Sunflower

I'll pack my things

Jessica wakes up in the middle of the night to Tiffany's soft cries.

"Tiffany?"

The weight from her side leaves Jessica and presses against her body, sinking the both of them deeper into the mattress. Skin slides against skin as Tiffany digs her head deep into Jessica's neck.

"What's wrong?"

Her sobs are quieter now as her tears start to pool around at the base of Jessica's collarbone.

"I had a nightmare. You weren't here."

"But I am here."

Jessica holds tightly onto her, pressing her hands into Tiffany's back to show her physically that she is here.

"For now." It comes off so soft and fragile that it terrifies Jessica how much this really scares Tiffany.

"I'm not going to leave."

"But I might. What if some irrevocable force ripped us apart? What if something out of our complete control rifted us? What if -"

"That's okay, because I would follow you."

"Sometimes I am afraid that I'll expect you to be following and turn around and you won't be there. You won't be here. You won't be anywhere." She is speaking too fast, psyching herself out.

"Look at me."

Tiffany pushes herself up, eyes locking onto Jessica's.

"I'm never going to leave you, even if you were to throw me away, to kick me aside, or push me away. I'd follow you because that's all I know how to do, how to love you. I'm too selfish to give you up."

Jessica pulls her in for a kiss at the corner of her lips.

"I'm too selfish to give up the best thing that's ever happened to me."

It only makes Tiffany cry more, but a different type of tears. She inhales deeply, wondering if this is the right time to break the news.

"I got a promotion at work. I'm being transferred."

She expects Jessica to protest, to hide her fears and angers at the thought of being separated, to lash out in some shape or form. She does not expect Jessica to smile and whisper.

"I'll pack my things tomorrow morning."

There are no questions of where they are going, when they are going, or demands for explanations as to why.

Tiffany lowers herself back down, head resting on Jessica's chest.

"You make it sound so easy."

"It's only easy because it's you. Would you have done the same for me?"

"Yes." There is no hesitation in Tiffany's voice.

"Then you make it easy, too."

And it suddenly clicks in Tiffany's head that they wouldn't, no, couldn't be separated just because of a job promotion. They needed each other and would follow each other to the ends of the earth.

On the dresser sits a fresh sunflower in a vase as they fall asleep to their beating hearts, breathing each other in.

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