Chapter 555

The day felt like it was burning away under you. In no time it was the end of business, and you and Sabrina were headed out while Eric would catch up on some of the overtime that you, Gemma and Sabrina had been putting in.

Sabrina made it clear, once you left the building, that she’d talk about her thing after Gemma had left. You weren’t sure why she couldn’t tell you on the bus ride back to her place, but she just changed the subject when you brought it up. It was a little frustrating, but with her reassurances that it wasn’t a danger thing and putting a time on when she would talk about it, you felt like you didn’t have much place to push it.

Gemma was waiting for you at the apartment, with dinner in the oven, and it didn’t take long for you to have inhaled the lasagna she’d made and then end up on the couch, naked, cuddling under a blanket.

You and Sabrina just held her in the silence, and eventually Gemma started quietly talking about what she was excited to do when she was home, and the things she would want to show you in December when you came for the wedding, and Sabrina on the next trip - there was no question that there would be a trip, the question was just when. And then the three of you talked about next summer - once Law School applications were done, the ‘correct’ choice for your careers was to pick up new internships, but there was still that idea of the three of you going on vacation together.

The French Riviera was the original idea, and while other locations were suggested, none seemed so magically surreal. So you decided that was what you were going to do - which was insane, considering the three of you had only been together for two and a half months and you were making plans 8 months in advance for a trip that would last three months or more.

“We really don’t hold back, do we?” you chuckled.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Gemma said, leaning in and kissing you.

There was no sex - all the sexual goodbyes had happened already. The three of you just were together for the last two hours of peace.

Then it was time to go, and you had to get dressed.

“John,” Gemma said as she pulled on one of your T-shirts that she was stealing from you. “Move in with Sabrina here.”

“What?” you asked, the change in topic taking you a second to parse.

“Part of the reason we didn’t all just start living together was because I didn’t want to abandon my friendship with Becca and Charlotte, and we felt like we needed our alone time,” Gemma said. “Neither of those counts anymore. Just move in with Sabrina here for the last week, it’ll be easier for both of you.”

“I-” you said, then looked at Sabrina. “If that’s what you want?”

“Are you kidding?” Sabrina asked. “I’ve wanted that since we started boning and we weren’t even in a relationship.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you asked.

“Because we were in a routine, and if you moved in then Gemma would feel like the odd one out,” Sabrina said. She turned to Gemma and hugged her. “Thank you, baby.”

“You’re welcome, love,” Gemma said, hugging her back.

All set to go, passport ready, bags packed and devices fully charged for her long-as-fuck flight around the globe, Gemma stood at the door to Sabrina’s apartment and took one last look around. “You know,” she said. “This feels like home. And my life changed in so many different ways here.”

“Want me to see if the landlord will let me buy the couch?” Sabrina asked with a smirk.

That got snorts and laughs out of you and Gemma, and you were out the door. The Uber driver almost brought her to the wrong terminal and had to circle around the airport once before unloading, and you and Sabrina went in with Gemma and waited as she checked her baggage. The airport was busy and bustling, and you wondered where all these people were headed on a Wednesday evening.

“Well, that’s everything,” Gemma said as she came back to you and Sabrina and you started walking, slowly, towards the TSA lines. “I-” She shut her mouth and you could see the tears starting to brim in her eyes.