One year later

Odessa let herself into the apartment, sighing wearily as she kicked off her shoes. She was working at the same accounting firm as Jamie's father Dennis, having just a few months ago earning her CPA license. The work was challenging, but rewarding. She loved how the numbers fit so beautifully together. It was like art, but less flawed.

Jamie was home from class, made evident by the smells coming from the kitchen. She'd gone back to UL to finish her degree, and she was managing to balance a job as a clerk at a service station with her heavy course load.

Odessa followed her nose, smiling when she reached her destination.

Jamie beamed at her over the pot of spaghetti she was making.

"Hey, beautiful!" she chirped. "How was your day?"

"Oh, the usual." Odessa wrapped her arms around Jamie's waist from behind, sighing happily. "Your father told me some more stories about you as a little girl."

"Christ, you'd think he'd run out of 'em by now." Jamie rolled her eyes, turning her head to give Odessa a peck on the lips. "What'd he tell you today?"

"Well, there was some stuffed alligator that you took with you everywhere…"

"Oh, yeah. His name was 1882."

"…1882. Really."

"Yep. I liked that year when I was a kid." Jamie giggled. "Oh, we got another postcard from John and Maria!" She pointed to it on the counter.

"Yeah?" Odessa let go of her. "Where are they this time?"

"Guata-something…It's in Mexico."

"Guadalajara. It's where Rosie's from."

"Rosie?"

"Carmen's friend." Odessa read over the card. "I guess retirement's agreeing with them."

"That and the huge wad of cash Mr. Bochek gave them after he sold his house."

"Yeah, I suppose that would help, too."

As per their routine, Odessa started setting the table as Jamie finished up the spaghetti. Two plates, two knives, two spoons, two forks, two napkins. (Cloth ones, not paper. Odessa was "classy as fuck", as Jamie liked to say.)

"So, I talked to Ross today." Jamie said as she set the spaghetti on the table. "He's gonna propose on Saturday."

"…Remind me what her name is again."

"Olivia." Jamie giggled. "Olivia Benton."

"Right, the one who looks like…"

"Mariska Hargitay." They both said it at the same time, grinning. Ross had managed to meet and woo a woman who looked like an extremely young Mariska Hargitay. And her name was Olivia. What the fuck, Ross?

"Don't tell Mom, but I think Olivia might be, um… you know…" Jamie pointed subtly to her belly.

"What makes you say that?"

"She's rounding out, but not in a cupcake-eating kind of way. It's more of a… parasite-growing-inside-of-me kind of way."

"Parasite, huh?" Odessa grinned as Jamie sat down across from her. She took her hand over the table. "Still don't want any of your own, huh?"

Jamie winced, crinkling up her nose.

"Let's see how long these kids live first, huh?" She nodded to the fish tank in the living room, where two bloodfin tetra and two neon tetra swam around blissfully.

"Speaking of, did you remember to feed them?"

"Um… yes. I remembered." Jamie stood up, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "Just now…"

She quickly shuffled over to feed the fish.

"Not too much!" Odessa warned.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Odessa smiled, slipping her hand into her pocket. It closed briefly around a small, black velvet box.

Ross was proposing on Saturday? Well… hopefully it wouldn't steal too much of his thunder if she did it tonight.

- The End!

(AN: So, yeah. Over a year since I've updated. I'm sorry, my loves. Hopefully this will make up for it! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're all safe, happy, and well! 3)