《Apartment Stories》


 Chapter 1

    With cucumber and bell peppers, the last of the groceries vanished inside the fridge. Giselle let the fridge door fall shut. Raindrops crackled at the window behind the kitchen sink. She leaned forward over the counter and glanced outside. It was raining cats and dogs. The small path behind the house, that connects three apartment blocks through a small stretch of greenery, was flooded thumb-deep. The grass around submerged in a small lake that was yet to be soaked up by the earth like a sponge. She couldn''t even see the apartment block behind the greenery. There was so much rain, it hid the trees, the grass and everything further away behind a gray mist.


    Giselle walked over into the living room, pushed the sliding door to close on its own and glanced at the clock above their wall of photos. Soon he''d be home. A smile played across her lips and she crossed the room into their bedroom to change into something comfortable. With most things she wasn''t tidy, but her work dresses better went into the wardrobe. Most of them needed ironing, and who liked ironing blouses and dresses. Especially in the morning before work. Not her. Definitely not her.


    Just in her underwear, she turned full circle in front of the mirror. Despite her 34 years, she had aged well. She was satisfied. Not competitive by any stretch, but satisfied. A frown appeared when she thought to find the additional kilogram around her waist that had haunted her for the past weeks.


    Eventually she shook the bleak thoughts off and slipped into a pair of beige, comfortable cotton pants that reached her ankles and played beautifully around her bum, and a loose, black long-sleeve with a wide collar. Wide enough to fall down one shoulder.


    Couple''s night was upon her. And she was looking forward to it. Every week it was her refuge, her battery charger, the time she''d get to snuggle and find warmth. It brought a grin onto her lips.


    Holding a pair of warm, woolen socks, she went back into the living room and put them on the couch. Pizza: check. Wine: check. Water bottle: check. Snacks: check. There was only one thing left. Her husband. He''d be here any minute, unless the downpour delayed the drive home.


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    "Ding dong"


    Irritated, Giselle went to open the door into the hallway. Why would he ring the doorbell? He does have keys. Should have keys. Behind the door stood a drenched woman. Her hair was soaking wet. The bob haircut was no more. Her face was covered in water drops, as if she had been sweating. And the clothes, wet down to her skin. She must have walked home a fair bit in the rain. Giselle offered a smile, a weak one. "Hi Annie", she said and eyed the woman up and down. There was even a small puddle of water underneath her. "Hi Giselle", Annie said shyly, with a hint of something more to say. "I forgot my keys in the office", she admitted and sighed uneasily, "I can''t get them today, I''m locked out". Giselle put one and one together, she knew where this was going. And Annie continued, "Would it be...", she cleared her throat and gathered her courage, visibly, "Would it be possible to crash on your couch today?"


    Giselle frowned at the woman and glanced over her shoulder into the living room. The smell of the pizza was omnipresent. It was couple''s night. Her lips formed a thin line as frustration and regret washed over her. She let it go with a deep sigh. "Alright, c''mon in. I''ll grab you something to change into", she finally offered, opened the door all the way and went back into the apartment. "You know where to find the bathroom, you can hang your clothes to dry there!", Giselle yelled back and when the soaked woman carried her shoes and herself swiftly into the bathroom, the apartment door fell into its lock with a click. Giselle pressed a fresh towel into her hands. "Here".


    Annie nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Giselle". The smile was kind and was adorable, together with those blue eyes and stubby nose. Annie was probably 10 years younger than Giselle, or so she guessed. She shook her head, opened the left door on her wardrobe in the bedroom and found a warm sweater that didn''t quite fit her anymore and another pair of cotton pants similar to the ones she was wearing. Annie was shorter than her, slimmer and also, maybe, a bit less muscular.


    When she opened the bathroom door, she realized, she should''ve knocked. With the back towards her, the woman rubbed the rain out of her soaked hair. All she wore were panties.


    Pretty, definitely better in shape than me, but my thighs and bum are waaaay prettier. Giselle snapped out of it, noticed her blush for spying and placed the clothes on the tiled floor. "Here''s a dry set", she whispered and closed the door again. Annie shuddered in surprise, "Uh, thanks", she responded, but Giselle had shut the door already.

 Chapter 2

    Suddenly a small clinking and scratching appeared from the apartment door. A key turned and the door opened. "Hun, I''m home", echoed a male voice through the rooms, and also back out into the staircase.


    Giselle stuck her head through the kitchen door, "Oh hi! You look dry, I''m glad!". She smiled at him brightly and as he hung up his jacket and put the sneakers aside, she vanished back into the kitchen. With the sudden change of plans, the oven was now baking some french fries and a plate of very tasty cheese dip. They could share and it''d be enough. Her lips were pressed together and she playfully shifted them left and right and back, as she considered the amount of food available to them. It would be enough.


    A shy "Hi" and a surprised "Oh" ripped her back from her mind into the kitchen. In three long strides she was in the living room. Annie had emerged from the bathroom, dressed casually in dry clothes, wet, blonde hair, red cheeks and her husband, the idiot, he stared at her. Her breasts. Not her face. Breasts! It wasn''t jealousy that rose within her, it was embarrassment. That oaf.


    With the most menacing look of reproach, she waltzed over. When she grasped his hand, he finally looked at her with those innocent brown eyes, that she felt so drawn into. "Remember Annie? She lives next door?", she said playfully, with the slightest hint of reproach. "She got drenched and left her apartment keys in the office. I offered her the couch".


    Ian nodded understandingly and she squeezed his hand tightly as his eyes seemed to drop down below the neckline again. He quickly recovered and smiled at Annie, "Just make yourself at home." and then he helplessly smiled at Giselle. Of course she''d pick up the slack. She always did that. She sighed but shrugged it off.


    "There''s more food in the oven, we''re going to share pizza and the snacks, do you also want wine? I''ll grab you a glass, too", she steamrolled over the quiet, dumbfounded Annie, who just nodded and stared after Ian vanishing in the bedroom. Giselle motioned towards the couch. It was a big one with a 90 degree corner and with a dark gray, durable fabric. In the corner four blankets of different colours were piled up. Annie took the top one and sat down on the far end, pulled her legs up and added, "Thanks, Giselle. I''m not that hungry. I don''t want to be a burden...", but Giselle waved off. "Nonsense! It''ll be fun", she smiled warmly, but somehow still regretted the loss of couple''s night.


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    When Ian came back, he wore checkered pajama pants and a black tee that had two hands with a huge thumbs each up printed on it. The print underneath said "Who has two thumbs and does not give a shit?". Giselle had made him only wear it at home after he decided to show up on his company''s summer party in that tee. Annie laughed as he fell into the cushions on the opposite side and relaxed with his full weight against the backrest. "Nice shirt", she grinned and tilted her head slightly. Ian grinned brightly back at her, "I know, right?", then he yelled towards the kitchen, "Hun, she gets the tee! Everyone thinks it''s funny!!". Giselle raised an eyebrow and brought more glasses and juice, "Not everyone does. Your boss didn''t think it was funny?". Ian chuckled, "But he''s got no humour!"


    Across the years, Ian had tried to rise into middle management, but never made it. Eventually he settled into his job and got more relaxed in doing so. She never liked the ambitious husband, even if it had meant that he stopped exercising and put on a bit of weight. Life in general had improved, or so she thought at least.


    A tiny speaker in the corner tuned into Groove Salad as Giselle put her finger down on the on-button. It was a mixture of ambient and instrumental electronic background music that drowned the quiet. Ten more minutes and the oven would beep. Giselle sat down between Ian and Annie. Shifting the topic of conversation, she smiled at their guest, "We haven''t spoken in what now, a year? How are you doing? Are you still writing for that newspaper?".


    Annie''s face lit up as she responded. "I believe I''m doing well. I''ve been promoted to run the economics part of our bi-weekly magazine.", she said and scratched herself above the ear, "So I get to decide which stories we publish and heavily influence the direction the whole magazine is taking!". After finishing Annie found four eyes glaring at her curiously. That made her seemingly uneasy. Holding on to the wine glass was a welcome distraction and she started to rotate it with her fingers. Unfortunately the wine was quite good and would leave her tipsy, if she wasn''t careful now.

 Chapter 3

    Ian was hungry. He dealt with the additional food in the kitchen. Giselle saw him chew on a few french fries through the half-open kitchen door. She shifted her attention back to Annie and casually tied her dark, brown curls into a pony tail. The woman had shed the tension while explaining about her work and the challenges she was facing on a daily basis. It was all casual.


    "You also bought the flat, just like us, didn''t you?", Giselle sipped from her wine and changed the topic again. Annie nodded. "But you''re living alone. I don''t mean to pry, I''m sorry", the brunette offered an apologetic smile. "Ah, no, don''t worry", Annie waved off, "Back when we all bought the flats, it looked like I might have found someone, but that didn''t work out, so I worked towards the promotion at work instead!". The blonde neighbor''s expression changed and Giselle''s voice grew softer, "I''m sorry, I didn''t know. If you need to talk, you can always reach out, y''know".


    Ian balanced two plates of french fries, a bottle of ketchup, a third plate with the cheese dip and a couple of forks and knives on his big hands. Giselle cleared some space on the table, which got quite cramped now. Annie on the other hand asked, "Do you have any experience waiting tables? You sure got some skills!". After he had set everything down, he bowed and acted as if he had a top hat and he had just finished a circus performance.


    The bow showed his head was starting to bald and first hairs turned gray. Giselle knew that it bothered him and he was self-conscious about it. "Alright, Director, sir? Are we ready to dig in?", she said ceremonially, to which Ian responded, "The show will go on! It must go on!". The impromptu director pranced his chest and sat down. Annie laughed in amusement.


    And all of them dug in. Ian told a story about a broken printer at work that caused his co-worker to anger the board of managers as no one had double checked the printouts and half of them were empty. Giselle offered a tale of an older customer that got lost in their shop and started to see colourful lanterns which they demanded to extinguish right this instant and they would not be convinced otherwise until their guardian arrived to take them back home.


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    As they ate, time flew by. The rain clouds were swallowed by darkness. The small green stretch behind the apartment building was lit by small, dim lights to illuminate the small paths. Ian flicked through his phone for a while and one by one the background lighting in the living room turned on. Just beneath the ceiling a hidden ridge went all around the room and cast a dim, yellow light. Next to the TV an old umbrella-type lamp went on and finally one underneath the photo wall and the wall clock. Together with the music, it was all too cozy and romantic. Giselle looked at Ian longingly, and Annie surprisingly picked up on that look. "I interrupted a special evening, didn''t I?", she said with a kind, guilt-ridden expression. The brunette smiled at their guest. "It was couple''s night. It''s not special special", she pressed her lips together into a thin line to suppress her emotions. Annie didn''t know what to say. She stared at her third glass of wine, uneasy.


    Ian pushed his wife slightly and smiled at her. "What''s with the gloomy face? We can just move it to..... the day after tomorrow!", he suggested and took her hand. Giselle nodded, "Yeah, I guess?". Her spirits lifted slowly and she glared at the ceiling. The impromptu director got up and balanced everything back into kitchen in a single go. Annie just stared with an open mouth. "He''s good, isn''t he?", Giselle complimented and traced the stare. Both women stayed silent. In the bright kitchen light, Ian quickly sorted through the dishes. The dishwasher took in most of it and the trash took the rest. On his way out, Ian hit the light switch, put another bottle of wine on the table, snatched the Nintendo Switch from under the TV and waved at the two women. "It was a long day. I''ll leave you two here and I''m going to have another go at that wicked Elvish king boss", he pumped his fist in anticipated victory and both women shook their heads. Then he was gone.


    Giselle stared at the bedroom door in disbelief. "Did he just leave us two here with a new bottle of wine?" and Annie nodded and shrugged.


    The quiet eventually got to her and since Giselle still stared at the bedroom door, she asked, "What''s on your mind?".

 Chapter 4

    "Did he just leave me with our guest so he can go and play games!", Giselle gasped in an exaggerated way that made Annie chuckle. After a brief silence, the blonde woman shrugged, "Guess so?". Both laughed and glanced at each other. Something clicked between them in that moment. The conversation came easier now, the older of the two inquiring curiously, "Why''d end up in journalism in the first place?". Annie, supported by three glasses of wine, went into a story-teller mode and gave Giselle her full rundown of everything that lead her to study journalism, from supportive friends over a lucky internship at a newspaper to doubting parents.


    While they talked, Ian had gone to sleep. He snored so loud, the neighbors would be able to hear. Giselle''s legs were under a blanket, similar to Annie''s legs. She had shuffled closer to the pile of blankets that now contained only two, but had a bag of potato chips on top that both of them munched on.


    Probably neither of them had assumed that hanging out would be this enjoyable. Both wore a bright smile and were quite open about sharing stories and asking questions. Maybe it was the alcohol involved, but Giselle even offered a few very embarrassing anecdotes on her dating life before Ian. Later, after both reached a level of near intoxication on that new bottle of wine, Giselle asked, "So what went wrong with that guy who was supposed to move in here?".


    Annie glared at her for a while. It wasn''t an annoyed glare, more similar to an uncertain one. Then she sighed and turned her glass between her fingers, circling it round and round, something she''d been doing most of the evening already. "Alright, I''ll tell", she said and frowned.


    "I had met her at University. Journalism required me to pick up another language and I chose Spanish. On the first lecture, I sat next to her and you have no idea, she was gorgeous.", the woman started her tale. Her eyes sparkled brightly at first, but her expression soon emanated a sadness or regret. "You know how it goes, we danced around each other for a bit, went on a date, then sidetracked, started texting each other again. That went on for almost a year.", then she sighed and avoided Giselle''s eyes.


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    "We were a thing for four years after that. Really ticked, if you believe that. I got that job for the newspaper, that magazine that you asked me about earlier. When I saw these apartments for sale, I wanted to buy one, and as it turns out she didn''t. She went traveling, I got a loan instead", the memory was painful and when she had finished, she looked at Giselle with glittering, watery eyes, "And that''s that". The brunette waited a long time until she spoke up. She''d been carefully studying the expressions Annie was going through. "Do you need a hug?", she offered sincerely. Annie just shook her head and carefully pushed the tears out of her eyes. Tears would''ve messed up the little makeup she wore.


    "The apartment was a great choice though, except maybe, the walls are a little thin and we can hear the neighbors above us", Giselle smiled to cheer up her guest, who smiled back at her with a mischievous expression she didn''t quite expect of her, especially after the tale she just shared. She wondered, "What? What did I say?".


    Annie tilted her head and slowly started talking, taking breaks between every second word, "You know - when you - do things - I mean - you two - do things - I can - uh - hear you". Giselle stared with an open mouth. Hear her, did she get that right. She let her gaze fall on the bedroom door. The room bordered Annie''s apartment, which was a mirrored version of their own, so Annie had the bedroom directly... and she breathed the last words, "... on the opposite side". When the realization struck her, she turned red like a tomato. She sunk down, trying to hide behind the small pile of blankets. Annie just watched her with an amused expression. But the conversation had come to a halt.


    Giselle did not quite know how to react. Eventually she sought the eyes of Annie, who just stared back at her curiously. "Are you embarrassed that I heard you two fuck?", the blonde suddenly asked, and Giselle, who was usually composed and in control, looked even more uncomfortable now. The feeling of shyness and embarrassment filled her up. And she knew perfectly well, why. Ian wasn''t the loud one, she was. She couldn''t help it. "I am...", she whispered and Annie chuckled cutely. Then she leaned closer, "Don''t worry, you''re really cute when you''re loud!"

 Chapter 5

    Giselle eventually emptied her glass, filled half of it up and drank that one, too. Weird days required weird measures, but she could barely think straight as it was. Her days of getting drunk regularly were long gone, the wine usually was for pleasure only. And to break the ice on couple''s night. Not that she needed that ice breaker, usually, but it also tasted good.


    Despite her efforts to compose herself, her mind played tricks on her, taking her back to last week''s couple''s night and how Ian had made her.... "Ah fuck, that was really mean, y''know?", she finally frowned at Annie with a slightly angered expression.


    The blonde filled up her glass again, and shrugged, "You''re overreacting. I guess I did want to tease you a bit...". When Giselle''s expression didn''t change and even more furrows spread across her forehead, Annie gave her a different glance, one she couldn''t place and whispered, "I don''t have that much time to date, so sometimes I stay awake until you go to bed and let my fantasies drift". The brunette just stared. This revelation came unexpected. Hearing it softened her a little, but there was a What-the-fuck in her mind as tall as a skyscraper. When she shook her head in disbelief, her vision spun. It was nauseating. "Definitely too much wine....", she groaned and with that forgot most of her indignation. Annie agreed with a nod and crunched more potato chips.


    After an additional, uneasy fifteen minutes, Giselle realized that she hadn''t prepared the couch. The conversation was dead and would be tough to revive.


    Both women were quite shaky and borderline drunk. At least that''s what she told herself until she stood up and the room started to spin around her for a moment. Slowly they shared the preparation work. Annie carried glasses and bottles into the kitchen, Giselle fetched blanket and sheets from the bedroom. Ian didn''t turn of the reading lamp when he fell asleep. When all was settled and dark, they told each other good night and went to their respective beds. Curled up under the blankets, they stared into the darkness, and sleep came easy to neither of them.


    In the morning, when Giselle dragged herself out of the bed to the bathroom, her head felt like someone was squeezing it into a very small container of screws and nails. She passed by the couch absentmindedly. It took time until the brain started to work. Didn''t they have a guest?


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    On her way back to wake Ian, she looked at the couch. Neatly folded sheets and blanket and a small paper on the table.


    "Thanks for letting me crash! Text me! - Annie" and underneath a cell number.


    Giselle glanced at the wall clock. 9:47am. They had overslept the alarms. And if she had been 10 years younger, she would have started to panic. Oversleeping more than two hours. Back then? Unthinkable. Now she just picked up the phone from her bed, dialed and when someone answered on the other side: "Dean''s attire for the gentleman. This is Laureen Munroe speaking.", she just said with a rusty voice, "Hey Laury, it''s me. I came down with a fever and feel like crap. I''ll text you tonight whether it improves, alright?".


    Laureen showed a kind understanding and added, "Sure, take care of yourself. I called twice and when you didn''t pick up I almost got worried". "Sorry, do-not-disturb mode", answered Giselle, too much in pain to be empathetic. "Yea, I get it. Get well, Giselle!", the coworker said and cut the call after Giselle had said a brief "Bye" into the phone. The lie didn''t even make her flinch. Being honest to Laureen Munroe means gossip. It''d make it through half their regular customers before noon.


    Then she poked Ian. Who grunted and blinked at her. "You look like crap! What happened?", he whispered sleepily. "Wine happened. It''s almost ten. Go to work", she grumbled and fell back into the sheets. Something she regretted instantly when her head exploded into a million stars. "Fuck my life...", she groaned and turned to one side.


    "Almost 10? Why didn''t you wake me?", Ian jumped out of the bed and rushed into the bathroom. Giselle barely noticed. She tried to cope. How did Annie manage to leave already? Was she a robot? The thoughts slowed and she dazed into an uneasy state between sleep and being awake.


    When Giselle opened her eyes again, she felt better. A lot better. And thirsty. On her phone were three messages and two calls after she had turned the do-not-disturb mode off. Laury''s two calls and one message, Ian left the two remaining ones. "Annie left you a note! Remember to save the number into your cell!" with a photo of Annie''s note attached to the text and "There''s breakfast in the kitchen. Get well, soon! Love you!". Sometimes Ian was considerate and sometimes... not. Giselle was quite moved however, and she smiled at the messages for a minute until she slowly made her way into the kitchen.

 Chapter 6

    Annie: "How was couple''s night?"


    Giselle: "Scary?"


    Annie: "I wasn''t home, if you''re wondering whether I heard you!"


    Giselle: "Ur evil :see_no_evil:"


    Ian frowned at Giselle, "You''ve been texting her non-stop for 3 days. Do I need to worry?". His wife turned her head and put her phone down next to her. Then she responded, as if she had something to prove, "Uh, no? Why would you think that?".


    The TV was on and they had picked a romantic thriller to watch together. And while both occasionally socialized with their friends or checked their social profiles on the phone, today Giselle barely looked up at the movie. A similar scenario happened the day before couple''s night.


    "If you''re going to do that again tomorrow, we''re gonna watch Moonraker. I mean you''re not paying attention anyway!", Ian pouted and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You''re not mad at my texts, you''re mad at having to watch a movie I picked and now I''m not even paying much attention...", Giselle analyzed the situation. "Yes, Mrs Fancypants, I told you I wanted to watch Moonraker!", Ian grumbled. He loved the old James Bond movies. Roger Moore and Sean Connery. And sometimes he''d watch Golden Eye. The exception in this pattern. Giselle indulged his hobby sometimes, but after seeing every movie twice, she generally tried to let him watch alone. Or distract herself with her phone while snuggling up to him.


    Giselle: "I''ll text you later..."


    Annie: "Sure thing!"


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    The evening passed and both Ian, Giselle and their friendly neighbor went to sleep. The next morning, Ian was no longer mad at her. Generally his endurance to stay mad was more of a short sprint than a marathon. Today that didn''t make Giselle feel any better. Breakfast was especially prepared by her with love, and came with a coffee and french toast that showed a heart baked into it on top.


    Their evening consisted of Roger Moore being chased by a tall man with metal teeth through Rio de Janeiro. Ian was happy, Giselle distracted. Annie explained how Baseball worked. And why she was interested in Baseball.


    Annie: "And when the batter manages to hit the ball, he can run from base to base, for as far as he trusts himself to reach. Everyone else can also progress to the next base. The defending team tries to get the ball back to a person near a base, and when the ball reaches that person before the batter arrives, he''ll be out and cannot score..."


    Giselle only followed the European Champion''s League in soccer. Baseball always seemed too far away. No one played that in Europe. Her closest contact was Space Jam. A movie with Bugs Bunny, where Michael Jordan tried his luck playing Baseball instead of continuing his successful Basketball career.


    Eventually the next couple''s night was upon them. It had only taken two more James Bond movies and about three thousand messages from Annie. Giselle rode the bus home. She was late. Later than any other day in weeks.


    Laury was incredible with customers, especially the regulars. Gossip was her life and she lured the customers in like fish in a net. Everything else wasn''t quite her strong suit. Giselle had to unpack, reorder, price and update the computer. She didn''t mind, but Mr Dean brought in the spring collection. It meant restructuring half the store. And it fell on Giselle to see it through. It was probably why she got a significant promotion every second year.


    When the bus stopped, she hopped out, walked the sidewalk down the road and found the sun almost set behind the neighboring buildings. She sighed and looked up at the blood red clouds. Her handbag had the size of a small backpack and hung down from her shoulder, squeezed by her right arm. Both hands dug into her mantle pockets to stay warm.


    The main entrance door to the apartment building was open wide. She walked through and kicked it. Behind her it fell into its lock. The neighbors sometimes forgot to close it before dusk. After the climb to her home, she stood and dug through the handbag for keys. There were voices behind the door. Her hand hesitated. She hesitated.


    When Giselle started to feel dumb and childish and alone, she pushed the key into the lock, turned it and went inside. Immediately the voices fell silent, but she recognized them. Annie and Ian. A knot formed in her chest and started to tighten. Without bending down, she slipped out of her heels and hung the mantle on a hook behind the door. When she emerged into the living room, her face betrayed her. It made her look like biblical wrath reincarnated.

 Chapter 7

    "What''s wrong with you!", Giselle burst out all of a sudden. Her voice was shaky. She felt all kinds of wrong and didn''t realize, jealousy would even fill her up again. Yet here it was. The knot in her chest rose in intensity and weight. She glared at two surprised and unbelieving faces. Ian was the first to recover, his voice became defensive. It always did in a fight. "Annie brought us wine since she''d crashed last week''s couple''s night", he explained quietly, but he didn''t expect the storm to calm down.


    Their guest only looked at both in turn until she got up and visibly felt uncomfortable. Giselle turned to her, "What the actual fuck! Do you expect me to believe that!". Now that Annie was under fire, she mustered her courage and shot a glare back, "Well, yes! I expect you to believe that! Especially since you know that I don''t date men!". The woman reached Giselle with large strides and squeezed by her, out into the stairwell. Seconds later her own apartment door slammed into its lock.


    Giselle felt a tear roll down her cheek. A nightmare just came true. She completely went mental. Ian gestured with a hand at her, silently and she could see his mind trying to figure out just what exactly had happened. Something she had no answer to herself.


    The knot dissolved and her knees gave in. Leaving Ian, she ran into the bathroom, kicked the door into its lock and leaned against it with all her weight. She felt ashamed. What overcame her when she reached home and found Annie chatting with Ian, she had not the slightest clue. That reaction of her, it scared her and she felt bad. Bad for Annie and even worse for Ian.


    Face hidden in her palms, Giselle sobbed and cried. She sat behind the bathroom door in darkness. The only light was a small line under the door.


    A knock on the door. And another. "Go away!", she whined and when it knocked a third time, she repeated herself angrily, louder and firmer, "Go away!!".


    Her phone beeped. Behind her, behind the door, there were steps, growing fainter until they vanished. Another beep. It was still in her bag. Annoyed, she dug it out. Finding it was easy despite the lack of light, every message turned on her display. She was about to yell at it to be quiet, when it beeped again.


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    Annie: "The door is unlocked, talk to me..."


    She took a deep breath, put the phone down next to her and looked up into the dark room. Her head banged against the door with a loud thump. She hit her head against the door again, harder this time. Pain shot through her. With a raspy voice she wondered, "Ouch,.... what the fuck am I doing?".


    With closed eyes her body slowly calmed down. Air filled her lungs, she held it in and exhaled. Repeatedly. When she pushed herself up, the tears were dried on her cheeks and she felt to be in control of herself again.


    Ian sat on the sofa with a bottle of coke and watched the news on TV. ".... In other news, Prince Harry visited the grave of his grandmother yesterday. He carried a bouquet of...". Ian turned down the volume until it was muted. "Sorry about that", Giselle said as she fell into the cushions next to him. She leaned against his shoulder. "No idea what happened. I guess I was jealous.", she admitted heavily.


    Ian sipped his coke and put his arms around her shoulder. He said nothing. Giselle closed her eyes and sunk into his comfort. He wasn''t angry. She knew how angry looked on him, this wasn''t it.


    Finally his voice broke the silence, "You''ve gotten close. --- With her I mean". She nodded visibly and sighed, "Yeah, I have". The part where she''d admit that it might be too close never left her mouth. Her partner put the cap on the bottle, leaned it next to him on the backrest of the sofa and switched channels on TV. He nudged her upright. "Go talk to her", he said, "I''ll be here, I''ll watch The Spy who loved me" and with that he got up and took the Blu-Ray from the cupboard and knelt down in front of the TV.


    Giselle hesitated and glanced at him. Hesitation and fear. A bad combination. She was quite afraid of what she''d find once she entered Annie''s apartment. Did she end up having a real fight? Why had she been jealous in the first place?


    Before making her way over, she changed into something comfortable and removed her make-up. The tears didn''t do it any favours. When she came back out of the bathroom, Ian looked at her and waved, "Go! I''ll be here! Or in bed later!".


    She clutched her hand around her phone. Both hands were trembling, her heart pounded for all its worth and without putting on shoes, her socks carried her out of her apartment. On the fifth deep breath she found the courage to push against Annie''s apartment door and it swung open, revealing darkness behind.

 Chapter 8

    After adjusting to the darkness, Giselle made her way into apartment. It was her first time visiting Annie. Carefully she felt with her feet for obstacles, and found none. Familiar floor tiles were under her soles. Inside, from the kitchen, she saw a flickering glow. The closer she got, the more she could make out details around her. Despite being the same apartment as her own, it looked different. Alien even.


    The living room had a dense, expensive carpet that softened her steps even more. Framed pictures on the walls reflected the glow from the kitchen back to her through the glass. A few vases, tall and ancient in appearance, decorated the wall along which she shuffled towards the light.


    Annie sat cross-legged on the work area, a chocolate bar in her hand and two candles on the other side of the sink. She leaned against the tall, side-by-side fridge and had a nice view outside towards the street. When Giselle appeared in the door frame, Annie frowned and her eyes wandered from the socks up to the face.


    "Care to tell me what all that was about?", the blonde woman asked. The frown still decorated the forehead. Giselle sighed, leaned against the door frame and let herself slide down. Her toes pushed against the opposite side of the frame. When turning her head, she glanced up at the apartment owner. After overcoming her hesitation, she admitted, again, "Guess I got jealous". "Jealous?", Annie gasped and shook her head, just to glance outside the window, "What the fuck, Giselle!".


    Burying her face in her palms, Giselle sobbed, "What was I supposed to think! You were just there, with Ian!". The palms hid her watery eyes and she didn''t dare look up. A piercing stare loomed over her, she could feel it. "Did you really think I''d make out with him and then wait for you to show up?", Annie''s voice became louder and more agitated. "When you put it like that, no", the brunette replied quietly.


    "Then why!", Annie demanded and when Giselle glanced up with tears in her eyes, she saw a frustrated, irritated expression. The flames danced and flickered, they gave the blonde an orange, shadowy hue, highlighting cheekbones, the nose ridge and eyebrows. Giselle just stared for a while, almost shocked. "I didn''t want to share you...", finally came the answer in form of a whisper.


    To her surprise, the kitchen was silent for a long time. The shallow breathing was too quiet to be heard and the neighbors didn''t move an inch. Annie''s face became soft. A smile played around her lips. Giselle had said too much, probably. Alarm bells inside of her screamed to run. Yet she remained with sweaty palms and a drumming pulse inside her ears.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.With a quiet thump, a pair of feet landed on the tiled floor. Then both women were next to each other. Annie cross-legged and Giselle still resting against the door frame. A whisper reached Giselle, "Tell me". It chilled her to the bone. "Tell you what?", she said softly and sought the dark shadows that were Annie''s eyes. "Tell me what you want", it was barely a whisper that drove Giselle into herself. What she wanted? Did she even know?


    A warm hand clutched her sweaty fingers. When she left her mind and returned into the kitchen, Annie smiled, "I don''t read minds, you''ll have to tell me if you want me to know".


    The brunette took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling, as if a revelation came to her with a prayer. Finally she breathed the words, "I want to be your friend. I want to be with you". Time passed, the candles danced happily and the shadows with them. Annie suddenly pulled Giselle close, into her arms. The curly hair just below the chin, ear against the chest to hear the heartbeat. "It''s okay", the blonde soothed her, stroked her hair and supported her body in the awkward embrace. Giselle had fallen to the side, still sitting in the door frame, but turned to wrap her own arms around Annie''s waist. Her breathing became calm, but not her pounding heart. There was something about all of this, that she hadn''t felt in a long time.


    Finally she glanced up at her neighbor and saw nothing but dark shadows. The hair fell down on both sides and shielded the last rays of light. Except the eyes. They sparkled like stars in the night. When she exhaled, Annie''s lips pressed against hers. Her hands trembled and the unstoppable force of a million butterflies exploded in her stomach. She sunk into the kiss. It lasted but a moment. Taken aback, Giselle pushed herself up, away from the woman, out of their embrace. Before she knew it, she left. In a hurry, cursing to herself. "Shit shit shit shit..."


    The doors automatically fell into their locks. Ian looked at her, confused, when she entered her own living room. "You look like you''ve seen a ghost!", he said and waved at the space next to himself on the couch. Giselle shook her head. "I don''t feel like James Bond, I''m going to bed", she grunted with her dry throat. Ian shrugged and turned his attention back to the movie. Swiftly, with a full water bottle from the kitchen, she hid on her side of the bed, in darkness. Her fingertips brushed over her lips. Annie''s scent was still there.

 Chapter 9

    Pling!


    Giselle must have dosed into a shallow sleep. The message notification jolted her awake enough to glance at the phone.


    Annie: "Find me soon :kiss:"


    Adrenaline shot through her body. Her head jerked around, Ian''s side of the bed was empty. Sometimes he turns and wraps his arms around her when she checks something on her phone. She felt like a teenager with a secret. And a stupid one at that.


    When the display turned off after two minutes without interaction, the woman stared up at the dark ceiling. The skin on her forehead was sweaty and her breathing slowed visibly. All signs of guilt emerged and she felt horrible. The worst wife in existence. Except that she didn''t do anything. It wasn''t her fault.


    Circling the moment of the kiss in her mind like a bird of prey, she curled up and glanced at the message again. Why was this even such a big deal! She wanted to tell Ian. At least a part of her wanted to. The other part was curious, excited about the kiss and scared of what it could do to her relationship at the same time. When her husband crawled under the blanket into bed, she pretended to sleep. It took her at least another hour until she drifted off again. The kiss haunted her dreams.


    The very next morning came and Ian didn''t get out of bed well. Breakfast was ready and the apartment empty, he didn''t see her leave, as she sneaked out like a shadow. In the evening, the excuse to go to bed early was believable, as the previous night had left dark shadows under Giselle''s eyes. Sleep didn''t come easy, again. Around 3am, she shrieked up from sleep. Ian woke with her. His arms soothed her back into a shallow nap, but that night she didn''t find the rest she was looking for either.


    On the third night, the memory of the kiss had faded into a blur, the reason she couldn''t sleep then was more about reaching out to Annie and figuring out why she was such a mess emotionally all of a sudden. Not only did she not find an answer, she also found no sleep. Again!


    After she woke, Ian was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Her feet dragged her into the bathroom and then into the kitchen, to her husband. "Mornin''", she yawned at him. He smiled brightly and pointed at a salad. "Ooooh, energy salad!", her attention was right on breakfast now and her stomach grumbled.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Both sat in the living room on their large table, with a bowl of energy salad, some juice and sliced baguettes. Ian started a conversation after chewing the first fork of the salad, "Wanna tell me what''s bugging you?". Giselle froze. The memory of the kiss was back, how it lingered on her lips and how she had avoided Annie and him in the aftermath.


    "You started to act weird when you came back from Annie''s place", he deduced out loud. Giselle avoided looking at him, like that teenager again that did something wrong and kept it secret. Something, she needed something to say, otherwise it''d be even more suspicious. "It turned weird when I went there. I don''t think I should share what we talked about?", she finally found an escape route. "Wait, you haven''t talked to her since...", he concluded and his wife shook her head and looked at the salad. "Oh Giselle! You need to go talk to her! Minimum write her!", came his encouragement and he reached for her hand. Her palms were sweaty again. "Write her, spend the evening with her, figure it out!", he said and she reluctantly nodded while grimacing lightly. She let it fade into a weak smile. "See? Here you go, away with the gloom!", his smile brightened when he said that.


    After Annie had agreed to seeing her in the evening, Giselle rang the doorbell. Ian decided to, who could have guessed, watch Moonraker. He wouldn''t miss her for hours.


    The door opened and a woman in her pajamas stood in it. She smelled of incense and perfume. Giselle put on a friendly smile while trying her best to stay and not escape into her own bedroom again.


    The interior looked different today. A dozen candles along the walls in the living room, together with a few statues of Buddha and a ridiculously large monstera plant were the eye catchers in that room. Giselle let her gaze drift. The other day, all of that had been shrouded in darkness.


    Annie smiled, took her hand and led her onto the sofa. It was far softer than their own. They sat, each at one end, legs pulled close, facing each other. When Giselle didn''t seem to start the conversation, Annie tried her best, "Guess last time, it wasn''t quite what you expected...". The blonde scratched her head shyly and Giselle laughed the tension away, "No, not exactly". Both grinned and even if they looked at their situation from different angles, they could agree on this bit.

 Chapter 10

    Giselle tilted her head and frowned, "Why the kiss...?". It had bugged her since that fateful moment it had happened, but Annie just shrugged, "I thought you didn''t mind. And it''d make you feel better?". A weak smile appeared on her lips. An expression of faith, of expectancy. The brunette didn''t exactly share this idea and so she hissed, "Make me feel better?". The emotions finally surfaced. It was anger and frustration. The lack of sleep didn''t help, nor the guilt she had been carrying ever since. Annie''s expression suddenly changed as well. She looked sad and shocked.


    "Next time you try to make me feel better, offer me hot chocolate or something!", Giselle grumbled and took a deep breath. She didn''t come here to yell at her neighbor. It had to be said though.


    After along silence, the neighbor girl glanced at her with a confused look, "Didn''t you want to get --- uh --- close, at all?". Giselle immediately responded, almost hysterical, "No! I didn''t!". "Then why all those messages? We exchanged hundreds in a just a few days. You were so kind and interested...", came a whisper that eventually died. Annie''s eyes started to glitter and sparkle. She was tearing up.


    Giselle was taken aback. With no idea what to say now. It was true, she had spent her evenings and a considerable time during her days texting. Every new message on her phone made her smile and kept her going. "I thought we''d become friends", she finally admitted softly, "How''d you get the idea we''d become lovers?".


    The blonde woman wrapped her arms tightly around her legs. The fabric of the pajamas became tighter and revealed her buttocks, waist and thighs. Giselle caught herself staring and centered herself on the woman''s eyes when she realized it. "I don''t know? I just hoped ...", but Giselle cut her off, "I''m married, my husband is next door, watching James Bond!". Annie gave a weak shrug and quietly said, "A friend of mine lives in an open relationship, and since I didn''t want to steal you away or anything...". She stopped talking when both looked at each other and she realized that Giselle all of a sudden didn''t seem so composed and sure anymore. She took a leap of faith and offered her hand, with a smile. An invitation, a challenge perhaps.


    To her very own surprise, Giselle took the hand and shuffled closer. Then Annie pulled her into an embrace, taking the head onto her shoulder and the rest of the weight across her torso. Giselle wasn''t heavy. She stroked a curl out of the older woman''s face and put it behind the ear. "I''m not going to kiss you, I''ll just hold you", she promised and ran her hand down the woman''s back.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.Before she realized what had happened, Giselle reached behind Annie''s neck and pulled her towards her lips. They met in a kiss. An electrifying, long, deep kiss that made both women tremble.


    ***


    When Giselle snuck into the apartment, Ian was already snoring on his side of the bed. As quietly as she could, she changed and crawled under the blanket. The display on her phone turned on and a bling announced a notification. She gestured a "Shhhh" at the phone, took it and opened the text.


    Annie: "Fuck, you''re good. I''ll miss you in bed..."


    Giselle didn''t respond, her cheeks were glowing bright red, but luckily no one would see that. She had made up her mind to deal with her life and all of that tomorrow, today she''d bask in the afterglow of the evening with Annie. A smile played across her lips when she curled up under the sheets and closed her eyes. Her heart was pounding at a deafening volume. And while sleep came to her slowly, today she didn''t mind one bit. Especially since the smell of Annie''s perfume lingered all over her body.


    Next morning, she made breakfast for both of them. Ian yawned as he came into the kitchen. Raindrops hammered against the window. "Another day of rain, great", he sighed and sat down. "So how''d it go with Annie?", he wondered when Giselle served him a bowl of mixed cereals and chocolate. She beamed, "It went great, I think we made up just fine?". The hint of guilt was easily pushed out of her mind, since the memory of the evening prevailed. "Oh? That well, huh? I''m happy. It was about time that you found someone you got along with", he explained with a mouth full of cereals. "Some things just take time and a bit of karma", his wife said and shrugged, the bright smile still all over her face.


    An hour later, the bus dropped her off near the pedestrian zone downtown. Sheltered by an umbrella, Giselle walked into Dean''s attire for the gentleman through the staff side door and found Laureen Munroe behind the counter, setting up for the day. "Hey Laury", she smiled. "Oh hey Giselle, you look bright today?", Laureen said and stared at the woman intently. "It''s been a good day", Giselle responded, trying her best to be casual. "Really? You glow like you had the fuck of your life!", Laury laughed and almost choked when Giselle blushed bright red.

 Chapter 11

    Despite Laury''s teasing and increased curiosity, Giselle didn''t slip. She barricaded herself in one part of the shop, redecorating it from the ground up while unpacking the new collection and resorting the old into a more frequented part of the shop.


    After her 8 hour day was done, she took the bus home. Ian wouldn''t arrive until an hour later. Somehow she didn''t feel hungry and instead fell onto the couch. With a sigh, she brushed her curls back and stared at the white ceiling. "I need to tell him eventually. This is going to get messy...", she told the empty room quietly and then closed her eyes.


    She must have dozed off, since Ian''s arrival shook her awake. She glanced over to him and he looked genuinely surprised, "Work was exhausting, huh?". Giselle nodded and curled up while facing towards him. "I''ll prepare Tortilla wraps with some vegetables and salad? Is that ok?", he suggested. She just nodded again, unwilling to argue about it. Tortilla wraps was always his first suggestion when nothing else was up for debate. She closed her eyes again and avoided the dreadful thoughts about the dinner conversation. On her way home, she had checked her phone. 23 messages from Annie. Her response?


    Giselle: "On my way home, I''ll take some time later to respond, alright?"


    Annie: "Sure, be safe! :kiss:"


    Ian woke her a second time when he placed a plate with two beautifully wrapped Tortillas in front of her. The living room smelled of spices and seasoning and fried vegetables. With a groan she pushed herself up. Her husband''s plate had four Tortillas. Both dug in and ate in silence for a while, as she didn''t know how to address Annie.


    On the second wrap, Ian took it upon himself to start a conversation. "Today at lunch I ran into Cel. She''s back in town, took a job as a secretary at International Cargo Ltd", he said. While chewing, he looked at Giselle and almost choked. Her stare resembled piercing daggers. She didn''t like Celestine. She grunted, "And so you went out for lunch with her, since having lunch with your ex is a good idea!". Ian turned back to his food, visibly ridden with guilt, "Just seemed nice to see her again after such a long time. I agreed to have dinner with her on Saturday, too". "You did what?", Giselle gasped hysterically.


    And then the gears turned in Giselle''s head. Maybe this wasn''t so bad after all. Minimum she didn''t have to mention her evening with Annie. So he feels guilty, I feel guilty, maybe I don''t need to say anything, she thought and returned her attention back to Ian, who had noticed her distraction. "You''re not --- mad anymore?", he frowned and tilted his head left and right and back left, as if she had hidden her mood somewhere on the side of her head, just to have it pop out and scare him when he least suspected.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it."Nah, it''s ok I guess. It''s been what now... 8 years? And she probably looks all wrinkled and old", she mused and chewed another bite down. Ian knew better than to correct her, so he frowned, shrugged and wondered, "So it''s ok if we go out for dinner?". "Oh sure, do you want Annie and me to tag along?", she gave him a sideways glance.


    Women were witty, they tended to lay traps for the unaware. Ian looked like a cornered mouse on an island of cats. Finally he raised one corner of his mouth into a distorted smile, "Maybe? Do you want me to ask her?". Giselle nodded at him, "I''ll ask Annie". She grinned to herself as she chewed down the second wrap. "Are you going to see Annie tonight again?", he asked all of a sudden and she blushed. He didn''t notice. She did her best to keep her focus on her food, "Do you want me out of the living room?". "What? No! Wait, you didn''t check our calendar, did you? That''s odd, you usually do. Anyway, I''m over at Gary''s for poker night. And while you''re always welcome to join, since Vince tends to bring Pam, and Gary''s oldest, Pam, is going to be there, too. How did we end up with two Pams at the same poker table, huh. I just thought I''d ask, since I''ll be off til midnight or something", he gestured defensively. "Oh sure, but I am pretty tired, don''t blame me if I fall asleep on her couch!", she laughed and tried to quench her guilty conscience with it. When Ian responded, "Just be here for breakfast", she almost felt sorry. Almost. The excitement in her chest made her heartbeat quicken. A grin spread across her lips. "I knew you''d want to see her!", came his innocent encouragement, "I''m so glad you two made up!".


    When the dishes were done and Ian went to collect a new pack of cards, some poker chips, cash and a six pack of Grundberry''s Finest, she sent Annie a text.


    Giselle: "Do you want me to come over tonight? Ian is out for poker :flushed:"


    Annie: "Sure! I was about to watch Goblet of Fire, but I''ll hold off until you''re here! :bright_smile:"


    With an unbuttoned blouse and pants in her hands, Giselle went into the bedroom to change. Ian gave her an interested glance, waited next to the door and watched her change into her pajamas with a smile on his lips. He always liked to watch her. Her bra went into the laundry, the blouse and pants into the wardrobe, her laced thong stayed. When both left the apartment and locked the door, Giselle wore thin, satin pajamas that highlighted every curve on her body. She carried a pack of potato chips and a bottle of red wine. Not even socks were on her feet, but she had bound the hair into a bun. Ian wore jeans and a tee. All of the poker accessories and the drinks ended up in a basket, as he needed to carry them two buildings down the street. They kissed goodbye and a smiling Giselle vanished in Annie''s unlocked door, trembling with excitement, while Ian whistled a happy tune until he was out of the building.

 Chapter 12

    The apartment was the same, but it felt very different. A new scent was in the air. Everything felt slightly warmer. Giselle counted a total of 17 candles when she entered the living room and found it empty. The TV was on, but paused on the WB logo that began a movie. "Hey, Annie, you home?", she announced her arrival with a slightly raised volume. Her host carried two plates of garlic bread that smelled delicious. The woman wore pajamas, sort of. A high waist, white culottes and a white crop top with a very playful print on it that read "beautiful - love - sleep". Giselle glanced at her and tilted her head slightly when she realized how comfy it looked. Her own satin pajamas had the perfect fabric, but the cut left a lot to be desired.


    "Sit, we can start, we can start", Annie said cheerfully. "But you''ve seen the movie, right?", Giselle asked with a reserved expression. "Of course! Dozens of times!", the blonde claimed with a grin. Both shrugged and sat down next to each other. Giselle took a garlic bread and found a smaller plate to place it upon. She had no intention of getting crumbs all over the sofa. Annie hit play on the remote and leaned her head against the shoulder next to her. The brunette suddenly had a memory flash in front of her eyes. From the previous night. It made her squirm.


    "Before I forget about it", Giselle whispered as the intro to Goblet of Fire ran, "Do you want to tag along to dinner on Saturday? Ian kinda invited his ex and I had this insane idea that it might be fun if the two of us went with him?"


