When We Rise: Aftermath

June Osborne swore to God there’s something wrong with Serena Joy.

She just couldn’t pinpoint on what exactly was wrong.

Yet.

Maybe it’s the hair?

June looked up from where she was sitting at the sofa and saw Serena wiggling her way into the kitchen and trying to make a new pot of coffee wearing a floral dress that has sunflowers prints.

She split a second of her mind to recall how it felt like to put her hands on that long delicious neck and scratch the short hair -- Serena wanted to dye her hair blonder two weeks ago (to make it look more like her natural colour because the one she had before was still too dark for her liking) and she had to cut it short due to the damage that caused by the cheap hair colorants she’s been using for the past several years.

June still remembered how terrified she was when Serena asked her to be the stylist.

“Can’t you just go to a decent barber? We can afford it you know.” June looked into the mirror while holding a scissor.

This is so stupid.

“I can. But i prefer you to do it.” Serena opened her mouth. “I mean, if someone had to be the one who ruined my hair, i’d rather it was you.” She finished with a smile.

Did she just bat her eyes at me?

“Seriously, Serena? I’m holding a very sharp scissor right now so you may want to consider to be extra careful with what you say next.” June waved the scissor a little trying to make a point.

“I meant i have all the faith in the world that you’re gonna do a wonderful job darling. So please?” Serena asked innocently.

“Okay, fine. If you want me to cut your hair, then sit still and STOP staring. I’m not sure whether i’m a good barber or not but i’m most definitely sure that i will ruin your hair if you keep staring at me like that.”

June muttered the words out while trying to hide her blushes that crept upon her cheeks when she heard the word “darling” by looking anywhere but the woman in front of her.

Damn this woman and her devil’s whispers.

“Even from the mirror?” It’s self-evident that Serena had became a master at making fun of June while wearing a straight face.

“Yes, Serena. Even from the mirror.” June said snappishly.

“Okay.” Serena suppressed a smile and closed her eyes.

June was actually happy with how the hair style turned out to be.

She managed to cut out the damaged parts and made it look like she did it on purpose. She also helped with mixing and applying the fancy hair colorants that Serena bought using June’s credit card -- that’s probably why Serena asked her to cut the hair in the first place but she’s gonna let it slide. For now.

And in result was the woman who’s currently walking towards June -- shoulder-high blonde hair now laying casually around Serena’s collarbone complementing her swan-like neck. And the curls from a good afternoon nap gave the look more vigour without being feigned.

Scratch the happy part.

June absolutely LOVED it.

But then again. It was more about the person than the hair.

“Do i have something on my face?” The now-blonder Serena asked puzzledly after handing June a cup of freshly made coffee.

“Nope. I was just thinking..um...about the book! Yes, the book. Thanks for the coffee.” June swallowed the original answer and replaced it with a less corny one.

“Yes, beauty”? Really Osborne?

June took a sip of her coffee and almost burned her tongue.

“Do you have an outline yet?” Serena sat on the other end of the sofa and sneaked her long legs under the blanket that June used to cover her own ones. Their calf touching.

“Uh, no. Well, mostly. I’m just trying to figure out the ending.” June looked at her laptop and the opened file.

She was writing yet another book.

This whole author thing sucks.

“So the whole ‘hero defeated the bad guys and got the girl and they lived happily ever after’ is no longer working? Shame. I liked that one.” Serena teased.

“I’m writing an autobiography, Serena. Not children’s book. Plus, nobody is buying that ‘happily ever after’bullshit these days.” June rolled her eyes.

“Well, what do you call this?” Serena pointed at the two of them.

“I...” June stuttered.

She didn’t want to hurt Serena’s feelings. But she also didn’t want to jinx their lives by calling it a “happy ending”.

They were only at the beginning after all.

Part of her was scared.

She wanted to say “I love you” to Serena so many times -- practically every morning when she woke up in Serena’s arms and every night before she closed her eyes and drifted into her sleep while circling Serena from behind.

And she knew that Serena would say it back because Come on, she said it to me first! Yes, it was in a letter but still, first.

But for some reason she always bit back the words at the last second.

Oh, you coward.

“Never mind. You know that i’m just messing with you and that i am more than grateful with how everything turned out, right?” Serena bumped June’s knees with her owns under the blanket.

“Yeah, i know.” June nodded blankly.

What happened to the bitchy Serena?

