Chapter Text
“Faye, I thought you said no more tattoos?” Wan grumbled at the artist, startling her. She already had one on the side of her wrist and one by her rib, and now she has a few new ones. Faye was sitting inside her office when she walked in and caught her checking out the ring Yoko had drawn on her finger.
Faye did everything to avoid getting it wet and removed. But apparently, her manager thought otherwise. Wan grabbed Faye’s hand to inspect the new addition to her tattoos, and she frowned. And before she could inspect it further, Faye pulled her hand out of her grasp.
“Who’s your tattoo artist? I can do better than that.” She grimaced, and Faye rolled her eyes.
“First of all, this isn’t a permanent tattoo. And Yo was the artist who drew this for me.” She said it proudly.
The manager raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile.
“Oh, dear. Yoko is probably getting bored with you now. I think I’m going to have to talk to her and beg her not to break up with you yet.”
“Shut up. No one’s breaking up. We’re fine; I mean, we just made up. I.. uh.. I lost the promise ring she gave me.”
“Huh. You had a lover’s quarrel because you lost your ring? And how the hell did you even lose it?”
She’s blushed, averting her eyes from her friend’s amused gaze. Clearing her throat,
“We just had an argument. Apparently I’m a careless dumbass, but Yo knows how sorry I am, so please stop judging me.”
Putting her both hands up, she said, "I'm not judging; I just find you two adorable. So that’s why you were so adamant about coming with me when I said I’m going to meet with her at the diner.”
Silence. But Wan was enjoying poking fun at her friend too much.
“I went with you because I was hungry; I told you she wasn’t home.”
A stifled chuckle came out of the manager’s lips.
“You didn’t even eat; you were so busy glaring at her friend for making her blush—and no, I think you went there with me because you were so worried and you wanted to see how she was doing and to see if she’s still mad at you for losing your ring.”
Faye narrowed her eyes at Wan as she crossed her arms over her chest. Though she said nothing, the manager knew that her suspicions were right.
“Not true.”
“Are so. It’s okay, honey. It’s normal for couples to fight, but the good thing is that you’re forgiven. Nice replacement, though.” She smiled, nodding her head at Faye’s ring finger.
Faye nodded in agreement. “Thanks; I’ll let her know. Cute right?”
“You guys are adorable. It’s great that you two are getting along just fine; I’m glad that I made the right choice in asking her to help you.”
The artist nodded her head slowly, and Faye could feel her cheeks burning at Wan’s statement.
“I’m going home. Bye.”
“I thought we’re going to have lunch together.”
The artist shook her head. “Raincheck?”
Wan smiled at her in understanding. “Girlfriend’s cooking for you today?”
Faye just smiled.
But when she arrived home, Yoko wasn’t there.
…
Earlier that day, just as Yoko arrived home, the Malisorn’s family driver was waiting in the driveway of their house. At least Grandma had called beforehand, and she had the time to drop her things off at home. It also helped her not to feel nervous about seeing Faye’s family again.
Grandma had invited her to attend an auction at the gallery, but Yoko politely declined. She explained that people might wonder who she is, and that would raise a lot of questions.
“Faye and I’s relationship hasn’t been out in public yet, Grandma. Faye and I don’t want to put you in a position where you would have to lie about me. Next time, I promise, I’ll come with you. I’m sorry.”
That excuse was thankfully accepted by Faye's grandmother, and Yoko let out a sigh of relief. Maybe it’s time to let people know so she doesn’t have to hide.
But is she ready to be out there?
Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Who knows, maybe Faye’s fans would be a lot more accepting than she imagined. With that in mind, Yoko will talk to Faye about it.
“Why haven’t you visited, dear? Are you and my granddaughter too busy to come here?” She scolded.
“Sorry, Grandma. I’ve been busy practice-teaching, and I’ve accepted some private tutoring for some students, and you know Faye’s schedule. She’s working on her new music and their upcoming concert.” Yoko tried to reason, but the lady just shook her head in disappointment.