    Annie paused the movie and turned her head to look up at her. "Wait, you''re serious!", and Giselle nodded in response. "Let me get this straight, your husband has dinner with his ex and you ask your lover, uh neighbor, to tag along with you?", Annie frowned and sat up. Her guest just smiled innocently and shrugged. "Ah fuck it, why the hell not...", the blonde shook her head in disbelief of what she just agreed to. "Awesome! I''ll tell Ian tomorrow!", Giselle smiled and went back to munching on that garlic bread.


    The movie continued for a while. They ate first, then they snuggled under a single blanket and drank wine. It got slightly out of hand when both realized that there was none left. When the story concluded the underwater section, Annie had her arms around her neighbor. Both stopped paying attention to their surroundings. By the time the movie was done, Annie was on top of Giselle, unbuttoning the pajama top. The candles had increased the room temperature into a cozy warmth and tinted it yellow and orange. Giselle was ecstatic and felt her back arch before long. It would be a long evening and a very short night. She smiled to herself until her mouth opened involuntarily and a moan escaped her. Annie had squeezed one hand into her thong and she knew from her previous night how skilled the woman was. Ian was not home to overhear their play. And then she felt a wave of pure pleasure emanate from her hips and she let herself be swept away.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Most candles had died and just a single one in the far corner was lit. Annie''s panting was so loud, Giselle almost didn''t notice the click of another door in the hallway outside. Her husband was home. A grin appeared on her face as she glanced up the dimly lit silhouette of her lover. "What are you grinning at?", Annie breathed and had both hands dug into her hair. Sweat covered her body. Giselle lifted herself on top of the woman from the floor in front of the sofa. Their lips met again. "I can''t believe you liked that!", the brunette whispered playfully and Annie chuckled, "I like fingers in all kinds of places!". Giselle blushed and they kissed for a long while.


    Holding hands, Annie led her neighbor into her bedroom. Both women walked slowly, they were quite drunk. They fell into the bed and grunted. Falling down at their level of intoxication was not pleasant. The younger of the two recovered faster and rolled over to kiss. Before Giselle realized what was happening, she felt two fingers softly pushing into her. "Fuck, you''re still wet", the blonde giggled, but received no response. Moans and gasps chased another, until at a very late hour, both were sound asleep, snuggled up against another, naked.


    The walk of shame home the next morning was a mix between too much wine, too little sleep and a very tingly lower body. Despite the shower they had taken in the middle of the night, she felt icky. The kind that reminded you of something. Her thong was hidden inside one of her hands, she couldn''t wear it anymore, it was quite dirty now.


    She walked straight into bathroom, but not before Ian stuck his head out of the kitchen and raised two eyebrows, "What happened to you? You look like crap!". She didn''t respond.

 Chapter 13

    Getting dressed after the shower made her feel refreshed and brought that smile back. When she finally entered the kitchen, Ian beamed with joy, "So much better!". Giselle cleared her throat, "Yeah, it was really warm at Annie''s, it felt icky now". Her guilt had been suppressed the moment she saw Ian. Not that she had felt too guilty in the first place. It all had been too exciting and happening too fast for her to ponder about why she wasn''t feeling guilty. And she wasn''t going to start now.


    "Icky?", he frowned for a moment, as if he was debating something in his head, and finally said, "No matter, here''s breakfast!". He handed her a plate and she pressed her lips together, took the plate and sighed. Two Tortilla wraps with a fruity filling. "What is it with you and Tortilla wraps...", she asked rhetorically. Ian chuckled.


    Despite her urge to see Annie, she resorted to texting her. When she had left that morning, her lover had been fast asleep. Hours later, she had received a text while working.


    Annie: "Where did you vanish to? Why didn''t you wake me and kiss me goodbye?"


    Giselle swiftly turned the display off and smiled at Laureen sheepishly. "Are you kidding me, how come you are getting some booty and I don''t!", Laury whined teasingly. The coworker was single, had been for a few years and never quite knew what she was looking for in the first place. "I am not! Ian is being nice to me lately", Giselle lied and tried to add confidence with an innocent smile. "Really, then show me that text!", Laury demanded with both hands on her hips. "I won''t, it''s none of your business", the brunette responded. Laury threw her hands into the air in defeat while walking away and talking to the ceiling, "Why do you hate me? What did I ever do to you?". Giselle smiled to herself and went back to work.


    In the evening, Giselle decided to text Annie after all. Of course she was invited over, again. An invitation she refused politely. Instead she listened to Ian rant on about customers and their ridiculous behaviour. When he was done, she kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hand, "While today sucked, I''m sure tomorrow is going to be better". He smiled at her and kissed her on the lips. To her, it felt weird and different. For the first time she felt really guilty and took a deep breath to center herself.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Two days after that morning, Annie, Ian and Giselle drove down a two-lane road downtown. Celestine had suggested to reserve a table at The Mariner. A sea food and salad buffet restaurant. Ian had managed to get a table at the window, overlooking a small lake out back. Maybe it was more of a pond. Dozens of ducks and other birds swam on it in the evening sun. He had reserved the table for two, originally. Celestine waited for them outside the entrance and watched two ducks fight over a female. She was a tall woman, about the same height as Ian. The blonde hair in a bun and a wooden stick to hold it, she had a long face, thick lips that matched her darker skin colour and wore silver, expensive earrings and a matching choker. Her fashion choice was modern, with tight black jeans and a casual, burgundy blouse that emphasized her body without revealing anything. She smiled brightly, gave Ian a formal hug and he introduced both women, "This is Giselle, my wife, and that''s Annie, she lives next to us".


    After all of them shook hands, Giselle noticed that Celestine had gained a bit of weight on the thighs and marked that as win. They hadn''t seen each other for years. The personality difference to her own friends was remarkable. Celestine and Giselle had largely different styles of communication, but she guessed that Celestine''s style also worked for her.


    Annie''s hand brushed over Giselle''s exactly that moment she was about to celebrate that win. She was tempted to grab the hand, but resisted. "Long time no see, how have you been?", Giselle said through a fake smile. "I''ve been well, been up north for a while, now I''m back. I actually didn''t believe I heard right when Ian called me and asked if he could bring the lot of you", Cel laughed. Her voice sounded audibly nasal. "And why''s that?", Giselle asked politely, but Cel just waved off playfully, "Because you hate me, of course? Let''s go inside, I''m starving!".


    Inside The Mariner, the restaurant was full. Dozens of low volume conversations accumulated into a loud background noise. The furniture and decorations took inspiration from old, wooden ships. Everything smelled of sea food and ocean salt. Along the decorations were blue lights that tinted the ceiling into a dark blue, adding to the underwater, ocean vibe the place was giving off.


    When a waiter showed them their table, Ian sat next to Giselle, but across Celestine, who smiled mischievously at the couple while pointing her thumb to her table neighbor, "So who''s sleeping with that pretty girl next to me?".

 Chapter 14

    Annie''s head jerked right. Ian''s jaw dropped and Giselle''s cheeks went light pink and barely a moment later, she blushed completely. Celestine''s eyes wandered from one face to the next and she chuckled, "Wow, hornet''s nest, hah? You''re both sleeping with her?". A finger pointed at Giselle, then at her husband and back. Afterward Ian''s ex leaned back and laughed, "Fuck me, I just wanted to tease! Damn. Alright, so I''ll break the tension. So who wants to know the real reason, that guy over there and me broke up?".


    While Annie stayed silent and managed to compose herself well, Giselle''s face dropped into her palms and she fought tears. Ian looked out the window, his expression serious and quite unreadable. It showed that he was good at poker. Celestine smiled and opened her arms slightly, showing her palms to everyone at the table, "Oh c''mon! Don''t be like that, it can''t be that bad, right?". Ian and Celestine sighed at the same time, probably for different reasons while Giselle pressed her lips together and lifted her head back up. The blush had faded and her usual calm self resurfaced. During her moment of distancing herself, she contemplated options. Putting her cards on the table now would be the worst option of them all. Showing an interest in the breakup story was also among the less popular options. Her eyes avoided Annie and instead moved over Cel toward Ian. She nudged him with her hand on the thigh. Without turning his head, his hand grasped hers. She squeezed it tightly. It gave her some strength.


    She hadn''t made her calculation with Annie though. The neighbor woman put on a smile and wondered, "So what''s the real reason you broke up?". Giselle swallowed and glared at Annie, who just shrugged at her. And then it dawned on her that her reaction to Cel''s comment alienated Annie. If she couldn''t stand up for whatever they had, neither would her neighbor. Ian held on to her hand, he had sweaty palms. This wasn''t good.


    "Oh, since you asked so nicely I''ll tell! Back when, we''ve been a thing for about 4 years and then that girl here showed up", Celestine paused her story and pointed her finger at Giselle, "and she wrapped her claws around him like a vampire. But he...". Giselle interrupted in outrage, "My what now?". Celestine waved her off, "Alright, vampires have fingers. So where was I. Ah yes. He didn''t tell her that he had a girlfriend, instead he just cancelled one date after another until I saw them pass by the former bakery on Heston Street that is now a sneaker store? You know the place, right? Anyhow, I was inside that bakery and they walked down the street, holding hands and all. Of course, I was in shock and confronted him in the evening, but we ended up making up, having sex and other things". Cel smirked and Giselle followed the story now with a raised eyebrow. She remembered those days well enough. Ian had been single, or so he had claimed, yet he had to work evenings and he never invited her over into his apartment, because he had a flatmate that didn''t like visitors. Things started to fall into place now. When the flatmate had moved out after a month or so, she eventually had moved in, months later. And the tension between her and Celestine, not quite the coincidence now. She withdrew her hand, overcoming Ian''s resistance. When she finally set both hands on her lap, Ian''s and her eyes met. He looked sad and yet unreadable otherwise.


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    A waiter distracted them, handed them the menu and asked for drinks, but Celestine told him, they hadn''t decided yet. When the fashionable young waiter with rectangular glasses gracefully departed with a nod, the story continued, "A week later he smelled like a vanilla plant and a few days after that I found a bite mark on the neck. And that''s when I blew up. I moved out to a friend of mine and we were done". The woman grinned at Annie and looked quite innocent, and also very much unaffected by this story. Then a small addition came in form of a whisper as Celestine leaned closer to Annie, "I don''t know who to blame really. I was mad for a long time, but I guess I''ve moved on. So how about you? Do you think you can get them to break up?".


    While Ian still gave no hint on participating in the conversation, but Giselle clenched her hands into fists. She glanced at a frowning Annie that wore an expression she had never seen before. It looked anxious or uncertain. Then Giselle spoke up, "I don''t think that''s your business. And quite frankly, we haven''t talked about it. We''re grown ups, not everything needs to go up in flames". Her voice started out steady and stalwart, but it faded into a shaky, unconvinced whisper. Her eyes locked with Annie''s, and she reached with one hand over the table but found nothing. Her neighbor stayed distant and cold, she didn''t understand any of this anymore. Her husband stood up without a single word, clad in an expression of sad frustration and swiftly walked to the entrance.

 Chapter 15

    Giselle fought the knot in her stomach tighten as she watched Ian leave. The whole restaurant seemed to pause their conversations. Most people didn''t turn their heads to stare. After he had vanished through the door and didn''t return, Giselle returned her attention to the table. Annie looked away and avoided eye contact and Celestine met her glare, but smiled and shrugged. "Payback''s a bitch, ain''t it?", Cel laughed and leaned back into her chair. The superior posture disgusted Giselle. Why would anyone go to such lengths? It''s been 8 years!


    Without a second thought, she pushed herself up, turned on her heel and dashed after Ian. This time people did stare, but she couldn''t care less. After passing the main entrance door, she glanced left and then right, "Ian!!!". Her way lead her to the car. "Iaaaaan!!", she yelled again. The parking lot was concrete, but the small shortcut from The Mariner was a dusty trail with lots of pebbles. She stumbled across it as fast as she could with her heels. "Fuck, why did I wear those", she cursed when the thin stiletto sunk into a small hole between the pebbles.


    Emerging from a hedge line, Giselle saw Ian in the car. He looked angry and frustrated, his hands gripped the steering wheel and she could see his white knuckles. When she tried to pick up the pace a little, she stumbled and fell. Her hands and left knee hit the dirt. A nail chipped, the polish with it, the expensive cloth tore on her knee together with her skin, scratches all over the toe cap and a bloody scratch on her other palm. "Ah fuck, that hurts", Giselle''s face showed a grimace and she checked her hands. They were the most noticeable source of her pain. She pushed herself up and quickly pulled her shoes off. In beige, skin-coloured socks, she ran to the car and climbed onto the passenger seat.


    Ian looked at her with worry in his eyes, "Are you ok?". "It''ll heal, but it bloody hurts", she responded while checking her knee. Blood seeped through the dirt cover and her right hand showed blood oozing along a scratch that reached across half her palm. "I''ll deal with that at home", she concluded and winced.


    "What do you mean, home?", Ian wondered and the emotions rose inside him once again. Giselle didn''t look at him, instead she checked the trail to the The Mariner, that stayed devoid of anyone. Then she said, "Just drive. Your bleeding ex can drive Annie home for all I care". Ian hesitated, but nodded eventually and started the car.


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    They drove in silence. Ian''s anger made him speed multiple times and take turns way too aggressively, but Giselle knew, talking to him now would make it worse. Instead she wondered what to do about this now. Was she really mad at him? She should be. And was he mad at her? His bad judgement calls were years in the past, but hers happened days ago. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t even know whether it was worth it at all. Hindsight is always done with more clarity.


    The car arrived in the underground parking garage, that belongs to the apartment complex. They had made it without a speeding ticket or accidents. Both walked up the stairs to their apartment, Giselle''s steps were quiet and stealthy as she carried her heels in her hand.


    Her first stop was the bathroom. She slipped out of her pants and socks, threw them into the corner and stepped into the shower. Moments later, warm water ran down her legs. It soaked the wounds on both her hands and knee. The dirty, dried blood washed off and fresh blood emerged. It stung. "Fuck, that hurts", Giselle exclaimed while gritting her teeth.


    When she was done, she used a clean, burgundy towel to dry off. It wouldn''t show the blood stains. From the cabinet, she took two patches and put them on the wounds. Slipping out of her t-shirt blouse and bolero, she walked into the bedroom and changed into her pajamas. As she had passed through the living room, she noticed light in the kitchen.


    Dressed and patched up, she joined Ian in the kitchen. He was sitting on the wooden floor and held a glass with a light brown liquid. He pushed another glass over to Giselle with his foot and motioned her to sit. Reluctantly she decided to sit. This was not something she had ever seen him do, and while he didn''t look scary, there was a certain amount of hesitation in her.


    Making eye contact, she let herself slip down to the floor along the wall. The glass next to her held at least four shots, if not five and smelled of alcohol. It was from Ian''s "emergency stash", as he called his selection of vodka and whiskey. After she pulled a face at the smell, he motioned his hand at her to drink and took a sip from his glass. He pressed his lips together, swallowed and then showed his teeth while squinting with his eyes. She waited, holding onto the glass for now. "Now you know how my fucked up relationship with Cel ended. Your turn, explain to me what the fuck happened between you and our neighbor, will you?"

 Chapter 16

    Pressing her lips together tightly, Giselle''s face showed a deep frown and she threw Ian an uncertain glance. Her eyes focused on the glass in her hand. She noticed it was shaking slightly. Her hands were trembling and suddenly her palms became sweaty, just as her heart pounded in her ears. Slowly her hands led the glass to her lips and a sip ran into her mouth. It tasted like ash tray mixed with cinnamon. When she swallowed, it burned her throat. Seconds later a pleasant warmth spread through her stomach and her facial muscles relaxed out of the grimace.


    "Right. You want to know about her", Giselle thought out loud. Then she sighed and tilted her head up towards the window, while leaning the back of it against the wall.


    She began her story.


    "Remember the day she stood in front of our door, drenched and cold? You went to bed and we talked for a long time. Something was off about her, she was nice and kind...", her gaze trailed off to the side and when she noticed how her memory made her drift, she looked at Ian, who just sat there, expressionless.


    After taking another sip, Giselle''s hands stopped trembling and she went on, "When you went to poker night, we had a lot to drink. We ended up snuggling on the sofa, watching Goblet of Fire together. Annie likes girls, and while you don''t see me jumping at the chance to be with a girl, you know that I find them not repulsive or anything. Anyway, she kissed me. And I got swept away, I was horny and we fucked. And when...". Ian interrupted her, glaring at her, "Giselle, are you serious? You fucked our neighbor while I was out playing cards?".


    Giselle chewed on her lower lip, trying to meet his gaze, but it was hard. It had been only half of the story. Half of what had happened. To tell the whole truth, it would devastate him and her, leave the relationship in ruins and finally mean admitting the truth to herself. After setting the glass next to her, she smoothed her pajama pants. Her wound still hurt when her fingers graced it. Another sigh escaped her and her stare was fixed on the darkening sky outside. The little daylight left, it would soon be gone and leave them in darkness.


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    With lips pressed into a thin line, Giselle finally looked at Ian. Despite the emotional moment, her eyes didn''t water up. It was a clean stare at him. Then she nodded, "Yeah, I did. Classic drama story, ain''t it? And after we were done and the alcohol started to fade a little, we talked. I didn''t want to have an affair. I wanted to have a friend. And once she understood that, we sort of were okay. By that time it was probably already dawning and I just passed out on her sofa".


    Ian shook his head. He emptied his glass and poured himself another one. "Fuck, Giselle, what were you thinking?", he exclaimed, a sad undertone in his voice. She had no answer. So she shrugged and admitted, "I wasn''t thinking at all, I was drunk". His head sunk into his palms after downing the whole glass in a single gulp. Then she could see his hands clench into fists. The angry husband look didn''t quite suit him. He rarely ended up angry. And the face he exposed to her scared her, it made her flinch. "You think I''m going to hit you? It''s like you don''t know me at all!", he yelled at her all of a sudden.


    That''s when Giselle''s resolve broke and tears formed in her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks and dropped down from her chin. "No, I don''t know you anymore. You lied to me, too. And you drank too much and now you are angry. I don''t know you angry!", her voice was a whimper. When his fist hit the cabinet door next to him, she jumped in surprise and fear. Yet she didn''t dare leave. If she ran away now, she feared her relationship was done for and he''d drink even more. Not only did he get exposed by his ex today, she also hurt him. In addition to him, she also hurt herself by withholding some details on her relationship with Annie, but that was a judgment call. One she had to accept now and move with forward with the consequences.


    To her surprise, his expression and body language softened and he said coldly, "I''m going to bed. Please sleep on the couch today. On our couch, not hers. Tomorrow we can sit down and see what we''re going to do about us". Without a second thought, Giselle nodded and said, "I''ll be here when you wake".

 Chapter 17

    After Ian had pushed himself up with a groan and left her sitting in the kitchen, Giselle contemplated in silence. The bottle and two glasses stood next to her, lost in the empty space. The dim light of street lamps illuminated the ceiling. Enough so she could make out her surroundings. In the bedroom, the light went out and Ian had gone to sleep. Maybe. She didn''t know if he was still on the phone, texting or playing a game.


    Without a real reason to move, she stayed there for minutes and finished her glass of ash tray. Then she took out her phone and glanced through the messages.


    Annie: "Thanks for leaving me stranded with Ian''s ex :face_with_rolling_eyes:. She is taking me home, not that you care"


    Laureen: "Hey Giselle, my date ditched me today, but I have cinema tickets for tomorrow evening, want to hang out?"


    Mom: "Look what I found in a box!!"


    Giselle turned off the phone and ignored the messages. Instead she emptied her glass and pushed herself off the ground. Immediately her vision spun and soft stars flickered. "Right, that''s why I don''t drink this crap", she muttered to herself, left the glass next to Ian''s and shuffled on her bum towards the sofa. The climb onto it was simple enough and when she was lying on her back, facing the ceiling, she realized, her sense of balance short circuited. She saw the ceiling lamp circle and tilt. Her hand covered both her eyes and she took deep breaths. Yet it didn''t subside.


    Sleep came over her swiftly. Giselle drifted into unnerving dreams, of her chasing a car across a beach, escaping a house of a thousand rooms by running through door after door and finally a stairwell of dolls, each glaring at her with sad eyes. On second glance, she realized the dolls had Ian''s, Laury''s, Annie''s, Cel''s faces. Mixed between those four were the faces of customers, her parents and old friends from school. At the end of the stairwell stood a kid, she looked a bit like Celestine. It pointed at her and yelled, "It''s your fault! It''s your fault! It''s your ...". Drenched in sweat, Giselle awoke. She was freezing cold and found herself panting and her hands trembled.


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    "Ah fuck...", she mumbled and reached behind her to the pile of blankets. After snuggling into the warmth of the woolen cover, she felt a lot better. And safer.


    Around 5am, it was light enough for her to wake on her own. The second half of the night had been better than the first. The alcohol had dissipated overnight and, thankful to whatever deity that watched over her, there was no headache.


    On instinct, Giselle took a shower, brushed her teeth, got rid of the makeup and realized it was Sunday. A day without work and without plans. Eventually she cleaned up the kitchen and sat on the sofa in a dressing gown under the woolen blanket, waiting for Ian to wake up.


    The messages on her phone were still unanswered, but she would remedy that now. Annie could be ignored for now, as there was nothing to say after the ruined date. To Laury she composed an answer.


    Giselle: "I''ll get back to you. What''d you have in mind watching?"


    And attended to her mother. The photo was a childhood memory of visiting southern Italy. On a market they had found a Moroccan trader with wooden, hand-carved figurines. Her mother had spent about an hour haggling with the trader and for whatever reason she managed to get the price down to less than half. It did cost her a kiss on the trader''s cheek. Giselle had been too small to remember all the details, except that it had been a long discussion. Finally the elephant was hers, it was her favorite toy for a while, after which it became a decoration until she started to have boyfriends and redecorated her room with posters of bands and a lava lamp.


    Giselle: "Oh! I was wondering where that thing went. Think we should sell it? It''s probably worth a lot nowadays, the tusks are ivory after all?"


    Memories were nice and all, but keeping a stash of keepsakes had never been her cup of tea. After sending that text to her mother, she flicked through old photographs for a while, watched a video of a cat climb a house wall and then read the latest Instagram stories.


    When scrolling through random images stopped being as interesting, she glanced from the phone into the room and took a deep breath. The uncertainty ate at her.


    Around 6am, Ian woke up and shuffled out of the bedroom to the bathroom. He seemed sleepy and didn''t glance over. "Morning!", she said softly, but received no reply.


    The wait was short until he sat down on the sofa and stared straight ahead. He opened his mouth multiple times before finally uttering the fateful words, she didn''t want to hear, "This ain''t working, Giselle. We gotta split up for a while"

 Chapter 18

    Her head jerked around and Giselle squinted at her husband. "What do you mean, this ain''t working! We''ve been together for eight fucking years!", she raised her voice. Her face burned with indignation. "Yes, we have, until you fucked it up!", Ian pushed a finger against her chest and met her volume level with ease. The neighbors might get wind of this. None of the two cared.


    A deep breath followed. She tried to come up with an appropriate response and threw her hands outward defensively, "It was a mistake! I''m just human!". He was relentless and pushed her back into a corner, one that she wouldn''t be able to get out of, "But you did not tell me! I saw how you look at her. You did not want to tell me, Giselle! It was your choice to do that! And don''t give me that look. Had you asked me, I probably would have let you have that adventure. Fuck, but you didn''t ask, you just had to go and fuck her on your own and then make a huge secret out of your affair like a teenager! Now live with the consequences!".


    That left her speechless, because he was right. Especially since he only knew half the story. She had known it might be a bad idea, but she also thought she would get away with it. Somehow she would. Her eyes moved rapidly, her teeth bit into her lip, as she chased one thought after the next. It was over, there was no way out of this. "You''re right. I thought I would get away with it. I''m sorry, love. I know you''re mad. You have every right to be mad. I''ll do better in the future. I promise!", she concluded sincerely. Determination was in that statement just as much as honesty. Somehow Annie was no longer on her list of priorities, now that her life foundations were shaken and possibly on the verge of ruin.


    They stayed silent for a long time. Ian''s face was a grimace. He was pondering about what to do now. She had gotten through to him, or so she thought. When he finally spoke up, his voice was soft, but unwavering, "I''ll crash on my younger bro''s couch for a few days. I don''t want to break up everything that we built just yet, but I need my head clear. That won''t happen while you''re here and that neighbor is there". Giselle stared at him. The only positive thing about what he just unveiled to her was the fact, that he didn''t break up with her right away. Her head fell into her hands and despite feeling horrible about herself, she also agreed to deserve some form of punishment. If that meant to be here alone for a while, she could live with that. Her reply came as a whisper, "Alright. Send me a text once in a while, ok?".


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    Ian pushed himself up and said, "We''ll see. Just don''t mess this up further and stay away from Annie. Or anyone else that wants to kiss you for that matter". He shook his head in disbelief and went into the bedroom again. She could hear him rummage through things and a little while later, he came out dressed and with a backpack. It was filled to the brim. He packed his toothbrush on top and some shower soap and his razor. Then he slipped into his sneakers and took the more elegant pair for work into his hand. "I''ll take the car. I''ll text you when I''ll be back", he said and walked out. Giselle whispered a goodbye after him, but he had already left, without turning a single time. Without looking at her at all.


    For a long time, she sat there in her dressing gown and stared at the entrance area that Ian had vacated. Her relationship on the tipping point of ending. Left alone to deal with her transgression. She pulled her legs to her chest and started humming the score of Goblet of Fire. It had been one of her favorite musical pieces on the soundtrack. Her thoughts centered and just when she was about to wonder what to do now, her phone beeped.


    Laureen: "It''s foreign film week. They are showing Undine. I think it''s a German dark fantasy romance? It''s supposed to be superb :slight_smile:"


    Giselle: "Alright, how about I invite you to have coffee at the Green Apple across the cinema? They also serve light dinners"


    The response came in before she could turn off the display and set the phone aside.


    Laureen: "Pick you up at 3"


    Giselle: ":thumbs_up:"


    "Thank fuck, Laury has the worst and best timing of all times", she muttered and finally found a smile play around her lips. It was enough for her to leave the phone behind and get dressed. After putting on loose pants and a long-sleeve top, she had breakfast, listened to some groove salad on the speakers in the living room while munching on an apple and a slice of bread with butter and jam. The time flew by until noon. By the time her lunch arrived via delivery, she had cleaned the bathroom, dusted both bedroom and living room and was just about to clean the kitchen. She ate, changed dresses, put on some light makeup and fell back onto the sofa. Laury would be here in ten minutes. So she wiped the gloom off her face with a series of fake smiles and hummed the tune of the Goblet of Fire score again until the doorbell rang.

 Chapter 19

    With a huge effort, Giselle was able to push away the guilty, gloomy and haunting thoughts and images in her mind. At two minutes to three, she got up, put on her leather wedge heels and went downstairs. Finally the rain had let off and spring was coming to an end. The temperature would pick up soon, pushing into the mid twenties.


    Laury''s car stopped in front of the pedestrian walk when the entrance door fell into its lock. Giselle opened the car door, sat on the passenger seat and smiled at the driver. The woman wore her black, died hair in a pony tail and had slightly too much makeup on her. It made her look desperate, especially the red lipstick on the narrow lips. Laureen had her own charm, but anyone would be able to see that she was in her mid thirties and single. The cleavage was sightly too low, the earrings too big, the lipstick too red and the pants too transparent.


    Giselle didn''t care about all that. At her core, Laury was a nice person. Kind and sweet, but had her flaws, just like everyone else. For one, she couldn''t keep a secret.


    The old, blue Ford Fiesta roared cutely as Laury hit the acceleration. It lacked the power to be a menace, so it''s engine sounded a bit like a lion kitten doing its best to imitate its dad.


    When they drove on the freeway, the driver smiled over, "Bad day I guess? You''ve never agreed to going out with me this quickly. If you want to talk, I''m here, love". Giselle glanced at the buildings passing by them with distorted lips, "Yeah well, you''ve always been able to see through me. Or anyone else for that matter. Not sure if I want to say...".


    "Wait, you think I can''t keep something to myself?", Laureen responded with a surprised expression. "Yeah, I guess? Don''t be mad, Laury", the passenger said apologetically, but Laury sighed, "Everyone thinks that, but I do keep a ton of things to myself. Guess you wouldn''t know".


    Staying silent for a while, Giselle decided to just tell her, since she didn''t want to dance around this for the whole evening, "Ian and I had a fight. He''s staying with his brother now and I guess he''s pondering about breaking up with me".


    To her surprise, her coworker took a long time to say anything. A few glances shot over to her, but that was all. When the car drove off the freeway and was heading into the maze that was Blackwater''s street network, she asked, "Was it about that time when you probably cheated on him?".


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Damn, that woman was sharp. Giselle recalled the reactions when she had showed up for work after sleeping with Annie. That woman had picked up her afterglow on both occasions. The car stopped at a traffic light and her mind drifted down memory lane. To the kiss, Annie gave her for comfort and her dash from the apartment into bed, over their first night together when Ian had pushed her to see Annie and finally to poker night and their distracted attempt to watch Goblet of Fire. Without going into all of this, Giselle just said, "Yeah...".


    Laury pressed her lips together and sighed again, "Damn. I hope it''ll sort itself out, y''know? I like Ian. He''s a nice guy". "Yeah, he is", she said. Then Laureen took the chance, like she always did, "Think that lucky guy of yours, think I can take him off your hands?". The passenger glanced over and tilted her head in amusement, "Maybe? She''s our neighbor and she''s single?". That revelation made the driver gasp. The mouth stayed open for a long moment until the woman composed herself, "Oh well, I''m not into girls. Maybe I should be? I guess it''d double the market size". Giselle laughed, "I''m not sure women find your style that attractive, Laury". "What? Why not?", the coworker snorted playfully. "Because you look like a desperate, divorced woman in her midlife crisis?", she offered with a grin, and both women chuckled and burst out laughing. Laury could take this kind of teasing, but at times she dished out about as much as she could take. Despite all the shortcomings, Giselle liked the woman. They had been together at Dean''s for over 5 years now and shared long work days and bad customers. That created a bond which was tough to break or disrupt.


    And while Laury steered the Ford through a busy parking garage and found a spot to leave it, Giselle thought back at years of work, the laughs, the challenges, the disgruntled customers and the memorable moments. "Earth to Giselle, we''re here!", Laureen poked her side with a dangerously long nail on the index finger. The passenger shifted out of the way and groaned, "I''m here, no need to poke a knife into me! When did they get this long even? You could kill a man with those!", but her coworker stuck out her tongue and got out of the car without another word.

 Chapter 20

    Centered on a cobblestone square, the Green Apple was a generic, Italian-style cafe. The interior was a mix of tables, chairs and benches made of teakwood and a light beige or cream set of cushions, mixed with a hint of red. The pictures on the walls and the other decorations featured oversized whine bottles and various scenes depicting grape harvest and Italian landscapes.


    With summer arriving and the absence of rain, many customers found a seat in front of the cafe under a series of enormous umbrellas to shield from direct sunlight. Laureen and Giselle occupied a table for two in the outside sitting area. The table was hugging the wall of the building and gave them a bit of seclusion. Their walk had been brief, with the cinema boasting its very own parking garage.


    "Wanna tell me what happened? I mean what really happened?", Laury''s face turned serious all of a sudden when the waitress left two large glasses of latte macchiato on their round table that otherwise had a wind-protected candle, a small vase with a spring bouquet of purple and yellow flowers and two handbags.


    Giselle eyed her coworker for a long time. While she had opted for a casual summer pants with sleeveless top and a vest, Laureen wore a strapped summer dress, that presented her considerable cleavage and a jacket against the wind on top. "That''s not tough to summarize", she sighed deeply and steeled herself to be in control, "I found someone in Annie, who touched a part of me, that I didn''t know existed. I let her lead me into sleeping with her". "Okay? You sound like you wanted to have more...", Laury said thoughtfully, but left it an open statement. The brunette shrugged and looked up to peer at the cerulean sky though the gaps in the canopy that the umbrellas created. "I guess? It blew up already, so it doesn''t matter now, does it?", she said with a pain-ridden expression. "How''d he find out?", the coworker asked and drank from her latte with a straw. "He didn''t exactly", she pursed her lips, "Yesterday we went for dinner with Ian''s ex and I brought Annie along because I figured it''d be fun. His ex took a lucky guess and everything spiraled out of control". Laureen''s green eyes went wide as she tried to follow along and finally she looked very compassionate, "I''m not going to comment on the decision to bring your lover to a date between your husband and his ex. Nor do I want to know why he''s hanging out with his ex in the first place. I regret to hear how that turned out, love. He''ll come around. He won''t throw those, what now, 7 years, to the dogs?".


    Giselle shrugged again, "Not sure what he''ll do. I don''t know what''s going on with him, except that he''s hurt. This just blew up into my face, Laury. Big time. Annie pushed me away yesterday, Ian left today. Fuck, how could I let this happen!". Tears formed in her eyes. And as Laury reached with her hand over the table, she took it and felt the squeeze. It drew a soft smile from her lips. "Sometimes you have the worst and best timing ever", she finally said and let out a chuckle, "Thanks for hanging out".


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    Laury shook her head and smiled, "I consider you my friend, Giselle. Maybe we shouldn''t watch Undine after all though. Let''s check later what else they are showing. Maybe some stupid comedy. Remember Hangover? Kinda like that one!". The memory of Hangover and its ridiculous story line made Giselle laugh and shake off the gloom that started to take hold in her mind again. Brooding wouldn''t get her anywhere. "Fuck, I remember that one. It was well written, but I can''t watch those type of movies twice", she smiled and Laury nodded in agreement.


    For a while they kept reminiscing about old movies they had both seen, sipped from their coffee and enjoyed the weather. After the sun vanished behind the trees, they migrated to the cafe''s sheltered interior and ordered a light dinner that resembled tapas. Except it was a mix of Italian and Greek. Both also ordered a French salad.


    As a policy, Laury and Giselle never complained about work. Both liked Mr. Dean and the job was more of a family business after such a long time with just the three of them. They did however share anecdotes about customers and sometimes even about the collections they were supposed to sell.


    "Remember that customer last week, that his wife dragged in to get a new shirt and blazer?", Laury giggled and puffed her cheeks, but Giselle shook her head, "Naw, I was stuck setting up the new collection, remember?". "Yeah, well, you have to imagine. That blazer was 6 years old, his wife told me. And he wore that blazer 5 days a week, for 6 years! He asked me whether I couldn''t tailor him exactly the same one. My god, his face, when I told him I was a clerk, not a tailor", the single woman continued and her audience started giggling, "I''ve had a similar one two or three weeks back, with a suit. I mean I have to hand it to him, the suit looked still presentable after such a long time, but my god, some people have a more intimate relationship with their clothes than their spouses!". Both women laughed and continued their stories about work and drank a third cup of latte. When both stomachs grumbled and Giselle visited the restroom, Laury checked for movies to pass the time while waiting for dinner and for her date to return. "Not like we have much choice here. Foreign film weeks means, it''s a lot of drama and romance", she glanced at Giselle once she was back, "Not even going to suggest the new Transformers with that expression you''re wearing. So how about we watch the Joker? It just shows today, it''s been out of cinemas for a while and is supposed to be incredible. How about that?". But the brunette just shrugged, "I''m just glad I don''t sit at home, Laury!".

 Chapter 21

    When the bill was paid and the two women walked across the cobblestones to the cinema entrance, the sun had vanished behind the buildings a long while back. The sky had a light, red tint and thin clouds in the far distance reflected the sinking sun. Giselle stopped and stared at it. After a while she felt Laury''s hand clutch hers and she turned to look at the woman. The face she found was familiar, but so very different to the bubbly, easy-going and slightly clumsy Laureen that she knew from work. Instead there was a kind smile, friendly and caring, green eyes and an expression that calmed her down. She returned that smile and squeezed the hand before she decided to let go of it, together with the dread overcoming her mind when being presented with such a picturesque, romantic view, and they walked into the cinema entrance hall.


    The scent of popcorn was omnipresent once they had stepped into the hall. From the high ceiling, multiple scroll-like ads for various movies hung down. Near the far end a set of wide stairs lead into the second and third floors, where most theaters were located. Next to the stairs, an enormous poster of Optimus Prime holding a sword glared at the visitors. It had been two years since her last cinema visit. Giselle gasped, despite it being quite the common sight in comparison. Somehow she ended up awestruck.


    Laury pulled her along, "C''mon, we don''t have all day, love!". The brunette just nodded and they went to a counter. "You want popcorn, right? And coke...", before she could respond, her coworker was already telling the staff what they wanted, "Two tickets for the Joker, two medium popcorn menus, both with coke zero and I really want that colourful twister ice cream there".


    "That''s 38.50", the clerk said in an impartial way, that made her feel very small and unimportant. Laury was impervious to it, flashed her phone for the ticket discount and the payment, then they picked up two sets of popcorn and drinks and an ice cream and walked past Optimus Prime up the stairs into theater 9 and found their seats in row C near the center. The theater was quite empty. Two rows in front of them, in row E, sat a lonely teen and further to the right a group of three, probably all mid to end twenties.


    The teen turned to face them when Laury started to curse and whine at the thin pathway between the rows of seating. He smiled at her and she turned to him and smiled back, but not before stopping and Giselle almost toppling over her, "Can''t you smile at that boy later?". The hiss ripped her coworker out of wherever she had gone and the woman blushed and conceded, "Uh, sorry...".


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    After sitting down, the teen still smiled at Laury, half-turned in his seat. And to Giselle''s surprise, her coworker smiled back and waved, even. She pushed her elbow over and whispered, "You realize he''s underage, right?". She was blatantly ignored and so she leaned back and pushed a handful of popcorn into her mouth. The expression she wore could win a prize in a competition. Sometimes she just couldn''t believe what she was seeing, and chose to ignore it. It was Laury alright. A sudden sense of feeling glad, they weren''t working in a trendy store for teen clothing, washed over her.


    After the usual opening ads and movie promotions, Joker finally started. It was nothing like what she had expected from a DC comic adaption. The ending left her slightly unsettled, but it was totally worth it.


    When the lights came back on in the theater, both popcorn buckets were empty and they carried their trash into a litter box near the exit. The other four visitors did the same.


    When the teen appeared next to them, he grinned at Giselle sheepishly, "I''m not underage, y''know. That movie is rated 18+". A comment that made her tilt her head, "Are you now, but you''re still young". He shrugged at her, "Maybe, but I wasn''t interested in you either". She felt a grimace appear on her face as the smug young man turned to Laury who smiled at him. Giselle rolled her eyes and pushed past them, "I''ll wait outside".


    Leaning against a chest-high table while finishing her coke, she watched the small crowd in the hall downstairs. She noticed two larger groups standing together and tried to make out who was affiliated with who, since the pairings were an even number. One group was easier, as some held hands or were standing so close, it was hardly a coincidence. The other group had even numbers, too, but somehow it didn''t quite add up. Until she spotted a gay couple amongst them.


    Am I gay now, too? Suddenly the idea popped into her head when she remembered Annie. That very instant she heard Laury behind her, "... will do, bye!". The woman was grinning brightly and Giselle raised both her eye brows, "Are you that desperate!?". Her coworker nodded and blushed, "He was really sweet. It''s probably just for a couple of nights anyway, but I do need a young stud to plow me once in a while, love!"

 Chapter 22

    Laureen navigated her car through the parking garage. Despite the age, it had a navigation system, but wasn''t an automatic. The interior of the Ford Fiesta was clean, on the rear mirror a pair of cloth dice hung and shifted around as the car moved. Multiple bugs had smashed against the windshield at one point, so it was in need of cleaning, which was also the case for the remaining car on the outside. A layer of dust, mixed with pollen tinted the car''s blue into a light shade of gray.


    Giselle had been careful when getting into the car so her clothes stayed clean, but it hadn''t been as daunting as expected when the car next to theirs had already left the parking spot.


    "Love, do you want me to stay over?", Laury asked her all of a sudden. Giselle gave her a flat look in response, one her coworker couldn''t see, she had the eyes on the road. "I don''t need babysitting, Laury. I''m fine", the brunette said after realizing her look might have gone unnoticed.


    "No, you''re not fine. I''ve known you for years and you''re not fine!", Laury sounded determined and added, "We''ll drop by my place, I grab the clothes I need and that''s that". Then the woman raised a finger and glanced over, "No, you don''t get to reject me!".


    Giselle crossed both arms in front of her chest and looked outside the window on the opposite side of the driver. "Okay, fine", she said grumpily and Laury snickered.


    With her coworker making decisions for her, she stayed silent for the drive. The car fit into a small parking spot on the side of the road while Laury fetched everything she needed. It took her over ten minutes. As she jumped into the seat and started the engine, she announced, "Ready! Let''s drive". Giselle opened her mouth and wanted to complain about what took the woman so long to pack a toothbrush and clothes, but then she saw it. "Did you already change and remove your makeup and all that?", she wondered while peering at the slightly glossy face of her driver. "Of course! Do you think I want to go to bed with a crust on my face? And then I also jumped into something more comfy, threw in my toothbrush and the light makeup for tomorrow, my pajamas and the spare clothes I''ll need in the morning. I''ll borrow your shampoo and soap and hairdryer and now we''re good!", she said with a grin. Her passenger just shook her head and shrugged. "What! I need to be presentable tomorrow!", the driver added sheepishly. When Giselle responded, she said what she had been meaning to say for a long time, "You don''t need that much makeup, Laury. Look at you. You''re pretty like that!".


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    The woman next to her turned her head when the car stopped at a traffic light a few seconds later, "Do you really mean that?". "Fuck yes! I mean that!", the brunette exclaimed and Laury gave her a thoughtful stare. Both women fell silent again. The air wasn''t heavy and so they enjoyed the drive out of town. Giselle handed her key over to open the gate down into the parking garage. Since Ian had taken the car, their spot would be empty.


    A few minutes later, they entered a dark apartment. It was just as she had left it 8 hours ago. Ian had not been home. Laureen took her shoes off and put the bag next to the bathroom door. She fell into the soft cushions of the sofa and waited for Giselle to join her. It took a little while, as the brunette had to wash off the makeup, too. Then she went to the bedroom and changed into the pajamas. She stayed slightly behind the open door when she undressed and yelled out, "Y''know, you can get something to drink. You know where it is, right?". There was no response and a minute later she emerged in her silk pajamas. The ones she wore to Annie on that fateful poker night. "Oh, don''t wear such a face, your thong is quite pretty after all!", Laury told her and chuckled. Giselle just blushed and went into the kitchen to fetch drinks, "Saw that, huh? Yeah well, do you want wine, juice or water?". "Love, I can even see it now in that lingerie you''re wearing. Wine and water, please!", her coworker teased her. It forced her to look down her own body and assess herself. Granted, she could see her nipples, most of the shape of her breasts, her thighs and since the pants hugged her silhouette tightly, one could probably see her panties. She sighed and made a mental note to only wear it when she was alone, or when Ian was around. Ian immediately reminded her of her morning. She grimaced. The woman on the sofa peered at her and pointed with her index towards her face, drawing a circle in the air, "How the fuck did you get from lingerie and wine to that expression?".

 Chapter 23

    When Giselle let herself fall onto the sofa after putting two wine glasses and a bottle on the table, she was unpleasantly aware of her pajamas exposing herself to her guest. With an effort, she pushed the mix between shyness and uneasiness away.


    "Ian and the morning...", her voice trailed off as she glanced at the dimly lit interior of her apartment. She had only turned on the lights near the picture wall. It was enough. Somehow she didn''t find the right words to explain what was going on with her emotions.


    Laureen took the bottle and expertly filled their glasses. After she handed one off to Giselle, she smiled and leaned back into the backrest. "Uh, that one smells expensive! French?", she wondered with interest and ignored the fact that her requested water had been forgotten. The brunette nodded and sipped from her glass, "Yeah, it was a gift. It comes from southern France, but isn''t that old".


    Laury enjoyed her wine for a while, leaving the elephant in their room alone. She could see her host''s face change expressions by the second. Both women were quiet. Eventually Giselle glanced over and said, "I really fucked up, didn''t I? That''s why I feel so guilty and all". Her coworker put the glass back onto the table and sat crossed-legged to face her. "You know it''s never as simple as that, right?", the soft voice just made Giselle shrug, so it continued, "If you''re asking for my opinion, then you won''t hear it. I haven''t had a relationship that lasted longer than a year, I really am not qualified to judge you, love. I can tell you that what you did was bold and endangered your relationship with Ian. You knew that, but you did it anyway. Nothing to be done about it now, is there. What matters is what you''ll do now. Are you going to try and mend his wounds?".


    Giselle listened to it patiently. It made her think. Did she realize it was a danger to her marriage in the first place? Probably, she did get defensive when Ian mentioned how many messages they were exchanging. But how was she to fix this? Could she even fix it? In her youth she believed that remorse, even if it was fake, apologies and promises were the way to fix things after making a mistake. Today she wasn''t so sure about it anymore, since the question remained whether remorse or promises were believable enough so they could become a patch on an open wound.


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    Her gaze wandered towards the window. The gibbous moon illuminated a thin cloud cover and she mused, "These are wounds I cannot mend. I suppose I can offer a promise or two, if he allowed it. I''m not even sure I am over Annie, yet. At first I thought it was the secret and the excitement for it, and the fresh wind that blew through my predictable life. That wind grew stronger and now that the hurricane has passed through, there is still something lingering. I can''t shake it".


    Taking her time to think it through, Laury emptied her glass and refilled it. Then she said, "Sleeping with someone and how it affects you, this is something I do know about. Physical relationships always leave you wanting and yearning. I got used to that, but you probably never did. It bears the hope of something that lasts, something that repeats itself. Especially when it was something new and exciting". Both smiled at each other when Giselle nodded, "You are right, I became somewhat hopeful. Still am hopeful, I guess. I didn''t even realize until you pointed it out!". Laury shrugged and waved off, "Yeah, well. What I mean is, if you dwell on that hope, you''ll get hurt yourself soon".


