Free Commitment: The Beauty in Between (A Beautiful Series Novella) by Lilliana Anderson Page A

far from their block of flats. The façade leads me to believe they were
built sometime in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s and the brown wood of the doors
and the carpets on the stair case confirms my thoughts.
    “What are they like inside?” I ask Trina as we climb the
stairs.
    “Well they said it’s all been redone, but it used to just be
more brown. Even the white of the walls had a brown tone to it.”
    When we knock on the door, Elliot answers with Grace in his
arms. She’s looking a little grouchy but very cute in her purple pyjamas.
    “Hi, welcome,” he says thrusting out a hand to shake mine
and leaning toward Trina for a cheek kiss. “Did you find parking on the street
ok?”
    “Yeah. We’re just between this complex and the next one,” I
tell him.

Katrina
    From where we’re standing, I can’t believe this is the same
flat I was in all those years ago. It’s just so different. The design is now
much more modern and looks like it should be in a design magazine or something
– one of those fancy coffee table magazines that people love buying.
    “Wow, Elliot. Can I just say that this all looks amazing. I
would never have thought it was the same place.”
    Paige appears from the kitchen and calls out hi before walking
down the hallway towards us. She’s wearing a pair of black capris pants and a
fitted navy blue singlet with a long necklace hanging down. She has her hair
pulled up into a bun on top of her head. Looking effortlessly beautiful – like
she always does.
    I’m wearing my usual summery dress. It’s white with tiny
coloured flowers around the top of the bust and the hem. I wear minimal
jewellery, just my stud earrings, my engagement ring and the bracelet David
brought back from Bali years ago.
    The men are dressed almost identically in cargo shorts and
button up collared short sleeve checked shirts, open with a plain t-shirts
underneath them. They look both look great. Although David always looks great –
clothes or not.
    Once Paige reaches us, a bit more cheek kissing goes on
before we continue through the flat.
    “Different, huh?” Paige directs at me.
    “It’s amazing. Really beautiful.”
    “Erica, Robert’s wife, designed it all herself. She picked
everything,” she tells me as she leads me further inside.
    “Robert? Is that Elliot’s dad’s name?” I ask. How strange.
Robert Roberts?
    She laughs, “Yes, and I know what you’re thinking. They have
different surnames.”
    “Roberts is my mum’s name, she and dad weren’t married when
I was born, so mum gave me her name, and it was never changed,” Elliot informs
me.
    “Oh, well that makes sense,” I laugh.
    “Come, I’ll show you around,” Paige says, inclining her head
so I follow her.  
    As I walk down the hallway, I first come to a formal dining
room with a square, chestnut-coloured  table. It’s surrounded by eight leather
chairs and there’s a high chair in the corner.
    “This isn’t too weird for you is it?” she asks me. “I mean,
being here. I know you and Elliot had a thing when he was living here.”
    “Oh, no. It’s fine. It looks like an entirely new place and
besides – that was years ago,” I laugh. It comes out a little higher pitched
than I intend, but normally no one makes any references to the fact that Elliot
and I once had a ‘thing’. We generally just go along pretending like nothing
ever happened, and frankly, that suits me just fine.
    She looks at me for a minute, as if she’s assessing whether
I’m telling the truth or not.
    “Ok, it’s a little weird,” I blurt out. “But seriously Paige.
Whatever Elliot and I once had was never serious. It didn’t even get beyond the
fling faze. I think we thought it was more than it really was at the time. But
I know that for me, what I have with David is completely different, and from
what I gather, Elliot feels the same way about you. It’s like you complete each
other… you know?”
    “Yes. I do,” she smiles. “I kind of