A/N: This is meant to be read as a sequel to my first story (Thanks for the Memories). If you haven't read that one, there might be a couple references in here that you don't get. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter, I'm glad to be back at my keyboard for some Fimogen! :)
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Chapter 1- Wish You Were Here
Imogen walked through the red door of their two-story townhome while kicking off her black boots and sorting through the day's mail. Bills…bills…bills…ah ha! She came across a small envelope printed with the words 'Ryerson University' at the top corner and quickly ripped through the seal. Her eyes scanned through the letter as she quietly read to herself: "Imogen Moreno, bla bla bla, it is with great pleasure that we approve your application for graduation in the Spring semester of 2017 with a Bachelor of Architectural Science!" Letting out a small, excited squeal, she read and then reread the letter before posting it to the refrigerator and hunting for her cell phone inside of her purse.
The phone rang five times and then directed her to voicemail. Come on, Fionaaa, pick up! Her small fingers hit redial as she paced anxiously around the kitchen, biting her thumbnail. Voicemail again. "Ugh!" Imogen tossed the phone gently onto the counter and then opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water. As she was shutting the door, her eyes locked onto a small container resting on the middle shelf inside. A huge smile crept across her face as she pulled it out, knowing exactly what it was.
On the small to-go box was the word 'Junior's'—the supplier of the most delicious cheesecake in all of New York. Fiona had introduced her to the place during one of the younger girl's many trips to visit her now-fiancée. It took all of one small, fluffy bite for Imogen to fall completely head over heels in love with the chocolate-raspberry cheesecake. Ever since then, Fiona would always bring a piece of it back with her whenever she returned to Toronto.
Imogen excitedly set the box onto the counter next to her phone and then made her way through the home in search of her fiancée. As she bounced up the stairs, her nostrils and heart filled with the familiar scent of Chanel No. 5.
Fiona was found propped up on the bed flipping through a Vogue magazine. As the young girl entered the room, the socialite's eyes rose above the pages. "Miss me?" she smiled.
"Oh my god, Fiones!" Imogen pounced onto the bed and ripped the magazine from the girl's hands before tossing it to the floor. She then lunged into the older girl's arms, giving her tightest of squeezes. "So much! I can't believe it's been over a month since I've seen you." She released her grip, placed a small kiss Fiona's cheek, and then rolled over to her own side of the bed. "When did you get in?"
The curly brunette picked up the tan hand beside her and began playing with her slender fingers. "A couple hours ago. I wanted to surprise you."
"Well surprise me you did, Miss Coyne." Imogen leaned her head against Fiona's shoulder and then breathed out a sigh. "You know, when we got this place two years ago I was kind of under the impression that it would be more of a shared residence. I hate that you're gone all of the time. You live with Eli more than you live with me—you two might as well be dating."
The socialite let out a small chuckle and then pushed a piece of the young girl's brown hair behind her ear. "Immy, I'm glad you've finally realized that Eli and I belong together. We've been wanting to tell you for months, we just didn't know how," she joked. "Be my maid-of-honor at our wedding?"
Imogen raised her head and gave her fiancée a giant eye-roll. "Ha. Ha. Very funny." She removed her hand from the other girl's grasp. "I'm serious, Fiona. It's hard being away from you for so long at a time." Her stare was now on the small bracelet dangling from her wrist as she thought of its inscription. As her eyes filled with tears, she rose from the bed and started towards the stairs.
"Hey, where are you going?" Fiona stared, confused as the girl walked away. Seconds passed before she let out a deep breath and then calmly got up and made her own way down the stairs. She found Imogen sitting on the couch in their living room, clutching onto a pillow in her lap. "Imogen…I'm doing the best I can," she breathed. The older girl lowered herself onto the red chaise that was beside the couch. "Whenever I got this promotion I thought that it would make it easier to schedule time off…it's just been really busy lately, especially with Fashion Week coming up." Her brow wrinkled, "…and is Eli really something you're worried about? Because number one—lesbian," she enunciated while pointing at herself, "number two—soul mates," her finger was now shifting between them, "and number three—he really needed a place to stay whenever Clare kicked him out. I couldn't just let him be homeless."
Imogen set the pillow to her side and tucked her feet up onto the couch, pulling the small throw blanket over herself. "Of course I'm not worried about Eli. That's not what I meant…I just miss you is all. And I'm jealous that lately he gets to live with you more than I do. After all of these years of you doing the 'back-and-forth' thing, I'm just SO ready for us to do the 'settle-down-in-one-place' thing." She met the other girl's blue eyes and then motioned for her to come sit beside her.
Fiona gave a relieved smile and then found her place next to her petite fiancée. She wrapped her arm around the girl, placing a kiss on top of her head. "I'm ready for that too," she whispered. "Just think—if you're able to graduate this semester, you can come to New York and we can finally ditch all of those ridiculously annoying miles between us."
"And the boy roommate?" The younger girl perked her head up.
"And the boy roommate." Fiona agreed, with a playful tickle. "Besides, he and Clare will be back together before you know it. You know how it is with those two and their 'epic romance'," she punctuated with air-quotes.
Imogen nodded. "They are indeed the most dramatic of human specimens."
"Hmm…I thought you were the most dramatic of human specimens!" Fiona stuck her tongue out mockingly.
"Hey, you take that back!" She picked up the pillow and swung it softly against the older girl. The socialite rapidly threw up her hands in surrender, not wanting to risk the possibility of a perfectly manicured fingernail breaking mid-pillow fight. "That's what I thought," Imogen smiled proudly. Setting down the pillow, her head found its way back onto Fiona's shoulder. "Sooo…remember that whole 'if I graduate this semester' conversation?"
"Umm…you mean the one we literally just had?" Fiona questioned.
"That would be the one! I see your memory is just as superior as always, Madame Coyne!" Imogen stretched the blanket out slightly so that the other girl could share it with her. "Well in two months you'll be looking at a Ryerson University graduate!"
Fiona lunged her body upwards, positioning herself to face her fiancée. "Im! You did it? It's official?!" The younger girl bobbed her head up and down eagerly as she was enveloped in a huge hug. "I'm so proud of you, that's amazing!"
"Mhmm," she agreed with a mischievous grin. "And do you remember what you said when we got engaged?"
"That I wanted to wait to get married until after you graduated?"
"Yep!" Imogen looked at Fiona expectantly, giving her best puppy-dog eyes.
The older girl smirked and brought her nose to the other girl's. "Well it looks like we have a wedding to plan," she established mid-Eskimo kiss.
"About time!" Imogen exclaimed. "Now can this planning begin over some chocolate-raspberry cheesecake?"
Fiona pushed up from the couch and began pulling the other girl into the kitchen. "Obviously!"