all my plans were made
Willow had found herself in a steady routine. Sneak out of the house once the old Mr. Schnee had fallen asleep, running down to the end of the driveway would Kali, on her purple Honda Sabre, would meet her with her leather jacket and helmet. Quickly kissing her lover’s cheek, she would swing her leg over the bike and they’d be gone. Most nights they went back to the Menagerie, not being able to stay away from the bed for longer than an hour. They didn’t always end up naked; sometimes they simply slept. Willow had grown unable to comfortably sleep without the heat radiating off of Ghira’s chest and Kali’s heartbeat against her ear.
Some nights, Ghira would meet them at the end of the road, pulling up next to them. They’d wait long enough at the stop sign for them to take in the sight of each other, and then they’d go find a field. Lying under the stars, Willow couldn’t ask for much more. She was terrified they would never want anything to do with her after she told them she was only 18, but everything was legal, so why not? Ghira had never been one to shy away from consequences; he was well on his way to taking over his father’s club, the White Fang, and sneaky Kali was just as mischievous.
When the night would come to a close, Ghira would carry a half-asleep Willow to Kali’s bike, kissing her forehead, and she would give him a sleepy smile before resting her head on the dark-haired woman's back, holding on tight. Kali would take the long way back to the Schnee estate, not wanting to give up the tornado of a girl that was now their whole world. Ghira would set off back to the apartment, trying to ignore the tightening in his chest as he watched his loves drive away from him. One day, they’ll be able to be together, but not with Willow’s expiration date of freedom hanging over them.
She’s in the middle of grooming her horse when Klein enters the barn. Klein had been around since Willow was a child, perhaps one of the only people on the estate who truly saw her, let alone loved her. He clears his throat to grab her attention, “Miss Schnee, your father wishes to have a word with you in his study.”
“Klein, can it wait? Snow needs to be groomed, she’s been tromping through the brush all day.” She had put Snow out to run amok in one of the pastures that morning before going about other things, and when Willow had returned to take her for a trail ride, she’d caught the American Paint playing in the dry brush.
“I’m sorry, he said post haste.” Willow hangs her head as she places the brush back on the shelf, murmuring to Snowfall that she will be back to groom her, leading her back to her stall. Willow was happiest in the barn with the horses. Snowfall was her heart horse, and things didn’t seem as scary or as big when she was riding. It was the same feeling she got when she was perched on the back of a motorcycle with her arms wrapped around one of her lovers.
Willow sighed as she walked towards the house, trying to brush Snow’s hair off her jeans. Her father would have a fit, he hated seeing her like this. The mirror image of her mother, a Texas beauty queen with a rodeo record to boot. Willow hadn’t taken to pageants, but horses were another story. She took to rodeoing like she’d always been doing it, taking care and riding horses ran in her veins. Her mother had died due to complications during Willow’s birth, and for the last 18 years she had been atoning for a crime she didn’t commit.
“Father, you asked to see me?” The blonde enters the study to see her father sitting at a big oak desk that probably weighed more than Snowfall, but that’s not what caught her eye. It was the black haired man with his back turned to her.
“Willow, darling”, he never called her a pet name. Something is severely wrong, “I’d like you to meet someone. This is Jacques Frost.”
Now, Willow may have her mean moments, but she was raised with manners. She shakes the unfamiliar man's hand, her muscles tense. “Nice to meet you, Mr Frost.”
“Hello.” The strange man circles her like she's cattle at auction, making her feel disgusting. The dread that’s lived in her gut since graduation reaches a new high.
Willow moves hoping to disrupt the shark in the water. She looks at her father, “What’s going on?”
“Willow, meet your husband. You’re to be married by the end of the summer.” No, and suddenly her timer has run out. She’s backing away, trying to get out of the room. “Now, Willow, be reasonable. Your mother was younger than you are now when you were born.” With that final nail in the coffin, she’s gone.
“No.” Willow runs out, pushing herself to go faster. She climbs over the gate, not noticing as her phone slips out of her pocket. As she runs she searches her pockets, shit. She must’ve dropped it going over the fence. Willow finally slows as she jumps over the small creek that acts as the property line. I guess I’m walking.