“You kids, is that more important than spending time with family?” The matriarch was clearly upset about not having enough time with her granddaughter and Yoko.
“No, Grandma. I’m sorry; next time I’ll take Faye with me, okay?” She said it with a comforting smile.
“I hope the next time you come visit with Faye, I'll see an engagement ring on your finger.”
Yoko choked out on the tea that she was drinking. Engagement ring?
“Mother, don’t put pressure on the kids; let them enjoy what they have now; they’re still young.”
Grandma sighed.
“But I’m not getting any younger. While I’m still here on earth, I just want to meet my great-grandchildren.”
The writer looked at Faye’s mom with concern. But the woman just shook her head with a small smile.
“If it’s time for them to get married, they’ll know, mom. Besides, being married is a lot of responsibility; I’d say we wait. I know it will be sooner than we think.”
Ha! No way! She thought inwardly. Of course, she won’t say it out loud. She and Faye could barely even survive this pretend girlfriend thing; what more about being married?
“Right, dear?”
“Huh?” Yoko was interrupted from her trance.
“I’m saying that you two will let us know when you decide to get married. Right?”
Biting her tongue, Yoko bobbed her head up and down.
“Of course, Grandma, you’ll be the first to know. A-and about your future great-grandchildren, I’d say you’ll meet them.” But I won’t be their mother. “So, just give us some time, okay?” She said, looking at Faye’s mother, then back to Grandma.
“Do you promise?”
“Hmm?” She hummed, confused.
“You won’t be like her ex-fiancée and leave her?”
Yoko swallowed thickly. If there’s one thing she’s sure of if her relationship with Faye were real, it’s that she wouldn’t be the one who leaves the relationship.
Not because she would do something bad to her, but maybe she’ll get tired of Yoko just like anyone she’s been with. Because that’s what she’s gotten used to. Or maybe she’s not just worth loving.
She had lost confidence in trying because she always ended up being the one left heartbroken. Faye may be a good person, but if their feelings were true, soon enough she'd get tired and leave just like anybody else.
But she couldn’t say that out, could she? Not when two pairs of brown eyes were looking at her expectantly.
“No, Grandma. Just like what I’ve told you before, I won’t hurt her.”
The old woman gave her a grateful smile.
“And if ever you two get into a fight, Faye says mean things when she’s mad, but she doesn’t mean it. So just be patient with my grandchild.”
“Don’t worry, grandma. There’s nothing a good communication would do, right? And as much as I love Faye, I don’t think we’re on the stage where we want to build a family.” Grandma opened her mouth to say something, but Yoko beat her to it.
“ Yet, though, for sure, we both want to have children in the future. It would be lovely to see a couple of little Fayes running around, playing with you. But Faye’s my only baby for now, and we still want to enjoy our time together. And, you know? We still need a longer discussion about marriage and stuff.”
That ought to satisfy Grandma, as she was grinning from ear to ear after hearing Yoko’s explanation.
“Okay, that’s good enough for me.”
“Thank you, grandma.” Yoko smiled.
“Now, what was the name of your OB-GYN? Maybe you can switch—”
“Mother, that’s enough for now. Let’s not scare Yoko; we don't want your granddaughter to get upset if she finds out we’re pressuring them about their future.” Faye’s mom smiled at Yoko, winking at her.
…
Meanwhile, in the confines of their home, Faye was waiting anxiously with her phone by her side. She had a strong urge to call Yoko and ask for her whereabouts, but that would be too naggy, and she didn’t want her to get annoyed with her again.
But it’s getting late, and she had no idea where the writer was. Hopefully she wasn’t back talking to her friend, who made her blush at the diner again. She could call Wan and ask, but she would only get teased by Wan for being so clingy, and she didn’t want that.
