Oh, my goodness. I am so sorry for the delay. I promise, I didn't forget about this story at all. I've actually been writing it this entire time, but between house-sitting for a week (and forgetting my laptop at home, oops), my kids being major pains, and our puppy inexplicably needing to go outside every five seconds (not literally, but it sure feels like it!), I haven't really found the time to actually sit and let the words flow out of my pen. But, after much anticipation (if your comments are anything to go by), here's the next chapter of Spencer and Atrin's story.
"Atrin?"
She stared at Spencer without actually seeing him. His words had caused her heart to race. They were a reassurance, even if he didn't know it, that maybe she wasn't rushing things; her mind kept replaying him saying "I fell in love with you... I love you..." She closed her eyes against the tears.
"Did I say something wrong? Are you okay?"
"No, no, you didn't. I'm fine, really. Just give me a minute."
He stayed quiet while she composed herself. She knew this was most likely not the reaction he anticipated when he made the decision to tell her how he felt, but hearing him say those words overwhelmed her with a flood of emotions. The tears continued threatening to escape. She sniffled a few times until the heat in her eyes dissipated.
"Uh, sorry about that. Sorry."
"Don't be. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Promise." Atrin wiped her cheeks. "Just needed a minute."
"Good."
"Y'know, this isn't exactly where I ever thought something like this would happen."
"What do you mean?"
"I never could've imagined coming to the realisation that I'm in love with you in a hospital."
"I'm sorry. I never meant to be an inconvenience."
Atrin narrowed her eyes at Spencer in an attempt to figure out if he was being serious; the tell-tale signs of a smile being restrained gave him away. "You jerk."
"Sorry," he laughed. "I just wanted to add some levity to the atmosphere."
"It's fine. But, um, yeah. I love you, too."
His smile broke free then, and she leaned down to press her lips to his. His fingers wrapped around her hand when she pulled away. Atrin couldn't believe what had just happened. He loved her. She hated that it took such drastic events, but she would never regret the outcome.
Atrin set the bags down by the wall and smiled at the nurse. He made sure everything in the room was ready for the transfer. The doctor had signed off on Spencer's move from the ICU to a private recovery room, which meant he was one major step closer to going home. The pair had spent the day watching daytime soap operas (they'd even found a character who looked eerily similar to Derek) and talking about their pasts. He'd opened up a bit about his father's departure when he was a child, the bullying he'd endured during school, and his mother's illness. She told him about her childhood in Middle of Nowhere, Indiana; he'd laughed until she had tears in his eyes when she'd recounted the tale of her first job on a farm behind her house and all the mishaps that had occurred during the first three months. It had been a rather peaceful day, all in all.
Once Spencer's bed was rolled into place in the new room, the nurse glanced up at her.
"You might not wanna be here for this."
She nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to her husband's forehead. "I'll be back in a bit. I love you."
'I love you, too."
Atrin smiled before walking out of the room. She had to ask a nurse for directions to the cafeteria; after she'd paid for her meal, she found a table, sat down, and fished her phone from her pocket. She opened the FaceBook app to check messages before opening her text message inbox and composing a new message to Penelope.
Spencer is out of ICU now.
OMG that's GREAT!
You busy?
Ehhhhh, not really. Actually quite lonely. Why?
This is best said over the phone d:
It wasn't even sixty seconds later that Atrin's phone rang; she answered it laughing. "That took long."
"So what's so important, buttercup?"
"Uh, well, are you sitting down?" Garcia made a sound that Atrin took for confirmation. "Well, Spencer and I talked a bit, and, uh... He told me he loves me, that he's in love with me."
Through the phone came a shrill, muffled squeal that lasted over a minute; Atrin winced and pulled the device away from her head, apologising to the woman sitting five feet away who was now glaring at her. Finally, Garcia stopped shrieking. Atrin returned the phone to her ear.
"Are you serious? I swear, if this is a joke, I will kick your butt so hard."
"Not a joke, Penny. Not a joke at all."
"And? Did you tell him you love him back? Atrin, you better have!"
"I did, I did!"
"Oh, gotta go. Boss man needs me. Love ya, doll."
