going anywhere. Not unless Juliette sends me away."
"I ain't going to let that happen." Glenn promised, squeezing back, "I know Juliette doesn't always show it, but she appreciates you. Even loves you, in her own way."
If only, thought Emily and gave another quick smile and let go of his hand and sat up, "I guess I should get in there."
Relaxing back in his seat Glenn asked, "Do you want me to stick around? Just in case?"
Emily smiled at him again and pointed out, "With her mood swings being what they are I'd probably be better off if you just left."
"Okay." He said after a pause, stood up and then after another pause told her, "If she fires you, or says anything else we both know she doesn't mean, call me right away okay? I promise I'll sort it out."
"Okay." She nodded, watching him leave before cautiously entering the recording studio she had been waiting outside of for hours.
She almost jumped when she found Juliette practically waiting by the door with a glass of what Emily guessed was bourbon in her hand, "Hey, how ya doin'? Can I offer you a drink?"
Emily quickly walked pass and then said, "No thanks."
"Oh." Juliette murmured, watching as Emily put the glass on the nearest table, "I can't tell you how much I wish I could drink right now."
Emily hummed in response, not wanting to say the wrong thing. Just because Juliette was in a sombre, apologetic mood didn't mean she couldn't turn on a dime, and that was before she was pregnant.
But now she looked so sad all Emily wanted to do was take the girl into her arms and just hold her. Give her a friendly hug and whisper everything was going to be okay, even if she wasn't sure she believed it herself.
After a long pause Juliette murmured, "I, I know I've been a nightmare today. Like, way more than usual, and I'm sorry Emily. I'm so, so sorry."
Emily smiled softly, "It's okay."
"No, it's not, and I wish I could tell you I called you in here to say sorry, but I didn't." Juliette said ominously, making Emily think she was fired for sure, especially when she took a deep breath, "Look, it's just... last night was the first good sleep I've had in a very long, long time, and after you, you know... I felt... really, really good. But then I got frustrated when I woke up, mostly because I kept telling myself over and over that last night was a one time thing and it could never, ever happen again. And the more I thought that the angrier I got, until I just... I just turned into a big fat monster."
Juliette began tearing up and Emily cautiously approached her, "It's okay sweetie."
"NO, NO IT ISN'T!" Juliette snapped angrily, before calming herself quickly and biting her lip, "But it could be..."
Emily frowned at the other woman who blushed and looked downwards, causing realisation to hit her, "You want me to go down om you again?"
"Yeah..." Juliette said weakly, and then when Emily gave her a look she huffed, "I'm sorry, okay? For everything, but I just can't face not having sex for another six months."
"That doesn't mean we should have sex." Emily pointed out, hating herself for it and then even more as she added, "Do you even like me?"
"Of course." Juliette responded without thinking, quickly adding, "As a person, but-"