Chapter 3: Santiago Bound

Mary sighed as she unlocked her car, a mix of relief and anticipation bubbling within her. The drive to Jon’s cabin had been long, but worth it if she were finally going to meet this Skyler. Ann’s happiness, however unconventional, mattered most.

Her sister had always been a whirlwind brilliant, impulsive, with a taste for women on the younger side. The scandal years ago at that East Coast college still echoed; Ann, a rising star in the biochemistry world, and the graduate student whose career ended before it even began. The whisper networks had driven Ann out, forcing her to turn her extraordinary mind to less glamorous research in the private sector.

Mary shook her head. Dwelling on the past wouldn’t help. Today was about Ann’s future, and apparently, that future included a significant age gap and paperwork for Chile. “Skyler must be something special,” she muttered, a flicker of doubt mingling with her hope. Perhaps this younger woman would be the steadying force Ann never found in herself. Perhaps ... well, perhaps it was none of her business as long as her sister was happy.

“Mary! Jon!” Ann’s voice rang out with barely contained excitement, a stark contrast to her usual measured tones. A woman Mary didn’t recognize stepped out beside her, a hand possessively linked through Ann’s. “This is Skyler,” Ann beamed, “and Skyler, this is my sister, Mary, and our brother, Jon.”

Skyler was young. Mary blinked, trying to mask her surprise. But there was a warmth in her eyes, a quiet confidence that defied the number of years likely separating her and Ann.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you both,” Skyler said, her voice surprisingly low and smooth.

Introductions devolved into pleasantly awkward small talk as Jon busied himself with refilling coffee cups. Mary sipped hers, studying Skyler over the rim. She wasn’t the doe-eyed, inexperienced sort Ann’s past partners had been. There was a sharp intelligence behind Skyler’s smile, a sense of purpose.

“So,” Mary finally broke the silence, “Ann tells me you’ve taken quite the leap. Chile?”

Ann’s face lit up, the old spark Mary knew so well igniting in her eyes. “The European Southern Observatory, actually,” she said, voice tinged with pride. “They’ve offered me a senior research position. Imagine the access I’ll have! It’s a chance to work at the frontiers of astrochemistry...” She trailed off, excitement making her momentarily breathless.

Skyler squeezed her hand, the motion both affectionate and grounding. “The timing couldn’t be more perfect, actually,” she added. “It’s where I was hoping to further my photographic work. Documenting the telescopes, the incredible night skies.”

Jon cleared his throat, setting his mug down a bit harder than necessary. That’s when Mary realized the paperwork he’d bustled with earlier wasn’t just for Ann. Chile wasn’t just about a job” it was about a life. A life together.

“Life together” Mary let the words hang in the air, more a statement than a question. Ann’s face flushed slightly, while something flickered in Jon’s eyes - concern, perhaps, or a hint of disapproval. He loved Ann, but this was ... a lot to process.

Ann, bless her, had never been good at reading social cues. “We know it’s sudden,” she rushed to explain, “but everything fell into place so quickly. The observatory position, Skyler’s visa coming through...”

“Hold on,” Jon interrupted, his protective instincts kicking in. “Skyler, can I talk to you privately for a moment? Kitchen maybe?”

Before Skyler could even respond, Ann was on her feet. “Jon, no! Don’t be rude.” Her voice held a tremor, a hint of that old fear Mary always hated, fear of judgment, of being labeled ‘unseemly’.

Mary reached across the table and grasped Ann’s wrist. “Give them a minute, love. It’s a shock, that’s all. And Jon...” She directed a stern look at her brother. “Be gentle, okay?”

The tense silence stretched as Jon and Skyler disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Mary and Ann alone. Mary squeezed her hand again, forcing herself to meet Ann’s worried gaze. “You sure about this, Annie?” she asked softly.

Ann took a deep breath. “More sure than I’ve been about anything in a long time,” she finally whispered. “Skyler ... she sees me. Not the scandal, not the old baggage. Just me.”

And that’s when Mary knew. For all her worry, for all the potential complications, this was a spark of happiness her sister couldn’t, shouldn’t ignore. Is age just a number? Maybe not always. But when it came to Ann, maybe it truly didn’t matter.