The artist checked the time, and it was almost midnight. Finally giving in, Faye picked up her phone and dialled Yoko’s number. It rang once, twice, and Yoko answered at the third ring.
“Sup?” she answered coolly.
Sup? Faye frowned. “Where are you? Do you know what time it is?”
“Why are you yelling? I’m in your room.”
“What do you mean, you’re in my room?” Faye looked around, checking into the bathroom, then to her walk-in closet, finding no one. “I don’t see you here.” Then the realisation hit her.
“You’re in my parent’s house?”
“Oh, wow, Faye Malisorn, who would’ve thought you were an honour student? These are quite impressive.” Yoko was looking at the medals and trophies lined up on one side of Faye’s room.
“What? You thought I was dumb? I’m smart.” She bantered playfully, with a smile forming on her lips. She imagined Yoko walking around her childhood bedroom, looking at her things.
“Awe, you looked so cute when you were young.” Yoko cooed, holding the picture frame.
“Which picture are you looking at?” The artist asked in alarm, remembering that her mom has yet to put away her childhood photos. And there was one photo of her naked in the tub.
“Take a guess. Look at those chubby cheeks!” Yoko giggled, still looking at the photo.
“It’s the one in the bathtub, isn’t it?” She asked, and Faye could feel her face heating up in embarrassment.
“Uh, huh,” Yoko giggled on the other line.
“Hey! Stop checking me out!”
Yoko chuckled. “Gross. You were a baby. I wasn’t checking you out; I’m not some perv, you know?”
“Yeah? Then you have to show me your naked baby pictures too, then.”
“Nope. Never going to happen.”
“It’s only fair; you’ve seen mine.”
“Fine. I’ll stop looking at your pictures.” Yoko replied, though she was still looking at them. The line became silent, and Faye had to check her phone to see if their call had been disconnected.
“Hello? What are you doing?” She heard a giggle, and Faye rolled her eyes. “You’re still looking, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry, I just can’t help it.”
“Yo! Get away from my photos.” She whined.
“Oh, you have a jar of origami stars. Did you make them?”
Faye turned silent at the mention of it. That’s another thing she needed to get rid of.
“Noom made them for me.”
Yoko’s eyes stared at one frame on her bedside table. On the right was a photo of Faye and her friends. Yoko recognised almost all of them as they were in the same industry. The other frame was a photo of two girls, looking more like a couple.
The small tug in Yoko’s chest could confirm that the other girl was Noom, Faye’s ex-fiancée. Faye’s arm was clinging around the girl’s shoulder while she was kissing her on the cheek.
“I didn’t know she was also your childhood friend,” Yoko asked quietly.
“Mhm. We grew up together. Whenever I get sad because I miss her, she will make origami for me in different colours with a note inside it.”
Biting her lower lip, Yoko averted her eyes from the photo. Gone was the playful mood at the start of their call, and she could only heave a deep sigh.
“You must have been missing her a lot.” There was an obvious strain in Yoko’s voice. She reached for the frame and turned it face down, losing all interest in exploring Faye’s bedroom.
“Before everything went to sh*t, Noom was the one who always comforted me, well, because she was my girlfriend and Ice was studying abroad. We were always there for each other. And every time she cried and got sad, I always asked my mom to bake Noom’s favourite cookies.” Faye said forlornly, and it didn’t take long for her to notice that Yoko had gone quiet.
“Yo? Are you still there? You’ve gone quiet.”
“What is there for me to say?” That must have sounded so harsh, but her mood had shifted, and she just wanted to hang up the phone.
“D-do you want me to pick you up now? I can drive and take you home,” Faye asked, sounding hopeful.
She’s getting used to having Yoko around, even though she's on the other side of the house. Just knowing that she’s there made Faye feel comforted. The house was quiet without her, and regardless of how far her parents' house was, she would drive even if it's late just to pick her up.
