let the light in | jack hughes

Chapter 87

[July 3, 2024]

Jack 

Today we're going to France. Your Mom and Aunts took some time off from the hotel to travel with us and we're going on a vacation together. Your family works so hard they deserve a break. I think I heard your Mom say she was so excited to go because her last vacation was to visit you in Newark. And well we both know New Jersey is hardly a vacation. 

Currently, you're sleeping on my side of the bed, clinging to my pillow. I'm not the kind of guy to fuss over having our separate sides because I spent so long having those separations that I've come to crave it. When you're around I want nothing to do with space. I want you and me. Like in that Taylor Swift song. "I want to watch Wisteria grow right over my bare feet 'cause I haven't moved in years and I want you right here."

I want my house of stone where your ivy can grow. I want to be entangled with you for the rest of my life. Let's get married and move in together. I'd say let's get a cat, but then we'd be tiptoeing on a crazy cat couple line. Let's focus on your angel and my special cat first. I can't believe they're going to France as well. We spoil them, it's ridiculous. But I love it. 

Alright, that's all for now, I'll update once we're in France. 

I close my journal putting it back in my suitcase and getting back in bed with my girlfriend. She groans when I pull her arms off of the pillow she was cuddling but then adjusts to my body once I'm lying beside her. "So warm," she mumbles against my chest, brushing her cheek against my skin. I play with her hair until she wakes up because I can no longer sleep. 

I'm hoping to tire myself out just a bit so I can sleep on the plane. I don't particularly enjoy flights even though I'm always on them for work, so I try to take my chances and sleep while I'm up in the air. I hear a few people starting their day downstairs but I'll wait until Beatrice is up. I look over her body, towards her bookshelf to see which book I could take on our trip. 

Oou 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' that sounds cool. It looks smaller compared to her other books, and I'm only wanting to take one book on this trip because if I bring more, I'll aim to read them all. So one book so I can pace myself. 

Beatrice's arms tighten around my waist and I feel her stretch before she flutters her eyes open. Her pretty eyes look squint up at me as she adjusts to the light. "Morning," she hums, rubbing her freckled fresh-faced with her hands. "Good morning, ready for today?" I press my lips to the top of her head.

She nods with a gentle smile before crawling over my body to go to the restroom. What a girl! I sit up in bed, grab my t-shirt from the floor, and wait for Beatrice to walk out of the restroom with me. She steps out in some blue sleep shorts that compliment her tan skin and a loose white shirt. She takes my hand and walks me downstairs. 

Whatever you want Miss. Jae!

-

The flight wasn't too bad, I'm sure Beatrice thinks otherwise since my head rested on her shoulder the whole flight. Since we've landed I've been rubbing her shoulders to make up for how sore one side is. But I rub both because then she'll be uneven. I grab both of our suitcases and roll them out of the airport.

We flag down a few taxis and take them down to the pretty house we rented. Bea, Quinn, Luke, and I squeeze into one taxi, and our family in another. Our taxi driver tries talking to us in French but none of us respond. We don't speak French. Or so I thought.

"Bonjour oui, c'est leur premiere fois ici," Beatrice says cheerfully, making conversation with the man driving. Since when does she know French? I know she knows English, Greek, Italian, but also French. She's amazing. Quinn and Luke look at me with wide eyes behind Bea's back mouthing "What the fuck?"