    "And probably nothing will come from it. It won''t fix Ian''s pain either", Giselle said assertively, but her coworker frowned, "I didn''t say that. For all I know, if you pursued this Annie, you might end up in a relationship. What I meant was, with that hope you''ll either get disappointed by it or you''ll lose your marriage. Both options are going to hurt you, wouldn''t they?". The brunette just nodded and a sad realization washed over her. She''d need to make a decision soon. Her gut told her to push Annie away, but somehow she wasn''t quite ready to do it yet. Instead she changed the topic, "Did you know Ian still watches Moonraker almost every month?". Laury chuckled and shook her head, "No shit! Once a month!". Both of them laughed the tension away. It lead into telling stories mostly about Laureen''s dates and peculiar past-time activities she discovered. An hour later they went to bed. The distraction had worked. Giselle prepped Ian''s side of the bed. It reminded her of two trips the women had taken for work when they had shared a hotel room. She was glad that Laury stayed over in the end, since that prevented her mind spiraling into a state of despair.


    They fell asleep quickly. Giselle''s night was a mixture of unrest and weird dreams. She woke often, once even quite sweaty. A soft, warm hand clutched her own and a voice whispered into the dark, "It was just a dream, love. I''m here". Afterwards sleep engulfed her again. Until a thundering voice ripped them awake. It belonged to Ian, who stood in the bedroom door, both arms raised in pure disbelief and anger, "What the fuck, Giselle? It''s not even been a single day!"

 Chapter 24

    Giselle darted upright. Adrenaline pumped through her. She got caught. Or did she?


    "Ian! Why...", she exclaimed, but got immediately interrupted. "Why I''m here? Oh, well, I forgot a tie. Didn''t expect that, did you. To get caught with yet another one!", Ian pushed the issue forward and frowned in disbelief when the other woman sat up and brushed the hair out of her face to glance at him. "Laury, since when are you sleeping with her? I thought you tried to find marriage material", he said, but his tone changed as he seemed to realize that something was fishy about his accusations.


    "I am not. I am taking care of your devastated wife, you genius. Now get your tie and don''t stare at my boobs!", Laureen shot back with a glare. Then she pulled the blanket up to cover her torso. It wasn''t like the wide shirt gave away anything, but she knew how to handle angry men from experience. Ian blinked in surprise and looked away. Moments later he left the apartment with a tie in his hand and no additional word to the two women.


    Giselle exhaled when the door fell into its lock. Only then she stopped staring at the place Ian had occupied a bit earlier. Laury mumbled quietly, "Seriously, what the fuck...".


    With a loud sob, the brunette dropped her face into her hands and started to cry. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and dribbled from her chin and knuckles down onto the blanket. Her emotions went wild inside of her. She couldn''t feel the hand on her back. Everything turned numb and first her heart ached, but then something started to claw at it, to rip it from her chest.


    Laury pulled her over onto the lap and stroked her hair. "It''s going to be okay, love. It''s going to be okay", the coworker repeated like a mantra, but the tears didn''t stop and the sobbing turned into hyperventilating. Giselle stared at the door with eyes wide open and suddenly held her breath. Would he come back? Would he ever come back? Doubt spread through her and her hands searched for Laury''s shirt. She gripped it, dug her fingertips into it. Her head turned to glance up, find Laury''s eye''s. "He hates me now. Fuck, I''m going to be alone!", she declared, certainty and despair tainting her voice at the same time. Tears rapidly filled her eyes again and blurred her vision.


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    To her surprise, her coworker smiled and shook her head, "He doesn''t hate you. I made him leave and question his judgement. He''ll come back to you, trust me". "How do you know!", Giselle''s forceful pull on the shirt stretched the collar way further down than Laury''s breasts. Suddenly she got distracted by exposing one right next to her face. Laury tugged her shirt back into place, but didn''t complain. Instead she still smiled and said, "Because he was embarrassed when he left?".


    The tears stopped rolling down Giselle''s cheeks when she exclaimed, "Oh!". She hadn''t noticed that embarrassment on Ian''s face. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t remember anything after he had yelled at her and had woken both of them.


    Before she was ready to even look at the clock, she curled up on the lap that caught her. The emotions inside her calmed from a storm into a gentle breeze and with it her pulse went back to normal and her breathing became shallow. Her coworker waited patiently and brushed the back of the hand over her cheek to wipe the tears away. "You needed to cry it out, it''s important to do that", the woman told her softly. Giselle didn''t know about that, but nodded anyway.


    When the tears had dried and she felt up to it, she pushed herself upright and glanced at her phone. 6:24am. They needed to get up. Laury went into the bathroom to shower and get herself presentable, as she called it. Giselle went into the kitchen and prepared cereals with yogurt and made two cups of her special cappuccino. Afterwards she made the bed, removed the sheets from her coworker''s side and readied her outfit for the day. It wouldn''t be too fancy, just a pair of cloth pants and a shirt blouse with laced sleeves and a tunic if she got cold from the AC.


    Breakfast went by fairly quickly, but she wasn''t in the mood to talk much, so Laury told her about her family affairs in a diary style. Parents were fighting again, until they stopped and made up and got into another fight. Despite their age, they couldn''t live with each other, nor without each other. Somehow Giselle realized that moment, where the issues with finding a permanent partner might stem from. She kept that realization to herself.


    Her stroll through the bathroom was short and efficient, since she didn''t shower that day. Traffic was acceptable and at 8:25am both women entered Dean''s attire for the gentleman through the side door and opened the shop at 8:30am sharp. Letting go of her emotions in the morning allowed her to be positive and get through her day just fine. The afternoon was slow and she glanced at her phone''s messages when taking a quick break to drink something.


    Samuel: "Hi Giselle. We need to talk about Ian. Call me when you can"

 Chapter 25

    Preoccupied, Giselle went back to work. The last batch of the new collection had arrived and in the morning she had started to unpack and rearrange the section of the store that was meant to display it. The store itself was separated into three segments. The entrance area had two paths along tables and stands with the old collection. Some of those were on sale.On one side was the counter that Laureen manned regularly, taking care of payment and packaging the purchases. The inner area of the store was divided into the visually distinct part that displayed the new collection and the part with the essentials and the changing cabins. Essentials at Dean''s were shirts and socks, belts and shirt cuffs, ties and pins.They closed up at 5pm and quickly sorted through the money in the counter, locking it into the safe. Mr Dean would pick it up later or in the morning to deposit at the bank. Neither of the two women were responsible for this. Both women however felt quite accomplished when the new collection was done, a few customers had bought expensive sets and everything in the storage area had been brought into order.


    When they left through the side door, Giselle stopped Laury by taking her hand. "Thanks for taking care of me yesterday", she said with a friendly, but serious stare. Laury smiled at her and nodded, "Anytime. I''ll call you later to check on you, alright?". The two hugged and Giselle responded, "Yeah, and don''t forget about your new phone number from yesterday". Laury only chuckled and shook her head. Then both waved and went separate ways.Giselle''s bus was on a twenty minute frequency, so her wait was fairly short. The bus stop was crowded with people who either had finished shopping or gotten off work, just like her. A tall man in his 40s and a modern suit kept glancing at the wristwatch. He was in a hurry. An old woman next to her, leaning on her walking stick watched the pedestrians on the other side of the street. Giselle followed her gaze and saw a teen with green and red hair, cut off pants and a jacket covered in patches of various band names. She couldn''t recognize a single one of them.Two buses arrived in short order. The first went to the main station and took at least half of the crowd with it. The second one still left a few people waiting for yet another bus. She found a seat on the left side and glanced out of the window. The sun was visible through a thin cloud cover and would soon vanish behind the tall city buildings. By that time she''d be home.


    Her ride home usually took about twenty minutes, depending on traffic. She let the mind wander for a bit until she remembered Samuel. She read his message again, frowning.Sure, Ian was crashing at his place, but what could he be wanting to talk about? Ian seemed sort of fine when he showed up in the morning?The uncertainty didn''t let go of her until she pushed herself up the stairs and past her apartment door. After changing into a spaghetti top and leggings, her finger swiped through the contact list. A few seconds after, she waited for someone to pick up until a familiar voice answered, "Hey Giselle, thanks for calling". She answered kindly, "Yeah. Hi Sam. How have you been?"."Been quite good actually? I started a new job last month. It''s been a breeze", he explained happily and Giselle could hear his excitement. She smiled at the positive news and said, "Good for you! I remember how much you complained about the old one. Glad you got out". She heard him take a deep breath, "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Ian. He barely smiled or ate, but wouldn''t tell me shit except that you two had a fight. And that he needed my couch for a few days", Sam''s tone turned from a playful high pitch to a serious one. His voice in general wasn''t as deep as his bother''s.


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    Giselle pondered for a bit, then decided to outline a bit more of what had happened. He''d find out anyway. No use being secretive."Well, it''s a longer story. Saturday we went out with Celestine. Was his idea, I just trailed along. And she threw their breakup story at us. Ian wasn''t exactly amused, as you can imagine", she sighed and Sam acknowledged the sentiment, but didn''t say anything. Giselle wasn''t sure if he knew the story, but it wasn''t her place to tell. "I also did something stupid, invited myself and brought our neighbor along who I''ve started to become friends with", she said and paused, bracing herself, "And since I had a one-night-stand with her and kept it a secret, Ian found out from Celestine and her keen observation skills. He was hurt and we ended up in a fight", as Giselle went through the events like that, she had to admit to herself that it sounded horrible. She was horrible. Yet she didn''t feel convinced. Annie. Memories resurfaced. Her thoughts lingered on Annie until Sam disrupted her distraction, "Damn, Giselle. You have to get things in order. I know you''ve never been welcome in our family, with mom constantly nagging and expressing her dissatisfaction, but you''re good for Ian. You have to try and fix it. I''ll talk to him, alright?".


    Lips pressed into a thin line, the brunette wondered what she should respond now. She still couldn''t get herself to promise it''d never happen again! How was she supposed to fix this? She pulled her legs close to her chest and stared into the distance. "Giselle? Are you there?", Sam asked and she said, "I am, was just sorting through my thoughts. Sorry ''bout that". "No worries. Let''s fix this, alright?", he tried to get her consent and she finally agreed, "Let''s do that. Text me okay? I gotta go". A click inside the phone told her he had hung up after sending a goodbye through the line. Suddenly she had tears inside her eyes and she had no idea why. A deep sigh emanated from her chest and her forehead fell onto her knees as her arms pulled her legs closer and closer in an embrace.

 Chapter 26

    Let''s fix this! That''s what Sam had said on the phone. How he''d want her to fix this started to nag at her. Giselle woke often in the following night. Sweaty, restless. The longer it went on, the more she started to realize, that she was the cause of it herself. She was not ready to make a decision, but her circumstances demanded answers. Her brain pushed the pressure back. Down into a corner at the furthest reaches of her mind space and she commanded the pressure to stay there.


    Morning routine was just that. A routine. Something that had been done countless times and would be done countless more times. The mind didn''t even properly register it anymore. Breakfast while scrolling through Instagram. Brushing the teeth while laying out clothes for the day. Hopping into the shower. Stepping in front of the mirror to dry the hair and make an effort to ignore the fat on the waist and hips. Listen to the hairdryer scream at her until her curls were in a manageable state. Use styling cream for the hair and some light makeup for her tired face. Put on the clothes that have been set out in the bedroom and double check her handbag for utensils.


    She set an alarm to call All About Hair later, she needed a haircut, since her curls had reached a length they became annoying. Maybe this time she''d be bold enough to halve their length and wear a chaos cut. Maybe.


    Without anyone distracting her, she was done half an hour early and sat on the sofa, deciding what to do now. Her gaze wandered around, but she couldn''t come up with anything. She shrugged and got up, put on her shoes, locked the apartment and left for the bus. For once she could drop by the bakery and grab a coffee to go. From the looks of it, it was quite pleasant outside, despite the early hour. Summer gave its fullest. And the forecast only supported her assessment.


    There was noise in the stairwell. A female voice echoed through it, she thought she''d recognized the voice. Yet she couldn''t see anything. She hurried down the stairs. The door on the ground floor, that lead outside, fell into its lock with a loud snap. The staircase had windows to the street, for lighting and air circulation purposes. When something moved outside, she glanced out.


    Her jaw dropped and she blinked twice to make sure she hadn''t seen a ghost. Down on the street, walking to a car, was a tall, blonde woman in a business suit. Celestine.


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    Standing there, staring out at the street, Giselle took a while to compose herself. What would Celestine be doing ....? Before her thought finished, she remembered the voice that seemed familiar. Annie. Why did Celestine and Annie go down the stairs together? Had they become friends? Or more?


    Something twisted in her stomach. Her face turned into a grimace. That bitch! How could she!


    With her hands running down her tummy and thighs, she tried to brush the anger off. Her attempt to do that made her painfully aware that she was jealous. The memories of rejection were still fresh in her mind.


    When the car finally drove down the street, she sighed and trotted down the stairs to the bus stop. The surprise of Cel and Annie together still held her in its grip, so she took out her phone.


    Giselle: "Hey Laury. I just saw Celestine leave Annie''s place. What the fuck? Also I''m a bit early and can pick up coffee for you if you want one.."


    That made her feel better, but the response took a while and the bus had already reached downtown. Giselle spent her ride staring at other cars on the street. Morning traffic seemed to get worse, despite the summer and many going on vacation.


    Laureen: "Morning. Get me a cappuccino. I''ll be there as soon as I can. Hold tight! :hug:"


    The message brought a relieved smile onto her face and she got off the bus one station early to drop by the bakery. With two cups of steaming hot cappuccino, she reached Dean''s attire for the gentleman twenty minutes before opening hours and saw Laury hurry down the sidewalk. Her high heels didn''t make it easy and her graceful walk was in shambles. "Hey, just had to get rid of my date. That my cappuccino? Awesome! I didn''t get coffee at home!", Laury said and was panting visibly from her rush to get here. They walked to the side entrance, away from the crowded street.


    "Your date? Do you mean that guy from the cinema?", Giselle inquired with a raised eyebrow. "That''s the one!", the coworker replied casually. The brunette shook her head and sipped from her coffee and curiously eyed her coworker from top to bottom. The woman was glowing slightly. She ended with two raised eyesbrows.


    Laury suddenly changed from casual to compassionate, "So Celestine is sleeping with your lover now? That sucks!". When Giselle shrugged helplessly, she found herself in the embrace of her coworker. "It''s okay. The wounds are fresh and had no time to heal", Laury soothed her, but she shook her head and whispered, "Ian''s brother expects me to fix everything. I don''t know how, Laury. And I can''t let go of Annie either. I sleep like crap. I cry all the time. I''m a huge mess! How am I to fix any of this?".


    Her coworker pulled out of their embrace and looked at her teary eyes. The back of Laury''s hand wiped the first tear away and she said sternly, "Because you''re strong and you never give up!"

 Chapter 27

    Around noon, a relatively short man strolled into the shop with a smile. His outfit was formal on the casual side, with a well-fit, blue jeans and a cream shirt, which was tugged into the jeans. A fashionable, brown belt decorated his waist, held together by a biker buckle showing a Route 66 logo. Probably in his 50s, his hair was gray and short, but he had no bald spots. His brown eyes were obscured by rectangular, frame-less glasses. He extended a greeting to every single customer and headed toward Laureen, who attended to a customer that was just about to pay. "Hello, Mr Dean!", Laury smiled at her boss, who nodded back and didn''t want to interrupt. Instead the man walked into the storage area, where he found Giselle sorting through a few boxes. "Oh, hi, Mr Dean", Giselle looked at the arrival and smiled.


    "I see you''re done with the new collection. Good work there, Giselle!", Mr Dean said in his deep, rusty voice that marked him as a heavy smoker. She knew he had quit smoking a few years ago, but that rustle inside his voice may never go away now. She nodded proudly, "Yeah, I finished the store yesterday. Today, I found a box here from the collection, that we sold off previously. Do you want me to offer the box at a discount?".


    Curiously her boss looked at the box and raised both eyebrows, "Oh, these are old indeed. But the expensive end of the collection. How about we wait until a table clears up and we try them at ten percent off? And after a week we go up to twenty?". Giselle made a mental note to update their computer and wrote onto the box in capital letters "OLD OLD COLLECTION". The man chuckled when he read it. His mood was very pleasant. "Did you need anything specific today?", she asked him when she pushed the box next to other boxes from the current collection. He shook his head and shrugged, "I need to run through the finances again and make a few calls. I''ll be around until you''re closing up, probably". Giselle smiled and was about to head out into the store again, when he tapped her arm lightly, "Tell Laury thanks, too. You''re a really good team. The store is running well because of you two!".


    Giselle walked to the counter with a blush and a bright smile. Mr Dean liked the two of them, complimented them frequently and gave them enough space to run the store. Most of the store was run by Giselle, but she had to admit, without Laury by her side, the sales would go down and there was no way she could deal with everything on her own. When Laury took vacation, then Mr Dean frequently helped out, but that made her realize how good Laury was with the customers. In contrary to her own vacations, where Mr Dean supported Laury. He did an incredible job at organizing the store himself. She had picked up much from him back when she started out.


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    When the current customer left with a bag, Laury saw her smile and blush and she grinned, "He likes it, huh?". Giselle nodded with a grin, "He does and he''ll also hang out until we close up". Her coworker didn''t exactly put on a caring expression. Instead she wondered, "I''d like to grab a coffee for lunch, do you mind if I take off now?". The brunette nodded approvingly and so she manned the counter and was alone for almost an hour. Then she went for some takeaway Chinese herself.


    The remaining day was a blur. At 5:30pm they closed up and counted through the money. After saying their goodbyes to Mr Dean, Laury hugged Giselle and they both went home. Laury by car. Giselle by bus.


    The closer the bus got to her stop, the darker the clouds became. Suddenly a bright flash followed by an immediate crack of deafening thunder. A second and third rumbled across the sky in short succession. Huge raindrops hit the window next to her. First only a few, occasionally, but the downpour got worse quickly. The cars all around them slowed down and visibility dropped to a few meters. Lightning and thunder chased another. Giselle''s face had a frown as she had no umbrella on her. Today she''d get wet.


    When the bus stopped in her neighborhood, she jumped outside onto the wet sidewalk with a huge splash. She couldn''t even see her apartment complex, the rain covered everything like a dense fog would. Already feeling the wetness soak into her clothes, she started walking.


    By the time Giselle''s key opened the door into the stairwell, her appearance was no different from having a bucket of water unloaded over her head. Even her shoes made squishing noises when she walked. Grumpily she climbed the stairs to her apartment. Above her something clicked. Then quick footsteps hurried down the stairs. At the next turn she glanced up, into the surprised eyes of a woman. Her throat suddenly went dry, her stomach twisted in shock and her quickening heartbeat suddenly made her hands tremble. Uncertain whether to smile or scream, she stood there affixed until she croaked quietly, "Hi Annie".

 Chapter 28

    The eternity dragged on as both women stared at each other. Annie opened her mouth to utter something, but before anything came out, she closed it again. Giselle''s lips pressed into a thin line, her usual response to frustration and helplessness. She hurried past Annie, up the stairs, leaving a puddle of water where she had stood to stare.


    Annie just looked at her, uncertain, but definitely not hostile or angry. Finally when both were on the same step, words left her mouth. Barely more than a whisper, "Hi Giselle...".


    The voice made the brunette remember and her body tremble. The laughs they shared flashed through her mind. Yet she didn''t give in to the yearning, she didn''t stop, not even steal a glance. Instead she steeled herself toward what was about to come her way once inside her apartment.


    With shaking hands she fumbled the key into its lock, turned it and pushed inside. Footsteps echoed through the stairwell when Annie hurried down the stairs again. Then her back pushed the door shut from the inside and she stayed there, held her breath and stared into the living room. "Shit", she muttered to herself. "Shit shit shit...", she repeated and felt tears flood her eyes. Her stomach twisted and together with her memories and the yearning for them to repeat themselves, hate and anger grew alongside. It made her feel awful. Yet she couldn''t shake it. It engulfed her completely and drowned her in a sea of despair. She dropped down to the floor and couldn''t hold herself together. Her crying and sobbing held her captured for minutes.


    When Giselle entered a state of emptiness and her vision barely recognized the apartment through the haze, her phone rang. "Oh c''mon", she whispered after looking at the display and then threw a very annoyed glance towards the ceiling to raise a complaint with whoever was watching. The display read Ian, in green, vibrant letters. "Why would he call now? What the fuck...", she sighed and took a deep breath when her finger swiped up to accept that incoming phone call.


    "Hi Giselle", said a familiar voice on the other end. Giselle responded as composed as she could remotely manage, "Hey Ian". It came out better than she expected.


    "Sam talked me into calling you. So I did, I guess", he admitted. She wiped across her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. Half of the wetness came down from her soaked hair. She had completely forgotten about changing out of her wet clothes. "Sounds like him. We did phone the other day, too", she responded. Her voice was quite shaky. "What''s wrong? You don''t sound like yourself", Ian wondered compassionately. "Yeah well, I''m a mess", she said while keeping quiet about her run-in with Annie. It was almost like an angel and a devil manifested in her head, fighting for how honest she should be. Afraid of causing another incident, she sided with her devil and her angel facepalmed and went up in smoke like a vanishing ninja.


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    "So, how...", Ian started to talk, but Giselle interrupted him, "I''m sorry Ian. I''m so sorry. I should''ve told you about Annie and I feel bad how this exploded in my face. Our faces. I wish I could turn back time".


    Ian fell silent and while she heard his breathing just fine, eventually she said, "Ian?". He quickly answered, "I''m here. Guess I overreacted a little, and all. I''m sorry, too". His voice was far less certain than she had hoped, but she''d take it. She''d take anything to end this roller coaster ride.


    Her encounter with Annie just now made her realize that she couldn''t jeopardize her marriage for the slim possibility of something better arriving. She needed to deal with her emotions. Once she had, Ian didn''t need to know about them. It was the decision she had pushed to the future repeatedly. And she was glad she finally made a decision. A weak smile played across her lips.


    "How''s the couch? I remember it as quite the monstrous thing, that took up half the living room", Giselle said playfully. It probably came across forced anyway. Ian didn''t mind and said, "Oh, it is, and it''s too fluffy. I already have back pain. Can you imagine that!". Both gave it a weak laugh, after which her husband continued, "And he offered me his spare covers. They are green and have The Hulk on it. When I asked him about it, he shrugged and pointed at his bookshelf. Can you believe that!". But Giselle didn''t get it, "What''s on that bookshelf?".


    "About 100 issues of The Hulk! It''s like he''s 12 again! Giselle, I miss my James Bond Blu-Rays", he sighed and she chuckled, "He has 100 issues of comic books? Your family sure has peculiar hobbies".


    The banter made her forget about the dread she had faced after seeing Annie. And after seeing Celestine leave.


    Ian grumbled playfully, "Oh sod off, you have a wardrobe that can dress a whole village easily". Giselle sighed. He was right, well, he was right about her wardrobe being quite large, not about the village.


    Before this went on too long and she feared it''d be too late to tell him, she said, "When are you coming home, sweetheart? Oh, there''s something I should tell you, probably". Her husband ignored the question and sighed, "What''s it this time, Giselle? Are you sleeping with Laury?". His voice had changed to reflect his annoyance.


    "Ah, no. I need you to know in case you run into them. Yesterday morning I saw Celestine leave together with Annie...", the brunette explained in a low voice. Ian stayed silent again until he complained in frustration, "What''s with that neighbor? She does that on purpose, right? Is she going to bed my teenage crush next? What the actual fuck?".

 Chapter 29

    When a chuckle escaped her, Giselle felt bad. It sure looked like Annie was bedding his love interests, one by one. Her voice went soft when she asked him through the phone, "Does it really matter?".


    "Probably not, no", Ian answered and sighed. She took a deep breath and finally took her shoes off. The clothes had cooled enough to make her feel cold. She needed to change.


    "So when are you coming home?", the brunette repeated her inquiry. There was no answer. Not immediately. By the time Ian responded, she had stripped down to her underwear. "I don''t know. I don''t want to see you right now", he said and sounded sad and honest. She understood that much, probably she wouldn''t want to see him either, had their roles been reversed.


    Instead of dwelling on it, she muttered, "Stay a bit longer in your Hulk sheets. Being around Sam will be good for you. He''s nice. And when you''re ready to come back to me, give me a call. I''ll be here waiting, alright?". Saying it out loud made her insides twist and turn. She didn''t like saying it, but it didn''t make it less true. A part of her still fought with the moment Annie and her had in the stairwell.


    "Fair enough. Be safe, Giselle!", he said before he cut the call. She thought she heard a smile behind all of it. It made the corners of her mouth curl in response. Hope was to die last.


    After she took the phone down from her ear, she dried herself, especially her hair and removed the makeup. When she put on her pajamas and settled on the sofa under a thin blanket, she looked at her phone.


    Laureen: "Don''t let it get to you, he''ll come back. Have some faith!"


    That text from Laury made her grin. The woman was probably already bedding her new trophy from the cinema. Still it was nice that she had a friend that left her nice messages. Something she never was able to do. Getting into other people''s heads was tough, predicting what they needed to hear in advance even more so. It was almost eery for her to predict Ian''s call.


    Her phone beeped while she stared at the message from Laury.


    Annie: "Hey Giselle. Maybe we should talk about what happened. If you''re free some time, please text!"


    Reading Annie''s text made her ponder about the ignore function on her phone. She could just lock the woman out. Never read a text from her again, with some luck, hardly ever see her again, too. Frustrated, she put the phone away.


    When she turned on the TV, nothing interesting ran. The news came on a few minutes later. Followed by an ad of the movie they were showing that evening. It was a popular romance movie, one she hadn''t seen before. Except that she wasn''t remotely in the mood for romance, considering how her day was going. With a click on the remote, she turned off the TV.


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    Giselle: "Hey Laury. You''re great. Thanks for that! Ian just called. Please share your fortune cookies with me next time! He''s still mad, but I guess we''ll manage. I need more patience than I have, I guess :sweat_smile:"


    After the message was sent, she looked at Annie''s text again and was about to type. Something held her back. It made her stare at the screen until it went dark automatically. "Aaaaah fuck!", she complained at the empty room. With a few clicks, she turned her phone off completely. It shut down with a sad goodbye message on the screen. A rare occasion, but she didn''t know what else to do.


    And instead of a movie, she started a TV show. Laury had told her about it maybe two years back. It was a mix between a Western and love story. Romance it was after all. The characters seemed likeable enough and she deemed the first episode to be watchable after 3 minutes. She snuggled into the blanket and sunk into the show.


    Giselle woke around 3am with the TV still on, but the second episode had finished a long time back. To figure out the time, she turned her phone back on. It immediately beeped.


    Laury: "You''ll be fine, just don''t do anything stupid. He''ll come back when he sees you care! I''ll see you tomorrow!"


    This message cast a smile on the brunette''s lips, despite the late hour. She made her way into bed and immediately drifted off. Her dreams circled around feeling uncomfortable in an elevator. Multiple strangers entered and left the small cabin, yet she had no possibility to step out, because no matter how often she tried to reach floor 3, it never stopped there.


    Uncomfortable and uneasy, she woke and got ready for work. The routine. Her alarm rang when she entered the bathroom. She had all but forgotten Annie''s message. After getting ready, having breakfast and taking a bus to work, she joked around with Laury about the second night she had fun with that youngster from the cinema. And while Laury demanded coffee, Giselle had her fun with it.


    Luckily the weather held up better than on the previous day. By the time she got home, it was seven. Two buses had been cancelled, diverted or had been stuck in traffic for whatever other reason. Part of her had hoped, Ian would be there when she came home. It was wishful thinking, yet it''d be romantic, in a way, right?


    When she entered, her apartment was as empty as she had left it. Frustration held her in its grip. Impatience. Ian would be back soon. It even made her consider watching James Bond. Sanity prevailed and she kept watching the TV show from the previous day. Three episodes later, she went to bed, turned off the lights and reached over with her arm onto the free space, that was Ian''s side of the bed.


    It was empty. He''d been around for years now and he''d left a hole. One she wasn''t ready to fill up and patch over. A sigh escaped her lips as she stared up at the ceiling, doing her best to find sleep.


    Slowly she became aware of the noise. Her neighbours were up. When she concentrated, she realized it was someone rhythmically making a sound. By then, it was too late to ignore it. Giselle listened to Annie moan. For minutes. On and on and on. And she hated it. Fought tears, the urge to go over and scream at the blonde. Yell all she was feeling toward the person who caused it. Yet someone else was there with Annie. And she knew damn well who that person was. That made her hate it even more.

 Chapter 30

    The annoying beep of Giselle''s alarm on the phone ripped her from a dreamless slumber. She groaned and pushed herself up with both hands. Her fingers rubbed her face and eyes, hoping it''d wake her properly. It did not. Her gaze wandered down her silk pajamas and she wondered if she should get rid of it now. With her husband gone, it made her feel worse.


    Back into the routine. Breakfast reminded her about last night. How bad she slept. How angry she was. How helpless and lonely. Eventually she had plugged her headphones in and started to listen to a chill-out playlist. It calmed her enough to fall asleep.


    Her phone beeped when she got herself ready to leave. She opened a message from Laureen.


    Laury: "I''m calling in sick, Giselle. I''m out with a fever. And before you say anything, no, I didn''t catch it from my "guest". Didn''t even see him. Anyhow, it''s pretty bad, I have a feeling I''ll be out for the rest of the week :sad:"


    Giselle sighed and wondered how shit could pile up on her time and time again. Was there no end to this? She typed a quick response before leaving the apartment.


    Giselle: "Haha, I''m not that desperate! I''ll tell Mr Dean. Rest up! I need you back next week!"


    Her grudge wasn''t with Laury, it was with the universe as a whole. "If the bus doesn''t arrive on time I''m going to be mad!", she grumbled at no one in particular, yet hoping someone would hear it and feel intimidated enough to clear the obstacles out of the way.


    Today, the universe didn''t mock her. The buses arrived almost on time, the customers had a generally positive vibe to them, Mr Dean whistled a happy tune and took over the counter for her to have lunch. It wasn''t a bad day by any stretch.


    Finally her key turned in its lock to open her apartment door. How things had been going, all that was missing now was Ian. Once again the living room was quiet, the lights turned off and she stood alone in that empty space, that wasn''t quite hers. The photos on their picture wall reminded her. It was a shared space. One that two people in a relationship used to occupy.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Her eyes wandered from photograph to photograph. Ian and her, arm in arm, smiling at the camera. Her on a huge rock with the Alps in the background. Ian staring up an oak tree, old enough to have outlasted any human still alive.


    When she went into the bedroom, sadness and nostalgia overcame her. Bundling up the silk pajamas into a huge ball, it hit the wall next to the door and fell to the floor. In her underwear she sat on the edge of the bed and stared into the mirror on their wardrobe. Did she really recognize the person? To her surprise, she did, and she didn''t feel repulsive or disgusted. In a way she had done what she had thought to be best at the time. How it all blew up in her face, that was bad luck. Chance. Misfortune. It was no way out, but at least she''d be able to move forward.


    After watching another episode of her Western romance, she went to bed and fell asleep within minutes. No dreams haunted her that night. On the next morning, her alarm began the routine again.


    The bus arrived on time, too. All was okay until a customer got into an argument with her. "And I demand you take this suit back! The buttons fell off during my daughter''s wedding! It was an embarrassment!", the older gentleman gestured toward the suit jacket and a pile of buttons. Annoyed and frustrated, Giselle told him, "I''m really sorry, sir. You bought this suit weeks ago and I remember Ms Munroe recommending a bigger size. You got into an argument with her back then as well".


    "I don''t care what you think this Ms Munroe told me. I want my money back now!", the man slammed his fist onto the counter. The clerk leaned forward and furrows appeared on her forehead. Anger rose within her. "Now listen...", she started to tell him off, but a rusty voice cut into the argument from the side. "What seems to be the problem here? I''m the manager of this store", Mr Dean jumped into the discussion with a friendly smile. The customer complained in such a loud voice that everyone in the store turned around to face him, "This woman refuses to give me my money back! The suit is cheap quality and it broke!". Mr Dean took the suit and the pile of buttons, gestured the man to come with him and said, "I am sure we can find a solution that will calm the emotions. Please come with me, we''ll discuss this without disturbing other customers". The older gentleman threw Giselle a piercing glare and grumbled, "Fine", as he followed Mr Dean out into the storage area. Giselle was left there, chewing on her lower lip. Her gaze followed the two men leave. "What an asshole", she sighed and immediately blushed when she realized she had spoken it out loud, in front of yet another customer who looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

 Chapter 31

    After roughly twenty minutes, Mr Dean accompanied the formerly angry customer to the store entrance. The older gentleman wasn''t happy, but he had also stopped yelling and they were chatting quietly. Afterwards Giselle''s boss walked up to her and frowned, "Diplomacy didn''t work, huh?". The brunette shrugged and grimaced, "Not sure. He came in angry and I didn''t have the patience to find out". The store owner nodded at her and as he walked by put a hand on her shoulder, "Please find the time and patience next time. We have a reputation to defend".


    Her response was more of a whisper, when Mr Dean was already too far away, "Yeah, I''ll try". And then she went back to work.


    At 5:30pm she closed up the store, left the money with her boss and took the bus back home. Not before stopping by the bakery. She hoped for some sweet bread, but that was sold out. Instead she took baked sweets back home. The encounter with that angry man still bugged her. Annoyed her even. The sugar and pleasant taste would probably take care of that.


    Today the brunette barely thought about the empty apartment. Ian wouldn''t be back anyway. It didn''t need to occupy space in her mind. Yet when she turned the key, the door wasn''t locked, it just opened with a single twist.


    The apartment was illuminated, some rock music was playing from the speaker and a deep voice tried to match the tune. "....Now the story''s played out like this; Just like a paperback novel; Let''s rewrite an ending that fits; Instead of a Hollywood...", it stopped when her husband glanced out of the bathroom and said, "Hi Giselle".


    For an instant, everything was as it had been. The fight was forgotten and the smile and expression was just like back, when everything had been okay. She was happy, smiling, slipped out of the shoes and almost dashed over to hug him.


    Then she saw it. The deep, dark areas under his eyes, the smile faded into nothingness and he pulled his head back into the bathroom, without singing along to Nickelback.


    Recovery was tough. Reality shattered. For a long moment she hesitated, waited for her pounding heart to quiet down. This wasn''t the homecoming she wanted. It was the homecoming she got, and somehow she needed to live with it.


    Having no better idea what to do with herself, she unpacked, changed into her pajamas, not the silk ones, and went back into the living room. Her husband fell into the couch next to her. "How was your day? How have you been?", she wondered and forced a smile. "Was okay I guess?", he responded and that''s when she knew this wouldn''t go away easily. The wife sighed.


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    When the silence became unbearable, Giselle asked, "Want some dinner?". He nodded, "That''d be nice. Wanna watch James Bond tonight?". She almost facepalmed until she realized that this hit her deeper. He came home to watch James Bond, not to fix their relationship. Without a word, she vanished in the kitchen.


    Putting her weight onto her hands on the counter, she pressed her lips together and sighed again. It was a pleasant summer evening. The clouds were tinted red. Quite romantic, too, if Ian wasn''t such an oaf. Staring out into the evening sky distracted her enough to lift the weight just a little.


    Quickly, she prepared salad and offered to share her snacks from the bakery. Ian had opted for You Only Die Twice and the intro was already running. "James Bond it is. Here''s some sweets from the bakery, if you want any", she said. His smile was genuine, "Sure, thanks!".


    Against all her desire to leave or play with the phone, Giselle stayed with Ian for the whole movie. She realized, she hadn''t even seen the movie. Or she had seen it, but had fallen asleep quite early. It always made her chuckle what they had considered special effects in 1967.


    When the movie ended, Ian glanced at her with a surprised expression, "Didn''t exactly think you''d stick around. Did you like it?". The brunette tilted her head. Then shifted it to the other side, grabbed the plates and carried them toward their kitchen. "Not sure I had seen it before, so I stayed and watched it", she admitted truthfully from the kitchen. Her husband chuckled, "You''ve fallen asleep through half of them, you know!". Giselle shrugged and returned to the living room. She didn''t stop there, she went to the bedroom. "I''m going to bed, you coming?", she asked. He got up and followed her, "Do I need to check for women hiding anywhere?".


    Giselle turned on her heel and pressed her hands into her hips, "If you want to say something, do it now!". But he waved off with a grin, "I''ve been better at teasing you once upon a time". His wife agreed, "Yes, you have been!". "Oh c''mon, that''s hurtful", he whined, but she just raised an eyebrow and climbed under the cover.


    It took a while to get used to hearing another person breathing next to her. When it all settled down, Ian wasn''t the only person she heard. Someone was moaning. Screaming even. She couldn''t make out words, but it still made her sigh, "There they go again". Both of them were glancing up at the ceiling. "That happened before?". "Two days ago. I could hardly sleep", she said and he grunted. Both of them listened to the woman moan. Finally Ian whispered, "That''s Cel. Sounds like she''s having a good time". Giselle turned her head and glanced over to him, and then back at the ceiling. He continued, "Is that what we sound like?". "You mean me, you''re all quiet", she mused. He just responded a simple, "Yeah". Then a fist hit his side. "What was that for!", he complained, but his wife mumbled, "That was for putting this all on me!".

 Chapter 32

    "But it is on you. I''m just being honest, Giselle. What do you want me to do?", Ian complained into the dark room. His wife sat up and turned to him, "I don''t know? Maybe swindle just a tiny bit to make me feel better?". He said nothing, so Giselle asked, "What, don''t you want to do that for me?".


    "It''s not that", he responded softly. "What is it then?", she asked, slightly annoyed at repeatedly asking the same question in different ways.


    Ian took a moment to say something, "Guess you''re too loud for my taste". His wife was at a loss of words. After years of sleeping with each other, now he decides to tell her. A grimace ran over her face and it ended in a frown. The darkness hid all of that away. In the dim light, only shapes could be made out.


    "That just adds to everything, doesn''t it?", she sighed. Her husband grunted unhappily. Hornets nest, again. She threw a glance at the ceiling with a mixed expression.


    During their conversation the moaning had constantly increased in volume and then abruptly stopped. Silence swallowed their bedroom. Ian''s shallow breathing told her he''d fallen asleep. Her face sank into her hands and she wondered, how she was supposed to fix this. Her husband seemed resistant to any of her approaches. Did she go at it the wrong way?


    Time passed slowly. She went to the bathroom to pee, then drank some water in the kitchen and by the time she returned to bed, a faint gasping could be heard. A different voice. Annie.


    Immediately her emotions were in turmoil. Her nails dug into her thighs as she sat on the edge of the bed. Why had this woman so much influence on her? On the positive end, it got her excited and adventurous, on the negative end, it brought up jealousy and endangered everything. She disliked it, yet there was nothing she could do now. While chewing on her lower lip, she grabbed phone and blanket and settled on the sofa. The lack of noises, especially those from Annie, let her drift into a shallow slumber.


    A firm hand woke her, "You overslept your alarm, you need to get up!". Ian went into the bedroom and she sat up sleepily. A yawn escaped her. Outside the sun cast a bright morning light onto the building across the backyard.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.A glance on the phone revealed that she was running late. Very late. With a reluctant push, she went into the bathroom and did a quick routine. No shower, no breakfast, reduced make-up. When Ian passed by her, she mumbled, "Thanks for waking me". "Cel was too loud, so you slept here?", he wondered while giving her a weak smile. She nodded, lying to him. Again!


    When Giselle put on her shoes, he appeared next to her, "Should we talk to them?". His wife shrugged, "And tell them what, that they are fucking too loud?". Ian looked thoughtful and agreed, "Yeah, guess I didn''t think this far ahead".


    She changed the topic, "Are you going to be here tonight?". The man nodded and got ready to head out as well. The brunette smiled at him, "Sounds good, maybe we can have some dinner and talk", but that just made him force a smirk. Giselle sighed with disappointment.


    Time putting pressure on them, they left the argument behind, said their goodbyes and went out into the warm morning. Ian would take the car and Giselle was the first to hurry over to the bus. Luckily it was on time and she opened the side entrance shortly after arriving at the bus stop. It wasn''t locked. Her lips curled into a bright smile at the realization that someone had unlocked it.


    Laureen was about to open the shop, but she paused on seeing Giselle, "Morning, dear! How are you?". The brunette beamed at her, "I''m glad you''re back! I''m okay, I guess. Ian came back yesterday". While unlocking the entrance, the coworker said, "Thanks! I do hope you made up!", but Giselle only shrugged helplessly. "Not that easy, huh?", the other woman said compassionately and both started to set up the entrance area together. "Annie and Celestine are making out, we can hear them", she offered as an explanation that made Laury pause and throw a glance at her, "Are you serious?". "Sure am, two nights ago and yesterday night. Ian confirmed it was Celestine. Annie I guess I know", she answered with an embarrassed smile. Her coworker shook her head and reached for her hand, "How are you holding up now?".


    While the question did create turmoil within her, she calmed herself. With a grimace on her face, she shrugged. Laury assessed her for a long moment while holding on to the hand and turned on her heel to go back into the store, "C''mon". Giselle followed. Both sorted through the counter together, restoring some well-needed order. Mr Dean had left new items in a pile, new stock from a package that arrived the other day. Eventually her coworker sighed and looked up at her, concerned, "You''re in love with Annie, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 33

    Anger flashed across Giselle''s face. Sometimes she hated how perceptive Laury could be. Actually, she hated it most times. The tiny nuances, the details, it scared her. Disregarding whether it was true or not, she felt like she needed to defend herself now. That was a position she never liked to be in, not with Ian, not with Laury, not with anyone.


    "I am not. I may have a light crush on her", she responded. She was miffed at her coworker and showed it. Laury''s offended expression changed into a frown and a weak smile soon. The woman took one pile of clothes and carried it into the entrance area of the store. "Sure, just tell yourself that. I''m sure Ian won''t notice", Laury''s words were harsher than the expression she wore. They stirred up more inside Giselle, "Even if I was, this is none of your business!". This made her coworker stop in an instant and turn on her heel, glaring at her with a piercing stare. Immediately the brunette pulled back, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean that. I don''t know what came over me".


    Laury held up a finger in a gesture to say she''d be right there. With practiced hands, the clothes vanished between others and when she came back she towered before Giselle, dominant and imperious. The woman was not taller, but the aura changed. It was intimidating. "I know what came over you. You always lash out when something comes back to bite you! I''ve known you for years now. Just get a grip, Giselle! Unless you face your emotions, you''ll always feel like everything is slipping from your grip!", her coworker preached to her and Giselle felt very small. She didn''t dare respond. And only after Laury sighed and changed back into her usual self, did she return to sorting through clothes.


    Emptying the counter happened in silence and Giselle tried her best to avoid eye contact. Then her coworker and friend suddenly stood next to her and chuckled, "That''s so not like you". The brunette started laughing, "Well, neither was your speech there". "True", the other woman joined in and both laughed the tension away. "Where did you pick it up, a movie?", Giselle raised both eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. "Not a movie, but I guess I stole it", came the sheepish response. "I knew it!", the brunette said more enthusiastically than she intended, "Thanks anyway, Laury". "Anytime, love, anytime!", her friend told her and turned around to serve the first customer of the day. Giselle went into storage and started to reorganize some of the boxes, get new stock into the shelves and ponder about the speech.


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    On her way home in the evening, she realized that her feelings for Annie wouldn''t just fade. She had hoped they would, especially once she turned her focus back to her husband, but they hadn''t subsided. Her thoughts circled around ideas how to accommodate the feelings without jeopardizing her already strained marriage. It occupied and distracted her enough to make her walk like a zombie. From the bus stop into the apartment building, up the stairs to Annie''s apartment door. She caught herself staring at it. It made her feel even more lost than her spiral she''d been driving her mind through since Laury had preached to her.


    Giselle pushed herself through her own door and found the space empty. Ian probably had a longer day. That wasn''t unusual. She took her heels off and fell into the comfortable cushions of the sofa. While pulling her thin socks off, her phone made the speaker play a soft lo-fi tune. She massaged her feet and noticed a message that had come in half an hour earlier. She must have been distracted.


    Ian: "Something''s come up, I''ll be home late"


    The text made her sigh. Didn''t he want to fix their marriage? Maybe not as badly as she wanted to. Also he hadn''t done anything to break it. At least not recently.


    "Oh, this feels great", she muttered to herself as her fingertips hit a tense spot around the ball of her left foot.


    When she finished caring for her sore feet, she glanced up at the ceiling. The evening sun illuminated the room and cast long shadows through it.


    The room went quiet. For minutes, there was no movement except Giselle''s shallow breathing. Then she slammed her hands onto the couch with all her might and grumbled a loud, "Aaaaaaaargh!". With it went a lot of the frustration and stored anger. Her face fell into her hands and she took a deep breath, "What the fuck am I doing?".


    Finally she remembered a text. It had been forgotten. Or rather she had pushed it into a corner of her mind and decided to forget about it. She took out her phone and started typing.


    Giselle: "Hey Annie. I''m free now. If you''re still up for it!"

 Chapter 34

    Annie: "Hey! Didn''t expect your text :sweat_smile:. Guess I''m free, too"


    The beep for Annie''s text arrived a few minutes after Giselle had sent hers. She had wondered when the response would arrive and ended up surprised. Another beep and the chat window extended as her neighbor sent yet another message.


    Annie: "It''ll be awkward, but do you want to come over?"


    The brunette''s heart started pounding louder in her chest. Last time she had visited the blonde woman, they had ended up in bed together. Images and memories flashed before her mind''s eye. She bit her lip and glanced back at the screen.


    Giselle: "It''s warm outside and it won''t be completely dark until 9, how about we go for a walk?"


    Annie: "Sure, meet you in five!"


    A grin unfolded on her lips as Giselle pushed herself up and realized, she was still wearing her work outfit. In a jiffy, she whirled through her bedroom and came out in a pair of thin leggings and a casual tee. It gave her a vacation-style look. With her pair of sneakers, she opened the apartment door and found Annie waiting for her. The blonde wore a white top with a rather deep cleavage and a loose, long skirt. The bob haircut was starting to grow too long. Both smiled at each other, seemingly distracted and feeling awkward.


    Walking somewhere would take the edge off, or so the brunette hoped. On the sofa in one of the apartments, they''d just stare at each other and smile uncomfortably. At least she''d do that and if Annie was able to overcome her own obstacles, that''d make her feel even worse.


    Down the stairs, out of the building, across the street and behind three houses into a stretch of greenery that''d eventually lead onto the fields behind the suburb. They walked next to each other in silence until they reached the greenery. Everything was blooming or in a satisfying, full green. "How have you been?", Giselle asked softly as they walked. "It''s okay, I guess. Wasn''t exactly a fan of how that dinner went", the blonde replied and the brunette chuckled, "Yeah, that was really fucked up".


