La Vie En Rose

Chapter 9: Speechless

The two remain under the stars on the wooden floor of the terrace. The moon is glowing and shimmering. Carol and Therese look up and have nothing to say. Both appreciate the moment of being together under the grace of the night sky. Heaven is like their love for one another—Breathtaking, beautiful, but also uncertain.

Carol turns towards Therese, "Did you mean it? That I'm or was the only thing which kept you staying in this town?"

The brunette smiles and sits up. She pulls her knees close and peers at her girlfriend, "At first, it was mostly because of money. I couldn't afford to go away. However, when we got together, I had already saved enough to pay the rent of an apartment. At least for a while."

The parent looks into the distance—Her eyes fixate on the obscurity of the night. She squeezes her eyes together, and fine lines are forming around them. Carol seems thoughtful. For Therese, her partner looks gorgeous right now—if she only had brought her camera with her to capture this moment.

The blonde shakes her head, "Where would we be now if we'd both revealed our secrets much sooner?" She turns back and studies her girlfriend. A smile shows on both faces. Whenever Therese smirks, two dimples appear on her cheeks. It's the cutest thing Carol has ever seen.

It's already very fresh outside. The nights are getting colder because autumn is not too far away anymore. Therese only wears a t-shirt, goosebumps appear along her arms, and she seems to shiver. The blonde wraps her arm around her partner and rubs her warm. The younger woman responds, "I assume everything would have been less dramatic." Both chuckle. The couple gets up to walk inside. Therese takes a seat at the counter in the kitchen while Carol pours her a glass of wine. "So, what are we doing now?"

The younger woman glances up, "Nothing has changed for me, Carol. I still want to be with you." She sips from the liquor, and as her partner doesn't respond, she gulps and asks, "And you?"

The blonde sits down at the chair next to Therese, caressing her back. "I don't want to lose you. I love you, Therese," she gazes at her partner, waiting to see how she reacts. "I suppose we need a restart and figure out our next steps. Right?"

"Do you think our relationship suffered from being apart?"

Carol looks puzzled by that question, "No, why? Every couple goes through difficulties. It's okay, sweetheart."

They move closer together until their foreheads touch. A strand of Carol's golden hair touches Therese's cheek. The photographer returns relieved, "You are right."

The older woman reaches for the brunette's face and kisses her tenderly.

. . .

They are still chatting, although the clock displays that it's already midnight. Even though the couple was in contact every day, the feeling of having missed a lot remains. Now and then, they share gentle touches or kisses.

"How do you feel since Rindy left?" Therese asks carefully, knowing very well that this is a delicate topic for her girlfriend.

Carol's facial expression changes, "Lonely. I miss her so much. I barely see anyone. Only Abby at work, but that's it." The blonde lives a dull life. She rarely goes out and apart from that has only a few friends. Rindy and Therese left at the same time. To the mother, it felt like they left her alone.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been gone for so long. I..."

The older woman opens her mouth, cutting her off, "Don't you dare! You required time for yourself." She clears her throat and proceeds, "Now, lets only look forward and never back again. Okay?... And by the way, you haven't told me anything about your new job!"