Early Thursday morning Delphine awoke to an empty bed. She'd spent the prior night at Thomas' and apparently Olivier hadn't returned from wherever he'd gone Wednesday after he'd left work. He didn't bother to call and let Delphine know he wouldn't be home, and she couldn't care less. The only reason she even thought about him was because she needed to really consider where their relationship was headed. Even if it weren't for her growing feelings for Cosima, they were on thin ice. The cracks in the ice were beginning to become alarming and she was at her wits end.
Thomas had counseled her on potential ways to end their relationship but they were all seemingly straight out of a soap opera, ironically enough.
"Just tell him you're pregnant, that'll get rid of him."
"And when I don't have a child?"
"Okay then, tell him you're going back to France…"
"And when I'm still living here?"
"Okay well tell the truth…You're falling for a woman you've just met and you'd rather take your chances with Fonzie than stay with his sorry ass."
She laughed at his suggestions but she had to admit the last one wasn't such a bad idea. It was impulsive to leave a year long relationship so abruptly just because they'd hit a rough patch, but his blatant disregard for her feelings made her decision seem reasonable. How could he stay out for so long and not call?
Rather than call him, she proceeded to make and eat her daily fruit and yogurt parfait. It honestly was relaxing not to hear Olivier in the mirror reciting his lines poorly. She finished breakfast and entered their home office to begin her editing. She planned to get as much done as possible in order to have time to grocery shop and arrive at Cosima's at a reasonable hour.
…
"Come on Monkey I can't catch you if you run that fast, I'm so sore…"
"You're just getting old Auntie Cosima, you always caught me before."
"Sar you'd better talk to her and tell her I'm young! Younger than her Mummy even."
"I'll do no such thing…and you are getting up there Cos. What are you, almost 27?"
"I'm 26, don't try to age me…and I said I was sore…I was punished for getting hammered at Mar's party. Coach Kent made me run until I puked."
"Good! It probably helped. So how are you with Frenchie? Still after her girl-ginity?" Sarah teased, unable to resist making a joke.
"Hey! Kira can hear us!" Cosima gasped, attempting to act concerned.
"No she can't she's a mile away, stop dodging."
"Okay whatever, but that's not what I'm doing. I really like her Sarah. She's everything I could want…it's just this boyfriend thing. I can't reconcile it you know?" Cosima explained, even though she wasn't sure that was the only reason she was being cautious.
"Yes I do, and I'm glad you're playing it smart, for once…So what are you going to do?"
"Well she's coming over to make me dinner tonight so I guess we'll talk about it then…"
Sarah sighed dramatically and put her palm to her forehead. She couldn't believe her sister couldn't hear the error in her statement.
"She's going to your house? To cook for you? Alone…in your house?"
"Yes, what's the problem? We're adults, if we could control ourselves when we were both drunk we can when we aren't. Besides, she's gonna talk to her boyfriend today so maybe she'll be single by the time she arrives." Cosima grinned with the patented tongue between her teeth, as she had a brief flash of what the night could entail if Delphine were indeed free of her obligation.
"Right…well the way I heard it you two were interrupted…so I'm not sure if I'd consider that controlling yourselves, but um you're a big girl Cos…and apparently very old, so I'm sure you know what you're doing." The older woman teased, before throwing her head back and laughing. Cosima gave her a playful smack on the arm and went to join her niece by edge of the beach.
While on a solo walk on the pier, Cosima was stopped by a few fans that asked for a photo. She obliged and took a standard photo in between the two women. After a brief chat, they departed and she returned to Kira with an ice cream. Although she was having a great time, she couldn't help but think about all of the cleaning she needed to do before Delphine arrived and decided to call it a day.
"Hey Meanie, I've gotta run. Will you watch my match on Sunday?" Cosima asked, playfully trying to mock Kira.
"Of course, you're the best player in the world." Kira stated with absolute certainty.
"Why thank you little one. That almost makes up for you calling me elderly before."