Garcia hung up before Atrin could respond. She chuckled under her breath and opened her salad container. Hearing Penelope react so excitedly wasn't a shock - Atrin had come to learn that it was impossible to expect anything less... off the wall from the gorgeous blonde.
Hey, I just thought you should know that I told Spencer how I feel... Sort of...
What do you mean, 'sort of'?!
Mistie's text ended with angry emoticons. Atrin merely responded with a simple 'Call me later.' She took her time eating since she had no idea how long the nurse would need to do his duties. Unfortunately, a small salad didn't require more than fifteen minutes to consume. Atrin sighed, cleaned up her mess, and exited the cafeteria. Doctor Louke was in Spencer's room by the time she found her way back.
"Oh, hello, Mrs Reid. I was just telling your husband that, if his progress stays steady, he'll be able to go home in a few days."
"That's fantastic!"
"It really is. Mr Reid, I want you to try basic moving, like walking to the bathroom and back, or even just around the room - with help, of course, from either a nurse or your wife. Take it slow and steady. Once you're discharged, I'd advise physical therapy to ensure you're in peak condition and everything is working properly. If you don't want to go that route, we'll send you home with some light exercises. Have a good night, guys."
"Thanks, Doctor Louke. 'Night." As soon as the doctor left the room, Atrin turned to Spencer. "Are you excited?"
"Yeah. I'll be glad to actually move."
"I bet. Did he say anything about eating?"
"Oh, yeah. I get liquids tonight and tomorrow, and then, if those stay down, I get to start soft, bland foods. They're hoping I'll be eating like normal by the time I'm discharged."
"I hope so, too." Atrin smoothed down his blankets. "I called Garcia to let her, and the team, know about the room change."
"I was about to do that, thank you."
"No problem."
"Are they any closer to solving the case?"
"I don't know. She didn't say. But hey, you shouldn't be worrying about that right now. You need to just focus on getting better. I'm sure they can handle things until you're back on your feet."
Spencer nodded and stared at the ceiling. Something in his facial expression was...off. He stayed quiet when she asked him what was wrong. She tried rephrasing her question five times, but each inquiry was met with stony silence. Finally, she stopped trying and gazed blankly out the window.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Spencer knew she hadn't meant anything negative when she'd said what she had, but hearing Atrin's words had brought a fresh worry to the forefront of his mind: What if the team did handle the case and every future one until he came back, and then realised they didn't need him any more? He'd never quite figured out why he'd joined the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit; what if they replaced him with someone who fit in better? He'd have plenty of other job opportunities if that were the case, but the members of the BAU weren't just colleagues or friends. They were family. He didn't want to lose them. He was afraid, however, that he just might.
Atrin's phone rang then, the melodic tone interrupting the cold quiet that was suffocating the room. She barely even glanced his way as she stepped out of the room to answer the call. Spencer closed his eyes against the hot rush of shame. He knew she thought she'd done something wrong - her silence, the way she was biting her lip, the way her eyes flitted to his face and away quickly; all were signs of her blaming herself - and he hadn't done anything to change that. He grabbed his cell phone and typed out a message.
I think I missed up.
How?
Atrin said something, and I reacted the wrong way. I think she thinks I'm mad at her.
(1/4)Reid, you NEED to talk to her! She's so in love with you and she's worried about you. You just got shot, went through a major surgery... She doesn't want
(2/4)to upset you. She only wants you to rest and get better. So no matter what she said, you need to talk to her about it. Don't let her go on thinking you're
(3/4)pissed off at her over something you and I both know she absolutely did NOT mean to say/do. So promise me, please, that you're going to talk to her? Soon?
(4/4)Love you, Genius Boy. xo
Reid couldn't think of a reply to Garcia's text. She was right. He had to clear the air with Atrin. She didn't deserve the way he treated her. Hopefully, she would accept his apology.
Atrin was gone for a little over an hour. By the time she came back, he'd imagined every negative possibility to the conversation they needed to have. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy; her smile didn't spread across her whole face as it normally did. When she sat in her chair, she kept her body curled away from him. He closed his eyes to gather his thoughts.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Atrin stood with her back to the wall, breathing slowly to stop the tears. She knew Mistie would keep phoning until the call was answered, but Atrin knew her best friend would know something was wrong immediately, regardless of if she was calm, but Atrin didn't want to be a blubbering mess as soon as she accepted the call.
