Where is Happily Ever After? (Lesbian Story)

15.

Emily

We sat down just as the plane doors closed and the voice informed us of the takeoff. Stella was sitting next to the window and I was sitting in between her and some other guy.

''Ready to go?'' I ask her a bit hesitantly. I don't want her to regret agreeing to this. She has been pretty much normal self since she agreed.

''Pretty much,'' she shrugs and looks out of the window.

''I'm just a bit nervous about all the strangers that I'll be meeting,'' she looks at me and bites her lip nervously.

''Don't be...'' I start telling her.

''It's easy to say don't, but I'll still be,'' she interrupts me.

''I don't really know why am I going to that wedding. Is this a date or just a show for your grandparents?'' she looks me dead in the eye, not a slightest bit nervous now.

''I-... Well, for show mostly because my mom wanted to get this thing over with,'' I say. She looks at me thoughtfully for a second, starts to say something, but she doesn't.

''It's a bit weird, don't you think?'' she says looking out of the window and then at me. I shrug and as I'm about to explain she starts talking.

''Wouldn't it be easier to just tell her without all this, a show?'' she motions between us with her hand.

''My grandmother values highly what others think of her. This place is perfect to tell her and with you, because she will not lose control her well mannered self and will maintain calm and collected. She, as well as my grandpa, is very conservative and she will not be happy about this. But to avoid a scene, this is perfect.'' I tell her about my grandmother. She is a complex woman and my mother always has some trouble with her.

''So, I'll just be there to keep your grandmother calm?'' she laughs lightly. I nod with a slight chuckle as well.

''Okey, but for you is this a date?''

''I'd like it to be, but no. I know how you feel about this, completely platonic date, okey?'' I kind of just confessed to her that I like her. She nods in agreement and the safety instructions start.

The plain starts to move and I feel a lump rising to my throat and my heart beat increasing. I hate flying, I usually drive to Seattle or other types of transportation that doesn't involve air travel, impractical I know, but at the moment we just did not have enough time and the plane was an only option. I close my eyes and breathe trying to calm myself down.

Stella reaches over and takes my hand and places it in to her lap holding on to my hand with both hands.

''Don't be scared.'' She smiles reassuringly as I open my eyes to look at her.

The plane is increasing in speed and I'm pressed against the chair. Stella is soothingly stroking my knuckles and I try to focus on that. She slides her thumb back and forth over my knuckles and I feel butterflies erupting in my stomach and it does distract me. She is gazing out of the window and she seems to enjoy the take off.

''Are you scared of flying or just the takeoff? She turns her gaze to me.

The plane is now in the air and the seatbelts can be taken off. I can breathe a little easier and my heart beat is slower, but I still feel uncomfortable.

''I don't like flying, but the takeoffs and landings are the worst,'' I take a deep breath and I feel like I can relax a bit till landing.

''Thanks,'' I say lifting my hand a little that she is holding to motion what I'm thanking her for. But I don't want her to let go of my hand, her hand is soft and warm, and I like this right now.

''Any time,'' she smiles warmly and detaches her hands from mine.

***

I feel myself getting more and more nervous as we get closer to my mom's house. The taxi stops in front of the driveway and we get out. The weather is much colder than I expected. The driver gets our bags out of the trunk and I already see my mom waving from the doorway.

''I'm nervous.'' Stella takes a hold of my hand.

''Me too,'' I confess.

''Hello girls, how was your flight?'' my mom greets us with a warm smile.

''Horrible,'' I say and hug my mom.

''It was not that bad,'' Stella chuckles and my mom hugs her, too.

''Mom, this is Stella. Stella, this is my mom Alice.'' I introduce them.

''Nice to meet you,'' my mom says politely taking both of our jackets and hanging them up.

''Likewise.'' Stella walks in to the house standing awkwardly twiddling her fingers.

''Hello girls, I'll take your bags up stairs, go to the kitchen I made food,'' Steven, my mom's husband, greets us both with a warm hug.

''This is Steven, my stepdad,'' I say to Stella. Steven is already up the stairs with our bags

''Where is your real dad?'' she asks whispering while I lead her to the kitchen.

''He lives in Florida. They got divorced around the time I was 16.''

''Is he going to be here?'' she asks.

''No, it's all my mother's side of the family.''

I let Stella sit at the dining table while I help my mom get the dishes out on the table. Stella protested about just sitting and wanted to help but I insisted of doing it myself. The food smells divine, it's one of my favorites, lasagna.

***

After dinner we go up to my room. It's small and still covered with posters of various bands that I like. There is a big bed that I got after whining to my mother that one person bed was not big enough for me. So I have this queen sized bed in the middle of my room.

''Will we be sleeping in bed together?'' Stella asks me throwing her bag on the bed and rummaging through it for something. Shit, I didn't even think about it.

''Yes, but I can go get the mattress if you...''

''No, no, I'm good,'' she interrupts me.

She finds her toothbrush and pajamas and goes to the bathroom that is connected with my room. I find my nigh ware and toothbrush also.

''You can come in and brush your teeth, too'' she talks with a mouth full of foam. I enter the bathroom and she has changed already. She is wearing short shorts and a purple tank top. Her hair is in a bun on her head, it's not a messy one that I normally ware.

I put some toothpaste on my brush and start brushing. We eye each other from the bathroom mirror while brushing our teeth. She gazes into my eyes a shy smile appearing. She turns her gaze away from the mirror but second later she is looking into my eyes again. I feel myself smile back. Her cheeks turn slightly red from this gazing contest. Her green eyes look darker in the poor lightning of the bathroom.

Finally she spits the foam out and finishes with the brushing.

''All yours,'' she says and exits not looking at me.

''Earth to Emily!'' My mom snaps her fingers in front of me.

''What?'' I asked her. She flew to LA to visit me for the weekend.

''I asked, how is Stella doing?'' I eyed her with disbelief. Why is she bringing her up, she knows what happened with that.

''Don't know,'' I say under my breath, but she heard me. She looked at me with concern.

''I'm ok mom,'' I reassure her. But I can see from her face that she does not believe me.