Monika hummed quietly, straightening her skirt on the tram. She checked her watch. 00:38. The transit to Florence would take about thirteen, maybe fourteen hours. She was tired- she hadn't slept at all the night before, thoughts of Fiore – the reason she was going to Florence – spiraling through her mind. She was coming down from Bremen to visit Fiore Vargas. Fiore- her girlfriend, whom she has never met before in real life.
Times were always a little tough in the Beilschmidt household. Monika and Julchen lived with their grandfather, a toymaker going through near bankruptcy. No one wanted homemade toys anymore- they wanted the mass produced, store bought stuff. Of course, Julchen and Monika had their own jobs; Monika studied at college and worked at a coffee shop, and Julchen was a late night band member at a bar downtown. Her and her gang would jam out until the sun rose.
Monika leaned back in her seat, eyes blinking a few times as she tried to stay awake. She didn't want to miss her stop.
She thought back to last year, last Christmas, the reason she was coming down this year.
After a well-organized and planned Christmas, Monika and Fiore had scheduled a Skype call to spend the night together. Fiore beamed and showed Monika the pretty dress her grandfather got her, and the vintage wine Chiara brought Fiore from their old wine cellar. Fiore had already drank some of the wine, and was swaying in her seat. Monika had explained her day – she had to work double shifts and pick Julchen up from the bar after her performance, because Julchen's truck had broken down – and Fiore just. Started crying, out of nowhere.
"What's wrong?" Monika had asked. Fiore wiped her face and sniffled, big gloppy tears dripping down her face.
"I-it's just- you had such a tough day, and-" Fiore looked away, scrubbing her face with her shirt. Monika waited patiently, picking up her legs to sit crisscrossed in her chair. "My day was good, but- I wish you were here." Fiore murmured quietly. "You wouldn't have had to work, and you could have had dinner with us, you and Julchen and your grandfather-"
"Hey, hey- it's okay. Don't worry." Monika murmured, wishing to rub Fiore's back as she cried, longing to hold her close and run her hands through her hair. Monika never wanted Fiore to feel like this, not without her there to take care of her.
That's when Monika began planning. She made sure to get the day off from her boss, and made sure Julchen's truck was running well. She bought the ticket early, and now here she was, on her way to Fiore's house.
Her eyes drifted shut. She hoped Fiore would be eagerly surprised.
Fiore, however, was particularly enveloped with things to do. Her whole family came over- she was trying to keep the kids from fighting, and making sure that grandpa and his friends and siblings weren't drinking too much before sundown. Her and Chiara were stuck in the kitchen most of the day, preparing food and keeping everyone occupied. Fiore sighed, remembering when she was young and she would run around squealing with her cousins and would ask to lick her mother's spoon as she made Christmas dessert. Now… her parents were gone, and she only had Chiara and Grandpa to rely on.
The day easily drifted by, and she thought about messaging Monika, but she was pulled into telling stories for Grandpa's friends. Well- she can message Monika later.
Monika trembled nervously as she walked through Florence. She had a big map of Florence in her hands, and was looking the path she had drawn over. Two more lefts, and a right… and she'd be at Fiore's door. Her hands fidgeted. Fiore was so… Miraculous and beautiful and- Monika, well. She kept her hair short for a reason- never wore much makeup. She had grown accustomed to how she looked and what she was comfortable with wearing. She insisted looks didn't matter.
She straightened the ski hat on her head, making sure the ear flaps were straightened. Her brown peacoat had darkened speckles on it from the snow- her jeans were dry. She remembered having a close call after getting off the train and almost spilling her hot chocolate on her pants. She turned slightly red, the idea of having to go to Fiore's home looking like she wet herself being embarrassing at the thought.
She shook her head, folding the map neatly and putting it in her inner coat pocket. Only a right away.
It started to snow softly.
Fiore scrubbed the dishes harder, hair curling under her braids from the humidity. She turned rosy, sweet teacaked cheeks with sweat as frosting under dimmed kitchen lights. The sun started to set, giving the room an orange hue. Fiore sighed happily. Soon the day would be over and soon she could talk to Monika and soon-
A knock sounded at her door. "I'll get it!" She shouted, but Chiara was already up and at it. Chiara's "Happy Welcoming Face" was crumpled when she saw who it was.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" Chiara growled at Monika.
"Good to see you too, Chiara." The voice hit Fiore's unbelieving ears, and she started walking towards the door.
"Sorry, I think you have the wrong house," Chiara said sweetly.
"Chiara, it's Christmas." Monika replied. Fiore peeked around the corner.
"Monika?" Fiore murmured quietly. Monika looked behind Chiara to see Fiore, and her eyes softened, filling with relief and tears.
"Fiore." She breathed- before she had her arms full of a sobbing, shaking girl.
"Y-you didn't tell me you were coming! I look like a mess and you look so good and I've been cooking and cleaning all day and-"
"You look lovely, Fiore." Monika laughed lightly, wiping away some tears as she held Fiore. Fiore looked up at Monika, before burying her face into Monika's shoulder.
"So do you, bella…" Monika turned red, and she giggled, embracing Fiore tighter. She felt so warm, and she smelled like dough and flowers.
"You guys gonna embrace forever or are you gonna come in?" Chiara huffed, and Fiore couldn't be bothered by her sisters stuffiness as she gasped, realizing she just put the leftovers away.
She hurriedly rushed Monika into their home.