Chapter 212

It felt strange to have so much to talk about, and yet be unable to actually make any decisions or really even get too far in the conversation. You and Gemma got dressed - or, rather you got dressed and Gemma put her dress back on - and you cleaned up and sprayed air freshener in the living room before heading to her room.

The two of you sat in her bed, ‘fully’ clothed and cuddling as you talked. About school. About possibilities. About how you wanted to introduce each other to your families, and how those families might accept your whole three-person relationship. Gemma especially wanted you to meet her cousin Birdie, who was her best friend, while you realized that you wanted less to introduce her to your old high school friends and more to rub her and Sabrina in their faces. Your high school friends were kind of dicks - your college friends, on the other hand, were good people and were going to lose their minds at how this summer was turning out for you.

You talked about pets, and what sort you might want in the future. Gemma was a dog person, and so were you, but you had a feeling Sabrina might be a cat person. Then again, you could also see Sabrina being happy having some giant bull mastiff or great dane to walk around, so it was another thing to check with her. Pets shifted to kids, which got awkward quickly and was definitely a three-person-necessary conversation.

And then the two of you took a nap, still holding each other, and you woke up to Gemma kissing you softly with a little smile on her face. “I love you,” she whispered quietly.

“Love you too,” you said. It felt like it should have gotten repetitive, but it just felt so good to say.

“Want a drink?” she asked.

“Sure,” you nodded. “Water would be great.”

She grinned and slid off of the bed and went out into the hall. After a moment you heard voices, and then the voices got a little louder. You were just sitting up more and sliding to the edge of the bed when Gemma came storming in, no water in sight, and slammed the door.

“Ugh!” she grunted.

“Whoa, hey, what happened?” you asked.

“It’s Lucy. Again,” Gemma said. “She made a comment about the living room smelling, and somehow she decided it had to have been us, and she said some shit and I said some shit.”

“Gemma ... it was us,” you said.

She gave you a look. “That’s not the point.”

“Would you like me to try and handle Lucy myself, help problem solve with you, or just sit and listen?” you asked.

Gemma opened her mouth to say something but then clicked it shut as she narrowed her eyes and stared at you with a quirk on her lips. “I don’t know if I should feel blessed or annoyed at how reasonable that question is,” she said.

“Hey, I’m dating two women, I’ve gotta learn a little something now and then,” you said.

She rolled her eyes and got back on the bed with you. “None of the above,” she answered your question. “I just want to forget the last three minutes.”