we keep this love in a photograph

Chapter 23

The last week went by in the blink of an eye, so full of activity that they never really got to spend any time alone together that wasn't occupied about Rosie's inevitable deployment in some way, shape or form. Jennie was back at the office for most of the week, sticking to shorter workdays so that she could still see Rosie, who had been packing up her bedroom at Alice's and ferrying boxes back and forth to Jennie's house in the Tesla.

Aside from the big business meetings, Jennie had spent her every moment with her, trying not to let Rosie's haphazard mess drive her mad as she added her own books to Jennie's meticulously organised library in random order, hung her slim selection of clothes in the designer closet without any arranged category and cluttered Jennie's shower with her favourite bathroom products. It was a big adjustment to live with someone else, but Jennie cherished the sniping comments and flashes of irritation over the week, knowing that it would be months before she'd experience them all again.

She had Rosie's friends over for dinner that week, hiring a private chef to cook for them all - Irene and Suho both coming, as well as Alice's old mentor, Jiyong - and she spent her lunch breaks meeting Rosie in the coffee shop they first met in, or at the art gallery or a picturesque park for a walk, trying to fill Rosie's last days with colour and life and laughter. There were a lot of photos to savour and capture the memories, and she was grateful for Rosie's old camera, knowing it would offer her small comfort to be reminded of the good times before she left.

That last night was unbearable though. Rosie had gone to Alice's for a couple of hours, alone, to sort the last few things out. Jennie didn't ask what, was too afraid to know what arrangements had been made - just in case. But she was grateful for that small reprieve, holing herself up in her office, trying to focus on spreadsheets as she scowled and blinked and tried to swallow the sickening stone in her stomach that had been a permanent fixture for the past seven days. She'd tried to ignore the preparations, for the most part, treating it all like some sort of business trip Rosie was taking, but the reality of it was frightening. It filled her with so much dread, leaving her numb and pale and quiet. Try as she might to ignore it, in the morning, Rosie would be leaving.

They'd eaten out every single night - save the dinner party - to all of Rosie's favourite restaurants and takeout places, and for that last night they'd piled into an old book at the Chinese restaurant they'd first had lunch together at. One last meal together with the four of them. Later on that night, it was just the two of them, and Jennie was resolved to make it a meaningful last night.

She filled the deep bathtub with sweet-smelling salts and bubbles, steam rising from the surface and making the bathroom tiles sweat, grabbed two forks for the slice of chocolate and pecan pie she'd had Karina order from an upscale bakery in the city centre, and ushered Rosie into the bath to luxuriate to the peaceful tones of Coldplay's earlier records.

Jennie was content to sit on the bathroom floor with a glass of wine, just for the sake of being close to her while she could. Taking in Rosie's cheeks, gently flushed pink, and the way her damp hair curled against her neck and brow, the sight of her without her glasses on and the small scar in the middle of her forehead all memorised until Jennie was satisfied that she'd be able to draw her from memory. It was a silly thing to do, knowing they'd get to FaceTime each other and that she had so many photos of Rosie, but it put her at ease to know that she was so ingrained in Jennie's mind that she would never forget, no matter how much time passed.

When she finally emerged from the bath, a long while later, soft and warm and still slightly damp, she pinned Jennie to the bed where they stayed for hours, until midnight had passed by and they eventually fell asleep, bare skinned and pressed up against each other. Jennie was restless, waking often and allowing Rosie's presence to lull her back to sleep for a short while longer, but when the first cracks of dawn filtered through the windows, she woke to the wretched day with silent curses on her tongue. She'd forgotten to close the curtains the night before, and was angry that the day had to be any longer than it had to be.