Bill and I didn't even stop to think or discuss it. Both of us knew that climbing tree off by heart. We shimmied up it in a couple of seconds, and the... with the aid of later arrivals passed the still traumatized and weeping Emma hand to hand down to the ground.Although we helped Alice clime down the tree, I'm pretty sure -- from seeing her later antics up the same tree – that she hadn't required any assistance herself.Very quickly we learnt who Alice and Emma were and that Susan and Reggie had. I did a lot of rubber necking as this was all so new to me, to see other women openly showing love for one another was something I wasn’t used to. Most of the women were obviously quite comfortable with it, and was thrilled to be able to kiss Darleen in public without anyone paying any attention to us. We left just after midnight, and walked with arms around one another to the ‘Tube’ station, to take the train back to her mother’s place. Darleen was obviously pleased I had enjoyed myself very. Also, late-night calls and texting became the norm. This had its effect on us. We got pretty close to each other, strengthening our bond without clarity of where it was heading.Finally, one day I mustered the courage and asked her to meet me at Starbucks which was near to both of us and which was luckily not so crowded at that point. There I told her the feelings I had for her and all. She listened to everything patiently and then told her side of the story which was kind of similar to. David had stepped to the door as though to leave but stopped with his hand on the knob and turned back around."Sit down you two," he said quietly.Mark and I seated ourselves side by side on the couch. It didn't occur to me not to do so, and I guess it didn't to Mark either. David sat in a chair by the window and looked us both over for a minute."Don't," he finally said."Don't what?" replied both of us."Don't give up." At my, correction, OUR startled looks, he smiled. "That's what you are both.