Disclaimer: I do not own the show or characters. All I own is the story and writing.
Weeping Ashes
"Christopher, what do ya think of a beach wedding?" Lorna Morello asks her fiancé during their dinner date at one of New York's many bar restaurants. Her medium-length wavy brown hair bounces with every word as she grins from ear to ear up at the man she loves so deeply. "I've always dreamt of getting married on the beach—it'd just be so romantic, don't ya think?"
The man sitting across from her with his light-brown neatly combed musters up a smile and nods his head. Honestly, he can't care less about where the wedding is—he's not even sure he plans to go through with it. "Sure, sounds great," he nonchalantly responds, reaching to take a sip of the beer he ordered. His blue eyes wander around the room—landing on a familiar woman sitting at the bar. He quickly chugs the rest of his beverage and scoots himself out of the booth, "I'll be right back—gotta make a trip to the bathroom."
Lorna lets out a sigh as she watches him walk away. She looks down at her place-mat and mindlessly traces her finger around it. Lately, she's begun to wonder if Christopher even cares about the wedding at all—he always seems to be disinterested when she brings up the topic. He always finds a way to avoid discussing it, his needing to 'go to the bathroom' right now just proves that to her.
"Ya okay there, kid?" A familiar raspy voice brings the brunette out of her thoughts and causes a small smile to spread across her face. She instantly looks up at her best friend, giving an enthusiastic nod.
"Course' I am, Alex; just thinking about mine and Christopher's wedding—we're planning to have it on the beach! It'll be so romantic and beautiful; I can't wait to finally marry him!" She cheerfully says, the smile growing at such thoughts. She's dreamt of her wedding day since she was just a little girl and can hardly believe it's only a short few weeks away.
The older woman smiles, happy to see one of her best friends so ecstatic. She gathers up the empty glasses and plates, just now noticing the empty spot across from Lorna. Her demeanor becomes stern as she peers back over towards her friend—she's never trusted Christopher with her, especially now, "Speaking of that, where'd he go? I swear I saw him sitting with ya right before I came over…"
"Oh, he's just run to the bathroom real quick. Figures that right when I bring up the wedding he has to go," she replies with a small sigh. She looks up into her friend's blue eyes with curiosity radiating inside her own, "I know ya ain't much of an expert on guys and all, but I kinda need some advice. I'm kinda worried that Christopher ain't really into the wedding as much as me…what if he changes his mind?"
Alex sighs, shaking her head before sitting across from her for a minute. "Lorna, he loves you; there's no way he'll change his mind. Most men aren't into the planning and stuff, I mean from what I can gather. I don't think there's anything for you to worry about. But ya know, if he does change his mind, Nicky and I might just need to teach him a lesson," she gently reaches over to give a comforting pat to her friend's hand and then carefully gets back up. "Now, I gotta get back to work—you are still coming to the party tonight, yeah?" Getting a nod to her question, Alex gives one last smile before she heads off back to work.
Making drinks behind the counter, Nicky shakes her head when she sees her black-haired coworker—and also housemate—come walking over with an order to be placed. "We got a problem here, Vause," the redhead bartender says, tilting her head towards a certain man sitting with a woman who certainly isn't his fiancée.
Alex inwardly gulps at the sight, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. She stares over at Nicky, seeing the same rage in her own eyes—she's known for years, now, how much her redhead best friend has been pining for Lorna and how she's hated Christopher as much as her own self has. "Fuckin' shit," the darker haired woman seethes, "I just got done reassuring Lorna that she has nothing to worry about and he's fucking over here having drinks with another damn woman?!"
"Lorna was worried about Christopher doing somethin' like this—are ya sure we're talking about the same Lorna? That sweet, naïve woman would never doubt her Christopher's love. Hmm, he must be a real obvious asshole to make her doubt him and now she has good reason to! Fuckin' piece of shit, good-for-nothing scumbag!" Nicky growls, her hands shaking with rage against the table top.
Placing her hands over the seething redhead's shoulders, Alex nods in agreement but refuses to let her do something stupid. "Beating him up might not be the best idea, Nicky. I think I might have a better idea, one that should embarrass him and let all the other women know what a cheating son of a bitch he really is," the black-haired woman says while cautiously walking over to where Christopher is sitting.
