Where Are We Going?
Taron: What exactly are you waiting for sis?
Tatum takes a drink of her tea and looks at her twin brother: What do you mean?
Taron: Why don’t you and Leighton live together?
Tatum: We each need space sometimes.
Taron: You mean you need space.
Tatum: Yeah, I do. I don’t know why. I see her just about everyday and I hate not seeing her when I wake up first thing in the morning. But I don’t know…
Taron: Are you scared?
Tatum: Now what would I be scared of?
Taron: You tell me, sis.
Tatum: We’ve talked about it many times. But she likes living with Whitney…
Taron: Boy, I knew you and I were just alike when it came to women…
Tatum: I’ve never cheated on Leighton, though…how is Carrie by the way?
Taron glares at his sister.
Taron: You know she took off the minute she found out.
Tatum: So how are we the same? I still have my woman.
Taron: But you don’t want to commit.
Tatum: We have been together for three years.
Taron: You were with Beth three years too but then you started to get antsy. You dumped her so you could mess around.
Tatum: I have no desire to be in a relationship with anyone but Leighton.
Taron: And yet, you won’t move in with her. If space means that much to you, keep the place here with me but don’t tell her you’re keeping it. Then when you need to go, just take off.
Tatum: I’m not going to lie to her. We communicate, dear brother. It’s how we do things. No lies, I already heard about it from her when I didn’t mention that you and I went to Stacey’s grave. I don’t want any problems.
Taron: So what are you going to do?
Tatum: Hope that she doesn’t bring it up.
Taron laughs.
Tatum: I love her so much, brother.
Taron: I know, sis.
Whitney and Leighton are discussing the same thing at their apartment.
W: Are you going to talk about it with her?
L: Should I even bring it up?
W: If it’s bothering you, yes. You guys communicate pretty well, I have seen it. Hell, I have practiced some of your methods with Alex the past couple of weeks. Tell her what you want. I’m a little hurt that you don’t want to live with me any longer.
Whitney feigns sorrow.
Leighton giggles.
L: Its not that, I mean I see her everyday and I hate waking up and she’s not next to me. Whit, I came so close to losing her all those years ago, I just don’t want to go through it again.
W: Then tell her that.
L: I don’t want it to be like I’m forcing her. I am happy living with you. She and I do have separate lives and separate friendships and I think it’s good for us to not be up under each all the time. She says she needs space but then won’t let me out of her sight when we’re together. And I’m guilty of it too. I know what happened eight years ago freaked her out and I’m still on edge too. But I know I’m going to be with her for the rest of my life so I don’t know why we can’t get started on it soon.
W: Isn’t her 30th coming up?
L: Yes and we’re having a dinner and party with everybody. You and Alex are invited.
W: We will be there.
L: And then soon after, we’re going to Portugal for a couple of weeks. It will be good to get away. We’ve both been working a lot. She was able to get time off and so was I.
W: That’s good. You guys need it.
L: It’s gay friendly so we can feel at ease while out there. It will be good to just be.
W: Have you guys talked about marriage?
L: She can barely talk about moving in without rubbing her neck, I can only imagine what marriage talk will have her rubbing.
They both laugh.
L: I love her so much, Whit.
W: I know, Leight.
Tatum’s 30th birthday dinner is a gathering of about 25 of Leighton and Tatum’s closest family and friends (including Taron whose birthday was celebrated two nights before. He is six minutes older than Tatum. He was born at 11:57 pm one night and Tatum was born at 12:03 am the next morning) at Sons of Essex. The music is loud and the booze is flowing. Tatum and Leighton take shot after shot, inebriation getting closer and closer as Tatum’s friends gift the ladies booze. Tatum looks at Leighton and gestures toward the bathroom.
Tatum grabs Leighton’s hand and tells one of their friends: We’ll be back.
As they enter the bathroom: Tatum grabs Leighton by the waist and pushes her into one of the stalls. Leighton giggles as her girlfriend drunkenly unbuttons her blouse.
L: I don’t think we have done it in a bathroom stall since college.
T: Well, let’s relive our youth.
Thirty minutes later, the ladies reappear, hand in hand and smirking. They both had to reapply lipstick and fix their hair to give a semblance of having it together.
Whitney sees them and laughs knowingly as she sways side to side with her boyfriend of a year, Alex.
Tatum whispers in Leighton’s ear: I love you.
Leighton grins big: I love you too.
T: Babe, I want to talk to you about something….
Just as Tatum was getting ready to say something, a pretty blonde woman with brown eyes walks up to them…more specifically, walks up to Tatum.
Woman: Tatum! I haven’t seen you in forever!
Leighton watches Tatum’s face attempting to remember the woman.
T: Donna! Yes, it’s been a while. How have you been?
D: Great! Happy Birthday! I remember celebrating your 25th with you!
Tatum turns red as Leighton interrupts the conversation.
Leighton extends her hand: Hello, I’m Leighton…Tatum’s girlfriend. It’s nice to meet you.
Leighton said it in a way that let Donna know it wasn’t at all nice to meet her.
Donna is taken aback but shakes Leighton’s hand.
D: Oh, you’re the famous Leighton! Well you are quite beautiful. Good job, Tatum!
Tatum smiles: Thanks, I am very lucky!
She kisses Leighton on the cheek.
Donna gets the hint quickly.
Well Happy Birthday, again…and if you ladies are ever interested in a third, Tatum you know how to reach me. We did that for your 25th too. You remember Victoria, I’m sure.
Tatum clears her throat: Bye, Donna. Have a good night.
