“We kissed me and then he…” heat flushes over me. “…he took off my sweatshirt?—”
Marie grins too widely and buzzes with excitement. “And?”
“He kissed my…”
“What?”
“Breasts.”
“Did you like it?”
I nod, biting my lip to hide my smile.
Marie tackles me in a hug and I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. “Oh my God! I’m so happy for you.”
“Happy that we moved past kissing?”
She makes a noise in disapproval. “Actually, there’s more. I know intimacy is a big thing for you. I’m happy that you trust Heath enough to let him see you. Of course, he’ll be happy either way, but this is about you being comfortable with him and trusting him more.”
“He was patient and so gentle. And when his mouth?—”
“Okay, too much information, Hope.”
I laugh.
Pulling back, she sits beside me on the bed. We both lean back against the headboard and grab the chocolate cookies that she made for me with her mom. Silence lasts for only a few minutes before Marie breaks it. Because, it’s her. She has always a lot to say — and I love listening to her.
“Did Heath tell you where he’s taking you for the date?”
“No.”
She smirks. “I know!”
I quickly turn to her. “Tell me.”
She shakes her head, a playful smile playing on her lips. “It’s a surprise.”
“Still, I want to know so I can decide what to wear.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll help you.”
“Um, okay.”
“Trust me, you’re going to love it.” She assures me, then reaches for the remote on her nigh stand and turns on the TV. “We should watch something together.”
Before I can response she beats me to it.
“Do you have a show in mind? No wait — I have the list.” Scrolling through her phone, she opens the notes app and shows me the long list with the title, ‘Shows I want to watch with Hope.’ “Pick a random one.”
I quickly peruse the list and settle on the show named, ‘The Queen’s Gambit.’
Marie nods in approval and starts the show on her TV.
“Have you watched it before?” I ask her.
“I did a while ago. It’s a great show and I love it.”
As episode one plays, I watch it with great interest, deeply immersed in the storyline and the character. For the first time, Marie is quiet beside me and quietly eats the cookies while passing me the plate every now and then. Being with her makes me forget everything at home and only focus on the show that portrays a difficult childhood of a little orphan girl. Seeing her alone brings tears to my eyes but I keep them at bay.