“Don’t stress yourself out too much. I know whatever you put in there, it’s going to be great.” Serena said decidedly.

See? There’s definitely something wrong with her.

“Thank you, but i don’t think the readers and the critics are going to agree with you.” June said, deflated.

The readers were not that bad but the critics? They were complete beasts and some of them devoured her last creation like a kid in an ice-cream shop. And not the good kind of devour.

“Miss Osborne was undoubtedly gifted at words but seemed to have fallen into a crop circle made of those exact things and without a rope or a loaf of bread to walk out of.”

Fucking beasts.

But, in a way, June knew they were telling the truth. All she did was repeating what the world already knew over and over again and hoping people would still like it the way they praised the first one.

“Since when do you care about what other people think?” Serena asked in disbelief.

“Honestly, i don’t. But it puts food on our table and rooftop over our heads. And those scented candles in our bathroom.” June raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“Hey, leave the candles out of it.” Serena stared at June with slightly widened eyes. “And you liked them.” She put her coffee mug on the little table beside the sofa and sat up then approaching June.

“You’re right. I do.” June didn’t oppose when Serena took the mug away from her hands and she sure wasn’t going to when all Serena did next was trapping her between the sofa arm and gave her a lazy yet sensual kiss.

“Serena...stop...i have to go p...pick up Nicole.” June murmured against Serena’s lips.

Damn this woman and her mouth.

“I’ll go.” Serena finished the kiss with a loud pop sound. And the smile that spread across her face made June’s heart skip a beat.

“But...” June suddenly forgot what she was about to say.

“No ‘but’s. You keep working on that book and i’ll go get Nicole from school. I could use some fresh air anyway.” Serena neatened her messy hair and said.

Shit. I forgot to rub those hair.

“You hated fresh air.” June watched as Serena putting on her shoes and a leather jacket on top of the floral dress.

Wait, is that my jacket?

“You’re not wrong.” Serena grabbed her keys from the key holder. “But like you said, those books pay for our food and house. And the candles.” She opened the door.

“You ordered more on line, didn’t you.” June asked knowingly.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that question, Ma’am.”With a funny salute, Serena vanished behind the shut door.

Did she just call me “Ma’am”?

June was in the middle of a brainstorm when her phone rang.

She picked it up to see who it was and sighed when Serena’s smiling face appeared on the screen -- June had to beg for that photo of Serena so she can set it up as caller image and she may or may not had promised a trip to Disneyland in the future as part of the bargain.

“Yes?” June didn’t bother to look away from her laptop.

Just when i’m getting somewhere with my book. Good job, Serena.

“...Momma?”

Instead of Serena’s crystal voice, June was greeted with Nicole’s small and shaking one.

“Nicole? What happened baby, are you okay? Where’s Mommy?!” June jumped up from the sofa and knocked over her laptop.

“Excuse me, is this Mrs. Osborne?” A man’s voice came through.

“This is she and may i ask whom i’m speaking to?” June was in the middle of picking up her laptop from the floor and she stopped abruptly. She clung to her phone.

“Yes, of course. This is first responder Kenny Green. I’m currently in an ambulance with your daughter and your...wife? I suppose. There’s been an accident at Rosamond Park -- a serious personal assault directed at your wife. Your daughter dialed 911 and we are on our way to the General Hospital right now.”

The man’s voice was clam but it still felt like a sharp knife cutting through her heart.

What’s he saying? An assault? What the...

“...Ma’am? Can you hear me?” The man questioned.

“Yes! Yes, sorry, i can hear you. I’m heading to the hospital right now. Is my daughter okay? Is she, can i talk to her?” June asked in a hurry while trying to gather everything she needed -- wallet, clothes, keys of the house and of the car.

“Of course, Ma’am.”

Then there was a noisy sound in the phone and June heard Nicole’s voice.

“Momma, i’m scared...they, they throw rocks and dirt at us and...and mommy told me to run and get help but, but she was not fighting back...momma...” Nicole’s voice broke June’s heart.

“Nicole, baby, Momma’s coming. It’s going to be okay, I just need you to be brave for me okay?” June closed the door and hopped on her car as quickly as she could.

“Okay, Momma...i’m worried about Mommy...” Nicole sniffed her nose.

“I know baby, i know. Mommy’s going to be okay. Just listen to the doctors and stay close all right? Momma will be there real quick.”