Leighton playfully pokes Tatum: Oh, that’s what you were up to when we were apart. So that wasn’t your first time when we celebrated your 28th?
T: Babe, we both have pasts.
L: I know. It used to bother me but not anymore.
T: Leighton, you can trust me.
L: And you can trust me.
Maybe we’ll call Donna for your 35th.
T: Maybe we’ll call her for your 30th.
The ladies laugh themselves into a kiss.
T: I want to take you somewhere in the morning.
L: Oh? Where?
T: You’ll see.
Madison comes over with her girlfriend, Ava with two more shots.
M: Drink up ladies!
Leighton and Tatum look at each other.
T: Um, maybe we can wait until tomorrow afternoon.
Leighton laughs: Babe!
The girls throw the shots back.
An hour later, a large carrot cake (Tatum’s favorite) comes out and Tatum’s friends serenade her with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday!
Everybody dances their way into the late night.
Tatum wakes up in the Long Island apartment she shares with her twin brother.
Her head is swirling and her stomach is churning.
I’m not as young as I used to be, she thinks to herself. She turns to her left side and sees it bare.
She frowns.
A private car dropped both she and Leighton off at their respective apartments.
Tatum shakes her head: No, I don’t like this. Waking up and not seeing her next to me is not something I want. I did that for too many years after I graduated. A bunch of one night stands and Beth for three years but none of them were Leighton.
She checks her phone and sees a text from Taron, who found a friend for the night at her birthday party, to not wait up for him.
Taron: Don’t wait up sis, I’m getting my own special birthday gift for the night. Love ya!.
Tatum: Gross, bro. But Happy Birthday! We’re expected at Mom and Dad’s tonight. They’re treating us to Blackstone. Hopefully Trevor brings TJ.
She also got an I love you text from Leighton. She smiles.
Tatum rushes to the restroom as her stomach reminds her she’s now 30 and not 20.
Tatum brushes her teeth and then jumps into the shower.
She walks into the kitchen in just her robe and gets water out of the refrigerator. She pops two Motrin and takes a swig of the water. Then she lies back down to doze off.
She wakes up three hours later and panics. She checks her phone and sees multiple texts from Leighton and two missed calls. She texts her immediately.
I’m fine, babe. I just woke up. I’ll be there soon. I love you.
Leighton texts back: Rough morning? Lol. Okay, babe, I’ll see you soon. Love you too.
Tatum gets herself together and puts on a green blouse and blue jeans along with all white low Air Force Ones.
She grabs her purse, phone, keys and another set of keys.
She texts Leighton that she’ll be there in an hour.
She stops to get them both coffee cause she has a feeling Leighton is going to need it as well.
Leighton comes down to the car wearing a green blouse, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.
They both look stunned staring at each other.
Tatum: No, babe. Just, no.
Leighton grins widely.
Come on up.
Jeff the doorman eyes both the ladies’ identical outfits and shakes his head. Tatum hands Leighton her coffee and grabs her other hand.
They make their way up to Leighton’s apartment and the second Whitney sees them, she bursts into raucous laughter.
Whitney: Now this is some funny shit!
Tatum and Leighton laugh with her.
Leighton motions for her girlfriend to follow her into the bedroom.
Tatum watches in admiration as her girlfriend disrobes.
T: I never get tired of watching you undress.
Leighton smiles: I never get tired of you watching me.
Leighton finally changes into a yellow top, brown slacks and light yellow tennis shoes.
They walk out of the bedroom.
T: See ya Whit.
W: See ya Turner.
Tatum shakes her head and smiles.
W: Take it easy Leight.
L: Take care Whit!
As they leave the apartment and head to Tatum’s car, Jeff nods his head in appreciation.
J: Much better, ladies.
Tatum opens the passenger door for Leighton.
She walks to the other side and gets in.
Leighton: Where are we going?
Tatum: You’ll see.
They make their way into Brooklyn.
L: Babe, your mother called me. We are expected at Blackstone at 7pm. I suppose Taron and the brunette he left with last night will be there as well.
Tatum chuckles: I texted him about it, he hasn’t gotten back to me yet but he will I’m sure.
Tatum changes the subject: Babe, I’ve been thinking.
She’s driving around the different neighborhoods clueing Leighton in on what’s going on.
Leighton, slowly starting to realize what’s happening, begins to get excited:
T: I went six years without you. It’s not something I’m interested in repeating. I know I said I needed my space…and I do. But I want you more. I want to see those eyes of yours when I wake up in the morning and when I go to sleep. I want to hear your light snore and your giggles as you sleep….I…
Leighton interrupts: Let me see it!
Tatum laughs: Okay.
They make their way into Cobble Hill.
They get out of the car and walk hand in hand to a very large apartment. It’s unfurnished but the sun is shining through the windows. It’s two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is a lot of space.
Leighton starts crying
Tatum comes up behind her: Do you like it?
Leighton, through tears: Yes, babe. I love it! And I love you.
T: I love you too. You don’t have to move out of yours and Whitney’s right away. This is ours. It’s bought and paid for. I wanted to get this done before Portugal. I want you and I want our life together. I checked around, we’re in a safe neighborhood and it’s inclusive.
She engulfs Leighton in a hug. They stand there for several minutes.
Leighton breaks the hug and rushes to close the front door.
L: You know I never gave you your birthday present.
T: Oh?
Leighton begins to remove her blouse.
Tatum grinning: There’s no furniture in here yet, babe.
L: That has never stopped us before.
Tatum grins and nods.
Happy Birthday to me!