Jon leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, and tried to hide his unease. Skyler watched him, her expression a mix of curiosity and a hint of defiance. Damn it, Mary was right - this wouldn’t be easy.

“Look, Skyler,” he started, clearing his throat, “Let me be blunt. Ann’s my sister, I love her. You seem nice, but...” He trailed off, the unspoken ‘but you’re young’ lingering in the air.

Skyler’s eyes narrowed slightly. “But I might be after her money? Is that it?”

Jon bristled. “That’s not what I meant-”

“Isn’t it, though?” Skyler interrupted. “Ann’s never told me the specifics, but I get the impression that she’s ... well-off. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine someone in her position attracting ... unsavory interest.” The words hung between them, heavy with unspoken accusations.

He felt a flush of shame. He’d been so caught up in his protectiveness that he hadn’t considered how insulting this must sound. But there was the nagging worry that family wealth had attracted leeches in the past.

“Ann, she’s been hurt before,” he admitted, lowering his voice. “People taking advantage. I just want to make sure that’s not happening again.”

Skyler’s stance softened a fraction. “You’re scared for her,” she said, more of a statement than a question.

Jon nodded. Of course, she understood. He just wished he didn’t have to be the one putting up this wall between them.

“I get it,” Skyler continued. “But I have my career, my ambitions. Ann’s money doesn’t factor in. I love her,” she finished simply, a fierce kind of honesty in her gaze.

The sincerity hit Jon hard. Perhaps he was being foolish, reading too much into the past. Just then, Ann and Mary reappeared in the doorway, eyes searching theirs for any kind of resolution. He owed it to his sister to try and believe the best about Skyler.

“So?” The word hung in the air, heavy with expectation as Ann looked between Jon and Skyler. Mary took a step forward, her presence a quiet source of support.

Jon took a deep breath. “So,” he began, struggling to find the right words, “I apologize. That was uncalled for. You both deserve better than my knee-jerk suspicion.”

Skyler nodded, a small relieved smile easing the tension lines on her face. Ann, however, didn’t relax, her eyes fixed on her brother.

“That’s not enough, Jon,” she said, her voice surprisingly firm. “You need to see Skyler the way Mary does. The way I do. Not as some age on a driver’s license, but as the woman I love.”

The silence that followed was thick, broken only by the soft ticking of the clock above the kitchen sink. Jon wrestled with himself, old fears clashing with a growing realization. Mary was right Ann’s happiness should trump everything.

He looked at Skyler again, really looking at the quiet strength in her eyes, the protectiveness mirroring his own. Maybe, just maybe, he’d been wrong.

“Ann’s right,” he said finally, his voice softer. “Skyler, I hope you’ll forgive my ... overzealous brotherly instincts. And, well, welcome to the family.”

The relief on Ann’s face was immediate, a smile blooming as she pulled Skyler back out to the living room. Despite the lingering awkwardness, it felt like a turning point. The paper trail Jon had helped set in motion earlier now led not just to Chile, but towards a grudging acceptance, a tentative bridge of trust.

As Mary caught his eye, offering a subtle nod of approval, he knew they still had a long way to go. But perhaps, just perhaps, this journey, unconventional as it was, would lead them somewhere new and surprisingly beautiful.

As the initial awkwardness dissipated, something shifted in the cozy warmth of Jon’s cabin. Maybe it was the way Skyler’s eyes lit up discussing telescopes, maybe it was the soft way she held Ann’s hand, but a sense of hesitant acceptance settled over the group.

Later that evening, curled up on the sofa with oversized mugs of tea, Skyler found herself opening up in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

“Costa Rica,” she mused, staring into the glowing embers of the fire, “that’s where home was for me. Well, as unconventional as ‘home’ gets when your parents are full-on hippies.”

A chuckle escaped her, tinged with an affectionate sort of fondness. Jon and Mary leaned in, intrigued by this unexpected glimpse into Skyler’s past.

“Picture it,” she continued, a smile playing on her lips, “tiny beachside village, no school for miles, parents busy bartering jewelry and doing, whatever hippies did back in the day. My classroom was the jungle, and my teachers, they were monkeys.”

