If this is posted, it means that I finally found the inspiration to finish, and got over the death of my flash drive (R.I.P. Eduardo). I know it's terribly late, and you can beat me with a snausage for it. So here it is. Since this is posted, the epilogue is probably up as well. So I hope to get this all out of the way so I can stop feeling guilty over this. After all, I know how this ends, but you don't.
If someone had told Raven Baxter two months previous that her life was going to be as close to perfect as she'd ever imagined, she probably would have laughed. She probably would have rolled her eyes, scoffed, and waved it off. But now… Now her life was as close to perfect as she could hope for.
Every morning, for the past week, Raven would rise first and head to the kitchen, where she would start scrambling some eggs. The smell would eventually lure a scruffy Chelsea out of the bedroom, her pajamas generally a wrinkled mess, her hair matted from the pillow. She'd sniff the air and grin sleepily before heading into Raven's old office. The room, once crowded with paper and computer parts, had been converted into a makeshift nursery room.
While Chelsea was busy with the baby, Raven would set the table and feed the dog, waiting patiently for Chels to return. They would eat together, sometimes in a rather hurried fashion, and then Raven would run to the bathroom, clean up, and head into work. Chelsea would fasten the new deadbolt – locks changed just in case – and clean the breakfast dishes.
It was a daily routine that both women were very comfortable with.
Raven slumped down on her desk, glaring at the work in front of her with disdain. There was an invention, her brain reminded her gently, that would help get the work done faster. She smiled.
"Interns!" She hollered, "Assemble!"
Her three interns dropped their current work and hurried over. Maggie threw a mock salute and clicked her heels together.
"Ma'am, yes ma'am!"
Raven chuckled. "Thanks, Mags. Can you take this sketch and scan it into the computer. Put it into the folder labeled 'Rainy Day Wear'. Bella, if you could get me a coffee, oh!, that would be spectacular… And Sylvia, could you be a dear and get me the file from last year's Macy's order?"
As her interns scattered, Raven turned back to her computer screen. She clicked a few times and wrinkled her nose.
"Um, Miss Raven?" Sylvia swallowed audibly.
"Do you have the files already?"
Sylvia shook her head, placing an arm across the front of her body defensively, "I was just… Um… Are you… Can I… Friday?"
Raven raised an eyebrow, "Are you… asking me out?"
Sylvia flushed a brilliant red, "I meant… Er…."
Raven bit her lower lip. She didn't want to hurt her intern, but this petty crush could not go any further. "Want to see what I'm working on, Sylvia?"
The younger girl nodded and walked around the desk. When the screen was fully visible, she hesitated in her steps.
"You're working on a house?"
Raven shook her head, "I'm looking to buy a house. Or I should say, my girl friend and I are looking to buy a house so our daughter doesn't grow up in a cramped apartment. What do you think of this one?"
All the blood drained from Sylvia's face. She took a step backwards. "It looks… good… I'm going to go get those files for you, ma'am."
Raven watched Sylvia flee and shook her head slowly. She couldn't think of any easier way to turn the girl down. And no actual date had been proposed, so there was no ego to protect. There was ample opportunity for Sylvia to create a lie to protect herself. Raven just hoped the intern wouldn't quit – as bristly as she was to people she didn't like, Sylvia had a large potential in the fashion world and Raven wouldn't want it wasted.
As Raven returned to her house-hunt, Sylvia brushed brusquely past Maggie, hiding her face in her hands. She disappeared into the bathroom, causing Maggie to narrow her eyes suspiciously. After returning the sketch to Raven, she turned tail and rushed back to the background. Pausing outside, she considered her options. On one hand, Sylvia was always so uptight and bitter towards her. Maggie really disliked it when people were cold heartless robots. It was such a turn-off. But on the other hand, Sylvia was obviously upset and it went against Maggie's better nature to let anyone, no matter the personality, be so distraught and utterly alone.
"Um, Sylvia? Are you in here?"
Maggie peeked her head through the door before sliding into the tiled room. Sylvia didn't answer, but Maggie could hear hushed snuffles coming from inside one of the stalls.
"Sylvia…" Maggie whispered, her heart breaking slightly. She pushed on the door, only to find that it was locked, "Do you want to talk to me?"
Sylvia cleared her throat roughly, "Go away."
"Make me." Maggie challenged, hoping the confrontation would snap Sylvia out of it.
"Please just go away." Sylvia's words were strained now, on edge.
"No." Maggie replied firmly. "I'm not leaving until you make me."
For a few minutes there was silence in the bathroom, and Maggie sat down at the edge of the stall. She could see from underneath the door that Bella was leaning against the door. Taking a wild chance, she scooted through the two foot gap and into the stall. Bella leapt back, startled, and Maggie blocked the only exit.
"We could stand here all day, but I'm sure people will get the wrong idea," Maggie joked.
Bella stared at her like a deer in the headlights. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face pale. "Why won't you leave me alone?"