    The neighbor nodded and thoughtfully looked over while they walked beneath an old oak that harboured at least twenty birds. They were chirping and singing as if their life depended on it. Then the woman wondered, "Why''d you leave me there?".


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.Giselle sighed and knew that this question would come sooner or later. And since she didn''t have a good answer, either, she explained, "Ian was pissed. I haven''t seen him this angry in a long time. He wanted to leave on his own. Guess he waited for me when he saw me stumble and fall...". "You fell? Did you hurt yourself?", the blonde asked in concern, the brunette shook her head and said, "No, not really. Just a bruise, it''s already healing". "Good, I''m glad", her neighbour smiled over and she smiled back. It felt good being with that woman again, the smile, the voice, the presence. She liked her.


    "So once I got into the car, Ian didn''t exactly look like he was about to calm down and sort it out. I couldn''t let him leave alone. I''m sorry", she continued her story and paused until she whispered, "Not that it did me any good".


    Annie''s head jerked over, "Why do you say that?". Giselle sighed and her eyes went up to look at the clouds. They had just walked out of the park area onto a small trail into the fields. Finally she said, "He left the next morning to stay with his brother. He hasn''t been the same". Her neighbour looked at her with concern and empathy, "I regret that happened".


    Giselle shrugged, "After what happened at the restaurant... Guess I shouldn''t smack-talk Cel now, you''re with her, aren''t you?". The other woman nodded shyly, "You know about that, huh?". "We heard both of you last night. It''s hardly a secret. Is it serious?", she asked and smiled weakly. This was a tough question, one she needed to know the answer to, but didn''t want to hear it anyway. "Not really, I''m not sure she''s even interested beyond having a good time?", Annie said, almost nonplussed and scratched herself on the neck, more to relieve the tension than actually scratch an itch.


    "From listening to you over the past few days, I''m surprised she isn''t with you today", Giselle laughed and glanced at her neighbour teasingly. "She was going to, but cancelled maybe an hour ago? Maybe something came up, who knows", the blonde admitted, frustration ringing through it. Obviously that hadn''t been the plan.


    Instead of poking further, she changed the topic, "So where does all of this leave us? I didn''t expect us to blow up like this". Suddenly she became aware of her sweaty hands and the pounding heart.


    "Not sure? I am still angry for leaving me there. That wasn''t a nice move! But then again, I do like you a lot", Annie said sheepishly and looked to the other side, into the distance. "I''m sorry I did that. I''ll try to do better, alright?", the brunette said apologetically. It made the neighbour''s head turn and tilt. Blue eyes glared at her for a while. It was so intense that she had to look away. Finally Annie said, "Whatever you might think, this was always going to explode one day. You and Ian I mean. You are... were cheating on him with me. You realise that, don''t you?"

 Chapter 35

    Slowing down her pace, Giselle eventually stopped and looked up at the clouds again. The sky had a thin cloud cover and was brightly illuminated by the setting sun. A light breeze played with her curls and wafted through her tee. Annie stopped next to her and followed her gaze. There was nothing to see, nothing to discover. It was Giselle''s way to gather her thoughts. Like earlier that day, there was rage within her. She fought it and quenched her need to lash out. Laury hadn''t deserved it and neither does Annie now. She said, "You''re right, I guess". Her voice faded and was carried away by the breeze.


    Her neighbor shifted her arms behind her body and intertwined her fingers, "Why did you do it then?". The woman emanated curiosity, mixed with a bit of judgement. The brunette shrugged helplessly, "Something felt right maybe? There is something off about you that gets to me". Being honest to herself felt right. Saying it out loud allowed her to sort through her emotions. "That''s a weird way of telling me that you like me", Annie smirked and raised an eyebrow. Both women locked eyes and Giselle chuckled, "Laury says I''m in love. Maybe she''s right". Now her neighbor just frowned. Disbelief all across the face. "In love? With me? That feels a bit far fetched, doesn''t it? Is that why you took me along to see Ian''s ex?", the blonde said while trying her best to make sense of things.


    Giselle offered a weak smile, "I don''t know, Annie. Going there was a stupid idea. Probably sleeping with you was a stupid idea in the scheme of things. I''m not good at this. I''m not! I just meant that something about us feels right". The other woman laughed out loud, mockingly. Her hands gestured as she spoke, "What am I going to do with that now?". Just as helpless as her neighbor, Giselle said, "I don''t know. I don''t have all the answers. When Ian left me, I was devastated. I''m not ready to throw my marriage overboard. So.... can''t we stay friends?".


    Slowly putting one foot in front of the next, Annie started walking back the way they came. After a while of mulling it over, she surprised Giselle, "You haven''t once asked what I want... do you care enough to know?". Not only the surprise hit her, also the realization how far she was caught up in her own mind games. When talking to Laury, this topic always revolved around her. When talking to Ian, she considered his position since she wanted to fix the marriage. That the blonde woman had different stakes in this, it hadn''t crossed her mind.


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    In defeat, she admitted while catching up to her neighbor, "I''m really bad at this. I''m sorry. I care, yes. So please tell me!". Annie had been prepared for this. That or she was incredible at improvisation. She spoke softly and didn''t even throw a glance at Giselle, "I love your kind, motherly side. It was what drew me to you in the first place. When you''re not occupied in your head, you are interested in what others have to tell you.". She paused to sigh and then continued, "Well, and I do like older, beautiful women. I didn''t just sleep with you because I needed a fuck. Honestly I had a moment when I thought we could be together, but I suppose that was a little naive. I don''t know if I can be friends now. Just friends I mean. It would make me constantly question what I could do, should do. Does that make sense to you?".


    By the time Annie finished, they were back in the stretch of greenery. Birds still caused a huge ruckus up in the tree tops. An older lady came down the path with a brown, short-furred dog on a short leash. All three of them exchanged a friendly greeting and went their own way. Giselle realized that she wore a blush. She turned her head away shyly and said, "Fuck, Annie. What am I supposed to do now? I get it. There is something between us. But this doesn''t make any of this easier!". She wanted to hide somewhere, bury her face in her hands and not come out until it all had gone away. The words barely registered in her head as the younger woman answered, "Guess we''ll say hello in the stairwell, act as if nothing had happened and once you''ve sorted things out, we can still check where we stand? Best I can offer right now".


    Giselle hated it, she wanted to have everything like a kid in a toy shop. When they entered the apartment building, she submitted, "Alright. Thanks for having this talk. I''m not happy with _us_, but I''m glad we did it anyway". Her neighbor nodded and smiled weakly, "At least we''re not fighting anymore. Sleep tight, Giselle". "You too", the brunette said and both vanished into their respective homes. Except that Ian still wasn''t home and there was no message on her phone.

 Chapter 36

    Settling back on the sofa with a water bottle and a few snacks, Giselle glanced at her phone and wondered about Ian''s whereabouts. After a few minutes of trying to wrap her brain around not knowing anything, she gave up. At least her walk with Annie wasn''t bad. It wasn''t good either.


    Her neighbor was right about the choices she had made. She had been naive and stupid to think she could get away with sleeping with someone living this close. What if Annie had lived further away from them? This thought made her grin sheepishly, but once she realized how dumb it was, she shook her head.


    Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!


    The noise it made when she chewed the salty sticks irritated her. After finishing a single stick, she put the box away, sipped some water and returned everything into the kitchen. Her body felt tired and her mind exhausted. Despite being curious how that TV show continued, she forced herself to go to bed.


    The alarm shattered the dream Giselle had about trees that grew from the ceiling in a breeze that carried purple flower petals. She groaned in annoyance. Memories came back from the previous evening. In bed she had spent another thirty minutes browsing an online store for a skirt. The memory got fuzzy after that.


    A quick glance to her side revealed a sleeping Ian. He had come back after all. His alarm would go off later, as usual.


    Quietly she went to the bathroom and started her routine like it used to be. First off everything in the bathroom, then clothes and breakfast, after that she''d wake Ian and they''d have breakfast, then she''d leave for work.


    It shouldn''t have woken Ian up, her quiet search through the drawers in the wardrobe. Yet when she slipped into her pants, his phone beeped and he pushed himself up. "Morning", Ian said while rubbing his eyes. Then he yawned like a lion. "Hey. Hope you slept well? Didn''t hear you come home", his wife smiled at him. She made an effort to come across casual, pushing away her curiosity. "Yeah, well, it got late. The night was okay, but I need to head out earlier today. I''ll just pack some breakfast", he sighed, seemingly unhappy about getting up so early.


    "Sure thing, I''ll pack something in a minute", the brunette said. She thought her husband was awfully vague. Maybe it was intentional, but she was afraid of starting an argument just to quench her thirst. It wouldn''t be worth it.


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    A few minutes later, Ian dashed out of the house. He was in a hurry. Giselle suspected something was bugging him and she''d ask about it in the evening. Her breakfast was brief and then she packed up for work herself.


    When her feet hurt her yesterday, she decided to go with a different choice in footwear. She got flats. No heel. Nothing fancy. Then she left into the stairwell for the bus.


    Her key locked the door. That was when she heard a click and another door opened. It was her neighbor. The blonde woman stepped out and smiled at her brightly, "Morning Giselle!". The brunette beamed, "Hi Annie!". The fighting had been a huge burden on her, but now that it was over, relief and happiness flooded her. "You seem in a good mood?", the other woman grinned as she locked up the apartment door.


    "What can I say? Happy to see you", Giselle said and Annie nodded, "Ah, I see". Both walked down the stairs. "Did you know, someone is moving in under your apartment?", the blonde said, pointing at a door without a name tag. "Didn''t even know the place was empty", the brunette admitted and raised an eyebrow, "Do you know when?". Annie shrugged in response, "No clue, no. Soon I presume". "How do you know?", the older woman inquired and they walked past the door. "Some folks made a lot of noise the other days. Sounded like construction work, but it''s done now", Annie explained and waved at her when they reached the ground floor. "Have a nice day!", Giselle told her neighbor and walked out to the bus station. Most other people in the apartment complex seemed to use the car to get to work or other places. Not her, she took the bus. Always had.


    Laureen came in late and wasn''t very talkative. When Giselle asked about it, all she got was a grumpy complaint and was waved off. Most adults become tempered and controlled eventually, but her coworker had seemingly skipped this development step. Most days, especially the ones with good mood, this wasn''t an issue. Today however the woman had a problem and wasn''t able to deal with it. Giselle banned her into the storage area as soon as her grumpy attitude made the customers weary of her. During the afternoon, Laury had cooled down visibly and when she approached her about it, she received her explanation, "That young fuck from the cinema? Remember him? I caught him stealing money today. From my purse of all places! Not like I have much money on me usually, but I mean, what do you do with that now?".

 Chapter 37

    Deep furrows appeared on Giselle''s forehead as a frown spread across it. "You''re shitting me!", she exclaimed, but her coworker shook her head. Laury was shaken and her trust in humanity was undergoing a serious re-evaluation. "I''m not sure how much that idiot stole from me. Or if anyone else stole from me!", the woman sighed with a slightly limb body, as if a weight suddenly dropped on her shoulders.


    The brunette reached out for the other woman''s hand and clasped it tightly, "This ain''t normal, Laury! No one steals from a booty call!". "How would you know? You only have Ian and your neighbor!", Laury countered quickly.


    That made Giselle pause. How would she know? Her gaze drifted off past her coworker into the storage area. She was looking at nothing in particular. "Earth to Giselle! Earth to Giselle!", the woman snapped her fingers in front of her face, "Where did you go to?". Giselle blushed and said, "Uh, was just thinking about your question. I guess if stealing was more common you''d hear something about it on the news?".


    Voices reached both of them from the store and Laureen went past Giselle to check. There was a thoughtful expression on her face, her lips shifted from a pout to the left and then into a thin line. The brunette followed along and the store kept them busy until closing time.


    They left through the side entrance and chatted about a group of youngsters buying a complete outfits for a wedding they''d attend in a couple of weeks. When they said their goodbyes, Laury was in better spirits. She yelled over, "I''ll text you, I gotta go!". Giselle just smiled and waved.


    Her arrival at home had a surprise in store for her. Ian was there and she greeted him happily, "Hey sweetheart! You''re home early? What''cha doing?". She walked into the living room and glanced at the table that held a pizza, a few snacks, a bottle of soda and an empty glass. Her husband briefly looked at her and grunted a "Hi". His attention went back to the TV. She turned her head and saw Roger Moore near a beach. She took a wild guess, "Live and let die!". Ian laughed out loud, "No, Octopussy". She threw up her arms in defeat. When she let herself fall onto the sofa, he muttered, "Early start, early finish. I got us food!".


    His attitude felt like the old Ian sometimes, but ever since they had the fight, he''d change into this distant, sad man eventually. When he did, it touched her heart and she felt awful. Today this didn''t seem to be the case yet, so she enjoyed the moments and just stayed with him, had a slice of pizza and stole some snacks.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.When the movie finished, Ian went to the restroom and Giselle to change. Then they cleaned up the table and he took Live And Let Die from the shelf. Giselle facepalmed and started laughing, "You aren''t serious!". The innocent look he gave her was heartwarming. "Alright, let''s have another one, but I do have to tell you two things, then it''s all Roger Moore again".


    Ian fell back onto the sofa and shrugged, "What''s on your mind?". "First off, did you know that someone''s gonna move in under us?", she asked and Ian shrugged again. "No, I did not. Did you meet the new residents?". His wife shook her head and obscured the truth slightly, "I talked to someone in the stairwell this morning. Apparently there was a lot of construction noise lately". He just nodded and said, "Ah okay". Then she continued, "And Laury''s latest booty call stole from her. Money from her purse. She caught him in the act". This got Ian''s attention and he gave her a surprised stare, "Really, did she report it?". When she shook her head he added, "Why don''t you women ever think of things like that! Tell Laureen to report it, stealing is a crime after all!". Certain topics got to her husband more than others. Probably he was right about this, so she took her phone and texted Laury to report it. "There, told her", she said to him right after. He responded briefly and smiled, "Good!". The unanswered messages from Laury were ignored easily, she''d get back to them later. They didn''t seem important.


    While she wanted to continue talking, this was about as much as her husband would allow. Partly because he was already past the intro of his beloved James Bond and partly because they were still fighting. There was little hope in resolving anything today. All she could do was to invest time and energy and hope it''d resolve itself some other day.


    The days, especially the weekend, went by without incident. They shared they housework, Ian went shopping and she did the actual cleaning. Afterwards he cooked and she did more cleaning. Giselle met up with Laury for afternoon coffee and cake. Ian went out to Gary''s place to have an out of schedule poker afternoon, evening and night with barbecue and he slept in very late the next day, while she went out for a long walk that ended with ice cream.


    Monday evening, when she had come home from work and Ian was still out at work, the doorbell rang. It ripped her from the TV show and when she looked down her clothes, she didn''t feel appropriately dressed for opening up. Yet some part of her hoped it was Annie, so she forced herself up and pulled at the door handle.

 Chapter 38

    With a pull, the door swung open and Giselle stared into the smiling faces of two strangers. One of them was a tall, dark-skinned guy with rectangular, frame-less glasses, a bald head, a goatee on his chin and thick, dark lips. He wore a white tee that emphasized his toned upper body and shoulders. Next to the man that was at least a head taller than her, stood a relatively petite woman with bright, red hair and round, enormous glasses. Her make-up matched her hair color and was way too bright to be natural in the first place. The woman had a round face, neatly plucked eyebrows and full lips. She was short, wore a white, cute dress that showed off a slender figure.


    The woman started in a high-pitched sing-sang voice, "Hi, I''m Rachel". Then a deep voice, almost as deep as Ian''s, continued, "And I''m Kamal". It went back to Rachel, "We''re the new neighbors". Giselle''s eyes moved over to Kamal, since it was his turn again, "We moved in directly under you". He held out a plate with pastries and the redhead grinned, "And we made cookies. I hope we get along well!".


    The brunette stared at them, asking herself what the fuck just happened. Did they actually practice this? Are they going to do this at every door? Why now and why was she wearing her pajamas again?


    Rachel said after a moment of complete stillness, "You''re supposed to take a cookie and maybe say Hi?". The smile was bright and perfect. Giselle found her way back and blushed. She reached for a cookie and introduced herself in a shaky voice, "Hi, I''m Giselle. Ian ain''t home yet. I''d ask you in, but I am so not prepared for guests". Her shy laugh prompted Kamal to wave off, "Don''t worry, we''ll probably run into each other again. Just in case, here''s our numbers to reach us if we''re too loud or anything". The woman and him exchanged a glance and then a brief smile played across Rachel''s lips as he handed a piece of paper over. It was hand written and had two names and two numbers on it.


    "Anyway, I hope you have a lovely evening. T''was nice meeting you. Please take one more for Ian", Rachel smiled and pushed her partner to offer the plate again. Giselle squinted at them and took a second cookie. She said sheepishly, "It was nice meeting you, too. I''m sorry, I just didn''t expect visitors. This isn''t how I usually am". Her hands ran down her pajamas that had an Eat-Sleep-Hockey print over her chest as if to show them. The shirt was Ian''s, it was a magnitude too wide and reached over her thighs.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Another awkward silence passed over the three and Kamal cleared his throat, "How about this, you come down tomorrow evening or the day after and we''ll show you our place, have a snack and we say Hi in a less awkward manner?". He gestured around the dim stairwell that echoed their voices through the different floors. This brought a bright smile to Giselle''s lips, "That sounds lovely. I can bring Ian, right? I mean if he even wants to". She rolled her eyes out of habit, but Rachel nodded, "Of course. We''d love to have you. Just text me and we''ll set something up". Both of them smiled, waved at her briefly and went up the stairs to the next floor, probably to greet more of the residents. The plate still held quite a few cookies.


    "What an odd couple", she muttered to herself as she went back inside, put the cookies on a plate in the kitchen and took them with her to the sofa. With her phone in hand, she added two new contacts and noted down that they lived underneath their own apartment. Just when she was about to put the device away and return to her TV show, it beeped.


    Annie: "Have you met the new couple? Oh my god, that girl is cute! :smiling\_face\_with\_3\_hearts:"


    Her hand hit her forehead out of reflex as she facepalmed in response to the text. She typed her response immediately.


    Giselle: "Stop hitting on everything that is female and walks on two legs! They were cute together!"


    Annie: "So you met them. I know, I know, I won''t mess up their thing, I promise :face\_with\_rolling_eyes:"


    Giselle: "Thanks! They did invite us down for snacks. Guess they felt sorry for me. I opened in my pajamas"


    Annie: "The kinky silk ones?"


    Giselle: "No! I''m not wearing those anymore. The one from Ian"


    Annie: "Awww, too bad."


    Giselle: "What do you mean ''too bad''! That thing is fucking revealing, you should know!"


    Annie: "I know! Anyway, tell me how they are once you met them properly, alright?"


    A thumbs up was the only response Giselle gave when she returned to her show. About ten minutes later, a new text arrived.


    Ian: "Something came up. I''ll be late"


    Giselle pouted and stuffed both cookies into her mouth at the same time. Her act of protest made her feel good for a moment. Then she regretted it immediately when the cookies sucked all the moisture from her mouth. Now they tasted like sand with chocolate because of it, but she chewed it down anyway.

 Chapter 39

    A couple of days, a stream of customers, two lonely evenings, one Sean Connery James Bond movie and a dozen episodes of the TV show later, Giselle and Ian went downstairs to visit Rachel and Kamal. She held a small bouquet of summer flowers that she picked up on her way home and Ian carried a carefully wrapped gift. A special edition smoked salt and a small bottle of expensive olive oil.


    They rang the door and seconds later Kamal opened it wide, a grin on his face. "Welcome, guests! Please step inside our new home!", he welcomed them both inside. Giselle eyed him up and down. He wore a white tee and dark, blue jeans. Then she looked over to her husband, who somehow had agreed immediately when she had asked whether he wanted to tag along to the invitation. Ian also wore a white tee and dark, blue jeans. The print largely differed. The dark-skinned man had a logo of the Lions on it. Blackwater''s own baseball team. Ian''s shirt said in a black print "FAIL", underneath that was a crying Dilbert in front of a monitor.


    The major difference between the two men was their level of training. The weight Ian carried around his waist, Kamal had distributed on his chest and upper arms.


    "Hi, thanks for having us. This is Ian!", Giselle said after assessing the men and stepping into their living space. Ian looked fairly serious, but his voice was soft when he greeted their host. As they got out of the shoes, Rachel came out of the kitchen. A smell of roasted chicken followed her. "Hi! Hi! You must be Ian! Welcome! I''m so happy you accepted the invitation!", she beamed at the two guests. Giselle smiled at her, ignoring the apron that showed a zombie-like bloodbath of her body. Ian chuckled at it. Kamal joined in immediately as he noticed what Ian was amused about and grinned at his girlfriend, "See? That apron is golden!". A thumbs up followed from Ian and Kamal, at nearly the same time. Giselle facepalmed and noticed that they brought gifts.


    "We brought something for the housewarming", the brunette announced happily. Her husband held up a hand with the wrapped package and she handed over the bouquet. Rachel directed her partner to put it on the table in a vase and took the guests in tow into the main room, placing the gift on a cabinet along the wall.


    While the layout of the apartment was exactly the same as Giselle''s, it looked so different, she wouldn''t have recognized it. The wooden floor was the same and the entrance area looked quite similar, but the whole place was a modern masterpiece. Minimalist, white furniture with chromium handles, a chestnut dining table with fitting chairs that had a tall backrest and quite a few cabinets with vases and plates made of clay, none of them painted. The walls were a bit odd, since two had a colourful, abstract painting and one had a medieval helmet, a set of sexy armour and two large swords.


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    "Oh, no TV?", Ian noticed as he looked around, too. Rachel explained over her shoulder, "We never liked the same shows, so we both have tablets with a large screen! And before you ask where the couch is, we don''t exactly have one. Our bed is a lounge area that we use as both!". Kamal nodded in approval and pointed at the open door to the bedroom as he placed the bouquet on the table.


    Both visitors stole glances into the bedroom. It was a different realm. Two walls were hung off with semi-transparent curtains, behind them were some wallboards, possibly to store clothes. The remainder of the room was a multi-coloured mess of blankets and cushions, at the center of it a small table everything was built around. The room smelled of fruits and smoke, similar to the bars to smoke water pipes in. Giselle was speechless. She wouldn''t want to live here, no, but it was a sight to behold.


    "Your place is quite something!", she finally praised the two hosts. Rachel came just back from the kitchen, carrying four glasses and a bottle of sparkling wine. "Why, thank you! We like it, too!", her smile was genuine and the glance she threw at Kamal was a happy, loving one. In seconds, the glasses were filled and all held one in hand. "I hope we''ll be good neighbors", Ian chimed in, his spirits seemed to be quite high despite all the mess they were in. And so Giselle agreed, "To good neighbors". The hosts nodded and smiled as their glassed clinked together and they sipped, or drank, depending on who one was looking at.


    To begin conversation, Giselle pointed at the swords, "So what''s the story to sword and armour?". Kamal rumbled a laugh, "It''s Rachel''s hobby. She plays a game like that". He was very surprised when Giselle shot back, "Rachel, you LARP?". The redhead beamed back at her, "Yes I do! All of this, except the metalwork itself, is self-made. Even the leather and cloth in there! Let me show you". Giselle followed with interest. It''s not like she knew a lot about LARPing, except that it existed and that you played a character role like in theater-like setting, but Rachel seemed to love talking about it already. With one ear turned to her husband, she heard Kamal ask, "So, do you like baseball? Or some other sports?". Ian said, "No, not really, I''m more into James Bond and games". Kamal sighed in response, but then she stopped listening. Rachel had pulled a wizard''s outfit from the cabinet underneath the armour on the wall and started to explain about Erima, the Wise and their small adventures.

 Chapter 40

    After an alarm distracted Rachel from telling yet another grand story of a battle mage called Hesinda and the redhead dashed off with a comment "Hold that thought!". Giselle left the redhead to deal with her cooking and went back to the two men. She had been worried at the beginning. Ian was not good at conversations about sports. Throwing them a few glances later had calmed her down since they had found something to casually chat about.


    When she walked up to them. Ian was just explaining how they had turned bits and pieces in their own apartment into a phone-controlled masterpiece. Remote controlled lighting, heating and electric devices.


    She rolled her eyes, but decided to let Ian have his moment. Most of these enterprises they had undergone together, her contributions just as high as his.


    It was just that she didn''t feel like joining in at all. Instead she strolled back to Rachel. The kitchen felt like a humid, warm, tropical island. The wide open windows didn''t offer relief, so she gasped, "Oh fuck, this is warm! How can you work like this!". The redhead put the pan aside and lifted her apron to reveal.... Giselle gasped again. For a moment she expected the woman to wear only the apron and a tee. Turns out it was a summer dress, short enough to reveal all of the thighs. Giselle blushed and glanced away. Her thoughts revolved around scolding herself for even thinking someone would receive guests in their underwear!


    When a hand touched her arm, she turned her head. "Did you really think I was naked? You''re naughty!", Rachel giggled cutely and wobbled back to her tasks by bouncing playfully over her tiptoes. Giselle just stared at the woman, suddenly getting the feeling their age was further apart than she originally imagined. Her hand scratched her head through her curls, that she tamed into two buns near the back of her head. "Hehe, maybe. Guess sometimes my mind plays tricks on me", she admitted and was about to leave the kitchen when the hostess asked a question, "How long have you two been together?".


    "Wha? Roughly eight years. Why?", Giselle wondered as she answered. "No reason in particular. Just feels a little odd how you two behave, but I guess eight years is a long time....", the woman sighed and took a pile of plates from a drawer. The brunette took them dutifully to the table and asked Ian to tag along for help. Kamal got up and started, "You don''t...". Both guests cut him off and Ian said, "We won''t sit around while you do _all_ the work!".


    In the kitchen, Ian quickly sorted the things he could carry and balanced a tower of pots and bowls outside. Kamal just stared. Then he pointed behind him with a thumb, "Does he wait tables for a living?". Shaking her head, Giselle declined and carried the cutlery to the table.


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    Two minutes later, all relevant food and utensils were delivered and spread out on the large, wooden table. The four participants sat down and Kamal explained the different dishes, "This is roasted chicken with a mango chutney. Over here we have a mixed salad in a sweet mango sauce. Then as side dishes we have croquettes and brown rice. Unless you want something non-alcoholic, this is a slightly bitter, but full red wine from southern France. We hope you''ll enjoy it". Giselle and Ian followed the explanation with big eyes and made multiple Oh and Ah sounds. "Thank you for the invitation. You shouldn''t have cooked though", Giselle smiled and her husband nodded. Rachel waved off, "Nonsense! Enjoy the food!".


    For a while they filled their plates, ate, filled more onto the plates and ate again. Chatter was strictly logistics. When everyone had enough on the plate, a full glass of wine and the initial praises were said, Kamal asked, "How long have you been living here?". Giselle glanced over at Ian who didn''t notice. He chewed his bite and answered, "Couple of years now. We bought the place when the construction finished, just as many others did. How about you? Did you buy the place or rent it?".


    Rachel chimed in with her singsang voice, "We are in rent here. We couldn''t afford this place even if we wanted to, I guess". An uncertain laughter followed as if she had said something she shouldn''t have. Giselle noticed that and quickly picked up the slack, as usual, "I work a clerk-job in a clothing store downtown and Ian has a middle management position across town at a large consultancy. How about you two?". This time Kamal said, "Guess I''ll go first. I am a part-time trainer at a fitness studio. The Bit-Fit downtown, if you know it. I recently got the job. Occasionally I help out in schools or firms with sports things". "Did you study this, or go through apprenticeship?", the brunette said while chewing down a bite of salad. He shook his head, "None of that, I went the military path".


    His partner took over and said, "I work at McDonald''s... and I sell some of my creations online. But none of this pays much". Rachel sounded sad when she put it like that. When Kamal took her hand, she smiled at him. He used this encourage her, "Rachel''s stuff is high quality and she knows about leather working, tailoring and wood working. She''s brilliant! It''s just that no one pays what the items are actually worth". He sighed and pressed his large lips together as he glanced at her. Giselle realized that he was supporting her dream and she felt bad for it.


    She changed the topic into something casual, "You met a lot of the neighbours, haven''t you? So what''s your impression?". The host rumbled a laugh and his partner giggled a response, "Interesting people. Definitely interesting people. You''re friends with your neighbour, right? Annie was her name? She said she lived alone, but there is this beautiful woman, I''ve seen her with. They were holding hands. I don''t want to say anything wrong, but that''s not her sister, is it?".


    Ian grunted a "No" and had an annoyed expression on his face and Giselle felt a grimace flash across her face when her heart ached all of a sudden.

 Chapter 41

    Don''t say anything wrong, Ian! Please, let it go. Giselle uttered the words in her mind as she tried to find a good response, now that Ian had already said something. When her mouth opened, her husband was already starting off, "She likes women, so that wasn''t her sister, it was Celestine". She could feel him struggle against his emotions. He wanted to say more, but neither Rachel, nor Kamal had any business in this.


    To drown any additional questions, the brunette added softly, "We know Celestine from a while back. It''s just been a bumpy ride with the two of them". A smile appeared on her lips, showing her pride of this diplomatic masterpiece. Her husband didn''t recognize it, instead he grunted a, "Bumpy ride, yeah, that''s a good way to put it".


    Rachel glanced at them with a questioning look, but didn''t inquire further. That was for the best, Giselle figured. Then she directed the conversation away, "Rachel, do you have a workshop for all the work you do?". The redhead shook her head and said, "There''s this shared workspace downtown. For a fee they''ll let me us the tools and benches. I usually go there". When the guests stayed silent, she added, "Carrying all the materials and byproducts around is heavy!".


    That made Giselle nod in agreement, "I can imagine!". The conversation kept its casual nature. They chatted about public transport and living with the lack of a car, about wine and where to get good bottles of it. Every time the conversation turned to Ian, his job, hobbies or his past, he answered briefly. That was it. Ever since the question about Cel, his mood became increasingly sour.


    When they walked upstairs after an extended dinner, the brunette told him in a grumpy voice, "You could''ve at least tried a little!". Inside the apartment he asked her, "Why should I? They brought up Cel". His face turned even more sour. Any more and she feared it''d be permanent.


    "They didn''t know about Cel! Do you think they hang out much in the LGBTQ communities? You saw their faces!", his wife complained to him and Ian gave in, "Guess not, no. Just felt fucking weird". "Yes, it did! Didn''t quite know what to say either", she admitted and went into the bathroom to wash off her make-up.


    Her phone beeped and a glance revealed a new message from Rachel. Curiosity made her open the message immediately.


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    Rachel: "Hey. Don''t know quite how to start this. There seemed to be history with Annie, Celestine and you two. If you need someone to talk, I''m here. Also I''m slightly curious :sweat_smile:"


    "As soon as there is drama, everyone wants to be your fucking friend", Giselle mumbled more to herself than anyone else as she shuffled into the bedroom. "What was that?", Ian called from the kitchen. She responded, "Nothing. Rachel is curious about Celestine". Ian''s cursing reached into the bedroom sometimes. He was complaining a lot about nosey neighbors and the past coming back to haunt him. He struggled a lot with the place they were in.


    On the sofa, she offered an ear to listen, but he refused and went to bed. Despite being tired, she didn''t feel like it. Instead her fingers flicked through some of the latest feeds. It got boring after a minute and she scrolled through her text messages. Selecting her mother, Giselle started to compose a message.


    Giselle: "Hey mom. I know I haven''t been in touch. Guess it''s not that easy right now. I''m not sure what to do with that elephant. There are good memories, but what would I do with it now? Why is it that new things are always more exciting than old things, but letting go of the old ones is so hard?"


    Without thinking twice she had hit send and was surprised at herself how sentimental this sounded. Luckily her mom didn''t know about the fight and Annie.


    Scrolling the contact list up and down and back up, she pondered about Rachel''s message, what to respond, or whether to respond in the first place. Ian''s snoring distracted her. Just when she was about to get up and close the door, a text came in from her mother. And so she stayed on the sofa, in darkness and opened the message.


    Mom: "I know you''re trying your best, sweetheart. It''s alright. But aren''t you overthinking what to do with that elephant? Your message makes it sound like you''re going to switch jobs, but don''t know whether to leave Laureen behind? Anyway. When your heart pulls you forward strong enough, you''ll regret clinging to your past and losing the chance you have in front of you. I hope that helps?"


    Giselle stared into the dark room. Shadows from the street lanterns outside cast eerie shadows on the ceiling. The building was quiet, except Ian. She pressed her lips together and glanced at Ian''s side of the bed. When your heart pulls you forward, huh? "Sometimes you have an interesting choice of words, mom", she whispered and a frown appeared on her forehead.

 Chapter 42

    Needing her alone time, Giselle sat on the sofa in darkness for an hour. Tired and distracted, she got a blanket from the bedroom and closed the door. Ian''s snoring was powerful and very annoying. Her phone put a lofi tune on the speaker and she set it to shut off after 60 minutes automatically. Slowly sleep took her.


    The alarm felt like a thousand fingers in a sea of bubbles. All of them popped at the same time. The room was bright and the day had started already. The brunette pushed herself up and the routine started. When she went into the bedroom to get dressed, Ian opened his eyes and sighed, "Are you already avoiding the bed?". Giselle offered him a frown and then a smirk, "Yes! By all means, yes!". "That''s a rude way to start a morning", he complained, but he didn''t like her response either, "You were snoring. Loud enough to be heard on a helicopter landing pad. While the chopper is taking off!".


    Ian climbed out of bed and grimaced at her before heading into the bathroom, "Alright, I get it, sorry". His wife stared after him with her towel wrapped around her waist, trying to decide between the cream and the black bra.


    Breakfast felt like the cold war. They just ate. Ian''s grumpy attitude from their dinner invitation persisted and Giselle didn''t engage him. The prior evening she would have. Now she was tired of it, especially since he woke and passed judgement on her decision to sleep elsewhere.


    On her way to work, she sent a text to Laury.


    Giselle: "Morning! Mind if I take you out tonight? I need to rant, minimum distract myself!"


    The response didn''t arrive and she kept staring at the display in frustration. Her bus stopped on time and she went into Dean''s attire for the gentleman through the side entrance and opened the door timely. Laury arrived 15 minutes late, out of breath and her hair looked like a mess. "Rough night?, Giselle giggled and leaned over the counter to eye her coworker from top to bottom. "Very funny. I''m starting to think I might be better off dating women...", the woman responded and sighed. "That bad, huh? I can tell Annie that you''re available", the brunette grinned, but Laury just held up her hand and showed her the middle finger. Following up on her message, she said, "Sounds like we both need a break. How about we enjoy the evening sun and I''ll hear all about what caused _this_". Her hand gestured a circle toward and around Laury''s face. "Are you asking me out?", the woman''s face lit up and a hint of a smile crept onto her lips. "If you wanna call it that? I asked you via text, earlier", Giselle explained and Laury quickly checked her phone and nodded, "Sounds fair, you''re paying!". The brunette shrugged and then both women went to work.


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    It wasn''t a particularly busy day. Mr Dean arrived later in the afternoon and tasked Giselle with updating the computer in the office. An update had gone stuck and she was forced to call tech support. The hotline kept her in a queue for an hour. She was bored enough to doodle. When everything was sorted and updated, the desk looked like a modern piece of art. Bursting out into laughter when she realized what she had done, she took a picture, put her masterpiece into the trash and helped Laury close up.


    A couple of minutes later, they entered an Irish Pub with an open window front and countless fans spinning the air around the establishment. A window table for two was free, it was theirs now.


    After a waitress chewing irritably on a gum took their order with a smacking noise, Giselle turned to her coworker, "Tell me what''s up?".


    Laury had to yell the words, sometimes even scream. Today was karaoke night. Both had forgotten that. Young and old, bolstered by a glass of Guinness, went up to the stage and gave their best. Well, it was more like the worst to barely mediocre. From Celine Dion to Jon Bon Jovi. It was all there.


    After an hour they gave up and went out. A stroll in the warm summer evening. The sun was about to set. Laury hooked herself with an arm at Giselle and then her heart emptied into a neverending monologue. The brunette got to hear about failed relationships, about a spiteful sister that won''t talk to her, about the latest fight of her parents, about the stolen money and about all of her friends from graduation already living in properties with their own offspring. Giselle wanted to talk about her problems, but when they stopped at the parking garage, she hadn''t said a word for over an hour.


    When Laury stopped walking and turned to face her, the woman met a tight, hearty embrace and Giselle''s soft voice soothed her, "It''s alright, Laury. I''m here for you".


    When she felt her coworker''s nails dig into her back, she knew that tears were rolling down the cheeks. She held the woman close, pulled the face against her neck, listened to a quiet sobbing and waited patiently, not once relaxing the embrace.

 Chapter 43

    With a loud boom the car doors slammed shut in quick succession. Giselle threw a worried glance over at her coworker. The weight of a frustrating and tough life had been briefly placed on her shoulders when Laury cried her heart out publicly near the garage entrance. That sure left her uncomfortable. People stared, threw glances, offered frowns and supportive smiles. Yet there was no way she''d let go. She owed Laury that much. They were friends after all.


    Now the woman next to her looked even messier, the make-up smeared around her eyes. When an image of a vampire groupie entered her thoughts, she had to suppress a giggle. Slowly the old Ford Fiesta purred down the roads into the Blackwater''s suburbs. "I''ll stay with you tonight, if you want, Laury", Giselle told her compassionately. "Really...", the coworker raised both eyebrows. While the road had her attention, her face was riddled with questions.


    "Sure? You did the same, didn''t you?", the brunette said. The response was a chuckle that changed into a soft laugh, "Don''t you want to fix up with Ian and not agitate him even more?".


    Giselle didn''t know how to respond to that. Her gaze followed some parked cars on her side of the road, absent-mindedly trying to focus them as the car drove by and they quickly vanished. "If he can''t handle me taking care of a friend, then it''s his problem", she pouted back in defiance, "Just swing by the apartment and I''ll grab some stuff". Laury looked thoughtful, but kept driving.


    The car pulled up to the apartment building a couple of minutes later. They hadn''t spoken a word. Neither of the two minded the silence.


    Laury parked her blue car along the pedestrian walk and turned off the engine. Both looked at each other and the brunette pushed herself out of the car with her handbag in her clenched fist, "I''ll be right back". She hurried up the stairs, went into the apartment in a rush, closed the door behind her, but found the place quiet and dark. Ian''s shoes weren''t there. The phone, that had been untouched in her bag throughout the evening, had a text.


    Ian: "Something came up. I''ll be really late"


    Anger rose within her and she kicked her heel against the entrance door. Regret overwhelmed her together with a sharp, stinging pain, "Fuck, stupid stupid, why did I do that! Ouch".


    Eventually the pain subsided and she took a backpack from a drawer and filled it with the essentials and a set of spare clothes. Her hand reached for the pajama on her bed. It stopped midway. Her teeth bit down on her lower lip and she took another one from her wardrobe. The silk one that showed off her curves. Her emotions still roared through her, but she couldn''t put a finger on why this made her behave like this.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.The way down the stairwell had her muttering curses and gritting her teeth. Hitting the door hadn''t been a good idea. The heel still hurt.


    Together with the click of the car door opening, the Fiesta''s engine jumped to life. The door slammed back into its lock and the seatbelt was quickly fixed around the passenger. "You don''t have to destroy my car, you know?", Laury complained and pointed at the passenger door, clearly unhappy at the amount of force executed just to close a car door. "Sorry, didn''t think", the brunette justified her actions, but was still too preoccupied to mean the apology.


    She pulled her phone back out and sent a response to her husband.


    Giselle: "I''m staying at Laury''s. See you tomorrow"


    This was the friendliest that she could manage while turmoil resided in her chest. Slow, deep breaths would calm her down, she knew that much. It''d just take a couple of minutes. Yet this didn''t happen since she stared at Ian''s message and read it again and again. Then at the previous message and the one before. Not once in the last years had something come up this frequently, inconsistently and without him bitching about it later. Suddenly doubt creeped into her mind and pushed the turmoil away.


    "Thanks for staying with me tonight", the driver said softly. Giselle closed the messaging app reluctantly with gritted teeth, but composed herself and forced a smile, "Haven''t visited in a while. It''ll be good for the both of us, too!".


    "Last time you visited, we got drunk and", Laury started, but both completed the statement together, "the neighbors called the cops". The memory made both laugh. "Fuck, that was a long time ago", the brunette noted. Her friend smiled as they started to reminisce about that night.


    Their trip down memory lane lasted all the way downtown. The short walk from the parking space to the apartment block they spent laughing. They took turns in reminding each other of events. Every sentence began with "Remember when...". On their way upstairs, both did their best to stay quiet in consideration of the neighbors and the late hour. The giggling echoed through the floors all the way to the top anyway. Laury''s key opened the one and a half room apartment and she asked Giselle inside. Little had changed, but before the brunette was able to identify any changes, her coworker said something she had forcefully erased from memory, "Remember when I opened the door that morning in a loose shirt and panties? Ian came to pick you up, I was still drunk and so were you. It was the only time he ever hit on me. He even suggested a threesome". Giselle fell silent and didn''t join in on the laughter. A weight pulled her into a sea of sadness and submerged her completely.

 Chapter 44

    There was no way to tell how much time had passed until a warm hand clutched hers. Giselle unfroze and turned. Her eyes met Laury''s and she realized her vision was blurred. Tears ran down her cheek. Her coworker''s comment had hit close to home. That particular memory was buried for a reason. Not only because she had a jealous phase around that time, but because Laury didn''t bring up the whole story. It replayed inside her mind just as if it had been yesterday. Laury came into the room with Ian in tow, both women overslept and she wore very revealing panties and nothing else. Her husband glared at her lustfully and her coworker grinned and told her, "He wants us to have a threesome. What do you say?".


    She shot glances at the two, as deadly as any dagger. While Laury reigned in and laughed it off by explaining how it was a joke, Ian''s face told a different story. The pain came from an overreaction, too much alcohol in her system and a joke that she didn''t understand. It tore a wound that would remain to this day. She was too much of a chicken to work through it with her husband or her friend. The memory washed through her. It was the tide reclaiming the dry land. All her emotions and frustrations pushed the ocean through her. Forcefully she shoved the hand away and burst into a yell, "Fuck off, Laury. I still haven''t forgiven you for that!".


    Her coworker''s face went dead serious. Gears turned in her head. Then she slipped out of her shoes and went inside to sit on the small sofa. Her voice was calm and invited the angry woman over, "Let''s talk about it then". Giselle was debating in her head whether she should just leave. Slam the door into her friend''s face and be done with it. Yet she couldn''t do it. How many friends did she have left if she closed the door on this one? Faintly the memory reminded her that it had been her that didn''t seek a resolution, it had been her to overreact and not deal with the aftermath. This time she had to deal with it. "Fine".


    Grumpy and radiating hostility, the brunette let herself fall on the sofa next to Laury, but made sure they didn''t touch. The other woman had a thoughtful, compassionate look when she took a guess, "Was it that Ian saw me quite naked?". "Take another guess", Giselle pouted and mumbled quietly, "Then it was that he came in with me?". "No, Laury! It was that you suggested a threesome to me!", she gestured and raged. "But that was a joke...", Laury said softly. It seemed to dawn on her that in that situation it might''ve been difficult to understand. She sighed at the realization. "I''m sorry, Giselle. You could''ve told me it was still bugging you though", her coworker apologized sincerely and Giselle immediately wrapped her arms around the woman. "I''m sorry, too. Please, don''t be mad", she responded quietly. Tears formed in her eyes again. "These past weeks have been a mess. I really didn''t want to explode like that", she added and forced a weak smile.


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    "Don''t worry, love. We''re fine", Laury said and pulled away to look at the brunette, "Offering you alcohol now is a bad move, is it?". Giselle chuckled and shook her head, "I don''t really care. If you want to get drunk, I''m game". Her coworker squinted and reached for her hand in a similar way that someone takes the hand of a madman. "What!", she complained and blushed. "Just wanted to check what just happened", the woman said. "Just get the damn wine".


    Instead of the wine, both women took a deep breath and took turns through the bathroom to get rid of make-up and change. Giselle emerged in her silk pajamas. "Oh look at you, sexy!", Laury cheered, which made the brunette blush again. Feeling shame and very exposed, she sat on the sofa and covered her breasts. There and then it felt like a bad idea. When frustration and defiance had guided her hand she was convinced that it was a good idea. That conviction had faded. She could still borrow a shirt, but that would be admitting defeat.


    "Here, drink some wine. Don''t look at me like that, love. You''re pretty", her coworker told her and sat cross-legged on the sofa next to her. The glass clinked against Giselle''s and then she took a sip. "Oh, not bad", she praised herself for picking the bottle the other day. The brunette was still trying to figure out what had happened. Was that flirting? Probably not. Since Laury outright ignored her pajamas, after a couple of minutes she got used to it and it didn''t feel like a stupid idea anymore.


    When her glass was half empty, she said softly, "I regret that you are having a tough stretch. Thanks for entrusting me with all of it". Laury went silent and circled the glass between her thumb and index fingers in the same way Annie did. The woman stared at the liquid for a long time. Giselle leaned back and glanced out of the window. The sun was already gone and thick, dark clouds hung in the sky. Tick, tick. Raindrops hit the window there and then. "I try to be positive. Try to find the good things. Take one step at a time. Always move forward, you know? I cling to hope. To a future I don''t even know will come. When my sis sent me that text and that prick emptied my purse, I guess I couldn''t see the brighter future anymore", Laury whispered without looking up, "Guess I am jealous of all those couples that have another. Since I have no one like that. Maybe one day I will. Maybe¡­ one day".

 Chapter 45

    When her hand gently graced across Laury''s thigh, Giselle said, "Tell me about that future". Her coworker blinked and the corners of her lips curled into a weak smile. Then she started. It was a story about attitude, about ideals, about a simple life of a simple woman trying to find a path to happiness. It was about sharing a space, about being cared for, about love and success. It contained a fair amount of failure and struggle, and how she would deal with it.