Cosima then knelt down to hug her niece and proceeded to swing her back and forth like a doll as the girl giggled. She proceeded to give her sister a wave and journeyed to where she'd parked her car.
…
After hours of editing and re-cutting, Delphine's vision began to blur. It was almost 5PM and she knew she should stop and get ready to leave. She was a bit disappointed that Olivier hadn't returned so they could talk, but she was relieved to avoid another one of his meltdowns. She'd assumed he'd gone to set like normal and perhaps stopped off to run errands or meet a friend. Anyone else would worry about infidelity but at this point that would make her decision easier.
She perused her closet for something casual to wear to Cosima's and landed on light blue jeans, brown boots and a loose fitting white blouse. It was simple but she loved the way her jeans made her figure look and the boots were a Tory Burch impulse buy. She decided to wear her hair wild and in her face slightly, in an effort to indicate her current shift in mood. When she'd met Cosima, she was reserved and was desperate to be in control. Since meeting the woman, she wanted to be more relaxed and carefree.
She headed to Trader Joe's to purchase the ingredients to make crepes. She was going to attempt to make hers vegan, while Cosima's would be made according to her original recipe. After collecting the items, she picked up a bottle of Pinot Noir and proceeded to the check out. Once she arrived, the clerk noticed her ingredients and subsequently how attractive she was. He was in awe and decided to try and start a conversation.
"Planning on a lovely evening are we? Cooking for your boyfriend?" The young man asked with a hint of nerves.
Delphine wanted to be annoyed but was in such a good mood she humored him.
"Non, not my boyfriend…a friend."
"Oh so you're single? That's a pleasant surprise, considering how beautiful you are…and foreign which drives us Americans crazy." He said, while doing more talking than ringing of items.
"Well it's more complicated than I care to get into, but I'm very interested in the friend that I'm cooking for." She said almost apologetically to the brave man.
"Oh well that's too bad…for me I mean. Good luck to you though. He's a fortunate man."
She had a split second to decide whether she was going to correct him or not.
"SHE is, isn't she? I've never even made anything this difficult for my boyfriend." She said satisfied with the confused look on his face.
He proceeded to turn beet red and hand her the receipt. She thanked him and proceeded to exit the store.
…
What should've been a 30 minute drive ended up taking 50, thanks to traffic. Delphine was glad she'd decided to buy ice to store with the food. Right before she arrived, she sent Cosima a warning text just in case the brunette was late getting prepared as usual.
D: 15 minutes away Cosima, I hope you're hungry.
C: Okay great! I'm starving actually, I had an early training session and I spent time with my family so I didn't have time to eat very much… See you soon.
After arriving, Delphine found street parking quite far from Cosima's Venice Beach apartment. She was surprised at how normal the neighborhood looked. She knew Cosima was far from flashy but this was a pleasant surprise.
After slugging the bags down the street, she called Cosima's landline from the apartment gate. There was a camera at the gate, so when Cosima went to answer she saw how much Delphine had carried. She decided to go downstairs to greet her and help with the bags.
"Hey D, I'm coming down. Wait right there."
Before she could answer, Delphine heard a beep and a few moments later she saw Cosima descending the stairs. Her choice of outfit was not what the blonde would've expected. Once Cosima came closer, her soccer pants, matching black top and white indoor soccer shoes, were clearly visible through the gate. Delphine was surprised at how much she found this look to be attractive on Cosima. The athletic gear fit her to perfection and she was reminded of how good the brunette looked in those shorts they wore. Delphine snapped out of her daze when Cosima reached for her bags.
"Hey Gorgeous, did you walk all the way up here with all of this?" Cosima asked with a smile, clearly aware of how limited the parking was in the area.
Delphine blushed at the nickname and bit her lip before nodding shyly.
"You should've called me. I would've carried you and the bags to protect those boots. Tory Burch?"
"Oui, you recognize them?" She asked, laughing at a mental picture of the scenario Cosima had described.