She pushed away from the wall and made her way through the corridors until she was standing under the awning outside. An older man was standing at the end of the sidewalk, puffing away at a cigarette. He silently held the pack toward her. She shook her head with a small smile before sitting on the bench. After declining the fifth call from Mistie, she typed out a message: "Give me a minute."
"You okay, sweetheart?"
Her eyes found the man's. "Um, yeah, I'm fine."
"You don't look like you are, but if you're sure..." He scraped the lit end of his cigarette against the brick column and dropped the crumpled stump in the trash can. "Whatever it is... Just remember this: You're at a hospital for a reason. Emotions are running high; everyone is stressed, worried, scared. Nobody's thinking as clearly and logically and rationally as they would normally. Don't let what gets said or done, get to you. Keep your head up, and just push through. Goodnight."
He disappeared into the hospital before Atrin could formulate a response. She took a deep breath and dialled Mistie's number.
"Why the Hell have you been ignoring my calls?"
"Sorry, Tee-Tee," whispered Atrin, and there was a long pause.
"You haven't called me that for a long time. What's going on?"
"Uh, well... I screwed up, I think. I said something, and I didn't even realise I'd said something wrong, but now he won't look at me or speak to me. And I, I don't know what to do or say, or if I should even do or say anything at all."
"Well, what'd you say?"
"That he should focus on getting better, and the team can handle the cases until he's back to one hundred."
"I dunno. I mean, he doesn't seem like the type to get upset over something like that. You are right; he needs to stop stressing about work until he's better. But I dunno, Ay. Maybe you should talk to him about this, not me."
"But what am I supposed to say? I feel like no matter what, I'll make it worse."
"I don't know. I really have no idea. I guess, just be honest. Say what you really feel. Nothing can be fixed until you do that. But I gotta go, okay? I love you. Call me tomorrow. Let me know how it goes. Goodnight, honey."
"Thanks, Mistie. I love you, too. 'Night."
Atrin hung up and stared at the sky. The stars were hidden by the yellow-orange glow of street lamps; insects buzzed and chirped from the trees and patches of grass between parking lots. Her skin was dappled with light goosebumps, and she felt chilled, though the temperature hadn't dropped more than five degrees since the sun had set. She exhaled deeply, her eyes slipping closed. The thought of talking to Spencer was, quite honestly, terrifying. She wasn't sure she could handle things getting more tense. She had already messed up once - she could not deal with doing it again.
She rose to her feet and walked into the hospital. The closer she got to Spencer's room, the more her mind mulled over the worst possibilities. She hesitated outside his door, took a steadying breath, and made her way to the chair by his bed. She could feel his eyes on her; she gave a small smile before curling up in the chair. The words ran in circles in her brain as she contemplated how to start the conversation.
"I'm sorry."
Her eyes snapped up to meet his. "What?"
"I'm sorry. I reacted wrong. I know you didn't mean anything by what you said; I just... I overreacted to absolutely nothing."
"What did I even say, though? I don't get it. We were fine, then suddenly, it was like I could be invisible - or non-existent, for that matter - and you wouldn't have cared."
Spencer sighed. "It's stupid. I know it is."
"Just tell me. Please."
"When you said the team could handle the cases, it just kind of echoed everything I've felt for so long. It's been in the back of my mind for a while, that they could just...solve the cases without me, and where would I be then? If they didn't need me, I wouldn't have the job I do. And that thought scares me."
"Spence, I didn't -"
"I know. As I said, it's stupid."
"It isn't stupid. Like I was saying, I didn't mean that you're not an integral part of the team, because you are, but you also shouldn't have gotten so upset with me and not told me why. You can't just shut down like that. You can't just shut me out. This won't work if you do."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"I know." She smiled at him, a genuine one. "I still love you."