    At first Giselle expected a romance. An utopian view on a perfect life, similar to how little girls look at a princess and dream of that. When Laury had finished, melancholy and sadness made her gulp down another glass in a single go. But that story hadn''t been a romance. Instead it was the hope of a lonely person to find someone to share her life with. She wasn''t looking for a prince, but a person with flaws and problems.


    The brunette stared at her coworker until way beyond the story was over. "What? Am I too ordinary for you?", Laury asked and snickered. "Not really, I''m just surprised. Guess lately you surprise me a lot", Giselle said and decided to keep her expectation a secret, it wouldn''t be helpful to tell.


    "We''ve been working at Dean''s for five years, but we''ve not known each other for all that time", the other woman said thoughtfully. "You''re right. Looks like that''s changing now", the brunette smiled over and filled both glasses with more wine.


    "Haaah, getting this off my chest felt good", Laury let her head fall back on the backrest and glared up at the dark ceiling, "And now we get more wine and I''ll strip you out of those kinky pajamas". "Uh, no", came the flat response. "You''re no fun! And here I thought we were friends!", Laury kept teasing at her friend that stared back with both eyebrows raised and her arms crossed in front of her chest, "Alright alright, it''s too early for these kind of jokes". Chuckling and visibly light-footed despite the alcohol, the host went into the kitchen to get another bottle of wine.


    When she returned, Giselle held her glass over for a refill. After today''s events, she wouldn''t say no to more alcohol. It won''t drown her sorrows, but it sure as hell pushed them far away for now. "How''s things with Ian? Is it going any better?", Laury wondered when she was done with her waitress job, sat back down and crossed her legs.


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    Giselle put her glass away and rubbed both her hands across her face, "If we start this, it''ll likely take the evening". Her friend sighed back at her, "That bad, huh? Can''t you give me a summary for now and then I decide?". "Sure. He doesn''t talk much to me, is barely home and he''s hiding something", she explained briefly. "Hiding how? How do you know?", Laury wondered. The brunette took out her phone and showed the previous messages he had sent her, "He used to wine at me like a kid when something came up at work once. Now it''s every second day and he doesn''t even look annoyed. That''s how I know".


    "So what could he be hiding? Gambling? Drinking? New friends?", Laury suggested, but Giselle shrugged at that, "Probably not drinking or gambling. I can still see our account balance and it''s rather normal. It could be new friends, but why wouldn''t he tell me? It''s not like I ever complain when he goes to Poker Night and all that?".


    "Maybe he thinks you''d be jealous? It''s what I''d do if I was seeing someone", her friend said slowly, softly and reached for her hand, "Do you think that''s possible, that he met someone that he somehow doesn''t want you to know about?".


    Giselle weighed her head left and right and gave it a serious amount of thought. It didn''t feel right to her. It made no sense. Sam had said he was devastated. When would he meet new people in a state like this? "Somehow it feels unlikely. But how are we going to figure this out when we''re both already borderline drunk!?", she grumbled and ruffled her own hair out of the bun. While taming her curls back into a new bun, she quietly said, "Honestly I''m not sure he''ll come back to me. I''m hoping he will, but the doubt won''t leave while he''s absent and cold".


    Laury had ended the topic with a squeeze of the hand, a compassionate smile and a nod. All of a sudden Giselle wrapped her arms around the woman and pulled her closer, guided the head to rest on her shoulder and started stroking through the died, black hair. Laury took her phone from the table and put a quite romantic jazz mix on the speaker. Then she snuggled up against the warm shoulder and enjoyed the soft, silky fabric brushing over her cheek. Giselle could see all of that, smiled and then defended her breast from Laury''s attempt to touch it. "Stop it, I''m not sleeping with you", she grumbled, but her coworker giggled and admitted defeat, "Fine!".

 Chapter 46

    The bedroom was spacious and in disarray. A rather large wardrobe gaped at her with open doors. In front of that, Giselle waded through Laury''s clothes. Those from yesterday and the day before, all thrown to the ground, fallen off the ledge of the bed. While the bed was huge, enough for almost three Laurys, it had a single cover. Its size was larger than the bed''s length and width. On the walls there were two paintings. The one opposite of the wardrobe, which was located on the left-hand side of the bed and had the door next to it, a canvas reprint of Nighthawks, depicting a diner or cafe located on a corner and it showed a view into the diner. Giselle didn''t remember the painter''s name anymore, but she remembered the person to be quite famous.


    The two windows were at the top end of the bed and opposite of that were at least 30 posters of romantic photographs, naked men and women and some sexual poses. When the brunette looked at it from further away, the details became blurry and a mosaic-like picture emerged. It showed a couple, kissing each other. She had to admit, that was something else.


    As the two women had finished the second bottle of wine, the clock ticked past midnight and both decided to go to bed. The store wouldn''t open in the morning. They had reached the weekend and both were off, yet the alcohol and her annoying day just made her groan and give in to her body''s demand for rest. Laury carried the bottle and glasses over into the kitchen area and lead the way into the bedroom, both women with their torches on her phones lighting up the space. Turning on a ceiling light would just hurt their eyes after spending the entire evening in darkness, holding each other.


    "Wow, that thing looks amazing. Where did you get that?", Giselle exclaimed and held her phone toward the wall of posters after she had climbed across the pile of laundry. Was it laundry yet? She wasn''t entirely sure. "That? I found it online. Setting it up was a Sunday and about two bars of chocolate. Frustrating as fuck!", her friend told her and grinned, "It is pretty, isn''t it?". The brunette smiled and sat down on one side of the bed, untied her hair and stared at it for a while.


    Meanwhile Laury plugged her phone into the socket and climbed under the cover. Curiously she glanced over at her guest, that was partially hidden by shadows. Giselle bit her lip when she found an artistic photograph of a naked, beautiful woman on top of a man, clearly enjoying the act. Slowly the sadness returned and dragged her back into the cold sea. The torch went dark and with it the whole room. She forced herself to smile, slipped under the cover next to her friend and could already feel the warmth spread. It wasn''t her place, nor was it familiar, but she did feel quite safe here. "You done with whatever''s going on again in your head?", the coworker asked and shuffled to rest her head on her palm and glance over. "I think so, why?", she said and turned her head. Then Laury leaned in and they shared a brief kiss. Giselle almost let herself drift, but when she realized and processed what was happening, she pushed her friend back. "I''m _not_ sleeping with you!", she declared and sighed. Yet a smile crept upon her lips and Laury burst out in laughter. "Fuck, you''re so tense. No wonder monogamy works for you!", the woman teased.


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    "What do you mean by that? That I can''t have fun?". "That''s exactly what I''m saying. Maybe though, that''s why I''m single. Is that why I''m single?", the other woman asked with a high pitched voice. "You''re single, because you''re forcing it. Also, are you trying to kiss all your friends?", Giselle wanted to be mad, but somehow she knew it was Laury''s very own, twisted way of being friendly. The teen in that woman never quite grew up it seems. "There it is again! I''m forcing it! What does that even mean!", her coworker fell back into the sheets, hard enough to cause a ripple that made Giselle bounce slightly. Then both stared at the ceiling with their hands under their respective heads. Giselle mused as Laury contemplated life, "It means you''re too old to look slutty. All you''re getting are those that want to fuck you, not those that want to snuggle you". "You mean I shouldn''t wear a cleavage?". "Yeah, that and less make-up", she smiled and had an image float through her head how beautiful her friend would be. "You''ll help me tomorrow. We have time and Ian can wait", Laury chuckled and sighed expectantly.


    "Sure thing. I want to have breakfast before that. Maybe I''ll have you for breakfast", the brunette said and bit her lip. She wasn''t remotely interested in her friend, it just felt like enjoyable banter now. "Hah! Sweets, you''re naughty. I taste good with butter and jam! Good night, Giselle".

 Chapter 47

    Without any shutters, dawn lit up the room before five. Giselle turned around and hid her face behind a pillow. She fell asleep quickly again. Around seven, her routine forced her awake, but she didn''t want to. Her head waved its Hello by providing a stable source of pain. It had been too much alcohol. Again. Not enough to make her throw up, but enough to make her feel miserable. She groaned and turned around. Laury seemed fast asleep. This wasn''t a surprise, she was used to this place, the lighting, the city noises outside when the city woke up every morning. The brunette was envious of her friend at that moment, since she wanted to go back to sleep. Her body just made that awfully difficult.


    After trying for maybe thirty minutes, she gave up and pushed herself up slowly. A stabbing pain shot through her from the back to her forehead. She hated it already.


    While sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes wandered through the room. The impressive wall of posters was just that. Very impressive. For a long time, at least ten minutes she guessed, she sat there and looked at every poster individually. Most had a romantic or erotic setting. The colours had been toned down and adjusted to allow for the mosaic image to emerge. All of it was brilliantly set up. Somehow Ian would''ve never approved of something similar. Maybe it was time to look for something else? Would Annie be more open toward street art?


    Surprised of the thoughts about Annie, she slowly made her way into the other room. The door quietly closed with a little bit of help. From stories at work, Giselle remembered that Laury didn''t have a coffee machine. She made it with a kettle which was easily found and disassembled. Water into the large chamber at the bottom, coffee powder into the filter-like chamber in the center, put it on the stove, turn on the heat and that was that.


    While the kettle worked on its own, the brunette set up breakfast. Laury didn''t own a dining table, instead the kitchen had a small island with bar stools and enough space to eat. She found toast together with the toaster, various toppings in the fridge, a couple of cocktail tomatoes and cucumber. No cereals, no bread, nothing useful apart from what she already put up. Then she fell onto the couch and glanced at her phone to distract herself until the coffee was done.


    Ian: "Hey Giselle. I''m heading over to Gary''s to watch some soccer later. I''ll probably be gone by the time you''re back."


    Her hand gripped the phone tightly. Anger rose in her. It brought a helplessness with it that almost made her throw the phone at the wall. This intensity was very new to her. She disliked herself for being this angry, as it reminded her of school and her teens. She had been floating between quite popular and being bullied by her friends. It was the same anger, as if Ian was challenging her solely with the intent of being mean.


    Stolen story; please report.Frustrated and wrestling down her anger, she opened her chat with Annie. They hadn''t exchanged any messages for a while.


    Giselle: "Hi Annie! How are you? Are things good with Cel? Guess I miss talking to you a little :sweat_smile:"


    When the message moved from the editing area to the chat history, a checkmark appeared that it got delivered and for a while Giselle just stared at it. The kettle whistled and expected to be removed from the heated stove. Giselle provided that service and went back to sit down. Annie was typing something. That woman got up early, even on a Saturday morning it seemed. Soon after, a Ding announced the arrival of a response.


    Annie: "Hi Giselle. Things are good. I haven''t seen Cel in a while. Just yesterday she ditched me again and doesn''t seem to have time today either"


    Annie: "Sorry, didn''t want to complain. Honestly I miss talking to you, too"


    Her finger tapped thoughtfully against her chin once the big smile wore away. "Ah, fuck it", she whispered and composed a response.


    Giselle: "Let''s go out for coffee in the afternoon. My treat"


    This time the response took longer. Maybe Annie wasn''t sure whether to agree or maybe something else was up. After a while, just when she decided to get up and wake Laury, the notification popped up.


    Annie: "I''ll come over around 2 and we can go downtown together"


    Giselle immediately sent a thumbs up and grinned in happy anticipation. When she woke Laury, she was glowing. Laury blinked at her sitting on the edge of the bed, "What happened to you? You don''t have a headache and now you''re glowing like a proton star?". The brunette laughed and it was very easy for her to ignore the headache as long as she didn''t make sudden moves, "Something like that. I''ll tell you over breakfast. I made coffee".


    Irritated and surprised, her friend got up, but groaned when the headache seemed to overwhelm her. "Fuck me. I wanted to say, _Can you please move in with me_, but now I''m not sure I even want to get up", the woman whispered and held her head. After a couple of tries to leave the bed, both women shared a breakfast and coffee.


    "I am going out with Annie in the afternoon", Giselle burst out happily. Her coworker frowned and said, "Really. Is that a good idea?". "Ian texted me earlier that he''ll go to Gary and watch soccer. I miss Annie and he''s not even around to distract me", the pouted over. "Isn''t Annie with Celestine now? Did you think about that?", her friend asked and bit into a toast splattered with strawberry jam. "Yes, I did. Annie sounded quite frustrated that Cel doesn''t have time for her at all anymore", she beamed back and sipped from the coffee. "Wait, Ian texted you earlier? Are we talking about the same Ian?"

 Chapter 48

    "We are? Why do you ask?", Giselle glanced over while chewing on a cucumber. "For one because he always sleeps in and furthermore he''s already leaving? I know the world cup does broadcast in the morning, but seriously", Laury explained visibly agitated, "He''s acting strange. Why doesn''t he stay in bed?". The brunette just shrugged and pondered about what''s been said in silence.


    Her coworker just pushed half of her slice of toast into her mouth at once and started chewing. Giselle burst into laughter and hid her mouth behind her hand when she spoke, "You look like a fucking squirrel". After her friend could muster up a response, she said, "Oh fuck off. You''re going to clean up this mess here. Rightful punishment for comparing me to a squirrel! And then you''ll do my make-up". The voice became playful, but started out disgruntled. The brunette raised her hands in defeat, "Alright alright, I''ll do my sentence".


    While her friend took a shower, she took care of the dishes and had another cup of coffee. Brewing it in a kettle had a different quality to it altogether. By now her pajamas didn''t even bother her anymore. Her nipples showed constantly and bending down to put dishes into the dishwasher pulled some fabric between her butt cheeks, due to her panties that gave her a nice, wide butt. The realization made her grin happily. She had overcome something. It made her proud.


    Applying make-up on another person was a challenge however, she had never had to overcome until now. She was trained in applying it to herself, how it felt, how the light needed to reflect from her skin. On the third try, she finally got some of it right. The foundation was good, the rouge barely visible and the eye-liner almost perfect. A transparent lip gloss and a thin layer of mascara finished up the project. Laury stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. Without saying a word Giselle followed the quiet woman into the bedroom. The mirror there was larger and the daylight more natural. All in all, Giselle did to her friend what she did to herself. Cover up some places, smooth the skin over and highlight the eyes. On her friend however, this simply felt eery. It looked eery. And she wasn''t alone in thinking that. Her coworker raised her eyebrows, frowned, smiled, made a silly face, opened her eyes wide. Finally she turned toward her make-up artist, "Is that what I look like?". "Well, yes, it is!".


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    "I need to get used to that. I think I like it? Do I like it?", the woman glared back into the mirror, disbelief all over her face. "You should like it. It''s you, Laury. That''s what you look like when your skin is smooth and your eyes get a bit of support", Giselle explained proudly. "No harm in trying. I can save half an hour in the bathroom per day. That''s something", Laury said sarcastically and waved her friend over, "Now help me pick something to wear".


    Half an hour later, Laury was dressed and looking at herself in the mirror. It was outfit number eight, maybe even nine. Near the door was a pile of clothes that definitely needed to go. The woman was starting to like her new look. She even considered a new haircut for a brief moment.


    Giselle got herself through the bathroom and emerged fully dressed and ready to go on a date. At home she''d change her pants and shoes to match the colder weather that was pulling in from the east. The forecast scared her and she didn''t want to end up cold if the date extended into the evening. Around 11am, Giselle left Laury''s place after giving her a strong hug and a peck on the cheek. The way to the bus lead her past a Thai Takeaway restaurant and she ordered a box of noodles and vegetables that she chewed down on the bus home.


    Ian wasn''t there. There was no trace of him being there. She found it odd how the bed was still made and the air smelled old. The uncanny feeling was easily brushed off as imagination. By 2pm, her bag was empty, the laundry ready for Sunday, a summer coat and a handbag on the sofa and a pair of expensive leather shoes with a low block heel next to the door.


    Seconds ticked by. Then minutes. At 2:13pm the doorbell rang. It was a slightly hesitant Annie that wore make-up, a long skirt and a long-sleeve shirt. Over her arm she draped a coat and a handbag. The bob haircut was partially gone and got replaced by an undercut from her neck up to the ears. Giselle just stared for a long time. Then her neighbor wondered, "What? You could say Hi at least?". The brunette stammered helplessly, forgetting about greeting the woman altogether, "You look gorgeous!".

 Chapter 49

    The blonde woman blushed and stood there dumbfounded, waiting for something to happen. Giselle just beamed at her. Seconds ticked by and then she started to feel quite silly. Quickly she grabbed her coat and handbag, slipped into her prepared shoes and pulled the door shut behind her. Annie just watched and said nothing. Somehow the woman looked quite perplexed. Surprised even. Giselle reached out and wanted to grab Annie''s hand, but hesitated midway. "Hi! I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I guess I''ve been looking forward to this more than I want to admit", Giselle explained with a blush appearing on her cheeks. The stairwell was quite dark, it was not that apparent, but she felt like the blonde caught on anyway.


    "That''s alright. I guess I''ve been looking forward to it, too", Annie admitted and started walking, "Shall we? We''ll miss the bus!". "Good idea. How have you been?", the brunette asked and tried to keep up with the younger woman that decided to wear flat shoes and therefore had an easier time descending the stairs. As soon as they were outside they walked next to each other toward the bus station. "I''ve been okay? Suppose turbulent is a word I could use. Work has been busy and the thing with us and Celestine didn''t exactly help", Annie said as her voice went from cheerful to annoyed. Giselle shrugged and smiled, "I''m sorry you got caught in my mess. I want to hear about your work later, too. If you want to tell me!".


    Her neighbour glanced over and raised both eyebrows, "How is that your fault? I kissed you first, remember?". A cute wink interrupted her and then she continued, "I''m not apologising though". "Why is that then? I am confused", the brunette inquired and turned to look at Annie as both had arrived at the bus stop and were waiting for the transport to arrive. Her friend chuckled and opened her arms slightly to gesture a light helplessness, "Guess somehow I was hoping we could be an item? I still do and somehow I have a feeling, you do as well. Am I right?". This topic turned from casual into something quite serious. Giselle chewed on her lower lip and avoided eye contact as often as possible. What was wrong with that woman? That cold, calculating side to her made her quite interesting and desirable somehow. Yet it was still cold. Why wouldn''t she apologise? It''s not that the brunette agreed with the conclusion that the kiss was at fault. She had started the wildfire long before that and the kiss just gave it more dry wood to burn even brighter. Annie didn''t know all of this, or so she suspected. The gears in her head turned until she finally put one hand onto her hip while the other held her coat, "Did you sabotage my marriage on purpose?".


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    This question, that almost sounded like an accusation, made Annie glare back. The bus pulled up and both got in and sat near the back next to each other. The blonde got the window seat and stared outside, disgruntled and quite distant all of a sudden. Her response was merely a whisper, "Not sabotage, no. All I did was offer and you followed. I didn''t know back then, but Ian isn''t good for you. I don''t think he wants to fix your relationship". Giselle''s jaw dropped and her eyes teared up. Anger flared and her bottled up frustration bubbled to the surface. At the same time her heart ached. It longed for the moments the two women had shared. The lock burst open and her feelings for Annie rushed through her in the same instant and concentrated inside her chest. It was heavy and she was hurt and cheerful at the same time. Composing herself took her more than a minute. The tears never left her eyes. She felt proud for managing this well. "Ian was good to me for eight years! Why wouldn''t he be now?", her voice broke up as she whispered that. Annie offered a weak smile, "Celestine said that you were struggling a lot and Ian avoids you". The brunette wanted to burst out and yell at her friend. Hearing this hurt her and she didn''t want to listen to it any longer. How the fuck would Celestine know all of this? Until it hit her. "Did Celestine by any chance cancel on you yesterday afternoon and today around six in the morning?", Giselle asked and pulled out her phone to double check. "And was she also not available two days ago in the evening?", she added and continued to list days when Ian told her something had come up. Annie gave her a questioning glance, but pulled out her phone and flicked through various screens. "We didn''t have plans on all of those, but when she did cancel, it had always been on the days you mentioned". Giselle turned off her phone screen and looked up toward the ceiling. A whisper left her lips, "How could I have been this stupid!". A tear ran down her cheek, a second followed and then a third.

 Chapter 50

    A mechanical voice announced: "St. Michael Cemetery" and the bus pulled into the stop abruptly. Giselle got up and quickly walked out. "Hey, where are you...", she heard Annie yell after her. Then she was outside. The entrance to the cemetery was a couple of meters from the bus stop, an old gateway made of old bricks, crumbled and overgrown. The old gate, just like the fence left and right of the gate, consisted of vertical iron bars that had to have been at least two decades old, judging by the rust and damage. Her footsteps went from a light clicking into a crunching noise when she entered the gravel path into the cemetery.


    Through tear-filled eyes Giselle glanced straight ahead and then upward to the clouds. Maybe it''d rain later, the forecast wasn''t sure about that. Wind carried the cloud cover swiftly across the sky, allowing the sun to appear only briefly through the gaps between the clouds. Slowly she walked down the path and felt quite like Alice in Wonderland. The tree up ahead, a very old willow, could''ve easily had Cheshire appear on one of its branches. Tombstones were overgrown, the engravings hardly readable through age and weather. Ivy grew everywhere.


    Tears still rolled down her cheeks, but somehow she was taken aback by this place. It radiated a calmness that completely engulfed her. Then suddenly a hand clutched hers. She jumped in surprise and pulled back. "It''s just me", Annie said quietly and smiled. The brunette didn''t respond. Her vision was blurry and everything felt numb. "Quite the place you found here. I didn''t know there was an old cemetery here. Granted, the bus stop could''ve given that away", her friend said and reached for her hand a second time. Giselle let it happen and got pulled down the gravel path further into the old graveyard.


    A couple of meters later, an old bench stood next to a crossroads. Annie sat down and ignored the creaking. She pulled at her neighbour''s hand and the unspiritual Giselle followed. As soon as she leaned back and glanced up through the canopy, everything unleashed. Crying turned into sobbing and ended in wailing. Her face fell into her hands and Annie pulled her close. "There there. You''ll be fine, sweetie. You''ll be fine", the blonde soothed. Giselle sobbed quietly, "He''s fucking her, Annie. Why doesn''t he tell me?". A hand brushed a curl behind her ear and her friend sought her eyes, "I don''t know, Giselle. It does not matter. Trust me, it doesn''t matter". Then both women embraced and Annie winced when the older woman hugged her tightly.


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    Minutes later, Giselle finally started to get a grip again. The numbness faded away and her heart ached. When she reached for Annie''s hand and intertwined her fingers with hers, she was trembling. One deep breath, another deep breath, and another. Slowly her vision cleared and she took in her surroundings. "You''re right, this place is beautiful!". "Almost tranquil", Annie added and smiled. The brunette also forced herself to smile. Her friend was right. She''d be fine. Focus on the positive things for once. She had gained a friend in Laury since this started, maybe Kamal and Rachel were nice people, too. And there was Annie. Gorgeous Annie. There and then she decided she''d be fine.


    Her free hand wiped her tears away. The smudge on her fingers was quite a clear indicator that her face was a mess. "I look like crap, don''t I?", she said with a slight curl on her lips. Her bench neighbour nodded and laughed, "Like a goth. Wait, I''ll fix that". From the handbag, Annie took a tissue and water bottle. After pouring water on the tissue, she carefully wiped the smudge away. Somehow being cared for like this made Giselle feel safe and secure. "There you go, all beautiful again", the woman announced and packed the bottle into the bag. A huge grin and a squeeze of the hand affirmed the support she''d offer Giselle. She''d be there and that made Giselle''s heart warm up. Part of the heaviness left her and she stood up, "Why don''t we walk downtown? Are you up for that?". Annie beamed at her and nodded, "Do you want to stay quiet for a while?". The brunette shook her head and started walking, "Tell me about your hectic work". The blonde laughed and said, "Fair enough". They left the cemetery, holding hands. Before it was out of sight, Giselle turned and glanced back at the old gate. A strange sensation came over her, as if part of her was still back there, on that bench under the canopy of that old oak tree.

 Chapter 51

    The road curved toward Blackwater''s centre. The pedestrian walk sometimes extended into a bicycle track that split into a section of the road and came back a couple of meters later. Traffic was low. That applied as much to cars as it did to cyclists and pedestrians. Left of and right of the streets rose multi-story apartment buildings. The ground floor sometimes rented out to a cafe, a barber shop or a bakery, it became apparent quickly that this wasn''t a wealthy area of the town. The small streets between the houses lead down into parking garages located underneath the buildings or were side streets leading to more houses.


    Giselle had all but forgotten about her breakdown earlier. She was holding a woman''s hand and walked slowly next to her down the road. The conversation had changed from Annie''s work life, that mostly consisted of regular company problems detailing friction between various people in middle management and herself, to that TV show, that Giselle had started when Ian was away. Annie was about a season further into the show and they chatted about potentials and their interest, or rather disinterest, in the main character.


    "I mean how could he just look so neutral when his son rode out into the night to hunt down a pack of coyotes?", Annie said and shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe the actor didn''t get it?", Giselle said and looked thoughtful. Her friend glanced over and raised an eyebrow, "The actor didn''t get it? He gets paid a fortune! To play a role in a romantic story!". The brunette was already certain that her emotional involvement in the show was not nearly as deep or complex as that of her neighbour. And so she shrugged and agreed. This lead to Annie rant more about it. After that she ranted some more. Finally she was done and looked a bit uncertain of what had just happened. "I got a bit too invested, didn''t I?", the woman smiled shyly and let go of Giselle''s hand to scratch her head. Giselle just laughed and grinned back at her friend, "It''s fine. Don''t worry about it!". Her hand reached for Annie''s, who clutched it and intertwined her fingers again. They kept walking in silence for a while, throwing glances at the buildings around them. The crossing up ahead would lead them into the centre. No cars were allowed there.


    Out of the blue, Annie''s face took a very serious expression and she said firmly, "I really didn''t want to disrupt and end your marriage. You have to believe me". Giselle took a deep breath and sighed. Looking up at the sky seemed to help with tough conversations. The cloud cover had thinned out, exposing the cerulean sky behind them. Both, the wind moving the clouds and the breeze in Blackwater had lessened and instead the sun sent its warm summer rays down into the streets. "Does it matter now? It''s ending and I couldn''t save it", she whispered and her tone went melancholic, "Maybe I didn''t want it enough". The last bit was a mere breath, too low for her friend to hear.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation."Guess it doesn''t matter too much now. Maybe it does. My intentions change something, don''t they?", Annie mused quietly. The brunette''s lips curled in a smile and then said, "You''re holding my hand. What are your intentions now?". The blonde was just trying to calm her conscience, Giselle knew as much. She wanted approval or affirmation, maybe even forgiveness. To her, it was over and done. She had left that in the cemetery, that chain of events that left her hurt and even a little betrayed. In a way, she stopped having a plan now. For once it''d be nice to let the current of events pull her along and she''d see where it''d lead her.


    The blonde didn''t say anything. Giselle shook her head and thought of the bold Annie that kissed her that day, out of the blue. When it came to words, her friend was shy and reserved. Maybe even incapable of finding the right words to get her thoughts across. She bumped her hip over and nudged the blonde slightly to snap out of her thoughts. Startled, her neighbour glanced over, "What! I''m thinking!". "I don''t believe you. You already know what you want to say".


    An older woman pulling her shopping bag behind her looked at the two women suspiciously. The shopping bag was similar to a suitcase and had two wheels that made about the same noise as a skateboard. Giselle lead her friend around the pedestrian and offered a weak smile, but the woman just mumbled, "Women nowadays. What''s the world come to, holding hands in public!". Annie wanted to turn and yell something, but the brunette held her back and squeezed the hand tightly. "Let it go. It''s not worth it".


    Annie''s expression changed into one of frustration. She grunted, "Homophobic asshole", but seemed to regret speaking her thoughts immediately. "You realise that woman was at least eighty, right?", Giselle laughed, but Annie''s ice-cold stare made her fall silent. "I don''t care! You see, this is what I have dealt with since I was a teen. Imagine us becoming a couple. Everyone above sixty mutters something, stares at us holding hands, stares at us kissing. Every guy stares at us, thinking we''d do a threesome with him and how sweet that would be. Most parents despise me, because they blame me for their daughter''s homosexual tendencies. This is my life! That woman just showed you how I am treated every single day! And if you are with me, and mind you we''re not even official, this is how you''ll be treated every single day for as long as we''re together! Can you really just take that with a laugh?".

 Chapter 52

    Annie''s face turned sour and she stopped to turn and throw a glance after the elder. Giselle copied her. All of a sudden her heart went heavy. A scene flashed back into her thoughts, Ian and her went out for dinner. They found a place downtown in front of a small Italian restaurant that had quite a commotion inside. Ian and her had been on a road trip up north and they stayed overnight in a smaller city built around an early Gothic cathedral. On that particular night, a group of maybe 30 people, most of them men, had reserved the interior of that place. In the centre of the commotion was a gay couple, surrounded by a cheering and celebrating crowd. As far as they could make out, it was their wedding evening or maybe stag night, it wasn''t quite clear. Eventually they spotted a man wearing a black dress holding the hand of another man in a pink, expensive looking suit. Both Ian and her started to slag the odd couple off. While it got old quickly, Giselle remembered it to be quite mean. That she couldn''t even remember why they started doing it, made her feel even worse now.


    "I''m not laughing anymore, Annie. I promise, I won''t", she finally said sincerely. As her hand tugged her friend to continue walking, she sighed and let her head sink down to glance at the concrete beneath their feet. The blonde eventually squeezed her hand and wondered, "What''s gotten into you? You don''t seem like yourself". The question made her grit her teeth and scowl even more. They crossed the street together and walked through a line of huge concrete blocks that outlined the pedestrian only zone in the centre of Blackwater. "I''ve done that to other people. Slagging others off, I mean. I didn''t even consider how they felt", she admitted softly. Annie raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "I wonder why I have to tell you these things, but we all make mistakes. As long as you learn from them, they are nothing more". "Thanks for not yelling at me", the brunette tried to smile, but that didn''t work and judging from her neighbour''s response, her facial expression must''ve turned into a scary grimace.


    Compared to their first meetings, when their conversations chased one topic after the next, this walk had been quiet and reflective. Giselle felt her hand being held tightly and a flood of memories returned to her. All those feelings that she suppressed into a corner of her mind when she tried to get Ian back. After leaving this part behind earlier, the permission to resurface had been given. The excitement of meeting someone. The spark of romance. The calm of sinking into a snug embrace. Suddenly she stopped her friend and turned to look into her blue eyes. "What!", Annie smiled up at her, still being slightly shorter, even more so with Giselle wearing heels. Instead of responding, Giselle kissed the woman in the middle of the street. People passed by them, left and right. Their conversations were a blur, the world around them sunk into a mist that swallowed everything except them.


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    "I''ve missed you, Annie", the brunette whispered after they pulled their lips apart. Those blue, crystal eyes stared into hers and the woman put on the brightest smile she had ever seen on her. It forced her own lips to curl and mimic the smile. Annie''s hand reached around her neck and pulled her down, pressing their lips together a second time. The ferocity of their lips could rain death upon a battlefield. The softness of their touch could calm a storm. The flame of passion in her heart pushed the air out of her lungs. She had never felt anything like it. It was breathtaking and gave her goosebumps.


    An eternity passed until the noise of the street returned to her. She smiled at her neighbour sheepishly, but found no words. Quiet, still, yet with trembling hands, they stared at each other again. Annie found back into reality first, offering a shy laugh. She pulled Giselle along the street and happily looked up at the clouds. "You know, you better be serious about this. This kiss¡­ it doesn''t end well if you aren''t serious", the blonde said playfully and squeezed her hand tightly. She radiated a newfound happiness. The brunette was still recovering, but offered the best answer she could muster, "I am serious about you". "Good! Otherwise I''ll make you pay for dragging me onto this roller coaster". Giselle''s head jerked in surprise, "I dragged you onto a roller coaster? Don''t put all the blame on me!". Her friend whistled and her eyes rolled, "Giselle, you need to be a little less serious. It was an expression!". The cogs in her head turned and she realised that the humour of her neighbour sometimes was so weird, she had no idea how to deal with it. She brushed it off and changed the topic, "Where should we go? Do you want coffee?". Annie nodded and grinned mischievously, "Let''s go have coffee in the Pink Apple". "I''ve never heard of that, Annie". "I am not surprised! It''s where all gay and trans folks hang out these days!", the blonde smirked and watched in amusement how Giselle''s facial expression changed from uncertain to scared to agreeable.

 Chapter 53

    All fear was unfounded. The Pink Apple was a fairly common, modern restaurant that served desserts and coffee during the day and cocktails in the evening. The interior was black, white and neon pink. Instead of pictures on the wall, it had pink on white abstract airbrush art. The furniture was all black and white and looked like an expensive IKEA variant. All waiters and waitresses Giselle could make out had a unisex pink skirt and black, tight top. "What''s with the name? There''s a Green Apple near the cinema already!", she had commented as they stood under the pink neon sign showing an apple drinking from a cocktail with a straw. Annie had given her a sideways glance and had shrugged.


    After a couple of hours Giselle was used to the crowd. Apart from the eccentric clothes and makeup, it was just a regular restaurant with an unusual amount of same-sex pairings. At 9pm, they left the establishment. Both were tipsy. They laughed and enjoyed themselves. The brunette didn''t have this much fun in a long time. "Thanks for taking me there", Giselle grinned and smiled over at her friend. They held hands again and Annie moved closer to grab the arm she was holding onto. "I''m glad you had fun, Giselle". "I did! I have a question. Did you ever dress up like some of these folks?". Annie chuckled and shrugged, "When I was younger I wore a couple of pins and earrings that stated my preferences. Of course I dressed daring and scabrous". "Really? Can I see pictures?". "No", her friend said flatly. Then both laughed again and walked down a square to the bus stop.


    Suddenly a deep voice called out, "Hey Giselle! Wait up!". The two women turned and found a waving Kamal a couple of meters behind them. To his side a cutely dressed Rachel smiled brightly. In no time they caught up to Annie and Giselle. "Hey you two, are you going out?", the brunette asked their neighbours. "Yes, we are. Actually we''re heading home. Kamal has to work tomorrow", the redhead explained and adjusted her enormous, round glasses. "You''re a cute couple", Annie said and added, "I''m Annie. Don''t know if you remember me. You offered me a cookie a couple of weeks ago". "Of course we do, it''s nice to meet you again!", Kamal thundered and pointed to the bus stop, "If you''re heading home, why don''t we wait for the bus?". Giselle nodded and they walked over to the bus sign. Rachel leaned in all of a sudden and whispered to Giselle, "So that''s why you didn''t get back to me, isn''t it?". The brunette followed her neighbour''s glance and realised that Annie and her were holding hands. In an effort she resisted to let go. She wouldn''t. Not this time. "It''s complicated", she admitted shyly. "What''s complicated?", the blonde joined their conversation curiously, apparently having the ears of an owl. "Well, we were invited for dinner and afterwards Rachel asked me in a text about my history with you and Cel. I guess I didn''t exactly get back to respond", she scratched her head and squeezed her friend''s hand. "Right", Annie sighed and looked a bit disgruntled. "Oh, I''m so sorry. I really didn''t mean to...", Rachel fell silent and glanced at the two women in turn. When Annie leaned up to her friend and kissed her on the lips and Giselle responded by wrapping an arm around the younger woman, Kamal grinned and Rachel bumped her elbow into his side. The unhappy face that the tall man made in response made all of them laugh. That broke the tension again. None brought up the elephant in the room anymore, which was Ian and Cel, or the lack thereof in this setting.


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    Since Annie had never talked much to the couple in the first place, Giselle poked the two about interesting bits and pieces that they explained in detail to the blonde. She got to hear about Rachel''s side projects, about Kamal''s work, about the bedroom and finally about how they met. They added enough new tidbits that none of the listeners got bored. On their walk into the apartment complex, Annie introduced her own job routine and explained that she owned the apartment, just like Giselle did. Kamal was very interested in her job and kept asking question after question. Rachel eventually pulled him away and they bid the two women goodnight. Annie and Giselle stood in front of the door leading into the stairwell. Giselle looked up along the building wall into the summer night sky. The stars twinkled through the thin cloud cover. She didn''t feel like going home. A small part inside of her felt guilty, but she just didn''t want to deal with Ian. The phone had stayed inside her handbag ever since she had left home at 2pm. She had no clue whether he was home. Worst of all was, she didn''t even care whether he was. "What''s wrong?", Annie asked her after a while. "I don''t want to go home". "Then don''t. My bed is big enough and you can stay at my place until Ian meets Cel tomorrow", the woman suggested in a calm, cold voice. It sounded calculating and reminded her of spies before they shot the bad guy. "How do you know he''ll see Cel tomorrow?", Giselle wondered curiously. "Because Cel cancelled for tomorrow again". That made Giselle sigh and grit her teeth. It was harder to deal with it than she imagined. "Do you want to fuck?", the blonde asked her all of a sudden. Her head tilted in confusion, "What? Now?".

 Chapter 54

    The two women walked up the stairwell in silence. Giselle felt the urge to walk up to her own door and unlock it. She was curious. Was Ian really there? Annie unlocked her apartment while her neighbour hesitated. "You coming?", the blonde smiled and turned on the light in the entrance area. The smell of incense pushed into Giselle''s nostrils. Memories flashed before her eyes. She almost squirmed. Almost.


    Overcoming her fear and doubt, she followed her neighbour into the apartment. Whether it was a good idea remained to be seen, but Annie did have a point about Ian. The thoughts left her hurt and even if she managed to set her mind to the future, the bitter taste in her mouth remained. A confrontation was inevitable, too. Maybe today was a bad day to have that fight. Giselle exhaled when she pushed the door into its lock behind her. Her friend was already in the bathroom, probably relieving herself or removing the makeup. Dim lights were turned on in the living room. She remembered them from last time. Nothing had changed in the apartment.


    Shoes and coat were left in the entrance area. The brunette fell onto the small sofa and sighed. Her head tilted and her vision turned to the ceiling. Then she closed her eyes and tried to make up her mind. "Why is this so fucking hard!", she whined in a whisper. Her body relaxed after a minute, her breathing went shallow, her pulse went down and the adrenaline subsided.


    Showing no reaction to anything until Annie sat down next to her, her eyes finally opened and turned to look at the blonde woman. A smile crept onto her lips. Their lips met and both got swallowed by a kiss. "You okay?", the other woman asked her gently and brushed a lonely curl out of her face. "No, I don''t think I am", Giselle responded softly. This time the smile seemed fake. It felt fake. Annie knew it was fake, too. "I''ll grab some snacks, a cold coke and then we''ll check your messages. How does that sound?". Reluctantly the brunette nodded. She had pushed her phone out of her mind completely, but she did need to check it. Tell Ian that she wouldn''t be home.


    Annie fed her a chunk of chocolate and kissed her afterwards. Both were settled on the sofa, next to each other and stared at the screen when a press of a button turned it on. Two messages and one call. Her mother had called earlier, probably when they were at The Pink Apple. She''d call back tomorrow. One message was from Ian.


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    Ian: "Hey. Where are you? Didn''t think you''d be out. I''m back from Gary''s and went shopping, too. Text when you''ll be home"


    The text message had been sent at 4:35pm. The other message was from Laury.


    Laureen: "Imagine! I got complimented today! Everyone at dinner told me that they liked my new look. That never happened before! OMG, I love it! :heart:"


    Laury''s message lit up her face and she immediately typed a text.


    Giselle: "I am so happy for you! I told you it suits you!"


    "Laureen''s your coworker right? Did she change her style?", Annie wondered curiously. Giselle nodded and explained, "Laury''s style has been a little bit trashy and I finally got her to tune it down a bit. I''m happy that she likes it". Both women giggled and when the message history from Ian opened up at the press of her finger, both sighed. Slowly, she composed a response.


    Giselle: "I''ll be home tomorrow. Noon maybe. Thanks for grocery shopping."


    Before her finger hit the send button, she turned to get Annie''s approval. "Don''t you think he''ll ask where you were?", the blonde inquired and she nodded again. "And what will you say then?". "I''ll tell him that I was with you and didn''t feel like coming home", she said decisively, but her face betrayed her uncertainty. Annie looked worried, "Then you''ll be fighting...". "Yes, then we''ll be fighting. And he can go fuck off and be with Cel. I''ll need to fight this battle no matter how long I wait. Might as well do it for the right reasons".


    Giselle chewed on her lower lip and hit send. She was worried. Her friend was worried, too. "Your offer still up?", she grinned over, distracting herself successfully. "Offer about what?", Annie was confused and glanced at the snacks and coke. "You wanted to fuck, remember?". "Oh. Ooooooh".


    The blonde climbed on Giselle''s lap and kissed her gently. The beep of the phone was easily ignored as their kisses intensified. Fingers tugged at fabric, graced gently across soft skin, gasps and sighs fired the flames of desire. A couple of minutes after the first kiss, a naked Annie pulled Giselle into the bedroom. Her surprised expression got soon replaced by a gasp of pleasure when the brunette knelt down in front of the bed and ran the tip of her tongue along the inner thighs. Soon her neighbour was moaning loudly under her kisses and the pushes of her fingers in just the right spots. She had missed this excitement and she enjoyed every moment of it now. Once waves of pleasure rushed through her, she had forgotten all her worries. Her phone started ringing. Between her own panting and the noises Annie now made between her legs, Ian''s ring tone didn''t get noticed. Not the first call. Not the second call. Also not the third call. Then the phone stayed quiet.

 Chapter 55

    When morning had passed and early noon was approaching, Giselle rolled to her side and wrapped her arm around Annie. She snuggled up to her lover and napped a few more minutes. Up to her waist, she was covered by a thin blanket. Both women were starkers. The brunette could smell her lover''s scent all over the bed. Memories made her grin sheepishly when she went through the events of last night. Around 2am they took a shower together, but ended up playing with each other until 4:30. During that time Annie had taken out her box of toys. The frustration that came with their bodies'' unwillingness to climax had mounted and so they had tried a couple of pleasantly buzzing toys. Across her years, she had never had much use for any consumerist helper to get her off. Admittedly it was fun to use them together with someone. And they had offered release after a long, unsatisfactory buildup.


    Just when she sat up and wanted to visit the restroom, Annie turned and reached for her hand, "You''re not gonna leave again, are you?". The woman was still sleepy and her voice sounded tired. "I''m not. I''ll look for breakfast though". "Fine. I''ll get up", the blonde complained playfully, but pushed herself out of bed. After Giselle walked into the kitchen, her neighbour hadn''t bothered to put anything on. "Are we having breakfast like this?", she wondered and scratched her head, feeling slightly exposed. "What! Are you going all shy on me now? I''ve had my face between your legs all night. Don''t you think I don''t know every nook and cranny by now?". This comment made Giselle blush. She sighed, "Yeah...". Her lover walked up and placed a kiss on her lips, "Just deal with it. My house, my rules".


    They had rice and fried tofu, green beans with garlic and shared a bowl of cherries. Warm breakfast wasn''t something Ian and her usually had, but Annie''s house, Annie''s rules. "What are you going to do with Ian now?", the blonde casually addressed the elephant in the room and smiled. This disgruntled the brunette and she realised how little she had thought about this. There was no plan. She had to confront him and, as tough as that might sound, break up with him. "Guess I''ll break up with him. He can be with Celestine officially", she sighed and felt her heart go heavy. "And what will you do then? Do you want to keep the apartment?". "I have no idea. I liked being with you yesterday. And last night", she smiled sheepishly again. Annie raised an eyebrow, opened her mouth to say something, but decided not to. Giselle didn''t ask. Part of her was curious, but whatever it was, it might be related to her comment. A new commitment was a bad idea, even if she wanted and desired Annie. "After breakfast I''ll head over and if he''s still there I''ll deal with it. Otherwise I''ll try to figure out where I want to go?", she finally said and finished her plate. "I know this is going to be tough. I''m here when you need me, but I''ll also give you the space, okay?", the blonde said and finished up as well.


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    They put everything into the dishwasher and then Giselle glared at her underwear. Stains all over. She pursed her lips and got dressed anyway. The attempt to tame her curls into a bun, ponytail or anything more ordered than pure chaos failed. Miserably. She just left it as is and kissed her neighbour goodbye who was about to get into the shower. This time it felt different to leave Annie''s apartment. Smiling brightly, she pushed away the gloomy thoughts of what awaited her. The key turned and opened the apartment door with a click. She walked inside and put her shoes down.


    In the living room, the TV ran a sitcom. Whenever someone said something supposedly funny, there was a small pause and the audience laughed. She didn''t recognise the show and frankly didn''t care. Ian was still here. He was cooking something in the kitchen. She stopped in the door frame, "Hey Ian". "So you turned up after all, huh", he said without any emotion attached. He didn''t even give her a sideways glance. "Yeah", was all she answered. Just when she was about to turn and get a fresh set of clothes, he looked at her. "You look like you slept on the street", he commented. It didn''t sound kind or worried, more like a statement. "I didn''t sleep on the street. I crashed at Annie''s place, because I didn''t want to see you", she kicked off what would become her final battle in this marriage. "I''m heading out soon, then you can _not see me_ again". "Tell Celestine my best regards when you see her", she casually threw at him. His voice turned soft for a moment and didn''t fit well with his words, "Why would I see her?". "Because that''s what you''ve been doing for a while now. Don''t lie to me, Ian. We can just deal with this like grownups!".


    Ian gritted his teeth and his expression turned sour, "You started this by driving me out of this place when you fucked that blonde bitch!". Giselle leaned against the door frame and held his gaze. "I don''t care who started it, Ian. After The Mariner I tried to mend things. And now we''re here". "Mend things. Mend things. There was nothing to mend anymore!". "Why didn''t you just break up there and then?". This left the man dumbfounded and his mouth opened and closed, uttering no word. Finally the brunette sighed at her husband, "There''s this Chinese saying that you''d do well to take to heart. _In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In daily life, be competent_". Ian burst out into laughter, "Have you become a sage now". Without another word, Giselle collected a set of clothes, vanished in the bathroom to do her routine and left the apartment, fully dressed, to go for a walk across the fields.

