𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞, 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 ✓

forty-three.

one day earlier

"kay, are you even listening?" rowan looked at her girlfriend in confusion, not understanding why the girl was tuning her out so effortlessly. kaylani looked up in a rush, her eyes misty as she offered a soft smile.

"yeah, i'm sorry, row. just a bit distracted. you were saying about corey?"

"he's made a mistake, so we're gonna need to go hang with the cast tonight, is that okay?"

"yeah, of course. before the play tonight, right?" kaylani looked at her girlfriend with a look rowan couldn't quite pinpoint, even if the girl was distracted herself.

"I totally forgot, oh gosh! and you're going to hang out with lulu and timothy and the cast, aren't you? lia's been going on for days about getting to see you!" rowan was working herself into a panic, one that kaylani knew she had to fix before it hurt the girl.

"hey, hey, row, it's fine." the older girl kept her voice soft, reaching out to touch the other girl's hand. she gently pulled her girlfriend to sit on the bed with her, leaning into her. "we can do both, okay? it'll all work out. you know how to balance things just as well as I do. that's why we're so good at what we do, so good together." she touched the other girl's face fondly, kindly. "it'll be alright."

"i love you, kaylani," rowan muttered, smiling warmly. kaylani just smiled a hidden smile, shaking her head.

"i love you too, rowan."

--

distracted. a few hours later, rowan was distracted watching sailor moon, and kaylani managed to sneak out of the girl's room without being noticed. she hurried downstairs, smiling when she noticed rowan's mother watching t.v. when she looked up at the young girl, her eyes filled with warmth.

"kaylani, to what do i owe the pleasure of your appearance without my daughter?" she smiled kindly, making kaylani breathe out in relief. elizabeth had seen kaylani as a part of their family from the moment she walked in the door, and she worried to see her so tense.

"mrs. blanchard- elizabeth, i need to ask your permission... to marry your daughter. I know, it sounds absolutely wild at our ages, but she's all I want. and i'm not saying that we get married now- we're both young, and I know we would both feel better if she was at least eighteen, out of school, you know. I just... I want to be able to call her mine all the time, ma'am. i'm willing to wait until she's however old you'd prefer, but i'd like to at least ask her, you know? if you'd let me." her eyes were wide, insistent, yet soft and sure.

"kaylani... you're a good kid. a lovely girl. i... i can't tell you no. you have to wait to get married, though. that's all I ask."

"of course, ma'am. oh, thank you, elizabeth!" kaylani smiled widely, lunging to hug the woman. she heard footsteps a moment after the older woman wrapped her arms around the girl, smiling wider as rowan's voice rang out her name.

"kay? where are y- oh. hello." she smiled as they both stepped apart, kaylani practically bouncing.

"hey, row. sorry, i came to get something to drink and we ended up talking." kay smiled apologetically at her girlfriend, taking her hand to lead her to the kitchen. one thing was for sure- kaylani was on top of the world. nothing, nothing at all, could bring her down.