"This woman doesn't look like your fiancée, Christopher," Alex angrily starts off with a raging Nicky watching behind her. "What are ya doing? You told Lorna, your fucking fiancée, that you were just running to the bathroom! Did ya get lost or something? Cause' sitting here with this woman is surely not the same as running to use the bathroom. What the fuck is wrong with you?" She glares harshly into his eyes, her hands held tightly on either side of her hips.
"What—I'm not allowed to stop and catch up with my cousin for a few minutes? Fuck off! And keep your fuckin' voice down; don't need the whole restaurant to hear what you're saying," Christopher yells back in growing frustration.
The woman sitting beside him holds her hand up and shakes her head, "What the hell are ya saying, Christopher? Why are you lying? I'm not your fuckin' cousin—I'm your girlfriend! Possibly soon to be ex, what the fuck is this woman talking about? Why is she saying you have a fiancée? The hell Christopher, have you been cheating on me these last three years?!" She gets up from the bar-stool, standing over the man with her arms crossed angrily over her chest.
Hearing all this, Nicky can't seem to hold in her anger much longer. She comes over to stand beside her coworker and stares menacingly into Christopher's blue orbs. "Ya fuckin' been cheating on Lorna for years?! Are ya fuckin' serious? The woman you're supposed to be marrying in less than a month—you're fucking cheating on her with this whore?! You fuckin' shithead," her teeth grit together as she hisses her words at the man—the man she's hated ever since he started dating the young brunette.
"I'm the whore?" The woman standing on the other side of the counter questions, her hands balling into fists. She shakes her head harshly, "If anyone's a whore here, it's this fuckin' sleaze-ball Christopher! Man-whore is what he is and I don't want anything to do with this! I had no fucking clue he was dating this Lorna woman too, sick bastard! I'm so done with this shit!" She angrily shouts, slapping Christopher on the face before stomping out of the building.
Raging, Christopher stares daggers at the two women behind the counter, "Ya fuckin' bitches just don't know when to shut the fuck up! Don't even say a goddamn word to Lorna or I'll kill you both!" He growls his words, pushing one of the glasses so that it spills and the two bartenders have to clean it. He hurriedly runs off to drag his fiancée out of the restaurant before her two friends get the chance to talk to her.
Once the two of them are in the car, Lorna stares over at him in dismay. "We didn't even get to order dinner, Christopher! Why'd ya drag me outta there so damn quick? Are ya mad at me or somethin'?" Her big brown eyes peer innocently up into his with a sadness slightly dimming her usually perky attitude.
Christopher sighs while starting to back out of the parking lot. He slightly shakes his head, looking behind them to make sure the road is clear. "No, I'm not mad…just having some stomach cramps and felt it'd be best if we just head home for the night," he lies, tapping his hands impatiently against the steering wheel as they wait through a red-light.
"You got stomach cramps? Are ya sick with the flu?" Lorna's brown eyes glaze over in empathy as she stares deeply into her fiancé's eyes; she reaches over to lovingly caress one of his hands. "I'll make ya some soup when we get home, and you can rest on the couch."
When Lorna isn't looking, he slightly rolls his eyes. He hates how cheerful and bubbly she always seems to be and the naivety that floats off of her irritates the hell out of him. "It's not that bad, Lorna. I'll be fine, just gonna get some rest in our room—ya don't need to do anything for me."
"Ya sure ya don't want me to take care a ya, hon?" The short brunette inquiries, arching her eyebrows in concern. She feels her heart ache a bit when he shakes his head but keeps her mouth shut for the rest of the ride home. There's a nagging feeling in her chest that something isn't quite right with their relationship—he's been acting so odd lately, she's noticed and that only makes her concern grow.
Lorna places a loving kiss to her fiancé's forehead before she gets up and starts heading out of the room. She stops in the doorway, looking at him with a worried gleam in her eyes, "Ya sure ya don't need anything? I gotta run out soon, anyway, so I can pick up some medicine for you. And maybe some tea—that'll help get rid of the flu."
"Wait, why do you need to run out in the first place? You have somewhere to go or somethin'—what the hell Lorna?" Christopher hammers her with questions, his tone becoming angrier with each one.
"What's your problem, Christopher? Since when is it your business what I do? I'm not allowed to go out and see my friends for a couple hours?" The brunette woman shouts, her own anger starting to bubble up inside. She's never seen her fiancé act in this way before and it's starting to make her feel uneasy.