“And why would I want that? It’s late; you’re leaving early tomorrow. You should be resting.” She said her tone was gentle, but Faye could feel the looming tension between them, even if they were only talking on the phone.
Faye racked her mind to think of an excuse, not wanting to admit that the reason was because she wanted Yoko to be home with her. But she was a coward and opted not to voice it out. The last thing she wanted to do was make Yoko misinterpret, and she didn’t want to complicate things with them any further.
“But what about you? You have class tomorrow; how are you going to get there?”
“It’s okay; I could take the transit early tomorrow. I brought some clothes for me to change into, so I’m okay.”
“A-are you sure? Because I can—” The artist closed her eyes; f*ck, she didn’t want to sound desperate.
“Hey, it’s late. I’m feeling sleepy and tired. Goodnight, Faye. Bye.”
“Wait, Yo—” Faye sighed. The line got disconnected before she could even say goodnight to her girlfriend.
…
Yoko kept on tossing and turning; she’s in bed now, still in Faye’s room. She lied about being sleepy and tired. The room was dim, but each time, her eyes kept on staring at the jar of star origami by the window.
There was this feeling inside her, the one she had felt when Faye stood her up from their dinner date, but this time, it was more intense. But she didn’t want to put a name to it, because naming the green-eyed monster clawing its way out of her would mean she would have to acknowledge her feelings for Faye.
So she forced herself to close her eyes, and maybe, just maybe, sleep would help her at least forget about what happened tonight.
…
For Faye, staring at someone while they were sleeping was downright creepy. Because that would be so awkward if she got caught. But at dawn, when she walked inside her old bedroom in Thonglor with a tray of breakfast, Faye found herself unable to pry her eyes away from the sleeping girl on her bed.
She stood by the foot of the bed, a small smile appearing on her lips.
The artist walked slowly around the bed, not wanting to make any noise to wake up Yoko. The bed dipped as she sat on the side, carefully setting the tray by the bedside table, noticing the picture frame being turned down on top of it.
Yoko was sleeping peacefully on the other side, her long hair curtaining her face. She looked so cute with her arms tightly wrapped around Faye’s favourite stuffed animal; it was a fluffy white sheep with a tinge of pink on its cheeks, like it was blushing.
A pair of browns were still gazing at her sleeping form, and she couldn’t help but reach out, tucking a loose strand of hair off of the writer’s face. Her delicate fingers lingered on Yoko’s cheek, causing the other girl to stir in her sleep. And Faye was quick to retract her hand away from her face.
She felt a warm feeling inside her after realising what she had just done. Fortunately, no one was there to see it, and Yoko was still sleeping soundly.
“Yo,” she softly whispered, feeling bad that she had to wake her up early for breakfast before going home.
But Yoko just mumbled incoherently, burrowing her head deeper into the animal plushie that she was hugging. Faye grinned. She’s looking so adorable. It would have been so much fun to just stay there and watch her sleep, but Faye didn’t want to give her parents and her grandma any other ideas about why they stayed locked inside her bedroom longer than they should.
It was embarrassing enough to find out that her grandma was convinced they were always doing the deed, hence the seldom visitation in their house. The old lady didn’t even bother filtering those thoughts; she almost spat out the tea in her mouth.
Filled with enthusiasm, the Malisorn matriarch suddenly suggested possible wedding venues and baby names, and Faye had to bolt out of the dining room. Her face beat red as her parents laughed at the interaction. She missed her grandma so much, but God, she could only take so much.
So, to avoid any more awkward conversations, she stormed out and went to her bedroom with Yoko’s breakfast.
“Yoko, honey, wake up…” She gently shook Yoko’s shoulder.
The writer groaned, sighing, as her eyes were still closed. Faye called her name a few more times until her light brown eyes fluttered open, finding a pair of darker shades of brown eyes staring back at her. Her vision was still blurry from sleepiness, so her gaze remained fixed on Faye’s features.
