Her life! GxG! Intersex! (Book 1)

67

The sky was a patchwork of stars when they got home, a soft, inky navy stretched overhead like a cozy blanket wrapping around the little town one final time. The air held that gentle kind of stillness only a small place can offer—the kind where even the trees seemed to hush, aware of the goodbye hanging thick in the atmosphere.

Emma kicked off her sandals by the door and stretched, her back giving the tiniest pop. "Remind me to never spend five hours in a car without at least one stretch break and two snack stops."

Abigail walked in behind her, arms full of takeout containers they'd picked up on the way home—comfort food from the same place Emma used to bring her fries during study nights. "You mean our five-hour goodbye tour extravaganza?" she teased. "You loved every second."

Emma tried to scoff but cracked a smile. "Okay, yeah. I did."

They set the food on the coffee table, then looked around at the half-empty house. Most of their furniture had been sold or given away. The walls, once decorated with mismatched frames, now sat bare except for a few taped-up reminders: "Pack last," "Don't forget charger," "Return spare key to landlord."

Abigail sat on the couch and pulled the food closer, lifting a fry to her mouth and sighing dramatically. "I can't believe this is our last night here."

Emma settled next to her, curling into her side. "Me either. Feels like this place just finally started feeling like home."

"Well, lucky for us," Abigail said, resting her head on Emma's shoulder, "home isn't really a place anymore."

Emma smiled. "It's you."

"Exactly."

They ate in silence for a little while, their bodies touching just enough, the way they always did when words weren't necessary. But as the last of the fries disappeared and the containers were stacked to the side, Emma let out a long breath.

"I keep thinking about tomorrow," she said. "The movers, the drive, it's all so real now."

Abigail nodded. "I know. It's scary. But it's also... kind of amazing, right?"

Emma looked down at her growing bump and smiled. "Yeah. It is. I mean, we're about to start everything we dreamed of. New York. A fresh start. A baby. That little apartment with the squeaky floors and too many stairs."

"And that bakery you're going to fall in love with and never shut up about."

Emma nudged her playfully. "I do love a good pastry."

Abigail reached for Emma's hand and laced their fingers together. "We're not just leaving this place. We're becoming something new. A family."

The word settled between them like a warm blanket. Family.

"I'm terrified," Emma whispered.

"I know," Abigail said. "But I'm not going anywhere. We'll figure it out, Em. One day at a time."

They eventually ended up on the floor in the middle of the living room, lying on a spare blanket beneath the ceiling fan. The open windows let in a warm breeze and the sound of crickets, a perfect lullaby for their final night here.

Emma lay on her back, one hand cradling her belly, the other curled around Abigail's. "Do you think the baby can hear us yet?"

"Maybe," Abigail said. "Wanna say something?"

Emma turned her head toward her, grinning. "Hi. I'm your mom. You don't know me yet, but I already love you so much it makes my chest hurt. Also, please let me sleep occasionally when you arrive. Your mom and I like naps."