Christopher sits up, glaring furiously into her dark eyes. "Those two drug selling friends who work at the bar? Those are your 'friends'? Why the fuck wouldn't it be my business—for fuck's sake we'll be married soon, I have the damn right to know what you're doing at all times! Stop talking back," he growls while standing up and walking towards her. He grabs her by the shoulders, shaking her harshly as he stares darkly into her eyes.
"Stop it! They don't fuckin' sell drugs no more, and it ain't any a your business anyway!" She yells, trying to push her way out of his tight grasp. Tears line her eyes as she feels his hand smack harshly against her cheek; she holds it in pain and stares up at him pleadingly, "Please stop it, Christopher…Let me go! I'll stay home, I swear…just please don't hurt me again."
"Whatever, ya whiny bitch," he rolls his eyes, pushing her out of the room and slamming the door in her face.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Lorna makes a run for the door. She runs down the sidewalk—as far as she can get from the house—and collapses onto the ground in a heaping round of sobs. Once they subside some, she reaches into her pocket for her phone and dials her best friend's number. She waits anxiously through the rings and after hearing a voice on the other end, she says, "H-hey, A-Alex—would ya be able to come get me—Christopher and I kinda had a fight…"
"Hey kid, it's Nicky—Alex is off havin' sex with her girlfriend…but I can come get ya and bring ya over. What happened? Ya sound really upset and frightened," the redhead worriedly answers on the other line.
Lorna sighs sadly, trying to stop the sniffling and crying. She grips tighter onto the phone, "Th-thanks, Nicky. Nothin' really; he just—he ain't feelin' too good and got mad at me for—nothing, never mind. I just can't take the car or he'll realize I've left the house and then he'll be even angrier at me!"
Nicky's voice becomes even more concerned when she hears this. She holds the phone tightly to her ear while getting into her car. "Lorna, what the hell is going on? Is he threatening you or something? Where are ya, kid?" Holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder, she uses her hands to start backing up.
"Just-just come, please—I'll explain later. I'm a few blocks down from the house, sitting on the sidewalk," the brunette tearfully answers, tracing her free hand along the cement surrounding her.
Sighing, Nicky speeds down the road. "I'm on my way, kid—should be there real soon, like five minutes."
Once they get to Nicky's and Alex's apartment, Lorna follows her into the living room—that's full of loud music and drunken people—and sits down on the couch beside her. Lorna sighs, looking down at the ground, "I'm sorry I made ya leave your own party just to come get me…"
"Don't even, kid," the redhead firmly says, carefully cupping her hands around her face and inspecting her cheeks. "Did he hurt you? Your cheek is really fuckin' red and I see a very faint handprint. What the fuck did that shithead do to you, kid?" She traces her finger delicately along the faint bruising outlined on Lorna's porcelain cheek.
"He was sick and I told him I'd get him some medicine while I was out—but then he got all defensive and-and possessive, telling me I'm not allowed to hang out with you two because 'you're drug sellers' he says…and that made me mad so I yelled at him—that's when he-he kinda hit me. He ain't ever done that before, it—I got scared and ran outta the house after."
Rage boils inside Nicky, she clenches her hand in a fist. "That fucking piece of shit!" She grits her teeth but stares compassionately into the petite woman's eyes, wrapping a comforting arm around her waist and stroking her hair softly, "You're gonna stay here with me and Alex. Ya ain't going back to Christopher, kid—no way in hell. You're not even married, and he's already starting this kind of nasty shit! He has no fuckin' right to put his hands on you! It'll only get worse, Lorna, and neither of us can let ya go through that."
"Bu-but he-he didn't mean it, Nicky," Lorna sobs out, staring desperately up at the taller woman. "He-he loves me, he wouldn't hurt me on purpose—we're soulmates, me and Christopher! We are meant to be together, no matter what… I-I know we are."
Nicky shakes her head, tightening her hold on the smaller woman. "Lorna, don't make excuses for him. He did what he did to be an asshole and he won't change. You fuckin' deserve better than that, kid! You deserve to be loved by someone who won't hurt ya and make ya wonder if he's out having sex with another woman!" She shouts, clasping her hands over her mouth once she realizes what she's said.
"Fuck, fuck! Hold on a minute—I'll be right back. Just sit here and wait, kid," she says before getting up to drag Alex out of her bedroom and out here to help her explain what they know about Christopher.
