She sniffles.
Jitter whines and sways between pushing against my legs and pushing against her legs.
“If you’ll come home,” she adds in a whisper. “If you’ll please come home and do this with me.”
Home.
I lean down to wrap my arms around her, squishing Jitter between us so he doesn’t have to choose, and bury my face in those glorious curls, breathing in all of her. The subtle coffee scent. The light, clean shampoo. The lemons. “I want to be home with you. But I wanted to bewhole. Not living for revenge. Not doubting my worth.”
“I missed you so much more than I’m supposed to ever miss anyone.”
“I was coming home for Tuesday.”
“Tuesday?”
“Random Acts of Kindness Day. It seemed a better holiday than that fake heart holiday to spend with my Duchess.”
“Stop making me cry,” she whispers.
“I’ll kiss all the tears until I make you laugh again.”
“I’m not supposed to love you but I can’t seem to help myself.”
My heart swells so hard and fast that I should be going lightheaded.
But instead, all I feel is warmth.
Warmth and peace and acceptance and belonging andlove.
“Iamsupposed to love you,” I whisper back. “That’s what life’s been trying to teach me. And I’m ready now. I’m ready to spend the rest of my life loving you.”
“Andanswering my phone calls,” she says on a laugh and a sniffle.
I kiss her ear. Her cheek. Her nose. “I will always answer your phone calls.”
“No, you won’t, and that’s okay.” Her sparkle is back. “But most of the time. Most of the time, when you’re not hip deep in concentrating on something amazing, you’ll answer my calls.”
“Highly likely.” I brush the tears off her cheeks with my thumb. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m so glad you’re coming home.”
Home.
I am.
I’m going home. With the woman I love and her dog and her community, to my grandma and my nibling-slash-best friend and the place where it’s so easy to feel like I belong.
“Bee & Nugget?” I say.
“Zen’s already ordering the sign.Do not test me.”
I smile and pull her in for a kiss, well aware that there are people watching us again, probably recording us for posting somewhere on the giant web of the internet, knowing that it won’t go viral because who cares about two people kissing?
Nothing scandalous here.
“I love you, Sabrina Sullivan. You’ll always be the duchess of my heart.”
“I love you more, Grey Cartwright. And I can’t wait to get you a superhero cape for your next era.”
