Forever and a Day

"Are you sure it's alright for us to sit here?" Lilly mumbled into the crook of her partner's neck.

"Come again?" Pat asked, looking beyond at the painted backdrop of a beach. Lilly repeated her question. "Of course, no one will even notice." Pat ran her fingers through the other woman's hair, "So I'm going to enjoy this until I have to go back." Lilly turned her head, still resting on Pat's shoulder, and looked at the set before them. A sunset over sand dunes was painted on the far wall of the main stage, while beachy props like umbrellas, blankets, and a vintage ice cream cart were placed around for the actors to interact with. Lilly and Pat were hiding in the farthest row in the auditorium until Pat was inevitably called back for rehearsal.

When actors began to file onto the stage, Pat rose from her seat, "I suppose I should be going." She looked at Lilly reluctantly and kissed her cheek. Lilly felt a sudden surge of affection for her partner, an overwhelming prickling happiness in her heart. She stood up to hug Pat goodbye. A breeze from nowhere rustled her hair, and there was energy in her fingertips as she whispered, "I'll love you forever and a day, you know that?"

Pat gently pulled away, a smirk on her face, "That has got to be the cheesiest thing you have ever said to me in all our years together." They kissed one last time, and as Pat was walking away she called, "I'll always love you more. See you tonight!"

That evening Lilly reheated the pasta that Pat had made for yesterday's dinner. She multitasked, eating while watching youtube tutorials on cleaning spells which she tried on the dishes after dinner, to disastrous results. Looking at the aftermath of soap explosions and broken dishes, she groaned, 'how is it that athletes like Sara Bowen are able to fly through the air effortlessly while I still struggle with simple cleaning magic!?' 

Then she got a text:

Rehearsals might go late tonight :(

Don't stay up for me, I'll see you in the morning if not sooner.

'Well, I guess I'll be able to clean up this mess before she gets back.'

That night Lilly slept soundly, only waking when her seven am alarm went off. Rolling on her side she blinked at where Pat should have been sleeping, but saw only an un-slept-on pillow. 'That's odd', Lilly thought, slowly sitting up, 'did Pat not come back last night?' Suddenly she had a thought: what if Pat hadn't taken a key with her and was locked out of the apartment? Rushing to the door, Lilly undid the lock and yanked it open, revealing Pat with her fist raised to knock.

"Good, you're back! I'm really sorry I thought you had a key," Lilly ushered her in, then noticed the home phone was ringing. "Just a second," she went back into the kitchen to answer the call.

It was Pat's mother.

"I have bad news, though you might already know," she said.

"Hello, Carol. Is it bad news for me or would you rather speak to Pat?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, then, "so you don't know."

Lilly laughed nervously, "don't know what? Is everything alright?"

"I didn't want to tell you over the phone but I thought it would be better that you find out from me rather than some stranger. It's Pat, she-" Carols voice became high and watery, "she died last night."

Lilly stood in shock for a moment, then turned slowly to where she had seen Pat seconds ago. She was gone from the archway, having moved soundlessly to sit at the dinner table. Hearing Lilly's silence she turned in her seat and smiled sadly at her partner.