"Yeah of course. I've had to sit in that store for hours before. Come on up, my place is this way," The brunette invited, before grabbing the bags. Their hands brushed briefly and both women had to stifle their response.
Cosima then proceeded to carry all five of the bags with ease and looked back every few steps to make sure Delphine was keeping up. Her strength was evident and Delphine certainly noticed.
Once they arrived at the door, Cosima nudged it open and Delphine's eyes grew wide at what she saw. The apartment was huge and impeccably furnished. The walls were lined with designer accent pieces and modern art. It was completely different than what she would've pictured. Cosima noticed the look on her face and assumed it was due to the few items that were out of place.
"Hey, I know it's a mess but I had to rush home and clean after hanging with my niece. That's why I didn't have time to get dressed. I threw this on after my shower."
"Non, I'm just shocked. It is not like I pictured. I love it though, very misleading from the outside."
"Oh yeah thanks. My sister Alison is an interior decorator. I told her to just go nuts and that she did…with my credit card. Take a seat, while I put everything out. Would you like a drink?"
"Non, you must be exhausted. You sit and I'll begin preparing the meal…I'll pour you some wine…where are the glasses?" Delphine replied, taking the items out of the bags and looking for supplies around the kitchen.
"Okay…yeah the cupboard above the stove. …" Cosima watched Delphine open and pour the wine and grinned widely.
"This is so strange… you in my kitchen." She said finally after staring admiringly at the blonde.
"Oh? How come? Didn't think I could cook?"
"No I just…I don't know… Forget it. How was your day?" Cosima asked, in an effort to hide her reaction to seeing Delphine be so comfortable in her home.
"It was fine. I worked from home… thought about seeing you all day."
"Oh, good. I'm in that mind of yours ..." Cosima teased giving a cocky grin.
"Yes you are, but I was quite bored all day so maybe that's the reason." Delphine returned, in an attempt to give Cosima's hand a break from patting herself on the back.
"So you were alone all day? You poor thing." Cosima was obviously trying to pry about Olivier.
"Yes, alone ever since I returned from Thomas'."
There was a pause as Delphine looked over her shoulder to determine Cosima's reaction to realizing she hadn't spoken with Olivier. They made eye contact before Cosima's gaze fell and Delphine had the answer to her question.
"Can I help? You still haven't told me what you're making." Cosima asked in an effort to change the subject. Maybe she would have to wait even longer for the woman, but it wasn't technically Delphine's fault. Still, she knew how she felt at that moment. Hiding it from Delphine was going to be the true test.
"Non, just relax. It's a surprise…You can just talk to me if you'd like."
Cosima figured it was too early to tell Delphine that she felt comfortable with her there. That it was almost as if they were already a couple and Delphine had come home to cook like always. The way the blonde navigated the kitchen was impressive. The smell of the mushrooms and onions Sautéing was almost as intoxicating as the wine. After snapping out of her trance, Cosima was able to muster a question about a topic that she was very interested in.
"Okay then, will you tell me about your family? I know about your current life, but nothing about your past."
Delphine considered the question briefly. She wanted to answer honestly but she knew the truth would be a bit discouraging. Her family was very traditional and thus quite judgmental. Cosima's hairstyle and tattoos alone would be alarming to them, let alone her sexuality.
"Well there is not much to tell. My father is a surgeon, as well as my brother. I was meant to go into medicine as well but as you know..."
"Not your passion?" Cosima asked with genuine curiosity.
"Exactly…My mother is a costume designer for a theater company and she encouraged me to follow my dream of being a photographer. She saw the value in the arts, even though my father did not"
"Ahhh so your mother motivated you too? That's something we share…don't you see? It's destiny…"Cosima joked as she was growing restless from sitting at the table.