“Hey, good morning.” Faye’s voice was barely audible, and Yoko wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if her girlfriend was really in Thonglor with her.
“I got you breakfast in bed.” Faye nodded her head at the tray beside her.
Yoko closed her eyes at the smell of coffee and waffles hitting her nostrils.
“You’re here. Why are you here?” She asked gruffly.
Something about Yoko’s sleepy voice made the artist flush; it was so low and raspy that Faye couldn’t help but find it so sexy. But she shook those thoughts right away, partially blaming Grandma for instilling those explicit ideas in her head.
“No, you’re just dreaming, Yo. Why are you dreaming of me?” She quipped at Yoko, who’s on the verge of dozing off again.
“Hmm, at least you’re not with her.” The writer mumbled barely above a whisper, and fortunately, Faye didn’t catch what she just said.
“What?” Faye giggled. “Come on, Yo. Have some breakfast. We have to leave soon. You’re going to be late.” She urged, holding Yoko’s arm.
The contact jolted Yoko awake. She sat gaping at Faye with wide eyes, now fully awake. Realising that she wasn’t dreaming, the writer felt embarrassed and started praying inwardly, hoping that Faye didn’t hear what she said earlier.
“sh*t, you’re actually here.” The writer checked the time on her phone, surprised to see it was barely even 6:00 in the morning. Way too early for Faye’s wake-up time, which only meant one thing: the taller brunette didn’t get some sleep and drove up to Thonglor before the sun was even up.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m here to pick you up,” Faye said plainly, shrugging her shoulders. She took the coffee cup, offering it to her, then moved closer to her in the bed as she sat cross-legged opposite Yoko. When she looked up, the writer was staring at her.
“But why?”
The artist sensed Yoko’s sudden aloofness, and the memories of their conversation last night flooded her thoughts. It ended weirdly, but Faye couldn’t pinpoint where Yoko’s attitude shifted. She’s being distant again, and the artist didn’t want that.
“How are you supposed to go home? If you’re taking the transit, it would only make you late,” Faye reasoned out, though Yoko could easily go home being chauffeured by their family driver. But since she couldn’t sleep, Faye found herself driving early in the morning on her way to Thonglor.
And it’s not because she missed her family.
Yoko said nothing in response; she picked up the fork and started eating. Faye took the cup that the other girl put down, taking a sip. She was still quiet, and it made Faye curious.
“What’s up with you? Are you okay?” She asked, and Yoko could see a hint of worry in the artist’s eyes.
“Nothing, I’m alright.”
Lie.
“Then why are you being so quiet? You are usually chirpy in the morning.” She sounded worried, still wondering if she had done or said something wrong last night.
“I’m focused on finishing my breakfast; I thought we had to leave soon.”
Faye sighed, not buying her reason one bit.
“Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?” She asked, her eyes not leaving Yoko’s.
“No. Why would I be mad at you?” The writer averted her eyes from Faye’s intense gaze.
“Well, last night, we were joking around, and then suddenly, you sounded—”
“I promise, you did nothing wrong; I was just tired.”
Yoko knew what happened to her last night. She wasn’t mad at Faye; she was mad at herself. Her eyes flickered at the jar of star origamis once again, and it reminded her of the confusing feeling that she didn’t want to delve into and put a label on last night.
She hated feeling that way because she was perfectly aware of their set-up from the very beginning. What she thought seemed easy was becoming a lot more complicated, especially when her feelings were getting involved. A few more months, and they will break up.
Then Faye lost her promise ring, and she flipped. That argument still surprised her. Faye was so mean to her, but she knew the artist wouldn’t snap like that if she didn’t pester her about finding it. God, it’s not like she lost her wedding ring and got mad.
But Faye had made it up to her; whenever she teased her about it, the artist would look guilty, and she would apologise again for losing it. Hell, she knew her feeling upset was valid for getting ditched, but getting jealous of Faye’s best friend? It wasn’t the designer’s fault, but Yoko couldn’t help it.