June fastened her seat belt and checked the rear view mirror. There were tears in her own eyes.  

“Okay, Momma.”

The called ended.

June fired up the engine and stepped hard on the accelerator.

No way i’m losing her again. Do you hear me? No. Fucking. Way.

“Hi, my name is June Osborne and i’m looking for a ‘Jane Seroy’?” June ran into the hospital lobby and asked the on-call nurse.

“Yes, let me see, are you...June Osborne?” The on-call nurse asked after checking the computer in front of her.

“Yes. I am.” June panted like crazy.

“Okay, follow me please, Miss Osborne.”

The nurse got up from her chair and started walking towards the east wing of the building. June followed.

They took a left turn after going through a long corridor and a familiar figure made June run past the nurse who was leading the way.

“Momma!” Nicole bounced up from the long bench she was sitting at and ran towards June.

“Nicole! Oh baby...” June buried her face in Nicole’s golden locks and took a deep breath. She felt herself relaxing.

“Momma...” Nicole’s eyes were puffy and her shirts were soaked.

“I know, baby, i know. I’m sorry i wasn’t there.” June kissed Nicole on the forehead and picked her daughter up.

“Excuse me, Mrs.Osborne?” A man dressed in police uniform who was sitting at the same bench as Nicole approached them.

“Yes?” June didn’t correct him because that’s not what’s important right now. And part of her liked the way it sounded.

“My name is Garry Harding. I’m a police officer with the 9th precinct, criminal division, and one of the first officers went on set.” He nodded while explaining.

“I’m sorry, did you say criminal division?” June asked incredulously.

Criminal? What the hell happened?

“Yes, Ma’am. We have full reasons to suspect that what happen to your wife was an act of intentional injury. And i want you to know that we’ve already had the suspect in custody waiting for further investigation.” Garry informed June with a sorry look on his face.

“I...what, okay...what...”

June wanted to ask more about what happened but she was cut short by a doctor.

“Is there a June Osborne?” The doctor looked at the three people standing in front of her.

“Yes! I’m June Osborne!” June almost raise her hands up before she realized there was a four-year-old Nicole in her arms.

“Okay, Miss Osborne. I’m Miss Seroy’s doctor Diane Kendra. Miss Seroy suffered from serious physical injuries in results of her bruised ribs and a slightly fractured jaw. She also took a hit on her head that left an open wound and a mild concussion. She needed three stitches and is under tranquilizers so now she’s asleep. Our advice is to keep her here overnight for observation. And if there’s no indication of any side effects tomorrow, she may be discharged.” Dr. Kendra finished filling June in.

“Thank you doctor...can i see her now?”

June didn’t know how to process all the things she just heard from the police and the doctor but she found herself relaxed fully.

Serena’s okay.

She’s okay and i’m not going to lose her.

“Certainly, Miss Osborne.” The doctor nodded.

“I’m sorry Mr.Harding, is it okay if we wait for, um, my wife, to wake up and then talk about what happened?”June was starting to follow the doctor’s steps when she noticed the police officer was still there.

“Of course Ma’am, that was always the plan. And i want you to know that we have people guarding your wife’s ward so you needn’t to worry about any other possible attacks. And if you need anything else and i meant ANYTHING, please don’t hesitate to call me.” Garry Harding said and handed June his card.

“Thank you, Mr.Harding.” June took the card and looked at him closely for the first time of the night.

Nice face.

“Please, call me Garry. My wife is a big fan of your books.” Garry smiled a little.

“June, nice to meet you.”

They exchanged a final nod and June turned around heading towards where Serena was staying.

You bastard.

June sat beside Serena’s hospital bed and cursed silently.

How dare you to put me through something like this? Again?

June stared at Serena’s figure.

The doctors did a wonderful job but there were still some remaining mud and dry-out blood stains got stuck on Serena’s exposed skins. Her hair, her hair that June cut for her and dyed for her and smelled and caressed every night, was a mess.

June raised up her hand desperately wanting to have some kind of physical contact but stop herself at a few inches away from Serena’s body.

The body she used to know so well that it became more familiar than her own and now she didn’t even know where she could touch without hurting the woman lying helplessly on the hospital bed.

She looks so small.

June blinked her eyes a few times to make the stinging feeling go away and looked over to the bed that placed next to Serena’s -- Nicole was sound asleep on it while clutching the stuffed animal monkey Serena bought her.