Jon raised an eyebrow, skepticism battling amusement. Mary, ever the scientist, looked fascinated. This wasn’t a tale you heard every day.

“No, seriously,” Skyler insisted, seeing their doubts. “They were my playmates, mentors even. It sounds wild, but their world was all about climbing, agility, and moving through the canopy I learned from the best.”

“That explains it,” Ann interjected, a mischievous glint in her eye, “I wondered how you scaled my apartment building like a reverse Spiderman when the elevator broke down last week.”

The laughter that erupted filled the room, a beautiful sound of surprise and acceptance blending. It felt like the family was expanding, boundaries stretching to encompass the unexpected. As their laughter subsided, Skyler glanced at Ann, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

Yes, Chile was a leap. Yes, their unconventional love challenged norms. But perhaps that didn’t matter as much as they first thought. Just maybe, amidst telescopes and paperwork, at the heart of this quirky little family, there was a place for a woman who learned life’s hardest lessons from monkeys in a faraway jungle.

Weeks turned into months, and the paperwork solidified into travel plans, airline tickets, and crates filled with Ann’s precious laboratory equipment. The day before their departure, nestled in the familiar comfort of Jon’s cabin, a sense of momentousness filled the air.

“Look, I know this isn’t traditional,” Ann began, taking Skyler’s hand in hers. “But before we leave, I ... we ... wanted to do something special.” She looked around at Mary and Jon, her eyes seeking their approval, their understanding.

Mary, ever the pragmatist, simply smiled. “Well, you’ve brought enough official documentation to choke a bureaucrat, Annie. What’s one more piece of paper?”

Jon’s chuckle held a touch of uncertainty, but also a growing affection for this woman who was so clearly making his sister radiate joy. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a slightly rumpled folder.

“Chilean Consulate,” he explained, flipping it open. “Figured you might need it sooner rather than later. Not exactly a wedding chapel, but it gets the job done.” He handed them a set of forms, the legal weight of them suddenly apparent in the quiet room.

It wasn’t the grand ceremony either of them had envisioned for other partners, at other times. Yet, as Ann and Skyler bent over the forms, tracing their signatures with focused care, a profound sense of rightness settled over them.

Mary, a self-professed romantic, squeezed Jon’s arm and whispered, “Witness to history, wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Jon found himself oddly choked up. Not out of judgment or concern, but because the love between the two women in front of him transcended the need for pomp and circumstance. It was quiet, determined, and fiercely real.

As they finished signing, Skyler held up the forms, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. “So,” she declared, “now it’s official. We’re a package deal “ bound for the stars and whatever else this crazy life throws our way.”

Ann squeezed her hand, the gesture filled with affection and a shared anticipation of the adventure that lay ahead. At that moment, Jon realized that maybe this unconventional path was the right one for his fiercely intelligent, sometimes reckless sister. And maybe, just maybe, a little bit of monkey-taught resourcefulness was exactly what they both needed.

The cabin settled into a cozy silence as darkness fell. Mary and Jon retreated with tactful smiles, leaving Ann and Skyler a quiet sanctuary in Ann’s room. The bed, with its patchwork quilt and mismatched pillows, suddenly felt like the most intimate stage in the world.

“It still feels a bit surreal,” Ann mused, tracing a pattern on Skyler’s arm. “Tomorrow morning, we’re boarding a plane to another continent.”

Skyler hummed in agreement, tucking a strand of Ann’s hair behind her ear. “Remember that night on the hill? When I was trying to catch a glimpse of the comet”

Ann’s eyes softened with a mix of fondness and amusement. “And you nearly mistook me for a prowling mountain lion!”

“Your wild curls in the moonlight,” Skyler laughed, “And suddenly, there you were, not some ferocious beast, but the most incredible woman I’d ever seen.” A blush crept onto Ann’s cheeks as she remembered the awkward introductions and the instant spark that flared between them.

They fell into a comfortable silence, letting the memories of shared laughter, quiet confessions, and stolen moments wash over them.

“I used to think,” Ann began, her voice barely above a whisper, “that my heart was well, a bit chipped. Damaged goods after the scandal, the public shaming.

Skyler squeezed her hand. “But I see it differently. Your heart is weathered, seasoned. It’s learned what to fight for.”