Twenty minutes later, Willow hears the familiar rumble of a Honda Sabre, Kali. The blonde stops her tracks as Kali pulls to a stop several yards away. Before she can stop herself, she’s running full tilt towards the black haired woman. Kali opens her arms and holds her girl. Willow is sobbing, clutching Kali’s jacket, “Shh, it’s okay, what happened?” Another rumble joins the Sabre as Ghira pulls up on his black Yamaha Raider.
When Ghira reaches them, Kali passes Willow off to her husband. “Hey, pretty girl. What’s wrong? Why are you out here?” The blonde shakes her head, waiting for the weight in her chest to reside. She had known since that first night, no matter how stupid it was. She was in love with them. Both of them, Ghira’s hair that brushes his shoulders, and the twinkle of Kali’s eyes in the light of the bar. They were home.
Gathering strength she finally speaks, “He wants to marry me off like I’m a piece of livestock.” She continues to cry, not out of sadness but out of anger. She was Willow Schnee, heiress to an oil company she should be able to choose who she wants. Ghira rocks her in his arms as Kali rubs her back.
“Shh, pretty girl. Let’s get you on the bike so we can go home,” Home, the little apartment above Menagire. They’d carved out a space for her in their lives. Perhaps the space was always there waiting for Willow to occupy it. Kali always did say the bed felt too big. Ghira begins walking towards his bike, the angry girl refusing to let go. Kali hid it well, but he had known her for all his 23 years of life; there was nothing but devastation and fear.
Willow leans into Kali, no longer crying as they wait for Ghira to get settled, Kali putting her cheek on the blonde’s head. “I’m late for my period.” The girl softly admits low enough for only Kali to hear. They hadn’t been the most responsible with protection, all of their moments being stolen.
Kali barely nods before raising her voice so Ghira can hear, “Honey, I’m gonna stop at the dollar store. Grab Willow some toiletries, and we’re out of toilet paper.” Willow is thankful for the lie; they all know how much she loves showering at the apartment, leaving her smelling like them.. She cuddles in close to his back, as close as she can with her helmet.
The ride to the apartment gives Willow enough time to gather her thoughts. Her mind was already racing, trying to figure out what she needed to make a break for it. There were many things she was willing to give up, but Snowfall was not one of those things. She’d need to find a house with land enough to run at least Snowfall. Her inheritance didn’t get released until she was 21, and her thoughts are spinning as Ghira pulls into the gravel lot. He parks and swinging his leg over the bike, he reaches for Willow, putting her into a bridal hold. Instead of the usual route of going through the bar, he takes the rarely used outside staircase.
Reaching the apartment, he places her on the couch before going to check that the door stayed unlocked for Kali. “Let’s get you out of these clothes, you smell like a horse.” Willow had come to appreciate the non sexual parts of their relationship, complying when Ghira brings her to the bathroom, undressing her. Willow steps into the shower as he turns the knob. Her eyes fall shut as Ghira, still fully clothed, begins to wash her hair. For all the thoughts racing through her mind, she allows herself to have this moment.
“Hey, pretty girl,” Kali whispers from the door of the bathroom, leaning on the door frame. Ghira gives the dark-haired woman a peck as he reaches for a towel to wrap Willow in. The blonde just gives her a sweet smile. “Hey, babe. Will you go get me a beer from downstairs?”
“Yeah, you good?” He looks into Willow’s eyes. The fear growing in her stomach wanes for a moment.
“I’m great.” He kisses the blonde, and Kali takes over drying off their lover. The two women are silent as they wait for the door to click closed.
“No matter what, it’ll be okay, I swear it.” Willow nods as Kali opens the box containing the pregnancy test, reading off the instructions. Willow tries to ignore the sinking feeling as she takes the test, and when she’s done, Kali returns to the bathroom holding a pair of her sweatpants and one of Ghira’s t-shirts. “Now we wait.”
The pair sits on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for the timer to go off. They lean into each other, and Kail watches as Willow’s eyes go distant. She knew her girl was smart; she had graduated with high honors, and she was forming a plan. Kali knew in her soul she would do anything for her, walk to the ends of the earth if she asked, and Kali knew Ghira felt the same way. They both had whispered confessions of love to the blonde as she slept between them.
The timer buzzes, making both of them jump. “Will you check it?”
“This changes nothing, okay. It’ll be fine, no matter what.” Willow hears the shake in Kali’s voice, it changes everything. She takes a breath before meeting Kali’s eyes, nodding. The black haired woman in front of her breaks out in a breathtaking smile.