She was getting caught up with their whole girlfriend thing, and Yoko had no one to blame but herself. She knew she had to keep her distance before she got too deep and got lost in the lie. It was supposed to be a business arrangement, and it’s supposed to remain like that.
And this woman in front of her, who’s infuriatingly gorgeous, who wears her heart on her sleeve just like her, each day that she’s gotten to know Faye, Yoko was learning something new about the girl, and each time, it made her admire Faye more.
Yoko didn’t realise she was being watched by a pair of curious brown eyes as she got lost deep in her thoughts. Faye was still worried about what was bothering her girlfriend. So she thought of ways to lighten up her mood.
“You know grandma wanted us to have a baby now.” She chuckled.
Yoko didn’t meet her gaze, but from where Faye sat, she could see the writer’s reaction.
“She’s being dramatic; she said she will not live long enough to meet her great-grandchildren, so she wants us to hurry with the baby-making.” Faye laughed, looking flustered as she did so.
“Man, that was so awkward because my parents were there, but of course, they thought it was funny. Good thing you weren’t there.”
The writer was still avoiding Faye’s eyes, but the artist could see Yoko’s lips tugging upwards, smiling knowingly.
“Can you imagine? She wanted us to have twins. A boy and a girl like we had the power to choose which gender our babies should have. But before she even got the chance to tell me her ideal names for our twin babies, I ran here as fast as I could.” She told Yoko, relieved when she heard the writer giggle.
“But if it were a boy, I would like to name it Kai.” Faye grinned.
“That is a cute name.”
“Yeah?” Faye smiled, images of a little boy flashing in her mind, thinking that the boy would have been the elder twin and a protective brother to his sister.
“I like the name Adrianne for a girl.” Yoko said.
“That’s a cool name; maybe we can call her Addie.”
“Yeah. I bet they’d be really cute.” The writer was absentmindedly playing with her food. Not really having the appetite to eat. But just like the taller brunette, she also had images of two little brunettes running through her head.
“Of course, they’d be good-looking kids; I mean, have you seen us? We couldn’t possibly make babies that aren’t cute.” Faye smirked, looking smug, thinking about their future babies.
“Too bad we’re never going to have them.” A rather sad smile formed on the writer’s lips.
Faye opened her mouth to say something, but she’s at a loss for words. The images of their future children vanished as reality came back, smacking her in the face.
There will be no Kai and Adrianne.
“Faye?”
“Huh?”
“I said, do you mind waiting for me outside? I have to change.”
Faye nodded her head numbly, staring at Yoko. “Oh, you have maple syrup—here, let me wipe it.”
Her thumb wiped the syrup at the corner of Yoko’s lips. The artist swallowed thickly as her eyes darted down to the girl’s pink, plump lips. Faye was still holding her face, the pad of her thumb caressing her cheek back and forth.
Each caress, their faces inching closer and closer. Yoko was doing the same, her mouth slightly ajar and her light-brown eyes staring at Faye’s red lips. Their eyes found each other, and Faye’s dilated ones seemed to be asking for permission until their noses touched.
Faye tilted her head to the side, and Yoko did in the opposite direction; another movement, and their lips would touch. But as they were about to give in, the couple got interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Faye and Yoko, dear! Come join us downstairs before you two leave.” It was Faye’s mom by the door.
The two of them jumped apart, and Faye almost knocked the coffee cup off the bed from behind. Yoko, for her part, almost fell on the bed if it weren’t for Faye’s fast reflex, steadying her on the bed.
None of them uttered a word, but they could both see each other’s faces getting flustered. Another knock, and Faye cleared her throat.
“Yes, mom?”
“Did you two fall asleep again? Yoko’s going to be late, darling.” Her clueless mother, bless her heart , yelled once again.