June’s heart race slowed down at the sight and something Nicole said to her over the phone hit her like a lightning strike.

“...they throw rocks and dirt at us and...but she was not fighting back...”

June snapped her head back to look at Serena.

That’s it.

I knew something was wrong.

How did i not see this sooner?

Then June started to put all the pieces together.

[1]

“Stop staring at me.”

When June Osborne regained her consciousness from what felt like a life-time (but really, it was just an extremely satisfying sleep), she felt a set of eyes on her.

Then she remembered.

Serena’s back.

And it was Serena’s arm she’s currently lying on top of and it was Serena’s scent floating in the air around her.

“I’m not staring at you.”

And her voice.

God. Do i miss this.

“Creep.”

June felt herself smiling despite her attempt to be serious. Her eyes still closed.

“Whatever.”

She could hear it in Serena’s voice that the woman’s also smiling. Maybe even bigger that her own.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

June opened her eyes and saw a grinning Serena looking at her with those blue eyes that always made her shiver.

“I can’t believe it either.”

Serena looked older.

There were wrinkles forming around the edge of those blue eyes but to June it only made her want the woman in front of her more.

A gentle stroke through the strapless dress June’s wearing causing a tiny stream of longing gathered around her waist. It wasn’t until then did she realized the warm hand on her hipbone.

“Well, i’m glad you are.” June leaned forward to kiss Serena.

“Well, i’m glad i’m here too.” And Serena accepted it like they’ve been doing this every day for the past five thousand years. Gentle and hopeful.

“Can you quit repeating my sentence?” June said, her mind dizzy from the kiss.

“Can you?” Serena rubbed their noses together.

“You...forget it, i’m too tired for that.”

I can’t believe the very first day i got her back and she managed to piss me off twice.

“Really? You slept for nine hours.” Serena said while massaging June’s arm.

“No i did not.” June looked at Serena with lifted eyebrows.

“It’s seven in the evening.” Serena stopped massaging and looked down at June’s disbelief face.

They arrived at June’s house at 10:30 in the morning just after the lecture at the university. And after the whole discussion with chairs they clasped on bed and fell asleep.

“What? Oh shit...I...Nicole! Where...” June panicked.

“Don’t worry, she’s having her nap.” Serena, on the other hand, held June closer and stole another kiss. “She’s fed and her diapers are changed and there are some grilled cheese waiting for you downstairs.”

Is this the same woman who yelled at me once because i got red apples instead of the green ones?

June stared at Serena’s face for a long time and decided to not let the odd feeling rising in her heart get in the way of feeling joy. HER Joy.

[2]

“I’m home!” June yelled as soon as she opened the door to the house.

After an extremely long day of meetings and conferences, all she wanted to do was to take a very hot shower and then lay on her bed with Serena for some much-needed cuddling.  

“In here!” Serena’s voice coming from their kitchen alongside with the sound of food being sizzled.

June took of her coat and hung it on the hanger beside the door and started walking towards the kitchen. There’s a heavenly smell in the air.

Is that steak?

“I’m making steak.” Serena looked up from the pan and smiled at June and June couldn’t help but smiled back.

“Welcome home.” Serena felt a pair of arms circled her waist from behind so she turned around and whispered in June’s ears before she gave June a chaste kiss on the lips.

“Hmm, thank you. What’s with the steak? Oh God, did i forget something? What date is it today?” The sudden panic expression on June’s face made Serena laugh.

“No, not at all. I was doing groceries and the steak looked really good i just had to buy it.” Serena reassured June with a kiss.

“And i want to do something for you. It must’ve been really hard to be the breadwinner.” Serena added apologetically.

“Hey, don’t. I’ve said two years ago that i’m perfectly fine with supporting the three of us and i’ll say it now and for as long as it’s needed.” June reasserted the promise with yet another kiss.

“And YOU can be the housewife this time for a change.”June winked at Serena with a wicked smile.

“Always a sweet-talker, aren’t you?” Serena licked her lips.

“You know it. Now go tender my steak, woman.” June gave Serena’s buttock a sound slap when the blonde turned around to check on the steak and got herself a side-eye as warning.

“This is amazing! I knew you can cook but this steak is next level.” June couldn’t help but wowed at Serena’s cooking skills.

“Thank you. I learned a new recipe.” Serena smiled lovingly at June.