"I love you, too."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Atrin put the car in park and slid out of the driver's seat. The nurse grinned as she pushed Spencer toward the car. He'd tried protesting the use of a wheelchair, but between the pain, his wife, and the nurse, that fight hadn't lasted long. His face still bore his displeasure at having lost. While Rebecca loaded their bags into the backseat, Atrin pushed the passenger seat back to give Spencer room for his legs. He was situated in the seat within minutes; Atrin hugged Rebecca and thanked her multiple times for everything the staff had done for Spencer in the time he'd been there. The nurse headed back inside. Atrin made sure her husband had a pillow in his lap - a trick Rebecca had told them would be useful on the trip back to Quantico.
"Has the team been updated?"
"I texted Penelope when I was getting the car." Atrin checked for traffic before pulling out of the parking lot. "You should get some sleep, honey. You didn't sleep much last night."
"You got less sleep than I did."
"Yeah, but I also have drank at least a pot of coffee between midnight and now."
"Your phone's buzzing. Want me to answer it?"
"That'd be great."
"It's a stream of texts. Apparently, Garcia doesn't know how to condense messages. Anyway. Um, she says she's glad to hear it, she'll tell the team, and they're about to be heading back home."
"I have a feeling you took away a lot of the craziness from those," laughed Atrin as she took the exit to the highway.
"You know Garcia too well. She also say, by the way, to expect a stern talking-to the next time she sees you."
Atrin sighed. "Of course I should."
By the time she pulled up outside his building, Spencer had been sleeping for nearly two hours. A smile split her face when she saw a familiar group of people gathered by the front door. She stepped out of the car, closing the door quietly behind her. Penelope was at her side in seconds.
"Oh, I'm so happy to see your beautiful face. How is he? How are you?"
"I'm fine. He's fine, I think. And apparently awake now, thanks to Derek."
"We'll get him inside if you get the bags," Hotch announced as he and Derek half-carried Spencer to the stairs.
"Uh, sure, since I have the choice."
JJ and Emily laughed while Atrin and Penelope grabbed the luggage from the backseat. Spencer was laying on the couch by the time the women made it inside. Derek was questioning Spencer about how he was feeling; Hotch relieved the women of their loads, taking the bags to Spencer's bedroom. Atrin kissed her husband's forehead before going to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Footsteps sounded behind her; she turned to see Hotch leaning against the counter.
"What did the doctor say?"
"He's to take it easy for a week, to not push himself too hard, and to either do the exercises or go to physical therapy in a couple weeks once the stitches are taken out."
"Are you going to be staying with him until he's back on his feet?"
"I was planning on it." She scooped coffee grounds from the canister, cursing under her breath when some of the little brown granules scattered across the countertop and floor. "Just my luck. This is why I never make coffee at home."
Hotch grabbed the broom and dust pan and swept up the mess from the tile. "I do the same thing sometimes. Mainly when I'm sleep-deprived, but it still happens."
"Hey, don't poke fun."
"Sorry. I'm glad you're going to be here. We would, but..."
"Psychopaths don't stop. I understand. I don't mind. I want to be here."
"Good. He's really happy with you. Thank you for that."
She shrugged. "He makes me happier than I thought was possible. I can't see myself ever being this happy with anyone else."
"Hey! What's the holdup with the caffeine?"
Atrin couldn't stop the laugh that escaped at Penelope's inquiry. "Coming!"
Spencer's soft snores signalled the end of the end of the visit. Hugs were exchanged between everyone; the team filed out of the apartment, and Atrin sighed. She truly loved the group of people Spencer considered his family, but she still felt a little like an outsider. Everybody had made sure to include her in conversation, regaling her with stories and informing her of some of her husband's fascinating quirks. Spencer had stopped contributing as much to the conversation about an hour in. Around hour two, he was completely asleep, which had prompted Hotch and JJ to announce their plans to pick up Henry and Jack. Emily had offered Derek a ride home; Penelope looked reluctant to leave Atrin alone but had gone home at Atrin's insistence.
She had just placed the coffee mugs in the sink when a knock sounded at the door. After making sure Spencer was still asleep, she hurried quietly to the door.
"Oh, hello, Mrs Dunmeyer."