Lorna sits silently on the couch, tapping her nails nervously against her lap. Minutes go by and there's still no signs of Nicky—she shrugs it off, knowing the redhead's probably gotten sidetracked by some hot woman and is off having sex by now. She lets out a quiet sigh and leans back against the couch, watching as many drunk people unstably dance along to the music.
A tap to her shoulder causes to jump a foot in the air. She looks up from the floor and notices an unfamiliar man standing in front of her—obviously drunk by the sight of how dilated his pupils are. "Uh, ya need something?"
He smirks at her, plopping himself down in the empty spot next to her and roughly forces her to lie down underneath him. "Just some sex; what do ya say to that, hot stuff?" He traces his hand along her face while pinning her down with his knees.
"I'm-I'm engaged," she squeaks out, fear seeping through her eyes. She tries to wiggle her way out from under but he's too strong. Tears threaten to pour out as she pleadingly stares up at the man, "P-please just leave me alone…I-I'm not interested!"
Fortunately, before he has the chance to do anything further, Nicky and Alex come rushing over to her. Nicky grabs Lorna and wraps her in a protective embrace while the taller woman roughly grabs the man by his ear and throws him out of their apartment. "You okay, kid? I'm so sorry—I didn't mean to take so long…that man, he didn't do anything, did he? You're just shaken up, yeah?" She runs a hand soothingly up and down her back, pressing a soft kiss to her head.
"He wanted to have sex, but I told him I'm engaged…he-he didn't seem to care and I'm sure he woulda made me do it with him if-if you and Alex hadn't come…but I'm fine, nothing happened."
"Ya sure you're okay, kid?" Nicky warmly asks, pulling the shorter woman closer. She sighs when she gets a not quite convincing nod in response but says nothing more on the matter. She holds her silently for a few minutes until Alex finally comes back and has a seat beside them. The two older women share a look before Nicky speaks up again. "Lorna, there's something important Alex and I have to tell ya…and it's not good."
Lorna stares worriedly between the two, her eyes widening. "What-what is it about? Are ya guys not coming to the wedding anymore—I know you both hate Christopher and all, b-but you're my best friends; I need you to be there!"
Hearing her ask such an innocent question breaks Alex's heart—she has no clue how to break it to her best friend that her own fiancé not only cheated on her but has had another girlfriend for years. Sighing, she gently grabs one of her hands and caressing it comfortingly with her thumb. "There probably won't be a wedding once we tell ya the truth about Christopher, kid. Ya know how ya thought he was just 'running to the bathroom'?"
Slowly nodding, the brunette stares up at her with arched eyebrows. "I-I love Christopher—nothing will make me not wanna marry him! Look I know he took forever but that's because he's not feeling well. I know ya guys hate him but I promise he's a good man—no he's a wonderful man," she says, but hardly believes her own words.
"A wonderful man doesn't fucking use his hands to abuse you, Lorna! A wonderful man wouldn't fucking lie to you about using the bathroom when he's really sitting at the bar with his whore of a girlfriend," Nicky impatiently informs her, tired of seeing the young woman so naïve about her fiancé. She takes her into her arms, stroking a hand delicately through her hair. "You deserve so much better than that asshole, kid! He doesn't fuckin' deserve to be with someone as precious and sweet as you…and the two of us are absolutely not letting ya go back to him."
"Use his hands to abuse Lorna?" Alex questions, anger building back up at the thought. "He fuckin' hurt you, Lorna?! And ya still wanna marry that scum—what the hell?! No, no fucking way are ya going back to that dickhead. Nicky's right—he deserves no part of you and we will not let ya go back there. You're done with him."
"He didn't mean to…wait a minute—tell me what're ya talking about, Nicky! What do you mean he was sittin' at the bar with his girlfriend? He's my fuckin' fiancé, why would he have a girlfriend? He-he wouldn't cheat on me—don't make shit up just cause ya hate him!" Lorna angrily says through tears. There's no way her Christopher would ever even think to cheat on her—they love each other, she knows it.
Nicky sighs, taking the brunette's head into her hands and staring firmly into her eyes. "I'm not making this up, kid…Both Alex and I saw him at the bar with another woman while he was supposed to be using the bathroom—and he flat out lied to us, saying the woman was his cousin. She's the one who informed us that he's been cheating on you! And this isn't just a onetime thing; he's been with this other woman for as long as he's been with you! That piece of shit lied to you for years—you fucking deserve way better than him!"