"Because I can't, okay?"
Bella shook her head, "I've been terrible to you. You have no reason to be here."
"True." Maggie raised an eyebrow, "But if I left, you'd be alone, and I won't let that happen."
Sitting down on the toilet seat, Bella smiled sadly. She rubbed her cheek with a dainty finger. "You'll laugh."
"Let me guess." Maggie pursed her lips, "Did you try something with Miss Raven?"
Sylvia looked away and didn't speak.
"I so knew it. You like her."
"Yeah, but she doesn't want anything to do with me. What does that Chelsea girl have that I couldn't give Raven, too? Hell, I guess I'm not pregnant. Maybe I should get knocked up, see if I could get a date then." Bella began to spew, "It's just not fair! I've been here for so long, and she barely even notices me. And the one time I get the nerve up to ask something, she asks what I think of the house she's buying with her girlfriend. I'm such an idiot!"
Maggie's eyes widened. "You're not an idiot, Sylvia."
"And now… now I have to find an excuse for why I was asking about a Friday, so I don't look like a complete dunce." Her head ended up buried back in hands, "Otherwise… I…"
"Look, I've got an idea." Maggie wondered why she would do this. Why was her heart telling her this was right? "Tell Miss Raven that you need Friday off because you're setting up a special date for Friday evening that you need time for."
"Date? But she'll want to know with who!"
Maggie wiped her palms on her designer jeans, "Just tell her that we're going out."
Sylvia stared at Maggie blankly, "Us?"
"Yeah, me and you. Come on. It'll be fun."
Gnawing on her upper lip, Sylvia thought it over. Maggie had just turned it from a fake date into a real one with one sentence. Would it be that bad? Why was Maggie even trying? Was there… was there something there?
"Yeah… Okay…" Sylvia gave in. Her shoulders slumped, "I guess I appreciate this. Thanks."
Maggie grinned impishly. She held out her hand. "We should probably get you cleaned up."
Sylvia took the hand gratefully, and stood. Jerking her hand, Maggie pulled Sylvia all the way up, stepped in close, and stole a chaste kiss. Thrown off balance, Sylvia stumbled after Maggie to the sink and splashed water on her face.
"What was that about?"
"I was just curious." Maggie responded, drying her hands.
"And?" Sylvia hated the hope in her voice.
"And I think our date will be great."
Maggie pranced out the bathroom, leaving a stunned Sylvia in her wake.
Meanwhile, Raven found a house that looked promising. A small, three bedroom, two bath house, half an hour by train into the downtown area. It had a good sized yard and was in a nice neighborhood. And when she watched the virtual tour, the living room just struck her as perfect. Like she'd seen it before.
She was packing up to go home and share the good news with Chelsea when Sylvia reappeared at her side.
"Miss Raven, I never got to finish my question earlier."
Raven stiffened; the girl couldn't possibly still expect a date…? "Yes?"
"I need Friday off. I'm trying to put together a really nice date for… for Maggie… but I need some time to do it."
Raven relaxed, "Oh, no problem. You be nice to her, got it?"
Sylvia rolled her eyes, "Why don't you tell that to her?"
"She doesn't have a sharp tongue and a dry sense of humor." Raven chided.
Sylvia shrugged, "She asked me, not the other way around. So she knows what she's getting into."
Raven grinned, "Great. Well, have a good time Friday. See you tomorrow."
At home Raven was greeted with a small peck on the cheek from Chelsea and a slobbery kiss on the nose from Ralph. Both women were fairly bubbling with excitement.
"Okay, you first." Both exclaimed at once.
Raven sighed, "Me first. I bought us a house."
Chelsea's jaw dropped, "That is so cool! Where is it?"
"Nu-uh. Not until you tell me your news."
"I got the papers today." Chelsea clasped her hands in front of her, "It's official. I'm a single woman."
"With full custody?"
"Yes ma'am!" Chelsea was practically glowing.
Raven ushered her into the living room, "I found the house in my vision. It's got a yard, three bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms. It's not big, but I just know it's meant for us. It just felt right."
"I trust you to make a choice."
"How about you and I go out and celebrate?" Raven questioned, "I've got quite the story from the office today."
"Um, two month old baby?"
"Haven't you heard of babysitters?" Raven feigned shock. "You pay them obscene amounts of money for them to come and eat your food, watch your T.V. set, and ignore the screams of the child."
Chelsea pushed her shoulder gently, "Hey, Rae?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you." Chelsea leaned in close, "And I'm a free woman."
Raven smiled deviously, "Not for long…"
Chelsea eased a little closer, halting a scant millimeter away from Raven's lips. She could feel Raven's breath on her face, "I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you for your kindness."
"I think we'll find a way." Raven, who could wait no longer, closed the distance.
It was a searing kiss, all the passion that Raven had been holding back since their graduation from high school met the new hungry desperation Chelsea had been holding. When they finally broke apart, Raven smirked.
"Damn, girl! I could get used to that!"