“Here, you’ve got something on your mouth.” Serena picked up the napkin trying to wipe away the gravy that got stuck on the corner of June’s mouth.

“Oh, thank you. Hey, what happened to your hand?” June reached towards her mouth the same time as Serena and noticed there were small cuts all over Serena’s right hand.

“Oh it’s nothing. I was pilling potatoes and thought that i could do it with just a knife instead of proper tools. I guess that’s better for someone who has all of their fingers. Silly me.” Serena joked halfheartedly.

And she flinched a little when June grabbed her hand wanting to have a closer look.

June frowned at the action but didn’t say anything. She made a joke about how Serena need to learn more about “housewife-ing” and they ate the dinner in silence.

Unknown to Serena, it wasn’t the first time June found odd injuries on the blonde’s body. The latest time was on her left leg -- large portion of bruises scattered all over her thigh.

At the time Serena explained that she had fallen to the ground because it was winter and there were unmelted snow on the street and her legs never fully recovered from the gun-shot accident. June felt bad because Serena was shot trying to save her so she never brought it up again.

But now, sitting next to a beaten black and blue Serena, June Osborne finally figured out what the woman was hiding all this time.

It all makes sense now.

Cuts and wounds on your strong hand? Yeah, right.

Serena Joy was trying to make amends for all the things she had done in the past, as Mrs.Waterford, by punishing herself physically.

Atonement, June thought.

That’s why she was not fighting back.

She thought she deserved at least that much.

God, Serena.

How can you be so stupid?

“How can you be so stupid?” June said coldly, not looking at Serena.

“Hey...what...what are you talking about, June?” Serena who just woke up from her sleep and probably still high on tranquilizers asked in a confusing tone. Her voice hoarse.

“Why didn’t you fight back?” June kept her gaze down at her hands.

“I...did Nicole..where, where’s Nicole? Is she okay?”Serena asked hastily.

“She’s fine. Answer my question.” June finally looked at Serena. Her eyes bloodshot.

“I...i don’t, i don’t know what you’re talking about, what’s wrong, June?” Serena really seemed clueless.

“What’s wrong? Really? You put our daughter in danger and you have the nerve to ask ME what’s wrong? Really, Serena?” June tried to keep her voice down since they were at a hospital but failed.

“I didn’t! I would never! Those people initiate the attack first, i didn’t do anything!” Serena coughed violently after saying.

“Exactly! Serena! You didn’t do anything! That’s what’s wrong!” June yelled.

The room was dead quiet after June’s raging accuse. Serena stared at June dully and appeared to be in shock. June, on the other hand, was breathing so hard that she’s sure she was going to faint because she inhaled too many oxygen.

In those five minutes and thirty-four seconds of silence they didn’t break eye contacts and in between her coughs and swallowing salivas Serena saw it in June’s eyes that Miss breadwinner already knew why she hadn’t fought back.

In fact, June asked the question precisely because she already knew the answer and just wanted to hear it from Serena so she can pin it down.

And Serena didn’t know how to say it.

She didn’t know how to explain it to June that even though June said it was all over and that none of what happened was entirely her fault and that she’s off the hook in June’s book, she still felt like shit.

And that when those people at the park recognized her, who she was and used to be and what she had done, from a stupid poster picture she took unwillingly six years ago in a country she resented, all she wanted to do was run.

Run away as far as she could and hide and living under aliases like she did the first two years of Nicole’s life.

Serena didn’t know how to say any of these to June, so she just stayed quiet.

Finally, June stood up from her chair and went to the nightstand beside Serena’s bed and poured a glass of water and put a straw in the glass and then held it to Serena’s mouth.

A peace offering.

Serena hesitated a second but she was too parched so she drank the glass clean sip by sip. And neither of them said anything else to each other after.

“I’ll go run you a hot bath.” June said in a low voice while carrying a sleeping Nicole.

It was six-thirty in the morning. The doctors discharged Serena not long after she woke up and prescribed some painkillers for the wound on her head.

“No, June. Wait.” Serena grabbed June’s arms only to let go in the following second when she saw the look on June’s face.

Apathetic and silently disappointed.

She hadn’t seen that face for a long time. The last time Serena saw that look was when June confronted her about the “death” of Janine. It’s funny that both of which she was the one who actually got hurt physically and June was the one who’s angry.