She got up with her wine in hand, already feeling its affects and stood next to Delphine. While she was preparing the crepes stuffed with shrimp and prosciutto, Cosima sidled up right next to her. Cosima put her hand on the small of her back as she asked for a taste. Unsure of what kind of taste she was referring to, Delphine laughed and fed her a slice of prosciutto.
"Go sit down you brat, you're distracting me." She chastised, while trying to hide her reaction to Cosima's touch and close proximity to her.
"Mmm … forgive me. You're just so irresistible…your whole look tonight screams 'notice me' and I'm more than happy to oblige." The wine was certainly getting to Cosima as she toyed with Delphine, but she felt she couldn't help herself. Delphine did look amazing and it seemed quite purposeful. In addition to her attire, Delphine wore a scent that was a bit more noticeable than her usual one. Perhaps it was one she used for special occasions.
As the pan began to sizzle, Delphine flipped the crepes with ease and added the ingredients. While she cooked, she could feel Cosima's admiring eyes on her without falter. Although she vowed not to start anything with Cosima before she handled Olivier, she knew Cosima was right and could feel the sexual tension building in the room. To add to it, Cosima's outfit was making her fantasize about the woman taking her in a locker room. It was all a bit too much to handle.
She eventually decided to continue the statement that she was making before the interruption, "I'm sure you are… So as I was saying, I love my mother Celine more than anything, we are very close. However my father Gerard and brother Luc…are one in the same. Very old fashioned and close-minded. They still haven't forgiven me for attending university in the states"
"Oh I would've guessed you came here for your Master's…What school?"
"Berkley…actually." She replied setting their plates on the table and taking a seat.
"No way? Class of 2011?"
"2010" She replied flatly.
"We attended the same university at the same time Delphine. This is serendipity" Cosima said excitedly as she leaned in for emphasis.
Delphine grinned at the irony of that statement, because she was going to prove just how right Cosima was. Although she had originally hoped to get this off of her chest, she had dreaded this conversation since they began spending more time together.
"Oui, we did. I actually knew of you at the time…We met once actually." Delphine explained, as if she was beginning a story.
Cosima ate quickly and listened intently as the blonde spoke.
"Well yeah I was pretty well known due to soccer but I doubt we met. I would've remembered someone like you Delphine. You're pretty unforgettable." She replied confidently with a grin. Although she didn't doubt they'd probably seen each other around campus, she was sure she would recall meeting someone as captivating as Delphine.
"Non, Cosima I went to a fraternity party my sophomore year and you and your teammates were there." Delphine specified, as if she were struggling to get to the point.
"That's feasible, we talked about how wild I was back then, so I was always at parties." The brunette countered playfully in an effort to lighten the mood that was quickly becoming heavy.
"Please let me finish, this is very difficult for me to return to."
Delphine was staring intensely at Cosima from across the table and bracing herself for the woman's reaction.
"Oh I'm sorry…continue." Cosima was truly beginning to worry due to the way Delphine was becoming so serious. It was making her fear the worst.
"At one point during the party I was in the kitchen with two of the fraternity pledges. I was waiting for my friend to return and one the men approached me and asked me to leave with them. I told him I wasn't interested and the other one attempted to…drug me. You saw this and discreetly warned me not to drink from my cup."
Cosima's facial expression changed to that of shock when she began to recall this incident.
"…I was afraid and upset and you walked me home to my dorm. I was so shaken up...I felt like crying. You told me it would be okay and that we could tell someone but I insisted that we didn't. You respected my wish and waited until I was safely inside the dorm to leave."
It was then as if something suddenly clicked in Cosima's mind. She replayed the event in her head and pieced together what she was missing. Delphine had similarities to the girl from that night but she never really considered that they could be the same person. Delphine just watched Cosima's face in order to determine whether or not she was upset. Eventually, Cosima broke the silence,
"I remember you Delphine…Your hair was brown then and it was shorter but I remember the accent now. I can't believe I didn't pick up on this sooner. I never forgot that night or that girl…I never forgot you."