"I heard voices earlier and saw those two men bringing Spencer in, so I brought this." The old woman held up a casserole dish covered in foil. "I tried to let it cool long enough, so sorry if it's still scalding."
"Oh. Thank you. We really appreciate this."
"It's no problem at all, I promise. I heard on the news what happened. How is he doing?"
"Um, he's sleeping right now. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health before discharging him, minus the stitches."
"That's good to hear. Well, I'll let you get back inside. If you two need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Thanks, Mrs Dunmeyer."
Before Atrin could close the door, Spencer's neighbour spoke again. "I just want to apologise for how I treated you before. You're a really good girl."
"Thank you. Have a nice evening."
"You, too, honey."
Atrin set the casserole dish on the counter and peeled back the foil. The lasagne inside smelled amazing; she smiled, opened the refrigerator, and slid the dish onto the shelf. Once she washed her hands, she grabbed the broom and dust pan to begin cleaning the apartment. Though Spencer lived alone, he definitely had room for improvement in the cleaning department. She smiled, humming a few bars of a Reba McEntire song to herself.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Spencer's eyes opened slowly. He couldn't remember falling asleep, but waking up to see Atrin curled up in his armchair, a book in her hand, made him smile.
"Hey."
She jumped. "Jeez. Hi. Don't scare me like that. How was your nap?"
"I don't know. I don't really remember."
"That's good, I think. Are you hungry?"
"Oh. I don't have much here. We'd have to order delivery."
"Mrs Dunmeyer brought over a lasagne while you were napping."
"Did she really? That sounds delicious."
"Okay. I'll warm it up then." She kissed him softly. "I'll be right back."
A pleasant warmth spread through his body. He had no doubt that if the theory of soulmates was true, she was his. A loud buzzing caught his attention; he watched as Atrin dug his cell phone from her purse.
"Who's Lyla?"
"Uh, a girl we were helping protect from a stalker."
"Oh, okay. Dinner will be done in a few minutes."
"Thank you." He waited until Atrin had disappeared back into the kitchen before answering. "Lyla?"
"Oh, my God, you're alright."
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"I was so worried. I saw a news report over what happened last week. I was going to call before now, but... I didn't know if you'd care to hear from me."
"Of course I would. You're still my friend."
"So, uh, how are you doing? How's your life going?"
"It's going really well, actually. Well, minus being shot three times in one go."
"Yeah? What's making it so good?"
"Well, I..." He trailed off, eyes on his wife while she danced to a tune only she could hear.
"Spencer? Are you still there?"
"Uh, yeah, sorry. I got distracted. I'm, uh... Well, I went to Vegas about a year ago, to visit my mom and to take a much-needed vacation, and I ended up meeting a really amazing woman. We've been together almost a year now."
"Oh, my God, that's fantastic! I'm so happy for you! Tell me about her."
"Maybe later. Dinner's done. I gotta go."
"Alright. Call me sometime. Don't be a stranger."
He ended the call as Atrin placed his plate on the table. She smiled and held out her hand; he knew exactly what was going to happen. He gritted his teeth and allowed her to gently ease him into a sitting position. A groan escaped, though he tried to prevent it. Thankfully, Atrin pretended not to hear it. She merely handed him his dish and fork with a soft kiss to his cheek.
"Aren't you eating?"
"I'm not really hungry right now. I'm going to take a quick shower, though. I'll be fast, I promise."
"No, no, take your time. Please. You've been so busy taking care of me the past few days. You need time to yourself. You deserve it."
He could see the indecision in her eyes, but she didn't argue. She headed toward the bathroom, leaving him to finish his dinner alone. The shower started up - the sound of running water reminded him of how thirsty he'd become. He struggled t his feet, swaying slightly, gripping the back of the armchair with white knuckles.
"Spencer William Reid, what the Hell do you think you're doing?"
His eyes widened at Garcia's exclamation. The blonde forced him to sit back down on the couch with soft motions. He sighed.
"Please don't tell Atrin. I don't want to worry her or make her feel bad."
"Where is she, anyway?"
"I was eating, so she went to take a shower. I told her to take her time because she's been by my side pretty much nonstop since the surgery. I thought I'd be able to get my own drink."