 Chapter 56

    The sun stood high in the clear, cerulean sky. From across the street, Giselle glanced back at the apartment building and sighed. She remembered how her life with Ian had started back eight years ago. It was sweet, romantic and certainly gave her what she needed to find back in the day. Stability and companionship. While her take on love had never been as rigid as other people believed, Ian had been very inflexible and almost bullheaded about it. Across the years she''d seem him fail to comprehend anything that remotely deviated from the purely monogamous norm. The decision to return back to Celestine and by all means replace the woman in his life seemed to be a direct result of his inflexibility. It almost felt stupid and incomprehensible to her. Her love for him never waned, even when she found new excitement with Annie.


    When she turned to walk away, she pressed her lips together and suppressed tears. Today had marked a turning point and her future became a flux state. Change was always tough to deal with, more so when facing it alone. She wasn''t all alone, but the part of her marriage ending was something she''d need to face alone.


    Under birch trees, she found an old bench. Recently, when she had walked this path with Annie, they had passed this bench as well, but didn''t linger. The light breeze rustled through the leaves above her and the chatter of birds moved rapidly through the branches as they chased each other through the tree tops.


    After spending some time to calm her emotions, Giselle took her phone from the pocket and glanced at the screen. There were three calls from Ian from yesterday evening. Annie had completely enveloped her and she hadn''t checked the phone. It didn''t cross her mind to check it until now. What had Ian wanted? She had told him that she wasn''t coming home. Then again, what did it matter now.


    Her finger flicked through the open chats, the most recent ones were up top. There was Laury, Ian, Annie and her mom. Last time she had chatted with her mother, she had thrown a very ambiguous question into the chat that seemed to be about the wooden elephant. Somehow her mother had sensed that and given her a very generic life advice. _You''ll regret clinging to your past_ was what she had written. Reading that message again made her heart heavy. Had she thrown away something she had been building for pure luck? No, it wasn''t that easy. It never was. Ian''s attempt to meet Celestine at The Mariner hadn''t been a coincidence.


    Her finger flipped down the list of contacts and pressed on the small icon next to her mother''s entry. Her phone pressed against her ear and she could hear the tooting. "Hello?", a calm, soft voice asked through the line. "Hey mom, it''s been a while!". "Yes, it has been, Giselle. I admit your last message left me a little worried, but I know that you can take of yourself". A weak smile crept onto Giselle''s lips when she glance up into the canopy of leaves. She fought tears, successfully, but her voice struggled to sound composed, "I''m okay, but things are tough right now". After a brief silence, her mother spoke up, "If you need someone to listen to something, I''m here. You know that, right?". "I know, mom. I guess I don''t even know where to start. It''s not like I messed up or anything. Guess life just took me on a roller coaster ride?", she started her story and pondered about how much she even wanted to involve her mother at all. Her life had always been that, her own. She''d always done whatever she pleased no matter how frustrated her mother had been. And then, after taking another very deep breath, she explained briefly how she met Annie, had gotten closer to Laury, summed up meeting Celestine at The Mariner and finally her failed attempt to mend her marriage.


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    "And that''s about where I am at now. I know that a grown-up maybe should''ve turned on their brain before setting out on a risky adventure, but sometimes that''s rather hard to do. Honestly I''m not even sure anymore whether this is about Annie and me. It doesn''t matter, either. At least I don''t have to deal with my mother-in-law anymore", Giselle ended her monologue and chuckled. Surprising to herself, retelling the story didn''t affect her emotionally as much as she had feared.


    "That explains your weird message about the elephant, I guess", her mother said, trying to be funny in a situation that certainly wasn''t. "Back then I was still trying to sort out what I wanted to do about Annie". "Do you think you''ll be happy with a woman? I mean, when I was young, things like these weren''t exactly possible". "I don''t know, mom! Ian and me were never the perfect fit, but we made due. I have no idea about Annie. Thanks for not yelling at me", the brunette said softly and got up to walk the gravel path toward the fields. "Why would I yell at you?", her mother''s voice changed. It became a little frantic. "Remember why we didn''t see eye to eye when I was younger? You didn''t want me to make my own decisions!". She could hear someone breathe heavily. "I''m sorry about that, Giselle. It was never my intention. I just...", the voice trailed off and picked up the conversation on a different note, "I hope it''ll turn out okay, Giselle. I really do. Just don''t let Ian rip you off on the argument that he earned more money than you did!". This comment distracted her enough to fall silent. Annie had brought that up as well, what did she want to do with the apartment? The car? Their shared possessions? Could she afford an apartment? And pay out Ian if it came to that? "Daughter, are you still there?"

 Chapter 57

    The return into the apartment had a surprise in store for Giselle. Annie had suggested that Ian and Celestine would meet up. Ian was still there. And while the conversation with her mother had left her pondering about the future and life in general, her thoughts trailed off here and there until she saw her husband sit on the sofa, a glass of lemonade on the table and his phone in his hand. He looked up and stared at her.


    Uncertain where this was going, the brunette slipped out of her shoes and waited for a moment to figure out what all of this was about. "Why don''t we have a talk?", Ian suggested heavily. She could see that this was not how he wanted it to go, yet he pushed himself to do it anyway. "Alright?", she said and let herself sink into the sofa across the 90 degree angle. "I can''t see a future for us anymore, Giselle. I want us to split up", he said coldly. Her eyes darted across his expression, trying to read him. Find the reason for his direct approach. "You mean divorce me". "I guess that is what it means, yes". She took a deep breath to steady herself. Adrenaline rushed through her. Realising her emotions, she found no fury, no sadness, no despair inside of her. Instead the adrenaline seemed to originate in her fear of losing her place to live, her wardrobe, her possessions and achievements. Her mother''s image flashed through her mind.


    "I want to stay here. But I don''t need the car or most of the savings", she offered as a bargain. His eyebrows went up in surprise, "You aren''t even going to argue? Instead you''re haggling for possessions?". "Well, yes? I tried my best and now I''m moving on, just like you", she shot back, gesturing with her hands. Her husband shrugged and rubbed his fingertips across his face and eyes. It ended with a long sigh. "You won''t be able to sustain the apartment with your income. However I wouldn''t want to live next to that blonde bitch", he mumbled and watched her shrug. "Let that be my worry. If you leave me the apartment and the smaller part of the savings, the divorce will probably go through seamlessly". "What makes you say that?". "Remember that what we earned during the marriage is split in half?". He grimaced and looked disgruntled, "Glad we don''t have kids". Giselle chuckled.


    Ian pushed himself up and put his glass into the dishwasher. When he returned, he said, "Let''s not make a mess of things by inviting Annie or Cel here. I''ll get out of your hair, find a lawyer for the official documents and when I have found a place to live, I''ll move out". "Yeah...", Giselle agreed reluctantly and uneasily watched him pack a suitcase. Again. This time she didn''t ask where he was going. Somehow it wasn''t her business anymore. They had officially separated and it hadn''t hit her yet. No tears pushed into her eyes, no overwhelming sadness overcame her. The brunette pursed her lips and swallowed heavily when Ian got dressed. "I''ll be seeing you. Take care", she managed quietly and he looked up at her. For a long time they stared at each other. She was sure his thoughts drifted, just like hers. Memories of the good days. The laughs they had shared, the time together, milestones in their lives. His perception of the good moments most likely differed from hers. The photo wall had been mostly her doing, it resembled her significant list of memories.


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    "Go", she whispered in a last effort. And he went. Left through the door into the stairwell. Now the tears overcame her. Sobbing turned into wailing and she curled up on the sofa and cried her heart out. Whether Ian had left and walked down the stairs, she didn''t know. Her wailing filled the empty, lonely space and drowned everything else.


    As soon as the initial sadness subsided, her heart felt like it would tear into a million fragments. The final remaining piece of splitting up, of ending her marriage. Heartbreak. Nothing was more painful than feeling your heart break.


    When the moon peered into the apartment through the window, Giselle peered back at it. Her hand held a glass of whisky from Ian''s hidden stash. It numbed the pain. The last ritual before it was all over and she could go on with her life. Most of the afternoon she''d spent on the sofa, crying and sobbing. After her top was wet, she''d undressed and snuggled into a blanket in just her panties and bra. When darkness came and the pain didn''t lessen, alcohol seemed like a medicine that would at least do something.


    Her phone beeped. It was a message from Annie. And not the first one either. Giselle took the phone and emptied the glass in a single gulp. When she tried to get up, she fell off the sofa onto the cold floor, but she barely noticed. Everything was spinning and colourful. An explosion of a fairy tale wonderland made her grin. With her left hand, she searched for the phone again. Once found, on all fours, she made her way to the entrance. Doorknobs were sturdy and quite useful. The drunk brunette pulled her weight up with a groan. To her, the sense of balance and perception of the world around her was slow, but sort of okay. Her other hand grabbed the key and then she walked outside into the stairwell. Her body was leaning against the cold wall, something she didn''t even notice. A doorbell faintly rung in the distance and a sleepy figure suddenly appeared in the door in front of her. "Giselle, you''re all naked, what are you doing? Why didn''t you respond to my texts?", Annie said and tried to figure out what had happened. Giselle did her best to say, "Ian left for good". She had no idea whether her friend understood.


    With the combined strength of a sober and a drunk woman, Giselle made it into Annie''s bed. As soon as she arrived, the pain surfaced and overtook her yet a second time. Except that it felt bearable when a soft hand stroked through her untamed curls and the familiar smell of her lover surrounded her.

 Chapter 58

    Dawn woke her to a universe of pain. A different kind of pain. Headache instead of heartache. Giselle rolled over to one side in response and groaned. Annie curled up around her and soothed her back into a shallow slumber. A moment later a dense forest surrounded her. It didn''t look or smell familiar. The brunette took a step forward and the ground tilted into a slope. One step forward, upward, left her panting as if she had taken a thousand steps already. Pain rushed through her and the trees exploded into a sea of fire. Giselle was screaming as she turned 360 degrees and had no way out.


    Suddenly she was back in Annie''s bedroom, covered in sweat. Her head pounded with pain. The constant rhythm of a smith working on his anvil, shaping metal into art. Her vision slowly cleared and she realised that she was lying on her back, glancing up at the white ceiling. "You had a bad dream, you were screaming all of a sudden. Are you okay?", the blonde woman asked softly while squeezing Giselle''s hand tightly. "I had a nightmare. Yesterday must''ve gotten to me after all", she breathed quietly. Any louder would''ve upset her headache.


    "What exactly happened, love?", Annie asked and sat up cross-legged. "We broke up and he left". The compassionate expression on her neighbour''s face made her lips curl into a smile. "I look like crap, don''t I?". Annie nodded and whispered, "You do. You tried to drown the pain away. Did it work?". "I turned it into a headache", she sighed and squeezed her neighbour''s hand. With her other hand she felt her forehead. It was cold and sweaty, so she pulled the cover up to her shoulder. Warmth slowly radiated from her and gathered all around her naked body. The sweat felt icky, but the warmth did some good.


    Within the next fifteen minutes, Giselle had summed up the events from yesterday and Annie had brought her a glass of water and painkillers. It was a workday after all and she couldn''t afford sickness today. Ian would step out of the loan and paying it back would be on her. To do that she needed a raise. Somehow. Maybe Laury could move in with her? The thought got discarded as quickly as it entered her head.


    "I''ll need some time to sort through things, Annie", she finished her explanation and her lover just nodded. Then they shared a kiss. Giselle was tempted to pull away, everything inside of her was in turmoil, yet she forced herself to commit. Despite everything, she was in love. Taking her misfortune out on others was unfair.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.When she stood up, the realisation hit her that she was free now. No one could pass judgement on her any longer. "Are we in a relationship now?", she suddenly asked over her shoulder. The blonde just laughed, "No silly, you haven''t even proposed yet!". Proposed. So there was some old school romantic hidden in that blonde neighbour after all.


    Annie had packed her a cute breakfast and sent her off in her dressing gown to get ready. Both had to go to work. Giselle felt that a lot of unfinished business and things unexplained were still hanging between her neighbour and her. They''d figure it out another day. Any other day, Annie had been so sure about everything, or rather come across certain and steady. Not this morning. The situation had been new for both of them.


    During the shower, the headache became less annoying and the bus ride to work ended up being bearable. Mr Dean wasn''t at work that day and Laury received the short version of the breakup. Now that her alcohol levels had dropped, her heart felt quite heavy. It was an open wound and needed time to heal. Her coworker had hugged her tightly and promised to make time to help with anything needed. Since she didn''t need to move out, she wasn''t sure anything was needed at all. That work day ended up being so busy, that they couldn''t properly chat and when they closed up the shop, Giselle felt tired. Very tired. They parted ways and as chance willed her, Annie fumbled her key into the lock as she appeared next to the woman. "Hey, need a hand?", Giselle smiled happily and her lover nodded. Together they carried three large bags into the apartment. Her neighbour had been grocery shopping.


    The brunette briefly went over to her place and changed into something more comfortable while the blonde woman packed her spoils into the fridge and pantry. Two glasses, a large bottle of lemonade and two sticks of incense, glimmering and fuming into the still air decorated the living room table as she returned in a pair of comfy leggings and a wide long-sleeve shirt. Somehow Annie had managed to change into her oversized pyjama shirt and hot pants, packed away the groceries and remove her make-up in the time it took Giselle to change in her apartment. That woman might be a magician. And she was just about to ask whether there was a time lapse, when the blonde smiled over and asked, "I think in the morning we left much unsaid. How about you tell me again how you are and what you''ll do now?".

 Chapter 59

    "I think I''m okay. Really!", Giselle said and squinted at her neighbour. "Fair enough. And what are you going to do now?", Annie asked her while her legs crossed and the expression on her face lifted into a curious stare. "It''s been eight years, but the debt isn''t nearly paid off. This place was expensive. At work I wanted to talk to Mr Dean, but he wasn''t around, but Laury thinks he might actually give me a raise. Honestly I''m not sure if I can actually keep the place. If I talk to the bank, they might reduce my monthly payments and I can, maybe, sustain it?", she responded, trying to be positive and bright about it. The worry shimmered through the weak attempt.


    "Laury was your coworker, right?", the blonde wanted to know and received a nod. "You should calculate your finances, love. You''re going to need less food, less electricity, less of everything. Also the car is gone, right? Ian took it. The apartment is furnished completely and your love interest", she winked when she said that, "lives next door and can cook for you or invite you for pizza". Giselle chuckled. Her spirits lifted slightly. The smile on her lips came natural and her face lit up. With her fingers, she pushed her curls out of her face. "Thanks, Annie. I appreciate it!".


    Before the brunette could sink back into her thoughts, her lover started to bombard her with small anecdotes from work. Just twenty minutes before leaving the office, the internet got cut by construction workers in front of the building. The director almost had a heart attack, since it''d take until the next morning for the connection to get restored. To publish stories and articles, many employees resorted to cell phones and other creative ideas. While it seemed to work, some texts were in an older version and didn''t get saved properly. The now published texts had mistakes, were structured badly or had completely forgone editing. Then Annie pulled out her phone and showed the comments on a social network of a recent article. It went viral. Countless comments showed the amusement of everyone reading it. The article was supposed to be about an incident in the red light district of Howth, a larger town roughly 100km away, but a few sections of an escaped monkey in the zoo got mixed in. Giselle couldn''t stop laughing for a full ten minutes when she read the article and the comments associated to it. Readers even started to create memes already.


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    "Free publicity is still publicity, right?", she had chuckled and Annie laughed, "Yeah, but you should''ve seen the director. At first he went ballistic and wanted the article to be taken down, but then he saw the statistics. His jaw wouldn''t close". Her neighbour giggled and hid her mouth behind her hand. She was drooling from laughter.


    When the conversation shifted from heavy to light, Annie eventually got a new lemonade from the kitchen. Instead of sitting back down on her side of the sofa, she climbed on Giselle''s lap, pulled the pyjama shirt over her head and took the brunette''s cheeks into her palms. They kissed. Passionately and extensively. Minutes later Annie gasped and arched her back. Lips and fingers graced her skin and breasts. Giselle fucked her neighbour until she climaxed loud enough for all her neighbours to hear. She fell on top of her lover and kissed her lips. The panting woman smiled up at her and they kissed again. "I like fucking you", the blonde whispered and the older blushed, tempted to hide her face.


    When morning came, Giselle strolled back over into her apartment. Her apartment. Not officially, but it would be hers if all went well. She was grinning. With Ian gone, she didn''t feel bad about Annie and their nightly adventures anymore. They excited her even more now. Her phone beeped and she glanced at the text.


    Annie: "Tonight I''ll try that rope on you. I know a few very naughty ways to tie a girl!"


    The brunette stared at the message. Being tied up, or rather the thought of it, made her feel uncomfortable. Yet the way her neighbour put it, a few images flashed through her mind and all of them made her squirm. Her cheeks turned red and a quick glance left and right revealed, she was indeed the only person inside the apartment.


    An hour later the brunette walked into Dean''s attire for the gentleman, Laury paused sorting the counter and glanced at her from the side. "You''re kidding me. Now we''re back to this", she complained loudly. Instead of going on a rant again, she added, "I''m happy for you, love". Giselle blushed even more now, "Thanks". Her hands brushed her bangs behind the ear. She noticed how much her coworker had changed. The new look suited her. The woman was attractive all of a sudden. "You look...", she started to whisper, but Laury had gone to unlock the store and couldn''t hear it. It wasn''t something she''d scream across the room. Laury returned with Mr Dean in tow. "Oh good morning, Mr Dean", she said formally and put on a kind, friendly smile. "Good morning, Giselle. How are you doing?", he mumbled in his rusty voice. "I''m okay. There''s something I gotta talk to you about. Can I steal a couple of minutes of your time?"

 Chapter 60

    On her way to lunch, Giselle stopped by the office and opened the door, "Hey, Mr Dean, can we have that chat?". She poked her head inside and saw her boss turn around on the office chair and lean back. He smiled at her and waved her in. "Ah, Giselle, what can I do for you?". The brunette squeezed through the door and leaned her back against it. The lock clicked behind her. Somehow she felt like a teen, begging for a favour.


    Her hands clenched into fists and she took a deep breath. When their eyes met, she said, "Ian and I, we broke up". Her lips pressed together and she felt an uncomfortable feeling creep through her. When she noticed it, suddenly it was gone again. "I''m sorry to hear that, Giselle", he said in a compassionate, but still rusty voice. "Well, he moved out and left me the apartment. We''ve been living out west in the suburbs. With him leaving, I kinda inherit the loan for the place...", her voice got all quiet and soft, but her face steeled itself again, "...and to be able to keep the place, I need a raise". The man''s eyebrows lifted and he twisted a pencil in a circle in his fingers.


    As her boss pondered about his response, or his options, Giselle pursed her lips and felt quite frustrated about her lack of mind-reading. Just when she thought it would go nowhere and was about to turn and leave, he spoke up, "Laureen and you earn about the same, so I need to offer her a raise as well. You''ve been working hard to keep the store running and a breakup is hard enough without financial worries. Say 5% for each of you with the salary next month?".


    Giselle''s face lit up and she smiled brightly, "Thank you, Mr Dean! That helps me tremendously!". His hand waved it off, "No worries. I''m glad to help. And you two rarely ask for anything anyway! Be sure to tell Laureen about it, okay? I''ll have your contract ready by next week for a signature".


    Once she had shut the door behind her, she grinned and danced victoriously down the corridor back into the shop. "Didn''t you head out to lunch?", Laury wondered over a pile a shirts. "I stopped by to ask for that raise. And he gave both of us 5%! Just like that!", Giselle beamed and wrapped her arms around her friend. With her breath, relief washed through her and she sighed happily. "I''m not sure what to say, love. I''m happy for you. And me! I think I can afford a vacation now. Wow, look at that. Would you believe me being lucky for once?", the coworker mused and hugged Giselle back tightly. "Also, Laury, I really love your new style. If I didn''t have Annie....". "Oh shut up, you!", Laury poked her friend into the side so she squeaked and hopped backward. "Now shush, go have lunch or you''ll be grumpy!", she said, showing both her index fingers, threatening to poke the brunette again if she didn''t comply. "Alright, I''m already gone!".


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    After work Giselle went grocery shopping and took the bus home. It wasn''t much, yet it had her panting when reaching the apartment door. Inside she heaved everything onto the kitchen counter and drank half a water bottle. A glance back into the living room rubbed her slightly the wrong way until she realised some decorations were missing. The Switch was gone, too. Ian''s drawers were empty, the wardrobe had empty shelves. His secret stash had vanished from the pantry. "So he moved out now¡­ for good", she muttered to herself and fell onto the sofa. Her gaze went up to the ceiling and her body started to relax. "I need to make a list of things I need to take care of. Or I''ll forget half of it", she told the ceiling and grabbed her phone. Her To-do list app got a new list entry. She added an entry for the apartment paperwork. One for doing her finances. One for sorting through the apartment to find things Ian had forgotten or that she wanted gone. And a last one for replacing the photo wall.


    Her head turned and she looked at the photos. Nostalgia distracted her and suddenly she wasn''t sure whether she wanted to get rid of it in the first place. They were nice pictures. And even greater memories. The distraction lasted for about thirty minutes until it turned into sadness and despair. From the top of her wardrobe, she fumbled down an empty delivery package box and without thinking twice, all the photos went into the box. Keeping her composure was tough. Since she was already at it, she went into the kitchen and took care of storing the groceries.


    The groceries didn''t take long. While dealing with them, Giselle recalled that Annie wanted her to come by in the evening. It was evening already, but her quest to take down the photo wall took priority. Uncertain about what to do about her drifting mind, she let herself fall onto the bed. Bright light from the living room ceiling lamp illuminated her stretch of the bed. She sighed and pondered about getting up.


    Ding Dong.


    Really, Rachel and Kamal handing out cookies again? Don''t they get bored of that? Giselle pulled the door open and stared at Annie in a dressing gown. "You wanted to come by. I think you wanted to. Are you okay?", the blonde wondered and pushed herself into the door. The brunette absentmindedly closed the door and followed her neighbour inside. "What''s those?", Annie pulled a picture frame from the box on the sofa and her expression turned from cheerful to apologetic. Their eyes met as they stared at each other across the room.

 Chapter 61

    "Memories", Giselle simply stated as she followed her neighbour onto the sofa and fell down next to the woman. She leaned against her lover''s side and rested her head on the shoulder. Unsurprisingly two arms embraced her tightly and she received a soft kiss on her forehead. It made her sigh and drift away, leaving the troubles behind. "How was work?", Annie asked quietly and ran her hand through the dark curls. Giselle almost purred. In a whisper, she explained briefly how her day went, "...and so he gave both of us 5% raise!". She grinned against the soft skin of the neck which was right in front of her and followed up with a kiss. "I''m so happy for you!", the blonde said and stared at her with those beautiful, blue eyes. They kissed. Hesitation turned into confidence and desire. Before Giselle knew what was happening, Annie was on top of her and her mind went blank.


    The new freedom that the separation had given Giselle was invested into her lover. Girlfriend. Neighbour. Not that any of this bugged her, she wasn''t too keen on labels anyway, but she had a feeling that they were becoming more than lovers. Would Annie even be willing to go into a monogamous relationship? And what did she want? Apart from getting fucked by that cutie every evening. The thoughts made her blush sheepishly. When she returned from her mind into the bus, she threw a few glances around. Being in love and doing naughty things still felt quite taboo. Somehow. To her relief, no one seemed to care about her thoughts and she stepped off the bus to go to work.


    Whenever nothing occupied her mind at work, she drifted into fantasising about her neighbour. The temptation to constantly text was ever present, but could be resisted more easily than flashes of the adventures they had had across the past days. Laury had just shaken her head and rolled her eyes repeatedly, but somehow didn''t tease or moan about it. Maybe the few people left in her life did actually feel happy for her. Who knew.


    By Saturday she had all but forgotten the agreement with Ian, that their apartment should stay neutral. Giselle''s bedroom smelled like Annie, the sofa smelled like her, even the bathroom seemed to hold her scent. Before they fell asleep, naked, in each other''s arms, they had decided that they were an item now. In a relationship. And Annie had pointed out that they were exclusive and while an open relationship wasn''t something she was quite opposed to, she didn''t want to start out with one. In the morning, the brunette ended up alone since it was housework day and therefore her sweetheart left. Slightly grumpy to let her go, she got herself presentable, left Rachel a message, asking about coffee and cake in the afternoon and pulled out her tablet.


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    The phone reminded her at 1pm sharp that she needed to fetch cake if there was to be cake. A swipe across the display silenced the alarm and the tablet dropped down next to her on the sofa. Both hands rubbed across the eyes and cheeks. "Fuck me", she mumbled and went through the past three hours again. First off she had pulled her expenses, recurring payments and details about the loan from various bank accounts and her phone. With the help of an app, this data had gone into a detailed breakdown of her financial situation. Even with the raise, she was probably two or three hundred short, per month. It was too much for her to reshuffle some expenses and somehow make due, but manageable enough that she could probably find a way to deal with it. Somehow. Maybe she could get a roommate? But where would that person be sleeping. The place only had one bedroom.


    Distracted and caught in her thoughts, Giselle put a frozen pizza into the oven and glanced out of the window while it was baking slowly into crisp perfection. Outside, down in the small stretch of greenery, a gust pushed two crows off a branch and they creaked their complaints loud enough to be heard through the closed window. A thick cloud cover moved westward, but it didn''t look like rain. For a while the two crows entertained her eyes. They seemed to like each other, yet didn''t have anything better to do than tease another from one branch to the next, screaming their complaints, or enjoyment, she couldn''t tell which one it was.


    Eventually the oven beeped at her and the delicious smell of pizza rushed into the kitchen, accompanied by searing air. With a plate balanced in one hand she pulled the window open with her other. Her waiting skills were bad, the pizza almost slid off the plate and she had to catch it with her fingers, burning them in the process when hot cheese clung to the tips. "Ouch ouch that burns!", Giselle complained and put the plate onto the counter. Cold water rinsed the cheese off her fingers and provided a welcome cool relief.


    Together with her lunch, she sat back down on the sofa, cut the pizza into slices and took another look at her finances. The food didn''t spark a solution, nor did a revelation come to her. This was how it was. Her income wasn''t enough to uphold the loan payments on her apartment as it was now. As she pressed her lips together, she threw the tablet to the side and took her phone. One new message.


    Rachel: "Sure, 3pm, I''ll bring the cake! Kamal is out working. I hope you don''t mind if I come alone!"

 Chapter 62

    Giselle didn''t mind at all. "Lucky me, now I don''t need to go out!", she explained to the pizza and carefully bit into it. While holding the slice in her left hand, her right finger swiped a response to Rachel, telling her thanks, the time was great and they''d be fine without Kamal, too.


    The dishwasher took the plate off her hands after she finished the pizza. Stretching out on the sofa, she turned on some lo-fi on the speakers and stared up at the ceiling. Her hands supported her head as she was lying on her palms. "What am I gonna do now? A month or two, I''ll be fine with my bank account, but how am I going to solve this dilemma?", she thought and stared at the white colour until it started spinning in a circle. It made her dizzy. Eventually she turned to her side. If nothing came up until the end of the month, one thing she could do was to try and reduce the loan payments at the bank. Yet for that to happen, she needed Ian''s approval. At the moment both of them were listed as debtors. Last time they wanted to change something, both were required to leave a signature.


    The thoughts about finances and her worries attached to it made her tired. Her eyes fell shut. Then she drifted into a shallow sleep until Rachel rang the door bell and woke her. Sleepily Giselle pushed herself up and let Rachel into the apartment. "Hey, is it already three?", she yawned at the redhead. Her guest giggled back at her and responded in that unusually high sing-sang voice, "I''m probably five minutes early. Did you fall asleep?". The brunette nodded and yawned again. With a gesture, she begged Rachel to come in and make herself at home. "I can see what you meant by how different our apartment looks. Oh wow! I can hardly recognise the similarities!", the woman commented and quickly sneaked a peek into the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. Giselle just watched in amusement, "Yeah, I guess our version is a mix of modern and classy?". "Yes exactly, while ours is probably oriental and alternative". The brunette scratched her head and thought about it for a moment. "Not sure I agree with the oriental vibe. Don''t take this the wrong way, but your apartment looks more like a geeky version of the sixties". "Eeeh? It''s not that geeky!". "Yes it is, you have cosplay armour on your wall". Rachel sighed and made a face that showed her objection, but let it go and produced an enormous cake from the basket she was carrying in her hand. "Coffee?", Giselle asked and went into the kitchen to fetch forks and plates. And a huge knife. "Yes please", her guest requested and came running into the kitchen. A shriek escaped her when she almost ran into the knife. Giselle was startled and immediately put the weapon aside, "Are you alright?". "I just got scared for a moment. What are you going to do with that? Hunt animals?". "It''s for the cake. It can cut and then act as cake server". The redhead let out a lengthy Oh and took the knife from the counter. Appraising it intently from all sides, Giselle had to squeeze around the woman to reach the living room table with her plates. Slowly her guest trailed after her. The coffee machine rumbled and produced two mugs of black brew with some crema on top. "Sugar or milk?". "Sugar please!".


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    When Rachel still held the huge knife and didn''t let go of it, the hostess watched for a moment in silence, but then decided to point at the unwrapped cake, "You need to cut it". "I what?", the neighbour looked back at her absentmindedly, weighing the large knife left and right. "The knife is for the cake!", Giselle said intently. Her mind was trying to figure out whether it was safe to let her guest even handle the knife. While the grip and general handling seemed quite professional, the thoughts in that woman''s head were somewhere else.


    "Right right", Rachel said and cut the cake into pieces. When the first slice toppled over onto her plate, it revealed the layers. Whipped cream, biscuit, yogurt and raspberries, more biscuit. And it tasted similar to how it presented itself, incredibly tasty. Giselle beamed at her guest, "This is amazing!". "Thanks, I did bake this earlier", came the response and a blush decorated her guest''s cheeks. "I''m going to invite you for cake more often! Oh my goodness, this is so amazing!", Giselle kept on praising the cake and ate half of it while doing so. Her last cake had been, she had to ponder about that one, half a year back when they were invited for her mother-in-law''s birthday.


    Giselle fell back into the backrest and sighed happily. Rachel had only eaten a single slice. Maybe being able to bake a cake this good eventually got old after a dozen times. A mystery she didn''t quite care about now. Her guest leaned back as well and sent her a curious glance. "What are you thinking?", Giselle wondered. "That thing about Ian, I was really sad to hear that. But I''d be lying if I claimed not to be curious about what happened". Both her eyebrows shot up and she shrugged, "I''m not sure what happened either. In the end, he made a couple of stupid decisions and I did the same. We weren''t able to fix it. Circumstances and all that...". "Then, this was a long time coming?". "Oh no, all of this happened recently. Annie and I don''t go back long. A couple of weeks maybe. The reunion with Celestine also happened quite recently as she had been working up state". Rachel had a very puzzled expression on her face. The one that a person gets after realising that an answer to a question revealed the true vastness of the mosaic, but only offered a single stone.

 Chapter 63

    Rachel pulled her legs onto the sofa and turned to intently glance at Giselle. Giselle warily raised her eyebrows and stared back. "Just out with it. I can see it all over your face!", Giselle sighed and found herself dashing through all kinds of emotions. One of them making her feel like an adult in conversation with a kid that was too shy to speak what was on its mind. The realisation left her distracted and ponderous about why she ended up looking at her guest as a child.


    "I guess I had hoped to figure out what had happened, but now I know less than before...", the redhead admitted and tilted her head slightly. Giselle just laughed and crossed her arms, "Honestly I''m avoiding the topic. Not that I don''t mind telling you, you seem like a nice person, but I''m not quite sure what difference it makes". "One cannot truly reflect unless they verbalise it through written or spoken recollection!", Rachel responded. The expression on the woman''s face suddenly changed and matured her. The brunette blinked uncertainly, "What now?". "Do you want me to repeat it?". "No no, I didn''t expect this from you". The redhead giggled in amusement and shrugged. The usual, easygoing, slightly clumsy person was back and the mature person had vanished again. What a weird girl, Giselle thought to herself and sighed deeply.


    "You may be right about the connection between reflecting and verbalising my thoughts...", she trailed off and wanted to say that she did have other friends, but stopped herself. It would be quite rude to tell her guest that. She did bring amazing cake. After another deep sigh, she said, "Alright, here goes nothing". Giselle went through a brief version of how she met Annie, decided to indulge her adventurous side, how Ian and Celestine set up a reunion and how that backfired on all of them. Ian''s brief excursion to see his brother and return home, she just quickly put into "Tried to make it work again" and the whole story ended with Ian cheating, the divorce plans and Annie and her evolving into an item. "That''s the story. And here I am, probably slightly happier than before, but who knows how long that''ll last".


    Her guest had stayed quiet during the story-telling and shifted her posture from time to time. The smile faded into a serious expression, the eyes became a pool of sadness. Her soft voice didn''t seem like Rachel at all. "You realise that this was on you, right?", she pointed out and didn''t flinch for a second. "I guess so. Who can tell now what would''ve happened a week later? Does that make me a bad person? You look at me like I killed someone". Rachel didn''t move and just stared with those sad eyes, "Eye for an eye doesn''t make it right. You''re not going to get approval for cheating on your husband. Yes, it makes you a bad person!".


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    The initial surprise on her face faded and Giselle felt guilty all of a sudden. No one had been this blunt until now, especially as this was probably the version of the truth many would see. Annie supported her, because her view of the world wasn''t of the traditional conservative kind. Her mother supported her anyway. Laury was her friend and had enough unconventional problems on her own. It probably didn''t occur to them that Giselle''s view of the ordeal would be skewed and stamped by her affection for Annie.


    Giselle tried to speak up, "I¡­ I....", but didn''t exactly know what to tell her guest. "I''m not sure what to tell you, Giselle. I know you can''t fix this anymore, Ian is gone, your marriage with it. Maybe he would''ve cheated on you anyway. Maybe not. What he did to you and Celestine in the past was cruel and mean, but that doesn''t mean you can just do the same to him whenever you please!". "Yeah, you''re right", the brunette responded heavily. Her gaze wandered up and she felt the backrest support her body. It was comfortable, but today it restricted her. The cushions crept up her back and around to her sides. She let them swallow her body. "I think I''ll leave. I don''t know what I expected. Yes, there would be drama, but I didn''t expect you to be responsible for everything in this way. Luckily we''re just neighbours!".


    Rachel pushed herself up, packed her cake and left Giselle together with the guilt ridden expression. The hostess stared at the guest, surprised, unbelieving and even a little angry. She let none of it show. After all there was a lot of truth to it. Her actions were mean and despicable when considered on their own. The fact that Ian ended up meeting Celestine and afterwards even had an affair with her didn''t justify her adventure with Annie. It was an afterthought. But to her it was enough. Yet somehow the whole afternoon had gone to shit.

 Chapter 64

    Throughout the whole evening Giselle carried the guilty conscience around her apartment. From living room to the kitchen. From the bedroom to the bathroom. Around 9pm she filled a glass with white wine and leaned against the tall fridge. In her kitchen were bright ceiling spots that allowed a person to work neatly and precisely even when the sun didn''t show her face. Now those spots lit up the white fluid in the glass. Giselle peered at the tiny bubbles and twirled the glass between her fingers. She sighed deeply and pursed her lips.


    With a quick slight of hand, the brunette took her phone from her pocket and called Laury. It rang once. Twice. Thrice. "Hello? What''s up, Giselle?". "Hey Laury. Do you have time to phone for a bit?", Giselle asked softly and sipped from her wine. "I think I do, gimme a sec, I''ll pause the show and grab some wine", Laury responded, seemingly happy. As her friend wanted to get wine, the brunette held her own glass and wondered if they were drinking too much lately. Probably. Maybe. Who knew. "Hey, I''m back! I was thinking about you earlier, too!", came the voice through her phone.


    "Really? What about?", Giselle was curious now. "Oh, you know? I think I like that we''re hanging out more. Guess I also like the style recommendations you gave me. You wouldn''t believe it, someone asked me out today. Handsome guy, wore a suit and a tie. He had the most beautiful smile!", Laury''s butterflies and swooning made her listener blink and gather her thoughts. Wait, what just happened? Laureen Munroe has a date with a decent man? Who would''ve guessed! "I am so happy for you!", she said and smiled, "When''s the date?". "Tomorrow evening! I''ll tell you all about it on Monday. And I am _not_ inviting him in! No more sleepovers on my first dates!". The woman sounded proud and determined. So much so that Giselle chuckled into the phone. "What! Don''t believe me?", came the reaction, but Giselle shook her head and said, "I just didn''t think I''d ever hear this from you. I am happy for you, Laury!".


    A short silence followed as her coworker drank from her wine. She could hear it through the phone. Playing copycat, she did the same. Afterwards she sighed and said, "I had Rachel over today for coffee and cake". "That nerdy, cute girl that lives with that tall dark-skinned beauty?". "Yeah, that one. I think I told you before that she was curious about Annie and Celestine. In a moment of sheer insanity I decided to tell her the summary of what happened. I think she lost all respect for me and left. That didn''t exactly go according to plan. It was a coffee and cake after all...", Giselle calmly explained, her gloom slowly dissipating as she pushed the thoughts into words. Laury''s breathing could be heard through the line for a while.


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    "Giselle, dumb decisions is the trademark of humanity. I''m not particularly fond of how you cheated either. But honestly I can see why you did it. Annie is a pretty woman and your marriage had left the excitement on the tracks a long while ago. Even without me judging you and throwing my opinion in your face, your life isn''t easy right now. If Rachel wants to take the moral high ground, let her. Once her relationship ages, she''ll have to deal with her own demons", Laury finished the monologue with a huff and her dissatisfaction was apparent even through her voice.


    The brunette pondered about this for a while. Both breathed into the phone in silence. "Thanks, Laury. Guess I wouldn''t mind leaving the topic about Ian and my marriage now. It''s been on my mind all afternoon. Not to mention that I have no idea how to deal with the loan payments for the apartment. It''s mind-boggling. I hate it!", Giselle grumbled into the phone and ended with a grimace all over her face. "You''ll figure it out, I am sure!", her friend said encouragingly.


    The two women talked for an hour about the latest TV show Laury had found. It was a romantic comedy about a fitness coach and a young banker taking her lessons to shape up for his crush. It turned into a love triangle and Laury was rooting for the fitness coach, but Giselle was certain that the coach would end up heart broken. Eventually both made their way to bed and said their goodbyes. Sunday came and went by. Giselle had planned to go out, but somehow couldn''t get herself out of the apartment. In the evening Annie came by and they watched something, but both fell asleep on the sofa. The whole week rushed past her in a blur. Nothing spectacular happened, Rachel and Kamal kept their distance and Ian did not contact her either. Saturday was planned as a date and Annie took her into an art gallery. The exhibition had the title "The post-apocalyptic workplace" and it''s paintings and sculptures were abstract. Very abstract. To the point that the brunette felt out of place, but her girlfriend loved it and pulled her from one painting to the next.

 Chapter 65

    Annie drove the metallic blue Honda Civic out of the parking space behind the gallery. It was a modern car with a moderate amount of comfort. Compared to Laury''s Fiesta, the Honda purred smoothly over the asphalt and took every curve and road bump with dignity. Giselle snuggled into the seat and turned on the heating until her bum warmed up. For a while the blonde had been going on about a particular abstract painting that admittedly might fit into her apartment well. The colour palette revolved around browns, similar to wood and darker shades of red, similar to Japanese Toriis. It''d add some spice to the apartment, but the price tag was hefty. Yet her girlfriend seemed to be in love. Occasionally she nodded and smiled over. Half her brain followed the gist of the monologue, her other half was glancing outside. Cars and pedestrians swooshed by. Taller apartment buildings gave way to single houses with gardens. Transition into the suburbs was smooth in Blackwater.


    "Earth to Giselle! Earth to Giselle! The sun is exploding in our faces and Oden stole your panties!", the brunette heard her girlfriend yell at her. "What? That makes no sense!", she said and glared over. "Of course not! You could''ve just said that you didn''t want to talk about the paintings anymore", the blonde pouted and frowned. She had fucked up again. Her glare levelled with the horizon and her fingertips rubbed through her eyes, careful to leave the makeup intact. "I''m sorry, Annie. I was listening for a while, but somehow I drifted somewhere. I''m really sorry...", she said and threw a guild-ridden glance at her lover. "It''s fine", the woman took a deep breath and sighed, "I dragged you there, but I knew that modern art isn''t on your list of interests". Giselle still felt bad.


    Ever since Rachel had given her a piece of her mind, she had the feeling that control was slipping away. Laury seemed rather pleased with her date and the guy was completely different to her usual adventures. Annie was drowning at work and had less time for her. The pile of unsolved challenges grew on her plate and it kept her mind occupied almost non-stop. After a while the silence got to her and she wondered, "Are you gonna get it? The painting I mean". Annie shrugged at no one in particular and took a left turn across a crossroads. "Not sure. It is expensive, but it''d be really pretty in my living room. Do you think I should buy it?". "I don''t buy things for myself worth that much money in two years, Annie. I don''t know. If you have the money and like it, maybe?". "Wait, it''s that expensive to you?", the blonde gasped and stared at the car in front of theirs with wide eyes. "Yes! How much do you think I make?", Giselle''s voice went soft and quiet when she responded. "I guess a clerk job doesn''t pay that much, huh". "No, it doesn''t. That''s why I worry so much about the loan!".


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    Her friend just grunted "Right" and fell quiet again. The silence that followed was not as uncomfortable. It lasted until the car parked in its designated spot in the parking garage under the apartment building. When Giselle was about to push the door open, Annie''s soft hand clasped hers and held her back. "I missed you, love", the blonde whispered and leaned over to kiss her. The simple kiss evolved into many, each more demanding than the previous. Giselle''s heartbeat pounded in her ears and excitement overwhelmed her. Two minutes later her blouse was unbuttoned and her bra hung loose. Annie''s warm lips kissed her neck and hands brushed across her chest. Both were breathing heavily. All her dread was gone. Her girlfriend grinned at her and gestured lustfully for her to follow.


    She got out of the car and held her jacket closed to hide her exposed skin. The blonde beeped the car and it locked up. "Oh no, you won''t", the woman declared and opened the jacket wide. The cold air inside the dimly lit parking garage gave her goose bumps and her nipples grew hard. What if someone saw her now? The thought barely finished when two lips distracted her again and a warm hand sneaked under her blouse, fingertips gracing her spine up to her neck. Her knees trembled and she wanted to get upstairs quickly. Her lover was not in such a hurry and they stopped multiple times in the stairwell. By the time they stood in front of Annie''s apartment door, Giselle''s pants were open, her jacket and blouse were pulled down her shoulders and the blonde woman licked over glistening fingers that had her lover''s juices all over.


    The adventure that followed went from the a loud moaning Giselle in the entrance area to a climaxing Annie on the bathroom floor to a toy-powered finale in the bedroom. It was still early, barely evening, but both were exhausted and sweaty. "Oh fuck¡­ I needed that!", the brunette groaned as she hauled her body from one side of the bed to the other, next to her lover. She kissed the naked woman on the cheek, then on the lips and smiled. "You''re going to pay for not listening to me in the car, you know", Annie said mischievously while pushing her neighbour''s head down between her wide spread thighs.

 Chapter 66

    Eventually Annie decided to buy the painting from the art gallery. It arrived almost two weeks later via courier. The amount of fuss Giselle''s lover had made about this painting was hard to understand. Laury had just shrugged and smiled awkwardly, too. Yet once it was set up, the living room looked different. The former vibe of old vases and lingering incense got pushed into the background. Suddenly the room emanated an abstract warmth. Usually paintings are an immediate eye catcher, but this one only presented itself properly once seated on the sofa and taking in the whole room. It was wonderful, Giselle had to admit that much.


    During those two weeks of waiting, the brunette had all but moved in with Annie. They ate together, did laundry together, cleaned the space together and spent their evenings and nights together. More often than not, they had an adventure in the evening. An erotic one. Giselle couldn''t remember anyone who had learned so much about her body in such a short time. Annie was a great lover. Skilled and patient. And definitely not shy.


    As both women sat on the sofa in their nightgowns and looked appraisingly at the painting on the wall, Annie leaned her head against Giselle''s shoulder and twirled her glass of wine between her thumb and index finger. The brunette watched and stroked her fingertips through the blonde hair. "I met Ian at the bank today. We wanted to register me as the sole debtor of the apartment. The bank didn''t agree to it.", she sighed and felt her eyes tear up. Both arms hugged around her lover and she squeezed tight.


    "What are they suggesting? That Ian and you both keep the debt?", Annie raised her eyebrows and glanced into a grimace. "Oh come here, sweetie!", she said, put the glass aside and pulled the brunette into a tight hug. "It''s okay, we''ll figure it out, okay?". Giselle''s sobbing grew louder. Before she realised it, she was crying a waterfall. One that didn''t seem to stop. She had kept in all that was bothering her since the meeting with Ian, bottling it up somewhere deep inside. Now the box had opened and wouldn''t close any time soon. "I¡­ I¡­ Ian doesn''t want to. So the bank¡­ the bank wants us to sell.", Giselle explained quietly, but went back to sobbing deeply.


    The blonde woman whispered softly, "That wouldn''t be the end of the world. You''d have money to pay rent, or you could move in with me?". The sobbing stopped and Giselle shifted to glare into the other woman''s eyes. No hint of mockery, it was an honest proposal. It wasn''t something Giselle had considered as she liked the apartment. Selling it wasn''t exactly on her agenda. Maybe it should be on her agenda. "I don''t know, Annie. You''d just have me here, because I need it. You wouldn''t have offered this early in a relationship.", she stated bluntly and the blonde nodded, lips pressed together into a thin line, "You''re right, we don''t know each other long enough, but life sometimes throws you a curve ball".


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    Giselle didn''t even know what that meant. Life throwing a curve ball. Was that a soccer term? She didn''t like it. Being vulnerable and at someone''s mercy. The suggestion about selling the apartment did have some merit however. The price should have gone up and Ian did leave it to her. She''d be able to afford a nice, small place, just like Laury. This prospect tickled a smile from her lips and Annie kissed her smile. Then she kissed the tears away, finally brushing the back of her hand across the cheek, "See? It ain''t all bad, right?". Giselle nodded slowly and snuggled into her girlfriend''s shoulder. Shortly after, they distracted themselves with a TV show and a message was sent to Ian.