Tears pricked at Ann’s eyes. “And somehow,” she continued, her voice catching slightly, “you’ve made me believe in second chances. In finding love in the most unexpected of places.”

Skyler leaned in, capturing Ann’s lips in a kiss that spoke of devotion, of quiet promises. When they finally surfaced, breaths mingling, it was Ann’s turn to speak.

“Remember the first time you climbed my building?” she asked with a mischievous glint. “I never thought I’d find a partner who could keep up.”

Skyler’s grin widened. “Adventure on rooftops, under telescopes ... It’s only fitting, wouldn’t you say?”

And as they lay there, entwined beneath the soft glow of the bedside lamp, the weight of the world slipped away. There were no more doubts, no lingering fears. Just two hearts beating in sync, fueled by a love found somewhere between stardust and scandal, ready to embark on their grand Chilean adventure.

Santiago unfurled beneath them a sprawling, sun-kissed city nestled amidst the dramatic backdrop of the Andes. Ann felt a familiar mix of excitement and nerves as the plane banked for its final approach. Beside her, Skyler gripped her hand tightly, her own eyes filled with a childlike wonder.

“There!” she exclaimed, pointing towards the horizon. Even from this altitude, the distant glint of observatory domes was unmistakable. A shared shiver of anticipation ran through them. This was the start of their new life together.

Disentangling themselves from the bustle of the airport felt like its own small victory. Finally, a hired car whisked them away from the crowds, weaving through Santiago’s vibrant streets. Ann, always the researcher, had meticulously studied maps and guidebooks, but the reality was even more captivating. The energy of the city pulsed around them, a mix of old-world charm and a distinctly modern thrum.

As the car wound its way up into the hills, the imposing structures of the observatory complex came into view. Ann gasped, a familiar surge of awe washing over her. To work here, amongst these giants, it was almost too good to be true.

The apartment turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Smaller than Ann’s sprawling old place, yes, but filled with light and boasting a small balcony that overlooked the twinkling city lights. It was cozy, and intimate — a stark contrast to the vast, technical spaces they would soon occupy.

“Home,” Skyler declared, tossing her bag onto a worn leather armchair. Her eyes sparkled as she spun around the room, taking it all in.

Home. The word echoed softly between them. It wasn’t just a place, not anymore. It was the promise of starry nights spent on rooftops with telescopes instead of fire escapes. It was the laughter of new friends blended with the unfamiliar lilt of Spanish. It was the unwavering support in Skyler’s eyes, a silent reminder that the past with all its shadows couldn’t reach them here.

Ann reached out, pulling Skyler into a tight embrace. “The real adventure,” she whispered, “begins now.”

Exhaustion from the flight warred with a giddy sort of adrenaline. After a quick shower, Skyler emerged to find Ann staring intently at a bottle of wine perched on the kitchen counter.

“Look,” she said, holding up a handwritten note. “Seems like the Observatory knows how to make new scientists feel welcome.” Scrawled across the paper was a cheerful message inviting them to a dinner that very evening at a small restaurant just a few streets away. It was signed with a flourish by Esteban, Head of Research Operations.

“Your new work family wants to meet the wife!” Skyler quipped, a teasing lilt in her voice. Her attempt at lightheartedness couldn’t fully mask a twinge of nerves.

Ann squeezed her hand and managed a wry smile. “Well, the sooner we rip off the band-aid, the better. Who knows, maybe they already have tales of my scandal circulating through the break room?”

“Or maybe,” Skyler countered, a spark of defiance in her eyes, “they’ll be too busy being impressed by the woman who climbed a building after a comet.”

The tension eased as they both burst into laughter. Getting ready turned into a flurry of trying-on outfits, Ann fretting over the perfect blend of professional and approachable, while Skyler insisted on helping find just the right statement necklace to add a touch of personality.

As they stepped out into the warm evening air, a mix of trepidation and excitement fluttered in Ann’s stomach. Each step towards the restaurant felt like a step into a whole new world. But as she glanced down the street and saw Skyler walking beside her, a wave of calm washed over her. This woman, with her monkey-trained agility and unwavering belief, was her bedrock.