"Reid, you can't do that right now. You know that."
"I know. I do. I'm just... I'm tired of not being able to do things myself."
Garcia sat beside him. "I get that, but, like Morgan told me when I was recovering from being shot by Battle, you can't push yourself too much, or it'll just prolong the healing process. Besides, Atrin is your wife. She's not going to, y'know, not take care of you just 'cause you're a big boy now. That woman loves you and would do anything for you. If she finds out you didn't just ask her for help, instead doing it yourself - or, at least, attempting to - it's going to hurt her."
"You're right," sighed Spencer. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Derek had come over for a bit, but then he left, so I figured I'd keep you and Atrin company for a while."
He shrugged and sat back, wincing at the sharp pain of stitches being stretched. He'd been shot twice in the abdomen - one bullet grazed his hip, the other mere millimetres from his liver - and once in the chest. Thankfully, none of the bullets had proved to be fatal hits, but the wounds still hurt like Hell. Garcia's heels clicked against the hardwood floor as she walked into the kitchen. She came back with a glass of water and a tiny white pill.
"Please, Reid, don't argue. Just take the medicine."
He could see the leading in her brown eyes and acquiesced without hesitation. He had just swallowed the pill when the shower abruptly shut off. Garcia patted his cheek and took her seat once more.
"Penelope? What brings you back?"
"Hey, gumdrop. I got bored at my lonely apartment, so I came t hang with you two for a while."
"Apparently, Morgan had to leave," Spencer supplied with a laugh.
"Derek was there?" Atrin sat in the armchair, draping her legs over the arm. "And why was that, Miss Garcia?"
"I've told you many times, Mrs Reid: There's nothing going on between Derek and me."
Atrin shot her an appraising look. "Sure."
Spencer burst into laughter as Atrin smirked at Penelope, and the latter blushed deeply.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
The next four weeks had been hectic: Atrin had had to juggle planning weddings via only phone calls and email, taking Spencer to his physical therapy (Hotch had "ordered" it, in hopes Strauss would unhesitatingly accept the genius's return to work), and making sure everything was prepared for his first day back - and her trip back home. Finally, their final night together arrived.
"Time sure has flown," remarked Spencer as they climbed into his bed.
"It really has. It's almost sad."
"How so?"
She turned off the lamp and curled into his side, sighing. "I've just... I've gotten so used to being here, to being with you, every day and night. I've become so accustomed to sleeping by your side and waking up to you every morning. I don't know if I'll be able to get used to sleeping alone again." She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I don't want to miss you again."
He was silent for a few minutes. His heart beat beneath her ear, a soothing, steady beat that she'd come to consider her lullaby. His right hand slid up and down the length of her arm slowly, softly.
"We could find a different place, one that you'll love, and you can decorate it however you want; it'll all be up to you. I won't care as long as you're happy. You could even ask Garcia for help. I'm sure she wouldn't mind, although you might have to exercise control over any kind of decisions she wants to make. I - "
"Hush for a second, please. Are you - are you asking me to move in with you?"
"Um, yeah. Yeah, if you want to."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Really, really sure?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely, no-doubt, one hundred percent certain?"
"Yes," he laughed.
"Then I accept."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Please, don't keep going with that." She tilted her head back so he could kiss her lips. "Your place is perfect as is. We don't need to find a new one."
"Alright. So, uh, when... When do you want to move in?"
"How about the end of the month? It'll give me plenty of time to give clients warning - and Mistie."
"Sounds good."
"Get some sleep. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
They kissed one last time; she draped her arm over his stomach, and silence reigned as they both fell asleep.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
"What do you mean, he asked you to move in with him?"
"I mean he asked me to move in with him," retorted Atrin as she closed the microwave door and pressed the popcorn button.
"And it wasn't just a dream?"
"No. I kinda asked him again if he was sure, this morning before he went to work."
"Oh. Em. Gee. That's awesome! Does Mistie know yet?
"No, not yet. She's not home for work."
"So you're definitely moving in with him? You're going to be so close to me!"
She laughed. "Yes, Penny. Oh, hey, sounds like Mistie just pulled up. I'll call you later."