    Giselle: "Hey Ian. I decided that we can sell the place. Since you left it to me anyway, I can use the money to afford a move. I''ll talk to a real estate agent tomorrow"


    The response came in two episodes later.


    Ian: "Don''t forget that we need to get more than what we paid plus the interest of the loan."


    Helpful, but not very kind, Giselle deduced. He was right though and showed the text to her lover. "He is right, but I don''t think that''ll be an issue, considering how real estate has sky rocketed lately", she commented leisurely and returned her attention to the show.


    The very next afternoon, after work, a busy business lady in high heels, business dress and a very expensive camera arrived on Giselle''s doorstep. "Hi, I''m Carry. We spoke on the phone?", the woman said with a very distinct southern accent. "Hi Carry, I''m Giselle, we spoke earlier, yes", Giselle confirmed and shook the woman''s hand. Carry had brought a series of papers to detail the features of the place, the blueprint Giselle would send via e-mail at a later time, then pictures were taken and loan contracts reviewed. "Well, Giselle, I think we can make Ian and you very rich with this place. I believe that we''ll find someone that''ll pay a lot more than what you originally put down", the smile of the business woman betrayed the real interest she had in this project. The agency would take 1.5% of however much they would be able to sell the apartment. And that turned out to be a hefty sum. Giselle felt quite jealous as she walked over to Annie''s apartment and prepared a salad for dinner. This much money just for selling a single apartment? Her clerk job sucked in comparison. Her mind circled around the prospects until Annie arrived from work.

 Chapter 67

    "Jake is such a nice guy. You know that he brought me flowers every single time?", Laury swooned yet another day over her new boyfriend. Giselle had to agree, he did seem to be a very nice guy and all. Almost too nice. It made her wonder what his agenda was, but she kept her suspicions to herself. If anything, Laury did deserve a bit of courting and a gentleman-like behaviour for a change. "I am soooo happy for you. When are you going to introduce me?", the brunette wondered and put on her brightest smile. Her friend just blushed and waved off, "We''re not that far along, y''know?". Giselle understood. The shyness barrier, he was too unreal and too delicate to endanger yet. The need to stabilise the relationship predominated the priorities.


    "How''s the apartment sale progressing?", Laury changed the topic while carrying another box of clothes across the entrance area of Dean''s attire for the gentleman. The brunette crunched her teeth in response, not that anyone could hear it. She had hoped it''d be fast, more successful, but nothing yet. "Three people have looked at the place and none thought it affordable enough. When I talked to Carry, she seemed confident enough though.", the woman responded flatly. "How about you reduce the price? Who''s to say that this Carry isn''t trying to sell it for an unrealistic price?". "The internet claims that my area in the suburbs is quite expensive nowadays.". "Oh, I believe that one!", Laury giggled and threw a playful glance over. "I''ll give it another week, I guess", Giselle stated and curled her lips into a smile, "All that remains is finding a new place then". "True that!".


    Another uneventful day passed by at work and Giselle got home with the same bus as always. It all had the precision of a clockwork. By the time Annie came home, dinner was prepared and they watched a couple of episodes of some romantic drama. The blonde woman vented a bit about the stress at work, which significantly reduced this week, and finally they either fucked and went to bed, or they went to bed directly. Routine kicked in. As if this had been their evening ritual forever.


    The very next morning Carry called. She seemed very excited. "Please make sure the place is in top notch state, because I have a good feeling about the couple I''ll be bringing today!". "Alright, when will that be?". "At 14:00. 2pm I mean", Carry said and Giselle could see the smile a person gets when money dribbles into their bank account. The brunette wished to play mouse today and check how it went by herself, but Mr Dean couldn''t give her a day off every single day something happened. Annie and Giselle left for work. Together. In the past week the Honda Civic had dropped her off in the pedestrian zone near the shop. It saved her a bit of cash and was significantly faster. Also the goodbye kiss from her girlfriend gave her goosebumps and a huge grin every time she strolled into the shop. "Fuck, you''re still glowing. Did you get laid again?", Laury grumbled and her coworker just laughed, shrugging. "Giselle, you''re one lucky fuck!", she said and both women laughed while opening the shop.


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    Late afternoon Carry called and Giselle took a five minute break to receive the call. Mr Dean had been updated about her troubles. He''d been more than willing to allow her some flexibility, but she wasn''t sure why he''d been so supportive. "I think we have two buyers!", Carry announced proudly. "Really? That''s amazing!", the brunette responded. Then came the bad news, "They want the apartment by end of the month! Do you think you can make it?". "I¡­ I don''t know, Carry", Giselle managed to say. It was the truth. Frankly she hadn''t gone looking for an apartment yet. And the market for rental apartments was as bad as the real estate market. "I''ll try to get something. Proceed with the sale!", she said despite her gut telling her how much of a bad decision this was. "Great news! I think we may be able to settle everything by the end of the week!". And as sudden as this came, the call dropped and Giselle stood perplexed in the storage area of the shop. She stared absentmindedly at the phone and couldn''t quite believe what she had just done. The apartment was sold. Just like that. With all her memories and attachment.


    Ten minutes later Laury found her friend leaning against half-empty boxes, tears clinging to both cheeks and her chin. Hands clasped and intertwined, but Giselle didn''t quite respond to the touch. "Are you okay?", Laury wondered and Giselle shook her head. "The apartment just sold. I have to move out in less than two weeks", she said with another tear rolling down her cheek. Something tore at her from within. It felt horrible and she didn''t even register her friend embracing her tightly.

 Chapter 68

    Reluctantly Annie had agreed to let her crash if she didn''t find something. Despite the original offer to move in, Giselle had opened up with the news in the evening and her girlfriend responded by staring, mouth gaping wide open. "Are you insane? How can you expect to find anything in a month, let alone two weeks? Wow, I don''t know what to say, Giselle. This was one dumb decision.", the blonde commented, outraged and slightly hurt, "Why didn''t you talk this through with me? Aren''t we together now?".


    In addition to feeling overwhelmed, the brunette added guilt and helplessness to the pile of emotions fighting for dominance inside of her. On any other day, she would''ve sought the embrace of her lover. Instead she felt abandoned and alone. "Don''t worry, I''ll find something and I won''t bug you", she whispered, got up and clenched her hands into fists. It helped to suppress the tears. "Don''t be like that!", Annie exclaimed and went after the woman that slowly walked toward the exit. Giselle tried to fight off the hands that reached for her. That held onto her. Fuck, what was she doing? Did she want to end up alone now? Her heart twisted and ached. She fell to her knees and leaned into her lover''s embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks again. All she could do lately was to cry. A weak attempt to cope. "I''m sorry, Annie", she sobbed and dug her fingers into her thighs. It hurt, but she didn''t care.


    Kisses showered her cheeks and neck, accompanied by a whisper: "You''re going to be okay. I promise, you''re going to be okay". It was Annie''s soothing voice that calmed her. Everything felt weak, and lost now. "Can''t you postpone the sale? Maybe by two weeks?", Annie wondered quietly. Giselle shook her head frantically, "Carry said the couple which wants to buy it wants it soon". "Ah, that sucks", she sighed and added, "So what can we do?".


    The brunette paused and glared into the dark hallway that barely got illuminated by the candles. The shade of her jacket suggested someone hiding there. Giselle tilted her head at the thought and pursed her lips, "How about I find a storage space first for my belongings? And then I''ll take two or three days off to look at apartments?". "Honestly this is the first sensible thing you''ve said all evening", the blonde grinned and kissed her cheek. "C''mon, let''s lie on the sofa and I''ll help you organise", her lover said and nudged her forward. With a small pull, both were up on their feet in no time. Giselle dried her cheeks with her shirt sleeves and they both grabbed their respective phones.


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    Within an hour they found a storage space barely 10 minutes walk from the complex and a company that''d potentially be able to move her belongings into a new apartment, or into the storage space, should that be necessary. The remainder of the evening they spent on apartment rentals. Annie had been right, Laury had been right, the whole market was tough. Since she had no car, her options were limited, too. Eventually they narrowed down the search to two options and Giselle reached out to both. Since both were handled by an agent each that seemed to have no life, she managed to book a slot for looking at the places two days later. It''d mean taking a day off of work. She didn''t know how she felt about that one, but what could she do. Then she told Ian about the meeting with the potential buyers which he was required to attend since they both still owned the apartment legally. He grudgingly agreed.


    The TV show Annie put on later was merely background noise to her. Giselle''s mind circled around her new challenges. Would she be able to find a new place? In time? What did that mean for Annie? For their relationship? Would Ian really give up the money this easily? Question chased after another question and wouldn''t leave her in peace. When Annie and Giselle went to bed, she was so distracted and stuck in her head, she forgot to change into her night clothes. Annie laughed and undressed her, telling her she couldn''t be in bed with those clothes. The brunette looked at her in disbelief. Why couldn''t she be in bed with those clothes? Since she only thought the question, there was no response. It irritated her and the puzzlement must have shown on her face, since her lover raised an eyebrow and poked her into the side, "I know this is a lot, but if you become less present, you''ll turn into a ghost". Both laughed. Giselle laughed more. And more. The tension faded with it. Since days she suddenly felt free of the spell. She smiled and they kissed.

 Chapter 69

    After a tedious ride on the bus, Giselle arrived in a small street. The sidewalk followed one property after the next. The pattern was very obvious: shoulder-height hedge, small concrete path to the entrance door, another hedge, side street down into the parking garage, another hedge, next property, repeat. Every property was a multi-story apartment building. This block had been built at least 30 years ago and the colours looked about as vibrant as a mud hole in the desert. Giselle sighed, gripped her bag and walked with a smile toward the tall business person that waited for her a couple of meters away. It was the agent who looked to be in his forties. A stubby beard and large nose were his most prominent features apart from the balding head. He also carried a rather large tummy with him that was large enough to show through the business suit. "Hi, I''m Giselle, we talked on the phone, right?", Giselle greeted the person and got a mumble in response. "Yes, hello. Shall we?", the man said in a rusty voice that betrayed his addiction to cigarettes. Giselle couldn''t remember the person''s name. Was it Bud? Burk? Something B, but it didn''t matter either.


    She followed the agent up onto the second floor. There were three doors, he opened the one on the left. Darkness greeted her. "The previous owners took the lamps with them, we need to make due with torches", he told her and clicked on top of a small, black stick. Bright, white light shone into the hallway. The walls had a hideous flower wallpaper and it didn''t get better, the further they walked inside. The whole place featured a whooping 3 windows. One in the kitchen, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. The bathroom was hardly bigger than a bathtub and seriously needed a renovation. Actually the whole place needed a renovation. All of a sudden a loud, booming noise erupted from somewhere. Giselle couldn''t pinpoint the source. To her it felt like the neighbours ran an underground techno club. Crumbs fell onto her head from the ceiling which she dusted off in annoyance. The agent shrugged at her helplessly. "Is this normal?", she yelled through the room in an attempt to be louder than the music. "I''m afraid so", he stated bluntly. The brunette sighed, "I guess we''re done here. I''m sorry, I am a quiet person and I need my place to be quiet". "I understand. You''re not alone in this assessment", he almost sounded apologetic and accompanied her outside, "Well, then, I hope you have better luck elsewhere then". "Thanks, you too", she responded and walked back down the street to the bus stop. What a fucking waste, she thought and leaned against a pillar keeping the bus stop roof aloft.


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    The other agent had cancelled their appointment in the morning. That apartment was rented out already and there was no point in her visiting the place anymore. Eventually she reached home. Annie was already there and the questioning look just made her shrug helplessly, in a similar fashion that Burk, the agent, had shrugged. "One got cancelled and one had a fucking private club on top of it", she explained and Annie stared at her. "I am serious! The music made the ceiling fall on top of my head!", she reaffirmed her explanation. Annie stared at her some more and then shook her head, "Fuck, it''d be hilarious if you didn''t need a place to live!". "Yeah, I guess". "Let''s look for more places, alright?", the blonde tried to be supportive and put a bowl of salad on the table. They dug in and Giselle managed to get another appointment the very next day after work. She felt lucky and snuggled against her lover while trying to follow the TV show. Half of the story had been skipped over by her the previous evenings when she was so preoccupied. Trying to catch up took all her concentration now. At least she was distracted.


    "Good luck, love!", Laury had wished her as she boarded another bus into the outskirts of Blackwater. Today she went into a different direction than the day before. The area was newer, it had been an industrial complex a few decades ago. It wasn''t as safe as other areas either, but the apartment complex was huge, had its own bus stop and had been built barely 10 years ago. She was confident that it wasn''t that bad.


    And she was right. Unfortunately about 15 more interested clients gathered on the small porch in front of building B. "Ah shit", she muttered to herself, seeing her chances dwindle. Most people gathered here were in company. Either couples or friends, with Giselle and additional 3 more being the outliers. Conversations between the different parties weren''t happening. The mood was weird and awkward. Suddenly a group of ten people got herded out of the front door by a small, fat woman wearing a blonde braid, too much makeup and a dress that made her look like a sausage. "Alright, next group come with me", she said in a similar rusty voice as Burk from the day before. Giselle followed the group up the stairs and into an apartment on the first floor. It had a balcony, windows, no kitchen and a beautiful bathroom. All of the floor had dark tiles and the walls were painted in a vibrant white. Taking in the place, she could see various couples already trying to compete for attention of the sausage lady. Two additional, single people had papers with their names and resumes. She wouldn''t get this place even if she begged. Without a second glance, she sneaked out of the door and took a bus home.

 Chapter 70

    "How''d it go?", Laureen asked her the next morning when they opened up the store. "Abysmal", Giselle responded. "Ah, fuck, I''m sorry, Giselle". "You two look like someone died. Something I should know?", Mr Dean strolled through the open doors with a huge grin on his face. He looked so happy that Giselle suspiciously frowned at him. He stopped and glanced at both women, "What!". Laury jumped in and explained, "Giselle is trying to find a new place to live. You know, the breakup and all. So far the options were horrible". Her boss blinked in surprise, "Ah, I can fill in the blanks". He most likely connected the dots. Giselle''s request for a raise just fit inside the puzzle perfectly. "You know what? I''ll ask around. I can''t have my two only employees in distress!", he smiled and walked past them into his office.


    "Did that just happen?", Giselle wondered and Laury shrugged. Both had no idea whether Mr Dean had any network at all. He wasn''t the approachable kind of boss that acted all friendly with his staff. "Can''t hurt to have him ask around, right?", her friend said and the brunette nodded, "Yeah, anything''s better than the fucking techno club I''ve been to the day before yesterday". Both giggled and forced a smile. They had to work.


    On Saturday Carry had set up the meeting between the buyers, Giselle and Ian. Since the brunette had to work, she met Ian in front of the building while Carry probably was already in the apartment with the clients. "Hi", he grunted and she felt something squeeze in her chest. She hadn''t seen him in their former place in weeks and it made her miss him. The years of living with Ian wouldn''t just vanish in a week or four. It hurt, seeing him again and his casual demeanour. She forced a "Hi, Ian" and opened the door. "So, you got any clue who''s gonna buy the thing for this insane price?", her ex asked her curiously, visibly less grumpy about the meeting than earlier in the week, but Giselle didn''t know yet, "Sorry, no idea. Carry didn''t say". "Ah, what a shame. I''m curious".


    When they arrived in front of the door, she caught Ian staring grumpily at Annie''s door. He probably wasn''t as fine as he let on. Maybe. Something inside her needed to believe that he wasn''t fine. That he cared for her and their years together hadn''t been a lie. She sighed and turned the key in the lock. Ian walked inside in front of her and suddenly started laughing, "Oh, fuck me!". What could be so funny about all of this? Did he know Carry, too? When she walked into the living room next to Ian her heart skipped a beat. The clients were Celestine and another man. "You''re gonna buy our apartment? You''re insane", her ex commented and walked over to kiss the woman. She wrapped her arms around him and lingered in his embrace. Giselle went from holding her breath into hyperventilation. She didn''t quite understand what was happening. And considering that Ian hadn''t known either, something felt fishy. Or maybe it was just her imagination, her pain, the betrayal that she felt. Emotions rushed through her as she reached for the wall to support her. The face a grimace and anger rising, she turned on the spot and went back out. "Giselle? Where are you going?", Carry yelled, but the brunette didn''t want to hear it. Everything went white and she rushed down the stairwell. Luckily the shoes were on the sporty side and within a couple of seconds, she had left the building and ran across the street down the path that Annie and her had walked before. Dusk had fallen over Blackwater and there was no one walking under the trees.


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    Her phone rang and she silenced Carry away. Fuck her. Let Ian explain everything. Fuck them all! Her bum fell on the first wooden bench she came across and she leaned back against the backrest. Leaves all across the canopy wiggled in the light breeze. A couple of sparrows chased each other through the branches, but she barely recognised them. Tears rolled down her cheeks after flooding her eyes. Why did all of this happen to her? And now of all things? Wasn''t it hard enough already? Did Celestine really have to backstab her? Move in next to Annie and she had to listen to Ian and her fuck? Her anger twisted into rage and despair at the same time. No one would make her go back. This was it. And it was final. She wouldn''t sell to that bitch.


    Later, the woman had no idea how much time had passed, a message arrived.


    Ian: "Hey. I know you''re mad. I didn''t know, I promise! But Celestine and her brother are offering another 5% if they can have the place by the end of the month. Please agree to this, you don''t have to see them, just sign the contract. This is a _lot_ of money! A lot more than we asked for!"

 Chapter 71

    After giving them enough time to leave, Giselle walked back to the apartment in darkness. The sum of money offered by Celestine was generous. She had no idea that the apartment could be sold for this much. Yet her sorrows just seemed to increase, not decrease. When she arrived, she found the apartment empty. Both Carry and her clients as well as Ian had vacated the place. So far Ian''s text message had been unanswered, too. She didn''t know whether she wanted to talk to Annie about it either. The thought of Celestine and Ian living next to Annie annoyed her. Was she already losing interest in Annie? Or why else wouldn''t she trust the woman?


    "Hello? Giselle? I have company right now. Can we talk tomorrow?", Laury had said after she picked up the call and the brunette grumpily said that it was okay. Of course it wasn''t okay, but she didn''t want to pull her friend from a lovely evening into her hellhole. Weighing her options now, mom got thrown off the list which only left Annie. Since she practically lived with her neighbour, Giselle put on her pajamas, took a box of salted peanuts from the pantry and rang Annie''s doorbell. She could''ve used her key, yet somehow it felt wrong to burst in and put all of her emotions on the table without giving her lover a chance to chicken out.


    A painful three minutes passed before the blonde opened the door with a surprised expression on her face, "Giselle, you have a key, right? But you look like crap, come in!". Oh, was it that obvious? Yeah, it probably was, since she hadn''t considered to clean up her makeup and the tears must have messed up everything. Not that it mattered now. "Thanks. I am sorry. I wanted to have a better mood after the meeting with the clients", the brunette said, but the blonde lead her inside and took both cheeks into her hand before kissing the lips. Giselle had needed that. She felt some of the tension leave, but that only brought her closer to tearing up again. Today was fucked. She didn''t appreciate how this had turned out and sighed. "Tell me what''s wrong", Annie requested and both sat on the sofa. The story was brief and managed to cause a gasp, a sigh and a facepalm on her girlfriend. What could she say, she probably would''ve reacted the same way in her stead. "That''s messed up. What are you going to do?", Annie wondered and squeezed the hand she was holding firmly. "I''ll sell the place of course!". "I can see the appeal, not that I personally appreciate living next to Ian and Celestine soon". "I''m sorry, it''s not like anyone else wants to throw this much money at me!", Giselle sighed defensively, but the blonde woman just nodded.


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    "So you think I should go for it? I haven''t even found a place yet, even though Mr Dean has started to help me look", she said and her neighbour looked up, "Your boss is helping you? That''s kind of him". "You think?". "Of course! My boss wouldn''t even show a spark of empathy!". "Huh, that''s sad", the brunette commented and took her phone from the pocket. "Are you going to send Ian a message?", Annie asked and Giselle nodded with a frown. There was a message from Carry, too.


    Carry: "Hi Giselle. That wasn''t very professional that you just ditched the clients. I can guess why you did it, but that just makes my job harder. Please call me on Monday so we can iron out the contract if you''re willing to sell."


    Giselle grunted in annoyance. Fuck her! It''s not like the crush of her ex is trying to buy her apartment. The sea of emotions became stormy and crashed against her insides again. Maybe on Monday things would be calmer. Maybe. Instead she wrote the message to Ian.


    Giselle: "I still don''t have a place, but I don''t think anyone else will pay this much. Let''s sell it"


    On Monday she''d have to talk to the bank about paying back the loan. It''d be a mess. But that''d be on Monday and with that message dealt with, she tried her best to smile at her lover. "Are you better now?", the woman wondered and shuffled closer. Giselle nodded and leaned into the embrace, her head on the warm shoulder, her hand under the shirt on soft skin. Annie always smelled so nice and distracting. "I''m not going to take you up on that offer that I could crash here if I didn''t find anything. I''ll talk to my mom", the brunette explained softly. "If that''s what you want", her lover responded and graced the fingertips through her hair. Giselle purred slightly and nuzzled her face into the neckline. All of a sudden she was glad that she had trusted her girlfriend. It was nice being taken care of. To find shelter and warmth when shit hit the fan. "Can you fuck me until I pass out?", Giselle whispered up and placed a soft kiss on the neck. Annie just grinned at her viciously and dragged her into the bedroom.

 Chapter 72

    When Giselle went back to work on Monday, she told Carry to proceed with the deal and then took her afternoon off to see the bank. Ian wouldn''t be required to tag along. Part of her wanted to do this meeting via phone, but her contact at the bank had said that there were some formalities and details they could already take care of. Since she had spent most of her Sunday in bed with Annie, her muscles ached and she hadn''t called Laury again, or sent out text messages. Monday morning started with a conflict and a grumpy coworker who was seriously worried. She didn''t know what to respond, so she apologised and tried to salvage the situation. With her brief announcement that she needed the afternoon off, it backfired, too. Laury shot her displeased glances and didn''t want to talk. Giselle was certain that her friend would recover, given some space.


    The local office of URM Bank & Associates, which included an investment department and a very run of the mill public bank for people who wanted to save money or required credit cards, it also had a department for loans and other varieties of financing for personal or corporate entities. She''d been here twice in a single month now and she didn''t like the vibe that the place had. An info desk in the hall announced her to a certain Miss Granger, who resided on second floor in office 207. Giselle stepped into the elevator together with three others, all busy bodies in suits. She got off the elevator first and felt completely underdressed in her clerk clothes.


    A brief knock on the door caused a woman to respond, "Come in!" and so she entered. Two chairs stood in front of a large desk that appeared organised on first glance. On second glance however it became apparent that Miss Granger worked on many different cases at the same time. Four stacks of paper were in front of her. The woman wore a dark gray jacket and blouse, red lipstick, a decent amount of makeup and had her dark hair neatly pulled back into a spherical bun at the back of her head. Her gaze shifted up from a stack of papers and she peered at Giselle across the top rim of her glasses, which she probably used for reading only. The woman was at least fifty and she folded her hands, waiting for Giselle to sit down on one of the chairs.


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    Intimidating was one word to describe the atmosphere. Giselle was silent until spoken to. She felt uncomfortable and clasped her handbag that she placed on top of her lap when she took a seat. "So you are selling your apartment and want to pay the loan with that money?", Miss Granger stated with a judgemental tone in her voice that only someone in law or finance could muster. "Yes, the buyers have already agreed to the purchase and it''ll be done by the end of the month", Giselle confirmed. "Right, that means next month you''ll be in possession of the money. So, look here, this is the form I''ll need back once you''re able to pay off the loan. You''ll find the bank details and the remaining debt on it", the business woman explained while pointing with a pen at the relevant areas. After giving the client a moment to read the important lines, she added, "Here''s another form that both you and your husband need to sign. It contains the fee for ending the loan early, the process costs and a partial payment of the interest we lost. It is rather self-explanatory".


    When Giselle looked at the numbers, she sighed deeply. Having to pay part of the interest was normal, but it still felt like a rip off. The processing fee of 1500 was ludicrous however. She swallowed and added the numbers in her head. And while Celestine offered to pay a lot more than they had, more than 20% would be eaten up by the bank. At least she didn''t have to pay taxes on the sale. Why was everything so fucking complicated?


    "Alright, understood. I''ll return these once we got the money. Anything else?", she asked as friendly as she could and received a grunt. "Yes, as explained on both forms, you''ll have to transfer the money separately and by using these codes so we can identify the payments properly", the pen circled around a code printed on the top right of the form. "Understood. Anything else?", she wondered while already making an effort to get up. "That''s all, thank you for coming by", Miss Granger said and pushed one stack of papers, which supposedly was her house loan, to the side and looked at yet another stack of papers. That woman was stuck in the old age it seemed. She probably could do all of these things digitally, if she had wanted to. "Please close the door behind you!", came the yell and Giselle complied. Her handbag held the folded forms and she muttered to herself how stupid that visit had been. All of this could''ve been taken care of via e-mail or the phone. Going there in person had been a complete waste. Grumpily she took the bus home and arrived late afternoon.

 Chapter 73

    With enough time until Annie came home from work, Giselle stood inside the apartment that was formerly theirs. Ian and hers. She felt reminiscent and melancholic as she strolled through the place, brushing her fingers across the sofa and the small table that used to hold the picture wall. Her gaze wandered across the room and out of the window. The other part of the apartment complex on the opposite side of the small lawn looked lifeless apart from a couple of windows with curtains. Her path took her into the bedroom and she opened all of her wardrobe doors before she fell down on the bed on Ian''s side. Less than half of the wardrobe was empty now, she had always used up more space than her ex.


    After a couple of minutes, her way took her into the kitchen and the various drawers, the pantry and the fridge. Most of the storage spaces were empty now and had been moved over into Annie''s place. They prepared food there most days anyway and Giselle only spent time in her apartment when it was required by some circumstance. In a little less than two weeks, this place wouldn''t be hers anymore. She pulled herself up on the kitchen space. Her legs pulled to her chest, she threw a glance back out through the window while leaning sideways against the fridge. After a minute, she called the moving company. Her situation was explained quickly and they settled on Thursday the following week. Moving on such a short notice without a definite destination wasn''t without merit. Since the company lacked work, she got a better price regardless of where everything went in Blackwater. Then she called the owner of the storage space and reserved a unit for a week. She promised to call by next Monday whether she''d take it or not. It incidentally was the deadline for telling the moving company where to bring her stuff, too. It all fell into place. She''d start packing on the weekend after work. Maybe with Annie''s or Laury''s help.


    When she had left work, she''d left Laury in a crappy mood and now she felt quite bad and responsible. Since her phone was already in her hand, she sent a message to Laury.


    Giselle: "Hey. I''m sorry about last weekend. I didn''t want to worry you. Not intentionally. I just forgot while staying in with Annie. Sorry, dear. On a positive note, I got the moving company and the storage space sorted. I''ll be moving out next week on Thursday :sweat_smile:"


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    It wasn''t much, but it made her feel better. Giselle sat for another ten minutes on her spot on the kitchen counter and stared out into the cloudy sky. With a deep sigh she went over to Annie''s place and started to prepare dinner. Yet another day of salad. Somehow Annie loved salad in all kinds and variations and as the guest, she just went along. It wasn''t like she despised salad, but it became a little much. And today would be different, she decided that much on a whim and took out toast, more salad and cheese to make herself sandwiches. It''d be a nice distraction from salad and Annie wouldn''t mind since there was salad.


    The rest of her early evening, she spend on the phone with her mom. The update on her life was significant. And overdue. "What do you mean you''re selling the apartment? Giselle, where are you gonna go? I could''ve helped you out with some money!", her mom told her emotionally. This wasn''t going to be easy. "It''s okay, mom. I wouldn''t take your money even if you shoved it down my pants", Giselle countered and barely escaped her mother yelling at her, "Fine, fine. No need to be rude. So how''s the search for a new place going then? I hope you got something lined up?". "Not really, the market is tough". "Bah, I could''ve told you that before. When I said to live your life, I didn''t mean you should just sell everything!", her mother complained. "I know, mom. It''s not like I wanted to...". "Are the buyers at least paying you a ton of money for the place? And are you going to get any of it or is Ian taking it all?", the voice tuned down in volume, worry showing through the question. Giselle answered calmly, "Ian took the car, but left me the apartment. It''ll be my money". "That''s a relief. Finally some good news. And when are you going to move again?". "Next week, Thursday". "Right, if you don''t find anything, you can always stay here for a while. We''re family, Giselle! Don''t be a stranger", the woman on the other end of the phone offered, the voice calm and determined, like the caring mother that she was. "I might...", Giselle cleared her throat, feeling slightly ashamed now, "I might take you up on that. I don''t want to move in with my girlfriend just yet". "Deal. I gotta go now, sweetie. I am off to see the girls, it''s Monday evening, y''know?". "I know, mom. Take care. And thanks!". The phone clicked and the connection ended abruptly. Of course her mom would be there, as always. The person she could rely on when everything went down the drain. Family was worth something, sometimes. Giselle leaned forward and raised her head when a key turned inside the lock. Her love was back home. She smiled and received a kind, bright grin in response.

 Chapter 74

    "So you''re finally sick of salad?", Annie asked, amused. A friendly frown appeared on Giselle''s forehead, "Ah y''know. I like salad, just not in these piles". The blonde laughed and waved off. As predicted, she didn''t mind the variation. The topic shifted quickly into something from work. Annie explained, "We''re going to do this huge article on the merger of two huge tech giants and the primary journalist that researched the background has quit. Today! As you can guess, there''s no research anymore. I''ve seen some previews of it and was convinced that it was good! Brilliant even! Yet now I''m stuck with nothing. Okay, not nothing since there are three more people with me. They have some of the data and they of course ran their own research, too. What''s missing is the parts that link everything together into a huge story. When I told my boss, I could hear his teeth crunch together. Thirty years ago it probably would''ve been my fault, too. At least nowadays most managers seem to understand that you can''t be responsible for your team. Not truly responsible, right?". The brunette nodded and intertwined her fingers with those of her lover. Annie had been working on two big stories for a few weeks now. Mostly supporting the journalists in their work, approving funds and keeping milestones in check. One of those two projects is stalled now. It didn''t come as a surprise that the woman was worked up and quite shaken. The job at the magazine was something she liked.


    The update on Giselle''s decisions and the meeting at the bank came much much later, even after they had started to snuggle on the sofa and Annie put on the TV show. Last two episodes, she had commented. The brunette scrolled through apartments again instead, barely focused on the show. There was hardly a choice to make. In a week she needed confirmation for a new place. She didn''t like the pressure, but there was nothing to be done and she gritted her teeth through the tough week.


    Unfortunately the rental market got even tougher. She''d be able to see another apartment on Thursday afternoon. Unless someone stole it under her nose. This time the pictures were more appealing. The better the pictures, the less appealing the price tag it seemed. Same as everywhere in life. Except food maybe. She put her phone away and decided to give the show finale her attention. She''d missed a couple of scenes before, but that didn''t seem to matter. The heroine got her husband to be and they walked into the sunset on a beach. "Fuck that was cheesy", Giselle said and immediately felt bad when Annie turned her head. Her eyes were glossy and she was emotionally rooting for the heroine. The brunette sunk down into the sofa and pressed her lips together. Today wasn''t a good day to pick a fight and she wouldn''t die on this hill.


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    The very next day at work Giselle found Laury in a better mood. They smiled at each other and after telling her a very guilty "Sorry", her friend hugged her and they were good. Another day went by and then another. Anxiety took root in Giselle''s mind. The closer the deadline came, the harder it was for her to keep her cool. Thursday morning another message arrived. The apartment was no longer available. This brought her close to tears, yet what else was there? She''d put her stuff into the storage and live with her mom. Like a teenager. Thursday evening both Annie and her spent another hour trying their best to find something. There were many apartments outside of her range. If she could afford those, then the loan wouldn''t have been a problem in the first place. On Saturday during the day finally something appeared. With Laury''s approval, she left work and rushed over to a short notice showing of the place. Three minutes late, out of breath and sweaty, she made it. A group of three just walked away from a young business lady. Maybe mid twenties? Giselle didn''t quite know, but it frustrated her to no end how all of these agents dressed up. They were selling rental apartments! Living space! Not the next penthouse. They just made her feel underdressed.


    Taking a deep breath, she greeted the woman, "Hi, I''m Giselle, thanks for the short notice opportunity". The voice of the woman was pitched as high as a song bird. It was friendly, but at the same time so detached, that she appeared professional. "No worries, Giselle. I''m Bernadette. Shall we?", Bernadette, the agent, said. Giselle nodded and they walked into the building. The brunette didn''t have time to look around the neighbourhood while rushing here, nor did she remember what the building looked like on the outside once they stepped into it. A light stairwell greeted them and they immediately walked past it into the right door. There was only one more door on the left with a huge sign attached to it: "Be still and know that I am God. - Psalm 46:10".

 Chapter 75

    Bernadette, the agent, simply walked into the apartment. The door wasn''t locked. Upon entering, a cascade of light unfolded in front of her eyes. The short hallway directly opened into a spacious living room. Giselle found herself gasping at the similarities to her current apartment. It felt overwhelming, stunning. By the time she realised that Bernadette was talking to her, she had already missed two sentences, or more. Her head turned to face the agent and she smiled, trying to follow the explanations. "¡­ has been renovated subsequently and is now the most modern apartment in the house. I am sure you can appreciate the amount of light in here. If you will follow me, the other room, which could be the bedroom, features the same huge windows as this room.", the agent said and started walking toward a door frame that lead out into another space. Giselle followed, peeking into the kitchen area on her way. This place was eery. The similarities were bordering on the gods playing pranks on her.


    All in all, Giselle concluded that she could definitely live here. The place was slightly smaller, but not by much. The kitchen felt slightly older and less modern. There was only a shower, no bathtub. And finally, this place was available immediately. If she could get it, that is. The price was slightly higher than her maximum, but she''d be able to handle it. Somehow. "So what do you think?", the woman asked her after the brunette had taken a brief second look into all the rooms again. "Oh, I love the place! I really do! It''s so bright and the layout is almost the same as my current place", Giselle swooned. "May I ask why you''re looking for a place?". "My husband and I are splitting up and I can''t afford the apartment. I mean, if I am being honest, this place is slightly too expensive for me, but it''d make things a lot easier. No furniture to replace, everything seems in order, it seems to fit perfectly!". "I''m happy to hear that. So how about you send me your details via mail and tomorrow I''ll talk to the owners. You''ll have my response by Monday!", Bernadette suggested as she lead Giselle toward the exit. "That sounds lovely, you''ll have everything tonight", the brunette said and stopped as they walked into the stairwell.


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    The smell had changed significantly. It reeked of an overdose of frankincense and reminded her of catholic masses. Then she heard shuffling. A woman walked around the stairs, clad in a dark, brown linen dress, slippers and she was swinging a censer that clouded the area in smoke. In her other hand, she held a rosary and kept muttering something quietly. Both Bernadette and Giselle stood there, perplexed and irritated. The woman seemed to live in the door on the opposite side, at least that''s what Giselle presumed. Yet just when the woman reached that door, her head jerked around and green, piercing eyes pushed the air out of Giselle''s lungs. "You!", the woman hissed, "I can smell you! I can smell adultery! You have sinned! And you will be punished!". It took both women a moment to recover, then they squeezed past the fanatic and hurried outside. "What the fuck was that!", Giselle asked and glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting someone going after her with a knife. The agent shook her head and shrugged, "I think that was the neighbour. The owners said that she was odd. Not that I agree with that assessment". The brunette nodded and stayed silent for a while. "If you don''t want to move into this place, I totally understand", the agent added and Giselle made out a myriad of emotions, including compassion. "Yeah, I''ll have to process this first. I''ll get back to you in the evening, alright?". She observed the entrance to the apartment building from the corner of her eyes. Now that she observed the place, something felt off. The windows of that neighbour had writings on them, the garden patch to the side had a small cross with a crucified Jesus Christ. That woman was a true believer. Would she really want to live next door to such a person? After all, these fanatics had a tendency to be homophobic, racist and god knows what else!


    After exchanging some pleasantries, Giselle left Bernadette and took two busses home. She reached Annie''s place when her lover was in the middle of preparing dinner. "How''d it go?", the blonde asked while sticking her head out into the living room. "I think a woman just explained to me that I''ll end up in hell and therefore tried to cleanse the stairwell with frankincense", the brunette explained bluntly. Her lover grunted and said, "Ah okay". Three seconds later, after processing the gist of it, she looked back out, flushed and with raised eyebrows, "Wait, what?".

 Chapter 76

    "I don''t have any other options, sweetie!", Giselle explained with a disgruntled expression and shoved a fork into her mouth. More salad, of course. Annie repeated her initial argument again, "But you are not seriously considering to move in next to a lunatic!". The brunette sighed and turned her head and glanced at the bowl of salad in front of her. Her skills to read the future from a bowl with food were severely lacking, but that didn''t keep her from trying. Unfortunately there was no insight, no epiphany. It stayed a random bowl of salad. The blonde next to her sighed as well. Both seemed to realise that this discussion didn''t lead anywhere. "I''m sorry, love. It sounded like this apartment was within reach. Considering the price tag, this might be the reason why less people are enthusiastic about it, but no matter. However if you move in out of desperation you''ll regret it! Trust me on this!", Annie concluded and this would be the last she''d say on this matter. Another deep sigh came from Giselle in response. Why didn''t anyone just take this burden away? Deal with the decision-making and then present her with the best outcome? Being on her own sucked. "You''re right. I am clinging to this option because Monday I''ll have to tell the moving company", she responded quietly, left her fork in the bowl, leaned back and rubbed her eyes. Everything, both mind and body, were tired and exhausted. She needed a break and a way forward.


    Nothing came from that evening. No new apartments popped up online, both had no clear solution for this and Giselle refused to ask her girlfriend for letting her stay. This ship had sailed and that decision to let it sail, she wouldn''t question that. The only way was forward, hindsight wouldn''t make anything easier. After cleaning up the kitchen together and Annie explaining the details of a business trip she''d have to take in barely a month, the women cuddled under a large, warm blanket on the sofa. The soft touch of the her girlfriend''s fingertips that caressed her shoulders and neck made Giselle purr quietly. She wrapped her arms around the form of her lover while curling up under the blanket. Despite the stress and uncertainty, staring into the TV for a while, clinging to her love, it put her mind at ease. The worries slowly faded. Tiredness washed over her. A sensation of being safe, and to her surprise also a desire that originated from her loins.


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    During a small advertisement breaks, her lips sought for their counterparts and lingered. The last time she had truly felt a need to devour someone had been weeks ago. Annie didn''t object at all. Five minutes in, she even turned off the TV. The blonde was gasping, arching, quietly moaning under her touch and lips a short time later. The evening turned into a blur and when they retired to the bedroom, both were so worked up that sleep was unthinkable.


    Both women woke multiple times after dawn. None wanted to get up and they drifted into a shallow sleep across all the morning. The adventure in the previous night had lasted for hours and, now that Giselle ran a mental recap, left her grinning sheepishly. The image of Annie and her climaxing at the same time while having a single vibrating egg between their crotches left her trembling. A couple of months ago she might have felt shy. Instead she shuffled closer to her girlfriend, that had her back turned toward her and was still sleeping or resting quietly. The breathing was shallow enough. A shower of kisses on the shoulders and neck woke the woman from the slumber, she turned and kisses the lips that woke her. Giselle''s hand slipped under her girlfriend''s panties but got squeezed into a stalemate by strong thighs. "Still haven''t had enough?", the blonde grinned and stole another kiss. The brunette blushed in response and shrugged slightly. No sense hiding it, she was needy as fuck. "Well, I can fuck myself if you want to sleep?", she teased in a whisper. "Oh you wish!", her girlfriend said and climbed on top of her.


    They went to the bathroom together, sweaty and with grumbling stomachs. Giselle hadn''t considered how long their play would take them, or she might have considered eating something first. Hindsight again. She sighed and let the water wash away the remnants of the previous night and morning. Then they ordered pizza. Giselle stood in the kitchen, staring through the window into the small lawn that she could see from her own apartment as well. The towel was still wrapped around her as her mind went blank. The autumn sun made her feel nostalgic. It tinted the colourful trees into a yellow, almost golden, light. Eventually an already dressed Annie found her. The woman leaned against the counter next to her, but looked in the opposite direction toward the wall. "Are you okay?", the blonde asked. "I guess. I guess I''ll be fine. Somehow. And maybe things will work out", she whispered and sighed. Arms embraced her from behind and she smiled.

 Chapter 77

    With a heavy heart, Giselle sent Bernadette, the agent, a message. When it delivered to the other phone, she saw a small check mark appear next to it and took a deep breath. "How unlucky can a girl be?", she asked no one in particular and looked up at her girlfriend who just emerged from the bathroom. They''d be going out. See a movie, have dinner, enjoy the last weekend that Giselle would be staying in this apartment block without being a guest. The mental pressure weighing down on both of them left them quiet and melancholic when they walked up the stairs late at night. Annie had done her best to distract. They had made some memories that the brunette wouldn''t forget anytime soon.


    Monday morning came and Giselle made her way to the bus stop. Only four more days remained. The driver roared down the right-most lane of the wide street leading downtown. She passed the cemetery that Annie and her visited by accident when she dashed out of the bus so many days ago. Then she passed another side street where she had tried to get an apartment once, making her wonder if anyone had agreed to live under a private techno club by now. Big towns, cities and metropolitan areas offered an anonymity that bugged her. No one out there would spare her a second glance. No one suspected that she was more or less forced out of her home, for a hefty sum, but still. Before hopping off the bus, she texted her mother.


    Giselle: "Hey mom. I haven''t found anything so far. Most likely I''ll be dropping by your place on Thursday afternoon with two bags. I hope you don''t mind..."


    Unfortunately her mind realised in this moment that she had forgotten to pack. It had been on her agenda for the weekend, but being distracted by that fanatic and the adventures and date with Annie, it was Monday now. Nothing was packed. Giselle sighed and sought through her contacts for the number of the storage unit. She gave the number a ring and explained briefly that she''d take the unit and whether she could drop by after work for the key. The owner ensured her that the space was dry and clean, and even had its own electricity outlet that ran on her account, should she use it. Since it was just ten minutes walk from the apartment, she would be able to see Jake, the owner, at six''ish.


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    Laureen had already started to open the store, but she leaned against the side entrance to Dean''s attire for the gentleman and rang up the moving company. A nice lady, probably someone doing phone service, since it wasn''t who she talked to two weeks prior, took the details for the storage unit. Giselle reminded her that she would package the place, but disassembly of the furniture would be required from the moving service. The lady noted that down and didn''t expect it to be any issue, since there would be no assembly in the storage unit. The brunette agreed with that assessment and they said their goodbyes.


    A long day at work followed. Rarely had she felt this annoyed by literally any person entering the store. When they closed up, Laury squinted at her tormented expression, "It went bad, didn''t it?". "You mean today? I dunno, guess I''m tense and stressed", Giselle responded wearily. "I can see that much, but I meant last Saturday". "Ah that. Yeah. Some religious lunatic chased me out of the stairwell", she summed up the events briefly. "Good grief. I''m sorry, dear". "Thanks, Laury. But I gotta go, I''m meeting Jake for the storage unit key now". "Oh, okay. Take care, Giselle!", her friend waved and they parted ways.


    The path to the storage units was wide enough for a truck. Left and right were rows of units, stacked on two levels with the occasional metal stairway up to a wide access balcony. When she walked down the straight path, a rather corpulent man came down to greet her. He was likely in his forties with huge glasses, a dirty baseball cap and a dirty one-piece that reminded her of the clothes a mechanic would wear. "Oi, y''must be Giselle. Nice ta meet ya!", Jake grumbled and smiled, exposing yellow teeth. He brushed his hand across the one-piece and offered his hand. Of course it was still dirty, but Giselle took it anyway. "Yes I am. Nice to make your acquaintance", she said formally and turned as he gestured toward the left. "That, ''ere, that''a be yers! What''s tha, 38, me believe. I show ya", he explained and started walking toward the number 38 which was located directly accessible from the ground. He fumbled a set of keys from his pocket and opened up.


    At least he hadn''t lied about the size and how clean it was. With a flick on the switch, a dim industrial light turned on. "Y''like it?", he wondered and chewed on his cheek. "Perfect! Can we finish the formalities now?", she smiled and felt a flash of good fortune in her mind.

 Chapter 78

    Jake dug in his other pocket and took a cramped up stack of paper from it. And a dirty, old pen. He looked at the electric meter next to the light switch and wrote down the number on both papers. Then he handed Giselle both of them, "Aight, you''ll need te sign ''ere, and ''ere. Name ''ere, residence ''ere and mobile ''ere case I gotta reach ye. Hazards and stuff, y''know". The brunette looked at the paper and saw it was a basic contract. It mostly guaranteed her privacy and that no one would meddle with her property, but also demanded that she would not store dangerous goods, no vehicles and didn''t pass the keys to anybody. She filled out both pages, which were identical since Jake needed a copy and he definitely didn''t look like someone who knew how to work a printer and copying device. Signature there, there and there. Done. Jake signed her copy of the contract and he had double checked the name and address on both. "Bank details are on ye contract. I need yer money roughly mid month. Got any questions?", Jake mumbled as he turned the light off and dropped the key into her hand. Giselle shook her head, "Thanks, Jake. I''ll make sure you get the rent on time". The man smiled and walked away. It reminded her a little of an overweight penguin. Giselle chuckled and closed the garage door.


    By the time she arrived at Annie''s place, it was already dark. She squeezed herself through the door and yelled, "Honey, I''m home!". The sentence gave her sit-com vibes. Annie came out of the bathroom and tied her hair into a pony. The bob haircut had grown out and the blonde hair could be tied into a small pony now. The woman looked very different in that loose soccer shirt, spotted with dry, white paint and matching, spotted pants. "Uh, what are you doing?", Giselle asked and tilted her head. "We''re going to pack up your stuff of course!", Annie said cheerfully. The brunette stood there, dumbfounded. "Go change! Now!", the blonde yelled. It made her girlfriend jump and scramble toward the bedroom. Five minutes later, Giselle had washed her make-up away and stood next to the blonde in similar wide and old clothes. Annie pulled a stack of folded cardboard boxes from behind the jackets in their entrance area and then they carried them over into Giselle''s place.


