to the moon & to saturn | cate blanchett

chapter 25

Standing below the escalator near Cate's flight terminal at the airport, Elle bounced up and down with nervous and excited energy. In her hands, she held a bouquet of a dozen red roses—a cliche gesture on her part, but one she felt was necessary to make a statement. She wanted to treat Cate the way she deserved to be treated: like a goddamn queen. The roses emitted a sweet yet grassy scent as she held them up to her face to smell for the third time that minute.

There was an elegance in their smell and their look; roses looked beautiful at every stage of their life cycle, much like Cate.

She glanced at her phone and saw that she only had five more minutes to wait until being reunited with her girlfriend. Cate's plane was due in at 7:30. As the clock reached that time, Elle's stomach dropped as if she had been on the plane's descent. Her hands sweltered and she increased her grasp on the stems of the bouquet, crinkling the paper it was wrapped in.

Her eyes frantically scanned the escalator, searching for the tall blonde. A mass of unidentifiable individuals came down the escalator, each greeting their respective families or heading off in their own separate ways after reaching the bottom. Elle turned and smiled as she watched a woman and young child run up to a man who scooped the child up and spun them around.

The happiness emanating from that family warmed Elle's heart. Children brought her a lot of joy; she hoped to have a family like that of her own one day.

She tore her gaze away from the family and went back to watching the escalator. It was significantly less crowded now. The initial rush of people thinned out and only a few wanderers were left behind.

Still no sign of Cate.

The roses fell into her bent elbow and she cradled them like an infant as she checked her phone to see if Cate had texted her. There were no texts from her, only one chaotic message from Sarah:

From: Pink Ravioli
To: Elle

TELL CATHERINE HELLO FOR ME AND GIVE HER A BIG KISS. IF YOU FORGOT WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE, JUST REMEMBER THAT SHE'S GOT HAIR. AND ALSO LEGS!

Elle pocketed her phone after giggling at Sarah's super helpful description of her girlfriend.

Just as she was starting to lose hope, she spotted Cate effortlessly descending down the escalator wearing a brown leather jumpsuit that one might wear while riding a motorcycle.

The combination of Cate and leather was perhaps the most sexy mix she'd ever seen. A stark masculine and dominant energy radiated off of her.

The blonde looked as elegant as ever, even after spending the last 20+ hours on a plane. Since Cate didn't notice her right away, Elle got the pleasure of observing her in peace. The blonde's eyes looked tired, likely a byproduct from the flight. Her hair fell gracefully on her shoulders in light casual waves that had lost some of their natural bounce. Her right hand clutched onto the extended handle of a sleek white roller suitcase.

Their eyes met when Cate's feet landed on the level surface after the elevator. She gave a sly smile and a light illuminated her face behind her tired eyes. She tilted her head slightly, inviting Elle to come to her.

Instinctively, Elle sprinted to her. Magnetized to the older woman, she jumped onto her, wrapping her legs around Cate's slim waist. Surprised by the impact of Elle's energy, Cate flew backwards. Both women ended up in a tangled pile on the airport floor, sprawled out next to Cate's suitcase and the bouquet of roses.

Elle didn't care that they were in public. With her position on top of Cate, she could both hear and feel the woman's deep laugh as her chest heaved up and down. She nuzzled herself into Cate's neck to breathe in the familiar hints of her perfume. The smell of the dark leather cut through and Elle shivered. She wished they were at home in bed.