Atrin set the bottle of wine on the table just as her best friend entered the condo. Mistie's brow raised; she dropped her purse onto the floor, kicked off her shoes, and gazed at Atrin.
"What's going on?"
"Uh, I have news."
"Well, there's wine, so you're not pregnant. Are you and Spencer getting married for real?"
"No."
"Are you getting divorced?"
"No. Just go get changed, and then we'll talk."
In less than four minutes, Mistie was sitting on the couch in her pyjamas. "Spill."
"Well, Spencer asked me to move in with him."
"He what?"
"Yep. We've both gotten so used to sleeping in the same bed, pretty much already living together for the last five weeks. It just kind of made sense for us to actually, y'know, live together. And he can't move here because of his work."
"Wow. I need some wine." Mistie poured herself a glass, taking a long sip before speaking. "I never thought I'd see the day."
"What day?"
"The day you willingly moved in with someone else. I mean, c'mon, Ay. We've known each other for quite a while - since we were teenagers and you'd come visit your grandma for holidays and summer vacations. It still took me longer than five weeks to convince you living together was a terrific idea. And no, I'm not mad about it. I promise, I'm not. I'm actually really, really glad. But... This is kind of a big shock."
"So... You're happy?"
"Oh, honey, of course I am. You've finally met someone that you love so much, that all it took was him asking, and you're moving in without hesitation. It's wonderful. And you deserve it."
"Thanks, Mist."
"Have you told your parents?"
"Uh, no. I'll tell them eventually, though."
"I suppose I should tell you my news now."
"Your news?"
"Yeah. About a week ago, I got a phone call. It was Rachel Martin, y'know, the girl I used to work with at the bakery? Well, she was calling with a job offer. She now owns her own restaurant, and she wants me to work there. Like, instead of being a manager, I'd be the manager. Only thing is, it's in Newport."
"Newport, Rhode Island?"
"Yeah."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. I told her I'd think about it, since I didn't know when you would be back, but if you're moving anyway..."
"Oh, Mistie, that's fantastic! Of course you should take it!"
"I thought I should, too, but it means I have to move closer."
"So we'll both be saying goodbye to this place," murmured Atrin.
"I guess so." Mistie drained her wineglass and poured some more. "So when does he want you to move in?"
"We agreed on the end of the month."
"Sounds like a plan then. I'll call the management company as son as I know a start date for the new job."
Atrin nodded and filled her glass with the pink moscato. "Movie marathon?"
"Duh!"
Once the DVD was loaded and the Play button pressed, the women curled up on the couch and enjoyed the first of their last days together.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
"So are you sure you don't mind me leaving the lease so early?"
The two women were standing outside The Perfect Plan; Atrin had just locked the doors for the final time. The month had passed by quickly. Mistie had helped pack all of Atrin's belongings; they'd both deep-cleaned the condo so that there was less for Mistie - or the management company - to do once the women were out; Atrin had recruited her best friend's help in making phone calls to clients, both present and potential, to inform them of The Perfect Plan's transfer out of Boston. Finally, all they'd had to do was load the moving truck with Atrin's boxes, which they'd done that morning. Atrin and Mistie carried the three boxes of wedding planning items to Mistie's sedan. Once they'd stopped in the driveway of the condo, they loaded the boxes onto the moving truck, and Atrin locked the sliding door.
"So, you never answered my question."
"About minding? Of course I don't. You're my best friend, closer than any sister to me, and you deserve nothing but love, happiness, and rainbows shining out your ass. If that means we have to be ten hours apart, then so be it. Now, go. Your husband is waiting for you."
"Thank you, Mistie," whispered Atrin, pulling her best friend into a tight hug, tears pouring down her cheeks.
"I love you so much, honey. Safe travels."
"I love you, too. Until I see you again?"
"Not if I see you first. Bye, Ay-bay-bay."
"Bye, Tee-Tee."
Atrin pulled away from the curb and drove in the direction of the interstate. The image of Mistie standing in the driveway, the egg-white exterior of the condo almost blinding in the noon-time sun, slipped out of sight of the rear-view mirror. Atrin's tears fell faster. Home was no longer home.