Tears brimming her brown eyes, Lorna shakes her head. She slowly pushes her way up off the couch and peers painfully between her two friends. "He-he's been-been dating a-another woman for-for years?! How—why? Why would-would he do that—he and I, we-we're soulmates for fuck sake! We are supposed to get married soon, he can't be cheating on me! I can't lose him—my heart belongs to him…Please tell me this is a joke, Nicky," the distraught brunette pleads, gazing desperately up at Nicky.
"It ain't a joke, kid—that shithead fucking lied and cheated on you for the entire time ya've been together," Nicky responds spitefully. Getting up, she walks over to stand beside the petite woman. She pulls her in for a gentle embrace, giving a warm kiss to the top of her head, "You can't marry him, not when he obviously doesn't return the same love you have for him. He's not good enough for ya—he's fucking cheated on ya and now, he's physically hurt you! It's not meant to be, kid. You'll find someone better—believe me, ya will."
Shaking her head, a shaky sob escapes her. "No—no, I won't! There's no one else who will love me like Christopher…he-he's the only man who will ever love me. The only person—in the entire world—who will ever love me," Lorna's voice quiets down with the last sentence. Deep down, she doesn't believe she'll ever find someone who will truly love her. She feels—rather knows—that she doesn't deserve to be loved.
Nicky grabs the brunette by the hand and carefully takes her back to her room—locking the door behind them (so that no one mistakenly walks in to have sex). She sits Lorna down on her bed before taking the spot next to her. Cupping her hands around the smaller woman's porcelain cheeks, she peers softly into her eyes.
"Believe me, Lorna, there are so many people in the world who will love you—many people who are much better than sleazy ass Christopher. You deserve so much fucking better; why don't ya feel the same?! Why would ya settle for a man like him—a man who fucking lied to you for years and put his hands on you?!"
"No, don't-don't lie, Nicky…we both know that's not true. No one but Christopher will ever love me; he's the only person I'm supposed to be with. He's-he's the only man who-who will put up with me, I rather have that than no one at all. I'm not like you, Nicky—you're a good person with a pleasant personality, that's why all the women—and probably men too, even though you're not into them—like you. You'll always have someone to go to but it's different for me. I'm screwed up on a lotta different levels—I'm lucky Christopher even gives me the time a day," Lorna replies, barely able to look her friend in the eye at this point. A few tears drip down onto her legs.
Her mouth gaped open a bit at the confession, Nicky immediately pulls the brunette close to her—holding her snug in her arms. "That—Lorna, how can ya even think that shit?!" She tangles her hand in Lorna's hair while peering compassionately into her eyes, "You are such a sweet and precious woman—so many people would love you because of that. In fact, I know someone who really loves ya and would do anything to see ya happy."
"Yeah like who?" Lorna cynically asks, folding her arms defiantly over her chest. There's no way anyone else could ever truly love her, not in her mind anyway.
Nicky smiles warmly, cupping hands delicately around Lorna's cheeks. "Me," she softly declares before pressing their lips together in a tender kiss. Her fingertips brush lightly up and down her face as she stares lovingly into her eyes. "I love you so much, Lorna—I have for as long as I've known ya. You are the most beautiful—sweetest—woman I've ever seen, kid. I will do anything to see ya happy, to see that gorgeous smile of yours. You are an angel, Lorna; ya deserve to be loved by someone who will never harm you. And you know I would never do anything to hurt you," she whispers tenderly against her ear as she slowly pulls her down on the bed so that she's lying underneath her.
Shocked would be a bit of understatement to say the least. Lorna's eyes peer widely up into the redhead's big ones. "You-you love me? And have since we met—Nicky that was like five years ago now! Why, why didn't ya ever say anything?"
"You were in love with Christopher and so happy—I liked seeing ya happy, even though I was secretly plotting ways to kill him. And now I definitely am killing him—he hurt the sweetest woman in the world, he shouldn't be allowed to live anymore," she places soft kisses all along Lorna's face, slowing down when their lips meet again. Her heart nearly melts when she sees a smile forming on Lorna's angelic face. "There's that gorgeous smile a yours, kid. You look so precious when ya smile."