Faye wetted her lips, then bit her lower lip, and Yoko had to avert her eyes upon witnessing it. f*ck, Faye almost kissed her while there were just the two of them inside the room. They weren’t putting on a show for everyone to see. And she couldn’t believe she allowed the artist to make a move.
“We’re awake, mom. Yoko was just finishing her food.”
That seemed to be the wrong choice of excuse, though. Because Yoko only had a few bites on her waffles, and there’s still more on the plate.
“Okay, tell her to finish it because she’s going to have a long day at school.”
“Y-yeah, mom. Thank you.” They heard the clacking of her mother’s slippers until the sound got further and further away from the door.
Yoko stood up, pretending to be busy fixing the bed. Fluffing up the pillows over and over again.
“Uh… I-uh, I’ll wait for you downstairs. You said you had to change.”
The writer paused, looking up at Faye, who was gazing intently at her.
Don’t look at her lips, dammit!
“Y-yeah, thank you. I-I’ll be down in a minute.” She stuttered.
“O-okay.” And then she was out of the room.
Yoko was alone in the room, staring at nothing until it hit her about their almost kiss. She groaned, plopping herself back onto the bed. Legs kicking in the air.
“f*ck. f*ck. f*ck. What the hell happened to distancing yourself?” She mumbled into the pillow, berating herself.
She’s in trouble because, as much as she should be upset about the two of them almost crossing boundaries, Yoko was a lot more upset that their almost- kiss got interrupted. sh*t, she wanted Faye to kiss her, and maybe Faye also wanted to do it.
Yoko begrudgingly got up and started to get ready.
By the time she went downstairs, Yoko found grandma and Faye’s mom talking quietly in the living room with her girlfriend nowhere to be seen. The two ladies gave her a sad smile.
“Where is Faye?” She asked, sitting beside Grandma.
“She’s talking to her dad.”
The writer nodded her head, “but why are you sad? Did something happen, grandma?”
“Ever since Faye moved out of the house and pursued her career, she and her father have become estranged. Well, my son was against her doing what she does now; she was supposed to be in medical school just like her brother and their dad. But Faye didn’t want that.” Grandma sighed.
“That’s why she never comes here. Never visited, even when she came home from the States. It was actually you, dear, who made her come here for the first time after two years.” Faye’s mother continued.
“We’re so glad that she came home the first time when she picked you up. That granddaughter of mine swallowed her pride, even if there’s a chance she’d end up having another fight with her father just to get you.” Grandma grasped Yoko’s hand.
“Thank you, dear. Thank you for being there with her when we couldn’t.”
It didn’t take long for Faye to join them in the living room. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her jaw slacked. She’s upset.
“Are you ready to go, baby?” She asked, her voice strained.
“Yeah, I’ll drive, okay?” Yoko stood in front of her, taking the car keys in her hand.
She’s shaking. “No, it’s fine. I’ll drive. Let’s go. Bye, mom and grandma.”
“Faye—”
“You can come visit us at our house. Let’s go, baby.” She turned to leave, but Yoko grabbed her wrist.
“Wait. Faye, calm down.”
Faye avoided meeting her eyes.
“Baby, look at me,” but Faye shook her head. “Hey, hey... it’s okay. I’m here. You’re okay.”
Yoko cupped her jaw, making Faye look at her. Her eyes were stormy and sad, like she was about to cry.
Brown eyes finally looked at Yoko’s features, eyes wandering until they focused on her eyes. The writer, without thinking, leaned in, closing the gap between them as she kissed her on the lips.
Faye closed her eyes and kissed her back with fervour; it wasn’t lustful, but it was passionate. Utterly forgetting the two older ladies in the living room, their kiss lasted for a few more seconds, and Yoko could feel her knees were about to buckle if it weren’t for Faye’s arms holding her firmly on the waist.
The artist felt like the weight of the world had lifted off her shoulders, and for the first time after getting to know Yoko, Faye let herself get carried away and let herself be. Holding the girl who changed her life upon meeting her.