Serena watched as June carried Nicole to her room. She was still standing beside the door when June came downstairs and helped her move to the the bathroom that was on the first floor .

“The water’s ready. I’ll go tuck Nicole in. Call me if you need anything else.” June’s action was quick and she avoided eye contact with Serena the whole time.

“June...” Serena called out June’s name like it was second nature to her but she didn’t know what she could say to make things better.

Not that June gave Serena enough time to finish -- She was out of the door as swiftly as she came in -- and left Serena staring at the steaming hot tub all by herself.

“Momma...” Nicole rubbed her eyes when she saw June’s figure appeared behind her bedroom door.

“Hey...sleepyhead. I’m back.” June sat down at the edge of the bed and smoothed Nicole’s frizzy hair with her hands.

She sure does have her mother’s hair.

“How’s Mommy?” As if to know what June was thinking, Nicole asked in quick succession.

“Mommy’s gonna be okay. All thanks to you sweet pea, you did good.” June wasn’t lying. She really wasn’t sure what would’ve happened if Nicole hadn’t called 911 in time.

I should’ve been there.

I should’ve be there for her.

“I only did what Mommy told me...are you going to check on her later?” Nicole seemed shy of the complements and then she stared at June curiously.

“I...yeah, yes, of course.” June didn’t want to lie to her daughter.

I will, for Nicole’s sake.

“Are you mad?” Nicole said gingerly.

“No, of course not. Why’d you ask, baby?” June was caught off guard with that question.

Do i look like i’m mad?

“You look mad. You have this look on your face when you get mad. Your brows would be frowned and you would press your lips together in a straight line. Like what you’re doing right now.” Clearly Nicole was profound for her age.

“Look who’s playing Sherlock now.” June ticked Nicole’s sides while saying.

“Ow, ha, stop it Momma...it wasn’t me...Mommy taught me that.” Nicole said between laughs.

Serena?

Did she think i’m mad?

At her?

“Do you have time to read me a bedtime story? Just one, please?” Nicole asked when June stopped her motion suddenly.

“Always, honey. Always.” June smiled and picked a random children’s book from the nightstand.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

Good one, Osborne.

“Yes! I love Snow White!” Nicole perked up when at the sight of the book.

June shook her head amusingly and began reading.

“...and the prince and the princess lived happily ever after...the end.” June closed the book and fought the urge of yawning in front of her daughter.

Ugh, so much with these happily ever after bull...

June froze.

“What’s wrong, Momma?” Nicole who was halfway into wonderland asked when she didn’t get her good night kiss.

“Nothing, sweetie. I’m gonna go check on Mommy, kay? You sleep tight.” June put the book back to where she had grabbed it before and tucked at Nicole’s quilt.

“Okay, good night.” Nicole closed her eyes.

“Good night.” June gave Nicole a kiss on the forehead.

“Do you mind passing me the towel? It’s too faraway and i don’t want to get the floor all wet.”

As soon as she opened the door to the bathroom, June heard Serena’s voice.

She sounds exhausted.

June closed the door behind her and when her eyes adjusted to the damping of the bathroom she got a clear vision of Serena’s naked body.

Black and blue was an understatement.

The woman in front of her was lucky that she was still in one piece. And standing.

Jesus, Osborne. How can you be so stupid?

“Ouch, what are you doing...June? Is everything o...”

Serena yelled half from the unexpected actions of June and half from the pain of her bruises.

“You are right.”

June pulled Serena into a delicate hug and buried her face in between Serena’s shoulder blades, let the clothes she was wearing drank up the remaining beads of water on Serena’s body freely.  

She pressed her lips against the warm skins, not kissing, just simply touching. And she felt her eyes getting watery when she detected the life beneath those fleshes.

She’s here.

Alive.

“O...kay? About what?” Serena had to put her hands on the cold porcelain wall to keep herself steady.

“This...Us.”

June whispered behind Serena and pampered the woman’s bare back with kisses. One bruise at a time.

“...i’m not sure i...”

Serena inhaled deeply when she felt June’s warm mouth conquering across her body.

“This is our ‘happily ever after’.”

June said when her kisses made their ways to Serena’s neck. She gently turned Serena around and looked at the blonde in the eyes.

“You are my ‘happily ever after’.”

June sealed the magical three words with a devout kiss on Serena’s lips.

It’s not “I love you”s.

But close enough, June thought.