"Oui, and I never forgot the fact that I didn't thank you. Vous avez peut-être sauvé la vie…There's no telling what they would've done to me. I simply would've been another statistic…" Delphine stated barley above a whisper, clearly disturbed by the thought of what could've happened.
She eventually continued once she regained her composure, "I did end up reporting the fraternity and those men were investigated and expelled. Apparently they'd done it to someone else that evening with much more success." She admitted sadly before proceeding. "After that night, I would see you on campus and want to thank you but you were always surrounded by people and I never felt comfortable bringing that up."
Cosima's eyes welled up at the thought of what could've occurred had she not intervened. The woman she knew today was quickly becoming very important to her and the thought of her being harmed, especially in that manner, was as frightening as it was infuriating. She managed to quell her emotions in an attempt to be strong for Delphine and replied,
"Wow D, this is complex…I'm not sure how to process all of this…Is that why you took the job with the magazine, to thank me?"
Delphine knew she had implied this but had no idea Cosima would come right out and ask why she'd taken the job. She could've easily avoided the reminder of that incident but chose not to for the sake of closure.
"Yes, well that and part of me just wanted to believe you were the person I met years ago and not this character you're portrayed to be. I honestly never thought this would come up. They offered me the job and I figured it wouldn't hurt to reunite with my hero. That and they were paying me quite a bit…" She said trying to laugh and mask the tears forming in her eyes from Cosima.
"Were you planning on me falling for you too?" Cosima asked with curious disbelief.
"Non, I was certainly not planning on any of this. Before we met again, I assumed I would marry Olivier." She admitted, surprised that she was ever considering marrying him.
"Are you in love with him Delphine?" Cosima asked, desperately trying to understand what the woman could possibly see in Olivier.
"Non, I don't know what I feel for him anymore." Delphine confessed to herself as well as Cosima.
"Well I need you to know how you feel because this is real, what we have. Doesn't what you just told me make you think this is out of the ordinary… Out of our control?" At this point Cosima wanted to be selfish. She didn't care about Delphine's obligation to her boyfriend. The way she was beginning to see it Delphine had already wasted enough of her time trying to be there for him. It was Delphine's turn to be happy, and as a result hers too.
"Yes, Cosima it's beginning to feel that way." Delphine said considering the implications of what they were suggesting.
After a pause Delphine decided to reveal one more detail she knew Cosima would appreciate in an attempt to take some weight out of the conversation.
"I do have to admit I knew the streaking story you told me when we first met on set…I just didn't know it was about you back then." Delphine admitted with a giggle as she discreetly undressed Cosima with her eyes, picturing her running nude like a crazy person.
"Ahh no wonder you wanted to know the rest of the story…You'd heard the rumors of the hot frosh soccer streaker…" Cosima played along despite the fact that she was growing more impatient waiting for Delphine to give in to force that was drawing them together.
"Oui, it was so funny to be reminded of it." Delphine replied, oblivious to Cosima's body language.
"Well it gave me a chance to take on a date 8 years later, so my one game suspension back then was totally worth it." Cosima was trying to adjust her attitude and play along with Delphine's attempt to change the subject.
"Oh so that was a date after all?" Delphine teased as she got up to make the dessert crepes.
Cosima stayed seated while watching the blonde's every move. She was remembering the woman she'd met that drunken night and marveled at the woman she'd become. Suddenly Felix's clichéd talk of fate didn't seem so farfetched.
"Yes, I think we can admit that now. You liked me from the start…"
"Non, actually I didn't…you were late and far too sure of yourself with those cocky grins and the teasing...I began to think you truly were a jerk, but then it was as if you saw that you were making me exasperated. There was a change in you… Suddenly you became so charming and sweet. I was just so interested in your dichotomy. One moment you frustrated me…the next I wanted to kiss you."
"Ouch…well where are you on that spectrum now?" Cosima retorted, shocked at the brutal honesty.
"Je tiens vraiment à vous embrasser, Cosima."