"Ya really know how to make me turn into a puddle of mush, don't ya?" The shorter woman laughs, looking tearfully up at Nicky. She wraps her arms tight around her neck, kissing her softly on the cheek. "Christopher never complimented me much…he made me kinda doubt his love sometimes – he just wasn't always sincere, ya know? But everything you're saying right now, I-I can feel the sincerity. I know you would never lie, Nicky. You're the most honest person out there."
Nicky lies down beside Lorna, pulling her into her arms. She lets one of her hands brush softly through her dark waves of hair and presses her lips onto her head, "Course' I mean everything I say to you. I would never lie to ya, kid. I fucking love you with every fiber of my being—I've never loved anyone this much. Christopher's a dick—he ain't ever coming near ya again; I'll fucking kill him first."
Placing the brunette's head delicately onto her chest, she wraps her arms snug around her tiny waist. Her lips warmly press against Lorna's forehead as she stares affectionately into her eyes. "Ya think you can survive without that icky Christopher now, baby?"
Snuggling closer into the warmth radiating off the taller woman, Lorna slightly nods her head with a smile. "I think I can try—after all, ya do make me feel so loved and wanted…which is a nice change. I ain't ever been with woman before but I'll try my best to be a good girlfriend," she instantly covers her mouth when she realizes what just slipped out of it.
"Ooh, girlfriend talk already? Damn, Lorna—ya move fast," Nicky smirks, brushing her hand through the other's hair and kissing her fiercely on the lips.
"I-I didn't mean for that to come out that way—I'm sorry…I hope I didn't just ruin everything," the smaller woman frantically replies, shaking her head in shame of herself. "I just don't know when to keep my mouth shut, do I?"
Chuckling softly, Nicky only pulls her closer. She takes a loose strand of her hair and places it behind her ear. "Calm down, baby, it's fine. I understand what ya meant. Don't fret over it. I still love ya; ain't nothing gonna change that, kid." With a soft smile, she gives a light kiss to Lorna's forehead.
Relieved, Lorna lets out a happy sigh and wraps her own arms around Nicky's neck—letting her head rest gently in the crook of it. "Thanks, Nicky, for turning a terrible day into a really good one—it makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. I-I think I love you too—much more than I thought. Guess it's just taken me a long time to realize that…and a slap on the face, literally," she tries to joke, but that only gains her a serious stare from the redhead—who's still brooding over the abuse her ex-fiancé caused her.
"Don't joke about that kinda shit—he could of really hurt you," Nicky firmly states, looking lovingly down in her eyes. She lets the tips of her fingers brush warmly along the outlines of Lorna's cheeks. "My poor Lorna; ya sweet, naïve, young woman, it's a good thing you have me now instead of that scum. I won't ever take advantage of your love or fucking abuse you like he did. I love you more than anything, baby; you're my soulmate."
The next morning, Lorna and Nicky walk into the kitchen—holding hands and grinning quite brightly. Alex, who's been up for a while now, turns to stare at them and shakes her head with a light laugh. "Looks like someone finally confessed their feelings to another someone," she smirks, sipping her coffee as she watches them sit together on the chair beside her.
With her arms wrapped tight around the petite brunette's waist, Nicky happily nods and gives a soft kiss onto Lorna's head. "Best thing I've done all year—Lorna was too busy telling me how there's no one in the world who could ever really love her…Of course, I proved her wrong," she smirks down at the woman she loves, stroking a hand tenderly through her disheveled hair.
"Well, I'm glad for the two a you! Congratulations," Alex cheerfully enthuses, taking another sip of her dark coffee. "You two are definitely great for each other."
Nicky nods. "We sure are," she chuckles, tightening her hold on Lorna and staring lovingly down at her. "My beautiful Lorna. You will always feel loved and cherished with me—I won't take you for granted like some people—Christopher—have. I will always love you, baby." Her lips press gently down onto the Italian woman's.
Cupping her hands around Nicky's face, Lorna smiles brightly at her. "I will always love you too, hon—ya really are the most sincere human on this planet," she responds, caressing her chin lightly with her palm. Her arms wrap tightly around the redhead's neck and her head nestles against her, enjoying the closeness between them. Letting out a pleasant sigh, Lorna knows this is who her true soulmate—the person who's showed her what true love is really like.