The Sun, Moon & Stars [GxGxG]

9. Chancing Change

Friday, November 8th, 2024
(Present)

Aurora's POV

My nails hammer relentlessly against my desk as I count down the seconds until lunch, but food is the furthest thing from my mind. When the clock strikes one, I bolt out the door and up to Xenia's floor. I was one of the few who had access to it unconditionally.

I enter the head honcho's private space without warning, but she appears to have been expecting me, and by that, I mean too preoccupied to be bothered.

"Miss James. What can I do for you?"

After securing the door, I take up the seat across from her. "We need to talk."

Xenia immediately stops what she's doing. "What happened? Is something wrong? Are you okay? Is it Dev? Is she okay?"

"What? No, she's fine. Nothing's wrong. I'm good."

"Jesus, Rory, don't scare me like that!"

I wince. "Sorry, sorry."

"Out with it then. What do you want?"

Her testiness had me grinning. "I wanted to run something by you, is all. See, I was thinking about visiting the old hag," I reveal.

"Old h - you mean Dr. Rivera?"

"That's what I said."

Xenia scowls. "Call her by name, Aurora, or not at all. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

It was as if she could sense me getting turned on. "Get the hell out of my office."

"Nia, wai-"

"Goodbye, Aurora."

"Come with me," I blurt out.

"Why? For what?"

"I didn't come here to get an 'okay' from you about going to therapy. I came to convince you to do it with me. Dev was right, Nia, and we owe it to her to try. Who knows, maybe she'll let us join her."

The CEO seems conflicted. "I don't know, Rory. Do you think we're ready for that? I mean, it's a pretty big step, and it's only been a little over a week."

"Space can only do so much, babe. The next steps we must take aren't ones we can do alone. That's what fucked us over in the first place - trying to deal separately when we should've been there for each other."

"...You're right."

My heart soars. "So you'll do it?"

"Of course, but I think we should talk to Dev first and see about tagging along for a session," Nia suggests. "I don't want to spring anything on her, you know?"

"That's smart. When do you wanna...?"

"Let's bring it to her this weekend."

"Okay," I agree. "This is good."

"Yeah?" Nia reaches out for reassurance, and I give it to her: a gentle squeeze of her hand and a warm smile.