Studio 22 | Mary-Kate Olsen

Chapter Forty-Eight

June 13th 2023 - New York City - Mary-Kate's Apartment

When I woke up this morning I wasn't ready to open my eyes so I kept them closed as I snuggled into Blue. Only Blue was missing. I felt around for her but the bed was cold where she should have been laying. I opened one eye to investigate without committing to being awake. She wasn't there. I opened both my eyes and slowly looked around the bedroom for her.

"Dork!" I called out when I saw the balloons floating at the ceiling, the ribbon dangling in my eye line. "Where are you?" I whined. I didn't want to leave the warm embrace of my sheets, I was hoping she'd appear at the door with a mug of coffee for me. I watched the door sending mental messages to her to come into the room so I didn't have to get out of bed. "Bluebell!" I whined when I got no response. But the door opened and she walked in with a tray in her hands. "Good morning, Beautiful. Happy Birthday." I smirked knowing her all too well. "Thank you." I smiled wide at her, sleep washing away as I saw the two large coffee mugs and the perfectly iced cupcake.

"You left me."I pouted when she sat back on the bed. "It's 11..." Blue doesn't sleep in often. "Did you go to the gym?" I asked her as I reached for my mug. She nodded. "Yes, because someone insisted I cancel my PT session tomorrow." I played innocent. "I wonder who that could have been?" She chuckled at me. We are going out tonight and I didn't want her to be too tired on Sunday. "I have your gifts in the lounge but thought you'd want coffee first." "I do." I sipped the energising liquid as she smiled at me.

She had no make-up on which has been a rarity for me to see recently. Since Atlas' birthday she has avoided me seeing her without make-up. I'd get teary eyed when I saw the bruise and she would then get upset herself. The bruise was almost gone completely, you could barely notice it at this point. I admired her beauty as she looked out the window, the sunlight was changing the colour of her eyes and she looked calm. "You're like a little sunflower." She looks at me and tilts her head. "When the sun's out you bask in it everytime, and you look so peaceful." "It just feels nice," She says with a little shrug.

"How you feeling?" I asked her. "Not today, okay? Today is about you." I rolled my eyes at her. She's not been herself since the other night. She disappears in her head regularly. Ashley said she had to turn the sewing machine off the other day because she thought Blue would have sewed her fingers, she so was out of it. When she's mid sentence her brain drifts off and she just pauses for a few moments before coming back to me. 9 out of 10 times she forgets what she was originally saying and waves it off. She was also a lot more protective of me. Which was sweet. She has been staying with Jazz but she stays at my place until we've had dinner together. She knows I hate eating alone, it makes me feel so incredibly lonely. But after we've cleaned up after dinner she goes to Jazz's parents house. She facetimes me before bed and triple checks I'm okay. She doesn't hang up until the morning when she's leaving the house. She stares down paps like it's her job... they've been backing off. She keeps me closer too. When we're at the office walking around or in the grocery store her hand is always at my reach. I use it to my advantage sometimes, when I start thinking about how close Sage was to hurting me I get wrapped up in the moment and I take her hand. She used to scold me for holding her hand at work for obvious reasons but she doesn't even hesitate to hold my hand back giving me a reassuring squeeze in the process.

I wanted her to stay with me but she informed me Jazz isn't doing great right now. With the news of Atlas and her and Western are on the rocks... Something about a new girl at the construction company. I wasn't really paying attention. I was too hung up on the fact she wasn't going to be staying over. She stayed last night though, without me even asking. We came home from Ashley's where we had dinner and she suggested we had a bath so we did. She put bubbles in it and lit a few candles. It was really sweet. I assumed she'd slip away after we finished the film on the sofa but she didn't. I moved to sit on her lap wanting her to stay but I didn't want to be selfish and ask again knowing Jazz needed her. Her arms snaked around me and she held me, we exchanged whispers and looks. She spoke to me in Spanish and I understood around 30% of it. She never urged me to get off her so she could leave, never started to say goodbye and I was confused but I didn't say anything, hoping she'd stay later. And she stayed later, we kept talking whilst I sat as close as I could get to her, with my limbs wrapped around her. She stood with me when I started to yawn. "Let's get you to bed, Tiny." she said to me. "No I'm awake, I'm awake." I replied not wanting her to leave just yet. Who wants to wake up on their birthday alone? No one. So I tried to make her believe me. She smirked at my attempt that was interrupted by a long yawn. "The birthday girl needs her rest." I pouted when she laid me on the bed. I expected her to peck my cheek and say "Goodnight Tiny, I'll see you tomorrow at Lunch." But she climbed into bed beside me, her arms wrapped around me pulling my back flush against her, I snuggled in, having missed the feeling of falling asleep in her arms. "Aren't you going to Jazz's?" I asked reluctantly. I didn't want to fall asleep and wake up to Blue being gone after she snuck out. "Not tonight, it's your birthday." She said like it was obvious she'd be staying. I smiled to myself, I got lucky with her. "Leaving you alone on your birthday wouldn't earn me many girlfriend points. Would it?" Her lips pressed against my neck. "Te amo." She whispered as if it was a secret. I fell asleep content, she did everything right. She always showed up, did the right thing, showed me she loved me. Even though her life is crazy right now she prioritised me. I don't know why I ever thought she wouldn't have stayed over on my birthday.