Never Not You

Morning of

Aurora should have known. She should have anticipated that Leah, just like when they were younger, would forget to set the alarm. And here they were, on the morning of their wedding day, scrambling as reality crashed over them.

The soft panic set in as Aurora darted toward the door, trying to keep Alexia from coming into her room. Leah, meanwhile, was fumbling to pull on her tracksuit and top, fingers slightly shaky in the rush. The plan was to slip out the window, hoping that Alex wasn't awake or, even worse, waiting to catch her sneaking in. But as Leah moved toward the window, something pulled her back.

She looked at Aurora, their eyes meeting in an unspoken understanding. Of course, she couldn't leave without one last kiss. Leah stepped back to her, reaching out, and Aurora's resolve to keep moving faltered. With a quiet breath, Leah cupped her face, her thumb tracing a gentle path over Aurora's cheek, and leaned in. The familiar warmth of Leah's lips meeting hers erased all thoughts of the chaos outside.

In that brief, stolen moment, they forgot about the race against time, about Alexia just outside the door, about Alex potentially waiting for Leah. All that existed was the soft press of Leah's lips, the way her hands settled around Aurora's waist, pulling her close as if they had all the time in the world. Aurora melted into her touch, her own hands finding their way to Leah's shoulders, lingering there as if to anchor them both.

Leah's fingers slipped to the small of her back, a gentle pull that brought them even closer. Aurora's heart raced, not from panic but from the overwhelming love she felt in Leah's arms. When they finally broke apart, their foreheads rested together, their breaths mingling as they exchanged quiet smiles. Leah's hand lingered on her cheek, her thumb brushing softly over Aurora's skin as if to memorize this moment.

Leah finally murmured, "I'll see you soon, Mrs. Miro-Williamson."

Aurora let out a soft laugh, her fingers trailing down Leah's arm, reluctant to let her go. "Go on, mi amor. I'll be waiting."

With one last fleeting kiss, Leah climbed out the window, flashing a grin as she disappeared from view. And though their morning had started in a rush, Aurora knew that every second of this was worth it. Today, nothing could take away the love that awaited them both.

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Aurora finally took a steadying breath and opened the door, greeting Alexia with a calm smile. But Alexia's gaze was sharp, suspicion etched into her expression as she stepped into the room. She glanced around, taking in every detail with a keen eye, as if piecing together a puzzle only she could see.

Aurora tried to keep her face impassive, but she could feel her heart beating a bit faster as Alexia walked further inside, her eyes scanning each corner. Alexia's brow furrowed as she took in the small details of the room. She crossed over to the nightstand, then the far wall, pausing for a moment by the window that was just barely cracked open, as if it had been opened only moments before.

Trying not to appear too nonchalant, Aurora leaned against the doorframe, watching Alexia's subtle inspection. "Ale," she said, a gentle laugh woven into her words, "she's not here."

But Alexia's gaze remained focused, not quite convinced. She turned towards the wardrobe, her fingers curling around its handle, pulling it open as she inspected the empty space. With a quiet hum, Alexia moved on to the en suite bathroom, her eyes lingering on the faintest details as though Leah might miraculously appear there. She even checked behind the door, her movements precise, searching for any sign that Leah had been here.

Satisfied there was nothing amiss, she finally turned back to Aurora, though her expression still held a tinge of suspicion. "Took you long enough to open the door," Alexia remarked, her tone light but probing.