    No one had been here in days and it had a stale smell. Neither of them cared and they got to work. Giselle dug through her clothes and divided them into those she needed to drag to her mom''s place and those that could go into storage. Annie had taken a detour downstairs to the paper trash and came back with spoils. A stack of old newspapers she wanted to use as wrapping paper for the dishes. The brunette slammed a pop radio onto the speaker and within minutes later they both sang a nonsensical refrain from Cardi B''s latest hit.


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    An hour later someone rang the door bell. Giselle stuck her head out of the bedroom and followed Annie to the door. Her girlfriend just opened it and waited. "Uh, who''s that? I don''t think we should expect company?", she wondered, slightly confused but trusting her girlfriend. "It''s pizza!". "Pizza?", the brunette asked, dumbfounded a second time today. With the realisation she found her stomach grumble loudly. "Yes, pizza. You''re hungry, right?", Annie laughed and tossed the courier a couple of coins. The bill was most likely paid online. Both sat down on the sofa with two boxes of steaming hot pizza. Before Annie could react, a brightly glowing Giselle took the woman''s cheeks between her palms and she kissed the girl onto her lips. "Thanks, love. I have no idea how you managed all of this, but you''re the best!", she confided and kissed those sweet, soft lips again. "Anything for you, sweetie", the blonde smiled and pulled back ever so slightly, "Let''s have dinner!". "Arrrr!", Giselle imitated a pirate. Both laughed and dug in.


    When they turned off the light in the apartment and switched over to Annie''s place, it was late. They had worked tirelessly and managed to package everything. Every little thing. There was a pile in a corner, consisting of things that Giselle wanted to part ways with. She''d ask the moving company whether it was possible they took this and threw it away. Half of it was useless junk. A broken wooden box, a couple of plates, some old clothes, a pair of shoes, multiple scratched picture frames and different pieces of decoration that were dusty and had their colour fade. Nothing of it had sentimental value. "That was a lot of work", she mused and fell onto the sofa as she stretched her tired legs. "Fuck yes, I didn''t know you could store so much stuff in so few cupboards and drawers. You seriously need to shrink your possessions!", her girlfriend complained, but received a poke into her ribs as response. "Hah, you wish, look around this place, you own twice as much shit as I do!".

 Chapter 79

    Both women went to bed early. Annie got up earlier than Giselle, the same procedure as every morning. So when the brunette''s alarm rang, she groaned and rolled out of bed with a practised motion. Her girlfriend was in the kitchen and threw her a quick glance, "Morning, sunshine! You look enticing!". Giselle frowned back and followed her friend''s eyes, that stared at her chest. Her button-up shirt was loose and had her front exposed slightly. Her nipples were barely covered, but everything between wasn''t.


    Too tired to care, she walked up to her lover and kissed her. She received a soft kiss in response and a hand squeezed her bum. Her lips curled up into a smile. "I''ll skip breakfast I think. I need a long shower", Giselle muttered and yawned. "Alright, love, I''ll be off by the time you get out of the shower!", Annie stated and went back to preparing a small sandwich. Their hands intertwined briefly, then they parted ways and the brunette went into the bathroom. The warm shower woke her up, but she made certain the water didn''t get her hair wet. A couple of minutes later most tasks had been completed successfully. Brushing the teeth, moisturise the skin, put on a hint of perfume, clip the hair at the back of her head, a small layer of makeup to cover the dark areas below her eyes, a little bit of mascara, done.


    Dressed in cloth pants and a comfortable blouse, protected from wind and weather by her usual jacket, she left the apartment and hurried to the bus. Two more days until the move. Two more days of riding the bus. Giselle sighed and glanced at her phone. A new e-mail had arrived from a lawyer, apparently. The text quickly explained that this particular person, Julian Vermont, had been hired by Ian to formalise the divorce papers and deal with the split of their property. "Huh, that''s new", she whispered and opened the attached PDF. Of course it was the type of formal language she didn''t understand. Maybe Annie could help, she''d have to ask in the evening or send a text. The document would need to wait until evening.


    Laureen was already inside the store and looked up with a smile. The woman had a very weird glow on her face. Curiously Giselle walked to the counter and leaned forward, "You look like someone fucked you happy!". Laury blushed and put on a sheepish grin, "Rory stayed over last night. We barely slept!". "Oh, now I get to know his name? So it''s gotten this serious?". "I think so...", her coworker responded, the blush reddening even more. "Good morning, you two! Giselle, we''ll get a couple of new pieces today, you''ll need to make some space!", Mr Dean strolled into the store, casual as usual. "Good morning, Mr Dean", both women responded in unison and Giselle added, "Sure, do you know how much space I''ll need?". "Oh, you''ll figure it out once it arrives". "Sure, I''ll do that!", she said and turned back to Laury, "I''m so happy for you, come here!". She hugged her friend tight. A couple of minutes later, their first customer started off the day.


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    Even though her mind sometimes circled around the date of the move, she mostly stayed focused and finished work easily on time. Today both had an extended lunch, since everything went smooth. On the way home, Giselle had forgotten about the letter. A smile decorated her face when she thought about how happy her friend had been that her current boyfriend wasn''t a jerk. She was happy for her. Truly happy. Laury deserved this win.


    Distracted by many thoughts, time flew by and Giselle finally fell onto the sofa in comfortable clothes that accidentally were also the clothes that she would sleep in. Two flies with one stone, she thought and finally remembered the lawyer''s document. At first she tried to read it on her phone, but it was tough. On her second attempt, she projected it onto the TV, but that was even worse. With a sigh, she settled back and started reading on her phone again. By page five, her eyes fell shut and she yawned. "Oh for fucks sake, Giselle, get a grip. This is important!", she told herself and sat upright to get her blood circling faster.


    From what she could gather, it was a rather normal agreement to divide property fairly. As far as she could tell, it was so straight-forward that it gave her a bad feeling. When she read through it a second time, the fear of being cheated driving her attention, Annie arrived and came over to look at the distraction. The brunette hadn''t responded to the Hello properly, hadn''t even turned her head, so the blonde woman was curious what magic had captivated her lover. The realisation that it was a divorce contract didn''t exactly make her happy, probably hoping for something spectacular or interesting. "Since you''re here, would you mind having a look? I think I''m being cheated, it looks so simple and plain", Giselle wondered, turning her head to steal a kiss from the lips next to her when her girlfriend was leaning in to get a better look at the phone screen. "I''m not good with law texts, but sure", the woman responded and vanished in the bedroom to get out of a business dress, that looked amazing but didn''t seem too comfortable.

 Chapter 80

    Late evening before both women had gone to sleep, Ian had sent a message to ask whether this Julian Vernont and himself could drop by on Thursday morning to get her signature on the divorce papers. Then this would be official by the time Celestine bought the apartment on Friday. Giselle had agreed to the meeting and stressed him to come rather earlier than later. Morning went by as usual. Annie left for her work and Giselle finished later, locked up and took the bus to work. When Mr Dean arrived in his usual lax mood, he pulled Giselle into the storage room in the back. "Remember that I said that I''d look into rental apartments for you? If you''re still looking, I might have something. A friend of mine, more of an acquaintance really, she''s renting out her old place. So, do you still need something?", he explained to her in his rusty voice. Giselle lit up like a candle, "Really? Yes I''m still looking! The market is a nightmare!". "Oh good, then I''ll try to reach her later. I''ll get back to you on Saturday, since you''re off tomorrow and Friday, aren''t you?". "Many many thanks, Mr Dean! Thanks for helping out!", Giselle almost hugged the man in response and bounced happily back into the store.


    Unfortunately she couldn''t tell her friend. An unusually high amount of customers occupied the store throughout most of the afternoon and both women tried to close the sales so they''d be able to lock up and go home. And while two customers bought an expensive suit, that took fifteen minutes longer than regular store opening times. Letting out a deep breath, they closed up and parted ways. "Good luck tomorrow!", Laury had told her before she ran off. "Good luck to myself", Giselle told herself in response. The anticipation grew tenfold. One more night and that would be it. Throughout the whole evening, she wasn''t able to push it from her mind. Annie just accepted that. It was a huge step, no one argued about that. Giselle had her girlfriend wrap both arms around her, just so she could calm down enough to even think about sleep. Yet it didn''t come to her easily. It took hours, and when she finally had gone to sleep, faint noises outside woke her again. It was one hellish night. When morning finally came, Annie complained almost immediately, "You know, I get it, it''s scary and exciting, but I didn''t get much sleep either". "I''m sorry", Giselle responded, rubbing her eyes that now had dark crescents under them. She didn''t like this, starting into a long day with sleep deficit, but she couldn''t do anything about it now.


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    A grumpy Annie tried her best not to bitch too much, but got out of the apartment quickly. Giselle on the other hand went by her usual schedule. The moving company was on time, but called ahead that they''d be arriving in 20 minutes. A service that the brunette appreciated. That meant, a relaxed breakfast could be squeezed in before the people arrived. Then she went over to wait for the door bell to ring in her old apartment. Barely two minutes later, a group of three burly men walked up the stairs and greeted her briefly. All of them crowded in the living room and assessed the amount of work and in which order they wanted to tackle it.


    When two of the three started to disassemble furniture, the third came over to clarify a couple of things. "And we''re bringing all of this to a storage unit, right?", he mumbled in an accent Giselle didn''t recognise. "Yes, it''s the storage unit down the street, ten minutes walk", she said and he nodded in response. "We might need to take two tours, but I''m not sure yet. We''ll know more by lunchtime", he gestured around and scratched his short beard with the other hand. "Alright, I''ll be around if you need anything", she said and remembered that with the apartment came a cellar. To check it out, she left the three to their work and headed down into the basement. The cellars of every apartment were small cubicles with lockable doors down a narrow hallway. Giselle found hers and opened it. To her surprise it wasn''t completely empty. A couple of wooden boards leaned against the wall in a corner. They looked familiar.


    She blew the dust off and squinted when the cloud of particles came close to her eyes. The second board underneath had a different colour. Then it came to her. The kitchen. It was a fitted project that Ian and her had hired a company to do for them. These were left-overs that would most likely only be useful to Celestine, not her. She decided to leave them, lock up and walk back up. On her second flight of stairs, looking up she stared at Rachel in a short, flower-printed dress who stopped on the spot, glancing back.

 Chapter 81

    "Hi", Giselle whispered and suddenly remembered how the neighbour had lectured her, rightfully so, and then left. She pressed her lips together, averted her gaze and took a step. The urge to speed past the woman pulled at her. "You''re moving out?", Rachel asked her, voice kind and face without a hint of the grudge from last time. "I am. I''m selling the place", she explained and looked back up at the redhead. As the woman stood in front of a window, the daylight played a trick of lights and shadows on her, making it hard to recognise features and moods. It reminded her of silhouette pictures. Slowly she walked up and leaned against the wall so the two could have a small conversation on equal footing. Standing below someone down the stairs felt wrong. It gave the person up top an imperious flair.


    "If I remember the market right, you should already have buyers. Am I right?", Rachel wondered with interest. Of course she would be interested, Giselle thought. After all the new buyers most likely became neighbours. Who wanted to have neighbours that ran a secret nightclub and produced loud techno music. A shiver went down her spine with the memory. Then she put on a weak smile and said, "Celestine is buying the place. Don''t ask me...". The smile became apologetic and helpless. The redhead rolled her eyes and smirked, "Ian played that one well, didn''t he?". Come to think of it, he may have. Or maybe not since Celestine wasn''t cheap about the price. At least that was her assessment, and Carry had agreed. Unless it turned out, Carry was somehow involved with Celestine and Ian. A conspiracy theory formed in her head, but fortunately got interrupted when Rachel reached for her hand, "Are you okay?". "Don''t worry, I just wondered if Carry, my real estate agent, somehow was in bed with Celestine and Ian", Giselle said and chuckled. An attempt to shrug off the sour feeling in her stomach. It worked better than she expected. Maybe the conspiracy theory wasn''t a good one. She added in a more serious manner, "Celestine isn''t cheap about the place. Somehow I am not so sure this was Ian''s plan. But who am I to judge. All I''m doing is my best to get through this".


    The woman nodded sincerely. Then she smiled, "You know, about last time...", but the brunette interrupted her, voice forceful and determined, "You were right. Maybe a little bit in over your head, but you were¡­ are right. I can''t blame you and I don''t have hard feelings". A warmth spread between the two of them as they smiled and considered each other. Giselle didn''t like unfinished business. This lingering tension, or even anger, had the smell of unfinished all over it. Since she''d be moving out, why not forgive and move on? Not like she''s gonna meet the two apartment dwellers all too often in the future. "Ah, thanks Giselle. Hindsight must surely be the most useless function of our brains", Rachel offered with a laugh. "Why? Because it tortures our brains over the unalterable past?", the brunette mused, remembering that saying from somewhere. The other woman nodded back and an echo of laughter filled the stairwell. "Sorry, but I really need to run or I won''t make my appointment. I wish you all the best! I mean it!", the redhead said and wrapped her arms around her soon-to-be-former neighbour. "Likewise, Rachel. Sometimes we''ll run into each other again, I guess. Until then, give my best to Kamal and take care of yourself!", she responded and let the woman go, who vanished down the flight of stairs. "I will", she had said gleefully in her weird high pitched voice, dress flaring, hair bouncing, as she took each step swiftly and Giselle glanced after her. Moments later only the clicking of shoes could be heard, then silence until a door fell into its lock.


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    Deep laughter emanated from above, where Giselle had left her group of men. She started off up the stairs when a new set of voices appeared in the stairwell. Ian''s voice. And someone else. The brunette sighed and pondered whether to wait for them or head up before them. Churning the ideas over in her head, she decided on a third option. A pretentious visit to the cellar would be a lot better than receiving the two men in the crowded room or by her oddly waiting in the middle of the stairwell. Mind set, she turned on her heel and headed down, just to run into Ian and a blonde, tall man in a suit. Ian''s face became immediately friendly, though she felt it was a little forced. In contrary to his company, who gave her a bright smile and a nod. "Hello Ian. And you must be Mr Vernont, did I pronounce that right?", Giselle let her charm play, but didn''t exactly know why. It made Ian grumpy. Visibly grumpy. Maybe that was reason enough. He frowned at her as they made their way up the stairs.

 Chapter 82

    "Oh yes, you pronounced it just right. And you must be my client''s wife", Julian shook her hand as soon as he reached within two steps of Giselle who smiled pleasantly. Somehow it wasn''t hard to smile, considering how grumpy Ian looked. He mustered a brief, "Hey Giselle" and shuffled past her. Julian and the brunette followed him quietly up the stairs. They squeezed through the apartment into the kitchen. The three men had made a huge mess of everything, stacked up boxes and rolled up carpets in a corner, spread out pieces of furniture all across the space as they efficiently disassembled it. They grunted distracted Hellos and kept working. Ian had his lips pressed into a thin line as he watched the moving crew at their work. Giselle wondered whether he had a sentimental attachment all of a sudden, so she poked him verbally, "See anything you like?". He jumped in surprised and scrambled, "Ah no, it''s just weird, y''know?". Awfully honest, she thought and nodded in a agreement. Compared to him, she had already come to terms with this. As it turned out that wasn''t a bad thing and allowed her to be much more composed.


    Julian cleared his throat and moved between the former couple, placing a contract onto the working area of the kitchen. There were three copies. "Since I have another appointment later, I would like us to look at the matter at hand", he said and waited for both to turn their attention on him, "This is a print of the document from my e-mail, but feel free to go through it again and ask any questions you may have". Giselle took the agreement and slowly went through the pages, so did Ian as she noted. He didn''t seem nervous or stealing glances. Giselle remembered that he could hold a poker face, but when it took more to cheat on someone during board games, he would try to observe whether he was caught. It was a sure giveaway and this time it seemed kosher. The brunette took a deep breath and focused. Everything remained the same as she remembered it from going through it the other evening. Finally she opened a drawer, just to find it empty. "Do you by any chance have a pen? I think I packed up everything already", she turned to Julian, who anticipated her question and offered her a black pen with his name on it. His law firm held the same name and added "and associates". She frowned for a second and then smiled and put a signature under the agreement, "Here you go". "Please sign the third agreement as well", he told Giselle. Ian pushed his stack over to his ex, too. Now all stacks held her signature and were waiting for Ian to complete the review.


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    Both the lawyer and her stood in silence. She had folded her hands in front of her hips and peered out of the window. The sky was in the process of turning grey. Maybe it would rain later, but she didn''t exactly care. What felt like an hour later, Ian completed his review and signed the agreements. He handed one to Giselle, one to Julian and kept one himself. "I think this concludes our business here. I''ll be reaching out to the both of you soon to finalise the divorce", the blonde man inclined his head and was on the way to walk outside, Ian following him. Giselle yelled after him, "Hold up, Mr Vernont". "Do you have a question?", he turned and kindly smiled at her. She shrugged and shook her head, "It''s not that. I''ll send you my new address later via e-mail. Please do not send anything to this address, since I will obviously not live here anymore". The man chuckled and nodded, "That much I could''ve guessed, but thank you for reminding me. Have a good day!". Giselle said a goodbye and watched both men leave in silence. Ian hadn''t said a word. Something was weird about him, but she couldn''t put a finger on it.


    "Odd couple", the man with the short beard suddenly stood next to her and it took all of her willpower not to jump in surprise. She nodded and said, "They are not together though". The man chuckled and clicked his tongue, "Probably better they aren''t¡­". The tone in his voice left a lot unsaid and as fast as he had showed up, he was gone again, disassembling her wardrobe. By now the largest parts had been completed. She couldn''t see the other two workers, now that she thought about it. Did they take a break? As it turned out, they hadn''t. The two burly men waltzed up the stairs and grabbed boxes, just to walk back down. And two hours later, the apartment was devoid of boxes, furniture and life. Giselle had finished her final check of the place, walked down and handed over her key to the storage space with a rough description of where to go. She would make her way over by foot and the small truck trundled off as she slowly walked along the pedestrian walk, a heaviness making every step a chore.

 Chapter 83

    Considering how well it went, the three guys from the moving company had decided to skip lunch and finish unloading early. They didn''t have any more projects lined up today and would be able to go home after finishing this. Giselle didn''t mind and watched them efficiently place, stack and pile her belongings into the small cubic space. It wasn''t nearly as much as many other people owned. Anything that couldn''t take dust or moisture was expertly packed into plastic on the spot. If she ever wanted to play Dexter and murder someone without leaving a trail, this would be a good place to start. She chuckled at the thought and felt droplets hit her hair. One step brought her into the space and it was dry again. Ten minutes later it was all done and the man with the weird accent came up to her again while his colleagues grunted a Bye and climbed into the front of the truck.


    "All done and done. I hope this is good enough", he offered a smile, exposing a normal shade of yellow teeth that probably spoke for a high coffee consumption. "You''ve done a wonderful job", Giselle said and meant it. The man nodded and pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. It outlined a long list of items that they had moved and she mentally scanned through the list. It made her dizzy and she just assumed it was correct. Her signature went down at the bottom and he handed her a carbon copy that he pulled from the paper. "You''re off now, right?", she asked and he nodded, "Yea, we''ve been quick and this job was hardly as complicated as they made it sound!". She laughed at that. Then she gave him thirty bucks and thanks him again for their great work. "Oh, thanks a lot, I''ll be sure to split it between us three", he smiled at her again and made his way back to the truck, "Don''t let that dude take you to the cleaners! He looked like he would!".


    And with that they were gone and Giselle stood within her belongings in the storage space. A weight fell off her, replaced by a sadness as deep as the ocean itself. In the distance Jake walked across and waved at her. She waved back and forced a smile. Her hands went into her pockets after locking up the space and she trotted to Annie''s through the drizzle. Once her shoulders were soaked, the cold dampness invaded her skin. Ten minutes later, she curled up under a blanket in a wide, sleeveless top, panties and socks. Everything else was damp and she hung it up to dry in the bathroom. She stared into the distance, far beyond the wall at the other side of the room. Did Ian really want to take her to the cleaners? She wanted to believe that he cared a little. That he didn''t want to harm her. Yet when it came to breakups and marriage, the stories of how things blew up into flames were far more common than those of peaceful settlement.


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    Despite her mind circling like a vulture in a dry desert sky, she didn''t get anywhere. The same thoughts mulled over and over again. Finally she pulled her phone from the charger on the backrest of the sofa and told her mom that she''d stay at Annie''s until Friday and come over once the apartment had been sold. The response didn''t arrive until evening, but her mother was hardly surprised. Bored and restless, she considered writing someone a message. With a flick of her fingers, the contacts scrolled past her eyes. The further down it scrolled, the older the last message was. The brunette sighed and put the phone away, turning onto her back and pulling the blanket up to her chin. The ceiling needed a paint job. There were multiple spots, possibly a squashed mosquito. Absentmindedly she counted the spots.


    When she opened her eyes, a shiver ran down her body and her hands flew up. Someone was choking her. A fraction of a moment later she realised that someone was kissing her, a pair of soft lips. A few strands of blonde hair fell over her head and she responded to the kiss and calmed down. "Good morning, sleeping beauty", Annie said and lifted her head. The woman was sitting in front of the sofa and had kissed her awake. It was romantic, like in the movies. At least on paper. In reality however it startled her, but she wouldn''t tell that unless asked directly. "Morning, love", Giselle stretched and pulled the blanket down with her toes. Immediately her chest felt cold from being exposed to the air. "Did everything go well?", her lover asked and placed another kiss onto her lips and then her cheek. She purred and smiled sleepily. A hand found its way onto her exposed breast. The top had moved and slipped between her breasts, exposing both of them. Under the blanket it felt like at least 50 degrees Celsius, so the cold air in the room hardened her nipples and made her skin awfully sensitive.


    With a lot of delay, she nodded and wondered if she should ask Annie about her thoughts of Ian scheming something, but this was not the moment. Her girlfriend agreed to this assessment. Fifteen minutes later, her body sunk into ecstatic bliss.

 Chapter 84

    Annie woke up far more tired than Giselle. Since the brunette had slept through half of yesterday while her girlfriend had been at work, fucking late into the night took a bigger toll on the blonde. Giselle kissed the woman and prepared breakfast. She could hear the shower run a lot longer than usual. Maybe she was exceptionally dirty. The thought made her chuckle and blush crimson. And when she thought up some banter, she bit her lip and carried breakfast into the living room.


    "What are you smirking about?", the blonde wondered, looking a lot less tired now. "Maybe about how dirty you must''ve been?", she responded and grinned sheepishly. Annie blushed and visibly remembered the previous night, "Oh is that how it was, even though I can still see a bit of myself on your cheek". Giselle ran her fingertips across her cheek and felt a bit of dried, salty juices. "Tehe, yeah well¡­", she giggled and gestured to the table, "Wanna get dressed first?". The blonde giggled along and nodded, then vanished into the bedroom to emerge dressed barely two minutes later. Impressive as always.


    "I''ll be heading to my mom''s after signing the papers for the sale and giving up my keys. This is probably the last time it''s this easy for me to swing by", the brunette said heavily. "Yes, and when I swing by I''ll feel like a fucking teenager, asking for the parents'' permission to stay over", the woman snickered and poked Giselle into the side, "Don''t worry, love. It''ll be fine!". "If you say so", she responded, but somehow Annie''s carefree words lifted the weight just a little. It was contagious. Then the blonde outlined how today was the deadline on her other project and Giselle made a mental note to send a message in the evening. To ask how it went, and to offer support.


    Time flew by. The girlfriend left and Giselle sat alone in nostalgia. A whole chapter of her life would end today. With it came a myriad of possibilities and her life path would branch out once more. The shower felt refreshing, too. After dressing herself, she glanced into the mirror. Maybe she had lost a couple of pounds? At least she needed a belt on her cloth pants now, but it was also possible that her memory deceived her and she had always needed a belt. The two suitcases were prepared for departure later and when a group of voices echoed through the stairwell and entered the apartment next to Annie''s, she joined the group. "Oh it''s even bigger now that it''s empty", a delighted Celestine said and held Ian''s hand firmly. So they were still a thing. Giselle sighed quietly and put on a fake smile, "Hi everyone!". Carry came over and shook her hand, "Giselle, good that you''re here timely. Let''s start". Like the day before, they gathered in the kitchen, since it held the only place with a makeshift table. Giselle stood to one side of Carry, putting the agent between the couple and her. She was grateful it worked out like this. Celestine barely acknowledged her, being all flustered and happy. Ian''s vibe was largely different, too, compared to the previous day.


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    "Proceedings are very standardised when it comes to buying a property", Carry started to explain. "The contract both parties will sign will not only contain the legal transfer of the object, but also¡­". Somehow Giselle managed to space out while Carry was talking. When she realised, she forced herself to pay attention again. "¡­and finally we will complete by collecting all data into this sheet. That will conclude this and both Ian and Giselle will no longer own the property".


    Carry pulled another stack of papers from her bag. Similar to yesterday she had multiple copies of everything. Four copies to be exact. This would be a nightmare to sign. All three of them took one stack while Carry checked the meters for heating and electricity and noted down the current numbers onto a sheet of paper. Then she added the amount of keys and checked for damage in any of the rooms. Giselle scrolled through the contract and found it to be less complicated than the agreement that Ian had presented to her through Julian. Regardless she checked for pitfalls. Nothing out of the ordinary stuck out. Eventually the agent returned to a couple clinging to each other if they were glued together and a brunette woman with her arms folded. "Is everything in order?", the agent wanted to know and let her gaze wander from one person to the next. Giselle nodded and Ian and Celestine said "Yes!" in unison. Good grief, honeymooning couples were the worst. The thought made her smirk, since Annie and her probably looked quite similar. Maybe not that similar, since they didn''t announce they were a homosexual couple to literally everybody. Probably they were still bad. She sighed and took a pen from Carry. Then she copied the data about meters, keys and damage over into her sheet and signed the contract and the handover certificate in the places indicated. Ian and Celestine did the same.


    "Would it be okay if Giselle received the money and you two sort out the details?", Carry asked Ian, who nodded and showed his teeth. "Sure is!", he said and turned to Giselle with a mischievous grin, "And thanks to the contract from yesterday we''ll split the remainder into half, minus your half from the current market value of our car". He proclaimed this without blinking and pressed a sheet of paper into her hand. She looked down and identified the paper as an assessment from a car shop. The car had lost more than 50% of purchase value. It had been a used car to begin with. Both Celestine and her new boyfriend looked down on her from their position of superiority. Her mind still turned the numbers. They managed to sell the apartment for roughly 50k more than it cost them, minus 10k roughly for the loan. She had assumed that those remaining 40 would go into her pocket. A retirement fund. Now halved plus half the remaining value of the car, left her at maybe 22k. And there it was. She had been taken to the cleaners and there was little she could do about it now.

 Chapter 85

    If the daggers that Giselle glared at the couple in front of her could pierce a human, they would be riddled with them and the kitchen would have turned into a vicious bloodbath. She gritted her teeth and nodded, resigned and beaten. Celestine and Ian stared at her, first superior and calm, then irritated and annoyed. Maybe they had hoped she would burst into tears or anger. Not today. She wouldn''t give them the satisfaction. Fucking not today. Her teeth made a snapping sound, but nothing broke. It startled Carry enough to take a small step back. The woman didn''t want to involve herself. Understandable, Giselle figured and with a quick, precise motion, ripped the contracts from the couple. After filling in the missing information, she signed all of the copies and handed the pen over to Carry. She took a step back. Her face was a mask of neutrality, but it contained a measure of impending doom. Ian successively became more uncertain and his hands started trembling as he signed the contracts. Celestine''s face had lost colour and she quickly signed the four distinct stacks of paper.


    "Good, I''m glad that this is over and we can move on to happier things", Carry''s voice squeaked and handed out the copies to all parties, "Giselle, please leave your keys here and that would be it. I''ll be in touch!". The woman resonated a warmth and when Giselle walked past the trio, she briefly felt her hand squeezed. The door fell into its lock and the brunette exhaled. "Fuck, they really managed that", she whispered and peered up through the ceiling towards the firmament. "Right, you fuckers up there! Don''t you have anything better to do?", the complaint went unanswered and before anyone else could leave the apartment, she unlocked Annie''s and vanished inside. Her insides were in turmoil. The events repeated in her head time and time again. While she felt violated and cheated, she also felt very proud of how she handled this. Last time she had run off, this time she had been stalwart.


    The part of her, that felt violated and put her into a victim mentality, wanted a stream of tears to run down her cheeks, but she wouldn''t let it. Not today. This time she wouldn''t give anyone the gratification. Those fuckers didn''t deserve this. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.


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    Anger helped her quench the tears that wallowed up inside her eyes and they dried up quickly. And when the anger faded, it was resolve that kept up her decision and she did not falter. Minutes later, after taking a couple of deep breaths, she got up and prepared to head to the bus stop. Her phone rang instead and she fished it from her pocket and looked at the number. It was Carry. "Hello?", she answered the phone reluctantly. "Hey Giselle", a soft voice spoke to her. A faint echo was in the background as if the woman stood inside a large cave. "How are you doing?", the woman inquired and the brunette took a deep breath. "I''d be lying if I said that I was okay". "How about I invite you to coffee? Benefits of a real estate agent, we don''t work nine to five", Carry suggested and sounded genuine, "And in case you''re wondering, they are gone and I''m about to leave, too".


    The woman startled as Giselle pulled Annie''s door open while hanging up and the connection dropped. "My god, Giselle, you surprised me!", the hand with the phone pressed against her heart to feel whether it had stopped in a heart attack, Carry boasted a bright smile at Giselle. "Just wait a moment, I''ll grab my luggage", the brunette mumbled and vanished in the dimly lit apartment. Clouds covered most of the sky and produced an annoying drizzle, just like the day before. Carry grabbed one suitcase and gestured for Giselle to take the lead. They walked outside and to her surprise, the woman drove a metallic blue Honda Civic, that easily fit the luggage into the trunk. An eery feeling took hold of Giselle. The configuration of this car and Annie''s car were identical. The drivers had some similarities, the blonde hair for instance that Annie wore in a bob and Carry in a tight braid. Their attire felt similar, but their build was not as Carry had wider hips and bigger bust and a couple of pounds around her waist. Carry turned on the engine and glanced over. Both had been quiet while walking down the stairwell. Something which the brunette was grateful for, since she had very little interest in all the neighbours learning how Ian backstabbed her. The blonde hadn''t shifted into a gear yet and the quiet hum of the engine and AC was barely noticeable. "What!", she asked Giselle when their eyes met. The brunette rubbed her cheeks sheepishly, "I am having this really weird deja vu. Are you by any chance gay?".

 Chapter 86

    A frown appeared on the agent''s forehead that lifted quickly while a huge smile crept onto her face, "Really? That''s your question?". Giselle shrugged and laughed, "Ah, y''know". The driver held up her ring finger and wiggled a rather thick piece of jewellery with a sparkly stone set into it. "Gay people can marry¡­", the brunette commented with a serious face and tried to hold in her amused grin. Carry rolled her eyes and pressed the acceleration, "You got me. I didn''t know that one". Giselle shook her head and leaned against the door, letting her head rest against the window. Her eyes followed the buildings absentmindedly as the sorrow reappeared. Both stayed quiet and serious, though it was a little sad that the small banter earlier only lightened the mood briefly.


    Eventually Carry spoke up, her voice soft, "It''s none of my business. Yet standing right next to you when it happened, it wasn''t like I could ignore it. I''m sorry". Giselle let it sink in before she spoke up, "Nothing you could do. Ian played me. And that''s that". Her insides tore apart when she said it. It hurt worse than anything she could remember. The betrayal. The audacity. Her teeth gritted together again, a weak attempt to dull the pain, to push it back down into her stomach. She took a deep, relaxing breath and some of the pressure vanished, but the pain lingered. "I''m not sure that you''re up for coffee. I could as well drop you off at your new place", Carry offered as the car rolled downtown. The brunette sighed, "It was really kind of you to offer, and even kinder to drop me off. Thank you, Carry. I really needed some kindness". She turned and looked at the driver at the next traffic light. Despite her teary eyes, she offered the kindest smile that she could muster. A soft hand clasped hers and pressed it. The gesture finally let her pain and sadness drift into the far distance, barely noticeable after a moment.


    The last visit to her mom''s place had been months ago. It was a semi-detached house on the outskirts of a suburb on the outskirts of Blackwater. Too far off the beaten track to ever stumble over it by accident. Carry and Giselle hugged tightly and by repeating a thousand thanks, the brunette got out of the car, took her two suitcases and walked through the drizzle to the leftern unit of the house. The place looked like as if a house from Alice in Wonderland and an urban British brick house had a baby. A tiny garden with a small basin for birds and a couple of glass spheres in various colours framed the small, stony track to the entrance door. She pulled the squeaky gate shut behind her and walked up to a door that was definitely stolen from a fairy tale. Its wood was old and the shape playful with a pointy top. Her finger pressed down on the button next to the door and she could make out a faint ding-dong inside the house.


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    A woman, slightly shorter than her with unkempt, curly hair and an apron tied around her neck and waist opened the door and smiled brightly. "Come in, come in!", said the woman and motioned for her to enter. Memories flooded her brain. That painting with an abstract, blue boat on the beach had been in the hallway since forever. A grey vase with dried twigs still existed. And so did the hooks for her jacket. A lower hook had a small unicorn at its base. Her old hook from when she was little. Giselle quickly slipped out of her shoes and hung up the jacket, then rolled the suitcases into the kitchen through the door on the left. The place smelled like scones. A recipe from her great gran from Ireland. The smell had her mouth watered in seconds and she was about to steal some dough, but received a light slap on her hand instead, "No stealing! You''ll wait until they''re done!". Giselle burst out into laughter. A large portion of insignificant nonsense was exactly what she needed now. Here, nothing had changed. She still was little Giselle and her mother was still that, her mother.


    "I''m glad you''re here, daughter", the older woman told her and wrapped her arms around the girl tightly. Giselle embraced her mom and they lingered for a long moment. "Thanks for letting me stay. If I''m lucky I''ll get a new place soon. Mr Dean told me that he has found something", she explained brightly and sat onto a chair at the small kitchen table. A glass of water found itself in front of her hands together with her mother sitting down opposite. "Mr Dean is your boss, right?", the woman asked and took a sip from her own glass. "Yeah he is. He offered to look and some friend of his is renting out their own place. It sounded like they didn''t want to rent to strangers", Giselle explained and pushed her expression to look optimistic. Considering her previous experiences, maybe she shouldn''t keep her hopes up. "And what about the move and the sale? Did all go well?". "The move went great. It''s all in that storage unit. The sale¡­", Giselle''s eyes teared up as she remembered the moment of revelation for the two hundredth time, "Yeah well".

 Chapter 87

    Giselle sat in front of the TV in the living room with an empty plate on her lap and her legs under a thick, woollen blanket. The plate wasn''t quite empty yet, she realised and pressed her index finger at the scone crumbs. They vanished in her mouth and a pleasant taste spread with them. They were a little sweet and salty. Scones were a peculiar pastry, but they reminded her of the good old times.


    Her mother had gone shopping for the weekend. When Giselle had offered to tag along, the woman had forced her onto the sofa and told her to get some rest, and some distraction. Some of her own anger at Ian was gone now, after hearing her mom curse the man with words, she hadn''t ever heard and only remembered them from classics and other old books from her youth. Thinking about it again made her chuckle. And despite how fucked up her life was, not to mention how her separation from Ian had gone, between Annie, Carry, Laury and her mother she had been safe. No matter how dark and mean it got, she had friends and family.


    "Hello, I''m Greg Davies and this is Taskmaster"


    The TV took back her attention and she felt quite lucky that a Friday afternoon reran four episodes in a row. It wasn''t her favourite show, but it sure was entertaining. She pondered about getting another scone but decided against it. Her mom would make dinner soon. Compared to her lover, who ate late, after returning from work, someone who went to bed early and lived in a paid off house in the first years of their early retirement, dinner would be served rather timely. A small pling distracted her.


    Laureen Munroe: "Hey Giselle! I hope things went well today! Mr Dean told me to ask you whether you could look at the apartment tomorrow after work. He also said that most likely you''d need to decide tomorrow on the spot. The lady who rents it out sounds creepy. She''ll only rent to someone who she likes. What the fuck. Anyhow, please send me a text as soon as you can!"


    Giselle''s eyebrows rose into the air and then she shrugged at no one in particular.


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    Giselle: "Sure. I''m desperate and this is brilliant news! What''s the address?"


    The response came in barely a minute later. Unfortunately she had already missed the important part of the show, which was the items that every guest would bring in.


    Laureen Munroe: "It''s almost next to my place, as it turns out. 31 Fairbanks Road. Guess I''ll be driving you?"


    Giselle: "Oh wow, what a coincidence. Thanks Laury :heart:"


    A moment later, her message had another heart emoji attached as response and she decided to send a message to Annie. Part of her wanted to walk over and snuggle up to the woman. It was silly of course. Annie didn''t live next to her mother''s place, nor was she already home. The blonde had a tough day, probably still fought against management and heaven knows what other challenges. Regardless of that, the brunette asked her girlfriend to come to the place. Maybe with both of her friends, she''d be able to leave a decent impression. Such a weird criteria for a tenant wasn''t too exotic, but in her search for a place she hadn''t come across anything similar.


    Her lower lip felt quite sore now. Giselle had chewed on it while mulling the visit to the apartment over in her head until her mom unlocked the door. She got up and helped stash two bags of groceries. Most fit into the pantry and fridge and it took the two women barely five minutes. Then it was time to lay the good news on her mother. Both smiled brightly. "I''m so happy for you! This Mr Dean has been taking good care of you ever since you started to work there! He sounds like a very decent man!", her mother conveyed her traditional perspective on the world. Decent, taking good care, none of these were descriptions that anyone below 50 used nowadays. Giselle just chuckled and shrugged, "Maybe, but it doesn''t matter. I still have to pass the test". "And how will you do that?", her mother asked while unloading half of the pantry onto the working space to prepare dinner. "I''ll bring my secret weapon of course!", Giselle had a playful, but very theatrically evil grin on her lips. "You secret weapon! Are you going to buy chocolate?", her mom took a serious guess and glanced at her daughter with a very irritated stare. "No, I''ll bring Laury! Well, her and Annie". "You mean Laureen, the bad influence that works with you in that store?". Why do old people always have to be so judgemental about everything they do not immediately understand? It had been once that Laury and her had gotten drunk and asked to be picked up since Ian had been out of town. Good grief. Parents.

 Chapter 88

    Sleeping in your own teenage bed was never anything like you remember. And for some reason Giselle''s mother had kept the bed. Nothing else except the bed. It stood in a room that acted as storage, ironing room and guest room at the same time. Since rarely anyone ever visited overnight, Giselle could see why it had come to this, but that was far from improving her sleep. The bed creaked, probably due to age more than anything else. Not to mention that she guessed a whole army of bugs would have invaded the mattress by now.


    Regardless of this, her mother had kindly pulled up new sheets onto the bed that smelled of summer flowers and were quite snug. The brunette was anxious about Saturday while at the same time feeling quite bugged about the events from Friday morning. It made for a very bad foundation when it came to rest and sleep. She sighed and took her phone from under her pillow. It was 1:30. Annie had agreed to tag along. Even offered to pick her up, but since that wasn''t necessary, she''d arrive on her own. Then they had written countless messages about the events that had occurred and how Ian had her taken to the cleaners. The vibe through the messages clearly painted an enraged Annie. Yet there was little she could do. Through some miracle, her own anger and rage, even the sadness, had subsided and she just wanted to leave this chapter of her life behind. Unfortunately this was the moment she remembered about Annie''s tough day as well as the e-mail to Julian. At least the latter she could still do and quickly sent her mother''s address to the lawyer.


    For at least another thirty minutes, she tossed and turned. Then the alarm rang. 5:35. Giselle couldn''t remember sleeping at all. With a groan, she pushed herself out of bed and went under the shower. Unfortunately her brain was about as tired as her body and she ended up taking a headbath. Drying her hair would now replace her breakfast. What a morning, she sighed to herself and dug through her suitcases for appropriate clothes and took a scone with her to the bus stop.


    Some people that she met on the street walking their dogs glanced at her as if she was a zombie on the way to bed. Giselle didn''t care and hopped onto the bus once it arrived. From her mother''s place to Dean''s attire for the gentleman didn''t run a direct line. She had to switch at the central bus station. And with her luck, number 78 just drove off when she stepped onto the platform. Fifteen minutes of waiting time. She took a seat and leaned against the backrest. The buzz of busy people barely registered. Dozens walking past, hopping off vehicles, stepping onto others. She was just another suit, heading to work. Except maybe that she didn''t wear a suit. Was she still considered a suit? She had no answer.


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    "You look like crap", Laury told her as a greeting when she arrived ten minutes after Giselle in the store. The brunette just shrugged and mumbled something about sleep. Her coworker didn''t understand half of it, "I''m guessing you just said that you didn''t sleep well?". A nod confirmed the woman''s suspicion. "I''m sorry that Ian is such a dick. You know I would have punched him in the face", Laury stated and mimicked a left hook. This made Giselle laugh, but she knew that it was true, too. Between her bad night and the good news about the apartment, yesterday''s news were no longer affecting her much. Regardless, Laury came over and they hugged. They were friends, had walked together through the good times and the bad. Giselle finally saw how lucky she was, having such a wonderful person in her life. Her hands pulled the woman even closer and she whispered, "Thanks, Laury. For everything you always do". The coworker held her by both shoulders, nodded with a bright smile and promised softly, "Always".


    Then both women whirled through the store, took care of the customers, reorganised the storage area and prepared the store for a new collection that would arrive soon. They were as efficient and good as ever. They were an incredible team.


    When it was time to lock up, Giselle''s mood turned worried and heavy. "What''s wrong? Anxious?", Laury wondered as they walked over to her car. The brunette nodded and chewed on her lower lip. "Don''t worry, you''ll be fine! You have me with you!", an overly confident driver chuckled as the timid engine of the old Fiesta started with a tiny roar. "Did you prepare yourself for your own new apartment?", the woman asked and with that the car accelerated into the traffic around them. "Uh, no? Should I have¡­", Giselle felt fear rise up in her chest and her hands started trembling. "No, of course not, silly. I''m kidding!"

 Chapter 89

    The old Ford Fiesta came to a stop next to a low hedge. Giselle knew the area by walking through once. It was an old residential area, not old enough that the buildings needed a major renovation, but old enough for it to be quiet. Mostly older folks lived here, Laury had explained, just like in her near vicinity. And with old she didn''t mean stone age old, just old enough so the kids had moved out. With it maybe some apartments had become too big, so the owners rented them out again. It felt cosy.


    Both got out of the car and they glanced around. 31 was two houses further down. And Annie was nowhere to be seen. Giselle hoped that her girlfriend wouldn''t be late. Yet if she was, she couldn''t wait. They started walking in silence. Her coworker probably didn''t know what to say and Giselle herself was pumped with adrenaline. If all went well, this would be it. If all went well. A frown appeared on her forehead and she took a deep breath. "You''ll be fine, dear", Laury said reassuringly, to which the brunette nodded in response.


    The drizzle had stopped and a few sunny rays brightened the houses and lawns. Giselle glanced up and found she could see the rays clearly. Was that a sign? She shook her head in disbelief. Stress shouldn''t make her superstitious, but she would take all the luck that she could get. As they walked up to number 31, a well-dressed lady with grey strands of hair, an expensive choker around her neck and a fashionable skirt and blouse came to the entrance door. They had been spotted already. The woman stepped out, pointed a bony finger toward Laury and mumbled, "I really hope it''s not you!". Giselle couldn''t help it, when her gaze moved from the old woman to Laury, she burst out into a loud chuckle. "No, no. That would be me. It''s nice to meet you, I''m Giselle", she said, grinning and offered her hand for a greeting. Eyeing her up and down, the old hag, probably hag fit that offensive demeanour, shook it, lips curled into a smile. "Nice to meet you, too. I''m Mrs Dean", the hag introduced herself and curiously peered at Giselle. "Nice to meet you, too. I''m Laureen, by the way", Laury mumbled next to them, but got ignored. "Are you related to our boss, Mr Dean, by any chance?", the brunette wondered curiously. It drew a nod and a smirk that looked quite evil on the woman''s face, "You could say that, Giselle. He''s my ex husband". A rusty giggle escaped the the woman as enlightenment illuminated Giselle. They had known that their boss had been with someone at one point, but only by mention. The relationship had ended before he had hired both of them. It was no concern to her now, she had an apartment to obtain. "I see. Is there anything you''d want to ask before we could look at the place?", the brunette asked diplomatically. "So, you are getting divorced, had to move out and now you need a place to live. You''re not the party kind, are you?". "No, not really, sometimes I may turn the volume on the TV too loud?", Giselle shrugged, but received a wave of the hag''s hand. "No matter. So are you planning on moving in with your new boyfriend any time soon? I assume you are divorcing your husband for someone else, right?". There was something creepy about that woman that irked Giselle in a weird way. Some people just knew how to read her. It wasn''t exactly fair, but here she was.


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    A small part of her was reluctant to reveal Annie. It could cost her the apartment if that woman was homophobic. Yet her resolve steeled her and she heard a car door slam shut. "I''m not divorcing him because of someone. That is a bit more complicated and we''ve just met. However you''re right that I have someone in my life¡­", she said, hoping to god it would pan out nicely. And it did. Annie arrived just in the right moment and stepped up next to her girlfriend, "Hi, sorry I''m late. Lot''s of traffic". "Hi love", Giselle said and kissed the woman on her lips, then took the hand and shrugged sheepishly at the old hag.


    That woman just chuckled and turned, "C''mon on then. Let me show you the place! You''ll be able to afford it, too. I promise!". The three women followed their guide up to the first floor and into the right apartment. Giselle stepped in first. It somehow resembled her old place again. Was there a single architect in this town that just built the same apartments over and over? How dumb was that? She pushed the stupid thought from her mind and watched as clouds shifted on the evening sky and the sunlight brighten up the place through four windows. Laury stood to her left and put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Annie stood on her right, leaning close. "So, you want it?". The old woman grinned at the three women, who had come so far and Giselle nodded with teary eyes, "Yes, I do".