CAKE

One Hundred Forty-Five

Mallory 

Reading the message on my phone, I glance up my gaze landing on my girlfriend. I can't help but smile as I watch her move around the apartment on her little mission to clean up despite the place being as clean as possible. I chuckle softly, grabbing her attention. She eyes me in confusion.

"I don't understand why you're still nervous, you already met them last year, and they loved you might I remind you," I voice with a small smile. 

Casey exhales and rolls her eyes. "Babe. It's one thing to be in their element. It's another when they're in my element. I have to be perfect. Or close to it. They'll be meeting my mom, sister, best friend... more of the family on Christmas. What's there to not be nervous about?" she questions, plopping down beside me.

I laugh at her misery as I lean over and kiss her forehead. "You worry too much. Anne said they're boarding the plane now so we'll see them in about an hour or so," I mutter before unlocking my phone to check the message again to make sure I got the times right.

Casey hums as she sits up, eyes on me. "We said we'd pay for a hotel room for them but we have yet to check out the hotels near us."

I eye the woman before speaking up. "Actually, I'm letting them stay in my apartment."

The brown-skinned woman beside me raises her brows. "Your 1 bedroom apartment? If your mom decided to take the bed... then where would Anne and Traci sleep because the couch is not big enough. And I just think it's wrong for your mom to sleep on a couch so that option is out of the equation," she mutters.

"Well, that option was the one my mom suggested to me. Hell, even Anne and I tried to reason with her about it but she said they weren't here for two weeks, just a few days so she'd be fine with the couch. And that's what we settled on. Of course, I'll be here with you," I voice. 

Casey eyes me wide-eyed, surprised at the truth. "Huh. I'm shocked. Well... do you want to go buy a new bed set because... well..." she blushes before clearing her throat. 

Rolling my eyes, I slap her arm. "I already did that. It's in my closet."

She chuckles before scooting closer and letting out a breath. "I'm excited for your mom and sister to finally meet my mom and sister. I feel like it's a little overdue, we've been together for a year and ten months now."

I can't help but smile at the revelation, my hand grabbing her chin and pulling her face closer. "God, we've been together almost two years now. Somehow it feels like we've been dating for far longer. I feel like I've known you all my life," I whisper as I peck her lips.

I watch the brown-skinned woman glance away from me her eyes slowly lifting to the ceiling, an action she's been doing a lot lately when she's thinking. She hums as she sits up properly beside me. Her head tilts to the right as she gets stuck in her head. 

I don't speak as I keep my eyes on her, studying her features as if this is my first time. "What," she mutters before her russet-brown eyes finally meet mine. She eyes me for a few seconds before sitting cross-legged beside me. "Do you think Kathryn's going to be okay?" she questions, bringing up her ex-fiance for the first time in weeks. 

My brows raised as I eyed her, wondering why she was curious about the brunette. "It's just..." she let out a breath, turning her gaze to the blank TV screen. "Kathryn's been through a lot in the past... honestly I don't think there's been a time where she's never gone through something. I mean, yeah when we were together we were okay but... she had so much she was keeping to herself and everything with the disorders," she voices.